Chapter 26: Truancy

Chapter 26: Truancy

Jiang Shu rested her chin on her hand, pondering what conditions to set, when Huo Chong rushed in with an urgent expression.

"Lord, the young master is missing."

Shen Changze abruptly stood up and walked out with Huo Chong.

Jiang Shu, startled back to reality, followed them.

The gray-clad servant boy who attended to Yan Yang stood in the courtyard, looking anxious and frightened. Upon seeing Shen Changze descend the stairs, he knelt down in fear.

"What happened? Wasn't Yan Yang at school? How could he be missing?" Shen Changze asked.

The servant boy trembled, "I don't know either. Every morning, after the young master enters the school, I wait in the outer courtyard for him to finish. Today was no different."

"But during the midday break, Master Meng angrily told me that if the young master doesn't come to class again, he shouldn't bother coming back."

"Yan Yang skipped school?" Shen Changze frowned deeply, his face darkening with anger.

The servant nodded.

"Where is he?"

The servant shivered, "The young master... the young master is gone."

"Explain clearly!" Shen Changze barked coldly.

The servant shuddered, spilling out the details like beans from a bamboo tube, "Master Meng said he hasn't seen the young master for three days. But I see him enter the school every day and watch the courtyard without seeing him leave."

"After realizing the young master was missing, Master Meng had the school searched thoroughly, but there was no sign of him."

"Are you sure Yan Yang didn't leave the school?" Shen Changze asked, his brows furrowed.

The servant nodded firmly, "Except for entering and leaving for school, the school's gate is always locked. The young master couldn't have left."

If he's not in the school and hasn't left, where did Yan Yang go?

"Do not spread this around, especially do not let Lady know," Shen Changze instructed, then left quickly with Huo Chong.

Jiang Shu returned to the room, fanning herself with a round fan, puzzled.

She couldn't understand where Yan Yang had gone.

The Shen family's clan school was located in a quiet courtyard near a branch of the Shen family, nestled against a mountain, making it an ideal place for studying.

Shen Changze circled the courtyard, confirming that the walls were too high for Yan Yang to climb over, and there was only one entrance—the main gate.

"My lord, this wall is loose," Huo Chong suddenly said.

Shen Changze approached and saw several loose bricks behind a flower bed. A gentle push made them fall away.

A square-foot hole was large enough for a five-year-old to crawl through.

Using lightness kung fu, Shen Changze leaped over the wall, followed by Huo Chong.

There were dust and signs of crawling beneath the wall.

After checking, Huo Chong said, "The young master is very clever. After crawling out, he replaced the bricks, making it hard to notice."

Unfortunately, his cleverness was misplaced.

Shen Changze's face remained cold as he surveyed the surroundings, trying to guess where Yan Yang might have gone.

This spot was at the intersection of several alleys, two leading to the main street and one toward the mountain.

Shen Changze headed down the alley leading to the mountain.

"Come on, come chase me."

"I caught a fish..."

At the foot of the mountain, a small river flowed gently, where a group of children played and splashed in the water.

With a quick glance, Shen Changze spotted Yan Yang under a tree.

He couldn't swim and dared not venture into deep water, sitting in the shallow area enviously watching the other children catch fish.

"Young master," Huo Chong called out.

Yan Yang turned around, his face filled with panic upon seeing Shen Changze, and instinctively ran into the river.

"Yan Yang!" Shen Changze shouted while rushing towards the riverbank.

But Yan Yang, like a frightened animal, kept swimming deeper into the river, soon reaching the deep waters.

However, he couldn't swim and started to sink after a few flails.

"Young master!" Huo Chong, breaking out in a cold sweat, leaped into the river and pulled Yan Yang out.

"Cough... cough..." Yan Yang choked, his face turning red from the water.

Shen Changze's face was livid, his voice icy, "Back to the mansion."

Yan Yang looked back at the children still playing freely in the river, tears streaming down his face in despair.

Shen Changze brought Yan Yang back to the mansion, intending to discipline him without alarming Cheng Jinchu. However, no matter how much he scolded Yan Yang, the boy refused to return to school.

Enraged, Shen Changze punished Yan Yang with the family rules, leaving his buttocks bruised and swollen.

"Are you going to read or not?" Shen Changze asked with each strike.

Yan Yang's buttocks were already red from the beating, but he still clung tightly to the wooden stool, stubbornly gritting his teeth: "No."

"Smack!" Shen Changze raised his hand for another strike.

The two-inch-wide bamboo paddle struck Yan Yang's bare buttocks, causing him to shudder in pain.

Yan Yang's face turned red from the pain, and he cried out hoarsely.

"Stop it, stop it!"

The elderly Lady Shen and Mother Shen, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, saw Shen Changze raising his hand again and hurriedly shouted to stop him.

"Grandmother, Mother, why are you here?" Shen Changze's handsome face was taut with anger that had yet to subside.

The two women ignored him and immediately checked Yan Yang's injuries.

Seeing Yan Yang's buttocks beaten to a bloody mess, his body trembling with pain and cold sweat, the elderly Lady Shen's eyes reddened with heartache, and she angrily pointed at Shen Changze: "Do you want to beat him to death? He is your eldest son!"

What does being the eldest son mean? It means the future of the marquisate!

"Because he is the eldest son, I must strictly discipline him so he doesn't become mediocre." Shen Changze spoke sternly, showing no sign of backing down.

Mother Shen held Yan Yang, wiping her tears: "He should be disciplined for not listening, but you shouldn't be too hasty. If you really hurt him badly, you'll regret it."

"Yan Yang, quickly apologize to your father and tell him you will study hard," Mother Shen coaxed Yan Yang.

Yan Yang's teeth chattered from the pain, but he remained stubborn: "No, I don't want to study, Grandmother, I won't study."

Hearing this, Mother Shen and the elderly Lady Shen were left speechless.

It was true they felt sorry for their grandson, but how could the eldest son of the prestigious marquisate not study?

"Grandmother, Mother, you heard him. He shows no remorse; should he not be disciplined?" Shen Changze tightened his grip on the family rod, his chest heaving with anger.

The elderly Lady Shen sighed helplessly and conceded: "He has already been injured by you. If you must punish him, find a method that doesn't harm his body."

"What do you suggest, Grandmother?" Shen Changze handed the family rod to Huo Chong.

The elderly Lady Shen pondered: "Let him kneel first, and call Jinchu and Shu'er to discuss it together."

"Jinchu's emotions are unstable. If she finds out, she might get upset and harm the fetus," Mother Shen expressed concern.

The elderly Lady Shen glared at her: "With things like this happening, do you think it can be kept secret?"

Mother Shen fell silent.

Yan Yang knelt in the hall while Shen Changze and the others sat, waiting for Jiang Shu and Cheng Jinchu.

"Yan Yang, Yan Yang." Soon, Cheng Jinchu rushed in hastily.

"Mistress, be careful of the threshold," the maid supporting Cheng Jinchu reminded softly.

Cheng Jinchu entered the room and, seeing Yan Yang kneeling on the ground, immediately rushed over.

"Let Mother see your injuries."

She had heard from the servants that Yan Yang was punished for skipping school, and his buttocks were badly bruised.

"Mistress." Huo Chong bowed to Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu slowly stepped into the hall, and the elderly Lady Shen seized the opportunity to say: "Jinchu, sit down first. Yan Yang's injuries are not serious."

She feared that Cheng Jinchu would get agitated upon seeing Yan Yang's injuries and harm the fetus.

The initially distraught Cheng Jinchu calmed down when she saw Jiang Shu and allowed the maid to help her sit down.

She couldn't let Jiang Shu see her lose composure.