As Lin He hesitated over whether to intervene, Old Master Wen, who had remained silent throughout the pleas, finally spoke: "Have you all forgotten what I just said? Butler, count how many people have pleaded just now. For every person added, that means one more lash. If the count is short, you alone will be held accountable."

Master Wen's words instantly silenced the somewhat chaotic main hall. Lin He finally began to understand; perhaps Wen Ningxuan hadn't pleaded because he already knew his father would react this way. She glanced towards Wen Ningxuan, only to find him completely unresponsive, resting his head on his hand, eyes closed as if everything happening there, and everyone present, had nothing to do with him.

The Old Madam beside him, however, was clearly displeased by Master Wen's decree and spoke up sharply, "Jie'er, you have gone too far. After all, Chen'er is still your son. This is beyond mere punishment; you are trying to take his life. If that is the case, save the whipping. Butler, fetch a knife for your master, and let him finish Chen'er off himself."

Hearing the Old Madam's words, Master Wen let out a cold snort, his expression severe as he looked at her. "Mother, precisely because Chen'er is my son, and moreover, the eldest son of the Wen family, I must demand that he set an example for all the younger generation in the Wen household. Do you think I am ignorant of the true nature of Chen'er's latest transgression? And this is not the first mistake he has made from childhood until now."

"Causing trouble, flirting with local women, misappropriating funds from the shops—ask yourself, which of these things has he not done? Beyond that, his private life has been utterly dissolute. Your continuous shielding and indulgence have only emboldened him further. It might have been tolerable if he were just running wild outside, but this time, he committed such a disgraceful act within the Wen residence, and then dared to lie to me, calling it mutual affection! If it were truly mutual affection, they could have told me; they could have married first. Do you think I would forbid it?"

"Mother, over the years, because Chen'er is your eldest grandson, you have spoiled him rotten. It is precisely this spoiling that has made him unable to distinguish right from wrong today. If he isn't taught a harsh lesson this time, I fear that even if he commits heinous acts in the future, he will believe he is justified. If you wait until then to discipline him, it will be too late."

Master Wen’s speech was sharp and severe, yet every word was the unvarnished truth. The Old Madam could not refute it, yet she was still reluctant to see her beloved grandson suffer such agony. Her face immediately grew strained as she said, "Chen'er deserves discipline for his mistakes, but there’s no need to be this ruthless; he is your own son, after all."

"Yes, Master, I know Chen'er has made many mistakes, but it isn't entirely his fault. The blame lies with me, his mother, for failing in my upbringing. Your reprimand is justified, but this will put Chen'er in mortal danger. Fifty lashes could easily take his life, and now you're adding dozens more—how is he to survive? If anything happens to Chen'er, I will have no face left to live. Master, do you wish to watch your wife and son die before your very eyes?" Seeing that even the Old Madam's pleas were useless, Madam Wen cast aside all reserve and began weeping hysterically beside Master Wen.

Although Madam Wen’s words were dramatic and heartfelt, Master Wen remained entirely unmoved by her tears. He glanced at her dismissively, rose to his feet, and spoke slowly, "Madam, so you finally admit some reflection—you acknowledge that it is due to your poor guidance that Chen'er has ended up here. If that is the case, why not resolve to guide Chen'er properly? Why allow him to run wild time and time again? You indulged him once with the matter concerning Yu Zhen. If you had strictly controlled Chen'er after that incident, today’s disaster would never have occurred."

"However, you are correct about one thing: the fault is not entirely Chen'er's. You bear responsibility too. Do you know why I am punishing Chen'er so severely? It is partly so he can take punishment for you, so you can understand how painful it is for a mother to watch her son be punished."

"In the future, if you can manage this household well and properly educate your children, then naturally, nothing in the family will change. Otherwise, there will be a replacement. You are not the only one capable of managing this Wen household. Furthermore, the Wen family is not what it once was; we no longer need to rely on anyone. It is time for the Wen family to return to proper order." He murmured these final words into Madam Wen's ear; no one else present heard them clearly.

Others might not have grasped the full implication of Master Wen's speech, but Madam Wen understood every word. After listening, her face turned ashen, and she sank heavily into her chair. Master Wen saying such things meant he had been aware of the matters concerning Wen Ningxuan and the family affairs all these years. He had merely pretended ignorance because her maternal family offered him political support. Now that her family’s standing had plummeted, and the Wen family no longer required her family’s backing, he would no longer permit her to hold absolute sway.

After Master Wen finished speaking, he continued, "Starting today, some rules in our Wen household must change. In the future, the position of the head of the Wen family will no longer be fixed to the eldest son. Instead, it will go to the most capable member. Regardless of whether they are the legitimate heir or a concubine-born son, whoever demonstrates true ability to everyone will inherit that position."

"There is one more matter. Over the next period, we must arrange the wedding celebrations for Ning Chen and Ning Nuo. Madam, you will undoubtedly be too busy. From now on, the management of household affairs will be shared between Aunt Luo and Xuan'er’s wife, He'er, assisting you. If there are any issues, you may report directly to me."

If Master Wen's initial words had shocked Madam Wen, these subsequent pronouncements nearly drove her to collapse. While Master Wen's words sounded pleasant on the surface—claiming to lessen her burden—he was, in reality, systematically eroding her authority. Moreover, the two individuals he appointed to assist were the very people she despised most.

At this point, Madam Wen forgot all about Wen Ning Chen. With a deathly pale face, she remained seated on her chair. When Master Wen ordered the butler to drag Wen Ning Chen away for the whipping, only Li Yu Zhen and Qing Mo followed. Madam Wen stayed motionless on her seat, as if nothing happening had anything to do with her.

The others present were also startled by Master Wen's announcements and couldn't quite believe what they had heard. Wen Ning Chen had indeed erred this time, and the punishment was severe enough, but punishing Madam Wen for lax supervision over this matter seemed excessively harsh.

Though everyone was puzzled by Master Wen's actions, because Madam Wen was generally unpopular, no one spoke up in her defense. They merely sat in silence; even the Old Madam remained quiet.

Lin He, listening to the exchange between Master Wen and Madam Wen, understood everything. She was equally astonished that Master Wen knew all these details. For so many years, he had acted oblivious to these matters, leading her to believe he knew nothing. She hadn't expected him to be so thoroughly informed.

At the same time, she wondered why Master Wen had waited until today to speak out. Yet, her heart felt immensely lighter. Although it was late, at least it provided some redress for her husband, ensuring he wouldn't continue to be silently oppressed by Madam Wen for so many years.