Shen Ningning pressed her ear to the door, eavesdropping quietly.
She had almost never seen her father this furious.
Inside the study.
Xie Mingxu, Xie Ming'an, and Xu Jingxi knelt on the floor, their backs ramrod straight.
Each one had a tense expression, their lips pressed into a thin line.
Second Master Xie sat in a chair to the side, his expression grim and sharp.
Behind the desk, Xie Suzhi paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, fuming.
"The three of you—two are court officials, and one is about to take the autumn examinations. Brawling with some fop in a brothel… how is that any different from ruining your own futures?"
As the eldest, Xie Mingxu silently lowered his head.
"Father, please calm your anger. It is my fault for not supervising my two younger brothers properly."
