Chapter 13: Feigning Weak
Translator: DavidT Editor: celllll
Backyard.
After the prank, Ling Tian also received his punishment. His snow white butt had an imprint of a large palm, obviously the doing of his father.
After the ceremony, Ling Zhan found an opportunity to teach Ling Xiao a lesson. Like an erupting volcano, he scolded Ling Xiao viciously. When Ling Xiao escaped pitifully, he was still not spared from two rods from his enraged father. With a stomach full of grievances, Ling Xiao was naturally extremely indignant. The moment he went back to his room and saw Ling Tian, he slapped Ling Tian’s butt without a second word. Following which, he was thrown out of the room by Chu Ting’er who was angered like a lioness.
Then, Chu Ting’er began to apply medicine to Ling Tian’s butt with a face full of worry and heartache. As she applied the medicine, she began to shed tears of heartache. Ling Tian felt extremely weird. With a modern spirit of 25 years old, he had a mother who was younger than him. Now his whole body was completely naked as his mother was rubbing his smooth butt while consoling him.
Ling Tian originally thought that he would be extremely embarrassed by it. He even thought that he may have some dirty thoughts in his mind if such a thing were to occur. However, when he really encountered it, Ling Tian was surprised to find that his heart was completely pure! There was only the deep feeling of him being touched. As his mother’s hands began to touch him, he felt that his body was extremely comfortable all over. From that gentle hands and eyes filled with love, Ling Tian felt a deep sense of belonging. His nose could not help but turn sour as tears rolled down his face.
In the past, he had deeply wished for the care of a mother, the loving consolation of a mother. However, his mother from the previous world only left him a pile of soil and a few photographs which turned yellow. In his past life, he was only able to reminisce the smile of his mother in his dreams at night. Now, all of these were extremely real as they existed beside him in reality! Ling Tian was satisfied.
"Aiyah, this stubborn bull. How could he bear to deal such a heavy hand to his own son? I must definitely teach him a good lesson later. He is too much. He is going to anger this old lady to death. Ting’er, don’t be too sad, even Tian’er isn’t crying. What a good child…" Old madam Ling walked into the room slowly. As she saw the handprint on her grandson’s butt, she was enraged and almost shed tears of heartbreak.
Chu Ting’er wiped away her tears and swallowed hard, "This also can’t be blamed on my husband. It can only be blamed on the fact that this child is just too disappointing. Of all the things he could have chosen, he just had to choose his aunt’s fragrance bag, making his grandfather so angry for no reason. It is only right for him to be beaten."
Old madam’s Ling’s eyes narrowed as she scolded angrily, "Don’t mention that old folly! He only knows how to be concerned with face. So what if our grandson likes the fragrance bag? Who wouldn’t like something so nice smelling? Besides, even if our grandson likes women in future, don’t tell me we wouldn’t be able to find them for him? Don’t tell me we won’t be able to afford them. That father and son pair are just making a mountain out of a molehill. Let this old lady give your husband a good scolding! I rushed over so quickly because I was afraid that he would beat my grandson. But I still came too late and did not make it in time! Hmph! Just see how I teach him a lesson later! Aiyah, my poor grandson, look at his smooth skin… Just how could he bear to deal such a heavy hand? Come, let grandmother give you a hug... hahaha, you’re too obedient!"
Ling Tian was extremely glad. This grandmother of mine is just too amazing. It seems like in the eyes of this old lady, everything I do is definitely right. Everything I do would definitely be supported by her. Hahaha, I like!
After living in this household for a year, Ling Tian somewhat understood how the Ling family rose to prominence. After he understood that, Ling Tian deeply understood how wise this saying was: Chaotic times will definitely produce heroes! Circumstances would definitely mold heroes!
The head of the Ling family, Ling Zhan, was a hero who was born from such chaotic times! The Ling family was originally only a middle tier family. At that time, Ling Zhan who was still the young master had met Long ChengTian in a chance encounter. The both of them hit off really well with each other and became sworn brothers. From then on, the Ling family had become the spearhead for Long ChengTian! As the many blood battles were fought, almost all the elites of the Ling family were wiped out. Ling Zhan also rose into prominence after that great war! He became the greatest contributor to the founding of the Sky Bearing Emperor after stepping over countless of bodies. Rising together with him, the Ling family also became ranked alongside the five greatest families as the sixth greatest family!
According to what Ling Tian understood from this one year, Ling Zhan was definitely not someone who was extremely scheming with a deeply hidden agenda. The only reason he was able to walk this far was because of the chance encounter which he had. Fortunately, he did not die. Just when the Sky Bearing Empire needed a general with heroism and prestige, Ling Tian took up that responsibility as the commander in chief of the nation’s army. He then led the troops to war, spreading the territory of the Sky Bearing Empire and making many accomplishments. His only son had also inherited his legacy and was even more accomplished than his father. But there were also disadvantages about that: he had also inherited that straightforward attitude of Ling Zhan.
Although the Ling family had great authority and power now, the Ling family did not have deep roots after all. There were few talents within the Ling family and they just could not be compared to the other great families which had prospered for over hundreds of years. Through the hundreds of years of accumulation, their resources were as high as the mountains.
As he understood all of these, the first thing that Ling Tian did was to take in a deep cold breath! Goodness, an idiotic family like this is actually able to win itself a standing in such a competitive empire? They were still able to expand to such an extent without falling? This was nothing short of a miracle in Ling Tian’s heart! The people in this world are just far too kind. They were actually able to hold themselves back from this piece of juicy fat meat? There is actually something as good as this in the world? This is a complete joke! Ling Tian did not believe it at all.
There could only be a single reason the Ling family was able to enjoy its power without falling: Someone was keeping them from falling! Furthermore, it was definitely not a single power; there were definitely more than one power supporting the Ling family in the dark. All of these powers who were supporting the Ling family definitely did not have any kind intentions, just like the Yang family which was together with the Ling family in the Sky Bearing Empire. From a certain perspective, it was just like the Ling family having a large tree to rely on, sharing their glory. Although the two families were opposing each other, Ling Tian believed that this enmity was definitely created by the Yang family. Following which, their enmity will be slowly deepened until the point where both parties are unable to live with each other peacefully. In other words, the Ling family was the existence which the late emperor, Long ChengTian, and the late Yang family head supported to fight the Yang family!
The Yang family had no choice but to take a step back. The Ling family closed in on the Yang family for the same reason. The reason the emperor would support the Ling family was definitely to strike at the Yang family, preventing them from dominating the Sky Bearing Empire. Now, this motive of his was almost perfectly achieved.
Ling Tian had every reason to believe that the reason for the rise of his family was definitely not as simple as it seemed. There were definitely the shadows of the other great families. The other great families would definitely not want to see the Yang family or the Ling family dominate the whole Sky Bearing Empire on their own, becoming a hidden threat to their family. Thus, it was only natural for them to support the Ling family to strike at the Yang family. Ling Tian was able to deduce that his own family was nothing more than an anomaly, the product of the complicated situation on the continent.
Ling Tian could even feel that there will definitely be many spies from the imperial palace and the Yang family in this Ling family mansion of his. As Ling Tian thought about this, he could immediately sense danger coming his way.
The first thing Ling Tian decided was that he must definitely keep a low profile before he was able to protect himself and his family, trying his best to avoid the attention of the other families. If he were to let them find out that the successor to the Ling family was a heaven-defying genius, the good luck his family had would definitely reach its end!
After constant planning, Ling Tian had finally taken the first step to feigning his weakness: the ‘one year old catch’ ceremony today. Ling Tian understood that the moment he caught the fragrance bag, he would definitely become the greatest laughingstock across the continent for the next few years. At the same time, as they laugh at him, they would definitely let their guard down. The catch of this infant would be able to exchange at least three to five years’ worth of time for his family. Even if he were to become a laughingstock, it was worth it!
As long as he was able to continue feigning weak, he would definitely be able to slowly form an organization that solely belongs to him with his experience from his past life. After the different powers take notice of him, they would be shocked to realize that they had already missed the best opportunity to deal with him!
Hehehe, this daddy here is considered a genius even in the 21st century. If I am going to deal with all you barbarians whose brains have not been fully developed, then there is really no justice in the world, Ling Tian thought to himself.
Of course, Ling Tian felt that the matters today were not completely perfect. The reason for that was the young man who revealed a killing intent towards him when he was just born. Ever since Ling Tian saw him when he had just been born, Ling Tian had never seen him again. Ling Tian had never forgotten about him before because he was just like a lurking venomous snake in his own family! He was extremely dangerous and Ling Tian did not know just how many of such venomous snakes there were in his family.
Just where did this venomous snake go in this past year? Just what has he been doing? Will he harm the family?