“He’s your uncle, we’re all family here. Borrowing the family’s horse—how is that stealing? Don’t make it sound so ugly, as if everyone in our family is a thief…”

　　Bennett was still speaking when she suddenly felt someone watching her. Following the gaze, it was Andrew Carter!

　　“Second aunt, if I remember correctly, during the day you came to our yard, made a huge scene, and called your nephew a little thief, a good-for-nothing who steals things. How come, in the blink of an eye, you’ve become so open-minded? That’s really strange!”

　　Bennett was left blushing with embarrassment, and in her panic, could only look pitifully at the old lady.

　　“Look at this, they’re all bullying the granddaughter-in-law!” Bennett acted as if she’d suffered a great injustice. “Richard is a good child, he wouldn’t steal anything…”

　　Mrs. Carter was used to being partial and credulous, and actually nodded her head. “Even if he didn’t steal, taking without asking is still wrong…”

　　Whoa!

　　All of a sudden, the accusation became much lighter. Next, would it just be brushed off, and Richard Carter let off the hook?

　　Andrew Carter couldn’t take it anymore and stood up abruptly. “Great-grandmother, big brother stole the horse and was going to sell it to George King. Should we invite him here as a witness?”

　　“What?”

　　Mrs. Carter, though biased, wasn’t completely muddle-headed. Who was George King? A ruthless loan shark—just last year, a family in Tuta Village couldn’t repay their debt and was driven to drink brine on New Year’s Eve.

　　To be involved with such a vicious person, Mrs. Carter couldn’t cover for him anymore. She walked up to Richard Carter, her voice full of bitter disappointment: “Richard, what exactly happened? Tell your great-grandmother, now!”

　　Henry Carter clenched his fists and shouted angrily, “Are you going to talk or not? If not, I’ll beat you to death!”

　　Bennett wanted to defend her son, but couldn’t find the words. Utterly helpless, Richard Carter could only stammer out a halting explanation, but Andrew Carter soon understood the whole story… It turned out that Richard Carter had heard from his good friend David Thompson that recently in Cangzhou, a mysterious expert had appeared who could predict the outcome of dog fights with uncanny accuracy—dog fighting originated in the Northern Song dynasty, and Cangzhou, being on the frontier, had a fierce folk culture where dog fighting was very popular.

　　The Song people loved to gamble, calling it “Guan Pu.” Even those selling breakfast would set up a target for people to throw at; if lucky, you could get a hearty meal for a very low price—much like the ring toss games that still exist today.

　　Some people combined dog fighting with Guan Pu. Before each match, they’d bet on the dog they favored. If they won, they’d get a generous payout, and many people were hooked.

　　According to David Thompson, the predictions had been right three times in a row—truly extraordinary. The fourth time happened to be the finals, with the highest odds. If they won, the payout would be tenfold.

　　But to get the fourth prediction wasn’t free; it cost five strings of cash.

　　Richard Carter was tempted. He and David Thompson agreed to each put up five strings of cash to buy the result, then use another five strings to place the bet. If they won, they’d split the winnings. Richard Carter only had the money for his teacher’s fee and food—just one string—so he set his sights on the family’s property, secretly took the horse, and planned to sell it for gambling money…

　　After hearing this, even Bennett realized how serious things were. Mrs. Carter turned around, faced the ancestral shrine, and wailed loudly, “The descendants have brought shame, disgracing the ancestors! Wang family daughter-in-law Bolton, uphold the ancestral rules and punish the Wang family descendant Richard Carter. Ancestors, bear witness!”

　　In an instant, the old lady seemed possessed by a fierce spirit. She grabbed a three-foot-long wooden stick and glared viciously at Richard Carter.

　　Henry Carter brought over a long bench. Richard Carter was pressed down onto it, his clothes pulled off, exposing his back and buttocks.

　　Smack!

　　The old lady swung the stick down. Richard Carter was in so much pain his vision went black, screaming like a pig being slaughtered. Bennett opened her mouth to plead, but didn’t have the courage. The Wang family’s rules were as unyielding as a mountain—no laughing matter. She could only turn away and sob quietly.

　　Meanwhile, Andrew Carter stared wide-eyed, watching with a look of appreciation. He felt not a shred of sympathy; on the contrary, he thought the beating wasn’t harsh enough!

　　Predicting dog fight outcomes—the first three times were free, but the most crucial time required money, and a hefty five strings at that. Even with his toes, Andrew Carter could tell it was a scam. Richard Carter was such an idiot, actually planning to sell the family’s horse. He didn’t even know what to say—years of study wasted, turned into a pig’s head. He might as well have given the opportunity to himself.

　　It was bad enough to be stupid, but dragging others down with him, causing his father to get beaten too—if he wasn’t punished severely, it would be unjust!

　　Even so, witnessing the family punishment firsthand, Andrew Carter still felt a chill in his heart. It was truly brutal!

　　The old lady raised the stick high, scolding Richard Carter as she beat him.

　　“Listen! This time you’ve broken five major family rules!”

　　The old lady’s voice boomed: “First, you befriended a bad person. That David Thompson encouraged you to steal the family’s horse—he’s no good. Failing to judge people properly—should you be punished?”

　　“I should!” Richard Carter gritted his teeth and replied.

　　The stick came down again, leaving a glaring red-purple mark on his back.

　　“Second, you’re not even of age, yet you’re gambling like an adult, and you put up five strings of cash at once. Do you know how many families have been ruined by gambling? For gambling, should you be punished?”

　　“I should!”

　　Richard Carter clung to the bench, his voice choked with sobs.