ENG
Silent it hides, with venomous claws,
Barbed hooks laced with deadly flaws.
It arrives with a fierce, bold show,
But in defeat, it tucks tail and goes.
The four sons of the Scorpion House often secretly inquired about each other's recent activities. This was not out of brotherly affection but rather due to a competitive spirit, fearing that one of them might be chosen by one of the sisters in the cave before the others.
Not only did they spy on each other's whereabouts, but they also felt compelled to comment on them afterward. If they heard that a brother had achieved something recently, they would make sarcastic remarks and express jealousy. Conversely, if a brother had made a mistake, they would mock and ridicule him, taking pleasure in his misfortune.
Confused by such behavior, the lesser yaoguais in the cave approached Beetle Commander to seek an explanation.
Beetle Commander explained, "Their fear isn't about failing to marry a lady; it's that their brother's promotion will cut into their own benefits." Hearing this, the lesser yaoguais were even more perplexed.
Beetle Commander continued, "The Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master will not permit the Scorpion family to amass excessive power. Thus, if one of the four brothers ascends to the position of prince consort, the prospects for the others inevitably wane. This principle extends to the official roles within the cave. Take Scorpion Eldest, for instance; having gained the favor of the Second Madam, he faces the most exclusion from his brothers."
"But the eldest one is indeed more capable, while the others are not as competent," one lesser yaoguai chimed in.
"Exactly. Because he has some skills, his brothers only talk behind his back and don't dare to confront him directly. Were it someone less skilled, it might not be the same..."
The opening lines describe a scorpion-like creature that looks deadly and bold but actually hides, attacks with dangerous hooks, and retreats when it is defeated. That image sets the tone for a family named the Scorpion House, where showy behavior and quiet rivalry go together.
The Scorpion House has four sons who constantly check on each other, not out of brotherly love but because they compete to be chosen by one of the sisters living in the cave. They spy on where each other goes and then criticize or mock whatever they learn: if a brother succeeds they make sarcastic remarks, and if he fails they gloat over his mistake.
Other, lesser residents of the cave noticed this behavior and were puzzled. They went to the Beetle Commander to ask why the brothers acted that way, since the behavior looked petty and cruel without an obvious reason.
Beetle Commander explained that the brothers are not only competing for marriage or status in a vacuum. Their real fear is losing material benefits and influence. The Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master above them will not let the Scorpion family grow too powerful, so if one brother becomes the prince consort or wins official favor, the opportunities and rewards available to the other brothers shrink.
Beetle Commander used Scorpion Eldest as an example: he has earned the favor of the Second Madam and so is the most excluded by his brothers. Because he is skilled, they gossip and attack him indirectly instead of confronting him head-on; if he were less capable they might mistreat him openly. The clear implication is that the brothers’ cruelty is driven by limited resources and political limits imposed by higher authority, not by simple sibling hatred.