Chapter 29: You Idiot

This is the second time Cheng Xi has come to the Tongtian Division prison.

The Bi'an hanging on the gate stared at Cheng Xi, and Cheng Xi smiled at it.

Bi'an:...

Li Zhi'an was not at the Tongtian Division, nor was Jiang Boyu; the one waiting here for her was Ji Muzhi.

"Eldest Miss, this way." Ji Muzhi saw Cheng Xi walking over and led the way.

"Sorry to trouble you, Officer Ji."

"Eldest Miss, I am curious about one thing: how were you able to spot the blood gu worm at a single glance?" Ji Muzhi asked, staring at Cheng Xi. "Blood gu worms are very difficult to detect; even I cannot identify them at a glance."

Cheng Xi said casually, "I've seen them often enough, so naturally I can spot them at a glance."

What?

Ji Muzhi thought Cheng Xi was teasing him; what did she mean by "seen them often enough"?

Can one really see this sort of thing often?

He thought Cheng Xi did not want to say more, but he did not expect that she was telling the truth.

Although Ji Muzhi had curiosity, he was not a person who lacked a sense of propriety; since Cheng Xi did not want to talk about it, he did not tactlessly press the matter.

He led her all the way to the Tongtian Division prison; the jailer hurried to open the cell door upon seeing them, casting a glance at Cheng Xi.

This young lady was locked up here a while ago, and she's back again today?

However, since Officer Ji was accompanying her personally, he dared not ask too many questions and hurriedly cleared the way for the two to enter.

"Officer Ji, does the blood gu worm have any connection to Li Shi?" Cheng Xi stopped and looked at Ji Muzhi to ask.

Ji Muzhi shook his head. "There is no clear evidence, but Li Taifei has secret correspondence with the Li Family, so the Li Family cannot escape involvement."

Cheng Xi understood; Li Shi was not involved in the blood gu worm affair, but she had always had dealings with the Li Family, so she might not be entirely unaware of the rumors.

It was just that Li Shi did not know that much.

"The people are just ahead; I will wait for you outside, Eldest Miss."

"Many thanks, Officer Ji."

Ji Muzhi took the guards away as well, leaving Cheng Xi with a private space to speak with the Cheng Family.

Cheng Xi stood outside the cell door, gazing at the members of the Cheng Family.

Cheng Zhouxing's face was pale, Cheng Fenglan and Cheng Yunjian were sitting in the corner, and Li Shi, with her hair disheveled and leaning against the cell door, was the first to spot Cheng Xi.

"What are you here for?" Li Shi stared at Cheng Xi. "Want to see us make fools of ourselves?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the others were startled and saw Cheng Xi outside the cell door.

Cheng Zhouxing stood up immediately, grabbing the cell door as he looked at Cheng Xi, a glimmer of hope erupting in his eyes. "Xixi, you're here to save Father, right? I've been wronged! I knew nothing about any blood gu worm business; Father is truly innocent."

Cheng Fenglan helped Li Shi up and, upon hearing her father's words, immediately said, "Father, she cut ties with us long ago; she's here to see us make fools of ourselves, how could she possibly save us?"

Only Cheng Yunjian sat in the corner, motionless.

Cheng Xi ignored Cheng Fenglan and only looked at Cheng Zhouxing. "I know you are innocent. Although you are cold-hearted and greedy for power, you don't have the guts to get involved in such a major affair."

"Right, how would Father have the guts to get involved in those things? You help Father explain; Father is innocent."

"Then do you know that Li Shi sought out Li Taifei to make things difficult for me?"

Cheng Zhouxing's eyes shrank slightly.

"You knew, didn't you? But you didn't stop her, nor did you think of me as your daughter; instead, you let Li Shi commit evil. So what right do you have now to ask me to save you?" Cheng Xi said coldly.

Cheng Zhouxing's face turned pale, and there was a faint hint of irritation in his eyes.

Cheng Xi turned her head to look at Li Shi again. "You have failed again this time, and even Li Taifei has been dragged down with you; the Li Family is finished too. You used unscrupulous means to deal with me, not only ruining the Li Family but also dragging the Cheng Family into the abyss along with it. Are you satisfied now?"

"Cheng Xi, you don't need to sow discord here! What does what Li Taifei did have to do with my mother? She knows nothing." Cheng Fenglan said immediately.

Cheng Xi thought to herself that Cheng Fenglan was quite clever now, hearing the provocation in her words, but what of it?

"Cheng Fenglan, you are in prison now; has your sweetheart come to save you?" Cheng Xi smiled and twisted the knife.

Cheng Fenglan's face turned ashen; she had naturally entrusted someone to deliver a message to the Zhenguo Duke Mansion, hoping Jiang Weiran could help, but the message had vanished like a stone into the sea.

"Look, a man who can be pried away is nothing good; if he can betray me, he can naturally abandon you too." Cheng Xi's words were truly heart-piercing.

Cheng Fenglan gritted her teeth and looked at Cheng Xi. "Are you happy now?"

Cheng Xi sighed. "It's alright, I suppose."

Cheng Fenglan's eyes turned red; unable to suppress the grievance in her heart, she looked at Cheng Xi and spoke indignantly, "What exactly do you want?"

"What you owed me is barely considered settled." Cheng Xi looked at Cheng Fenglan and said, then turned her gaze to Li Shi. "You still haven't."

Li Shi's complexion had been very poor lately, with dark circles under her eyes; she was always having dreams, and in her dreams were the face of Du Shi, and now suffering the disaster of imprisonment, she was at her breaking point. Hearing Cheng Xi's words, she looked at her with a twisted, ferocious face. "What else do you want to do? Want my life? Go ahead."

"You and Cheng Zhouxing had feelings for each other first; he betrayed you and married my mother. You don't hate him for being cold-hearted, but you hate my mother. Do you really not know who the real culprit is? Of course you do.

I won't kill you, nor will I kill Cheng Zhouxing. Instead, I will fulfill your wishes. Since you are so deeply in love, I will let you be a pair of mandarin ducks together.

You always told me you and Cheng Zhouxing had feelings first, so I will send you back to the way things were before. I trust you will surely be able to stay together for life and grow old together."

Cheng Zhouxing suddenly raised his head to look at Cheng Xi. "What are you going to do?"

"What can I do? If it weren't for my merit in saving the Emperor, do you think you could have stayed out of it when Li Shi got involved in Li Taifei's major blood gu case? I used my merit to save your lives, but don't think about anything else; just go back to where you came from."

Go back to where you came from...

Cheng Zhouxing rolled his eyes back and collapsed to the ground.

He had schemed and climbed for so many years, and now it had all vanished into smoke; how could he withstand such a blow?

"Master!" Li Shi lunged over to help Cheng Zhouxing up. "Are you alright?"

With a "slap," Cheng Zhouxing struck Li Shi across the face. "I told you long ago not to target Xixi, but you wouldn't listen! Now you've caused me to lose my official position, and decades of hard work have gone up in flames. You idiot!"

"Father!"

"Father, how could you hit Mother!"

Cheng Yunjian finally reacted, pulling Li Shi behind him to protect her.

Cheng Fenglan held Li Shi, looking at Cheng Zhouxing with tears in her eyes; she had never expected that Father would hit Mother, as this was something that had never happened before!

"Cheng Zhouxing! You dare hit me? If you hadn't tricked me into giving you my body back then, causing me to become pregnant, I could have married someone else even if you married Du Shi. You pig-and-dog-like thing, unwilling to let go of Du Shi's family status and dowry, yet unwilling to let me marry another—did you really think I didn't know your filthy intentions!"

As Li Shi spoke, she lunged forward to grapple with Cheng Zhouxing; her entire life had been ruined by him!

Cheng Yunjian and Cheng Fenglan were struck as if by lightning; everything Cheng Xi said was true!