Volume One, Chapter Nine: The Younger Brother Causes Great Trouble

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Just as Meng Lan was about to scold them for their recklessness, he stumbled at the words he heard.

“What… did you say?”

He stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Zhang San wore a mournful expression. “Master of the house, you must go see for yourself—Black Lion has knocked Lord Shi to the ground!”

Li Si swallowed nervously and said, “I-I checked on Lord Shi; his complexion is very bad.”

Those words struck Meng Lan’s mind like a thunderclap.

Why was Shi Jing appearing in front of the Meng residence?

Why had Black Lion been let loose?

His mind was flooded with countless questions, yet all he could do was keep walking toward the main gate.

Along the way, cold sweat broke out on Meng Lan’s back. The words he had prepared vanished the moment he saw Shi Jing.

Black Lion kept raising its massive paws, stomping on the prostrate Shi Jing. His pristine white robe was stained with patches of mud.

It was over.

That was the only thought in Meng Lan’s mind at that moment.

Zhang San and Li Si trailed behind, neither daring to step forward and call Black Lion back.

If the Chancellor remembered their faces, they probably wouldn’t survive the night!

Frustrated, Meng Lan furiously kicked Zhang San’s backside. “Why aren’t you bringing Black Lion back immediately?”

With no choice, Zhang San grabbed Li Si and went to chain the beast.

Both apologized repeatedly to Shi Jing. “We’re terribly sorry, Lord Shi. We failed to watch over the family pet properly, and it ran out, offending you…”

Under their cautious gazes, Shi Jing’s face darkened until it seemed it could squeeze out water.

“Meng Tingfeng!”

The girl called by name peeked out cautiously. “Where’s the big black dog?”

Li Si wiped his sweat. “It’s been brought back.”

Meng Tingfeng finally loosened her grip on Shi Jing’s neck and helped him up from the ground.

“Thank you, Lord Shi, for saving my daughter. If not for you, she might have been trampled to death!”

Her eyes full of fear, tears glistened in her gaze.

Meng Lan looked at Shi Jing, disheveled and pale, hesitating whether to approach.

The ruthless, decisive Chancellor had made a disgraceful scene at his residence today; no matter what, the Meng family was implicated.

Steeling his resolve, he gritted his teeth and walked forward.

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At that moment, Meng Yuhong and Meng Xueyi’s carriage finally arrived.

Meng Yuhong gazed at Meng Lan’s repeated bows, his face pale and drawn.

Shi Jing, facing Meng Lan’s apology, curled his lips in a cold smile.

“So? You think that not knowing I would come excuses you?”

Cold sweat streamed down Meng Lan’s face. “N-no, I meant—I mean…”

Damn it!

He was at a loss for words.

Meng Xueyi patted Meng Yuhong’s shoulder reassuringly and stepped forward, feigning surprise.

“Lord Shi?”

Ignoring Shi Jing’s muddy appearance, she smiled gently and bowed. “Your humble daughter greets Lord Shi.

“Father, why haven’t you welcomed Lord Shi inside?”

Then, she kindly took Meng Tingfeng’s arm. “Father, look, you only see Lord Shi, but today is a lucky day for my sister’s return, and besides…”

Meng Xueyi’s beautiful eyes swept the surroundings, then she changed her tone.

“Father, please invite Lord Shi inside for some hot tea.”

Following Meng Xueyi’s gaze, Meng Lan noticed many passersby stopping to watch the commotion.

He hurried forward to clear a path for Shi Jing. “It was my neglect. Please, sir.”

Shi Jing’s cold eyes swept across the family’s varied expressions. With a flick of his robe, he strode inside.

He did not want to be gawked at like a circus monkey.

Once inside the Meng residence, while the servants took Shi Jing to change clothes, Meng Lan finally learned the full story from Zhang San and Li Si.

He looked at his youngest son with bitter disappointment, almost throwing the teacup on hand.

Always causing trouble, and now this serious incident!

Meng Lan calmed himself and listened as his daughter recounted how Meng Tingfeng had saved Miss Shi. He was somewhat surprised.

His gaze lingered on the thin girl standing in the corner, scrutinizing her.

Was this scrawny girl really the daughter he had neglected all these years?

Yet, seeing her face so similar to his late wife, he felt no joy of reunion—only profound disappointment.

If she was his child, why couldn’t she resemble him more?

Looking like that woman only made her unpleasant to behold.

Meng Tingfeng met Meng Lan’s eyes and understood his thoughts.

In their previous life, Meng Lan had disliked her deeply because of this very face, which seemed to stir up unpleasant memories.

The girl lowered her head and smiled faintly.

From the moment she stepped through this gate, all her fear and anxiety vanished instantly, leaving only an impenetrable hatred.

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She did not know how cruel and hard-hearted one must be to burn one’s own daughter alive.

Since they did not like her, she would live well right under their noses!

After a while, Shi Jing returned dressed in fresh clothes.

Upon his arrival, Meng Lan hurried to greet him, sitting down with an expression of fear—as if facing the king of hell.

Shi Jing sat down slowly. Before anyone could relax, he asked with a faintly mocking smile:

“Mister Meng, perhaps you can now explain why today’s incident occurred?”

Meng Lan’s face stiffened.

How was he supposed to explain?

That his son, to keep the newly returned daughter from entering the mansion, sent someone to leash the dog waiting outside?

That was too absurd!

Moreover, if he said so, Shi Jing surely would not be satisfied.

After a moment’s thought, Meng Lan approached the two kneeling servants in the hall, raised his hand, and struck them hard.

Zhang San and Li Si’s heads jerked sideways from the slap, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.

Meng Lan angrily cursed, “You two idiots! Can’t even watch over a family pet properly—what use are you?”

Then he pointed at them. “Sir, these two have always been responsible for the family pet. Today’s mess is entirely due to their negligence. I will punish them severely.”

“Guards! Drag these two fools away for family law discipline!”

Others may not know, but Zhang San and Li Si, having served the Meng family for years, understood the family rules well.

Though called ‘family law,’ it was in fact private torture—various methods that caused unbearable pain.

Both men’s hearts froze as they knelt, begging for mercy.

Just as the servants stepped forward to seize them, Shi Jing lightly raised his hand to stop them.

A cold curve flickered at the corner of his mouth. “Mister Meng, I heard from your servants that this mastiff belongs to the young master of the house?”

Hearing this, Meng Yuhong’s eyes widened, and he instinctively stepped back.

Shi Jing glanced at the arrogant young girl and then glanced coolly at Meng Yuhong.

“Moreover, I heard that the mastiff is usually kept in the uninhabited backyard.

“Yet today it escaped and even charged out of the front yard. What, does your noble residence have no servants?”

His tone was casual, as if discussing something routine.

“It seems, Mister Meng, that you intend to cover up for the real culprit?”

At his words, all eyes turned sharply toward Meng Yuhong.