Chapter 8

Cheng Guangde was already feeling frustrated, and when he heard someone wailing outside the door, a surge of anger finally found an outlet. He roared, "Who’s howling like a ghost outside? Get in here!"

Several attendants carried Cheng Zhengxiang, stumbling and running in, crying as they ran, "Young Master... my Young Master... you’ve been beaten so badly..."

Cheng Guangde’s gaze was drawn to the injured person whose face was swollen like a pig's head, with a bruised and distorted appearance. He was a bit confused. These attendants were with Zhengxiang, and he recognized them, but who was this "monster" they were carrying?

"Stop howling. You didn’t take good care of the Young Master. Why are you bringing strangers into the house?" Cheng Guangde was still in a daze. He hadn’t even considered that this beaten, half-dead person could be his own son.

"Sir, it’s the Young Master," one of the attendants said boldly.

"What?" Cheng Guangde shivered, then carefully examined the injured person. Although his face was swollen to three times its normal size and his features were distorted, with a closer look, he could still see the resemblance to Cheng Zhengxiang. Most importantly, the clothes the injured person was wearing were indeed Cheng Zhengxiang’s, with the emblem of the Nine Gates Inspectorate embroidered on them. There was no doubt that this was his son.

The more Cheng Guangde looked, the more heartbroken he became. Since he had a son in his middle age, he had always been particularly indulgent with him. Everyone in the Nine Gates Inspectorate treated Cheng Zhengxiang like a little prince, afraid to drop him if they held him, and afraid to melt him if they put him in their mouths. Now, seeing his beloved son with a swollen face, blood foaming at the mouth, and barely breathing, he trembled, his heart ached, and tears streamed down his face. He let out a mournful cry, like a wounded beast: "Ah...!"

Song Xinghai stood to the side, suspiciously staring at the injured person. With his keen eyesight, he recognized this person as Cheng Zhengxiang. Could it be that there really are gods watching over us? Just after he injured Lier, retribution has come to the aggressor. Looking at him, he was beaten even more brutally than Lier. It was satisfying, truly satisfying... It seemed that someone had already avenged him. If he knew who it was, the Song family should definitely go to thank them...

"Who did this to Zhengxiang? I will destroy their entire family and tear the murderer to pieces!" Cheng Guangde’s eyes blazed with fury, and he spat out the words through gritted teeth.

"It was Song Lier from the County Prince’s residence. He did this to the Young Master!" The lead attendant, sobbing, was not really that sad but was terrified. If the master blamed them, they would all be executed.

"What did you say? Say it again, who did it?" Cheng Guangde’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, as if he had heard the most unbelievable answer in the world.

Song Xinghai had clearly said that Lier was beaten to near death and was still lying at home. Now, the attendant said that Zhengxiang was beaten by Lier. His intuition told him that neither party was lying. Song Xinghai wouldn’t be so frivolous as to make up such a big story, and the attendants wouldn’t dare to lie to their master about such a serious matter. If Lier was indeed beaten and lying at home, who was the Lier who beat his son? Was he seeing ghosts in broad daylight? Or were there two Song Liers in the capital?

"It was Song Lier, the Song Lier from the County Prince’s residence," the lead attendant suddenly saw Song Xinghai standing to the side. He recognized the County Prince and pointed at him, saying, "Sir, it was his son, Song Lier, who committed the assault. Catch him quickly, don’t let him escape."

"Nonsense," Song Xinghai barked, "When I left, Lier was still lying unconscious in bed. How could he recover so quickly? A bunch of scoundrels, don’t try to smear my son!"

"So many people saw Song Lier assault someone. Do you think the County Prince can deny it?"

"If this was really done by Lier, I would be overjoyed. Why would I deny it?" Song Xinghai snorted, lifted his head, and refused to argue further with these lowly servants.

Cheng Guangde almost spat out blood when he heard this. How could anyone not be enraged by such a statement? But at the same time, he thought that even if his son caused trouble, as long as it wasn’t too serious, a father would still be secretly pleased, even if he showed anger or scolded him on the surface. So, although Cheng Guangde was furious at Song Xinghai’s words, he believed him. He quickly took out a green jade bottle from his body, opened the cap, and a strong medicinal aroma spread. Cheng Guangde poured out a green pill, pried open Cheng Zhengxiang’s mouth, and put the pill inside. Since Cheng Zhengxiang had lost consciousness and couldn’t swallow, Cheng Guangde used a special massage technique to help him swallow the pill. This pill was a low-grade healing pill, which, while not guaranteeing complete recovery, would at least prevent his condition from worsening and ensure his life was safe.

In the Holy Lion Empire, alchemists were extremely rare, and medicinal pills were priceless treasures. These few healing pills Cheng Guangde had were for life-saving purposes. If it weren’t for his son, he wouldn’t have used them. Indeed, after Cheng Zhengxiang swallowed the pill, his complexion improved significantly. Cheng Guangde breathed a sigh of relief and turned to ask, "Laifu, recount the details of what happened. What exactly went on?"

Laifu, the lead attendant, was articulate and recounted the events. The two sides had a grudge, and yesterday, Cheng Zhengxiang and a group of young masters had beaten Song Lier. Today, Song Lier and Pang Da had invited Cheng Zhengxiang and other young masters to the Guizhantai arena to settle their private grievances. First, the helpers Pang Da brought were beaten badly, then Song Lier single-handedly fought Cheng Zhengxiang and Xiao Liweisi, kicking and punching, and beat the Young Master into this state.

The more Song Xinghai listened, the more he found it strange. Before he left home, Lier was still lying half-dead in bed. How did he suddenly get up and go to the arena? It seemed that while he was embarrassing him in the capital, Lier was embarrassing his son at the arena. When had they become so in sync?

"What nonsense! This is impossible. Don’t spout lies!" Song Xinghai coldly glanced at the attendant. If it weren’t for the attendant’s low status, he would have punched him into a meat pie. Even if Lier had suddenly recovered, with his second-level cultivation, how could he single-handedly fight Cheng Zhengxiang and Xiao Liweisi, both at the fourth level of body tempering?

"Sir, I’m not lying. Many people in the capital saw it. Ask anyone, and they might know."

"Yes, Sir, it’s true. How could we dare to lie to you?" The other attendants also testified.

This was too bizarre. The County Prince’s wife was a mid-level alchemist, and even if she had a way to quickly heal Lier, Cheng Guangde found it hard to believe that the famous wastrel Song Lier could suddenly become a cultivation genius and defeat two fourth-level body tempering young masters. But the attendants didn’t seem to be lying. Just as he was hesitating, a commotion came from outside, and a loud voice echoed, "Song Xinghai, I know you’re here. Come, come, let’s go to the Emperor and seek justice!"

Hearing this loud voice, everyone knew that Duke Liweisi had arrived. Soon, a group appeared in the courtyard of the Nine Gates Inspectorate. Duke Liweisi, with red eyes, was followed by several attendants carrying an injured person who looked very similar to Cheng Zhengxiang, with a swollen face and a limp body. It was Duke Liweisi’s beloved son, Xiao Liweisi. Behind them were several other ministers, whose sons had also participated in the beating of Song Lier the day before, and Song Xinghai had also "visited" their homes, causing a mess!

"Song Xinghai, do you think you can act without law just because you’re a County Prince?"

"Attacking my home without cause, breaking through the walls, and injuring my guards, how is that different from a bandit?"

"My residence lost four qi cultivation experts, all of whom were crippled!"

"You lost four, I lost six..."

"..."

The ministers were all talking at once, accusing Song Xinghai of his outrageous actions, each with a face full of grief, pulling him to seek justice from the Emperor.

"Stop your noise! Your sons ganged up to beat my Lier, leaving him severely injured. As a father, if I can’t avenge my son, how can I face the world? How can I face his mother and him?"

"Let me make it clear, I went to your homes to avenge my son. Even if we go to the Emperor, I have nothing to be ashamed of!" Song Xinghai’s nose was in the air, completely ignoring the ministers’ accusations. Perhaps he was cautious, perhaps he was unambitious, but the safety of his wife and son was his bottom line. He could give up the throne, his rank, and his wealth, but he had to ensure that his beloved wife and son lived happily and safely.

If a County Prince couldn’t stand up for his son being beaten to near death, he would have no face to stand in the world! As a man, he was indeed cautious, but as a father, he had to be a pillar of strength!

"You have the nerve to say your son was injured," Duke Liweisi said angrily, "My son, Xiao Liweisi, was beaten by your son, Song Lier. So many people in the capital saw it, you can’t deny it! How could an injured person appear at the arena and beat my son so badly? Song Xinghai, I never thought a County Prince could be so despicable, bullying the weak and lying. Come, come, let’s go to the Emperor and seek justice!"