The Cheng family would be executed in its entirety?

What kind of joke was this?

The Cheng family had always minded its own business. Elder Brother was especially careful and cautious, never involving himself in matters between the princes and imperial grandsons. How could the Cheng family bring such disaster upon itself!

Cheng Chi had always been someone who could remain composed even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, but at this moment he couldn’t help showing a face full of astonishment.

Who had such audacity?

A prophecy?

Divination?

But even the Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain wouldn’t dare pat his chest and claim to know who would ascend the throne. Otherwise, why would the Celestial Master of Longhu travel to the capital every few years to pay homage, thinking of ways to leave a good impression on the Emperor?

Had Zhou Shaojin heard this from someone, or had someone told her to say this?

What was their purpose?

People don’t rise early without profit.

But whether it was the former or the latter, Cheng Chi couldn’t guess their intention. This caused a moment of chaos in the mind of Cheng Chi, who was accustomed to controlling everything and could control everything.

Meanwhile, Zhou Shaojin breathed a sigh of relief.

The words that had been stuck in her throat all along, she had finally spoken them.

Although this wasn’t part of her plan and wasn’t the best timing, she had finally said them.

As for what would happen afterward, whether Uncle Chi would scoff at her from now on… she would leave that for Heaven to decide!

But no matter what, she would probably never be able to go to Hanbi Mountain Lodge again, never be able to see Old Madam Guo, who was cold on the outside but warm inside and showed her such loving care…

Zhou Shaojin’s eyes grew slightly moist. She turned and ran toward the door.

Cheng Chi came back to his senses, extremely angry, and stood up shouting, “You come back here!”

Zhou Shaojin’s body paused slightly, but she still boldly pulled open the door bolt with a “clang.”

“Zhou Shaojin!” Cheng Chi said through gritted teeth, his tone full of strong warning.

Zhou Shaojin was so frightened her hand trembled.

Nanny Shang emerged from somewhere.

She was holding a tray with several small dishes of snacks on it, smiling at her: “Second Cousin Miss, how did you know I was about to bring you snacks? You should quickly return and sit down! How could such a small matter require you to do it yourself?” As she spoke, a soft yet resilient force swept toward her.

Zhou Shaojin had no idea what was happening. She stumbled backward several steps, then seemed to be caught by something and stood firm.

It’s over! It’s over!

But she vaguely knew in her heart that she couldn’t escape.

Zhou Shaojin instinctively cried out and dodged beside the floor-to-ceiling screen hung with parrot-green Hangzhou silk curtains. She stared wide-eyed at Cheng Chi, holding her breath, her distinctly black and white eyes filled with terror.

Cheng Chi’s face was ashen.

Nanny Shang’s mouth fell open.

When had Fourth Master Cheng ever been treated this way!

This was simply… like the scene after a tyrant forcibly seizes a decent woman…

Fourth Master must be very angry, right?

But Fourth Master should also feel very embarrassed, right?

The thought flashed by, and Nanny Shang quickly lowered her head, not daring to glance around. She set down the tray and fled from the study like she was flying. As she left, she considerately closed the study door.

Zhou Shaojin was frightened into another tremor by the sound of the door closing.

Now she was completely finished!

Uncle Chi would definitely interrogate her thoroughly about every detail of what happened.

What should she do?

Zhou Shaojin looked at Cheng Chi, not daring to move.

Cheng Chi was so angry his heart ached faintly.

Did this little girl even know what she was doing?

Was he a tiger?

Was she so afraid of him?

He angrily paced back and forth in the room several times before the fire in his heart dissipated slightly. He pointed to the armchair beside him and said flatly, “Sit.”

Zhou Shaojin was like a small cat cornered against a wall, sizing up Cheng Chi with some wariness.

Cheng Chi’s mouth twisted, unable to speak for a long time!

What kind of expression was this?

But he also knew that people like Zhou Shaojin, who appeared weak, once they made up their minds, were even less likely to speak.

He turned and drank several mouthfuls of tea. Only then did he walk over with a mild expression and sit in the armchair farthest from Zhou Shaojin, asking her gently: “Do you trust me?”

Zhou Shaojin didn’t answer.

Did she trust him?

Should she trust him?

She looked at Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi’s expression was gentle as he sat there quietly. With infinite patience, as if he could wait until the end of time.

Zhou Shaojin thought of the first time she met him, when he sat in the pavilion of Sanzhi Pavilion, asking nothing, naturally instructing her to brew tea; she thought of when she was copying scriptures at Hanbi Mountain Lodge, how he stood silently behind her with a smile, praising her calligraphy; she thought of that day with the fire, when faced with the clamorous shouting from across the shore, he asked nothing and sent Qin Zi’an away…

Why wouldn’t she trust him?

What right did she have not to trust him?

At least when she said the Cheng family would be executed in its entirety, he didn’t treat her as insane or think she was possessed by ghosts, but instead tried to find out the reason.

Zhou Shaojin slowly nodded.

Cheng Chi breathed a sigh of relief.

In other words, it wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but that what she had experienced was too shocking or too incredible. She was just afraid he wouldn’t believe her.

Cheng Chi’s expression became even gentler. He smiled warmly: “Shaojin, don’t be afraid. This is Tingli Hall, and those serving here are all loyal to me. Not to mention we’re speaking privately behind closed study doors—even if you shouted it out loud in Tingli Hall, without my permission, not half a word would get out. Do you believe me?”

Of course she believed him.

Zhou Shaojin nodded.

A trace of satisfied smile flashed in Cheng Chi’s eyes as he said: “You just said that in the bingwu year, which is eleven years from now, His Majesty will pass away and the Fourth Prince will succeed; on the first day of the first month of the dingwei year, the next year, the era name will be changed to ‘Tianshun.’ In the wushen year, which is the second year of Tianshun, in the first month, the Cheng family will inexplicably be executed in its entirety… Did you ‘think’ this yourself? Or did someone tell you? Or did you hear it from somewhere?”

Zhou Shaojin couldn’t choose any of these three answers.

If she answered that she “thought” it herself, Uncle Chi would definitely ask how she “thought” it, and to verify, he might even have her help Old Madam Guo find the South Sea pearl earrings that had gone missing a few days ago…

If she answered that someone told her or she heard it from someone, Uncle Chi would definitely demand she produce the person… She had no one to produce, and she couldn’t falsely accuse others.

Zhou Shaojin lowered her head without speaking.

Cheng Chi thought for a moment and said gently: “Shaojin, then let me ask you in a different way. If you think I’m right, just nod. If you think I’m wrong, just shake your head. All right?”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart filled with panic.

What if Uncle Chi guessed correctly?

She raised her eyelids to glance at Cheng Chi.

Cheng Chi was looking at her seriously with a sincere expression.

Zhou Shaojin groaned inwardly.

But Cheng Chi felt he had used the right method.

Otherwise, why would Zhou Shaojin look so worried? Clearly she was afraid he would guess correctly.

He assured her: “No matter who it is, I won’t be angry. All right?”

Zhou Shaojin’s heart felt like it had been punched, and tears suddenly fell.

She had always been most afraid of people being angry with her.

Yet Uncle Chi had struck right at the mark.

Watching this, Cheng Chi couldn’t help sighing inwardly.

This child must have been badly frightened.

He said softly: “Does this matter have to do with the Second Household’s Old Ancestor?”

Zhou Shaojin instinctively shook her head.

Cheng Chi said: “Does it involve Cheng Shi?”

Zhou Shaojin shook her head.

Cheng Chi said: “Then does it involve Cheng Zheng?”

Zhou Shaojin shook her head again.

Cheng Chi smiled: “Could it involve Cheng Gao? I notice that among those brothers, you have the best relationship with Cheng Gao and Cheng Yi.”

Zhou Shaojin’s face reddened.

She thought of the matter between herself and Cheng Yi… and how she had asked Uncle Chi for help.

“It’s not him!” she murmured.

Cheng Chi’s heart relaxed a bit more.

As long as she was willing to talk, that was good.

The fear was that she would be stubborn and make up her mind not to speak.

He tried to make his tone sound lighter: “I don’t think it could be your Grand Uncle of Mian either. That person is honest and proper. Even if he has great wisdom appearing foolish, he couldn’t hide things this deeply.” He put on a thoughtful expression and said, “The Fifth Household is even less likely. Could it be your father? But with such a major matter, why would he tell you… Could it be your father favors you more than your older sister, so he tells you everything in detail, so that after you marry you can use these things to control your husband…”

Cheng Chi seemed to be thinking, but was actually constantly watching Zhou Shaojin from the corner of his eye.

Zhou Shaojin was somewhat dazed.

She hadn’t expected that Uncle Chi, who appeared so serious and calm, could have such wild flights of fancy when his thoughts wandered.

Zhou Shaojin’s expression relaxed. Just as she was about to shake her head, Cheng Chi suddenly moved toward her, staring intensely into her eyes, saying in a deep voice: “Is it Cheng Xu! Does this matter involve Cheng Xu!”

His voice was so certain, as if he had already guessed what happened. And the name Cheng Xu was so sensitive—caught off guard, Zhou Shaojin’s composure completely shattered. She couldn’t help loudly refuting: “No, it’s not him. It has nothing to do with him!”

But before her voice had faded, Zhou Shaojin froze.

Her voice was shrill and sharp, carrying panicked attempts to cover up the truth, making anyone who heard it feel she was deceiving herself.

Cheng Chi’s voice was even louder than hers as he sternly questioned her: “Then why are you so afraid of Cheng Xu? What exactly did he do? Girls your age all want to marry young men like Cheng Xu, don’t they? Why are you the only one who avoids him like a snake? Do you dare say nothing ever happened between you two?”

“No, no!” Cheng Chi’s questioning was so sharp, seeming to overlap with that voice she had always kept suppressed in her heart. Zhou Shaojin felt as if she had returned to the Cheng family ancestral hall, facing the avoidant, contemptuous, disappointed, or gleefully malicious gazes of the Cheng family members. “I didn’t, I didn’t!” She loudly protested, her face pale, tears falling uncontrollably.

Cheng Chi was very surprised.

He had merely been testing Zhou Shaojin and hadn’t expected her reaction to be so intense!

In other words, Cheng Xu really had done something to her…

Cheng Chi looked at Zhou Shaojin swaying unsteadily against the floor screen, as if she would collapse at any moment. The pain in his heart was like a stone thrown into a lake, rippling outward in circles.

He stepped forward and grasped Zhou Shaojin’s arm, as if this way, with his support, she wouldn’t fall.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Shaojin let out a mournful shriek, screaming while batting at his hand: “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!”