Zheng Shi stared at the nervous Jirong and smiled: “Back then, didn’t you insist in front of His Highness that I used honey bean curd to make Chengzong deaf? Today, I’ll make your words from back then come true.” After a pause, she said word by word: “Jirong, I want you to watch with your own eyes how your two sons die at my hands!”

Jirong said in horror: “They never harmed you, and they are His Highness’s bloodline. You can’t do this, you can’t!”

“There’s nothing that can’t be done. As for His Highness’s bloodline…” Zheng Shi sneered: “Do you think I still care about Li Jiancheng?”

Jirong didn’t know what to say, only able to desperately shield Li Chengzong and his brother. But she knew clearly in her heart that in this situation, she simply couldn’t protect these two sons!

What should she do? How should she handle this?

Jirong frantically thought of ways to break this deadly situation, but she sadly discovered that this was a dead end with no solution!

“Someone come! Bring a whip, and also hang these two up for me!” Years of depression and suppression had completely twisted Zheng Shi’s mentality. At this moment, all she could think of was the word “revenge.” Whether Chengzong and his brother were innocent, whether this was too cruel – these thoughts weren’t in her consideration at all!

Soon, servants brought whips and ropes, moving to tie up Chengzong and his brother. The two naturally refused, desperately fleeing and struggling. For a moment, the room was filled with sharp cries and wails.

How could two children like Chengzong escape several strong servants? They were quickly caught and tied up tightly. Just as they were about to be hung from the roof beam, Jirong suddenly knelt before Zheng Shi, pleading: “Your Highness, I beg you, spare them! They’re just children who know nothing. Whatever hatred, whatever resentment you have, take it out on me – don’t make things difficult for them!”

Just as Zheng Shi had said before, without any forcing, Jirong would soon be begging to kneel.

Zheng Shi bent down and stared at Jirong coldly: “Don’t worry, I won’t forget you. I’ll definitely make you unable to live or die!” Saying this, she took the whip a servant handed her and viciously cracked it on the ground, producing a loud “snap”!

Jirong desperately clutched at her hem, pleading continuously. Unfortunately, Zheng Shi hated them mother and sons to the bone – how could she change her mind because of a few words of begging?

Everything… was ultimately futile!

Li Chengzong and his brother were lifted by servants with ropes looped over the roof beam, pulled up bit by bit. Their feet were forced off the ground. Li Chengde desperately kicked his little feet, his face crying bright red – such a pitiful sight. Unfortunately, no one dared to sympathize with them in front of Zheng Shi.

Just then, a figure rushed in, grabbing Zheng Shi’s hand: “Mother, please spare big brother and the others.”

The newcomer was Zheng Shi’s son Li Chengdao. His words made Zheng Shi furious, and she flung him away: “I’ve told you before – they’re not your brothers. You only have Changning as a sibling. Why can’t you ever remember!”

Li Chengdao steadied himself and shook his head: “It’s not that your son can’t remember, it’s that mother is wrong. Big brother and fourth brother are the same as Changning – they’re all father’s sons and your son’s brothers!”

“He doesn’t deserve to be your father!” Zheng Shi was struck in her heart’s painful spot and said coldly: “If he considered you his son, he wouldn’t have ignored you these past years, thinking even a glance at you was excessive. Even when you and Changning were sick, he never came to look once. He only has eyes for this vixen and the sons born by this vixen!” At this point, she stared at Jirong and laughed shrilly: “What a pity – a vixen is just a vixen. Even if you got your way for a few years, in the end you still have to show your true form, including these two half-human, half-fox bastards!”

Li Chengdao was still young and couldn’t understand Zheng Shi’s words. He frowned: “Mother, what are you saying? They’re clearly human – how could they be foxes!”

Zheng Shi ignored his words and called over Liuye: “Take the young master away. Don’t let him wander around!”

Liuye responded and said to Li Chengdao: “Young Master, let’s go. This servant will fold paper for you to play with.”

“No!” Li Chengdao shook off Liuye’s hand trying to lead him away, saying stubbornly: “Mother, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. Big brother and the others are already pitiful enough – please don’t torture them anymore.”

“Shut up!” Li Chengdao’s repeated pleas for Jirong and the others made Zheng Shi furious beyond measure: “Have you forgotten how they treated us before? If mother hadn’t schemed carefully, the ones locked in prison right now would be us, mother and son!”

Li Chengdao was frightened by her hideous, terrifying appearance and retreated several steps, but still persisted: “Although father and second mother did wrong, big brother and fourth brother did nothing wrong. Mother shouldn’t blame the innocent!”

“Enough! I don’t need you to teach me how to act!” Saying this, Zheng Shi glared at Liuye and said irritably: “What are you standing there for? Quickly take the young master away!”

Liuye coaxed for a long time, but Li Chengdao still wouldn’t leave. When she tried to forcibly carry him away, Li Chengdao, though just a half-grown child, already had some strength. For a moment, Liuye actually couldn’t lift him.

Zheng Shi frowned continuously watching this. Just as she was about to summon someone to help Liuye take Li Chengdao away, a figure suddenly rushed swiftly to her front. Before she could see clearly, something seemed to be taken from her hair, then her neck felt cold, as if something sharp and icy was pressed against it.

Jinxiang was right beside her and saw the whole process. She reacted extremely quickly, forcefully pushing the person who hadn’t yet steadied herself, making her fall to the ground. The cold sensation at Zheng Shi’s neck also disappeared.

The next moment, Jinxiang supported the still-shaken Zheng Shi: “Madam, how are you? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Only then did Zheng Shi clearly see the figure – it was actually Jirong, still clutching a chased-gold hairpin she had pulled from Zheng Shi’s hair!

Recalling the cold sensation at her neck just now, Jirong must have wanted to threaten her into releasing Li Chengzong and his brother. Fortunately Jinxiang was quick-eyed and fast-handed, otherwise she would not only have had to release Li Chengzong and his brother, but might have been injured by her hand.

The more Zheng Shi thought about it, the more she hated. She raised her hand and whipped Jirong, striking very heavily, immediately splitting skin and flesh: “What a vicious-hearted slut! Even at this point, you still think of harming people!”

From the moment she fell to the ground, Jirong knew she had missed her only chance and couldn’t change the fate of her and her two sons becoming fish on Zheng Shi’s chopping board.

Jirong endured the pain on her body, swaying as she stood up, and said sarcastically: “Zheng Guanyin, you always say I’m vicious-hearted, but what about you? Harming two innocent children – how are you any better than me? Guanyin… haha, how do you deserve to use that name!”

Her response was another whip strike. The phrase “others are the blade and chopping board, I am the fish and meat” was perfectly apt for Jirong’s situation at this moment.