He observed for a moment, then his eyes widened. Disregarding his fear, he took two steps at a time and rushed to his son's side, pried open his mouth, and looked closely. He couldn't help but shed tears of sorrow.
"My son, how long have I been gone, and how have you become like this?" Master Zheng was truly heartbroken. Although he was disappointed in his son, he knew he was also at fault and had pinned his hopes on his son to bring honor to the family.
As he asked, Zheng Yiming became even more agitated, looking at him with hatred.
"Could it be related to me? But it shouldn't be. I only owe the gambling house three hundred taels of silver. From my experience of frequenting gambling houses, they wouldn't be so ruthless." Master Zheng was confused, not knowing what had happened. However, it was clear that his son could not speak now and couldn't tell him the truth.
And so, Master Zheng stubbornly stayed at home. Each night before sleeping, he would move a table and pile heavy objects against the door to secure it. This was because on the first night, he had vaguely sensed a figure standing before his bed in the middle of the night. When he opened his eyes, he nearly died of fright.
It turned out to be his son, staring at him with a lifeless gaze. In the darkness, he had been greatly startled. Seeing that he was awake, his son slowly withdrew. That night, Master Zheng kept his eyes open until dawn, daring not to fall asleep.
One day, Zheng Yiming went out to buy wine and was suddenly bumped into. He felt something being shoved into his hand. He was stunned for a moment. When he looked back, the street was empty. The object in his hand was real, and he thought he had dreamt it.
He opened the note and read it. After pondering for a while, regardless of whether it was true or false, he decided to go and see that night. After all, in his current state, he had no value to exploit, and there was nothing for others to trick him out of.
In the dead of night, he went to the appointed place at the agreed time. As he walked, the surroundings became more desolate. He had grown up in this city and had never known such a place existed, far from the city center, desolate and deserted. Walking to such a place alone, he was, to be honest, a little scared.
It felt like walking for a century before he finally reached his destination. The house before him was dilapidated, with no roof, only crumbling walls.
Upon entering, a heavily armed man in black was already waiting.
The moment Zheng Yiming saw him, his heart skipped a beat. After a brief thought, he knew it was the person who had given him the note. Fearing that he would be recognized, the man was so heavily disguised, dressed entirely in black, wearing a large black hat that covered his eyes, and a mask that only revealed his nose.
"You've come. I believe you know my purpose in summoning you. We have a common enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. We can cooperate," a hoarse male voice said in a low tone.
Seeing Zheng Yiming's indifferent reaction, the man enticed him again: "Before cooperating, I conducted an investigation into you. I believe there are three enemies responsible for your current state: Bai Xue, your father, and the Dai family."
Hearing his enemies named, Zheng Yiming became extremely agitated, wishing he could eat their flesh and drink their blood.
"Our plan this time is targeted at two people: your father and Bai Xue. As for the Dai family, we'll find a way to deal with them later," the man in black said, understanding his thoughts and stating his objective.
Seeing him listen intently, the man in black explained his plan. Zheng Yiming thought about it and nodded in agreement, taking the items placed to the side. Only then did Zheng Yiming realize that the house was not empty. Su Dan Novel Network.
The man in black waited until he was far away, then lifted his black hat, revealing a woman's bun. She turned and left through the back door.
The next day, Zheng Yiming, uncharacteristically, went out with Master Zheng. He gestured with his hand, indicating he wanted to go out and play together. Master Zheng happily agreed, wanting to foster a good relationship with his son. If his son had invited him out when he was healthy, he would never have dared to go. Now that his son was disabled, unable to speak, and his right hand was weak, he felt he was safe from any harm.
They walked towards the southern mountain. Halfway up the mountain, by a pond, Zheng Yiming was exhausted and wanted to rest.
Master Zheng saw his son resting in a pavilion not far away. He walked to the pond, scooped up some spring water, and drank it. It was cool and refreshing.
At some unknown moment, a figure darted out and, with lightning speed, pushed Master Zheng into the pond before disappearing quickly.
Master Zheng had been watching his son, and did not expect a third party to intervene. Unable to swim, he flailed in the pond. Zheng Yiming watched with cold eyes, feeling a surge of exhilaration. He couldn't help but laugh out loud towards the sky, but as he laughed, tears streamed down his face, unable to make a sound.
Before his father noticed, he had made some arrangements. Seeing the water surface calm down again, he completed the remaining tasks as instructed by the man in black.
They went down the mountain and returned home.
Meanwhile, Wu Caiwei and Li Yuqun were also on the southern mountain. Seeing that Li Yuqun had been staying indoors, Wu Caiwei felt a pang of concern. His health had improved considerably, so he told the old lady that he would take him out for a mountain climb today.
Initially, the old lady disagreed, worried about her grandson's health. It was only after Li Yuqun's coaxing and pleading that the old lady agreed, but only if they brought a doctor and extra guards, just in case. She reluctantly allowed them to go out today, but they had to return before dark and were forbidden to stay out overnight.
The two walked and stopped along the way. Li Yuqun was very excited and didn't feel tired at all, exploring the entire southern mountain.
The next day, when the officials found them, they were bewildered.
It was only after Old Madam Li bribed them with a considerable amount of silver that the officers vaguely informed her that the young master and madam might be implicated in a murder case.
The old lady exclaimed in disbelief, "How is that possible?" Regardless of whether she believed it or not, the officials wanted to take them away. Even with the Li family's wealth, they couldn't defy the authorities.
As soon as they were taken away, Old Madam Li went to see the prefect with a box. They were old acquaintances who interacted frequently. Upon meeting, she inquired about the entire situation and asked the prefect to take good care of her grandson and granddaughter-in-law.
Back at the mansion, the old lady quickly summoned the people who had accompanied her grandson and granddaughter-in-law out yesterday and asked what had happened.
Everyone's accounts were consistent. Nothing unusual had occurred, and her grandson and granddaughter-in-law had never separated from them. Upon hearing this, the old lady breathed a sigh of relief, yet she also felt a sense of unease. If everything was as the guards claimed, why did the prefect have physical evidence? Although she didn't know where the problem lay, the old lady had a premonition that someone was deliberately targeting the Li family.