2: Chapter 2 Xiao Tian, ​​Wrongfully Accused

In the Misty Cloud Forest, a white figure flashed by, startling countless birds and beasts.

"Child, hold on, your father is coming to save you!"

This was a son whose greeting gift alone was worth ten million Spirit Stones! Even more, he was a treasure egg that could continuously provide over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones every single day!

Luo Yunkai had made his stance clear!

"Whoever dares to touch my son, dies!"

...

*Slap!*

In the mortal world, within the Great Cang Dynasty, inside the main hall of the Chengen Marquiss Residence.

Marquis Chengen angrily slammed his palm onto the golden-threaded nanmu table, producing a dull thud.

His sharp eyes swept over the group of younger generation members standing below with bowed heads and downcast eyes, his voice icy cold.

"Yesterday, which of you entered this Marquis's study?"

Among the crowd, a young man's face suddenly turned pale, his hands secretly clenching into fists.

Xiao Tian's gaze fell unerringly on those tightly clenched hands.

Sensing Xiao Tian's gaze, the young man abruptly turned his head, meeting Xiao Tian's pitch-black, deep-pool-like eyes, his heart pounding wildly.

"Heir, what are you looking at?" The Marquis Chengen at the head of the hall cast a suspicious look towards his legitimate son.

Xiao Zimu's heart thumped violently. Suppressing his fear, he raised his hand and pointed at Xiao Tian. "Father, I was looking at Cousin Xiao Tian."

Marquis Chengen's gaze followed, landing on this illegitimate child born from his sister's illicit affair.

The child was very thin, as if a gust of wind could knock him over. His robes looked empty, and there was a trace of a bruise at the corner of his mouth, likely from getting into a fight outside again.

Marquis Chengen wrinkled his brow in disgust. "What were you looking at your cousin for?"

A bad premonition arose in Xiao Tian.

Soon, his premonition was confirmed.

"Father, I saw Cousin Xiao Tian enter your study yesterday!" Xiao Zimu loudly framed him.

Xiao Tian's pupils constricted sharply. "I did not!"

However, Marquis Chengen simply wouldn't listen. He abruptly stood up, his voice like thunder in his anger. "You have some nerve, Xiao Tian!"

Marquis Chengen struck out with his palm towards Xiao Tian. Xiao Tian, with no chance to resist, was sent flying backwards.

He slammed heavily into a load-bearing pillar!

*Thud—*

Xiao Tian spat out a mouthful of blood and slid to the ground.

A pair of feet appeared before Xiao Tian's eyes. He looked up, meeting the murderous gaze of his uncle, Marquis Chengen.

"This Marquis pitied you as an innocent child, raised you despite you being a bastard of unknown father. Not only are you ungrateful, you even dared to steal this Marquis's Medicinal Pill!"

"Do you know, that was a Medicinal Pill bestowed upon this Marquis by His Majesty to heal injuries and save lives!"

"Return the Medicinal Pill to this Marquis at once!"

Clutching his chest, Xiao Tian sneered coldly.

When suspecting everyone else, it was 'taking'. When suspecting him, it was 'stealing'!

Blood stained the corner of his mouth. With a stubborn expression, he met his uncle's gaze squarely. "I did not enter the Marquis's study, nor did I steal the Marquis's Medicinal Pill!"

Xiao Zimu immediately said, "If not you, then who? You're the only outsider in the Residence!"

The other younger generation members of the Chengen Marquiss Residence also nodded in agreement one after another.

They had always disliked this cousin who brought shame upon their Chengen Marquiss Residence and had no qualms about kicking him while he was down.

"Father, I also saw Cousin enter your study yesterday."

"Uncle, I saw Cousin sneaking out of your study yesterday, as if hiding something in his arms."

"It's him, it must be him who stole Uncle's healing Medicinal Pill!"

Marquis Chengen lowered his eyes coldly, looking at Xiao Tian with disappointment. "What more do you have to say for yourself?"

"Return the Medicinal Pill, and this Marquis can deal with you leniently, only punishing you to kneel in the ancestral hall for a month."

Xiao Tian's eyes dimmed. Clenching his jaw stubbornly, he said, "I didn't steal it!"

Marquis Chengen laughed in anger. "Fine, fine, fine. You refuse to hand it over, is that it? Then this Marquis has no choice but to have your mother come and ask you for it!"

Xiao Tian's pupils constricted sharply. "No!"

He knew he was the lifelong stain on his mother's reputation. That's why, no matter how much grievance he suffered in the Marquiss Residence, he had never gone to find his mother.

Because doing so would only embarrass her further, making her hold her head even lower in her husband's family!

However, Xiao Tian's resistance was utterly useless!

"Steward!"

"Yes!"

"Go immediately and bring the Lady Aunt back! Have her properly teach her fine son a lesson!"

"As you command!"

Struggling, Xiao Tian tried to lunge towards the steward to stop him, but Marquis Chengen ordered the servants to hold him down. Humiliated, he was pressed face-down onto the ground.

"It wasn't me, I didn't steal it! Marquis, instead of wrongfully accusing me and forcing me to produce the pill, why don't you investigate the others properly!" Xiao Tian roared.

Afraid his father might believe Xiao Tian's words, Xiao Zimu anxiously stepped forward and stamped his foot on the side of Xiao Tian's face, preventing him from forming complete sentences, leaving only broken groans.

"So many of us saw you sneaking out of Father's study with our own eyes, and you still dare not admit it!"

Xiao Tian glared fiercely at Xiao Zimu. Deep within those pitch-black eyes was a certainty, an 'as expected'.

It was you!

With his back to everyone, Xiao Zimu flashed Xiao Tian a malicious smile and mouthed the words.

"That's right, it was this Heir who took it. Take the blame obediently for this Heir!"

Xiao Tian's eyes darkened, a feeling of despair taking root in his heart.

Even if he pointed the finger at Xiao Zimu, his uncle wouldn't believe him!

He looked towards the main gate with a glimmer of hope.

Mother... would believe him, right?

...

Half an hour later, from the direction of the main gate, came the clear, crisp sound of jade pendants and ornaments clinking together.

Xiao Tian trembled. Struggling, he raised his head, forcing his swollen eyelids open a slit to look towards the main gate.

His vision was blurry. In his eyes, only the figure stepping across the threshold existed; everything around her faded away.

With his face pressed to the ground, the first thing Xiao Tian saw was a pair of gold-threaded embroidered shoes, exuding an air of nobility.

His mother's grace and his own wretchedness formed a stark contrast. Xiao Tian instantly felt utterly ashamed.

His gaze dodged away, thus missing the look of disgust Xiao Yueqing revealed upon seeing him.

Xiao Tian still harbored illusions about his mother. He looked again, this time with a sliver of hope.

The hem of her luxurious, intricate purple-gold palace dress swayed with her steps. Her fair hands, painted with bright red nail polish, were clasped before her. The slightly raised cuffs revealed jade and gold bracelets on her slender, white wrists, clinking against each other as she walked, accentuating the delicacy of her wrist bones.

Time had not left deep marks on this noble lady. Instead, it had added a touch of mature charm.

Marquis Chengen looked at his eldest sister, adorned with gold hairpins and dressed in nothing but splendor, as she sat expressionlessly in the host's seat.

"Eldest Sister, you know what has happened?"

Xiao Yueqing nodded slightly. "I heard everything from the servants on the way here. I will give you an explanation, Elder Brother."

"Good!" Marquis Chengen nodded in satisfaction.

Xiao Yueqing moved with light, graceful steps, coming to a stop before Xiao Tian.

Xiao Zimu consciously removed his foot and retreated to the side.

Xiao Tian looked up at his mother, his eyes filled with filial affection and admiration.

Mother was still beautiful. Although nearing forty, time had not left too deep an impression on her face.

"Mo..."

*Slap!*

Xiao Yueqing slapped the son who had ruined her entire life across the face.

Xiao Tian was stunned, staring blankly at Xiao Yueqing. He never expected to meet a pair of eyes filled with loathing and hatred.

Those eyes marred her beauty and shattered the cherished image of his mother he held in his heart.

"You truly are your father's seed! Rotten to the core! How dare you steal your uncle's life-saving Medicinal Pill! Hand over the pill at once!" Xiao Yueqing shouted sternly.

Xiao Tian laughed, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.

He hadn't cried when his uncle's palm strike caused internal injuries and made him vomit blood. He hadn't cried when Xiao Zimu stepped on his face. He hadn't cried when his mother slapped him without distinguishing right from wrong...

But because of Xiao Yueqing's words, he both laughed and cried.

Xiao Yueqing's expression remained unchanged. She continued to slap Xiao Tian across the face.

*Slap!*

"Stop pretending to be crazy or foolish! Hand over the Medicinal Pill you stole!"

Summoning strength from somewhere, Xiao Tian broke free from the servants' grip. Leaning against the pillar, he closed his eyes, his heart ashen, and sneered coldly.

He no longer wanted to see his mother's twisted face.

"I said, I didn't take the Marquis's Medicinal Pill. Even if you beat me to death, I couldn't produce it!"

Xiao Yueqing's beautiful eyes flashed with frost. "Don't tell me you think as long as you don't admit it, we can't do anything to you?"

Xiao Tian, of course, didn't think so.

He knew his place in the Chengen Marquiss Residence all too well.

He opened his eyes. They were utterly lifeless. A cold, sharp smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he spoke with resounding clarity.

"Why bother finding so many excuses and pressing so relentlessly? Isn't it just that you want me, the disgrace in your eyes, to die?"

"Today, I will return this life to you!"