Greetings, Ninth Uncle

Ch.13 - Injured

Cheng Yuanxian already felt unsatisfied because of his father's blatant preferential towards this youngest son. The old Master's words immediately made him angry: "I've only known the taboo of naming over parents and grandparents. When did we also have a taboo over uncles? Father, your partiality is too excessive."

Old Master Cheng was furious. He slapped the table hard and pointed to curse at Cheng Yuanxian: "Absolutely disgraceful! You are idle all day, never learn and do nothing, cannot even be compared with one-tenth of the ninth boy. You aren't feeling ashamed and instead still have the audacity of being jealous, even dare to speak badly about him?"

Cheng Yuanxian was also a man already in his thirties. Now he was being scolded by his father in front of many relatives and juniors. He wasn't smart, and years of grievances suddenly surged. Disregarding the consequences, Cheng Yuanxian lashed out: "Father, do you still care about me, your other son? Over the years, you only care about that outside mistress and even raise a child from an unknown origin as your biological son. You never take notice of your own family. Now that second brother and I have grown up, what kind of face do you have to point your finger at me?"

Cheng Yuanjing turned his head down and staring into his wine cup. The light fell on his face, making his expression indiscernible.

Inward, the old Master completely scared out: Unknown origin? Dare to say that the crown prince had an unknown origin? Was Cheng Yuanxian crazy?

Seeing that their father's expression wasn't right, Cheng Min quickly called out, "Eldest brother! Father's health isn't good. Why did you say that?"

Shee then hurriedly tried to persuade the old Master: "Dad, brother is drunk and didn't mean his words. I don't know why he suddenly speaks like that, but he isn't intentional. Dad, don't be angry!"

Old Master Cheng was so angry that he couldn't speak, his fingers pointed on tremblingly: "You...you unfilial son. Very good! Take out the family law, I will teach him personally."

The womenfolks all stood up and anxiously gathered in a circle. When they heard the Old Master's words, they hurriedly tried to dissuade him. Old Madam Cheng sneered angrily: "Very good. Who are you showing off to? Are you really going to beat eldest child on the ground of not avoiding taboo name? Where did this rule come from, since when a niece should avoid her uncle's name? You just want to kill us mother and son. If I die, you can rightfully give your old lover a status, because leaving her as an outside mistress is humiliating!"

"Mother!" Cheng Min tried to pull back the old Madam. She was a married woman. In her natal family, she was a guest. Everyone had to give her a face, so Cheng Min dared to stop her parents' quarrel. Old Master Cheng look at the chaotic scene and felt a sense of exhaustion rose from his heart.

When he first brought little Xue-shi back, he did not know Cheng Yuanjing's identity. He only thought that the boy was little Xue-shi's illegitimate son. A once smart and lively fiancee was ground by the harsh time into her current appearance, it made Old Master Cheng sad. Because of the Xue family's case, little Xue-shi was implicated and got wronged. In the end, she even received such an insult yet unable to seek justice, having to raise her son alone. Old Master Cheng was so sorrowful that he decided to take the mother and son away no matter what. After returned to the capital, he claimed the boy as his biological son. This was to give little Xue-shi a face.

Who would have thought that a few years after returning to the capital, he would learn such a great secret?

When the crown prince was five years old, he went to a Taoist temple to recuperate. Unexpectedly, there was a mountain torrent during his visit. The whole temple was washed away, and the crown prince went missing. How could a young child survive such a big torrent? All the courtiers assumed that the crown prince has died. However, the emperor refused to accept the reality and almost crazily looking for the crown prince whereabout for so many years. Everyone could see that this matter had become a deep knot inside his majesty's heart. The courtiers tacitly decided to keep silent, and thus the crown prince's position had never been revoked. Instead, the second prince was growing up healthily and was the eldest prince in everything but name.