Chapter 192 - 191: Backing Up Your Majesty, Unless You Are Emperor Chengtian

Chapter 192: Chapter 191: Backing Up Your Majesty, Unless You Are Emperor Chengtian

Housekeeper Meng stepped back in shock.

"Housekeeper, what’s going on?" Old Madam Meng frowned at the commotion. "Why all the fuss? Shuyu, Shuyan, come here and eat with Grandma."

Housekeeper Meng hurriedly snapped back to reality. "O-Old Madam, it’s... it’s..."

"We are from the Jianghuai Police Department, here to investigate a case of malicious property damage." One of the police officers showed his badge. "The suspect, Meng Shuyan, has been arrested. We are now summoning witnesses, so please cooperate."

A dead silence fell over the entire Meng household.

Huo Yunxing finally tore his gaze away from the television, looking intrigued. "My future brother-in-law has become a criminal suspect? What a scandal."

Mrs. Huo’s smile froze on her face. She was quite satisfied with Xu Shuyu. The girl was well-educated and reasonable; she would surely make a great wife for Huo Yunxing in the future. However, she had never liked Meng Shuyan, and had even doubted whether he was truly a child of the Meng family.

"Don’t speak nonsense!" Old Madam Meng angrily pounded her cane against the floor. "Shuyan has always been a sensible boy. How could he possibly break the law?"

Meng Qi’an scoffed. "Grandma, didn’t he destroy someone’s history book worth eighty thousand just last time? If my Senior Sister hadn’t agreed to settle it privately, he would have definitely spent a few days behind bars."

This remark choked Old Madam Meng so badly she could barely catch her breath. "Jingzhu, how are you raising Qi An? Talking back to his elders—is this your idea of education?"

Meng Jingzhu was still leisurely sipping her red wine. She feigned surprise. "Mom, Xiao An is just telling the truth. Why is that considered talking back?"

Old Madam Meng was even more infuriated. "Meng Jingzhu, are you determined to anger me?"

"Mom, this matter has nothing to do with me." Meng Jingzhu tilted her chin up and let out a cold sneer. "You’d better find out what your precious grandson has done first."

Xu Zhao Yu and Meng Baizhou had already walked to the door and were negotiating with the police. When she heard that Meng Shuyan had used a special perfume to leave his name on the first-place winning artwork of this year’s Youth Calligraphy Competition, Xu Zhao Yu’s vision went dark, and she stumbled.

"Zhao Yu." Meng Baizhou supported her just in time. "Go rest. I’ll head to the police station. Your health is what’s important right now."

But Xu Zhao Yu struggled to her feet and asked anxiously, "Who won first place? Can’t we settle this privately?"

"I’m sorry, Miss Xu," the police officer replied politely. "It wasn’t the first-place winner who reported the case, but the judges."

Xu Zhao Yu muttered, "The judges? Isn’t that the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association? How could that be..."

The Meng family was the largest investor in the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association. Not to mention, the current chairman was a student of Old Sir Meng. How could they possibly report the case? Her thoughts were in complete disarray. It was Meng Miaoyan who finally helped her sit down on the sofa. "Aunt Zhao Yu, don’t worry. It’s just a piece of calligraphy. How could our family not afford to compensate them?"

Xu Zhao Yu’s heart grew increasingly uneasy. Could it be that the first-place winner was someone even the Meng family couldn’t afford to offend, which was why the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association couldn’t show favoritism toward Meng Shuyan?

She immediately checked the list of winners for the Yunzhou regional preliminaries of the Youth Calligraphy Competition. When she saw the name "Shi Changying," Xu Zhao Yu felt her scalp go numb, as if her head were about to explode. She jumped up abruptly, hardly able to believe her eyes. But she also knew the judging results were absolutely legitimate. Considering the judges were already biased toward the Meng family, the fact that Shi Changying could still take first place proved just how exceptional her calligraphy was.

Xu Zhao Yu’s hands were shaking violently. It took her a great deal of effort to find Yan Sinian’s phone number and dial it. After three rings, the call connected.

Suppressing her anger, Xu Zhao Yu demanded, "Master Yan, didn’t you say Changying was difficult to teach? Her calligraphy skills are clearly outstanding!"

"Ah," Yan Sinian replied. "Miss Xu, is it possible you’ve misunderstood something?"

Xu Zhao Yu let out a furious laugh. "Misunderstood?" She wasn’t a fool. Having always been sharp-witted, how could she not realize that Yan Sinian had been deceiving her? Was he scamming her for money? The Mingjing Cultural Heritage Institute surely wasn’t destitute enough to resort to that! Xu Zhao Yu simply couldn’t fathom why Yan Sinian would lie to her.

"I did indeed tell you that Miss Shi was a bit difficult to teach," Yan Sinian sighed. "And that’s because her writing is simply too good. It’s far beyond anything I could ever teach her."

Xu Zhao Yu’s ears rang.

Yan Sinian continued, "You know that I am, after all, a disciple of Dean Xu. I care about my reputation and couldn’t afford to lose face, so I didn’t state it too plainly. I figured that since you are a smart woman, you would certainly grasp the true meaning behind my words..."

Xu Zhao Yu couldn’t hear the rest of his words. Her heart spasmed, and amidst a chorus of gasps, she passed out cold.

As the person who reported the case this time, Cui Jinghan had matters to attend to and had to leave Jianghuai High School early. On the way, he received a phone call from Dean Xu.

"A Jiu," Dean Xu said enthusiastically. "I heard a calligraphy genius has emerged in the Yunzhou region this time. I plan to take her in as my Closed-door Disciple. What do you think?"

Cui Jinghan didn’t even have to think about it. "I’m sorry, but you aren’t worthy."

Dean Xu was utterly bewildered. What did that mean?! How was he not worthy? Furious, Dean Xu yelled, "Cui Jiu, I’ve never known you to be so petty! Can you really not stand the sight of someone having more talent than you?"

"I meant it literally," Cui Jinghan replied calmly. "Don’t overthink it."

Dean Xu was so angry he was fuming. "If I’m not worthy, who is?"

Cui Jinghan didn’t answer. Only Lord Ye, of course. Ye Yu’s erudition was not something just anyone could compare to.

Dean Xu’s voice took on a sinister tone. "Speak! You can’t think of anyone, can you?! Not only am I going to take her as my disciple, but I’m going to strip you of your authority and hand it all over to her!"

Cui Jinghan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Only if you were Emperor Chengtian." Come to think of it, only the literary and political achievements of Grand Ancestor Jing could rival those of Lord Ye.

Dean Xu choked on his words, nearly passing out from sheer anger. "You might as well drop dead in Jianghuai and never come back! And don’t you ever call me your teacher again! I’m expelling you from my tutelage this instant!"

"Alright, Dean Xu," Cui Jinghan agreed promptly.

Clutching his chest, Dean Xu gasped for breath. "Get lost!" He refused to claim such an unfilial disciple!

Meanwhile, at the police station.

Meng Baizhou had not yet arrived. The first to rush to the scene was the current Chairman of the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association, whose surname was also Meng. He was not a Meng Family Member by blood; he had simply changed his surname after becoming Old Sir Meng’s disciple. This was one of the reasons Meng Shuyan had felt so emboldened to act recklessly—because the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association would undoubtedly side with him.

"Who authorized you to report this?" Chairman Meng flew into a rage. "It’s just a trivial matter! Why did you involve the police? Withdraw the case immediately."

One of the judges stammered, "Chairman, it wasn’t us—"

"I don’t care if it was you or not! The bottom line is, I forbid it." Chairman Meng cut him off. "Hurry up and release Shuyan this instant."

"You forbid it? What an impressive display of authority!" A cold laugh rang out. "If that’s the case, then you no longer need to be the Chairman of the Jianghuai Calligraphy Association!"

Cui Jinghan’s gaze was ice-cold. He had been looking for a place to vent his frustrations anyway!