Chapter 31 - 30: Call the Police! Identity Exposed
Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Call the Police! Identity Exposed
"..."
Dead silence descended once more.
Everyone, except Shi Changying, was utterly shocked.
"Chengli, what kind of book is this?" Xu Yunfan’s jaw dropped. "Why is it so expensive?"
"It’s the *Records of the Empress Wu Zhao Lie*," Ming Chengli said mildly. "It was recorded by Empress Xu’s personal female official and documents many major cases that occurred during that time."
Xu Yunfan was bewildered. "Who is Empress Xu?"
"Empress Xu Mingying, the first wife of Ancestor Xuan," Shi Changying said, glancing at him. "Her posthumous title is Wu Zhao Lie. Without her, Ancestor Xuan could never have established the Xuan Dynasty and unified Jiuzhou. Do you not even have this basic common sense?"
Uncharacteristically, Xu Yunfan didn’t lose his temper. He let out an awkward laugh. "This... can’t really be considered common sense, can it? For me—your Uncle Yunfan—to know Emperor Yan, Jingzu, Xuanzong of the Sheng dynasty, and Emperor Xuanwu—these four emperors—is already pretty impressive."
Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. "You know Emperor Xuanwu?"
She had read the history books and learned that her own posthumous title was "Wu", which was why later generations referred to her as Emperor Xuanwu. Empress Taichu was quite satisfied with the word "Wu", meaning martial.
"Who doesn’t know Emperor Xuanwu?" Xu Yunfan spoke with full confidence. "That Empress was a warmonger and a tyrant for the ages, completely unlike the three Ming Jun before her."
Shi Changying closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.
"Changying, what are you muttering?" Ming Chengli leaned closer, only to hear her repeating four words over and over—
"I cannot kill anyone."
Panic seized Ming Chengli. "Changying, calm down!"
Shi Changying smiled. "I am very calm."
"..."
He didn’t think she was calm at all.
Meng Shuyan was a history student; he knew exactly who Empress Xu was. Because of this, he realized the sheer importance of the ruined books. Panic clutched his heart as cold sweat broke out along his spine.
Old Sir Xu tried to ease the tension. "Chengli, how did this book end up out of print?"
"During the Jiang Dynasty, it was listed as a banned book. Currently, only one volume of the original manuscript survives, and it’s kept in an overseas museum," Ming Chengli explained, his expression growing even more detached. "Although my copies are photocopied editions, they still cost at least five figures. The last time they were printed was fifty years ago."
No one expected these seemingly ordinary history books to carry such an astronomical price tag.
Before taking a bite of her steamed bun, Shi Changying leisurely dropped a bombshell. "I called the police."
As if to verify her words, the wail of police sirens pierced through the long night, startling a panicking Meng Shuyan.
Taken aback, Ming Chengli asked her in a low voice, "Changying, when did you call the police?"
"On the way back," Shi Changying replied carelessly.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Someone was knocking at the front door.
"Sigh! This is just a private matter. We could have handled it ourselves, so why bring the police into this?" Old Sir Xu was displeased, but he had no choice but to have Housekeeper Xu open the door.
Having received the emergency call and classified the incident as a case of "intentional destruction of property," the command center dispatched two police officers and a forensics technician.
After a thorough investigation, the police confirmed that the total value of the three torn history books was 85,000 yuan.
"Officers, this is a private matter within the Xu Family. We can settle it privately," Old Sir Xu said. "I’m truly sorry for alarming you this late at night."
However, one of the officers turned to Ming Chengli first. "Mr. Ming, do you wish to settle this privately?"
"Chengli, we’re all family," Old Madam Xu urged. "Shuyan was just being foolish. He is still just a child."
"I’m also just a child," Shi Changying retorted, picking up another new phrase. She crossed her arms. "If a child goes untaught, the fault lies with the parents. Does being a child excuse a total lack of upbringing?"
"Meng Shuyan, apologize," Meng Baizhou demanded, his voice icy.
Meng Shuyan lowered his head, completely stripped of his earlier arrogance. "I’m sorry. I will compensate Uncle Chengli for his books."
Before Ming Chengli could reply, Shi Changying cut in. "Apology not accepted."
Meng Shuyan wanted to lash out, but a sharp glare from Meng Baizhou forced him to swallow his anger. "Then what do you want?"
Shi Changying spoke at a leisurely pace. "According to the law, intentionally destroying another person’s property up to a certain amount warrants one hundred strokes of the cane and exile to three thousand miles away."
"..." the two officers fell speechless.
"Wait, which dynasty’s law is that?" one of them accidentally voiced his inner thoughts aloud.
Ming Chengli promptly supplied the answer. "The law of the Xuan Dynasty!"
"Are you living in ancient times?!" Meng Shuyan couldn’t help but jump in frustration. "Exile? Who do you think you are, the Emperor?"
"Meng Shuyan!" Meng Baizhou warned deeply once again.
"Dad, she clearly doesn’t want to mediate!" Meng Shuyan cried out in furious indignation.
"Shut up! You’re going straight to the confinement room the moment we get back!" Meng Baizhou’s tone grew even colder. Then, he turned around and said, "Changying, it’s my fault for not raising him well. I apologize to you as well. I promise that something like this will never happen again."
Shi Changying raised an eyebrow. Instead of answering him, she asked Ming Chengli, "Dad, what do you think?"
Ming Chengli only cared about his history books. "Can we still buy identical copies?"
Meng Baizhou made a phone call. After hanging up, he expressed his deep apologies. "We can get them, but the earliest they will arrive is the day after tomorrow."
Ming Chengli nodded. "Then let’s—"
Shi Changying interrupted him. "Not only do we want the exact same books, but we also require ten times the monetary compensation."
"Ten times?" Meng Shuyan blurted out. "Shi Changying, why don’t you just go rob a bank?"
"Fine, ten times," Meng Baizhou agreed without hesitation.
He pulled a checkbook from his wallet, filled it out, and handed it to Shi Changying.
Shi Changying didn’t even glance at it. She casually tossed it to Ming Chengli. "Keep it safe."
Seeing that the Xu Family had reached a settlement, the police officers took their leave.
Having eaten her fill, Shi Changying felt sleepy. She let out a yawn. "Why is everyone just standing around? Aren’t you going to sleep?"
She was going to bed.
Shi Changying headed upstairs with her hands clasped behind her back. A few seconds later, the sound of a door closing and locking echoed through the hall.
"She’s really..." Xu Yunfan was speechless for a long moment. "Zhao Yu, Baizhou, it’s very late. You two should just stay the night here."
"Thank you, Yunfan," Meng Baizhou nodded. As he turned his head, his voice grew stern again. "Meng Shuyan, come with me."
Meng Shuyan looked to Xu Zhao Yu and Xu Shuyu as if pleading for help, but ultimately, he had no choice but to follow in Meng Baizhou’s footsteps.
"Shuyu, go back to your room and rest," Xu Zhao Yu said, looking somewhat exhausted. "You still have classes tomorrow."
Xu Shuyu hesitated for a moment. "Alright. Mom, you should go to bed early too."
Clutching her English book, she returned to her own room in the Xu Family’s home.
That night, the Xu Family’s home was in complete chaos, and Jianghuai High School’s campus forum was equally bustling with activity.
[Gossip]: Does anyone know why Young Master Meng is targeting the new transfer student in Class 17?
[Post 1]: No idea, but he took a massive fall today! He even got dragged into the principal’s office!
[Post 2]: With things blowing up this much, Old Ning is definitely going to give him a piece of his mind. Don’t be fooled by Old Ning’s usual smiley, nice-guy act—he’s absolutely ruthless when he needs to be.
[Post 3]: I’m not sure. Let the person below answer.
[Post 4]: I actually do know! Young Master Meng is targeting the transfer student because she is the true Xu Family Member, whereas he has no blood ties to the Xu Family at all. He’s just terrified.