Chapter 25: Cui Jing, It Is Useless No Matter How You Beg

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Cui Jing did not want to get entangled with Song Mingting. He tried to move past him toward Song Shiwei. “Second Young Master Song, I need to speak with Shiwei—”

Song Mingting punched him in the face again, his features twisted with fury. “What are you pretending to be so devoted for now?”

He spat at him. “Who doesn’t know that you’re trying to use this trick again to scheme against Shiwei and my family?”

Now, whenever he saw Cui Jing, he truly wanted to tear the vile creature apart with his bare hands.

Cui Jing ignored him and stared straight at Song Shiwei. “Shiwei, listen to me. I can explain. I really can.”

His eyes were filled with guilt, remorse, and pain. “Things aren’t the way you think they are.”

A trace of icy contempt touched the corners of Song Shiwei’s lips, while her eyes were veiled in frost. “Listen to Lord Cui.”

“If things aren’t the way I think they are, then what way are they?”

“Are you saying you didn’t frame my family and set us up? You didn’t cause my family to be stripped of everything and exiled?”

Cui Jing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but all he managed was, “Shiwei, I know what happened this time has caused you immense pain…”

“Lord Cui, you don’t need to say any more.” Song Shiwei cut him off impatiently.

Her heart throbbed with pain and bitterness, but not the slightest trace of it showed on her face. “From the moment you framed my family, you and I became impossible.”

Then she added, “I’ve already returned the betrothal jade pendant to you.”

“From now on, there is no marriage contract between us, nor any other relationship whatsoever.”

Cui Jing slowly shook his head, his face contorted with unbearable anguish. “No! No! No!”

“Shiwei, I never returned the betrothal jade pendant, and neither side’s elders have discussed this matter. Our marriage contract still stands.”

He had already decided that once he dealt with Princess Anning and helped clear the Song family’s name, he would marry Shiwei in grand fashion.

At that time, he would tell her everything.

This was the first time Song Shiwei had realized just how disgusting Cui Jing truly was.

“Cui Jing, you are carrying on with Princess Anning while still wanting to keep your marriage contract with me.”

She sneered coldly. “Do you really think you’re something special?”

Song Mingting gave two mocking laughs. “He doesn’t merely think he’s something special. He thinks he’s the only man in the world, and that every woman will fight to possess him.”

Aunt Chun and the others hurled scornful remarks at Cui Jing.

“I’ve seen shameless people before, but never anyone as shameless as Cui Jing. He was the one who joined forces with Princess Anning to destroy our family, yet he still has the nerve to pretend he’s innocent.”

“I truly misjudged Cui Jing before. I thought he was a decent man. Now I know he’s lower than a beast.”

“Disgusting creature. Get as far away from us as possible.”

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Song Patriarch stepped forward.

He looked at Cui Jing with icy severity, his voice burning with anger. “Cui Jing, I have decided to dissolve Shiwei’s marriage contract with you.”

“From this moment on, Shiwei has no connection with you whatsoever. Do not pester her again.”

Regardless of whether Cui Jing had been coerced by Princess Anning into harming his family, things had already come to this point.

Therefore, there was no possibility that Shiwei and Cui Jing could remain together.

The moment Cui Jing heard this, he hurriedly fell to his knees before him and pleaded, “Uncle, I can explain. I truly can.”

“I never intended to…”

Song Patriarch raised a hand and cut him off, a trace of impatience in his voice. “Cui Jing, you still don’t understand.”

“Regardless of your purpose in harming my family, you have harmed us.”

“Our family has only been in exile for a few days, yet we have already faced countless schemes.”

“If we had not been fortunate, all you would be looking at now would be the corpses of our entire family.”

“Perhaps there would not even have been corpses left behind.”

Cui Jing abruptly raised his head to stare at him, his pupils contracting violently. “How could that be…”

The informant had returned and told him that none of the arrangements he had made had been of any use, and that Shiwei’s family had encountered one disaster after another.

At the time, he had refused to believe it.

Now, after hearing Uncle Song’s words, he finally understood that it was true.

Then what had become of all the arrangements he had made?

Song Patriarch looked down at him from above, his gaze that of a man looking at a complete stranger. “Cui Jing, you need not come looking for Shiwei again.”

“Shiwei has said that she is ending her engagement with you. That means there can never be anything between you again.”

After suffering confiscation of their property and exile, his feelings toward Cui Jing had changed from affection to disgust.

There were many dark deeds and schemes in officialdom, but he had never imagined that Cui Jing, whom he had watched grow up, would do something like this to his family.

To put it plainly, he had not yet fully understood the depths of human nature and had treated outsiders far too generously.

Cui Jing’s face was streaked with tears. “Uncle, things truly aren’t the way you think…”

Song Patriarch sighed. “Cui Jing, you actually understand this.”

“From the moment you joined hands with Princess Anning, you knew that you and Shiwei could never be together again.”

“Why insist on forcing an impossible outcome?”

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Cui Jing roughly wiped away his tears, his voice thick with sobs and remorse. “Uncle, I truly didn’t know things would turn out this way.”

If he had known in advance, perhaps he would not have done as Princess Anning instructed.

Song Patriarch shook his head, unable to name the feeling in his heart. “Cui Jing, for the sake of the help my family once gave you and yours, please do not appear before us again.”

“No!” Cui Jing roared. “Uncle, I can’t. I can’t!”

“Father, let me handle this.” Song Shiwei walked to her father’s side.

Her gaze, cold as a deep winter pool, settled on Cui Jing. She enunciated each word clearly. “Cui Jing, do you know that the Cui family has already joined forces with Princess Anning?”

Cui Jing’s expression changed drastically, and his voice rose sharply. “Impossible!”

“Grandfather promised me he would never join forces with Princess Anning.”

He refused to believe it was true. He simply refused.

Song Shiwei gave a derisive laugh. “He promised you?”

“You once promised me and my family certain things. Did you keep those promises?”

“You know better than anyone how laughable such verbal assurances are.”

Once, Cui Jing had promised her that he would treat her well for the rest of his life and never betray her.

And what had happened in the end?

He had joined forces with Princess Anning to frame her family for rebellion, causing them to be stripped of everything and exiled.

Upon hearing this, Cui Jing collapsed onto the ground in defeat, once again weeping bitterly.

Indeed, he had failed to keep the promises he had once made. His grandfather might merely have been placating him as well.

Seeing him in such a state, Song Shiwei felt a faint surge of satisfaction and vindication.

“There is something else.”

She pointed toward Aunt Qin and Song Shilan in the distance. “That mother and daughter have already made contact with the Qin family in secret, and the Qin family also wants to curry favor with Princess Anning.”

“Tell me, when you came to see me today, will those two report it to the Qin family? Will the Qin family use this opportunity to win Princess Anning’s favor?”

Cui Jing suddenly turned toward Aunt Qin and Song Shilan, his eyes filled with murderous intent. “Then they must not be allowed to live.”

He had already made so many mistakes. He would never again permit anyone to harm Shiwei or the Song family.

The look in his eyes filled Aunt Qin and Song Shilan with fear from the depths of their hearts.

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