Chapter 4: The Useless Seventh Miss of the Ming Family

An explanation?!

The Emperor’s words sent a tremor through Ming Yao’s heart, and his kneeling knees began to shake uncontrollably.

In truth, he had only resorted to such a desperate measure out of necessity. In this entire region, was there anyone who didn't know of Ming Xi, the useless Seventh Miss of the Ming household?

Looking back, the child was truly pitiable. Her mother had died in childbirth the very day she was born. Perhaps out of a deep sympathy for a child who had lost her mother so young, Ming Yao had once doted on her. Ming Xi had shown great talent from a young age; by the age of six, she already possessed the aura expected of a summoner. However, she was still far too young, and the family, fearing an accident, forbade her from attempting any summons. But young Ming Xi did not understand these things; she ignored their warnings, ran to the rooftop, and activated a magic circle...

That was the day she had exhausted all her strength to summon a fire-type magical beast. Due to the instability of her spiritual power during the summoning, an accident occurred. From that moment on, her spiritual power was completely drained, and she lost the qualification to ever be a summoner again! All that remained was the creature she had summoned that day—the very same white cat currently at the Emperor’s side.

This had become a laughingstock known to everyone in the region.

Being reduced to a "useless" person, mocked, and bullied was one thing; being ostracized by her own family was expected. Ming Yao could have overlooked all of that. He could have ensured that Ming Xi and her sole magical beast lived out their lives in comfort within the estate. But who could have foreseen that at the age of sixteen, she would be abducted by the Orc tribe!

On this continent, the Orcs were a formidable force that ordinary humans dared not provoke. It was common for a defenseless, powerless individual to be abducted and ravaged. Thus, when Ming Yao finally sent men to rescue her, he discovered that Ming Xi had been impregnated by an Orc!!

Yet, as a father, Ming Yao once again endured it. He allowed her to give birth to a half-human, half-beast son, and now that the child was five years old, he had said nothing more.

He endured again and again, even though the fact that Ming Xi had become the greatest disgrace to the Ming name made him feel humiliated time after time.

But this time... it was different. This region had been plagued by what seemed to be a haunting; almost every night, there were reports of magical beasts killing people. The beast was shaped like a cat, and its targets were predominantly summoners. The authorities had investigated multiple times to no avail, and as the murders continued, people began to wonder: could this be Ming Xi’s doing? After all, while other people’s summoned beasts were incredibly powerful—some even nearing the level of Divine Beasts—hers was nothing but a useless cat. Furthermore, given that Ming Xi had suffered years of ridicule from those powerful summoners, such an act was not beyond the realm of possibility!

Even though Ming Yao considered the logic of the common folk absurd, he was powerless to refute it. With the authorities conducting search after search, he felt that his entire family was being subjected to immense humiliation because of Ming Xi!

In the end, under the constant complaints and condemnation of his kin, Ming Yao compromised. After drugging Ming Xi, he had her sent to the Zui Chun Pavilion—a desperate measure to cast her out of the Ming household.

Yet... how could he have imagined that Ming Xi would escape the Zui Chun Pavilion and jump into the Wisteria Lake to commit suicide!

And to make matters worse, it just so happened that the Emperor was there at the time, composing poetry and painting!

Now, the Emperor had personally escorted Ming Xi back to the Ming mansion and was demanding an explanation!

What... what was happening here? Was this not going to cost him his life?!

"My subject, what is wrong with you? I am asking you a question!" The Emperor’s tone was sharp and pressing.

"In reply to Your Majesty, this old subject... this old subject..." Ming Yao’s heart felt as though it were about to leap out of his chest. At first, only his knees had been trembling, but now his entire body was shaking! How was he supposed to answer such a question?!

"Forget it, meow. Don't you already know everything, Your Majesty, meow?" The white cat raised its head slightly. "Your Majesty, you should also know that if you make things difficult for him, they will eventually take it out on the young mistress. The one who suffers the beatings and humiliation will always be her."

The beast spoke as if pleading for its mistress, pouring out the grievances of these past years. After all, it had been with Ming Xi for fifteen years; even if its strength was not great, it was absolutely loyal to her.

Looking at the old man trembling on the ground before him, the Emperor sighed softly. He understood that the man had truly been driven to such desperate measures.

"I can understand your predicament, my subject, but remember this... life is precious to everyone, and we only get one. Forcing your own daughter into such a dead end is entirely your fault!"

"This old subject deserves to die! This old subject deserves to die!"

"I do not wish to see such a thing happen again! Ming Yao, mark my words: from now on, I will conduct surprise inspections of your home. Should I discover that you have committed any further injustices against Miss Ming Xi, the entire Ming household will be executed! Do you understand?!"

"This old subject understands! I obey your decree!"

Ming Yao remained kneeling until the Emperor had departed. Only then did he, drenched in sweat, finally heave a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the maids whispered and tsked among themselves.

"That accursed beast, it’s so annoying! To think it actually went to the Emperor to stir up trouble!"

"Exactly! The Seventh Miss is truly hard to kill. Even after all that, she didn't die?"

"I expect she won't die from now on! That wretch! If she dies, we’ll all be buried with her! And all that talk of execution for the whole family!"

"I truly don't understand—what is the point of that useless thing even being alive?"