Chapter 111 Cheng Xiezhi

Chapter 111: Cheng Xiezhi

Cheng Ge felt like his bladder was about to give out, so he flipped over and jumped off the bed, hopping a few times in desperation.

He slapped the cell door hard, and coincidentally, Lü Rou happened to arrive, hurrying forward in alarm.

"What's wrong, young master? Where do you feel unwell?" Lü Rou reached out to feel Cheng Ge's face, very anxious.

Cheng Ge, thinking he saw a glimmer of hope, immediately pointed at his stomach, babbling incoherently about what he needed.

Lü Rou looked at Cheng Ge, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

It suddenly dawned on her, and she asked loudly, "Does the young master want to eat chicken stuffed with pork belly?"

Cheng Ge's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed against the wall, his gaze dim and lifeless.

Finally, the jailer stationed outside couldn't stand it any longer and couldn't help but speak up.

"Tsk... He said he needs to relieve himself! Can't you understand plain English?"

Hearing this, Cheng Ge sprang up as if revived by spring rain, tears in his eyes, tightly gripping the jailer's hands.

The jailer puffed out his chest and raised an eyebrow, "Hey, don't mention it."

Lin Nanshu and Lü Rou: "..."

Finally, guided by the kind-hearted jailer, Cheng Ge made it through the ordeal.

Luckily, after falling ill, Cheng Ge sprang back to full health.

But for now, he couldn't leave prison. Given the current situation, he would probably have to stay for a while longer.

After all, at the very least, he had to wait until the Emperor dealt with those people sufficiently, or else going out now would be like popping up and getting taken out instantly.

However, Cheng Ge was happy to take it easy. Every day, Lin Nanshu and Lü Rou took turns visiting him, bringing food and supplies on time.

Besides, the cell the Emperor arranged for him was quite decent, obviously much larger than the others.

People were sent in daily to clean it, and all everyday necessities were at hand.

Worried that Cheng Ge might get bored, Lin Nanshu even had a sandalwood bookshelf added.

It was stocked with a shelf full of popular storybooks and supernatural novels, along with some geographical notes, so he didn't find it dull.

At this moment, Cheng Ge was lounging lazily on the daybed, his body slightly tilted as if boneless.

One hand rested casually on the edge of the daybed, while the other lightly held a copy of "Records of the Hidden World."

The pages were slightly open, and he was fully absorbed, seemingly in the middle of an exciting part.

His feet were bare, without shoes or socks, crossed and dangling in the air.

His feet would occasionally sway, showing a carefree attitude.

Suddenly, an incredible smell seemed to waft into his nose, directly assailing his nostrils.

Cheng Ge's eyes instantly lit up, and he shot upright, tossed the book aside, and leaped off the daybed.

He took a key from his sleeve, expertly unlocked the cell door, and followed the scent.

Turning a few corners, he saw three jailers sitting around a small square table.

On the table were two jars of wine, a plate of boiled peanuts, and two roast chickens. They were munching away with relish.

Hearing the noise, they instinctively turned around. Seeing Cheng Ge, they weren't surprised.

Cheng Ge had nothing to do each day. Although he was in the imperial prison, the Emperor didn't confine him.

He wasn't allowed to leave the prison, but he could wander around as he pleased. The men quickly waved him over.

"It's Cheng Xiezhi! Come! Come!"

Hearing this nickname, Cheng Ge couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth. The situation was actually a bit complicated.

Xiezhi: An ancient auspicious beast, shaped like a qilin, overseeing law and justice. Legend has it that it can distinguish evil from good, help with judgments, and suppress corruption.

If it found a corrupt official, it would knock them down with its horn and then eat them.

Ah, right, right, you guessed it—it's the creature embroidered on the official robes of imperial censors.

The reason Cheng Ge was given this nickname was largely due to exaggerated online hype.

Ever since Cheng Ge held his petition, stood alone to confront the crowd, angrily denounced the petty bureaucrats, and shed blood at the Meridian Gate, his name had practically set the entire capital ablaze overnight.

Whether in luxurious taverns in deep courtyards or bustling street alleys, people's conversations revolved around Scholar Cheng.

Now, the first thing acquaintances said to each other was no longer "Have you eaten?"

but rather, "Have you heard about Scholar Cheng's remonstration that risked death at the Meridian Gate?"

This topic spread like wildfire, becoming the hottest topic of conversation everywhere.

When the Emperor ordered the drastic purge of over a hundred officials, it pushed the event to a climax.

While fools were eating popcorn, shrewd capitalists started manipulating the market.

Within just two days, major bookshops quickly published related storybooks to generate buzz.

Meanwhile, teahouses and taverns in the capital also joined the trend of storytelling, offering various passionate live performances.

However, although art comes from life, it generally rises above it.

A little artistic embellishment was only meant to enhance the work.

Among the most widespread versions were the following: First, Cheng Ge held his petition, blood splattered at the Meridian Gate, and the vivid red blood sprayed towards the officials. Corrupt officials who touched it burst into flames.

Second: After Cheng Ge held his petition and blood splattered at the Meridian Gate, the petition in his hand suddenly transformed into the ledger of sins from the Palace of Yama, hovering over the heads of the officials. The warning bell at the Vermilion Gate began to speak, and with every name of a corrupt official it uttered, a crack opened in the brickwork of the Meridian Gate, and a skeletal hand would reach out and drag the corrupt official into hell.

Third: This was the most popular version: Cheng Ge was the reincarnation of the Xiezhi, descended to uphold justice. That day, as blood splattered at the Meridian Gate, the moment Cheng Ge landed, he transformed into the Xiezhi beast. Golden light surrounded him, flames shot from his mouth, and with a swing of his horn, he sent all the corrupt officials flying twenty miles.

The nickname "Cheng Xiezhi" originated from this third version.

When Cheng Ge first heard Lü Rou enthusiastically tell him these adapted stories, his vision went dark, over and over.

However, it wasn't all bad news. At least in the eyes of outsiders, Cheng Ge's image had now become that of a mighty, burly man, nine feet tall, with a body like an iron tower, a face like a leopard's, with round eyes, sitting like Mount Tai, guarding the world, moving like a dragon and stalking like a tiger.

Cheng Ge put his hands behind his back, puffed out his chest, raised his chin slightly, his expression as steady as an old dog, and walked with a swaggering gait, as if he didn't recognize his own family, slowly approaching the men.

Everyone stood up to offer him a seat. He flicked his robe aside and sat directly on the bench.

One of them bowed and stepped forward, poured a bowl of wine for Cheng Ge, and said, "Cheng Xiezhi, please have a taste of this wine."

Cheng Ge glanced sideways, nodded slightly at the man without any expression, then picked up the bowl and took a gentle sip.

Putting on a thoughtful air, he said, "Mm, not bad."

As soon as Cheng Ge finished speaking, the jailers became instantly interested and gathered all around him.

"Master Cheng, tell us about that bloody incident at the Meridian Gate. The teahouses out there have too many stories."