Your Majesty, the Good-for-Nothing You Exiled to the Frontier Has Become Emperor! - Chapter 2:

Chapter 2: The Pitiable Hearts of Parents Everywhere

Cao Zhen stared at Cao Feng, who was kneeling on the ground, and let out a cold snort through his nose.

“Hmph! You unfilial beast, that trick of begging for mercy won’t work anymore! If I don’t cut down this unfilial son today, I will have no face to meet our ancestors!”

He held the saber high, fury blazing in his eyes.

“Father, Father. Let’s talk this through.”

“We can talk it through.”

Facing the gleaming blade, Cao Feng shrank his neck, feeling a chill across his throat.

“Father, I truly know I was wrong. I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf and start over…”

“Hahaha!”

Cao Zhen laughed in anger.

“You want to start over? Do you remember three years ago, when you rode recklessly through the street and knocked over the carriage of the Marquis of Xingguo? He broke three ribs! You also swore then that you would turn over a new leaf! But three days later, you forcibly abducted a married woman in broad daylight and nearly caused a death! And you expect me to believe your nonsense again?”

Cao Feng was stunned.

Damn.

Was I really that arrogant and lawless before?

That’s suicidal behavior!

Sin, what a sin.

When one plan failed, he came up with another.

“Father, I know I was reckless before and brought shame upon you. But Mother passed away early, and you have long been stationed at the Frontier. Without guidance, I committed many wrongdoings. My life has been miserable. If I had both parents by my side, I wouldn’t have…”

Cao Zhen’s brows shot up.

“Unfilial beast! Shut your mouth!”

He tightened his grip on the saber.

“Your mother is not dead!”

His eyes bulged as if he wanted to devour someone whole.

“Your mother carried you for ten months. Instead of remembering her grace, you curse her death here. I will chop you down today!”

Damn.

My mother isn’t dead?

Cao Feng hurriedly jumped up and narrowly dodged the sweeping blade.

He had just transmigrated and hadn’t sorted through all the memories yet.

Careless.

Too careless.

As Cao Zhen chased him in fury, Cao Feng rushed toward the window.

He was out of options.

Household soldiers guarded the door.

Begging hadn’t worked.

To survive, he could only take desperate measures.

He quickly climbed onto the windowsill.

“Father! If you refuse to forgive me, I will jump out of the window!”

Cao Zhen stared at him sitting on the sill and sneered.

“Jump then, you unfilial beast! If you die from the fall, so much the better! My Cao family will be rid of a scourge, and the Imperial Capital will lose a menace. It would count as eliminating harm for the people!”

Cao Feng fell silent.

He glanced down. Below was a dense crowd of onlookers.

He swallowed.

That’s high.

If I jump, I’ll be seriously injured even if I don’t die.

Damn it.

I don’t want to die.

I haven’t enjoyed life yet.

He turned back and pleaded, “Father, even a tiger does not eat its own cub…”

“For my Cao family to produce such a beast is our misfortune!”

Cao Zhen sneered.

Did he not know his own son?

If you truly dared to jump, you wouldn’t have cried and kowtowed for mercy every single time before.

“Father, then I’m really jumping!”

“Jump. The sooner you die, the sooner you’re reborn!”

Damn.

This hurdle won’t be easy to cross today.

Looks like I have to risk it all.

“Father, I will take responsibility for my own actions! I set fire to the Esteemed Scholars Pavilion and beat the Sixth Prince. I brought this catastrophe upon myself! Let them come after me alone! I will repay my crimes with my life! In my next life, I will be filial to you and Mother! I’m going!”

After speaking, Cao Feng swallowed hard, locked onto a stall below piled high with bolts of cloth, and leapt.

The surrounding crowd gasped and screamed.

Seeing Cao Feng disappear from the window, Cao Zhen’s expression froze.

That little brat really jumped?

“My son!”

A few seconds later, Cao Zhen dropped his saber with a clang and rushed to the window, his voice choked with emotion.

He looked down.

Cao Feng lay sprawled on top of the pile of cloth, motionless.

An indescribable surge of guilt and self-blame rose in Cao Zhen’s heart.

Smack!

Smack!

He slapped himself twice.

I’ve gone senile!

How could I force my own son to jump?

If anything happens to him, that tigress at home will tear the house apart!

“What are you standing there for! Go save him!”

Cao Zhen turned and roared at the stunned household soldiers, his eyes bloodshot.

The soldiers hurried downstairs in a panic.

Gone was his former domineering presence.

Like a man who had lost his soul, he staggered toward Cao Feng, tears shimmering in his eyes.

Cao Feng lay there, feeling as though his entire body had fallen apart. Everything hurt terribly.

Damn.

Good thing the building wasn’t too high and there was cloth cushioning me.

Otherwise I’d be dead.

“My son! My son!”

Hearing Cao Zhen’s voice, Cao Feng jolted in fright.

He’s not carrying a saber?

He was about to get up and run but quickly lay back down.

“My son! You can’t die! If you die, how can I live?”

Cao Zhen rushed forward, hugged him tightly, and burst into tears.

At this moment, he was not the battle-hardened general of the Frontier, but a remorseful father.

Cao Feng struggled for breath, somewhat speechless.

This hot-tempered father was over fifty years old. How was he still so strong?

“Father, loosen up a bit. I’m about to be strangled…”

Cao Zhen wiped his tears.

“My son, you’re still alive?”

He laughed and cried at the same time.

“Hahaha! I knew my son is blessed by fate. Nothing would happen to you!”

His laughter soon faded.

He began patting Cao Feng all over in panic.

“My son, are you hurt anywhere?”

His face was full of guilt and self-blame.

Cao Feng could feel the fear and unease in his father’s heart.

He sighed inwardly.

No matter the time or place, the ones who care most are always your parents.

They exhaust their hearts for their children. How pitiful are the hearts of parents everywhere.

“Father, I’m fine.”

“As long as you’re fine, that’s all that matters.”

Cao Zhen wiped his tears and held onto Cao Feng’s hand, unwilling to let go.

“My son, it’s Father’s fault. I shouldn’t have been so hot-tempered. I shouldn’t have frightened you. My son, don’t worry. If the sky falls, I will hold it up for you!”

That single leap had scattered all of Cao Zhen’s anger into nothing.

“It’s just burning the Esteemed Scholars Pavilion and beating a prince. It’s fine, it’s fine! At worst, I’ll give up my title as marquis and shamelessly beg Your Majesty to spare your life…”

Cao Zhen’s words finally allowed Cao Feng to relax.

He had survived this calamity.

Damn.

That scared me to death.