Chapter 252 - One Chance of Pardon (II)

That information would be known in the future after all. That was how Xiong Zhi had known it.

In the past, after the Zhou family successfully broke the treaty, Butler Zhou Min cut off his ties to the Zhou family and kneeled down in front of Xiong Zhi. He said that he would stay in the Xiong family to serve her as he had promised to Old Xiong. He then confessed the sin he committed before her.

Zhou Min's brother, Linfeng's uncle, was a newly assigned butler to Xiong Zhi's mother. At that time, Zhou Min's father, Grandpa Zhou had an accident that sanctioned him to make an early retirement. As the butler of Master Xiong, he must be in top condition in order to assist his Master 

Zhou Min, as the eldest, had to officially serve Xiong Zhi's mother before he could succeed his father and serve the Old Xiong in his place. When his father retired, he went to serve Old Xiong, and his younger brother replaced him.

Zhou Min's brother was unlike Butler Zhou. On the day when Xiong Zhi's parents had a plane crash, it was said that Zhou Min's brother was with them. However, in truth, the butler had gotten drunk and did not come with Xiong Zhi's parents.

Such irresponsible transgression deserved the highest punishment.

It could be considered that butler's luck, though, that the world had thought that he was dead. If they found out that he was left alive by not following his duties while his masters died, Old Xiong, whose only child died, would surely banish him.

Even if he used his one chance of pardon, such an irresponsible act would banish him forever from the Zhou family register, the greatest humiliation for them. Thus, the panicked younger brother ran to Zhou Min. 

Zhou Min had gritted his teeth and arranged his brother on a plane headed to some backcountry to let him live as a normal man.

This was an extremely high sin against the butler's conduct. Deceiving the masters, hiding a 'criminal', especially when the masters the 'criminal' had served died during his 'crime'. 

So Xiong Zhi used this against Zhou Min.

Zhou Min stiffly lowered his gaze. He did not plan to hide it forever. He knew he had to reveal this sin to the Xiong family in the future. 

He was just shocked that it would be revealed this way.

But it was not the time yet.

Zhou Min tightly closed his eyes, drowning in his inner turmoil.

Xiong Zhi waited quietly.

After a while.

The butler resignedly opened his eyes. His figure appeared tired and lifeless.

"I could not really tell you. But, I can think of a way to let you in to that room." 

Zhou Min thought that since he could not change Xiong Zhi's stubborn mind of not returning to return to her room, perhaps, it would be good to let her know what was happening. Perhaps, the situation would change her mind and let her stop this puppy love play with his son.

He knew that Xiong Zhi would come around. 

...He hoped that his son would come around, too.

***

It was fifteen minutes later when the door of Master Xiong's study room opened.

The three elders of the Zhou family were full of sweat. After the car dropped them off, they sped off at the fastest speed towards the Central Wing.

When they opened the door, they were shocked at the scenery before them.

Their beloved grandson was kneeling in a kowtow for who knows how long, unmoving.

Old Xiong was sitting with his eyes closed. Upon hearing the movement, he opened his eyes to see the newly arrived group by the door. 

When he saw the face he did not expect to see, Old Xiong furrowed his brows and commanded loudly.

"What are you doing here? Zhou Min, escort Zhi'er back to her room!" 

Old Xiong rarely shouted due to his old age. Seeing him this agitated, the elders gulped in fear. They were nervous. They had just entered the room and this was the first thing they saw and heard. It was truly shocking.

They initially wanted to side with their grandson, since he was the hope of the Zhou family, but right now, that might not even be the case anymore!

Linfeng's eyes slightly widened after hearing Old Xiong's shout. He quickly glanced up the moment her name was mentioned.

As he looked up, his eyes directly met hers.

Xiong Zhi's dark orbs appeared deeper in a lower point of view. Those eyes could suck Linfeng into their depths. The hurt in her eyes, and the yearning in them, put his heart in an agitated state.

He closed his eyes and looked down. Even if he wanted to see that face much longer, he could not bear to look at her right now in his wretched state. It made him feel smaller. He did not want her to see him like this.

Xiong Zhi caught on the imperceptible shame in his eyes before he hid them as he looked away from her.

She felt a painful, needle-like pain pierce her heart, making it hard to breathe. 

She stepped close to him and gently tugged at his arm to pull him up. But her strength was nothing compared to Linfeng's.

"..."

She tried to make him stand up multiple times, yet the shamefaced man was unmoving and kept himself kneeling on the ground.

The people inside the room stared at the rather weird spectacle: "..." 

Finally, Xiong Zhi's arm got tired. She looked at Linfeng with grievances. She wanted to tell him to not kneel to anyone, that he did not need to take this shame on himself, but no sound came out of her mouth.

After Old Xiong recovered from the shock that his granddaughter ignored him but played tag with Zhou Min's son instead, he glared at his butler and roared again.

"Zhou Min, escort the Young Miss now!"

This loud roar caused the atmosphere to tense up again.

Xiong Zhi looked at Old Xiong with unfathomable eyes. She straightened up and took a step forward to her grandfather.

"Grandfather, what is this all about?" Her tone was not the usual polite tone she always used. It contained a subtle hint of rage.

Old Xiong was taken aback. It was the first time Xiong Zhi asked him like this.

"Can you see what this is about? This is the matter that elders should discuss. You have no place here. Return to your room," he sternly ordered her.

"No, I have a say on this. You are discussing the trial of one chance of pardon right now. As the first in line of the Xiong family, I have a say on this decision." 

Xiong Zhi turned to the elders.

"Isn't that right, elders?" 

The elders looked at each other. No one wanted to go against Old Xiong right now, but Xiong Zhi was not wrong either.

After hesitating, Grandma Zhou was the first one to nod.

"Indeed. Young Miss Zhi is born from the first line of the family. According to the clause, all the elders of the Zhou family and the Masters of the first line of the Xiong family could make a decision for this trial."

Old Xiong looked at Zhou Min with question in his eyes, wondering why his granddaughter was here, and why she knew of this. 

Zhou Min helplessly bowed.

"Young Miss had been waiting outside the room before the elders arrived. She came to know it."

Old Xiong harrumphed.

"Now, may we know what you intended to do to Linfeng that compelled him to ask this trial?" Xiong Zhi was not polite at all when she shot this question at Old Xiong. Her usual expressionless face was slightly taut.