Chapter 649: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 649: His Unspoken Feelings of Protection (2)
The Lin family’s disciples were spread across the nation, enjoying a high reputation among scholars. Before the Lin family fell out of favor with Emperor Hui’an and before the favored consort was demoted to the cold palace, the period between the autumn examinations and the following spring examinations saw a steady stream of scholars visiting the Lin family. Even if they were courteously invited in and had to wait ten days or half a month without seeing Master Lin, they would not give up until Master Lin began his lectures.
Despite the Lin family’s current diminished status after falling out of favor with Emperor Hui’an, the high-minded scholars continued to revere them, believing that the Lin family was truly above worldly desires and thus held in even higher esteem.
Both Xiao Ruiyuan and Chu Heng never believed that the Lin family was truly as detached from fame and fortune as they appeared. After all, how could they have raised a daughter like the favored consort, who was ruthless enough to poison Empress Chunyi to seize the position of crown princess? When Chu Heng’s poison was not yet cured, everyone thought he would not survive Emperor Hui’an. The most likely candidate for crown prince was Prince Heng, with the Lin family’s involvement behind it.
Now that Chu Heng’s poison was cured and Prince Heng had been disfigured, not only was Chu Heng’s position as crown prince more secure, but even if he were removed, the successor would not be Prince Heng unless all the other royal princes and dukes were also incapacitated or dead.
The Lin family knew that once Chu Heng ascended, their fate would be dire. They could not sit idly by and were using the autumn examinations as an opportunity to topple Chu Heng and support Prince Heng or another prince they could control.
Chu Heng had a good guess about the Lin family’s schemes. Hearing Xiao Ruiyuan’s question, he sneered, “Father wants me to establish my reputation among the scholars so that I can build my own power base before the spring examinations. The Lin family must have received news of this and is making all these moves to try and undermine me. Their goal is either to challenge me directly, hoping to bring me down, or to frame me for corruption, tarnishing my reputation and turning me into a scapegoat!”
As Chu Heng spoke, he seemed to remember something, and his expression changed slightly. He said to Xiao Ruiyuan, “You mentioned before that Miss Mo’s father will be participating in this autumn examination. If the Lin family and Prince Heng resent Miss Mo for disrupting their plans, they might even target her father.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruiyuan’s face darkened suddenly, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light. “If they dare to do that, I, Xiao Ruiyuan, will make them pay a hundred times over!”
Miss Mo’s father was the most important person to him. He couldn’t bear to see her hurt, let alone allow such petty people to cause her pain.
Chu Heng looked at his cousin’s murderous intent with helplessness. He said, “If such a situation really arises, even if you tear the culprit to pieces, what’s the use? The priority now is to send someone to warn Miss Mo’s father before the examination begins. He must be careful not to fall into traps. Even if someone tries to frame him, we can help clear his name.”
Xiao Ruiyuan, agitated by concern, lost his composure for a moment. After hearing Chu Heng’s words, he quickly stood up, forgetting to say goodbye, and rushed off.
He couldn’t rest easy tonight without personally informing his future father-in-law about the situation and the potential risks.
Chu Heng, left “abandoned” by his cousin, shook his head in exasperation. He picked up a white stone from the chessbox and placed it on the unfinished board. The game, which had seemed decided, was instantly turned around, with the white stones reversing the outcome…
Miss Mo was unaware that the seemingly ordinary autumn examination had become a battlefield of competing forces, and that because of her, her father was entangled in a dangerous situation, nearly falling victim to a plot against his life.
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