Chapter 719: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 719: A Counterplot and Courting Disaster (4)
Mo Yan understood her father well. Although he was gentle, he was remarkably resilient. Otherwise, he would have given up long ago after failing to achieve success in the exams repeatedly. Instead, he continued teaching and studying diligently, laying a solid foundation that enabled him to become a top student at Changshan Academy within just a year.
She speculated that her father, unwilling to give up the exam and reluctant to fall into someone else's trap, might have deliberately performed poorly to avoid drawing attention and suspicion. However, despite this strategy, he still fell victim to the plotters' schemes.
If her guesses were correct, clearing her father's name shouldn’t be too difficult, but it was likely that the schemers had further plans to force her father to admit guilt.
The only way forward was to see her father as soon as possible, verify these matters, and understand what the schemers might do next to gain the upper hand and rescue her father.
But Mo Yan didn’t even know where her father was being held, or if she could see him before he was interrogated. She had to suppress her anxiety and decided to go to the city the next day to investigate. Regardless of the cost, she needed to see her father.
…
Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu, who were escorting Chu Heng, did not return to the Jing Mountain Villa but went directly to the Prince’s residence. The three of them, without pausing for rest, immediately went to the study to discuss matters.
“… Prince Heng and the Lin family are indeed foolish to bring this issue to the Emperor. They don’t fear the situation escalating too much and causing them to suffer losses instead of gains!” Yan Junyu scoffed, shaking his jade fan.
Chu Heng shook his head, unsure whether he disagreed with Yan Junyu’s opinion or also found Prince Heng and the Lin family to be foolish. “Han Zhang, what should we do next?”
Yan Junyu glanced at Xiao Ruiyuan, observing his frost-covered face. He taunted with ambiguous intent, “Still worried about that girl? She might be more composed than you think. She might have already come up with a way to save her father!”
Though this was true, Yan Junyu’s familiar tone, as if he understood Mo Yan better than anyone else, made Xiao Ruiyuan’s face darken further, his gaze sharp with warning.
Yan Junyu, seemingly oblivious to the tension, continued provocatively, “That girl is fiercely protective. If she knew it was you who agreed to Mo Xiansheng’s request to use him as bait and counterplot against Prince Heng and the Lin family, she might not trust you anymore! If that’s the case, at least I’d still have a chance, right? Oh, should I tell her now?”
As Yan Junyu spoke, a swift gust of wind from Xiao Ruiyuan’s hand nearly struck him. Yan Junyu barely avoided it, retaliating while feigning injury, “You treacherous fellow, you really tried to harm me!”
Xiao Ruiyuan, with a stern face, said nothing but intensified his attacks.
“Enough, enough! Stop fighting!” Seeing that his two cousins were about to come to blows, Chu Heng stepped in to mediate, his face marked by helplessness.
Despite being in their twenties, they still behaved like children, resorting to physical confrontations over disagreements. Whoever got hurt, it would be Chu Heng, their older cousin, who would feel the pain.
Worried about accidentally hurting Chu Heng, both men exchanged cold snorts and backed off, both feeling dissatisfied.
Chu Heng rubbed his forehead and changed the topic. “We need to address the urgent matters. First, we must ensure that Mo Xiansheng remains unharmed. We can’t let Prince Heng and the Lin family inflict any personal punishment on him!”
Xiao Ruiyuan stopped glaring at Yan Junyu and reported to Chu Heng, “I received news from the secret guards that Mo Xiansheng is temporarily detained in the Ministry of Justice's prison, with Dark Nine keeping watch.”
Dark Nine was one of the top secret guards. With him watching the prison, Xiao Ruiyuan would receive the quickest updates if anything happened inside.
“That’s good to hear.” Chu Heng nodded, approving of Xiao Ruiyuan’s arrangements.
After discussing the details of their next steps, and seeing that it was getting late, Chu Heng changed into his official robes and prepared to visit the palace to gauge Emperor Huian’s stance and implement their subsequent plans.
Xiao Ruiyuan accompanied Chu Heng to the palace gates, where they happened to run into the similarly arriving Lin Dalao.
Lin Dalao, seeing Chu Heng, showed a flicker of gloom in his eyes. Although he dared not offend a prince, he quickly greeted Chu Heng and then, with a forced smile, said, “Prince, at this hour, are you here to see the Emperor? I also have important matters to report. Why don’t we go together?”
Lin Dalao, nearing his sixties, was a person of significant background and had a favored concubine daughter. Even though the Lin family had been suppressed by Emperor Huian in recent years, no one dared to show disrespect. The insult he felt was evident as he stared daggers at Chu Heng, barely containing his anger. If not for maintaining a shred of rationality, he would have already voiced his indignation.
Seeing Lin Dalao’s enraged expression and his face shifting like a palette, Chu Heng’s disdain and hatred deepened. With a cold snort, he turned and entered the palace gates.
Xiao Ruiyuan, radiating a cold, murderous aura, watched Lin Dalao until the latter, intimidated, lowered his head and stopped glaring at Chu Heng’s back. Only then did Xiao Ruiyuan turn and enter the palace.
Even before Chu Heng and Lin Dalao could meet Emperor Huian, the Emperor had already learned of the scene at the palace gates. Although he harbored deep resentment toward the foolish and malicious Lin Dalao, he had to endure due to his concern for Lin Taishi.
Eunuch Liang, who served the Emperor, sensed his anger and shook his head slightly. Lin Dalao, who continually courted disaster, was likely about to meet his end this time...
(The End of this Chapter)
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