Chapter 1695: Yier, Can You Fight?!

 Chapter 882: Conflict (Part 3)  

Mo Yan didn’t stay any longer and turned to get into her carriage, slowly driving away from the palace gates. Having learned from the earlier experience with the imperial examination results, she had already reserved a private room at the teahouse along the parade route the day before. Xiner and Zhen'er were already waiting there.

Upon arriving at the teahouse, a young waiter hurried over to take the horse, to the backyard to feed it some hay. Mo Yan thanked him and gave him a silver coin as a tip before heading towards the upstairs private room. Just as her foot touched the first step, a sudden force hit her left shoulder, causing her to stagger.

She almost fell down the stairs, but fortunately, her quick reflexes allowed her to grab the handrail just in time, steadying herself.

“Who dares block my path? Are you blind? If you are, stay at home! You’ve bumped into the wrong person. Do you think you can bear the consequences?” A girl, about eighteen or nineteen years old, glared at Mo Yan and began to scold her harshly, accusing her as if she were the wrongdoer.

Mo Yan furrowed her brow at the girl’s unreasonable attitude. She observed the girl’s appearance: she was dressed in a plain green silk dress, which, while ordinary in fabric, was something not often worn by common folk. From her crude speech and actions, Mo Yan could tell she was not from a well-off family, but rather from a household where the servants were rough and unpolished—she resembled Qiu Yue, a maid from the Lin family that Mo Yan had encountered in the fabric shop in the past. Given the girl’s boldness, Mo Yan surmised that she must be a maid from a wealthy family, and perhaps her mistress was having tea in one of the rooms upstairs.

Considering that her father might soon be arriving and not wanting to waste her time with someone so ill-mannered, Mo Yan cast a calm glance at the haughty maid and chose to ignore her. She turned and continued walking up the stairs.

To her surprise, the mere glance infuriated the green-dressed maid, who suddenly grabbed Mo Yan’s arm and shouted, “What kind of look is that? Stop right there!”

With a sharp yank, she tried to pull Mo Yan down the stairs.

“Let go!” Mo Yan’s eyes turned cold as she quickly yanked her arm away. Her strength was far superior to the maid’s, and in an instant, she flung the girl away with such force that the maid was sent crashing down onto the stairs.

“Ah—”  

The maid cried out in pain as her face slammed into the steps, leaving a red, swollen bump right in the center, splitting her face symmetrically.

“Pfft!”  

The crowd, observing the scene, couldn’t help but laugh at the maid’s comical appearance, but none stepped forward to help. Her earlier arrogant attitude had earned her no sympathy.

Ignoring the mockery from the crowd, the maid hurriedly touched her face, relieved when she found no blood and only pain. Still, she seethed with hatred for Mo Yan but was too afraid to confront her. Instead, she glared fiercely and spat, “You shameless wench, you’ll regret this! Just wait!”

With that, she quickly got up, stomped up the stairs, and paused at the corner, casting Mo Yan a cold smile before disappearing out of sight.

Mo Yan, feeling both frustrated and annoyed by the incident, was about to enter the private room to meet her younger sisters when the teahouse shopkeeper, who had been quietly watching the scene, cautiously approached her and smiled obsequiously. “Miss, that maid has quite a powerful background. She might be going to report to her mistress. If you don’t want to cause trouble, perhaps you should consider having tea elsewhere.”

Realizing this was the shopkeeper’s attempt to warn her, Mo Yan’s expression softened slightly. “Thank you for the reminder. But I’ve already made a reservation here, and I don’t wish to move to another place.”

With that, she turned and began walking up the stairs.

The shopkeeper, realizing he could not persuade her, quickly called over a waiter and instructed him, “Go upstairs and keep an eye out. If they start causing trouble, do your best to mediate. If things get out of hand, quickly clear away the teacups and snacks. We can’t let them destroy anything.”

“Understood, sir!” The waiter nodded and hurried upstairs with the tea set in hand.

When Mo Yan reached the door to the reserved private room, she could hear the sounds of her younger sisters laughing and playing inside, which made her smile. Just as she was about to push the door open, the door to the third room on the right suddenly flew open, and a group of people spilled out.

The green-dressed maid, her face still swollen with a red mark, spotted Mo Yan and immediately widened her eyes, pointing at her and shouting at a woman in luxurious clothing standing beside her, “Miss, it’s her! This filthy woman bumped into me and hurt me like this! Please help me! If you don’t, people will think you’re an easy target, and everyone will come and walk all over you!”

Mo Yan furrowed her brow and withdrew her hand from the door. Turning around, she faced the approaching woman. The woman’s attire shimmered with golden accessories—golden hairpins, hairpins, and decorative hair ornaments made her appear as though she were surrounded by gold. As she walked, the metallic clinking sounds echoed around her. Despite her thin, unkempt hair, the gold ornaments didn’t shift at all, indicating a well-maintained neck and clear familiarity with wearing such heavy adornments.  

This woman, who was eager to avenge the maid, had no idea of Mo Yan’s silent mockery. Upon seeing Mo Yan’s youthful and beautiful face, she was filled with jealousy. Having always prided herself on her own looks, she now sought to destroy the face of this bold young girl, eager to teach her a lesson and show her the consequences of her actions.  

[End of Chapter]   

 Chapter 881: Conflict (Part 2)  

Though the woman’s remarriage had been criticized by many, she and her husband were deeply in love, living a smooth and happy life. They paid no mind to the gossip, which, by now, was mostly fueled by envy and jealousy.  

Hearing this, Mo Yan couldn’t help but feel admiration for the courageous and resolute woman. Women should live like that, she thought.  

As the crowd chattered on, the palace gates suddenly opened, and over thirty imposing guards emerged.  

The guards formed two neat rows, standing along the left side of the wall to block any citizens trying to approach. Behind them, a group of eunuchs dressed in green surrounded two eunuchs in purple robes, who walked out in single file. The two purple-robed eunuchs carried a bright yellow silk banner with great reverence. The banner, measuring about ten feet long and five feet wide, was inscribed with rows of dense writing.  

“Look! The rankings are out!”  

As soon as the yellow silk banner was hung on the palace wall, the crowd erupted into excitement. People began standing on tiptoes and pushing forward, craning their necks to catch a glimpse.  

“Who can read? Quick, tell us who the top scholar is! Heaven help us—it better be Young Master Ziyu! If not, I’ll lose my bet, and I won’t be able to face my tigress of a wife at home!”  

“That’s nothing! If I lose, I’ll just kneel on the washboard for a while. But I bet all the silver I’d saved for my wedding! If Young Master Ziyu doesn’t take the top spot, I might lose my fiancée altogether!”  

“Hmph, serves you right for being so greedy. Who told you to bet so much?”  

“Well, I just wanted to win big so I could give my wife a better life!”  

“...”  

Mo Yan hadn’t expected such a large crowd to gather for the rankings. Not wanting to be jostled around, she stepped back to the edge of the crowd. Overhearing their conversations, she couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.  

It wasn’t just one or two people talking like this. After listening for a while, she realized that nearly half the crowd had participated in betting on the rankings, which explained why so many people were here.  

Meanwhile, some literate individuals had managed to squeeze their way to the front and were staring at the names on the top-ranking list. The first-ranking list, known as the First Class, contained only three names. One of these literate onlookers, an admirer of Ziyu’s talent, fervently hoped he would take the top spot. Upon seeing Ziyu’s name following the words "First Class Zhuangyuan ," they shouted excitedly as if they had won the title themselves:  

“Mo Qingze! The top scholar is Mo Qingze! It’s Young Master Ziyu!”  

“What? Young Master Ziyu? Oh no, I’m ruined! I bet everything, even my parents’ funeral savings!” A burly man in the crowd let out a wail, pounding his chest in despair.  

Someone nearby chuckled maliciously, “Serves you right! I told you to bet on the likely winner, but no, you had to bet against him. Now just wait and see how your dad deals with you!”  

“How will he deal with me? A beating, of course! What else? Ah, this is so unlucky!”  

“Haha, unlucky indeed! Meanwhile, I got lucky and bet on the right person. Even with low odds, the payout is enough to feed my family for two or three years. I’m content! Haha...”  

The small list of names sparked scenes of both joy and despair, silently witnessing the laughter and tears of the people below.  

Mo Yan looked at the bright yellow banner and saw her father’s name at the very top. A faint smile appeared on her face, and the worries in her heart finally dissolved.  

Mo Qingze’s reputation was so prominent that most of the discussion centered around him. Hardly anyone paid attention to the second and third-ranked candidates or those listed in the Second and Third Classes.  

Next would be the grand parade, where the top scholar, second-place candidate, and third-place candidate would ride through the streets on horseback—a privilege granted by the emperor to honor the First Class scholars and the main reason why people braved the scorching sun to gather here.  

[End of Chapter]   

 Chapter 1694: You're Coming with Us

 Chapter 1693: Leading Away

 Chapter 252.1: Who Is the Rebel? (Spring Flowers, Autumn Moon – Bonus Update)

Although they did not know why Deputy Commander Chang was dressed in the uniform of the Chuzhou army, many among them had been waiting for Chang Kuo’s return. In the midst of the chaos and noise, no one stepped forward immediately.

Li Yi was startled.

Chang Kuo was not dead!

He realized… the one who had died was not Chang Kuo, but the Chuzhou Prefect!

That letter had only been meant to lower his guard!

In his panic, he raised the head and shouted loudly: “Chang Kuo killed the Chuzhou Prefect, he has rebelled! Capture him at once!”

But soon, an even louder voice overpowered him, sharp and piercing, with a tone that only a decade of street shouting could rival.

The woman’s voice shouted, blunt yet irresistibly captivating, as if even passing dogs would stop to listen: “It is the Chuzhou Prefect who has rebelled, not our General Chang! The Prefect colluded with Xu Zhengye, scheming to poison our General Chang, but heaven has eyes, and the treacherous scoundrel has not succeeded!”

She spoke with sincerity: “I am a citizen of Hezhou. Think back to when General Chang came with only twenty thousand troops to aid Hezhou—that was a mission undertaken with the heart ready to meet death!”

A heart ready to live and die with Hezhou…

Chang Suining wanted to correct her but held back. Let it be; her free expression worked well enough.

“Let me say it here today: Even if the King himself rebelled, General Chang would not!”

Young Miss Jicai emphasized with a strong “pfft”: “Those who slander General Chang as a rebel are the true thieves shouting ‘Stop thief!’”

Li Yi, hearing this, turned an iron face—how could there even be a woman shouting in the midst of the army!

Could it be that Chang Kuo had specially hired her to curse the ranks?!

Seeing the commotion among the troops, Li Yi grew anxious: “Where did this vulgar woman come from, daring to speak nonsense here? Kill these rebels at once!”

At this moment, a youth in Chuzhou military attire rode up beside Chang Kuo, lifting his horse a half step forward, raising an item in his hand.

It was a scroll of bright yellow silk, stained with already darkened blood.

The sight stopped Li Yi’s personal guards, who had been about to charge forward.

The mounted youth spoke, with a voice leaning toward a girl’s tone, looking down at Li Yi: “General Li, since you claim not to be a rebel, then kneel and receive the imperial edict.”

Seeing the object in her hand, Li Yi’s gaze trembled.

That very imperial edict he had searched the entire camp for, yet never found… unexpectedly, it had fallen into the hands of Chang Kuo and the others!

He stared at the girl. She too looked at him and asked, “Will you not kneel before seeing the edict?”

Li Yi gritted his teeth: “What edict… how am I to know if it isn’t forged by you!”

Yet she seemed not to hear him, speaking on her own: “Then stand and listen.”

The girl then unfurled the silk, announcing the decree loudly.

Her voice was clear, carrying in all directions.

Only at the end did the army realize it was indeed an imperial order for a transfer of command!

Moreover, it instructed that He Wei replace the current commander…

Although He Wei’s assassination was not witnessed by many, rumors had spread.

“This edict was personally given to me by He Wei before he died,” the girl concluded. “Li Yi would not relinquish command, and thus secretly plotted to kill He Wei.”

“Utter nonsense! Rebels falsifying an edict to slander the loyal, just like Xu Zhengye did in Yangzhou… such vile, treacherous schemes are nothing new!” Li Yi vehemently refused to acknowledge.

Chang Kuo raised an eyebrow and asked loudly: “Xu Zhengye is now your lord, yet you slander him behind his back—do you not fear he will make you pay later?”

No nonsense at the front; though it sounded like a taunt, it also stirred the troops’ hearts.

Just like that imperial edict, not everyone would believe it, and Li Yi would not recognize it—but that did not make it useless.

“Perhaps you all still do not know—Li Yi killed He Wei, intending to trap me in Hezhou, but that is not the whole truth!” Amid the commotion, Chang Kuo’s voice grew louder and stronger: “He had already secretly colluded with Xu Zhengye. This so-called siege of Yangzhou is in fact joining the enemy!”

“He Wei died in the camp, and the eighty thousand troops that should have gone to aid Hezhou remain inactive outside Yangzhou—that is the clearest proof!”

“Li Yi’s treason has already been reported to the capital. The imperial envoy tasked to punish him is on the way!”

Raising his sword, he said sternly: “Today, I will execute the rebel Li Yi!”

“Those who follow me will be rewarded!”

“And anyone still conspiring with Li Yi shall also be treated as rebels and executed!”

Chang Kuo’s voice spread a killing intent that made Li Yi’s army instinctively hesitate and step back half a pace.

“Do not listen to the slanders of this scoundrel!” Li Yi’s voice rose, trembling: “I am of the Li family. My father is the Prince of Huainan, Li Tong, loyal to the sovereign… how could a mere outsider slander me! Whoever brings me the head of the rebel Chang Kuo shall be richly rewarded!”

Having spoken, he mounted his horse first, posing a brave stance to attack the enemy.

The army surged forward, yet it was chaotic.

Some soldiers were more inclined to believe Chang Kuo’s words.

Li Yi’s unusual conduct during the march had already raised suspicions when leaving Shouzhou, but he had suppressed them with strict military law.

At that time, Chang Kuo was absent; now, with him back to uphold order, the long-suppressed discontent among the troops erupted all at once.

They cared not only about the truth but also followed their hearts.

Whether Li Yi was truly a rebel or not, the edict transferring command was not a forgery in their eyes.

Since he had been replaced, he was no longer their commander. What he spoke now was no longer military orders but empty words!

Who would listen to such empty words?

Among the soldiers were leaders, and many began to resist their comrades who still obeyed Li Yi.