Chapter 1537: Let's Call It Even

At first, Kong Zhiyou intended to enter the study while no one was around to find something to deal with Qiuju.

However, when she saw Chen Ji's body, her first suspicion was on the person who had secret dealings with him. The second suspicion fell on Meng Yunzheng, as the matters they discussed were related to him, and he might be involved.

Kong Zhiyou had hesitated, but in the end, she searched the study and found these two pieces of paper, which she then hid. She also had her own agenda. If this matter had nothing to do with Meng Yunzheng, then her actions would be helping him in a way.

Whether it was Meng Yunzheng or Shu Yu, their status was not low. If she encountered any trouble in the future, she might be able to seek their help with this information.

Actually, when she saw Shu Yu testifying for Qiuju at the yamen, Kong Zhiyou was angry and considered revealing those two pieces of paper, implicating Meng Yunzheng in the suspect list as well.

However, Shu Yu, despite their past grievances, stood on Qiuju's side, thoroughly investigating the matter and proving her innocence.

Kong Zhiyou was grateful that she restrained herself and didn't impulsively hand over the evidence.

Now that the truth about the case had come to light, and it was evident that Qiuju had murdered Chen Ji, things had become simpler. Kong Zhiyou felt slightly relieved and decided to give these items to Shu Yu, considering it a way to repay her help at the yamen.

"Lu Xiangjun, that's all I know. I don't know the grudges between Meng Yunzheng and that mysterious person, and I don't want to know either. I have no other requests; I just hope that after giving you these things, I won't be involved in this matter."

Shu Yu finally accepted the two pieces of paper handed over by Kong Zhiyou and started looking through them.

In fact, there was no important information recorded on them, just some of Meng Yunzheng's whereabouts, such as when he left and returned home.

This information wasn't secretive; even the neighbors in Liufang Lane could know about it, let alone Chen Ji.

However, only a small part of the papers recorded specific activities, such as whom Meng Yunzheng met and what he did.

There was nothing surprising about it. Meng Yunzheng's routes were quite monotonous. He either went to visit Shu Yu's family or the bookstore, or he met with teacher Wen. Otherwise, he would stay at home all day, not even venturing outside Jiangyuan County, and his activity range was limited to Liufang Lane.

The papers only contained the time and location, and nothing more.

This explained why Meng Yunzheng didn't notice it. There was no need to keep an eye on him to know such details.

However, although there was no crucial information on the papers, if they were found at the crime scene by the authorities, it might have dragged Meng Yunzheng into the whirlpool of the case.

Kong Zhiyou had indeed done them a great favor.

She kept the papers and said, "Thank you."

"No need. Consider it my repayment, and we're even," Kong Zhiyou replied.

After that, Kong Zhiyou wanted to leave and opened the carriage curtain, but Shu Yu suddenly asked, "Can you tell me what that person looks like?"

She had mentioned earlier that the person was around forty years old, which meant she had seen his face.

Kong Zhiyou furrowed her brows, "I don't have a clear memory of faces. I only glanced at him briefly at the time and didn't dare to look too much. So, I can't provide a detailed description. But I can tell you a few distinctive features."

Shu Yu sat upright attentively, "Please tell me."

Kong Zhiyou thought for a moment and described his height, age, hairstyle, a large nose, and short eyebrows.

 Chapter 1536: Unexpected Eavesdropping

That guest was the old man Qiuju mentioned.

Kong Zhiyou didn't intend to eavesdrop at first. After losing her child, she had been sitting through her postpartum recovery, watching the father and son in the Chen family acting as if nothing happened and being affectionate with the murderer. Kong Zhiyou was thoroughly disappointed in them and didn't want to get involved.

However, she heard them mentioning Meng Yunzheng's name.

Shu Yu was surprised, "Who did you say?"

Kong Zhiyou looked at her steadily, "It's your fiancé, Young Master Meng Yunzheng."

Shu Yu's brows immediately furrowed. Earlier at the county yamen, both she and Magistrate Xie felt that the person who had contact with Chen Ji was suspicious, but they never expected that this person was actually related to them.

With a serious expression, Shu Yu asked, "What did they say?"

"I heard that person telling my father-in-law to pay attention to Meng Yunzheng's movements. He also said that Meng Yunzheng has been getting close to teacher Wen recently, and teacher Wen is looking for knowledgeable people in the county. It seems that he wants to find some teachers, and that person suspects that Meng Yunzheng might be behind it. So, he asked my father-in-law to approach master Wen, apply as a tutor, and then get close to Meng Yunzheng to see what he's up to and what his intentions are."

Kong Zhiyou wasn't familiar with Meng Yunzheng, but he was Shu Yu's fiancé. After experiencing the ups and downs, she had come to understand certain things and realized Ding Yuehua's kindness and her past warnings.

In a way, it was a way to repay a favor. Since Ding Yuehua had a good relationship with Lu Xiangjun, she wanted to go and warn her too. That's why when she heard Meng Yunzheng's name, she didn't immediately leave but stood in the shadows to eavesdrop.

After hearing what she said, Shu Yu's face changed slightly, thinking of what Meng Yunzheng had told her last night.

Indeed, Chen Ji did go to teacher Wen, but teacher Wen didn't like his character, so he refused.

"Is there anything else?"

"My father-in-law agreed to do it. I don't know if he succeeded or not. However, he's a rather selfish person and probably wanted to have a backup plan, so he suggested giving Qiuju to that old man."

"That old man claims to be old, but he's actually in his forties." However, compared to Qiuju, who was sixteen years old, he could indeed be considered an old man.

Kong Zhiyou said, "From what I overheard in their conversation, that old man has some influence, and he had no objections to taking Qiuju in. But!" Her voice suddenly became sharp, "Qiuju is the one who caused me to end up like this. How could I let her go?"

If she really followed someone else, how could she seek revenge? If Qiuju gained power with that person, she would have to watch her enjoy the good life.

Kong Zhiyou simply couldn't bear that.

She felt she had to speed up her plan to deal with Qiuju, but her health was too weak.

When she was six months pregnant, she had a very dangerous situation. Although she had gone through her postpartum recovery, her body was still weak.

Furthermore, when she eavesdropped in the dark for most of the day, the wind blew and it rained. The next day, Kong Zhiyou fell ill.

After a lot of effort, she recovered just in time to learn that Chen Ji and Qiuju were planning to watch the lanterns on the Mid-Autumn Festival night when nobody was at home. Since there was no one at home, it was a good opportunity for her to sneak into the study and take a look. If she could find out the old man's identity, maybe she could sabotage Qiuju's plan to leave the Chen family.

  Chapter 688: Xiao Ruiyuan's Schemes (1)

With the situation coming to a temporary halt, the lead officer, accompanied by his subordinates, escorted the six dejected individuals out of the Mo household. Observing their retreating figures, those present knew that not only would these six face a grim fate, but Mo Yongxi, who had orchestrated their actions, was also doomed. If things went poorly, a few years in prison would be a light punishment.

However, no matter how the government ultimately ruled, all the consequences were Mo Yongxi's own making, and she had no one else to blame. No one here would sympathize with her, not even Wang shi and others who had previously colluded with Hong shi; they shrank away, hiding at the back of the crowd, afraid to come forward.

Finally, while everyone's attention was focused on Mo Yan and the rewards, Wang shi and the others sneaked away from the Mo household, fearing that their involvement in this scheme might be discovered.

They hurried to the old Mo household, relaying everything that had happened today to another culprit, Hong shi.

Hong shi, feeling guilty and fearing that others might discover she had incited Mo Yongxi to deal with the Mo family, had avoided the Mo household today. Despite her confidence in her youngest daughter’s abilities and her belief that her daughter’s schemes would succeed, she couldn't rest easy until she received the news she wanted to hear.

Reality, however, slapped her hard in the face. The person they had plotted against had soared to greatness, becoming a high-ranking County Princess, while her own daughter was about to become a prisoner, and she herself might be dragged into it, potentially ending up in the same cell with her daughter.

Faced with this possibility, Hong shi was devastated. After a moment of grimacing and convulsing, she started frothing at the mouth, and then collapsed to the ground, her body twitching uncontrollably as if possessed by a ghost.

Seeing this, Wang shi and the others screamed in fright, waking up Niu shi, who was sleeping in the next room. Rubbing her sleepy eyes and cursing, Niu shi came out to find Hong shi frothing at the mouth and unconscious. Terrified and wide awake, she screamed and called back the elderly Mo and Mo Yongfu, who were working in the fields.

By the time the father and son hurried back, Wang shi and the others, fearing responsibility, had already fled. Only Hong shi lay on the cold ground, her fate unknown.

The father and son tried shaking her, slapping her face, and splashing her with cold water, but no matter how much they called, she wouldn’t wake up. The two men sat on the ground, faces filled with despair.

In contrast to the gloom at the old Mo household, the Mo family was bustling with activity. Villagers who had been present during the decree were eager to congratulate them. Among them were sincere well-wishers as well as flatterers. Later, villagers who received the news in the fields put down their tools and flocked to the Mo household.

The noise was so loud it could be heard even from outside the courtyard.

People’s eyes were glued to the boxes of rewards in the courtyard. Although they couldn't see the items inside, they could guess that anything taken out was beyond their means to buy or use.

Mo Yan knew that flaunting wealth was unwise. Even though many already knew about these precious rewards, the impact of actually seeing them was far greater than just hearing about them. To avoid drawing unwanted attention or appearing superficial, she politely declined the villagers' requests to open the boxes and asked Lin Yong and Lin Da to help move the rewards to the family’s storage.

Without waiting for Xiao Ruiyuan’s instructions, Xiao Shiyi eagerly volunteered to help. It was no surprise that this County Princess would be his future mistress. By currying favor now, he might have someone to plead on his behalf in the future if he made a mistake. 

 Chapter 687: Two Imperial Edicts - Fortune and Misfortune Await (4)

Mo Yan steadied her emotions, gradually calming down. She nodded to Xiao Ruiyuan and reached out to take the edict from him.

The surrounding villagers, kneeling, looked on with envy, thinking that Mo Yan’s delight was a bit foolish. They laughed good-naturedly.

Being granted the title of "County Princess" by the Emperor was more prestigious than that of noble daughters from aristocratic families. Henceforth, when she went to the government office, even the governor of Jingzhao would treat her as a distinguished guest! In Da Chu, the Emperor’s direct daughters are called princesses, while the direct daughters of princes are called county princesses. For illegitimate daughters, if they win the favor of the Emperor, Empress Dowager, or Empress, they might be granted the title of county princess; otherwise, they remain ordinary royal family members without any official position.

The title of "County Princess" was added by the founding Emperor at the beginning of the dynasty, specifically for women who had made great contributions to the country and its people. Not only did they receive court salaries, but they also enjoyed the same honor as a direct daughter of a prince. In other words, a county princess held the same status as a county lord.

Moreover, being granted the title of county princess meant that her achievements would be recorded in history, a distinction even noble princesses could rarely attain. Over two hundred years, fewer than five women had been granted this title, highlighting how difficult it was for an ordinary woman to achieve such honor!

Facing the villagers' congratulations, Mo Yan smiled and thanked them but felt overwhelmed. She could already foresee the attention this title would attract, both curious and ill-intentioned. With many clever people in the world, she had willingly given the credit for the high-yield rice to Yan Junyu to avoid drawing attention and revealing her unusual circumstances.

If someone investigated the origins of the high-yield rice, how would she explain it? The more unclear the situation, the more it arouses curiosity. Over time, it was inevitable that people would notice, as her father and Grandpa Li had already done.

What worried her most was the Emperor’s attitude. Although she deserved the title of county princess for the high-yield rice, the Emperor's refusal to shift the credit to Yan Junyu or the Crown Prince to consolidate the latter’s position made her deeply suspect this "gift" was laced with a hidden agenda.

With pressing matters to address, Mo Yan set aside her concerns about the Emperor's intentions for now. She gave a generous red envelope to the proclamation eunuch and, with her father, politely sent him off. Then she had the officials and villagers assist in capturing the six individuals who had accused the Five Beasts of harming people, extorted her family, and were planning to flee.

Before Mo Yan could begin interrogating them, the six, intimidated by her status as county princess, confessed everything about the mastermind behind the plot.

When they revealed that the mastermind was Mo Yongxi, the crowd erupted in shock:

“Good heavens, it was Mo Yongxi who did this! She married into such a good family and still harbored ill will against the Mo family?”

“Haha, who knows what that woman was thinking? But now, she’s definitely hit a wall; Miss Yan is now a county princess!”

“Don’t be too happy too soon. Didn’t those six say that the malicious woman is allied with a noble young lady? That young lady has powerful connections; Miss Yan might not be able to handle her.”

“Indeed, that woman’s luck seems to be running out. This is going to be tricky…”

The villagers whispered among themselves, doubtful about the Mo family’s situation. The young lady from the Lin family had connections to the Emperor and the Empress, with a respected concubine (Lin Concubine, who had been cast aside in the palace), and even a prince.

Any one of these three powerful figures was beyond the Mo family’s reach. Moreover, the three were all from the same family, so it was unlikely they would use their influence to harm the Mo family. Instead, they might seize the opportunity to strike against them.

Upon learning of the connection to the Lin family, Mo Yan's expression darkened. Thanks to Chen Ji, she had gained considerable knowledge about the Lin family recently. The Lin family was formidable enough to make even the Emperor wary. Seeking justice from them now was akin to throwing stones at an iron wall; it would only lead to retaliation, as the villagers had speculated.

Nevertheless, she was curious about how Mo Yongxi had managed to get close to the Lin family’s young lady. The Lin family operated discreetly, while the Lin young lady was known for her participation in various literary events and was well-regarded in the capital. She was known for her lofty attitude and often looked down on other noble daughters.

How such a person became involved with Mo Yongxi was truly intriguing.

Seemingly sensing her curiosity, Xiao Ruiyuan advised, “Many powerful figures have failed to manage their subordinates, leading to their reputation being tarnished. Perhaps the Lin young lady is unaware of what Mo Yongxi has done.”

So, Mo Yongxi might be using the Lin family’s influence against her, but the Lin young lady might not be aware of it? Mo Yan understood immediately.

With this in mind, the next steps became clearer. Mo Yan had the six individuals tightly bound and personally wrote a complaint against Mo Yongxi, which she handed to the lead officer. After the officer respectfully accepted the complaint, he responded meaningfully, “Mo Yongxi has repeatedly acted against the county princess and her family. Although the county princess has previously overlooked this due to familial ties, this time, with her plotting to harm the Emperor’s own auspicious beasts and harboring malicious intent against the county princess and her family, the county princess can no longer tolerate it. I hope your lord will handle this impartially and not let such a malicious woman wreak havoc!”

The lead officer clasped his hands and said solemnly, “With all the evidence in hand, we will certainly punish the venomous woman who dares to harm the County Princess and the auspicious beasts severely. Please rest assured, County Princess.”

Even though the county princess had no real power, her status as the first county princess personally granted by the Emperor ensured that their superiors would not dare to be careless, even if the malicious woman had the support of the Lin family’s young lady…

 Chapter 1535: That Person, I've Seen Before

Kong Zhiyou first thanked Meng Yunzheng before stepping on a stool and getting into the carriage, sitting opposite Shu Yu.

Shu Yu thought she would at least express her thanks, but after getting into the carriage, Kong Zhiyou kept her head down and remained silent.

Shu Yu asked, "...If you're not busy, you should go home. Your grandmother must be worried about you."

Kong Zhiyou exhaled and looked up, saying, "Lu Xiangjun, I thought you would take the opportunity to humiliate and retaliate against me when you testified for Qiuju. I thought you would step on me. I was too narrow-minded; I apologize."

"Is that what you wanted to say?"

"Of course not."

Shu Yu waited for her to finish apologizing and say thank you, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she took out a few pieces of paper from her sleeve and handed them to Shu Yu.

Shu Yu was puzzled. "What is this?"

Without taking them, Kong Zhiyou took them back and said, "Actually, I lied about something in court today."

"So what?"

Kong Zhiyou pursed her lips. "I told the county magistrate that I let Dongmei go home to reunite with her family because I was grateful for her care for me. But that's not true. I let her go home to my father-in-law's study to take something."

"To take something?" Shu Yu's gaze unconsciously fell on the papers in her hand.

Kong Zhiyou confirmed her guess. "Yes, that's right. When I learned that my father-in-law would also be away, I planned to let Dongmei go home, and when the time comes, I would be the only one left at home, making it convenient to take things from the study."

Stealing?

"Just that when I arrived at the study, I heard some noise inside and knew that something unexpected had happened. I originally intended to leave, but then I heard a loud crash from inside. I didn't want to get involved, but I couldn't resist and went in to see. To my surprise, I saw him lying on the ground, dead, with his eyes wide open."

At that moment, Kong Zhiyou was frightened and ran away instinctively.

But after running a few steps, she came back again. After confirming that Chen Ji was indeed dead, she still didn't immediately report it but instead went into the study to find the things she wanted before shouting that someone had been killed.

At that time, Kong Zhiyou had no idea that Chen Ji was killed by Qiuju, but she had no other suspicious person in mind, so she naturally implicated her enemy.

Originally, Kong Zhiyou had thought of doing something more, directly pointing the evidence at Qiuju. However, she spent some time looking for things and worried that it might arouse suspicion.

Moreover, the more you do, the more mistakes you make. If she made a mistake and implicated herself, it wouldn't be good.

Upon hearing this, Shu Yu asked, "What are these papers? Why did you want to find them?"

Kong Zhiyou smiled, but her complexion was pale, making her smile seem somewhat aged.

She said, "Qiuju didn't see the old man, but I did."

Shu Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she sat up straight, "You saw him?"

"Yes, it was about five or six days ago. I had just finished my postpartum recovery and was planning to return to my mother's home." However, halfway there, she learned that her cousin, whom she had always had a bad relationship with, had also gone back to her mother's house. If she went back looking so miserable, she would surely be mocked, and she didn't want to be ridiculed. So, "I returned to the Chen family in the middle of the journey."

"Dongmei sent me back to report to my mother, so she didn't have to wait for me at home. That's why there was only one person entering the house, but I didn't expect that there would be a guest at home."

 Chapter 1534: Waiting Specifically for Shu Yu

Magistrate Xie was somewhat concerned about the old man mentioned by Qiuju, but Qiuju didn't know, and Chen Xiucai was completely unaware of these matters.

The only thing certain was that Chen Ji had died, and he died because of his own poison.

Since Qiuju couldn't provide any more information, Magistrate Xie had the official scribe place the charges in front of her and had her leave her fingerprint.

Immediately, it was announced that Qiuju would be taken to the prison, and the judgment would be made on a later date. As for the others, since they were unrelated, they were allowed to leave.

Magistrate Xie slammed the table and said, "Leave the court."

The cheers of the onlookers outside could be heard, applauding the revelation of the truth in this case.

Qiuju was dragged away, and the others left the courtroom one after another.

Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng were then invited to the back office, where Magistrate Xie was waiting for them.

Magistrate Xie expressed gratitude to both of them for their help in this case, and then he brought up the topic of the old man.

"I can't shake off this uneasiness in my heart. You tell me, in Jiangyuan County, who could be the person that Chen Ji tried to climb up to? The origin of the arsenic is also suspicious. If it was indeed given by that person, what was the purpose of giving Chen Ji the arsenic?"

Magistrate Xie had only been in Jiangyuan County for half a year, and there were many things he didn't understand. What he most hoped for was that during his tenure, Jiangyuan County would be safe and free from major incidents.

He sought advice from Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng because they were intelligent and had some acquaintance with him. He wanted to exchange ideas with each other.

However, Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng exchanged glances and shook their heads, "Qiuju's clues are too scarce. We have no leads."

But...

Meng Yunzheng said with a serious expression, "Why not have someone secretly investigate this person? Since he had dealings with Chen Ji, it's likely not just once or twice. Perhaps someone might have seen something, like the neighbors. I also agree that this person's actions are somewhat strange, and he is an unpredictable factor."

Yes, that's the feeling, as if a major event could erupt at any time, just like the death of Chen Ji this time. Magistrate Xie nodded immediately, "You're right. I'll have people pay more attention. If you come across any leads, remember to inform me."

"Yes, Daren."

After finishing their conversation, Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng bid farewell and left. Magistrate Xie didn't detain them; he still had a pile of things to deal with.

At this moment, Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng were indeed puzzled. After leaving the yamen, they got on the carriage waiting outside.

As Ying Xi pulled the reins, preparing to leave, she suddenly stopped and said softly, "Miss..."

Shu Yu was about to discuss today's events with Meng Yunzheng when she heard Ying Xi's call, so she lifted the curtain and saw a few figures not far away.

At a glance, she saw Kong Zhiyou standing in the middle.

Aside from Dongmei, there were also other members of the Kong family accompanying Kong Zhiyou. Most likely, her parents were among them.

Earlier, there were quite a few people from the Kong family outside the courtroom as well.

Seeing Shu Yu looking over, Kong Zhiyou immediately said to the people around her, "Father, Mother, I want to speak to Lu Xiangjun for a moment."

Her mother sighed and nodded gently, "Go ahead. If it wasn't for Lu Xiangjun and Meng Xiucai's help today, you wouldn't have gotten out of this situation so quickly. Thank them properly and visit them another day."

Kong Zhiyou nodded, then walked over to the side of the carriage, "Lu Xiangjun, can I have a private conversation with you?"

Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, and seeing Meng Yunzheng's response, he jumped off the carriage.

 Chapter 686: Two Imperial Edicts - Fortune and Misfortune Await (3)

The proclamation eunuch glanced at the kneeling woman with a twitching eye, inwardly thinking it was "strange." With so many valuable rewards and an imperial title granted, even the pampered daughters of noble families would be excited. Yet this woman, with her calm demeanor initially, and now her almost foolish delight, seemed genuine.

Having served in the palace for decades, he had seen all sorts of people, but this was his first encounter with someone so… “interesting”! This might make a good story to tell Liang Gonggong when he returned; perhaps it would earn him further favor.

Though the eunuch found it amusing, he knew the edict had been delivered, and any neglect in receiving it could be considered a grave disrespect to the Emperor. If the small-talking eunuchs spread the word, the Mo family might face consequences.

Seeing the clearly important General Xiao on the ground, the proclamation eunuch remembered Lord Yan's instructions and the additional task ahead. He realized: if Mo Yan's fortunes continued to rise, it would be hard to curry favor later if he missed this opportunity.

With his thoughts racing, the eunuch cleared his throat and quickly leaned closer to the still-beaming Mo Yan, whispering, “County Princess, you should kowtow to express your gratitude!”

“Ah?” Mo Yan looked up, clearly not understanding the unfamiliar and strange title being used for her.

Seeing his daughter’s persistent silly smile, Mo Qingze could hardly bear to watch. He stifled the urge to cover his face, subtly tugged on Mo Yan’s sleeve, and whispered, “Quick, receive the edict!”

The scene was clearly visible to Xiao Ruiyuan, whose stern face softened momentarily. However, thinking about what was to come, his brows furrowed with a hint of worry.

Prompted by her father, Mo Yan realized the edict had been read. Embarrassed by the eunuch’s exasperated look, she quickly knelt and said, “I, Mo Yan, thank the Emperor for his great favor. Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long long live!”

As she reached out to take the bright yellow edict, her hands trembled. The edict slipped from her grasp.

“Be careful!” Xiao Ruiyuan, kneeling nearby, swiftly got up and caught the edict. If the edict had fallen, even an accidental slip could be seen as a grave disrespect to the Emperor.

The cool, soothing voice of the man brought Mo Yan back to her senses. Looking at the concern and encouragement in his eyes, she suddenly felt that the edict wasn’t so terrifying after all.

Fortune or misfortune, one cannot escape fate! Whether this edict reflected the Emperor's true intentions or not, it was beyond her control. She had no choice but to accept it.

  Chapter 685: Two Imperial Edicts - Fortune and Misfortune Await (2)

Soon, the incense table was set up in the spacious courtyard. It was adorned with incense burners and trays of fruit and pastries. Mo Qingze personally placed incense in the burner.

The edict was for Mo Yan and the five beasts. Since the beasts could neither kneel nor show humility to the highest ruler of mankind, they stood quietly beside the incense table, observing the proceedings.

Mo Yan and her family knelt before the incense table, loudly proclaiming, “Long live His Majesty, the Emperor!”

Xiao Ruiyuan, not being the one to proclaim the edict, knelt beside Mo Yan and her family. The remaining officials, including the departing constables, Yang Bao, the village elders, and the six scoundrels who had extorted the Mo family, also hurriedly knelt, filling half the courtyard with people shouting in unison, “Long   live His Majesty, the Emperor!”

The voices were surprisingly uniform.

The proclamation eunuch nodded in satisfaction and, with a serious expression, opened the imperial edict. His sharp voice rang out as he read, “By the Emperor’s decree, the eldest daughter of the Mo family, Yan, and her five beasts have rescued the imperial descendants from danger… The eldest daughter Yan, virtuous and chaste, is a model for all women. Therefore, she is bestowed the title of ‘County Princess’, with ten pieces of jadeite, ten bolts of silk, and ten measures of pearls…”

As the proclamation eunuch’s voice continued, the rewards were carried into the Mo family’s courtyard by young eunuchs. Even before the edict was fully read, ten redwood boxes, each tied with bright yellow satin, were already set up in the courtyard.

The honor of receiving an imperial title from the ruler was supreme, and the subsequent rewards, though their exact value was hard to calculate, were enough to make everyone present gape in amazement: The Mo family was truly on its way to wealth and nobility!

Those who had good relations with the Mo family were genuinely envious and delighted for them. Those with merely average connections secretly regretted not having formed a closer alliance with the Mo family sooner. Now that they were rising in status, would they still pay attention to them?

The most dismayed were the likes of Sister Wang, who had long had conflicts with the Mo family. Even when the Mo family was wealthy before, they weren’t afraid. But now, having caught the eye of the Emperor, they were mere ordinary villagers and dared not oppose the Mo family any longer.

Human nature often works like this: if others are slightly superior, envy may arise; but if they surpass by a significant margin, and one cannot even hope to catch up, envy can become powerless.

Mo Yan remained calm, not overly concerned with the rewards but surprised by the title “County Princess” granted by Emperor Huian. She was more worried that, having received such rewards, the beast tokens for the five beasts might be forgotten.

Previously, in the Phoenix Mountain Palace, she had requested no rewards, only a “legal” status for the beasts. The Emperor had promised to issue imperial beast tokens allowing them to enter the human realm.

Now, with such extensive rewards and no mention of the beasts in the edict, she feared that the Emperor might have forgotten about this request.

It turned out Mo Yan’s worries were unfounded! Even if Emperor Huian had forgotten, his attendants would not, and if the Emperor recalled it later, he would not consider himself forgetful.

After reading the list of rewards, the proclamation eunuch finally reached the part about the five beasts: “…The five beasts are endowed with exceptional talent and unmatched bravery, regarded as auspicious beasts granted by Heaven! Therefore, they are bestowed with gold beast tokens to commend their loyalty and courage! Given this decree—”

Mo Yan’s concern did not materialize. Her eyes brightened, and she glanced at the composed five beasts beside her, unable to hide the smile on her face.

 Chapter 1533: Qiuju's Confession

In truth, Qiuju didn't know much about the matter. She had managed to get some information from Chen Ji when he was drunk that day.

Later, when Chen Xiucai returned, she had to temporarily stop her inquiry. But she had already learned the key points.

Qiuju had a certain degree of beauty; otherwise, she wouldn't have caught Chen Xiucai's attention and become his concubine.

However, the Chen family had no power or influence, so they had to please those who could help them. Coincidentally, the person Chen Ji had gotten close to was a womanizer. Among the women in the Chen family, there were only a few young ones: Kong Zhiyou, Qiuju, and Dongmei.

Kong Zhiyou was the proper wife of the Chen family, with the backing of the Kong family.

Dongmei didn't have much allure; her looks were average.

That left only Qiuju. She had a good figure and knew how to seduce people, but she wasn't virtuous, and she was just a concubine without any powerful support, making her somewhat ambitious.

Chen Ji thought that Autumn Auntie would willingly accept the offer, as she could rise with that person and improve her situation compared to being with Chen Xiucai.

However, Qiuju was unwilling. Although she hadn't met the person, she deduced from Chen Ji's words that the man was quite old. Since he was a womanizer, he would pursue attractive women, and she would be just one of them, not holding any advantage.

What did she gain from rising with him? How could it compare to staying with Chen Xiucai? In her heart, Chen Xiucai was promising, having achieved the title of a scholar at a young age, and she believed he could achieve even greater things in the future - becoming a jinshi, a successful official. He was much better than that old man, whose origins were unknown.

Moreover, Qiuju had gained the upper hand in her conflict with Kong Zhiyou, which made her believe that she could eventually suppress Kong Zhiyou and become Chen Xiucai's wife.

With such a bright and promising future, why would she choose to be with a lecherous old man? Qiuju loathed Chen Ji, having lived in the Chen family for so long, she knew him well, seeing through his facade of being a moral gentleman, all while being scheming and deceitful.

Similarly, she knew Chen Xiucai and understood that upon hearing about this matter, he would side with his father.

Thus, Qiuju didn't go to Chen Xiucai to complain, nor did she expect Chen Ji to change his mind. She had experience in harming others; the child in Kong Zhiyou's belly was a result of her actions, and with the first time came the second, which seemed less difficult.

Chen Ji became her target, but Qiuju was only a maidservant from a wealthy household, and her knowledge was limited.

She could harm Kong Zhiyou because she knew her well and could strike precisely.

However, plotting to murder Chen Ji, framing herself, and shifting the blame onto Kong Zhiyou involved many people and required careful execution without errors.

Clearly, Qiuju didn't possess such capabilities.

As a result, the plan she had come up with in just two days was full of flaws.

Now that everything had collapsed, she appeared to be in a state of madness.

Magistrate Xie furrowed his brow after listening to everything and asked, ''Where did you get the poison, the arsenic?''

''Arsenic? I didn't buy it; it belonged to the old beast. That day when he was drunk, he said he would poison me if I didn't agree. I knew there was poison in his desk drawer, and when I checked, it turned out to be arsenic.''

Magistrate Xie was quite surprised; the arsenic belonged to Chen Ji himself?

However, the major medical clinics had no record of Chen Ji purchasing arsenic. Could it be the person he wanted to curry favor with had given it to him?

 Chapter 1532: Shu Yu's Guess is Right

Qiuju's face turned pale.

However, Shu Yu hadn't finished speaking yet, ''Let me guess why you did all this. Were you trying to create a big fuss by bumping into someone, preferably starting a quarrel to waste a good half-hour? That way, you would return home late, and by then, Chen Ji would definitely be too hungry and eat the instant noodles.''

''And when you were quarreling with someone outside, making a scene that attracted people's attention, you had so many witnesses to prove that you were outside from the second quarter of the hour of the Dog until late at night. You had a perfect alibi, and plenty of time to ensure that Chen Ji ate the poisoned noodles.''

''However, you didn't expect to bump into me. You didn't dare argue with me, so you said a few words and hurried away. After that, you didn't approach anyone else because it would seem too suspicious to bump into a second person.''

''But you were lucky; when you returned home, Chen Ji had already died in the second quarter of the hour of the Dog.''

Qiuju could barely stay on her feet, looking at Shu Yu with eyes full of terror, as if she were seeing something dreadful.

She had guessed it. Her intentions were laid bare before her, and there was not the slightest mistake in what she said.

Her cold sweat intensified. Despite being skilled in domestic conflicts and schemes, she didn't know how to handle herself in court when all her plots were exposed.

Magistrate Xie narrowed his eyes and immediately ordered her to be tortured.

After a few strokes of the rod, Qiuju couldn't bear it and quickly confessed. She cried and screamed, ''It was me, I killed him.'' If she didn't confess, she might be beaten to death on the spot without waiting for a verdict.

Chen Xiucai stared at her fiercely, ''Why? What did my father do to you that made you want to kill him? You wretched woman.''

Qiuju, lying on the bench, raised her sweaty face and her eyes were equally fierce and angry, ''You shut up! Why did I kill him? Hahaha, that old beast wanted to sell me off, so your Chen family could rise to power? Ha, he, a so-called educated scholar, never thought of studying hard, only interested in these wicked ways. He tried to harm me, so why couldn't I strike first?'

Chen Xiucai took two steps back, ''My father wanted to sell you off? No, this can't be true.''

''Just take a look. He didn't dare to tell you himself. He used the excuse of striking first to sell me off directly. When the deed is done, even if you get angry, it won't matter. No, you are just like your father, able to soar to the top, but you probably don't care about me, a concubine.''

Chen Xiucai felt a strange sense of guilt upon hearing this, as what Qiuju said was true - he didn't care about a concubine.

Magistrate Xie had someone pull Chen Xiucai away and continued the trial, ''You said Chen Ji wanted to sell you off. Do you know who that person was and where they are now?''

Qiuju winced in pain, her speech labored, ''I don't know, I never saw that person. It was just one day when that old beast was particularly happy and had some wine. When I was clearing the table, he was drunk and asked if I wanted to lead a better life by following someone else.''

  Chapter 684: Two Imperial Edicts - Fortune and Misfortune Await (1)

In Liu Yang Village, most people had never even seen the county magistrate in person, let alone heard of an imperial edict except in plays or local gossip. The unusual proclamation of “The Imperial Edict has arrived” left everyone stunned, unable to grasp the significance of the words.

At that moment, a pale-faced eunuch, clad in a sapphire blue robe embroidered with cranes, wearing a peacock-feathered cap set with green gems, and holding a bright yellow imperial edict, appeared with a group of eight young eunuchs in green attire, passing through two doors into view.

The respectful demeanor of the young eunuchs indicated that this proclamation eunuch held a high position. Upon entering the second door, the eunuch did not proceed directly into the main hall of the Mo residence but instead bowed to a figure who had appeared at the doorway—Xiao Ruiyuan, who was strikingly handsome but had a cold expression. The eunuch respectfully addressed him, “Lord Xiao, please!”

As an imperial edict eunuch in front of the Emperor, he did not dare show any disrespect to the influential general Xiao Ruiyuan.

Xiao Ruiyuan gave a slight nod and, accompanied by Xiao Shiyi, slowly entered the Mo family’s main hall amidst the astonished gazes of the villagers. His entire focus was on the woman in the center of the hall, who was surprised but also filled with joy.

It had been over a month since they last saw each other!

Seeing the person she longed for unexpectedly appear before her, Mo Yan nearly lost control of her legs and feet, wanting to rush into his embrace. 

Fortunately, a remaining sense of propriety restrained her from acting on her impulse. Even if they were not yet formally betrothed, such an action in public would be considered improper and subject to gossip, even if they were already married.

Xiao Ruiyuan, too, was struggling to restrain himself. If it weren’t for the situation, he would have embraced the petite figure immediately to soothe the longing he had endured for so many days.

Their eyes met, and the deep, unspoken exchange between them seemed to convey a thousand words.

While everyone’s attention was focused on Xiao Ruiyuan and the proclamation eunuch, the eunuch’s neutral expression did not reveal the deep affection exchanged between the two, leaving no one noticing the unspoken sentiment in their gazes.

Seeing everyone inside and outside the house frozen and dumbfounded, the middle-aged eunuch delivering the edict was also taken aback. Having delivered countless edicts over the past ten years, he had never encountered a family that showed such blatant disregard or seemed to ignore the edict entirely. This was a first for him!

This, however, was a misunderstanding of the Mo family. It wasn’t that they were deliberately dismissive; the edict arrived so suddenly that, except for Mo Yan, who was lost in Xiao Ruiyuan’s gaze, the Mo family had not had time to react.

The proclamation eunuch scanned everyone in the room and, noticing several officials present, raised an eyebrow. Finally, his gaze landed on Mo Yan, who was of the right age to receive the edict. His voice took on a sharp edge as he asked, “Is this Miss Mo? The edict I hold is for you. Please prepare quickly and accept the edict!”

Mo Yan was jolted back to reality and remembered that there was indeed an edict to receive. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she hurriedly said to her father, “Father, we need to prepare the incense table quickly to receive the edict!”

“Ah? Receive the edict? Yes, receive the edict, quickly, prepare the incense table!” Mo Qingze, momentarily dazed, quickly recovered and, without thinking much about the sudden arrival of the edict, joined Mo Yan in preparing the incense table. 

  Chapter 683: Slap in the Face - The Imperial Edict Arrives (4)

Mo Yan seemed not to notice the six men and gently patted the heads of the Five Beasts, saying softly, “You all stand still and let the officer and the elders touch you. Don’t run away.”

Her tone was as if soothing children, but the Four Beasts, despite their usual disdain for anyone other than Mo Yan touching them, complied. They knew that their temporary sacrifice would help prove their innocence and give Mo Yan the opportunity to take rightful revenge on the schemers.

Encouraged by Mo Yan, the officials and elders nervously reached out to touch the Four Beasts. To their surprise, the beasts' fur felt incredibly smooth and soft, like the finest silk. It quickly became clear why Mo Yan had asked them to do this.

Seeing their reaction, the six men felt uneasy. Before they could voice their doubts, they hurriedly turned to Mo Qingze and threatened, “We’ve shown the evidence. Pay us quickly, or we’ll make sure to get influential people involved. Your family will have no good days ahead!”

Mo Qingze, confident and amused by their threats, retorted, “I’m curious to see how your so-called influential people will make us have a hard time.”

At this point, the six were not trying to escape but were still trying to extort money. It was unclear whether they were incredibly foolish or overly confident in their so-called supporters.

The leading official interjected, sternly rebuking the six men, “You’re the ones who falsely accused the Five Beasts and tried to extort the Mo family. How dare you threaten them now? Who gave you the nerve?”

Caught off guard by the sudden rebuke, the six men, flustered, began to shamelessly argue, “Who said we falsely accused anyone or extorted the Mo family? We still have the injuries on us. We couldn’t have done it ourselves! Officer, you’ve accepted benefits from the Mo family. Don’t lie!”

“That’s right! What benefits did the Mo family give you to make you protect them? Don’t forget why you were sent here!” The six continued to berate the officer, using threats and coercion.

The officer, who had been instructed to handle the case impartially, found himself in a difficult situation. He had hoped to use this case to earn favor from the Mo family, but with the clear evidence of extortion and falsified claims, he was reluctant to play along with their deceitful tactics.

While the officer dealt with the six, Mo Yan took the opportunity to hand the four clumps of fur to the most vocal villagers outside. She asked them to compare the fur with that of the Five Beasts. This would not only discredit the six but also dispel any doubts the villagers might have about the Five Beasts.

The villagers, eager to examine the fur, quickly compared it with the Five Beasts' fur. It didn’t take long for them to realize the fur was fake. Their faces turned grim, and even those who had previously been skeptical or opportunistic now dared not voice any further doubts.

The six, undeterred, continued to insist that the Five Beasts were responsible for their injuries.

Mo Yan, having cleared the villagers' doubts, grew impatient with the six and called the Four Beasts over to compare their claws and teeth directly with the wounds on the six men. The results were clear: the bite and scratch marks did not match the Five Beasts' claws and teeth.

The irrefutable evidence left the six men speechless. But upon hearing that Mo Yan planned to report them to the authorities for extortion, they resorted to threats, claiming they had influential backers who could make things worse for the Mo family. They threatened, “We have powerful people backing us. If you don’t let us go, we’ll report your illegal keeping of these beasts to the Emperor. Your entire family will face ruin!”

In the past, the late Emperor had decreed that any wild beasts that posed a threat or were kept by ordinary people should be dealt with by the authorities. While noble families could keep such beasts if they did not cause trouble, ordinary people faced severe penalties if discovered, including fines or detention.

Mo Yan was enraged by their threats, her anger boiling over. She would have gladly let the Five Beasts attack them, but she knew she needed to stay rational. Since these men admitted to having powerful connections, she speculated that their backers might be the ones orchestrating the whole scheme or were closely involved with the mastermind.

Just as Mo Yan tried to figure out who their influential backer might be, a sharp voice rang out from outside the door: “The Imperial Edict has arrived—”

 Chapter 1531: Sorting Things Out

Despite Chen Xiucai's favoritism towards Qiuju, he gradually figured out the situation. Qiuju caused Chen Xiucai's father to injure his leg, forcing him to stay home instead of going out. Then she had Aunt Jiang cook a light meal, resulting in Chen Ji having little appetite and eating sparingly in the evening.

By the time it was the second quarter of the hour of the Dog, Chen Ji couldn't bear his hunger, and the only one at home was Kong Zhiyou who couldn't cook. Unable to go out due to his injured foot, he couldn't prepare a meal himself.

Fortunately, there was a packet of instant noodles at home, which tasted good whether eaten dry or soaked in hot water - easy and simple to prepare.

Ordinary people would choose to eat the instant noodles, and he did just that. However, little did he know that the instant noodles were laced with poison. After eating them, he was poisoned and lost his life.

Every step was arranged meticulously, and finally, the blame was shifted to Kong Zhiyou, the only one at home without an alibi, making it a perfect scheme.

Qiuju's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her body trembled slightly, but she kept trying to endure it.

Chen Xiucai took a step forward and grabbed her collar, asking angrily, ''Qiuju, why did you harm my father? What did he do to deserve this? Why did you do this?''

Qiuju shook her head, ''I didn't do it, I really didn't. It's all just a coincidence.''

''Coincidence? Do you believe that yourself? Do you think there are so many coincidences?'' Chen Xiucai countered.

''Then someone must have deliberately framed me,'' she tried to shift the blame to Kong Zhiyou again.

Unfortunately, the physician from the medical clinic arrived quickly.

After listening to Magistrate Xie's questions, the physician straightforwardly said, ''I never advised Master Chen to eat a light diet.''

Qiuju defended herself, ''Maybe you've seen too many patients and forgot what you said.''

The physician chuckled, ''Master Chen only bumped his leg and had a minor injury, so proper medication was enough. My advice was simple - for him not to stand for long and rest more, then come back in a couple of days to check on the wound. Why would I talk about a light diet?''

You should know that in this era, unless it's an affluent household, common people don't use much oil, salt, or sugar in their cooking, so physicians rarely give such advice to patients, and sometimes even encourage malnourished individuals to eat better.

So, the physician was quite clear about what he had said.

Magistrate Xie looked at Qiuju who still seemed inclined to argue, and suddenly slammed the table, saying sternly, ''How audacious, Qiuju! Even at this crucial moment, you refuse to repent. Do you want me to use torture?''

Qiuju panicked completely, raised her head, and saw Shu Yu standing beside them. She hurriedly said, ''miss Lu, miss Lu, please save me! I bumped into you last night at the third quarter of the hour of the Dog. But Sir Chen died in the second quarter of the hour. If I really poisoned him, how could I know he would eat the noodles at that time? Maybe if we returned later, he would eat them, and we wouldn't have been implicated?'

Shu Yu pursed his lips and thought seriously for a moment, 'But I feel that when you bumped into me, it seemed somewhat deliberate.'

Qiuju's expression froze, and in the next moment, she saw the man before her, who was clearly handsome but looked like a demon, ''When you bumped into me suddenly, it was quite strange. There was no one pushing you around. And although it was you who wanted to bump into me, you didn't apologize and leave immediately. Instead, you turned around and confronted me. Your actions were rather peculiar.''

 Chapter 1530: All Pointing to Qiuju 

Everyone's gaze suddenly fell on Qiuju.

Aunt Jiang hurriedly wanted to clear her name, so she blurted out everything she could to distance herself from the situation.

She pointed at Qiuju and said, "While I was cooking, Sister Qiuju came in and told me to use less salt in the dishes. I told her that Master Chen prefers strong flavors. But she said that Old Master Chen is getting older and should have lighter meals, as advised by the doctor. Well, Old Master did indeed visit the doctor during the day, and I thought maybe it was also Young Master's intention. So, for the sake of Master Chen's health, I reduced the amount of salt in the dishes, especially the ones he likes."

She had no idea that she would be implicated just because she used less salt while cooking and was almost treated as a murderer.

Aunt Jiang continued, "Yesterday was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and after finishing the cooking, I went home early to celebrate with my family. I did tell Sister Qiuju about it, and she didn't object, so I left. I really don't know whether Master Chen liked the dishes or how much he ate. Your Honor, Master Chen's death has nothing to do with me."

Prefect Magistrate Xie waved his hand, "Alright, I understand. Be quiet for now."

Aunt Jiang closed her mouth and knelt down on the side, keeping her head low.

Judge Xie turned his attention back to Qiuju, but before she could defend herself, he looked at Chen Xiucai and asked, "Chen Xiucai, is it true that he went to see the doctor and were advised to have light meals?"

Chen Xiucai furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head, "My father did go to the clinic yesterday morning after accidentally hurting his leg, but the doctor didn't recommend a light diet..."

As he spoke, he seemed to realize something and looked incredulously at Qiuju.

Qiuju immediately spoke up, "At that time, when you went to get medicine for your father, you didn't hear what the doctor said afterward. The doctor indeed advised having a light diet."

Chen Xiucai suddenly choked, unable to utter a word. It seemed plausible.

Shu Yu felt that Qiuju was getting a bit flustered, so she smiled and asked Prefect Magistrate Xie, "Your Honor, may I ask them a few more questions?"

"Of course."

"Qiuju, are you certain that the doctor did advise a light diet?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

Shu Yu nodded and asked Chen Xiucai, "Who was the doctor who treated your father? Can we have them come over?"

Chen Xiucai provided the name of the clinic and the doctor, and Prefect Magistrate Xei immediately sent someone to fetch them.

In the meantime, Shu Yu asked Kong Zhiyou, "When did you hear Chen Ji say he would go out to see the lanterns last night?"

"Two days ago, in the afternoon. father told Dongmei to take care of the house because he and Sister Qiuju would go out to see the lanterns on Mid-Autumn night."

Shu Yu smiled and said, "So, two days ago, he was planning to go out, but yesterday morning, he accidentally bumped his leg, which prevented him from going out."

With everything said, there was nothing more to be unclear about. Everyone who had been accusing Kong Zhiyou of being an unfilial daughter-in-law was now muttering and pointing fingers at Sister Qiuju.

  Chapter 682: Slap in the Face - The Imperial Edict Arrives (3)

The six, thinking they had the upper hand, quickly revealed their supposed evidence. As they unwrapped their bandages, fresh, red wounds appeared, exposing their injuries to everyone.

“Hey, these wounds look recent, indeed from the last couple of days. The marks resemble those made by wild beasts. It’s similar to the injuries Wang Dali and others suffered from a tiger last year!” Some nearby villagers, who could see clearly, began to murmur in excitement.

Upon hearing this, some villagers quickly countered, “Even if they were injured by wild beasts, it doesn’t prove it was the Five Beasts! They might have been hurt by other beasts in the mountains and are now framing the Five Beasts to extort money from the Mo family.”

“Yeah, both points have merit! It seems this matter is still up in the air. But those six seem excessive. Even if the Five Beasts did cause some harm, asking for five hundred taels each and taking the Mo family to court is a bit much. It looks like they set this trap to deal with the Mo family.”

“You’re just figuring that out now? I saw through them long ago. The Mo family shouldn’t be polite—just let the Five Beasts deal with them.”

“Are you serious? If the Five Beasts attack them, the authorities will immediately send people to kill them, and the Mo family will be in real trouble.”

...

Outside, the villagers argued heatedly while the atmosphere inside grew tense.

The six, full of themselves, pointed at the Five Beasts and taunted Mo Yan and Mo Qingze, “These wounds were caused by the five beasts you’re raising. Hand over the money now, or else you’ll face serious trouble.”

At this point, if the Mo family couldn’t provide evidence proving the innocence of the Five Beasts, not only would they face enormous compensation, but they could also be at risk of imprisonment. Yang Bao and the other villagers were worried for the Mo family, and even Mo Qingze was concerned about how things would unfold.

However, Mo Qingze’s concern was not about whether the family could escape the predicament but about how this would affect his daughter’s heart.

He believed in the Five Beasts' innocence and knew his daughter could counter the trap set by these schemers. But with the authorities already aware of the Five Beasts' existence, regardless of their guilt or innocence, they could no longer stay in the family home. They would either be forced to return to the mountains before the authorities came to hunt them down or be killed in the chase.

Both outcomes were unacceptable. Even he, who had little contact with the Five Beasts, found it hard to bear. How would his daughter, who lived with them and cared deeply for them, cope with such a situation?

Unaware of her father’s concerns, Mo Yan prepared for a counterattack. She walked over to the boasting six and, under their wary eyes, picked up the fur from the table, glanced at it, and set it down. She addressed the leading official, Yang Bao, and the village elders, “Officer, Uncle Yang, and esteemed elders, please take a close look at these four clumps of fur and feel them with your hands.”

The officials and elders, though confused, approached and examined the fur closely, feeling it with their hands but finding nothing unusual.

Just as they were about to ask questions, Mo Yan gestured to the Four Beasts. The beasts approached calmly, their intelligence evident.

As the Four Beasts came closer, their imposing presence made everyone shiver, and they instinctively took a small step back.