Chu Xinian was sure he had not written this plot. He wondered if it had been manipulated by some bad friend, feeling that this kind of murder plot was not his style. After thinking about it, in the end, he could only classify it as the butterfly effect.
When Chu Xinian first crossed over, he had already been brought back to the Capital by the guards of Quyang Manor. However, not knowing whether it was because the head of the original body was hit, the memories Chu Xinian received were fragmented, making it impossible to gather useful information.
Xie Jingyuan seemed unconcerned. However in reality, he felt annoyed.
Mei Fengchen was a notorious loner official. Despite the multitude of factions in the court, he supported no one and went his own way. He has only a few friends who share his intellectual concerns. His temperament was like a stone in a latrine, unpleasant and inflexible.
Recently, a servant at Princess Ping Shuang’s manor injured someone in the street, causing a deadly court case. The servant hid in the manor and refused to come out. Mei Fengchen led the people from the Department of Integrity and Law directly inside to capture the culprit and get him out. However, this disgraced Princess Ping Shuang, who tried to plead for mercy but was rebuffed by Mei Fengchen. Which resulted in an embarrassing failure.
Now he was biting Chu Xinian, and would not give up until he revealed the truth. Xie Jingyuan’s face may not be easy to save.
“Could it be that Lord Mei has become confused and believes everything the others say? Chu Xinian has long been inseparable from this General, and you come to my mansion carrying the body of a mere brothel girl. Do you think I, Xie Jingyuan, am easily intimidated?”
As soon as he raised his hand, dozens of black arrows appeared on the corner of the wall, pointing at Mei Fengchen, “Today, this General’s mansion is closed to guests, whoever dares to take a step inside will be shot dead.”
Xie Jingyuan was a military marquis, and in his mansion alone there were at least five hundred people, so the few guards of the Integrity and Law Department were not enough to deal with them.
Chu Xinian would not easily get involved in the murky waters before knowing the truth of the matter. Xie Jingyuan’s actions were exactly what he wanted.
He took off the cloak over his shoulder and tied it around Xie Jingyuan, showing a loving and affectionate expression, and whispered with concern, “General, the outside wind is strong, let’s go inside.”
The way they seemed to be in harmony with each other caused the jaws of those who secretly speculated that they were not compatible to drop open.
Xie Jingyuan looked at him and felt that Chu Xiniann’s smiling face was like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but he said nothing and turned around to enter the mansion.
Mei Fengchen saw him and lifted his robe straight up, sitting down on the floor. His eyes were sharp and his posture upright as he said, “There are human lives at stake, so I would like to ask General Xie to be a little more lenient.”
Xie Jingyuan’s footsteps stopped, his eyes narrowed in silence, he wanted to kill this old man with his sword. He carried a corpse in the early morning to attract bad luck and was sitting at the door for anyone who wanted to see it. He sneered and commanded, “Let him sit down if he wants to, but if he dares to enter, he will be responsible for his own life and death!”
People around him whispered and murmured. Mei Fengchen’s reputation among the people was so good that he could be compared to the likes of Bao Zheng and Song Ci. Now, he had gone so far as to sit on the floor to investigate a murder case. In comparison, Xie Jingyuan seemed insensitive.
“Why bother investigating? The young master who eloped with Jiu Niang is Chu Xinian, and now that she is dead, he must be involved”.
“It’s hard to say, Young Master Chu spent a lot of money on Wen Xiang House, all for Jiu Niang. How could he be willing to kill Jiu Niang? I’m afraid it was General Xie’s dark hand.”
As soon as this answer came out, it directly changed the direction of public opinion. After all, the ‘mistress’ died outside without a clear cause, and the main suspect would be the ‘legal wife’. Besides, Xie Jingyuan’s vicious reputation was widely known throughout the Capital, and no one was ignorant of it.
But in just a few hours, the matter had already spread throughout the Capital, and the Marquis of Quyang’s Mansion, naturally, also received the news. When Madam Mei heard that Chu Xinian was involved in a murder case, she almost fainted and the first thing she did when she recovered was to look for Chu Jiaoping.
“Quick! Think of a way to save your brother! He crawled out of my stomach, won’t I know what kind of temper he has? He may dare to tease dogs and cats, but he wouldn’t dare to kill someone!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Madam Mei’s face turned pale as she clung to Chu Jiaoping’s hand. She was already worried about her young son, and if anything else happened, she wouldn’t know what to do.
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The maid was surprised by Madam Mei’s rarely-seen anxiety and hurried to the front yard.
Chu San and Chu Si were the guards who had brought Chu Xinian back to the mansion that day. Hearing Madam Mei’s question, they replied “Madam, when we caught up with the Second Young Master in the suburbs of the Capital, he was with a courtesan. It is just that his subordinates were mindful of his instructions to bring the Second Young Master as soon as possible, so we ignored her.”
Chu Jiaoping pointed out the key point, “Was that woman still alive when you left?”
Chu San, “In reply to the First Young Master, she was alive and well. And when my subordinates took the Second Young Master away, she was still crying and chasing us all the way.”
Madam Mei finally sighed in relief at this, covering her chest and plopping down on the back of her chair, reciting several Amitabha. Chu Jiaoping waved his hand to tell Chu San and Chu Si to withdraw, and patted Madam Mei’s back, “Mother, now that we have witnesses, it means that woman’s death has nothing to do with Second Brother. Just go to Father and explain.”
Madam Mei frowned slightly, “I’m afraid Mei Fengchen will not easily believe our words.”
Although the Marquis of Quyang and Mei Fengchen were related, they had never had any contact with each other. Chu San and Chu Si were the servants of the family, so it was natural for them to lie to dispel suspicion on their master. No one would believe them even if they told the truth.
Chu Jiaoping frowned, “We won’t know unless we try. If the Capital Government investigates this matter, we may be able to save face. It’s a pity it’s Mei Fengchen. He has always been fair and impartial, and he doesn’t take favors.”
Madam Mei quickly turned her prayer beads and said impatiently, “Is he still sitting in front of the General’s mansion?”
Chu Jiaoping nodded and said earnestly, “He has been there from dawn to noon. The General’s mansion is surrounded by people, and if this goes on, even the Emperor will hear about it.”
Madam Mei’s expression suddenly turned ugly, she got up from her chair and said to Chu Jiaoping, “Go quickly, take Chu San and Chu Si to Lord Mei to explain. And whatever happens, you can’t let him take your brother.”
Chu Jiaoping nodded quickly, turned, and headed to the General’s mansion with his men.
Noon was the hottest time of the day. This kind of weather might not be hot enough for Xie Jingyuan, but for ordinary people, it was enough to make them want to shed their skin.
Mei Fengchen’s official uniform was already drenched in sweat, and a large dark color appeared on his back. But he remained as immobile as a mountain and continued to stand guard in front of the General’s mansion. Dozens of bows and arrows were pointed at him, silently vying for resistance.
The courtesan must have been dead for some time, but she was covered with a white cloth, and the cause of her death was unknown. However, the stench spread everywhere, possibly due to the blood that had soaked through the white cloth, leaving behind large blue, green, black, and purple stains.
The spectators held their noses and vomited repeatedly. They were afraid of the scene, but at the same time, they wanted to see how it would end. As a result, the crowd of spectators grew larger and larger, and the rumors became more and more enigmatic.
“Did you know that the woman who died was Chu Xinian’s lover?”
“I heard that she was killed by General Xie. Lord Mei came to arrest him, but he was detained outside.
“No, no, that woman was killed by Chu Xinian, and Lord Mei wants to interrogate him.”
They discussed the case with great fervor, forgetting that the case was not yet concluded and was only at the investigation stage.
The General’s mansion was covered in dark clouds. The servants moved everything from Xie Jingyuan’s room to Yuheng Pavilion in complete silence, not even daring to breathe.
Lunch was spread out on the table with ten dishes and a soup, as well as various appetizers. It was a very sumptuous meal, but the two people seated at the table had no appetite.
Chu Xinian tried to remember the night of his escape, but as he had lost his memory, he found nothing. He repeatedly whispered the woman’s name in thought, “Jiu Niang… Jiu Niang… ?”
Xie Jingyuan looked at him upon hearing the name, his long narrow eyes narrowed softly, the corners of his lips curved upwards, and asked with a mischievous smile, “If you miss her so much, why doesn’t this General send you down to accompany her?”
Xie Jingyuan felt his head green, of which everyone knows. Thinking of the old man who remained on the other side of the door, his face became even uglier, but he couldn’t kill him.
Mei Fengchen may not be Emperor Yan’s most favored, but he is certainly the one he trusts the most. Although his official position was not high, his power was immense, and it was certainly asking for trouble to face someone like him.
Hearing Xie Jingyuan’s words, Chu Xinian finally came to his senses and handed him the chopsticks, “What are you talking about, General? I don’t know her at all, why should I miss her?”
Xie Jingyuan snorted coldly. “Take care of that old man out there first before coming to talk to me about this.”
Only a child would believe that a six-foot man was kidnapped by a weak courtesan.
Chu Xinian looked at Xie Jingyuan silently and, for some reason, suddenly smiled after a while. Mei Fengchen can leave. As long as Xie Jingyuan handed him over, all the problems would naturally be solved.
But for some reason, Xie Jingyuan preferred to confront Mei Fengchen rather than hand him over.
Chu Xinian underestimated Mei Fengchen’s determination, and now there are countless pairs of eyes watching the General’s mansion. The people outside could not enter, and the people inside could not leave.
Chu Xinian stood up, “General, wait a moment. I’ll go out and take a look.”
Xie Jingyuan frowned and stood up, wanting to follow him, but a long, slender hand suddenly rested on his shoulder. Pressing Xie Jingyuan into the chair.
“I’ll be back soon.” Chu Xinian’s eyes were soft as he whispered these words.
The General’s mansion was located in the middle of a cross street, surrounded by teahouses and restaurants, and the window seats were filled with people, all with their own machinations.
On the first floor where the view was the best, sat an elegant young man dressed in blue with his hands folded and hidden in his sleeves, His eyes were deep and inscrutable as he said, “Mai Fengchen is tough. I wonder who will prevail between him and Xie Jingyuan.”
In front of him was a scholar dressed in a Confucian robe. He stroked his beard and frowned with concern as he asked, “Chu Xinian is from the Marquis of Quyang’s Manor, who considers himself our ally. Your Highness, should we offer him our assistance?”
This young man in blue was none other than the current Prince Jin, Yin Chengze.
“Help? How?” Prince Jin slowly shook his head, he had no intention whatsoever to help, “You know Mai Fengchen’s temperament. How could I help? However, if he can take down Xie Jingyuan, it would benefit us.”
The scholar looked out of the window and saw a group of people approaching on horseback, with Chu Jiaoping at their head. He looked at Prince Jin instinctively and said, “Your Highness, it is Eldest Young Master Chu.”
Prince Jin frowned, revealing his tendency to seek good fortune and avoid disaster, “I knew he would come. Those who achieve great things cannot be bound by trivial matters. What does it matter if one or two people die? Let it be.”
Seeing this, the scholar advised no more and turned his gaze downward.
Chu Jiaoping arrived hurriedly with his men on horseback. Due to his junior status, he dismounted and greeted Mei Fengchen, “Lord Mei”.
Mei Fengchen opened his eyes and saw that this was a handsome young man well-known at court, and his expression relaxed a little, “You happen to be Lord Chu. Do you have some important business to discuss with me?”
Chu Jiaoping clenched his fists and said, “I heard that your Lordship suspects my younger brother was involved in a murder case. Coincidentally, that day my family sent guards to bring my unruly brother back, and the woman was still alive when they left.”
He waved his hand for Chu San and Chu Si to come closer, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask them.”
Mei Fengchen remained indifferent, “The words of family are not enough to remove suspicion. I am not a person who does not know right from wrong. Whether he has done it or not, I will know after questioning him. But if Second Young Master Chu is innocent, why is he hiding and not coming out?”
He was well aware of Chu Xinian’s notorious reputation.
Chu Jiaoping wanted to say more but was stopped by Mei Fengchen, “This matter has nothing to do with Lord Chu, so it is better not to get involved. I see that you behave righteously, so I advise you not to exert yourself in this situation.”
At his words, Chu Jiaoping could only retreat in embarrassment, frowning slightly and looking for another solution.
When this scene fell into the eyes of the public, it inevitably led to another round of criticism. There was a lot of noise and it looked like a market. At that moment, the closed door of the General’s mansion suddenly creaked open, and a young man dressed in white stepped out from inside.
His face was as beautiful as the shining moon. He approached Mei Fengchen with a bow, and, smiling slightly, said, “I have long since heard of Lord Mei’s strict rules. My rudeness earlier was due to my negligence. I hope you can forgive me.”
Mei Fengchen was after all very old. He has been sitting for half a day without eating or drinking, his eyes a little tired. He slowly stood up under the assistance of the bailiffs, silently examining the young man in front of him. He said, “What, finally willing to come out?”
Chu Xinian ignored the stares around him and smiled, “I know you have doubts, Lord Mei. After thinking about it for a while, I decided that, instead of hiding, I should come out and clear my name. And prevent your reputation from being ruined forever”.
He speaks with hidden pins, subtly and maliciously wounding others without leaving a trace.
Mei Fengchen laughed out loud at his words, and waved his sleeve angrily, “Alright, young brat! I want to see how you justify yourself today, and how you cause my reputation to be ruined!”
Chu Xinian slowly descended the steps and approached the corpse. The crowd of onlookers automatically backed away, leaving him a large space.
Chu Xinian ignored the dirt, bent down, and directly lifted the white cloth covering the corpse. His voice was calm as he said, “Today, in front of everyone, we will verify the cause and the effect.”
I really like our mc buuut our ml on the other hand… like I mean he’s a high ranking general and he’s been through numerous warfare and assassination attempts yet he still seems a bit.. dumb
Idk thanks for the chapter
I mean it was stated in the earlier chapter that he has the brawns but not rlly the brains..i guess
+1
I can’t wait for him to unveil the truth!
My mind is telling me that a part of Xie Jingyuan is actually bitter about Jiu Niang 😂 bitter in a jealous kind of way of course! Look at him, despite acting like a tsundere, he still cares about Chu Xinian after all!
Wooow this is so cool! Thank you for the chapter!♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️
We love a badass mc 😌
Thank you for the update ❤️💯