Chapter 89: A Way to Clear One’s Name

Shen Qianmo had never imagined that a portrait she had painted would bring ruin upon the Ink Sect.

When she finally received the news and rushed to the Xuan Prince’s residence, she happened to meet Lu Ziqing just as he was preparing to lead the yamen officers of the Ministry of Justice away.

“Lord Lu, where is Elder Ink?” Shen Qianmo asked, and immediately thought how clumsy the question sounded.

Since Lu Ziqing was already about to withdraw, it meant that the Imperial Guard had taken Mo Qingshan away.

Worried for Mo Qingshan, Shen Qianmo had come all the way from the mansion of the duke without pausing once. Her cheeks were flushed, a fine sheen of sweat glimmered on her brow, and the hair at her temples had been tousled loose by the wind.

Seeing Shen Qianmo so rarely unsettled, Lu Ziqing suddenly felt a pang of tenderness. He took a few steps forward and stopped before her, his usually rigid tone softening by several degrees.

“Elder Mo was just taken away by the Imperial Guard. Qianmo, do not worry. For now, he should not be in danger.”

Even so, Lu Ziqing himself had no real certainty.

He had heard every word of the Imperial Guard’s grounds for arresting Mo Qingshan. Harboring survivors of the former dynasty and secretly keeping imperial relics from that former house were both offenses punishable by death.

How could Shen Qianmo not understand this? The five murdered children all came from illustrious families of the Great Sheng. Emperor Mingde was bound to give them a satisfactory account.

And the families of those victims had, strangely enough, all reached the same conclusion. Whether the true culprit in this case was Mo Hanshan or Mo Qingshan, it was still one of the Ink Sect. Rather than chase after a nonexistent Mo Hanshan, it would be better to settle accounts with the Mo Qingshan who was right before their eyes.

Besides, in Emperor Mingde’s eyes now, the case itself was no longer the focus. What mattered was whether the Ink Sect still harbored loyalty to the former dynasty and ill intent toward the Meng imperial house.

In this feudal realm, such a thing was intolerable to every ruler.

The Ink Sect would be in grave trouble this time.

“Where are those taken by the Imperial Guard held?” Shen Qianmo did not know the workings of this place. She only knew that the Imperial Guard were the emperor’s confidants and obeyed no one but him.

“The Imperial Guard have a special place for imprisoning criminals. It is heavily guarded, and only major court offenders are held there. Ordinary people cannot enter,” Lu Ziqing said, his face cold and grave.

So even visiting would be difficult. The Ink Sect had deep roots and many disciples. It seemed Emperor Mingde was extremely wary of them, since he had directly deployed the Imperial Guard.

Shen Qianmo’s brows drew together faintly as she said anxiously to Lu Ziqing, “Could Lord Lu please help keep watch? If there is any news, I hope you can inform us as soon as possible.”

After all, Lu Ziqing held an important post at court, so it would certainly be easier for him to gather information than for her.

“Of course. I too hope Elder Mo will come to no harm.”

At that moment, Lu Ziqing suddenly had such a thought: as long as this woman before him could ease her brows and smile brightly, he would be willing to do anything and pay any price.

As for the possibility that the Ink Sect still cherished treasonous loyalty to the former dynasty, he could cast it all behind him and ignore it completely.

Startled by his own thoughts, Lu Ziqing hurriedly suppressed that frightening impulse. Yet his hand still moved of its own accord, drawing out a handkerchief and intending to offer it to Shen Qianmo so she could wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead.

Just then, Meng Yuanheng’s cool voice came from behind them.

“Lord Lu has stood guard at the gate of the Xuan Prince’s residence for so long. Now that the man has already been taken away by you people, should you not return and report?”

Lu Ziqing quietly tucked the handkerchief back into his sleeve, then turned and bowed toward Meng Yuanheng, who had appeared at the gate.

“My apologies for the disturbance. This official takes his leave.”

Before departing, Lu Ziqing nodded to Shen Qianmo as a farewell.

Shen Qianmo also nodded in return. After watching him go, she walked over to Meng Yuanheng. Seeing how grim his face was, she knew he must also be worried over Mo Qingshan’s affair.

“Mo’er, let us go inside,” Meng Yuanheng said, taking her hand and looking up at her, his tone heavy.

“Mm.” Shen Qianmo took the wheelchair from Changdong and pushed him slowly into the residence.

They went straight to the study, where Yun Yi and Wenren Yuan were already present. Seeing them enter, Wenren Yuan bowed to Shen Qianmo.

“Greetings, Princess.”

Even Yun Yi, who was rarely solemn, greeted Shen Qianmo with a grave expression and continued from where he had left off.

“That Mo Hanshan has been missing for more than twenty years. He must have long since changed his name, altered his appearance, and vanished into the sea of men. It will not be easy to find him. The secret guards of the Cloud-Watching Villa have already done their utmost to investigate, but there is still no firm news.”

Wenren Yuan then reported, “These past few days, this subordinate discovered that the judicial steward of the Prince of Luo’s residence had occasional contact with a mysterious person. However, that man is extremely cautious and careful, and for the moment this subordinate has not yet uncovered his true identity.”

A mysterious person? Shen Qianmo’s thoughts turned. Could this person be Mo Hanshan?

Yun Yi added, “Could this mysterious person be Mo Hanshan, or someone connected to him? Meng Tianluo wants nothing more than to eliminate the Xuan Prince’s residence, while Mo Hanshan harbors deep hatred for the Ink Sect. The two of them would be quite likely to join forces.”

“Even if Mo Hanshan were found, it would not help clear Father’s innocence,” Shen Qianmo said, her brows lightly furrowed. “The charge of murder is easy enough to shake off, but the charge of secretly keeping the jade pendant of the former emperor is not so easily resolved.”

Indeed, that was the real reason Emperor Mingde feared them.

“Didn’t that Yin Zhan leave the Ink Sect long ago? Why would Father still be hiding his jade pendant?” Shen Qianmo asked in great confusion.

“That jade pendant was not hidden by Father at all. When Yin Zhan left the Ink Sect back then, he naturally took the pendant with him,” Meng Yuanheng said coldly.

What? The three of them were all shocked.

“Then how did the Imperial Guard find that jade pendant in the Ink Sect? Could it be that the ones conducting the search had a problem?” Yun Yi exclaimed.

“Even if the Imperial Guard were deliberately framing them, since the pendant belonged to Yin Zhan, and Yin Zhan had already died on Ultimate Island, where on earth did the pendant presented to the emperor by the Imperial Guard come from?” Wenren Yuan was likewise puzzled.

Shen Qianmo’s brows tightened slightly as she analyzed calmly, “The Imperial Guard have no grievance or enmity with the Ink Sect, and they would never harm them without reason. If the problem really lies with those Imperial Guards, then they must have been bought or instructed by someone. The sudden appearance of Yin Zhan’s jade pendant makes me even more certain that Mo Hanshan cannot be separated from this matter.”

“How so?” Yun Yi looked as though he were humbly receiving instruction.

“The demonic art of Violet Charm was created by Mo Hanshan, and Yin Zhan also knew this art. That means there must have been some connection between the two of them, and it would not be impossible for Mo Hanshan to possess Yin Zhan’s jade pendant.”

Meng Yuanheng nodded, agreeing with Shen Qianmo’s view. “Uncle Wenren, investigate the few Imperial Guards who searched the Ink Sect that day, and see whether the people they met with were unusual.”

“This subordinate obeys.”

Wenren Yuan was just about to take his leave when hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Then Yan Mo’s voice rang out from beyond.

“Your Highness, this subordinate Yan Mo.”

“Come in,” Meng Yuanheng said gravely.

Yan Mo pushed open the door and entered. Too anxious even to bow, he hurriedly reported, “Your Highness, this subordinate has just inquired at the Imperial Guard prison and learned that the emperor has already ordered Elder Mo to be secretly executed on the spot.”

A little over his shoulder, just before the seventh month turned fully to its end, the weather was still sweltering. Shen Qianmo waited beneath the corridor outside the Hall of Diligent Governance, the fierce midday sun casting itself mercilessly upon her. The complicated robes and skirt of ancient dress only made the heat more oppressive.

A bead of sweat seemed to slide from her temple. Shen Qianmo lifted a hand to wipe it away and could not help cursing inwardly.

That old emperor really knew how to enjoy himself. She and Meng Yuanheng had been waiting here for nearly an hour, and his midday sleep still had not ended.

How foolish of her to once think Emperor Mingde was a diligent, people-loving, indefatigable ruler.

“Mo’er, crouch down,” Meng Yuanheng said, taking her hand with a trace of frustration.

Shen Qianmo crouched as he told her and asked, “What is it, Ah Heng? Is something uncomfortable?”

During treatment for the cold poison, one should not become overly exhausted. Yet in recent days, her own imprisonment had already worn him to the bone, and now this matter of Mo Qingshan had happened. She truly feared that he would tire himself too much, affecting the treatment and ruining all their efforts.

But Meng Yuanheng only took out a silk handkerchief and lifted his hand to gently wipe away the sweat running down Shen Qianmo’s cheek. His movements were tender, as careful as though he were cleaning some object he prized beyond measure.

He was deeply frustrated that his leg ailment had still not been cured. Even such a trivial act as wiping sweat from Mo’er’s face, which should have been effortless, was beyond his ability to do freely.

At that moment, Eunuch Li finally emerged from the inner hall with quick, shuffling steps to announce them. “Prince Xuan, Princess Xuan, the two of you may enter.”

Shen Qianmo pushed Meng Yuanheng’s wheelchair over the high threshold of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Emperor Mingde sat upright behind the large desk within the hall, his bright yellow dragon robe gleaming with a dazzling luster. Hearing the two of them enter, he lifted his head from the mountain of memorials before him and cast them a stern, imperial glance.

Shen Qianmo stepped forward to stand beside Meng Yuanheng’s wheelchair, then knelt to pay her respects. “This subject’s daughter greets Your Majesty.”

Meng Yuanheng remained seated in the wheelchair and did not kneel, saying only coolly, “This subject, Meng Yuanheng, greets Your Majesty.”

His expression was clearly displeased.

“Rise,” Emperor Mingde said, his voice equally cold. “I know why the two of you have come. However, this matter is no trivial affair. Mo Qingshan’s harboring of survivors of the former dynasty and secret keeping of a relic from the former imperial house are facts. According to the laws of Great Sheng, I could have the entire Mo family executed. Now I have only secretly put Mo Qingshan to death, and that is already giving the Xuan Prince’s residence enough face. My decision is final. If the two of you wish to plead for Mo Qingshan, then you need not waste your breath.”

Shen Qianmo naturally understood Emperor Mingde’s intention. He must have already known their purpose and, before either of them could speak, used these words to cut off all retreat.

Her expression remained composed, and her voice was steady as she said unhurriedly, “Your Majesty, this subject’s daughter came today only to fulfill a promise to Your Majesty.”

Emperor Mingde arched a brow, a flicker of surprise showing in his eyes. So they had not come to plead for Mo Qingshan?

“A promise? When did I ever promise you anything?” Emperor Mingde said with a cold snort.

Yet Shen Qianmo calmly took a golden token from her bosom. In a level voice, she said slowly, “This subject’s daughter asks Your Majesty to graciously permit me to exchange this death-exemption token for Mo Qingshan’s life.”

As her clear voice fell, the Hall of Diligent Governance was instantly silent.

For a moment, Emperor Mingde stood stunned. Then, recovering himself, he flew into a rage. With a crack, his right hand slammed forcefully onto the desk, and the memorials upon it all shook.

Eunuch Li, standing at his side, shuddered all over. His legs trembled violently, and his knees gave way as he dropped to the floor, quavering, “Your Majesty, please quell your anger and take care of your dragon body.”

Emperor Mingde ignored Eunuch Li entirely and only stared at Shen Qianmo, his face livid as he said furiously, “You girl from the Shen family, what gall you have, daring to use something bestowed by me to defy me! You... do you even place me in your eyes?”