Censor Shi kept his face rigid and expressionless as he glanced at him, then looked at the gold box on the table that everyone had now ignored, and asked Lin Yuanchuan, “He gave this to you?”
Lin Yuanchuan straightened his back and nodded. “He gave it to me, saying he wanted to take away the criminal who bribed the jailer, find some random person to fool the Song and Wang families, and have me stop investigating the case further.”
Eunuch Feng and Old Master Chen exchanged glances, suddenly feeling their doom approaching. This time even Eunuch Feng couldn’t sit still. He knew what kind of person Censor Shi was—in the official world there were certain unspoken rules that everyone tacitly understood and followed, but only this Censor Shi was like a stone in a latrine pit—stinking and hard. He gave face to no one, sold face to no one. When Emperor Jianzhang had just ascended the throne and delayed bestowing honors upon Empress Dowager Rongxian, he had dared to cite classical precedents and do what the Ministry of Rites should have done. He even had a coffin prepared at home, then turned around and made Emperor Jianzhang lose face in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, lecturing him on the great principles of filial piety toward legitimate and concubine-born mothers.
Although Emperor Jianzhang didn’t like him, he absolutely trusted him. This was someone who had never been partial in his heart. When his son in Jinling embezzled someone’s land, it was he himself who bound him and took him to surrender at the prefectural yamen.
Regardless of what Eunuch Feng was thinking, Censor Shi made a sound of acknowledgment and turned back to order someone to pack up the gold box. He looked coldly at Old Master Chen, whose face had turned ashen. “When I first heard about the examination fraud case—that you were implicated by your son—I found it rather absurd. Your son wasn’t the chief examiner, so how would he know the examination questions?”
These words seemed to come from nowhere, yet Old Master Chen broke out in a cold sweat. Censor Shi was clearly saying he had framed his own son, using his son to extricate himself! His face turned pale. He was truly panicked for a moment, not knowing where Censor Shi had been just now or how much he had heard. For a time he was somewhat at a loss.
After Censor Shi finished speaking, he didn’t bother with him at all and simply walked out.
Old Master Chen’s mouth hung open, but he found it somewhat difficult to breathe, like a fish thrown onto the shore, struggling exhaustedly in the mud and sand. He shifted his gaze to Song Yan, who had been standing quietly to the side the whole time.
Song Yan was also looking at him. Seeing him look over, he raised the corners of his mouth and cupped his hands with a half-smile. “Old Master Chen, this junior was fortunate enough to escape, ruining your good plan. I truly apologize.”
Old Master Chen was so enraged that blood rushed upward. He only felt his throat full of the sweet iron taste of blood. The plan had been so well laid out—as long as the male companion successfully pushed Young Master Wang into the water and drowned him, there would be no testimony to contradict theirs. The male companion and Dashan would insist in one voice that Song Yan had killed someone, and even the Song family would have no recourse. Most importantly, Yang Qing had also thought of utilizing Censor Shi and Lin Yuanchuan. When the Song family wrote pleading for leniency, they could submit a memorial impeaching the Song family for interfering in government affairs and treating human life as worthless. He had even prepared the gift for Lin Yuanchuan. But now it had all fallen apart at the last moment. Not only was Yang Qing arrested, but when he himself came to plead with Lin Yuanchuan, he was caught red-handed by the always rigid-minded Censor Shi.
This Song Yan was only eleven years old. He stared at him for a long while, only feeling that the bloody taste in his throat truly couldn’t be swallowed down. He suddenly coughed several times, held out his hand before his eyes, and saw a bright red speck of blood foam in his palm.
Second Master Wang watched dumbstruck, truly not knowing Song Yan could be cunning to this extent. Step by step, he had first lured Yang Qing to take the bait, then had Lin Yuanchuan string along Eunuch Feng and Old Master Chen, who couldn’t obtain any information, for several days before coming to the banquet. He had also arranged beforehand for Censor Shi to eavesdrop in the adjacent room.
Lin Yuanchuan was very disappointed. He glanced at Old Master Chen, hesitated as if to speak, then shook his head. Seeing Song Yan and Second Master Wang leave, he also followed them out. It wasn’t that he was leaving together with Song Yan and Second Master Wang—he was going out to have Constable Xing come in to arrest people. Whether or not there was bribery couldn’t be determined now, but Old Master Chen had confessed himself, saying he had instructed Yang Qing to collude with the male companion to kill someone. That made him either an accomplice or the mastermind in the male companion case. He still needed to be arrested.
Second Master Wang coughed several times before asking Song Yan, “How did you know Old Master Chen would definitely reveal everything? What if today he came to find Master Lin and said nothing?”
Song Yan looked back at him somewhat strangely. “Didn’t you hear that Prefect Lin was constantly drawing out his words?”
Second Master Wang could only cough several more times, deeply feeling that Song Jue was right—with Song Yan alone, matters on this side were more than adequately handled. Upon returning to the residence, Song Yan as usual first went to check on Cui Huaying. Seeing her things were completely packed and she had already instructed the steward to begin transporting them out to load onto the ship, he nodded. He first mentioned eating dinner together that evening before going out to find his two uncles.
When Cui Yingtang heard that Censor Shi had intervened, his heart eased first. “Censor Shi has always been one who hates evil like an enemy. Since he heard it, and the matter occurred in Jinling, he absolutely won’t stand by idly.”
Old Master Chen had already received heaven’s grace by narrowly escaping in the previous spring examination leak case. Yet he still didn’t know how to restrain himself. How many days had he even been in Jinling? He already dared to instruct his subordinates to kill people and even dared to frame others. With such commotion, whatever small bit of affection Emperor Jianzhang originally had for him in his heart had probably been completely exhausted.
“Simply seeking his own destruction.” Cui Yingxun delivered this conclusion and laughed coldly. “At that time, the Wang family’s eldest master should also submit a memorial. His son nearly died—as the newly victorious Taizhou Regional Commander, his heart is filled with trepidation.”
The matter of Cui Yingshu’s incident should also be inseparably connected to the Chen family. Cui Yingxun was utterly fed up with the Chen family buzzing around endlessly like flies, wanting nothing more than to cut the Gordian knot and permanently eliminate this calamity.
Song Yan held the same view and nodded. “I’ve already mentioned it to Second Master, my in-law. Second Master Wang has written to Taizhou to First Master Wang.”
The Wang family’s handling of this matter had been dishonorable. Their hearts had always worried the Cui family would transfer their anger, so naturally whatever the Cui family said was what they would do. Moreover, they themselves harbored resentment toward the Chen family for scheming against Young Master Wang and nearly taking Young Master Wang’s life.
Cui Yingtang and Cui Yingxun then discussed the divorce matter for a while, thinking they would first have the Wang family submit a divorce document to the Ministry of Rites in Jinling, then choose an appropriate day to send Cui Huaying’s dowry and other items back to Jinzhong.
After finishing their discussion and seeing it was about time, the two first went to mention this matter to Old Master Wang. After discussing it sufficiently and declining Second Master Wang’s invitation to stay for dinner, they led Cui Huaying and Song Yan for a trip to Changfeng Tower.