“My lord!” Hearing Yuan Cheng’s words, Zhou Wen was somewhat unwilling. He shot Mo Zi a sideways glance, his eyes filled with resentment. “Selling to her for five thousand taels already puts us at a great loss. To give away another one for free—isn’t this price too steep?”

“What price can compare with one’s own life? Boss Zhou just said himself that without life, what use is silver?” Mo Zi didn’t blush at her false righteousness. She neither stole nor robbed. Opening her mouth wide like a lion to the first corrupt official was like plucking a single hair from an ox—no need to feel guilty.

Worthy of being the first corrupt official—even having become a prisoner, he could still escape, and had people like Zhou Wen working for him. Moreover, seeing how he took charge of selling and gifting the Water Purification Pearls, clearly this Pearl and Jade Records had a deep relationship with him. Perhaps he was the real boss.

“Then, has Mo-ge agreed?” Yuan Cheng paid no attention to Zhou Wen, only asking Mo Zi.

“I won’t hide it from my lord—I am indeed tempted.” She had brought along six extra people and didn’t mind taking away one more. A bead worth two hundred thousand taels was absolutely bait that someone like herself, with savings of less than ten taels, could not refuse to swallow.

“Nonsense—you spend nothing and gain a pile of silver.” Zhou Wen was a merchant who pursued profit at every turn. In Yuan Cheng’s presence, he complained without any attempt at concealment, unlike a loyal servant.

“Please continue, Mo-ge.” But Yuan Cheng ignored Zhou Wen completely.

Not only a corrupt official but a clever one too. Mo Zi looked at the hunched shadow before her. “Though I’m tempted, I still have hesitations. I wonder if my lord has heard the story of the scorpion and the frog?” Though the bait was large, one still had to retrieve it before eating it.

“This Yuan is listening.” His throat sounded as if a millstone had been dragged across it—raspy and hoarse, looking as if he might never speak again at any moment.

“A scorpion wanted to cross the river, but it couldn’t swim. At that time, a frog was about to cross the river. So the scorpion asked the frog to carry it across. The frog refused, saying your tail is poisonous—what if you sting me? The scorpion repeatedly assured the frog it absolutely wouldn’t sting. The scorpion said, if I sting you while crossing the river, you’ll die, and won’t I die too? How could I sting you? The frog thought this made sense and agreed to carry it. My lord, can you guess the outcome?” In a moment of inspiration, Mo Zi forgot about the uproar her storytelling had caused at the Qiu Mansion before and told another story.

Yuan Cheng didn’t speak for a long while. Just as Mo Zi thought he couldn’t guess, he opened his mouth to answer, “I guess the scorpion still stung the frog to death, and then drowned itself.”

“Correct.” Mo Zi thought to herself, no wonder it was said that since ancient times, treacherous ministers were also capable ministers, while loyal ministers might not be clever. “Before dying, the frog asked the scorpion: You clearly knew that if you stung me to death, you would also die. Why did you have to sting me? The scorpion helplessly replied: I had no choice—this is my nature. My lord gifts me Water Purification Pearls, and I am indeed greedy. But if I ferry my lord across the river and we encounter water soldiers en route, even if my lord doesn’t wish to implicate me, I’m afraid I still couldn’t escape punishment. Without contraband on my boat, if caught I’d at most receive a few dozen lashes. But if I’m helping an imperial criminal escape, that’s a capital offense. Just thinking about this point, I hesitate like the frog.”

“What do you propose?” Being a clever person, Yuan Cheng immediately asked Mo Zi in return.

“It’s not difficult. As long as my lord makes a life-and-death contract with me—if we unfortunately encounter soldiers and I tell you to jump into the water, you must jump. If you can’t hold on and die, your family cannot hold me responsible afterward. Whether you live is your fortune; whether you die is your fate. This is the rule of our private boats.” One contract—no connection in death.

“Taking two beads, not only unable to guarantee safe passage across the river but also making people die without implicating you—isn’t that too ruthless?” Zhou Wen was so angry smoke came from his seven orifices. He secretly wondered what kind of person he had summoned.

“I’m only speaking of a worst-case scenario. Moreover, if he jumps into the water, to prevent soldiers from searching out contraband, I’d have to dispose of the beads too, wouldn’t I? Besides, I have a whole boat of brothers who can’t die for one stranger.” Mo Zi had made things very clear. “My lord, as long as you agree, we can depart early tomorrow morning.”

“My lord, I think we should wait a bit longer. After your injuries heal somewhat and the situation passes, I’ll find another way to get you out of the city. At that time we can take small roads. Though it will take more days, it’s safer than the water route.” Zhou Wen felt heartache thinking about losing two Water Purification Pearls.

“Then suit yourselves. Rest assured, I’m very tight-lipped. Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains.” What could she say? They gave her the opportunity to be greedy, so naturally she’d try her best to争取. If they didn’t give it, she didn’t care either.

“Mo-ge, please don’t be impatient. This Yuan has never said he wouldn’t agree.” Yuan Cheng spoke much more slowly than before, his breathing uneven, turbid sounds in his throat.

“My lord!” Zhou Wen stamped his foot and stepped forward.

“Was Mo-ge born in Great Zhou?” Yuan Cheng’s attitude toward Zhou Wen was extremely cold, only speaking to Mo Zi.

“No, I’m originally from Yuling. My hometown relatives met with disaster. I alone escaped and was saved by my mistress.” Why ask where she came from? Though puzzled in her heart, Mo Zi answered completely honestly.

“Then you should hate Great Zhou.” Clearly looking like he couldn’t hold on much longer, Yuan Cheng spoke slowly, word by word. “You haven’t been in Great Zhou long—do you know of this Yuan Cheng’s affairs?”

Mo Zi shook her head. “I’ve been in Great Zhou less than a year, and have come to Nande only three times. Each time was rushed coming and going—I’ve never heard of my lord’s affairs. Only since yesterday have I heard my lord’s name.” Not his name, but his nickname—the nickname “first corrupt official.”

“I was born in Great Zhou. My grandfather held official rank as a First-Rank Grand Commander, my father was the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor who taught the Crown Prince for five years. An innocent implication from a list of traitors—the previous Emperor didn’t question right from wrong and had both men torn apart by five horses, exterminating nine clans. My wet nurse escaped with me alone; my brothers and sisters were all captured. That year I was five years old, yet I remember the ferocious anger of the soldiers at my family’s gate. From that time I vowed never to return to Zhou.” At this moment, Yuan Cheng wasn’t the first corrupt official but merely a helpless and destitute victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Mo Zi thought, was he trying to gain sympathy?

“What does Mo-ge think—why have I changed my mind about Great Zhou, a place I never wished to set foot in again?” But Yuan Cheng wasn’t as shallow as she thought. “Because I fear death. As long as I can survive, even if it’s the place where my entire clan met disaster, I’ll return. I fear death to the point of abandoning family vengeance. It seems that even in death, a scorpion’s nature to sting—I don’t possess that.”

Mo Zi looked at him with admiring eyes. Truly outstanding persuasive power.

“Gaining it is my fortune; not gaining it is my fate. Mo-ge, I agree to your terms. If I die in the river, it should be my own doing—I won’t blame others. Moreover, this Yuan Cheng has no more living relatives in the world. If I die, no one will avenge me. In Nande, I’ve provoked heaven’s anger and people’s resentment. Learning of my death, who knows how many will clap their hands in joy.” Yuan Cheng’s coughing grew fierce again, but his hands remained on his legs, motionless. “However, Mo-ge must also know that both my arms are broken and I have difficulty walking. If you don’t mind the trouble of a crippled person, please come to fetch me tomorrow. As for payment, once I board the ship, I’ll present both pearls together.”

Mo Zi was first surprised by the first corrupt official’s complicated background, then admired how, enduring such physical pain, he could still converse and laugh.

“Lord Yuan, please rest well. Early tomorrow morning, I’ll personally come to fetch my lord. Farewell.” The first corrupt official—at least he showed true character. That’s what she thought.

With a sweep of her green shirt, both sleeves flying, she bowed deeply.