What an Audacious and Sly Servant! - Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54 – SPINNING SILK FROM COCOONS (MAKING A PAINSTAKING INVESTIGATION)

The first time Mei Qian Deng met the rumoured Prince Chen was a few days after Di Mu Yang returned to the capital city.

That morning, Mei Qian Deng and Chu Xun went together to listen to Senior Official Song’s class. On the way, they came across a man wearing a fancy navy blue clothes. With the unnecessarily pale face, his black hair neatly tied up and tall, straight bearing, one look was enough to know he was someone familiar with martial arts. Plus, his face had some similarities with Chu Xun’s. It just that this man’s eyes were deeply and serenely filled with gloom, making others shuddered.

Mei Qian Deng was stared by him until she suddenly felt dislike. She unconsciously hid behind Chu Xun.

When Chu Xun was with Mei Qian Deng, all these times it had been him who was being protected. Today with the sudden change, Chu Xun in a flash thought he had puffed up. He instantly protected Mei Qian Deng at his back and carefully greeted the incoming person, “Imperial Uncle doesn’t need to go to the morning court?”

Prince Chen indifferently smiled, “These few days your Imperial Father had forbid this Prince from going to the morning courts. This Prince is here to send self-critic text.” His words were filled with jesting as if he had never put the Emperor in his eyes. He moved his eyesight to the behind Chu Xun. “This is this Prince’s first time meeting such a rude servant, meeting this Prince yet doesn’t salute. Xun er, who is this?”

“Caomin Mei Qian Deng, paying respect to Your Highness Prince Chen,” Mei Qian Deng introduced herself.

“Oh~ so you’re that Mei Qian Deng.” Prince Chen smiled cheerfully, his tone had turned considerably genial, carrying an elder doting and teasing aura. “Rumours had it that you’re an unparalleled extraordinarily brave, have excellent martial arts, risked your life to defeat assassins, saved Crown Prince once and unafraid of both heaven and earth. Why upon meeting this Prince do you hide behind Crown Prince?”

When Mei Qian Deng had encountered assassins on her way to the capital city, they said that those were sent by Prince Chen. Nan Bai Cheng and Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel issue, again they said that Prince Chen was the ringleader. This hypocrite big uncle in front of her, was exactly that rumoured, constantly plotting to harm the Emperor and Crown Prince with an intention to rebel, that bad Imperial Uncle……

Right now, this big villain was standing before Mei Qian Deng, giving out invisible pressure. Female warrior Mei’s throat was slightly dry as she swallowed her saliva. Inside, she had some shadowy feelings towards Prince Chen.

Chu Xun helped her out of the predicament, “Imperial Uncle please don’t blame her. Just a countryside wild youngster, she never understand manners. It’s because my improper teaching. When Imperial Uncle passes the self-critic text later, please don’t ever mention this matter to Imperial Father. Or else, Imperial Father will punish me.”

Prince Chen’s smile turned deeper, “Does Xun er thinks Imperial Uncle childish and bored and will bother myself with you children?”

“Doesn’t dare. Currently, we’re going to the class. Another day, I will apologise to Imperial Uncle for the wrong. Now, we will take our leave first.” After saying so, Chu Xun didn’t wait for Prince Chen’s answer as he pulled Mei Qian Deng’s wrist, dragging her and left.

Leaving only Prince Chen standing at the same spot with his eyes sending off the two youngsters.

“Say, aren’t you quite competence usually in front of me? Why when you see Prince Chen, it’s like a mouse seeing a cat?”

Mei Qian Deng didn’t answer.

Chu Xun felt sorry for her and softened his tone, “People like Imperial Uncle is sinister and cunning. Next time you see him, don’t pay attention. If there’s any problem, I will take it on for you.”

Mei Qian Deng only replied with a sound before turning silent again.

Chu Xun was walking in front of her and even pulling her hand. This person was taking advantage of the situation, extremely shameless and even had an appearance of not minding it as he pulled Mei Qian Deng. “Last time when we went to Anxi, do you still remember those illegal salt?”

“En.”

“Let me tell you, you must never tell this to others. This illegal salt is probably a cover as well. In it, probably it’s a layer stacking with another layers. The deepest intention is to slaughter thousands upon thousands of men and horses.”

Mei Qian Deng thought over a moment. She didn’t exactly understand the meaning in Chu Xun’s words and tried asking, “Are you saying, Prince Chen he really wants to rebel?”

Chu Xun nodded, “Today after the class ends, go and bring Mo Nian Yuan over here. I have something to ask him.”

“Yes.”

“Walk faster a bit. If we are late, Senior Official Song will nag again.” Chu Xun tugged Mei Qian Deng’s small hand, throughout the way he was unwilling to let it go. Crown Prince didn’t notice after Mei Qian Deng met Prince Chen, she was a little unusual. To say it was unusual, it’s just keep on being absent-minded in the morning, unknown what she was thinking about.

That was when Mei Qian Deng was still very small, maybe around three years old, her memories were quite vague. The details had long unable to remember. However, she had the impression. At Mei Zi River Islet, on a rainy day, Old Master Mei was exchanging moves with a man under the rain. They fought close to each other, equally matched. In the end, that man fully in wet entered the house. That pair of eyes were much cloudy than the raining sky. When he saw Mei Qian Deng sitting at the door, he lowered his body and smiled lightly at her. It seemed like he had even said, “Brother Mei, this child is just like my little nephew, looks exceedingly adorable.” Saying so, he had just about to stretch his hand to touch Mei Qian Deng’s head when he made Mei Qian Deng scared until she wailed.

Mo Nian Yuan entered the palace at night to meet the Crown Prince.

Chu Xun intentionally sent away Mei Qian Deng. Then, he didn’t want to talk rubbish with Mo Nian Yuan, “When you’re at the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel, did you ever fail to report something?”

Mo Nian Yuan trembled as he knelt on the floor. When he heard this, his tears almost flow down. “Your highness, this humble one doesn’t dare to have a disloyal heart. Whatever I heard and saw in the brothel, all of them were reported to Young Hero Mei. I had never hide anything!”

“Have people of different nation ever visit the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel?”

“There are all sort of people in the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel. Does the several Hu girls inside count? And then, there are some foreign people who arrived at the capital city for business, with outlandish clothes and even talk in barbaric language. This, this humble one can’t understand their language, so doesn’t know how to investigate their exact details……” Mo Nian Yuan was felt wronged and scared. Why would the Crown Prince find him if there was nothing, it must be that some big problem had happened.

Chu Xun asked further, “The dark from head to toe type of big men, like to wear fur sleeveless jacket and had a goat’s foul smell on their body. Have you ever see them?”

“This……seems like never see them.”

Chu Xun hooked the corners of his mouth and called him out, “Mo Nian Yuan.”

Mo Nian Yuan shuddered. “Your Highness, what other order does Your Highness have?”

“Your qinggong should be quite pretty good.”

“What?”

“When you’re a planted agent in the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel, you usually must need to leap onto roofs and vault over walls to eavesdrop. If your qinggong is bad, right now you wouldn’t be alive kneeling here. However, this Crown Prince thinks you didn’t fulfil your duty at all and even suspects you’re with ulterior motives from the start.” Chu Xun’s train of thought leapt too much.

“Your Highness, this is an unjust treatment!” Mo Nian Yuan had already been put in order by him before. He threw himself, wanting to hug Chu Xun’s thigh as he cry but Chu Xun avoided him.

Chu Xun didn’t listen to his explanation at all as he talked to himself, “However, this Crown Prince can give you a chance to escape death. To see whether your qinggong is good or bad. Later, this Crown Prince will walk on foot to the imperial palace gate. If you can without alarming the imperial bodyguards in the palace, wait outside the palace gate before I reach there, I will not kill you.”

Mo Nian Yuan was confused. “Then, what if, what if this humble one can’t do it?”

“You will die on the way, die under those bodyguards’ swords.”

“……”

“Let’s start this game now.” Saying so, Chu Xun leisurely walked out of the room and went for the palace gate.

Mo Nian Yuan was dumbstruck for a while in the room. He had yet to return to his sense from this sudden game. His first thought was whether to find Mei Qian Deng, to let Mei Qian Deng help him plead the Crown Prince. However, Mei Qian Deng currently nowhere to be found. Mo Nian Yuan became anxious. In the end, he finally realised that the Crown Prince was probably not making a joke. He really had the intention to kill him. Gritting his teeth, with a push of his feet, he jumped out of the room and disappeared.

Qinggong was really Mo Nian Yuan’s forte. Because he was faster than the wind, much secretive than the shadow, he could chase the wind and clutch the shadows[1]. To unknowingly move around in the heavily guarded imperial palace, for Mo Nian Yuan it was not really an impossible matter.

By the time Chu Xun leisurely reached the palace gate, the moon was already high in the sky. Looking from afar, it was as if supporting beside the auspicious animal carved stone at the imperial city’s peak upturned eaves and that auspicious animal might in the next moment came to life and fly to the moon.

“Paying respect to Your Highness Crown Prince.”

“Open the palace gate.”

The bodyguards in charge of the gate had a confused face. They didn’t understand why the Crown Prince want to go out of the palace late at night. “Your Highness, it’s already late. Where do you want to go? This Brigadier General can’t just simply let Your Highness go out of the palace. Why don’t you first wait for this Brigadier General to inform General……”

“I’m not going out, I’m receiving someone. Go and open the gate.”

“Yes……” That bodyguard in charge of the gate followed the order as he opened the gate. The first thing he saw was a man grabbing his chest with his waist bent and panting heavily. He was first surprised. There really is someone outside the gate. Then, when that person raised his head and that bodyguard saw his face, he was astonished. “Aren’t you, the one who entered the palace earlier……”

Mo Nian Yuan was checked by the bodyguards guarding the gate before entering the palace earlier. Tonight, it was just this person alone who broke the rule and managed to enter the palace. The bodyguard had a very clear impression. Mo Nian Yuan waved his hand. This matter he had no way to explain. He himself didn’t understand what had happened. Later, Mo Nian Yuan was escorted by Chu Xun again back to the Ming Jue Palace and locked in a room.

One was sitting while another one was kneeling.

As if that life-threatening game of running away earlier was just a dream.

Chu Xun poured a cup of tea on the table for Mo Nian Yuan, “Come, have a drink to get over the shock.”

Mo Nian Yuan didn’t dare to move.

Chu Xun didn’t force him. He said, “That child from Yue family, it’s you who secretly sent him into the palace right?”

Mo Nian Yuan still didn’t move, his voice carrying some tremble, “Your Highness earlier is just trying to check this humble one’s martial art?”

“Indeed.”

“What if this humble one says, it’s not this humble one who did it, will Your Highness believe it?”

“Will not believe it.”

Both Mo Nian Yuan’s eyes were already watery. He violently raised his head. Chu Xun was shocked by his exaggerated weeping bitter tears act. Mo Nian Yuan slowly straightened his waist, trying to pounce on Chu Xun but Chu Xun used his leg to step on his chest, not allowing Mo Nian Yuan to pounce on.

His Highness Crown Prince was extremely disgusted, “Speak properly if you have something to say.”

“Your Highness, this humble one, this humble one doesn’t know from where to say……”

Chu Xun had an understanding smile again as he hooked the edge of his lips while looking at him, “It’s not you don’t know from where to talk, you’re not sure how much I know and hence doesn’t dare to speak carelessly. Up until now, you still want to hide it? No matter, then let me speak instead.”

Chu Xun first took out a white paper from the table drawer. He opened it to let Mo Nian Yuan have a look, “This is the Yue family’s genealogy. These several names at the top, you shouldn’t be stranger of them right?”

Mo Nian Yuan stared at that piece of paper, his lips pursed without speaking.

“Your name originally should be written at the third generation of the main branch.” Chu Xun took back the paper and used a brush and ink to write a few words beside that Yue family’s last patriarch’s name. Then, he returned the paper for Mo Nian Yuan to see.

He merely saw Chu Xun’s bold and strong calligraphy. Written with it was: Younger brother, Yue Nian Yuan.

Mo Nian Yuan’s face instantly paled.

“Your Highness please don’t jest. This Yue family has only one son in three generations. This younger brother didn’t exist.”

“This Yue Nian Yuan, is a brother of different mother. When he was young, he was stranded outside. Later, he was found by his brother who wished to let him recognise his ancestry. Yue Nian Yuan had a resentment towards the Yue family and didn’t accept. Until one day, a small page from Yue family covered in blood came searching for him. He passed a baby in swaddling clothes into Yue Nian Yuan’s hands. Only then did he know the Yue family had been massacred. In these few years, Yue Nian Yuan brought along the child dodging and hiding while investigating in secret. He wanted to find out the murderer that killed the Yue family and the truth. I guess not too long ago he already had a progress.”

“Your Highness, this humble one really doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”

Chu Xun wasn’t upset as he slowly resumed talking, “I guess Yue Nian Yuan doesn’t dare to disclose it, because he isn’t sure the actual murderer that killed Yue family. The people he suspects are two people. Hence, he took the risk and used his own little nephew to probe a bit. However, I say, since Yue Nian Yuan dares to use his own nephew to risk it, actually he already have the answer in his heart. Since you want to believe one side then you shouldn’t waver.”

Mo Nian Yuan gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists.

“Imperial Father had never send anyone to secretly kill your Yue family, this Crown Prince can swear with own life.”

Mo Nian Yuan raised his head. His eyes blazing like torches as he stared at Chu Xun. Chu Xun currently was sitting calmly at there, making others felt he was unconsciously revealing his prestige. He let Mo Nian Yuan sized him up, as bright as the sun and moon, upright and above flattery.

To make Mo Nian Yuan be truthful, Chu Xun guided patiently and systematically, “Let’s not speak of Yue family matter. Let’s say about when you disguised as me and tricked the innocent girl in the Ru Nunnery. Then, you baited her to come to the capital city. It’s part of your plan to attract the imperial family’s notice. Is it right?” This fact, Mei Qian Deng too had guessed it back then but she didn’t tell Chu Xun. Yet, to turn out Chu Xun too had long noticed this.

Mo Nian Yuan didn’t retort, which could be considered as admitting it.

“Ru Nunnery is in fact a licentious place. After Lady Su left, you still remain in the Ru Nunnery, this time disguising as Prince Chen to trick others again. Why? I kind of want to investigate what sort of secret that can’t be known by others the Ru Nunnery has. You say, good or not?”

“Good!” This time Mo Nian Yuan answered strangely fast.

Chu Xun satisfyingly smiled, “It’s good if it’s like this. You just need to continue follow Mei Qian Deng to make gags in the capital city. There’s no need to tell her all these.”

“Yes.”

Before Mo Nian Yuan left, he hesitated again. Yet, he turned his head around and told Chu Xun, “Actually, Young Hero Mei could have been aware of this a long time ago. Young Hero Mei’s eyes had always been exceptionally sharp. He can see thoroughly yet likes to keep it hidden in his stomach.”

[1] The novel must have mean the literal meaning and not the figurative meaning: speak or act on groundless rumours