Free Web NovelChapter 676: Chapter 676: Secret
After speaking, he snatched the bowl from Liu Ji’s hand, didn’t even bother using chopsticks, and shoveled the food into his mouth with his hands.
He barely chewed and swallowed it directly, only slowing down once the gnawing acidity in his stomach eased.
"Give him a bowl of soup." Afraid someone might choke to death in their home, Qin Yao quickly advised.
Yin Le nodded in understanding and led him to the dining table, where sumptuous dishes, soups, and snacks were served.
Qin Yao and her husband returned to the main seat, with Qin Yao sitting and Liu Ji standing.
"Wife, what did he say?" Liu Ji asked curiously. The martial artist spoke too quickly earlier, and he couldn’t catch it.
He vaguely heard something about "abuse of power for personal gain" and "seizing large properties of guests."
But the Crown Prince is already above thousands, below only one, so why would he need to seize guest properties?
So, who exactly is this person? Liu Ji was anxious, scratching his head in frustration; if he couldn’t learn this secret today, he surely wouldn’t sleep a wink.
Fortunately, his wife was still very fond of him, gesturing for him to lean closer.
Qin Yao whispered a few words in Liu Ji’s ear, and he listened with wide eyes, almost exclaiming out loud.
However, he reacted promptly, covering his mouth and pacing excitedly in the hall.
This is huge; it turns out to be Prince Feng.
The secret the martial artist overheard was actually Prince Feng abusing power for personal gain, buying the lands and properties of his subordinate guests at absurdly low prices, under market value, in his fiefdom.
They might say it’s a willing buyer and seller deal, but those people are really unwilling, merely coerced by Prince Feng’s influence.
The heirs of the bought officials’ families were discontented and voiced their grievances on the streets, only to be exiled and eventually died on the way.
This matter was originally confined to the fiefdom; with Prince Feng’s means, it should have been sealed tight and couldn’t have leaked out.
But!
It leaked out!
The State Preceptor suppressed the information and brought it to the palace to discuss with the Crown Prince whether or not to suppress the impeachment news.
After all, Prince Feng is overtly supporting the Eastern Palace, a sharp blade against the Princess Mansion.
Moreover, among the Baili family’s fief-princes who maintained imperial orthodoxy, many have died or been demoted, leaving only Prince Feng as a formidable force.
For the sake of the kingdom, the Crown Prince chose to suppress the news temporarily.
That day, the Crown Princess Consort was hosting a banquet at her residence, inviting the ladies of various families in the capital to enjoy the peach blossoms and watch a play.
After the martial artist finished performing, he passed by the back alley of the Crown Prince’s study and coincidentally overheard the Lord State Preceptor and the Crown Prince discussing Prince Feng’s low-price acquisition of subordinate officials’ guests’ fields and residences.
Then he was discovered, and the East Palace Black Cavalry mobilized entirely, officially claiming there was an assassin, and to ensure the safety of young ladies from various residences, personally escorted them back, but actually to screen people.
Secretly, all attendants and maids active near the study at the time were taken to the dungeon and harshly interrogated.
It quickly emerged that the troupe was missing one person, resulting in the whole troupe dying in the dungeon unjustly due to the martial artist’s escape.
"Having escaped, why did you come back?" Qin Yao asked, puzzled.
The martial artist was busy wolfing down food and took a while to respond, swallowing the food with difficulty, and hoarsely said:
"The Class Leader and others died because of me; I have no relatives or friends in this world, so I want to come back and expose this matter, perishing together with the Crown Prince’s Tutor!"
He spoke harshly, but tears of regret fell on his face, "Had I known it would come to this, I should have faced death back then, taking the blame alone, not implicating the Class Leader and them..."
Liu Ji watched him cry with tears streaming, handed him a handkerchief, "Wipe your tears, it’s good to be full for the journey."
The martial artist: "???"
Indeed, they would be delivering him to the Capital City Government tomorrow; he only hoped that the Lord Capital Governor, whom the Class Leader mentioned as a just Lord, truly is just.
Otherwise, if officials protect each other, he would hardly escape death.
Liu Ji didn’t miss the flash of hope in the martial artist’s eyes, feeling even more pity for him.
Knowing such a secret, whether he speaks or not, it’s death...
Wait!
Liu Ji suddenly thought of something, his eyes showing fear, he hurried back to Qin Yao, lowered his voice, and asked:
"Wife, if the martial artist says he already revealed the secret, you and I would be speechless in denial! The Crown Prince’s Black Cavalry might not even spare us, capturing us to silence."
Even considering the worst-case scenario, if the martial artist never admits to revealing the secret, suspicion is most fearful.
Once the seed of doubt is sown, pulling it up by the roots, wouldn’t the fate of our family of eight be—
"Doomed!"
"Doomed, doomed!"
Liu Ji fell into the Taishi Chair, touching its arms, looking at the opulent decor of the hall, and thinking about his bright future...will these all depart from him?
"Wife." Liu Ji leaned closer again, watching the martial artist weeping vigilantly, "How about we hand him over to the State Preceptor, in exchange for the release of the teacher, what do you think?"
Qin Yao was silent for a while, also felt troubled by her impulsive act of taking the person home.
Men by the roadside should not be picked up!
Picking him up turned out to be a big trouble.
The only solution now is to kill and hide the body, pretending this night never happened, the superior strategy.
Perhaps sensing the killing intent, the martial artist stopped sobbing, slowly turned his head towards the couple.
"Madam... aren’t you planning to send me to the Capital Prefecture Government?" the martial artist asked warily.
The couple didn’t respond, their silence suffocating.
The martial artist sneered contemptuously, "In a world where everyone is self-protective, only caring for themselves, witnessing so many injustices without lifting a finger, it seems justice has no place."
He picked up the bowl of soup, finished the last sip, wiped his mouth, and stood up abruptly, his posture upright.
His neck raised high, as if to trample all these indifferent spectators beneath him.
He said, "I am full, Madam, do your deed."
Ah Wang immediately glanced at Qin Yao, not hesitating if she said so.
After all, as the Lord said, none of them were truly righteous; protecting oneself is crucial.
Yin Le furrowed her brows deeply, walking swiftly to Qin Yao, "Master? Really?"
She firmly believed that her master was not someone who turned a blind eye to justice, as the martial artist said.
If not, she wouldn’t be reborn like a phoenix today!
Qin Yao met Yin Le’s determined gaze, eyes still bright with unwavering belief in a world with light despite once dwelling in darkness.
In Yin Le’s eyes, her master was that light.
Yin Le’s confidence even made Qin Yao doubt herself—she really wasn’t as good as she thought.
"Do it!" the martial artist shouted.
Better a quick death, what’s the point in dragging it out!
Qin Yao glared at the martial artist, "You’re lucky it’s me you met."
Yin Le beamed, "Master!" She never doubted her faith.
Qin Yao gave happy Yin Le a teasing smack on the forehead, "Laughing for what? Go, tie him up and gag him."
"Alright!" Yin Le didn’t even ask why, just followed her master’s instructions.
