Chapter 122 - The Curtain Opens for a Play

Mo Junyu strode into the room swaggeringly and sat in front of Mo Junyang, with a long face, as if he came to find fault.

What was wrong?

Shi Qingxue looked at Mo Junyang speechlessly, and the latter also put on a straight face, staring at Mo Junyu coldly.

It looked like they were going to have a fight.

“Uhh… Your Highness, good day.” Shi Qingxue thought for a while and stood up to bow to Mo Junyu, interrupting them glaring at each other.

Mo Junyu was in a rage apparently and wasn’t as gentle as usual. He waved his hand impatiently and then asked Mo Junyang furiously, “You agreed to help me deal with Mo Junjiu, but now he even has a helper from the Shi Family. What are you going to do?”

Someone from the Shi Family could say nothing. Shi Qingxue couldn’t help but wonder if she should leave them alone.

This was a confidential talk!

Unfortunately, the crown prince was too angry to pay attention to it, and Mo Junyang didn’t care at all.

He cast a side glance at Mo Junyu and said coldly, “I will do as I promised to you. What are you doing here?”

Mo Junyu jumped out angrily because of Mo Junyang’s indifference and didn’t care about his manner. “I am afraid that if I don’t come, you can even sell me out. What have you done? Don’t tell me that everything goes well with Zhao Ming recently not because of you.”

The crown prince stood, arms akimbo, like a shrew making a fuss, seeming to say, “I am going to see what explanation you will give me this time.”

“Yes, I gave him an offer.” Mo Junyang admitted simply, as if he didn’t notice that the crown prince was going to explode. He added casually, “I made a deal with him.”

Mo Junyu asked, “What deal?”

Mo Junyang didn’t hide anything from him. “I told Zhao Ming to let his son marry Shi Baojin and accept her as the second young madam of the Zhao Family. Then I will help him get a chance to show up in front of His Majesty and make him the same level as the Minister of Personnel.”

“What?” Mo Junyu stared at Mo Junyang as if the latter was a ghost, and then turned around to look at Shi Qingxue. Seeing that she was also surprised, he asked, “Are you out of your mind?

If I remember correctly, Qingxue is not on good terms with that lady from the Third Master’s Family. Why are you…” He didn’t know what he could say.

This could be the most unreliable thing Mo Junyang had done, and it was the only, not one of the most…

But when Mo Junyu was petrified, Mo Junyang still showed an impatient poker face and didn’t plan to explain.

He turned to Shi Qingxue. “Qingxue, aren’t you curious about his purpose to do that?”

“Ah?” Shi Qingxue was stunned that he paid attention to her suddenly and then looked at Mo Junyang, who gave her a comforting smile, so she tried to persuade Mo Junyu. “Your Highness, don’t be anxious. Junyang must have his own consideration.”

Although she couldn’t understand why Mo Junyang tried to promote the Zhao Family, she was sure that he got Shi Baojin married into the Zhao Family not to let that woman live a good life.

So she had to guess and look at Mo Junyang with uncertainty. “Maybe Junyang plans to promote him and then kill him?”

“Zhao Ming follows Prime Minister Liang but has connections with other factions. He is a cautious man, but he doesn’t hide his ambition to get promoted and seize more power. I have kept an eye on him for a long time and found that he is anxious to show up in front of His Majesty recently, so I will definitely give him a chance to perform. Otherwise, how would this play go on?” Mo Junyang explained meaningfully and smiled at Qingxue with approval. Then he turned to peer at Mo Junyu.

His disdain was evident.

Mo Junyu was speechless. What a detour. If Mo Junyang didn’t make it clear, who would know what he was trying to do?

Mo Junyang shrugged, indicating, “Qingxue has guessed right. Just admit that you are foolish!”

Mo Junyu bared his teeth to retort secretly, “No. You must have told Shi Qingxue in advance.”

Mo Junyang ignored him and then looked at Qingxue, saying seriously, “Relax. Shi Baojin bullied you, and I will make her pay for it at a higher price.”

He pondered for a while and added, “Without getting the Shi Family involved.”

“Without getting my family involved…” Shi Qingxue certainly believed him but pouted. “So you mean the whole Zhao Family would be killed? What accusation? Trying to overturn the dynasty?”

As soon as she said, she objected. “No. He is not qualified. If he commits one of the top three of the ten abominations, the whole family would be implicated. He’s not planning to ruin the royal property, either, so he would only… plot treason!”

Shi Qingxue’s eyes lit up, like the beautiful and dazzling fireworks. She gazed at Mo Junyang and expected his answer.

Mo Junyang was almost dazzled and the shock from his heart was overwhelming. He had to keep silent.

Mo Junyu was amazed and looked at Shi Qingxue with his eyes opened wide, unbale to react for quite a while.

Mo Junyang’s reaction showed that Shi Qingxue was right.

“You can even guess it? Incredible!” Mo Junyu thought he was intelligent. Even though he might be inferior to Mo Junyang, he was absolutely the number one among his brothers.

Unexpectedly, when they just knew Mo Junyang’s intention, he hadn’t figured out, but Shi Qingxue had sorted out everything and made a conclusion.

Her explanation was reasonable, and Mo Junyu doubted that Mo Junyang had told her in advance and intentionally provoked him.

Shi Qingxue wasn’t happy for the truth she had guessed but frowned. “The Zhao Family contacts the enemy from another country? Why?”

The Zhao Family wasn’t royal but was one of the top noble families in the Mo Country and they didn’t need to betray the country to seek power and wealth.

Mo Junyang expressed, “I don’t know. I don’t care.”

“So you gave him a chance in order to get the evidence of his connection with the enemy from another country? And then you can kill his whole family?” At the mention of the state affairs, Mo Junyu stopped joking and asked seriously.

Mo Junyang answered, “Yes, and no. I had the evidence long ago, but if I don’t make him powerful, it would be boring to torture him.”

Recently, the Zhao Family got more power and Mo Junjiu almost took Zhao Ming as his capable assistant. If the news spread at this time that Zhao Ming plotted treason, wouldn’t Mo Junjiu be killed by his anger?

At this thought, the three in the room laughed secretly.

Mo Junyu wasn’t as furious as he had been when he entered the room and said generously, “What would you like to eat? It’s on me. Help yourself.”

Mo Junyang concealed his smile and peered at him, saying coldly, “You can leave now.”

The crown prince who was dismissed mercilessly couldn’t say a word.

On the third day after the wedding of the Zhao Family and the Shi Family, the Imperial Censor, Ling Xiaoyun reported to Mo Xiangbin and accused the Minister of Revenue, Zhao Ming of contacting the enemy and plotting treason. He had communications with the King of the Liang Country by letters and told the enemy many times about the information of the Mo Country such as taxes, census registers and military supplies.

The news shocked the imperial court.

But Ling Xiaoyun just handed in a file and didn’t give any presentable evidence, so the third prince’s followers criticized him and recriminated him of framing because he had personal grudge toward Zhao Ming.

Mo Xiangbin investigated and found it was true.

The Imperial Censor, Ling Xiaoyun had contacted Zhao Ming the other day because his nephew who was a local official in another city would return to the capital to report on his work and be transferred to another post. He hoped that Zhao Ming would let his nephew work in the Ministry of Revenue, but Zhao Ming didn’t agree.

Mo Xiangbin furiously scolded Ling Xiaoyun for he didn’t make a clear distinction between public and private interests and would demote him.

The third prince’s followers sighed with relief, but suddenly another person sent confidential letters to the emperor’s table. They were all letters between Zhao Ming and the King of the Liang Country, with military defense information and tax accounts attached. All of them confirmed the truth that Zhao Ming contacted the Liang Country in private.

Zhao Ming couldn’t defend himself, no matter what he said.

Mo Xiangbin was enraged and put Zhao Ming’s entire family in prison without demur.

When Mo Junjiu got the news, he heard that Mo Xiangbin was sending someone to investigate this matter thoroughly and got stunned. He hurriedly rushed to Prime Minister Liang’s mansion to see Liang Yuanming. “Grandpa, what should we do?”

In order to win over Zhao Ming, Mo Junjiu had told him a lot of core secrets about his faction, including some grey areas that everybody understood from their hearts but did not choose to say in public. If others knew that, he couldn’t be a prince.

Liang Yuanming was old and sophisticated. He always thought poorly of Zhao Ming, and now such trouble was caused, so he cursed angrily, “I told you long ago that Zhao Ming is up to no good, and he always played hard to get in the past. Later he crossed over to you easily, and he must have his purpose, but you just took him as a treasure. Now, it happens, right?

Even if what you have done wouldn’t be exposed, your brothers would bother about you just because Zhao Ming is your follower. If they accuse you of treason, you will be ruined.”

Mo Junjiu turned pale with fright and his legs trembled. He shrank his neck and responded, “I just thought he seemed to be capable.”

Under Liang Yuanming’s glare, he didn’t dare to say more but asked for help, “Grand… Grandpa, please do help me.”

Liang Yuanming touched his forehead helplessly and sighed. “There is no good way now. We have to start with the people who would investigate Zhao Ming. We can’t make Mo Junhao take this job, or you will be really screwed up!”

“But the Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority to judge this case, and the Ministry of Penalty is under control of Junhao’s people. What should we do?” Mo Junjiu scratched his head anxiously and didn’t look like a prince.

Liang Yuanming roared, “Calm down. It’s not set in stone yet. Why are you anxious?”

He stroked his mustache and pondered for a while before saying all of a sudden, “No. His Majesty is always suspicious and he knows you and Mo Junhao are incompatible for long. If he leaves it to Mo Junhao, he wouldn’t find the truth. His Majesty would choose somebody he fully trusts…”

“My Lord!” A guard ran in hurriedly and interrupted Liang Yuanming’s meditation.

Before Liang Yuanming lost temper, the guard gave him a letter. “My Lord, it’s from the imperial palace, and they told me to give it to you at once.”

“Fine. You are dismissed!” Liang Yuanming received the letter and then got astonished after reading it.

Mo Junjiu waited for quite a while patiently and didn’t get an answer, so he was restless. “Grandpa, what is on the letter? Tell me now!”

Liang Yuanming put down the letter and looked at Mo Junjiu with a complicated expression, sighing. “His Majesty ordered King Rui’s heir to hear the case of Zhao Ming’s treason.”