Volume Two: The Noble and the Petty Chapter Fifty-Two: The Fish Has Taken the Bait
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Near dusk, at the Censorate.
Like his fellow officials, Liao Kui had already gathered his belongings and was preparing to go home.
Though his heart had long been troubled, nothing unusual could be discerned from his expression.
An hour or so earlier, someone had brought him word that Zheng Zinian of the Zheng family in Ruyang County, Henan, had gone to Shuntian Prefecture to voice a grievance and accuse him. Afterward, he had made an ostentatious appearance at the Ministry of Justice as well.
The colleagues and friends who had received the same news naturally all declared that it must be a false accusation, insisting that they trusted Liao Kui’s character. Even so, he could detect something amiss from the furtive glances they cast in his direction.
Of course, that was not the most crucial matter. What truly concerned him was how the Ministry of Justice would handle the case. Would they bow to public pressure and interrogate this Zheng Zinian who had appeared from nowhere, or would they behave just as Shuntian Prefecture had?
In any event, he could not possibly go to the Ministry of Justice himself to make inquiries at such a time. He did not even dare send a servant there, for that might lead people to believe that he had a guilty conscience.
Liao Kui had remained at the Censorate until then through sheer force of composure and had just decided to return home when a servant from the Censorate came striding over with two officers.
Before he could ask anything, the two officers bowed and said, “Our respects, Censor Liao. We have been ordered by the Vice Minister to escort you to the Ministry of Justice. We ask that you accompany us.”
The muscles in Liao Kui’s face twitched, but he quickly regained his composure. “Is this related to that troublemaker named Zheng Zinian falsely accusing me?”
“It is indeed related to that case.”
“Then let us go. An upright man need not fear a crooked shadow, and I trust that the Ministry of Justice will certainly clear my name!”
Liao Kui rose at once, deliberately sweeping his gaze around the room. His colleagues were watching him thoughtfully as well, but whenever their eyes met his, they quickly looked away.
He had spoken those words for the benefit of the men around him. Otherwise, who knew what sort of scene he might face upon returning the next day?
As he followed the two officers out of the Censorate, Liao Kui failed to notice that, in a distant corner, a man was staring at his back with a conflicted expression. His body shuddered, and he muttered to himself:
“How could this be? Is he truly so capable that he can even bring down an official of such standing? If—if he finds out that I lied to him, what good will come of it for me?”
Fear deepened in his eyes, yet he forced himself to remain calm. Turning around, he hurried away.
“There’s no other way. I must leave the capital at once, before he can find me… I have to get the silver from the other side as quickly as possible. I can’t wait any longer…”
Had Huang Ming been there, he would certainly have recognized the identity of that distracted man.
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He was none other than Feng Wu, the jailer in charge of the prison at the South City Military Office.
For some unknown reason, however, he had abandoned his duties that day and come all the way to the imperial city…
Unaware of what had happened behind him, Liao Kui soon arrived at the Ministry of Justice. By then, the sky was darkening, and the crowd gathered outside had nearly dispersed. Only a dozen or so onlookers remained, lingering stubbornly out of curiosity.
When Liao Kui was escorted before the Ministry, most of them paid him no attention. Only a somewhat slight-built young man stared fixedly at him from afar.
The boy’s eyes suddenly reddened, and mist gathered within them. He whispered, “It’s him. He was the one who caused my mother’s death. He had people beat me, refused to give me food, and in the end simply had me sold…”
The young man was naturally Zheng Ziyan, disguised as a boy. Beside her stood Qi Changfeng, who had concealed his features beneath a bamboo hat. He pressed one hand lightly against her shoulder.
“Be patient. You will soon have your revenge. Since Young Master has arranged everything so that this man will be ruined in both reputation and standing, there is no way he can escape!”
One of them was the true aggrieved party; the other was Huang Ming’s personal bodyguard. Naturally, neither could remain uninvolved.
In fact, they had been watching from the sidelines from the very beginning. They had followed Huang Ming from Shuntian Prefecture to the Ministry of Justice and had waited there until now.
With Liao Kui’s appearance, the true battle was about to begin!
…
Upon entering the hall, Liao Kui deliberately ignored Huang Ming and the others. He merely bowed to Yan Yishou, who sat elevated above them.
“This subordinate, Censor of the Censorate Liao Kui, pays his respects to Vice Minister Yan.”
“Censor Liao, there is no need for such ceremony. I have summoned you today because there is a case that may concern you.” Vice Minister Yan managed a strained smile and waved for someone to deliver the written complaint to him.
Liao Kui pretended to read through the complaint quickly. Then outrage and astonishment appeared on his face.
“How utterly preposterous! This is slander—sheer malicious fabrication!
“Vice Minister, I spent ten years studying by lamplight, reading the teachings of the sages, before I became an official. How could I ever commit such vile and bestial acts?
“Moreover, what sort of man I am is known to every superior and colleague in the Censorate. Would I—would I really kill so many people for the sake of profit?”
“Wretch! Are you saying that the forty-seven members of my Zheng family were not killed by you?” Zheng Zinian immediately shouted furiously. “There are countless people in Ruyang County who know the truth. It is only because your Zheng family has always held absolute power there, with the local authorities shielding you, that no one has dared speak!”
He appeared genuinely consumed by rage. His face flushed crimson, and he lunged at Liao Kui with flailing arms, as though determined to fight him to the death.
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He had barely moved before the officers on either side swiftly restrained him. Unable to do anything but rage helplessly, he continued hurling curses.
Only then did Liao Kui turn his gaze upon him, as though seeing him for the first time. His face filled with surprise.
“You are the one who accused me?”
“That’s right. I am. I, Zheng Zinian, shall never share the same sky with you!”
He struggled with all his might as he spoke, but to no avail.
What he received in return was a sudden burst of laughter from Liao Kui, who threw back his head.
“Hahahaha…”
His laughter was filled with utter relief, as though a tremendous burden had been lifted from him.
As Yan Yishou frowned, Liao Kui finally stopped laughing and bowed once more.
“Please forgive this subordinate, Vice Minister. I was so abrupt because although this man’s intentions are malicious, his accusations are simply too laughable.
“I have no idea where he picked up these rumors, or how much of them he fabricated himself, but he has portrayed me as a creature of such depravity.”
“Oh? What do you mean by that?” the Vice Minister asked curiously, though an inexplicable unease had begun to stir within him.
Ever since Liao Kui had arrived, Huang Ming, who had shown himself so prominently before, had suddenly fallen silent.
That was clearly unlike him. What scheme was he plotting now?
Liao Kui pointed at Zheng Zinian.
“Vice Minister, I can confirm that this supposed descendant of the Zheng family, the son of Zheng Qian, is plainly an impostor!”
“Oh? How do you know that?”
“Because Zheng Qian was my fellow townsman, my fellow successful candidate, and my colleague. More than that, we were close friends, and our families shared a long-standing bond. How could I not know that Zheng Qian left behind only one daughter and never had a son?
“Now a son named Zheng Zinian has suddenly appeared. He is naturally a fake. Zheng Qian did indeed have a daughter, however. Her name was Zheng Ziyan.”
As he delivered this statement with absolute certainty, the corner of Huang Ming’s mouth curled upward.
The fish had taken the bait!
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