Volume Two: The Mighty and the Meek Chapter Fifty-Five: The Underrated Meek

By now, Liao Kui could no longer fail to realize that he had been set up by Huang Ming.

Whether it was Zheng Ziyan, the daughter of Zheng Qian, or any of the others from Ruyang, none could have possibly orchestrated a scheme to convict a dignified imperial censor like himself. Only this Huang Ming—the son of a eunuch who had recently gained notoriety in the capital’s official circles, the same youth who had just spoken with such eloquent ease before the Vice Minister—possessed the cunning and the means to drive him to his doom.

But why?

He could not fathom it. Why would Huang Ming go to such lengths, disregarding all consequences, to target him? There was not a shred of connection between them, let alone any past grievance or enmity.

Huang Ming was momentarily taken aback by his sudden outburst, then smiled. "I do this, naturally, for the sake of integrity and justice."

"I think it’s because you’re lusting after the beauty of the Zheng girl!" Liao Kui, as if realizing something, shouted at the top of his lungs.

Zheng Ziyan’s face flushed red at this, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Huang Ming. She saw him smile and step toward the halted Liao Kui, whispering a few words into his ear.

"What did you say? What do you mean, you let Feng Wu harm you at the Southern City Garrison last September..." The bewildered Liao Kui could not help but blurt out.

Huang Ming was stunned by this reaction. He fixed his gaze on the other man’s face, searching for any trace of performance, but found none. "You truly don’t know about the time I was thrown into the Southern City Garrison and the guards there sent someone to assassinate me?"

"I have no grievance with you; why would I do such a thing..."

"You weren't trying to curry favor with Grand Secretary Yang by using my life as a token of loyalty? After all, I am the son of a eunuch!"

"That’s nonsense. Would I be foolish enough to hand someone a weapon to use against me? Besides, what kind of man is Grand Secretary Yang? How could he possibly value me for such a thing? I fear that if he knew of this, he would strip me of my rank..."

Huang Ming’s heart sank, and his expression shifted.

He had been wrong. He had made a colossal mistake. From the very beginning, he had misjudged the situation and the people involved. Much like the White Lotus Society case, he had never been as important as he thought.

What did it matter if he was the son of a eunuch? Could it really drive high-ranking officials to risk everything to kill him? If such a thing were exposed, the consequences for them would be devastating. Furthermore, the court was now firmly in the hands of officials who prided themselves on their integrity; it was no longer the era of the Ming Emperor Wuzong, where the secret police held absolute power. As the son of a eunuch, he simply did not possess that much influence.

So why had he ever harbored such a thought?

It was the influence of the jailer, Feng Wu. It was Feng Wu who had told him that he was acting under Liao Kui’s orders, and that he had sent men to kill him in prison regardless of the consequences. At the time, Feng Wu had appeared so humble, his life hanging by a single thread of Huang Ming’s choosing. With one nod, the Embroidered Uniform Guard could have made him vanish from this world, and in his terror, Feng Wu had offered an explanation that seemed so convincing.

Huang Ming’s breath hitched, and his face turned as dark as the sky above. He had committed such a grave error. Because he had looked down on Feng Wu, he had assumed the man would never dare lie to him. As a result, he had been deceived by a falsehood and remained ignorant of the truth until this very day.

How ironic that he had believed everything to be under his control—that he could seek justice for Zheng Ziyan while simultaneously taking his revenge. In the end, he had become a laughingstock, a puppet manipulated by the petty scoundrel Feng Wu to deflect blame and frame another.

Seeing Huang Ming frozen in place, Liao Kui quickly grasped the truth, and he began to laugh hysterically. "So, you were deceived and used by a low-life! You actually thought it was I who ordered him to harm you, and because of that, you sought revenge against me... Hahahaha... ha... *sob*..."

The laughter suddenly turned into wailing. He could laugh at Huang Ming for being fooled by a petty man, but did that not only make his own downfall all the more pathetic and tragic?

Huang Ming quickly regained his composure. He took a deep breath and glanced at him. "Even so, you brought this upon yourself. Your crimes are real. I do not regret spending so much effort to see you imprisoned."

With that, he turned his back on Liao Kui and, taking a bewildered Zheng Ziyan and her companion, strode out of the Ministry of Justice.

It was now deep into the night, and the curfew had long since begun. The streets were devoid of pedestrians, save for a carriage waiting in the distance. Seeing them emerge, the driver, Qi Changfeng, hurried over. Observing the grim expressions on their faces, he asked, "Young Master, could Liao Kui still escape?"

Huang Ming shook his head. "He has been seized by the Ministry of Justice. Dismissal and investigation are certain, and execution is all but inevitable."

"Then..."

"Let’s get Ziyan and the others home first, and I will explain in detail on the way." As he spoke, Huang Ming looked at the limping Zheng Zinian. "Brother Lu, you have suffered for this."

"I dare not, I dare not..." Zheng Zinian, who had appeared quite resolute before the officials earlier, was now very humble and obedient. "I am but a lowly life, I fear neither death nor pain..."

"Merit is merit. What I promised you, I will fulfill." Huang Ming reached into his robes and produced several banknotes and a deed of servitude, pressing them into his hand. "Take these five hundred taels as compensation for your medical expenses. And this—this is your deed of servitude from the Wenrou brothel. From this moment on, you are no longer a servant of low status. You can be a true, upright man."

Zheng Zinian—or rather, his true name, Lu Yongnian—trembled as he took the items, his eyes reddening. "Thank you, thank you, Young Master Huang, for delivering me from that cage. I will never forget your kindness. From this day forward, if you ever have need of me, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Huang Ming gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Enough with the ‘lowly’ and ‘young master’ talk. We are all the same; you are a few years my senior, let’s just be friends."

"But I..."

Seeing him continue to defer, Huang Ming gave a wry smile. "If you call yourself ‘lowly’ again, you’re just slapping me in the face. You heard it yourself—I was the one deceived and used by a man who called himself ‘lowly.’ It matters not how low one’s status is; what matters is walking the right path, having a sharp mind, and being willing to act!"

"I... Lu Yongnian will remember this. I will strive to be a man of integrity from now on!" He bowed deeply to Huang Ming once more, having already decided that this young master was the greatest benefactor he would ever know.

With that, Huang Ming bid him a temporary farewell. The three of them climbed into the carriage, and it slowly made its way through the silent streets.