Chapter 196: Confession

In the rear hall of the Chen mansion, the birds and beasts were silent. The names Jiao Tu and Yun Yang were like two sharp blades plunged into Chen Liqin's chest. For a moment, his vital energy surged, leaving him utterly weak.

Liang Shi stood up to support him and asked in a low voice, "Old master, perhaps it's nothing important?"

Chen Liqin sighed in his heart. Jiao Tu and Yun Yang were two of the Twelve Zodiacs. For two Zodiacs to come to the door simultaneously, it must be a matter of great importance. How could ordinary small matters alarm them?

He pondered repeatedly, then instructed the servant boy, "Please invite them in..."

Before he had finished speaking, a flippant voice drifted from outside the door, "No need to invite, we're already in. It's rare for Official Chen to be so polite to us at the Jili Jian; it truly surprises people. I was still worried earlier that Official Chen wouldn't let us in."

Everyone in the rear hall looked simultaneously, only to see Yun Yang in front, followed by Jiao Tu. The two leisurely passed directly through the archway, heading straight for the rear hall. Yun Yang was wearing a set of black tight-fitting clothes, which set off his clean and handsome face.

He held an envelope in his right hand, slowly patting it against his left palm, like a scholarly noble holding an invitation to a banquet.

Yun Yang smiled as he looked into the rear hall, "Yo, so many people, perhaps discussing something important? Official Chen, we've come at a bit of an inconvenient time, or should we visit another day?"

He stopped at the door, looking at the couplet in the Chen mansion's rear hall, and muttered, "Wen Tong Ji Yun Tong... Official Chen, I'm afraid Wen Tong cannot Yun Tong."

Chen Liqin's heart thumped. He looked at the envelope in the other party's hand... The visitors were indeed not good.

He instructed Chen Wen Zong, Chen Wen Xiao, Liang Shi, and others in a low voice, "I need to discuss important matters with Officials Jiao Tu and Yun Yang. You all withdraw."

"Wait!" Yun Yang said with a smile, "Official Chen, the matter we're here to discuss is nothing shameful. Everyone can stay and listen."

Chen Liqin's face sank.

Yun Yang said with interest, "Official Chen, aren't you going to offer us a cup of tea?"

Liang Shi hurried out, raised her hand, and called a maid, "Brew tea for the guests."

Yun Yang nodded in satisfaction. He looked around and found only one empty chair, then turned his head and stared directly at Chen Wen Xiao.

Only when Chen Wen Xiao stood up to give way did he say thanks and smilingly greeted Jiao Tu, "Jiao Tu, come sit down."

Yun Yang's gaze lingered on Chen Ji, but Chen Ji did not look at them. He just looked at the beam in the rear hall, silent, nobody knew what he was thinking.

Yun Yang glanced at him again from the corner of his eye, turned his head, and curiously asked Chen Liqin, "Official Chen, what important matter was being discussed in the Chen mansion just now? May you share it with us?"

Chen Wen Zong said coldly, "Where is the custom for guests to inquire about the host family's affairs? If your Jili Jian is here to make trouble for us, you can state your intentions directly instead of putting on airs here."

Yun Yang raised his eyebrows, "Eh, we can't even ask? Could the Chen mansion have some shameful secrets? Our secret spy department patrols on behalf of heaven and shares His Majesty's worries. The family affairs of all civil and military officials are state matters. What can't we ask?"

Chen Wen Zong said angrily, "You..."

Liang Shi was worried about her son offending the eunuch party. She hurried back into the room and pulled Chen Wen Zong aside.

She explained to Yun Yang with a smile, "Two officials, we were just discussing family matters. My third son in the Chen mansion was mischievous when he was young and once developed a bad gambling habit. Now he suddenly acquired a sum of money. As a mother, I am worried he might relapse, so I wanted him to deposit this sum of money in the Chen mansion's public funds to prevent him from squandering it again without restraint."

Jiao Tu seemed to suddenly realize, "Your third son of the Chen mansion, is he named Chen Wen Xiao?"

Liang Shi was startled, "This official is mistaken. My third son in the Chen mansion is named Chen Ji, the one standing at the door."

Jiao Tu looked doubtfully at Yun Yang, "Not right?"

Yun Yang also became doubtful, "Indeed not right!"

Chen Liqin saw the two of them acting this way and suddenly became confused, "What are the two of you talking about?"

Yun Yang smiled, stood up, and handed over the envelope, "Official Chen, first look at what's inside this envelope."

Chen Liqin reached out to take it, but as his hand touched the envelope, Yun Yang withdrew it again.

Yun Yang looked at Liang Shi and joked, "Madam, does the mansion have any An Gong Niu Huang Wan? We need to prepare some for Official Chen to prevent him from fainting after seeing the contents of the letter."

Chen Liqin gave an annoyed cold hmph, "Official Yun Yang, you can kill or whatever you please, there's no need to mock this official so!"

He snatched the envelope from Yun Yang's hand, unfolded the paper, and looked. His eyebrows immediately relaxed.

It wasn't the exterminate thieves proclamation he wrote for Mr. Feng!

Not good!

However, when he looked further down, his face became grave again.

As Chen Liqin looked at the paper, he also swept his gaze towards Chen Wen Xiao, who was standing to the side.

He kept looking, and suddenly he roared at Chen Wen Xiao, "Look at the good deed you've done!"

Liang Shi was completely bewildered and hurried forward to ask, "Old master, what is this about? Why are you losing your temper with your son for no reason?"

Chen Liqin threw the paper into Liang Shi's arms, "See for yourself! This is the result of your everyday pampering!"

Chen Wen Xiao hadn't understood initially, but upon hearing this, he finally remembered what he had once written for the secret spy department, and his face immediately turned deathly pale!

He subconsciously glanced at Chen Ji once, then turned his head to Chen Liqin, "Father, I was forced to write it at that time. I didn't do those things!"

"Oh?" Jiao Tu said in a teasing tone, "Young Master Chen's meaning is that our secret spy department once tortured you? May I ask if you had any injuries left on your body at that time?"

Chen Wen Xiao stammered, "No... none."

Jiao Tu gave a light eh, "Then that's strange. Your body had no injuries, so how did we force you to write this confession? You mustn't falsely accuse us, or we may have to take you away again to verify."

Chen Liqin glared angrily at Chen Wen Xiao, "Stop arguing!"

Only upon seeing this confession did he suddenly understand that all the bad reputations Chen Ji had carried all these years were framed by Chen Wen Xiao.

Did Chen Ji explain? Of course, he did, but at that time Chen Ji cried injustice, and he simply didn't believe it.

And now, Chen Wen Xiao had confessed everything frankly in the confession, and the truth was clear.

Chen Liqin's face was green for a while, then red for a while, for a moment he didn't know what to do.

Chen Wen Zong looked at his father, then at his mother, and suddenly became doubtful, "What confession did Wen Xiao write?"

Saying this, he stepped forward to look.

But he saw Liang Shi quickly fold the confession, as if nothing had happened, and said, "This is not your business. Wen Zong, Chen Ji, you two withdraw first."

"Wait, Chen Ji?" Jiao Tu stood up doubtfully, "Earlier, Madam said that the third son of the Chen mansion is named Chen Ji, and this confession states that Chen Wen Xiao framed all his gambling debts onto Chen Ji... Hey, young man, are you called Chen Ji?"

Chen Ji was startled, "It is me."

Jiao Tu gave two tsk tsk sounds, "Helping your brother carry such a big black pot, truly unlucky. Earlier we also heard that the Chen mansion has an unfilial illegitimate son who gambles excessively, but we didn't expect it was a frame-up."

Chen Ji suddenly turned his head to Liang Shi, then after a moment, to Chen Liqin, disbelieving, "Official Chen, is what Official Jiao Tu said true?"

Chen Liqin heard this "Official Chen" and his heart stung again, "Yes..."

Liang Shi quickly pulled his arm, "Old master, this is an ugly matter for the Chen mansion. It must not spread outside."

Chen Liqin flicked his sleeve, pushing Liang Shi aside, and asked angrily, "How long do you plan to favor Chen Wen Xiao? People are already holding a confession and coming to the door to question us. Do you still think this matter can be covered up?"

Yun Yang smiled and acted as a peacemaker, "Official Chen, please don't misunderstand. We were originally tidying up documents before withdrawing from Luo City and unintentionally stumbled upon this confession. Official Chen loves the people as his children and personally handles everything after coming to Luo City, managing Luo City in good order, which makes us greatly admire you. When we came across this confession, we both felt we shouldn't keep it, so we specially sent it back. There is absolutely no intention of questioning you. After all, our secret spy department doesn't handle this kind of matter."

Chen Liqin remained silent.

He always felt that today's matter was somewhat strange. Yun Yang and Jiao Tu seemed to have come specifically to stand up for Chen Ji, precisely for this matter, at this time.

He knew better than anyone what kind of ruthless characters the Twelve Zodiacs of the inner minister were. The other party claimed they returned the confession because they admired him; he didn't believe a word of it.

But the problem was, what kind of figures were the Twelve Zodiacs of the inner minister? How would they specially come to stand up for Chen Ji?

Chen Liqin thought about it more and more confused.

At this moment, Yun Yang cupped his hands, "Since the confession has been delivered, we two will not disturb you any longer and will take our leave."

Saying this, he suddenly stepped forward, bent down beside Chen Liqin's ear, and said in a very low voice, "Official Chen, do you still remember what you once wrote in the Jing Wang mansion? The matters our secret spy department knows may be more than you imagine."

Chen Liqin's face suddenly changed!

So the other party really knew about this matter. The exterminate thieves proclamation had indeed fallen into the hands of the secret spy department. The other party's trip to deliver the confession was false; they had actually come to the door to warn him.

Chen Liqin lowered his voice and asked, "What exactly do you want to do?"

Yun Yang actually didn't know exactly what Chen Liqin had written, it was just that Chen Ji had told them to say that. He also hadn't expected that Chen Liqin would have such a big reaction upon hearing these words.

But the act still had to be performed.

Yun Yang said with a half-smile, "Official Chen, we haven't yet thought about what we want to do. When we have thought about it, we will come and tell you. Jiao Tu, let's go."

He turned to leave, and Jiao Tu followed behind.

Passing by Chen Ji at the door, she said to him with a voice like a mosquito, her back to the others, "Official Chen, how was my performance? If you're satisfied, you can ask for a reward."

Before Chen Ji could react, Jiao Tu had already left with a light laugh.

In the rear hall of the Chen mansion, there was a dead silence, only the sound of Chen Liqin's heavy breathing remained.

After a moment, Chen Liqin said angrily, "Wang Gui! Drag Chen Wen Xiao down and give him twenty big boards! After hitting him, drag him into the ancestral hall to kneel. Make him kneel for a day and a night before saying anything!"

Liang Shi heard this and quickly pulled Chen Liqin's arm, "Old master, he still has to go to the poetry meeting with Wen Zong tomorrow. If he's hit with twenty big boards, how can he still go?"

Chen Liqin's beard trembled with anger, and he gave three cold laughs, "What time is it, and you still want to go to a poetry meeting? He deserves it! Chen Ji has carried so many bad names for him these years. How innocent is Chen Ji? Wang Gui, what are you standing there for? Quickly drag Chen Wen Xiao away for me!"

Liang Shi sobbed, "Old master, you can't! He's going to the capital soon for the imperial examination. What if he's injured?"

Chen Liqin was extremely angry, "Imperial examination? I'll send a letter to the capital right now and ask the education commissioner to submit a memorial to strip him of his juren title!"

Liang Shi was shocked beyond words.

She stopped sobbing, turned to face Chen Ji, and seemed about to kneel, "Chen Ji, please forgive your brother. He was just momentarily confused!"

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows and flashed to the side. The Ning dynasty governed according to filial piety and rites. If he let Liang Shi truly kneel to him, his own reputation would also be bad afterward.

Fortunately, Chen Wen Zong was by his side and timely supported his mother, saying angrily, "Mother, what are you doing? Wen Xiao did wrong things and should be punished!"

Chen Wen Xiao's eyes widened, "Bro?!"

Chen Ji lifted his head to Chen Liqin, cupped his hands, and asked, "Official Chen, how to punish Chen Wen Xiao is a family matter for the Chen mansion; you can decide. I just want to ask, now that the truth is clear, do I still need to hand over that sum of silver?"

Chen Liqin was silent for a long time, then said dispiritedly, "No need."

Chen Ji cupped his hands and bowed, "Then I will go back to rest. I'll take my leave."