Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Li Wenzheng was ecstatic the moment he discovered the acrostic poem. Having just been appointed to his official post, he needed to rack up political achievements, and the quickest and easiest way to do that was to have someone killed. Taking the life of a high-profile figure, in particular, would make his name in one fell swoop and propel him to a higher office.
Moreover, his work was to uphold the king’s new policies, which made him, politically speaking, an agent of absolute good. The Count of Xuanwu's Estate was the perfect target; his goal had never been to eliminate Shen Lang, but to ensnare the estate itself. How could a mere live-in son-in-law like Shen Lang even be worthy of being Li Wenzheng’s opponent?
Li Wenzheng pointed at Shen Lang and said in a furious voice.
“Did Lord Gong not submit a memorial to the throne ten years ago, opening the way for the new policies? For that, you have branded him an enemy, even cursing him to die in this poem. Lord Gong is not only the king's adopted son but also a son-in-law to our State of Yue, a guardian of our southwestern border. Cursing such a man to die—what is that if not defiance of the new policies? What is that if not treason? I am a Silver-Clad Imperial Censor, charged with patrolling the realm. How could I possibly tolerate such a thing?
This is a major, premeditated, and organized incident. I must get to the bottom of this and uncover who is backing you, who gave you the audacity to curse a member of the royal family to death. Do you understand now why you must die? Men, arrest Shen Lang.”
Inwardly feeling an unparalleled sense of triumph, Li Wenzheng shouted with all his might.
Shen Lang had brought this fatal disaster upon himself. Everyone thought he was finished, that no one could save him now. Li Wenzheng shot a cool glance at Zhang Jin, his meaning perfectly clear.
*‘See, Zhang Jin? This is the power of Li Wenzheng. Your little tricks from before were nothing but child's play, and you couldn't even touch a hair on Shen Lang's head. But I, Li Wenzheng, strike a fatal blow with a single move.’*
Zhang Jin simply looked at Li Wenzheng and smiled without a word. Li Wenzheng then turned to Jin Mulan and said calmly.
“Lady Jin, it may be too late to draw a line between yourself and Shen Lang now, but wouldn't it be better to at least make the gesture?”
Li Wenzheng, too, harbored a wicked desire for Mulan. He had hidden it deep within, but Shen Lang had seen through it instantly. It was only natural, as every man in Xuanwu City was in love with Mulan. The titles ‘Princess of Xuanwu City’ and ‘Greatest Beauty of Nujiang Commandery’ were not mere words. She was truly the dream lover of every man, and Li Wenzheng was no exception.
He had been ardently in love with Mulan since childhood. He considered himself exceptionally outstanding and believed that no other man in Xuanwu City was worthy of her. Yet, Mulan had married an absurd character like Shen Lang.
Now, with his status, he could never become the live-in son-in-law of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, nor could he marry Mulan. He was a man on the king’s side, destined to stand against the old, established nobility. But wasn't it the normal psychology of any man to wish that if he couldn't have a woman, no other man should either?
Mulan said calmly.
“Shen Lang and I are bound in marriage, as one body. You need not concern yourself with us, Your Excellency.”
Li Wenzheng’s eyes grew cold. He had never imagined that Jin Mulan would be so base as to fall for the pretty face of a weakling like Shen Lang.
“Then I suppose you will have to see Shen Lang in the capital’s prison from now on. What are you still standing around for? Arrest Shen Lang, put him in shackles and chains, and escort him to the capital.”
Two silver-clad warriors stepped forward with shackles and chains, intending to restrain Shen Lang. Mulan rose to her feet, pushed off the ground lightly, and flew in front of Shen Lang, brandishing the supple sword in her hand. Instantly, the two silver-clad warriors could advance no further.
Li Wenzheng spoke in a chilling tone.
“Jin Mulan, are you attempting to commit treason?”
“Your Excellency Li Wenzheng, before you make an arrest, why do you not hear my husband’s explanation?”
“What is there for him to explain? If he has something to say, he can say it in prison.”
“Is there no chance to explain oneself before a Silver-Clad Imperial Censor? The Silver Robe Bureau truly throws its weight around as it pleases.”
“What could Shen Lang possibly say? That the character was a misprint, that ‘Zhu’ became ‘Zhu’ by mistake?”
That would have been a good excuse. It wouldn't have gotten him off, but it was a plausible defense. However, Shen Lang did not say that. Instead, he smiled faintly and opened his mouth.
“Not even a three-year-old would fall for that. I did it on purpose. I wrote the acrostic poem to deliberately hide those four characters: ‘May Heaven Punish Lord Gong.’”
Hearing Shen Lang’s words, everyone was stunned.
*‘Shen Lang, you must be completely insane. To court death to this extent… not even the heavens can save you now.’*
Li Wenzheng was also taken aback, but he couldn't help but burst out laughing. “Haha!”
“They say the ignorant know no fear. Shen Lang, I have never seen a fool like you. Since you have admitted your guilt, I will give you the chance to put on the shackles yourself.”
Just then, Shen Lang asked quietly.
“Li Wenzheng, are you on good terms with Lord Gong?”
“Last year, when I went to the capital, Lord Gong was there to celebrate the king’s birthday. I was fortunate enough to meet him, and we had a delightful conversation. Lord Gong took a liking to me, and we chatted for several days. Afterward, we exchanged poems and became good friends.”
Li Wenzheng boasted of his friendship with Lord Gong, clearly proud. Indeed, being friends with Lord Gong greatly enhanced his prestige.
“Who can prove that you and Lord Gong spoke in private for several days?”
“Many can attest that I visited Lord Gong’s residence several times. Besides, why would I use my friendship with Lord Gong to boost my own reputation? To suggest such a thing is to insult the gentlemanly bond between us.”
“Good. I’ve asked all I need to ask.”
“Shen Lang, now confess before everyone. Why did you write ‘May Heaven Punish Lord Gong’ in your acrostic poem? Why did you curse the guardian of our State of Yue? Why did you curse a member of the royal family?”
Shen Lang answered calmly.
“I did it on purpose.”
Li Wenzheng doubted what he had just heard, and the others were in disbelief. Was there truly someone in this world so eager to die?
“Hahahaha. A truly unexpected answer. Shen Lang, did the Count of Xuanwu also know that you wrote this acrostic poem?”
“Of course, he knew. My father-in-law is my book’s first and most devoted reader. I sought his opinion on the matter of the acrostic poem, and he, too, agreed that I should write it.”
Everyone was speechless, so stunned they felt they might faint.
*‘Could it be that Shen Lang has a grudge against Jin Mulan because they haven’t consummated their marriage? This is dragging the Count of Xuanwu's Estate down with him. What kind of feud is this? What’s even stranger is, why hasn’t Jin Mulan cut him down with one strike after hearing that?’*
She did not cut him down. Instead, she still stood with her sword drawn, protecting him. Li Wenzheng glanced quietly at Jin Mulan, his gaze conveying a clear message.
*‘Your Jin Clan is finished.’*
“Arrest Shen Lang. Anyone who obstructs is to be killed without mercy.”
At Li Wenzheng’s furious roar, several silver-clad warriors swarmed into the main hall, surrounding Shen Lang and Jin Mulan.
“Seize them!”
At Li Wenzheng’s command, eight silver-clad warriors drew their swords with a flourish and charged toward Jin Mulan.
*Ting!*
The moment Mulan swung her sword, the sharp blades in the warriors’ hands went flying, and their wrist bones were all dislocated and fractured.
Li Wenzheng was livid.
“Jin Mulan, this is an act of rebellion! Castellan Liu Chengyan, General Zhang Jin, you are also officials of the State of Yue. It is your duty to eliminate traitors for the country. By my authority as a Silver-Clad Imperial Censor, I command you to immediately mobilize all troops and apprehend Shen Lang and his co-conspirators. Kill anyone who stands in the way without hesitation!”
Li Wenzheng immediately raised a command token. Zhang Jin and Liu Chengyan bowed and accepted the order.
“Yes. We receive your command.”
After acknowledging, Castellan Liu Chengyan waved his hand lightly. Several hundred armed private soldiers swarmed in from outside like a tide, surrounding the main hall in layers. Castellan Liu Chengyan then presented the military tally of the castellan's manor to Li Wenzheng with both hands.
This signified that he was handing over command of Xuanwu City’s forces to Li Wenzheng. A hint of a vicious expression finally appeared on Li Wenzheng’s elegant face.
*‘Jin Mulan, your martial arts may be strong enough to defeat a few dozen men, but you cannot possibly defeat several hundred, can you?’*
“Seize Jin Mulan, Shen Lang, and the others. If they resist, you have permission to kill.”
“Yes!”
Dozens of warriors drew their weapons and charged toward Shen Lang and Jin Mulan, encircling them. Li Wenzheng felt an unparalleled sense of exhilaration.
*‘How thrilling! Is this the taste of power?’*
He felt more exhilarated than when he had passed the second-tier imperial examinations. How he had once looked up to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate! How ashamed he had been of his own shabby attire when he saw Jin Mulan. But now, he was about to decide the fate of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate!
The feeling of holding the life of the once unattainable Jin Mulan in his own hands was intoxicating. Once this incident was over, even if the Count of Xuanwu's Estate wasn't completely destroyed, it would be crippled beyond recovery.
*‘Zhang Chong, what you failed to accomplish in years, I, Li Wenzheng, have resolved as soon as I arrived. This is the ability of a heaven-sent talent, hailed as the pride of Xuanwu City. After this battle, my name will shake the world. Having achieved such a great merit, my official rank will surely rise.’*
*‘Hahahaha. How satisfying! The feeling of crushing another's fate beneath my feet is just so wonderful! Shen Lang, you should consider it a great honor. You are the first stepping stone on my path to success.’*
Just then, Shen Lang spoke quietly.
“Li Wenzheng, you are truly a fool.”
Hearing this, Li Wenzheng was dumbfounded.
*‘Shen Lang, have you lost your mind? You dare speak to me like that, even at death’s door?’*
Instead of getting angry, Li Wenzheng smiled.
“Shen Lang, it is rare to see someone so eager to die.”
“Li Wenzheng, the one who is eager to die is you. You foolish man, think about it. Why would the version of *Boundless Wind and Moon* published in Nanshan City and the one published in Xuanwu City both change the character ‘Zhu’ to ‘Zhu’ within a few days of each other? Why would I write ‘May Heaven Punish Lord Gong’ as an acrostic poem?
Yes, I did it on purpose. But do you think I am an idiot? Do you think I am insane? Or do you think my father-in-law and my wife are all fools? Shagong, the King of Nanguo, has plotted treason!”
Shen Lang spoke lightly, but his words struck everyone like a thunderclap, leaving them utterly stunned. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. Li Wenzheng laughed hoarsely.
“Shen Lang, have you gone mad? Lord Gong is loyal to our State of Yue, guarding our southwestern border. He is not only the king’s adopted son but also the husband of Princess Yongluo. How could he possibly plot treason?”
“He attempted to poison Princess Yongluo. When he failed, he was forced to advance his rebellion. I deliberately set a trap in the book, waiting to see who would touch it and be blown to smithereens. Unexpectedly, you, the fool, couldn't resist stepping on the landmine.
Why are you so eager to walk into death’s embrace? Do you not want to live? Why did you rush to your doom without a moment's hesitation? Is it because you come from a commoner background that you lack political sense and have such a narrow view? You really are a far cry from the established noble families.”
Hearing this, everyone mentally spat at Shen Lang.
*‘Shen Lang, aren't you from a background even lower than a commoner?’*
“I sleep with a noble lady every night, as is my right. Doesn't that make me a noble, too? It’s a very simple logic.”
After he finished speaking, Shen Lang heard the sound of someone grinding their teeth, though he couldn't see who it was. Judging by the clear, pleasant sound, it must have been coming from his wife’s teeth. Shen Lang shrank his neck and dared not speak further on the matter.
Instead, he looked at Li Wenzheng with an air of superiority and said quietly.
“Li Wenzheng, you just said it yourself, with your own mouth. You hit it off with the King of Nanguo, formed a deep friendship, and held secret talks for days on end. Therefore, you must have either participated in his rebellion or been a key figure in planning it.
Li Wenzheng, it seems the one destined to die is not me, but a fool like you. You should go home at once, see your mother, and then wait for the arrest warrant that is soon to come. Well, it doesn’t matter if you run. The fact that you’re a dead man won’t change.”