Chapter Fourteen: Revealing the True Culprit
Jiang Zhenxiong also chimed in, “Exactly, I will severely punish this disobedient son, but I beg Your Highness to spare his life in consideration of his youth and ignorance! Jiang will never forget Your Highness’s great kindness!”
Chu Lianmo sneered inwardly: If he truly believed Jiang Chengjin was the culprit, he might agree to a private settlement to avoid a complete rift with the Jiang family. But if Jiang Chengjin suffered another beating and lost his position as the heir, he would certainly harbor resentment. And having Jiang Yingnan, a supporter of the Crown Prince, become the heir would be detrimental.
Doing so would play right into the true culprit’s hands.
“Youth and ignorance? Your son is over twenty, even has a son, and you call that young? Lord Jiang, you wouldn’t be so blind as to protect your son, would you?”
“Father! Save me, Father!” Jiang Chengjin crawled to his father, grabbing his leg.
“…” Jiang Zhenxiong saw Jiang Chengjin’s tears and, though his heart ached, he was a just man. Facing Chu Lianmo’s unwavering stance, he gritted his teeth. “Your Highness, take him away. I have nothing to say.”
“Very well, I’ll take him to the Emperor… Take him away!”
At Chu Lianmo’s command, the two guards dragged Jiang Chengjin away.
“It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!” Jiang Chengjin panicked, shouting indiscriminately. “It was the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince sent the assassins!”
“What?” Chu Lianmo’s heart sank, quickly ordering the guards to stop. “Explain yourself. What happened?”
Jiang Chengjin knelt on the ground, weeping, “That day, I mentioned the conflict with Your Highness in the market. The Crown Prince said he would teach you a lesson. I didn’t know what he meant, so I agreed… But he hired assassins! He threatened to kill Fangfang and Xiaobao if I didn’t take the blame; I had no choice!”
Chu Lianmo gasped.
His elder brother was even more insidious and vicious than he imagined.
“Second Brother!” Jiang Yingnan shouted. “How can you slander the Crown Prince without evidence to escape punishment?! This is a greater crime that will implicate the entire Jiang family!”
“I… I’m telling the truth! Your Highness, Father, please believe me!”
Chu Lianmo’s gaze turned cold as he looked at Jiang Yingnan. It seemed that the Second Young Master Jiang and the Crown Prince were in cahoots.
However, he wasn’t entirely wrong—if he rashly accused Chu Ziqian before Emperor Chu Wen with only Jiang Chengjin’s testimony, the evidence would be insufficient. Emperor Chu Wen would naturally believe his favored eldest son was innocent.
“How foolish you are!” Jiang Zhenxiong slapped Jiang Chengjin. “Whether it’s reporting, agreeing to the Crown Prince’s plan to teach Rui Wang a lesson, or taking the blame, none of it should have been done!”
Then he severely beat Jiang Chengjin. Jiang Chengjin didn’t dare resist, only kneeling there and silently enduring.
“Enough.”
Chu Lianmo understood. Jiang Zhenxiong did this in front of him to protect his son.
“This involves the Crown Prince; I need more evidence and shouldn’t make a fuss. Keep this foolish son to discipline yourself. As for his concubine and young son, keep them in the Jiang residence for protection. I don’t believe the Crown Prince dares openly kill them here.”
“Thank you, Your Highness, for considering the Jiang family!” Jiang Zhenxiong kowtowed twice to Chu Lianmo, then stood up. “Bring Jiang Chengjin back to his room and confine him. He is not to leave until this matter is resolved!”
“Yes.”
Jiang Chengjin, relieved that he wouldn’t be imprisoned or executed, let out a sigh of relief and followed the Jiang family servants.
“Alright, I’ll leave now. Lord Jiang, please improve your family discipline.”
Chu Lianmo, giving Jiang Yingnan a meaningful look, left.
Qi Xiaojun followed silently.
In that situation, a concubine had no room to speak.
So, only when they were back in the carriage, facing the still-worried Chu Lianmo, did he speak. “Your Highness, where do you plan to investigate next?”
Chu Lianmo sighed, “Currently, we can only start with the assassin, but my men have used every torture method, and he still insists it was Jiang Chengjin who ordered him.”
Qi Xiaojun pondered for a moment. “May I see him?”
“You may.” Chu Lianmo readily agreed. “I intended to see him myself. You can go with me.”
When Qi Xiaojun saw Ying Dong again in the Rui Wangfu’s dungeon, he was unrecognizable.
His once handsome face was covered in blood, his condition terrifying. His entire body was covered in whip marks, bruises, and burn scars… there wasn’t a single piece of undamaged skin. His fingernails were also pulled out, blood constantly flowing from his fingertips.
“Your Highness, this man can’t withstand any more torture!” Qi Xiaojun, inherently kind, felt pity.
Hearing this, a strange expression flashed across Ying Dong’s emotionless face.
Qi Xiaojun sensed an opportunity and continued, “Perhaps you should leave him to me.”
“Oh?” Chu Lianmo raised an eyebrow. “You have a way?”
“No, I just don’t want him to suffer anymore.” Qi Xiaojun said this, giving Chu Lianmo a wink.
Chu Lianmo understood immediately, nodding. “Since nothing can be asked from him, he’s useless. Leave him to you. You can do as you wish.”
Afterwards, Qi Xiaojun took Ying Dong to a spare room, placed him on a soft bed, and called a physician to treat his wounds.
Ying Dong was astonished.
Qi Xiaojun smiled slightly. “I admire your skills and spirit. I happen to need a bodyguard. Will you serve me after you recover?”
“…You… I tried to assassinate you, and you want to keep me?” Ying Dong was moved.
“Sigh,” Qi Xiaojun sighed softly. “I know many in your assassin organization are orphans adopted by the pavilion master, forced to train and kill from a young age, beaten if they don’t complete missions, right? They’re pitiable.”
Ying Dong was touched by Qi Xiaojun’s understanding, his eyes welling up. “This… let me think about it.”
“Alright. Take your time.”
Qi Xiaojun did need a bodyguard. With Chu Lianmo’s family so dangerous, he didn’t dare go out alone.
However, rather than relying on others, rebuilding his martial arts was a more fundamental solution.
So that evening, when Chu Lianmo came, Qi Xiaojun brought up a matter: “Your Highness, I want to practice martial arts. May I?”
Chu Lianmo was taken aback.
Most people wouldn’t allow their inner household to practice martial arts, as it would increase trouble.
However, there was no such rule in the Rui Wangfu. There had been no need for such a rule; no wives or concubines had wanted to do this.
“Why do you want to practice martial arts?”