Chapter 196: Confession

The back hall of the Chen residence was silent. The names Jiao Tu and Yun Yang felt like sharp blades plunged into Chen Liqin’s chest, causing his qi and blood to surge and leaving him momentarily powerless.

Liang shi rose to support him and asked in a low voice, “Old Master, perhaps it’s not a big matter?”

Chen Liqin sighed inwardly. Jiao Tu and Yun Yang were two of the Twelve Zodiacs. For both of them to come to his door at the same time, it had to be a matter of grave importance. How could ordinary small matters possibly alarm them?

He considered it carefully, then instructed a servant boy, “Please invite them in…”

Before he finished speaking, a frivolous voice drifted from outside the door. “No need to invite, we are already in. It’s rare for Lord Chen to be so polite to us Jinyiwei. It truly surprises me. I was worried earlier that Lord Chen wouldn’t let us in.”

Everyone in the back hall looked over simultaneously. They saw Yun Yang in front, Jiao Tu behind, the two of them strolling leisurely through the archway and heading straight for the back hall. Yun Yang wore a set of black form-fitting clothes, which made his face appear clean and handsome.

He held an envelope in his right hand, slowly patting the palm of his left hand, like a young noble scholar holding an invitation to a banquet.

Yun Yang smiled as he looked into the back hall. “Oh, so many people. Could you be discussing some important matter? Lord Chen, perhaps our visit is ill-timed? Should we visit another day?”

He stopped at the door, looking at the couplet in the back hall of the Chen residence, and mumbled, “*Wen Tong Ji Yun Tong*… Lord Chen, I’m afraid *Wen Tong* cannot *Yun Tong*.”

Chen Liqin’s heart pounded. He looked at the envelope in the other man’s hand… the visitor was indeed not here for a friendly visit.

He lowered his voice to instruct Chen Wenzong, Chen Wenxiao, Liang shi, and the others, “Jiao Tu and Lord Yun Yang and I need to discuss important matters. You all withdraw.”

“Wait!” Yun Yang said with a full smile. “What we need to talk about is nothing shameful, everyone can stay and listen.”

Chen Liqin’s face sank.

Yun Yang said with great interest, “Lord Chen, will you not offer us a cup of tea?”

Liang shi hurriedly rose and went out, raising a hand to call a maid. “Brew tea for the guests.”

Yun Yang nodded in satisfaction. He looked around and noticed only one empty chair. He then turned his head and stared directly at Chen Wenxiao.

Only when Chen Wenxiao rose to give up his seat did he say thank you and smilingly beckoned to Jiao Tu. “Jiao Tu, come sit.”

Yun Yang’s gaze swept over Chen Ji without stopping. Chen Ji did not look at them even once, just stared at the beam in the back hall, silent, lost in thought.

Yun Yang glanced at him out of the corner of his eye again, then turned his head to curiously ask Chen Liqin, “Lord Chen, what important matter were you discussing in the Chen residence just now? May I hear about it?”

Chen Wenzong said coldly, “What principle is there for a guest to inquire about the host’s family matters? If you Jinyiwei intend to make things difficult for us, you can state your intentions directly without pretending here.”

Yun Yang raised his eyebrows. “Eh, even asking is not allowed? Could it be that the Chen residence has some shameful secrets? We Secret Service Division patrol on behalf of heaven, sharing His Majesty’s worries. The family matters of all civil and military officials in the court are state matters. What can we not ask?”

Chen Wenzong said angrily, “You…”

Liang shi worried her son would offend the eunuch party. She hurriedly returned to the room and pulled Chen Wenzong aside.

She explained to Yun Yang with a smile, “What we were discussing just now were family matters. My third son in the Chen residence was mischievous when he was young and once developed a bad habit of gambling. Now he suddenly received a sum of money. As a mother, I am worried he will relapse, so I wanted him to deposit this money into the Chen residence’s public funds to prevent him from squandering it again.”

Jiao Tu seemed to suddenly realize something and said, “This third son of your Chen residence, is his name Chen Wenxiao?”

Liang shi was startled. “This lord is mistaken. This third son of mine in the Chen residence is named Chen Ji. Ah, the one standing at the door.”

Jiao Tu looked at Yun Yang doubtfully. “Is that right?”

Yun Yang also became doubtful. “Indeed, not right!”

Chen Liqin saw the two of them like this and was suddenly confused. “What are you two talking about?”

Yun Yang smilingly stood up and handed over the envelope. “Lord Chen, please first look at the contents of this envelope.”

Chen Liqin reached out to take it, but as he touched the envelope, he saw Yun Yang pull it back again.

Yun Yang looked at Liang shi and joked, “Madam, do you have An Gong Niu Huang Wan in the residence? You need to prepare it for Lord Chen, in case he sees the contents of the letter and gets qi blockage.”

Chen Liqin annoyedly snorted coldly. “Lord Yun Yang, if you want to kill or do whatever you please, there is no need to mock this official like this!”

He snatched the envelope from Yun Yang’s hand and shook the paper open to look. His eyebrows immediately relaxed.

It was not the bandit suppression proclamation he had written for Mr. Feng!

Not having it was good!

However, as he looked further down, his face became heavy again.

Chen Liqin looked at the paper while sweeping his gaze toward Chen Wenxiao on the side.

As he looked and looked, he suddenly roared at Chen Wenxiao, “Look at the good thing you did!”

Liang shi was completely baffled and hurriedly came forward to ask, “Old Master, what is this? Why are you getting angry at our son for no reason?”

Chen Liqin threw the paper into Liang shi’s arms. “You look yourself! This is the result of you pampering him every day!”

Chen Wenxiao originally did not understand, but upon hearing this, he finally recalled what he had once written for the Secret Service Division. His face immediately turned pale!

He subconsciously looked at Chen Ji once, then turned his head to Chen Liqin. “Father, I was forced to write that down at that time. I did not do those things!”

“Oh?” Jiao Tu teased. “The meaning of the young master of the Chen family is that our Secret Service Division once tortured and forced a confession from you? May I ask if you had any injuries on your body at that time?”

Chen Wenxiao stammered, “No… none.”

Jiao Tu lightly said, “Eh, then that’s strange. No injuries on your body, how did we force you to write this confession? You must not falsely accuse us, otherwise we may have to take you back and verify again.”

Chen Liqin glared angrily at Chen Wenxiao. “Do not quibble any more!”

It was only upon seeing this confession that he suddenly understood. It turned out that all of the bad reputations Chen Ji had acquired over the years were the result of Chen Wenxiao slandering him.

Had Chen Ji explained before? Naturally, yes, but at that time Chen Ji cried injustice, and he simply did not believe him.

And now, Chen Wenxiao had confessed everything frankly in the confession. The truth was already clear.

Chen Liqin’s face turned green for a while, then red for a while. For a moment, he did not know what to do.

Chen Wenzong looked at his father, then at his mother, and suddenly became doubtful. “What confession did Wenxiao write?”

As he spoke, he leaned over to look.

However, he saw Liang shi quickly fold the confession and said as if nothing had happened, “This is none of your business. Wenzong, Chen Ji, you two withdraw first.”

“Wait, Chen Ji?” Jiao Tu stood up doubtfully. “Earlier, Madam said that the third son of the Chen residence is named Chen Ji. This confession seems to have written that Chen Wenxiao put all the gambling debts on Chen Ji’s head… Hey, young man, are you called Chen Ji?”

Chen Ji was startled. “It is I.”

Jiao Tu clicked her tongue twice. “Helping your brother carry such a large black pot is really unlucky. Earlier, we also heard that the Chen residence had an unfilial illegitimate son who gambled excessively, but we did not expect it was framed.”

Chen Ji suddenly turned his head to look at Liang shi, then after a moment, looked at Chen Liqin, and said with difficulty, “Lord Chen, is what Lord Jiao Tu said true?”

Chen Liqin heard this “Lord Chen” and his heart ached again. “It is…”

Liang shi hurriedly pulled his arm. “Old Master, this is an ugly matter of the Chen residence. It must not spread outside again.”

Chen Liqin flung his sleeve, throwing Liang shi aside, and asked angrily, “How long do you want to protect Chen Wenxiao? People have already come to the door with the confession to question us. Do you still think this matter can be covered up?”

Yun Yang smilingly played the peacemaker. “Lord Chen, do not misunderstand. We were originally sorting through documents before withdrawing from Luocheng and accidentally came across this confession. Lord Chen loves his people as his children and has personally handled everything since coming to Luocheng, managing Luocheng in good order, which we greatly admire. When we came across this confession, the two of us felt that this thing should not be left behind, so we specifically sent it back. We absolutely have no intention of questioning you. After all, we Secret Service Division do not manage 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 specifically come to stand up for Chen Ji, precisely on this matter, precisely at this time.

He knew very well what kind of ruthless characters the Twelve Zodiacs of the Secret Service Division were. He did not believe a word when the other side said they returned the confession because they admired him.

But the problem lay here: what kind of characters were the Twelve Zodiacs of the Inner Court? How would they specifically come to stand up for Chen Ji?

Chen Liqin thought more and more, and became more and more confused.

At this time, Yun Yang cupped his hands. “Since the confession has been delivered, the two of us will no longer disturb you 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, “Lord Chen, do you still remember what you once wrote in Jingwang’s residence? What we Secret Service Division know is probably more than you imagine.”

Chen Liqin’s face suddenly changed!

It turned out the other side really knew about this matter. The bandit suppression proclamation had indeed fallen into the hands of the Secret Service Division. This trip was not to deliver the confession, but actually to come to his door to warn him.

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

Yun Yang actually did not know what Chen Liqin had specifically written. Chen Ji had just told them to say this. He also did not expect that Chen Liqin would have such a big reaction upon hearing these words.

But the act still needed to continue.

Yun Yang said with a smile that was not a smile, “Lord Chen, what we want to do, we haven’t decided yet. We will come and tell you when we have decided. Jiao Tu, let’s go.”

He turned to leave, and Jiao Tu followed behind.

Passing by Chen Ji at the door, she, with her back to the others, asked in a voice like a mosquito, “Lord Chen, how was my performance? If you are satisfied, you may want to give me a reward.”

Without waiting for Chen Ji to respond, Jiao Tu already left with a light laugh.

In the back hall of the Chen residence, there was dead silence, only the sound of Chen Liqin’s heavy breathing remained.

After a moment, Chen Liqin said angrily, “Wang Gui! Drag Chen Wenxiao down and give him twenty big boards! After beating him, drag him into the ancestral hall to kneel! Kneel for a day and a night, then we’ll see!”

Liang shi heard this and hurriedly pulled Chen Liqin’s arm. “Old Master, he still has to go to the poetry meeting with Wenzong tomorrow. If you beat him twenty big boards, how can he go?”

Chen Liqin was so angry that his beard trembled. He laughed coldly three times. “What time is it now, and you still want to attend a poetry meeting? He deserves it! Chen Ji has endured so many scoldings for him all these years. How innocent is Chen Ji? Wang Gui, what are you still standing there for? Quickly drag Chen Wenxiao away for me!”

Liang shi sobbed, “Old Master, you cannot! He is about to go to the capital for the imperial examination. What if you beat him badly?”

Chen Liqin was extremely angry. “Imperial examination? I will send a letter to the capital now and ask the Minister of Education 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 made a gesture to kneel down. “Chen Ji, please forgive your brother. He was just confused for a moment!”

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows and quickly moved aside. This Ning Dynasty governed with filial piety and ritual. If Liang shi truly knelt to him, his reputation would be ruined afterward.

Fortunately, Chen Wenzong was at the side and supported his mother in time, saying angrily, “Mother, what are you doing? Wenxiao did something wrong, he should naturally be punished!”

Chen Wenxiao’s eyes widened. “Brother?!”

Chen Ji raised his head to look at Chen Liqin, cupped his hands, and asked, “Lord Chen, how to punish Chen Wenxiao is a family matter of the Chen residence, you 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 will take my leave.”