Chapter 104

Chapter 104

As the yamen runners arrived, someone in the crowd immediately shouted, "The officers are here! See? I told you they'd come to make arrests!"

Meng Shuping quickly scanned his surroundings but couldn't spot who was inciting the crowd. Meanwhile, the onlookers were also stirred up. "Pah! Who would've thought he looked so honest but is actually this wicked? That old man is truly pathetic!"

"Exactly! After all, he's an official—they have no conscience!"

"Ah, the old man is so old. How could he possibly endure the hardships of prison?"

Just then, several officers pushed their way through the crowd. As soon as the leader spotted Meng Shuping, he said, "Greetings, sir. I heard there's a troublemaker causing a disturbance?"

Meng Shuping forced himself to stay calm and replied, "This elderly man claims our carriage hit him. I've asked you here to bear witness."

The leader then turned to the old man with displeasure. "So you're the one who accused Lord Meng's carriage of hitting you? Old man, falsely accusing an imperial official is a crime, you know!"

The old man seemed to shrink back in fear. "No, no, he didn't hit me. It was my fault; I accidentally fell."

The leader said sternly, "So, did it happen or not? If not, why would you spread such rumors? Huh? You think it's funny to make fools of us?"

Hearing this, the old man turned pale with fright. He dropped to his knees before Meng Shuping and pleaded, "Sir, have mercy! This old man misspoke. You didn't hit me—my eyes are failing me, and I couldn't see clearly. I beg you, please let me go!"

As he spoke, he began slapping his own face while begging for forgiveness.

Meng Shuping quickly moved away. [The officer was the one questioning him, so why is he kneeling to me? What, does he think I'm a soft touch?]

[Besides, talk is talk, why's he kneeling? It makes it look like I'm oppressing him. If he wants to slap himself, let him. He doesn't actually think I'll stop him, does he?]

The old man paused briefly in his self-slapping but soon resumed. Hmph, all the better if he doesn't stop me—he could gain more sympathy that way.

However, the surrounding crowd grew furious. "Pah! Officials shielding each other! I've seen through them now!"

"Ah, how pitiful. To suffer like this at such an old age."

But just as they finished speaking, two more people arrived—it was the servant Jia Yue, who had brought the doctor. "Young master, I've brought the doctor."

Meng Shuping hurriedly said, "Then have the doctor examine his injuries."

"Yes."

The onlookers were taken aback. Had they misjudged this official again? A moment later, the doctor lifted the old man's clothes at the waist, revealing bruises.

At the sight, the crowd buzzed with talk. "Whoa! So he really was hit! Look how severe the injuries are."

Meng Shuping was startled. Could their carriage have actually hit him?

Xing Lai's face showed disbelief, and he panicked. "Young master, our carriage really didn't hit him. Besides, we were moving so slowly—how could the injuries be this serious?"

The old man secretly gloated. Did they think he'd be afraid just because they brought a doctor? These were real injuries!

After a careful look, Meng Shuping was certain—these couldn't have been caused by their carriage. At their speed, it was impossible to inflict such severe harm.

So he asked the doctor, "Doctor, how long would you say these injuries have been there?"

The doctor frowned in thought for a moment. "Roughly two or three hours."

Everyone was surprised. Two or three hours? But wasn't he just hit?

The old man immediately pulled his clothes down to cover the injuries. "What two or three hours? You quack, don't spread such nonsense!"

Hearing this, the doctor was displeased. "Hmph, I've been practicing medicine here for decades. Everyone in the neighborhood knows my skills. How could I mistake something like this? If these injuries were fresh, they wouldn't look like this at all! I think you're trying to scam him!"

The onlookers began to chatter. "Yes, yes, Doctor Chen's medical skills are excellent—how could he be wrong? How despicable! Isn't this setting someone up?"

"I actually spoke up for him earlier—I was clearly mistaken!"

"You can't judge a book by its cover. Who would've thought he looked so honest and pitiful but is actually this wicked?"

"He was trying to use us to pressure this official into paying, wasn't he? Hateful! Absolutely hateful!"

Meng Shuping chuckled. [Hahaha, ignorance is truly frightening. Did he really think fresh injuries and hours-old injuries look the same?]

He gleefully turned to the officers. "Please take him to the yamen. I suspect he's part of a group scam."

The old man panicked and hurriedly said, "I'm innocent, sir! I never said it was this official who hit me!"

It was everyone else who assumed that!

But no sooner had he spoken than some bystanders called him out. "What do you mean you never said it? I clearly heard you!"

"I heard it too! I thought he was too afraid to admit he'd been hit, but it was just so he could deny it later!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

The old man turned pale. Now he understood what it meant to be hoisted by one's own petard. He had intended to use the crowd to pressure Meng Shuping, but now he had trapped himself. No matter how much he regretted it, he had no other choice.

After the old man was taken into custody, the leading officer bid farewell to Meng Shuping. "Then I shall take my leave, sir."

Meng Shuping nodded. "Very well."

Upstairs, the middle-aged man slammed his teacup onto the table. Even after all that, this kid still managed to turn things around? Was Meng Shuping that cunning, or was he just incredibly lucky?

When Jiang Cihe heard that Meng Shuping had nearly been scammed, he was very surprised. The next time he ran into Meng Shuping, he asked curiously, "What happened?"

Meng Shuping shook his head. "I'm not sure, but twice in a row targeting me is just too strange."

Jiang Cihe was deeply puzzled. "It really is strange. You look like you have no money, and you actually have no money. By all reasoning, they shouldn't have targeted you, right?"

Meng Shuping looked at him speechlessly. [Can you analyze without being so blunt? Besides, who says I have no money? I have over three hundred taels of silver!]

Jiang Cihe smirked. Oh~, so the little moneygrubber has a savings of three hundred taels! And two hundred fifty of those were contributed by him. Tsk tsk, saving money really isn't easy.

He suppressed a laugh and asked, "Any results from the yamen?"

Meng Shuping shook his head again. "None. They only found out that someone put them up to it, but that person wore a mask, so no one knows what he looks like."

Jiang Cihe had a faint suspicion. Could it be that someone behind the scenes was trying to ruin Meng Shuping's official reputation? But Meng Shuping had offended so many people—who could it be?

In the Imperial Clan Court prison, Jiang Ciyi and Jiang Cian were sitting idly by the stove warming themselves when they heard many footsteps approaching from afar. They lazily looked over—was another new inmate arriving?

But when they opened their eyes, they saw a palace eunuch and the Minister of Works, along with a group of others, entering. Jiang Ciyi was very annoyed. "What is it now?"

First, he was made to study in prison, then do handicrafts. What would be next?

The eunuch delivering the decree smiled. "Your Highnesses, on the Emperor's orders, the two of you may leave."

Jiang Ciyi and Jiang Cian were stunned, then overjoyed. They sprang up from their chairs. "Really?"

The Minister of Works said happily, "Really, really! Hurry and open the cell doors for Their Highnesses!"

Others joined in with flattery, "Your Highnesses, your luck has finally turned!"

"Your Highnesses have suffered greatly. Once you are released, we will host a welcome feast to wash away the dust!"

"Though His Majesty may appear strict with the two of you, it's all just a show for outsiders. See, hasn't he released you now?"

"The most hateful one is that Meng Shuping! If it weren't for him, Your Highnesses would not have endured such suffering!"

Jiang Cian snorted, "After locking me up for so long, it's finally time to settle the score with that guy!"

In truth, he could have ordered others to cause trouble for the boy even while in prison, but how could he personally witness the brat's misfortune that way?

Jiang Ciyi's expression was equally gloomy. Once out, he would make sure Meng Shuping knew that he was not as poor as he seemed!

A few days later, after the morning court session, Meng Shuping was held back by Emperor Qianyou. He couldn't help but wonder, [What does he want with me out of the blue? I already have so much to do, and now he's holding me up. Does he think I need more to do?]

[Does he have nothing better to do all day? If he has free time, he should spend it parenting his sons, so they don't have the leisure to bother me again!]

Emperor Qianyou's face twitched. Indeed, there was trouble. He looked at Meng Shuping and asked, "Beloved Minister Meng, do you know why I summoned you?"

Meng Shuping shook his head honestly, "I don't know."

At that moment, Jiang Ciyi smiled and said, "Vice Director Meng, it is actually I who sought you out. I must apologize for my previous actions. During my time in prison, I reflected deeply on my mistakes. This time, I invited Vice Director Meng to my residence for a meal to formally apologize. I hope Vice Director Meng will honor me with your presence."

Meng Shuping was taken aback and instinctively replied, "No need, no need! I'm not upset with you!"

[Wait... I'm the one who got him imprisoned. Instead of seeking revenge, he wants to apologize to me? Do I look that gullible? He's probably plotting something against me. If I go, won't I be walking right into a trap?]

[And if he really wants to apologize, wouldn't it be more sincere to just give me money? Oh, right, I forgot—he's notoriously stingy. How could he possibly spend money on this?]

Jiang Ciyi took a deep breath. He had already said he wasn't that stingy! Struggling to control his expression, he asked, "Is Vice Director Meng refusing because you still hold a grudge against me?"

Meng Shuping replied sincerely, "Not at all!"

[I simply don't want to go to his place for a meal. Honestly, who wants to socialize while eating? Isn't that exhausting? Besides, I've long forgotten about that matter—it wasn't that big of a deal. Why keep bringing it up? It's not like I have nothing better to do! And besides, many people have offended me. Where does he rank among them?]

Jiang Ciyi gritted his teeth. Meng Shuping had actually forgotten? Didn't that make him seem foolish for holding onto it? He tried to ignore Meng Shuping's words and turned to Emperor Qianyou, "Father, I genuinely wish to apologize to Vice Director Meng. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked for your help to mediate."

Meng Shuping suddenly understood, [So that's why he summoned me here—to pressure me through the Emperor into forgiving him! Isn't that going too far? Who forces someone to forgive like this?]

[Oh, I get it now! He's putting on a show for the Emperor! To prove he's sincerely repented! So I'm just a prop in his game, huh?]