“You are the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang, with countless subordinates. You can instruct them beforehand that if they see the situation in the main hall is not good, they should hand over the cannon and sever all ties…” With the cannon back, everyone’s attention turned to it. Who would care who stole it?
Qin Junhao's cunning move not only cleared Mu Zhengnan of suspicion but also put him in the spotlight, a brilliant strategy that killed two birds with one stone.
"Young Master Mu speaks so vividly, as if you personally orchestrated this whole thing. It seems you've done plenty of things like this." Qin Junhao slightly raised his eyelids, his eyes full of mockery: "Mu Zhengnan, not everyone in this world is as despicable as you." The implication was that Mu Zhengnan was a despicable person, so he assumed everyone else was as despicable as him.
"Qin Junhao, don't try to argue your way out of this. I heard you plotting to steal the cannon with my own ears. How could I be wrong? You also have a partner. He saw that things were not going well and was afraid that more secrets would be exposed, so he handed over the cannon to settle things."
He was too careless, overlooking the fact that Qin Junhao was not acting alone. He had powerful partners and skilled subordinates, while Mu Zhengnan was all alone. How could he possibly defeat the powerful Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang?
Qin Junhao raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Lord Ma, according to the laws of Qingyan, what is the crime of falsely accusing the Crown Prince?"
Lord Ma pondered for a moment: "Execute him immediately!"
"Mu Zhengnan, a commoner from Qingyan, falsely accused me, intending to sow discord between the Southern Frontier and Qingyan. What crime should he be charged with?" Qin Junhao continued to press.
"Dismemberment by five horses." As the head of the Ministry of Justice, Lord Ma was most familiar with the Qingyan Law, especially the punishments for serious crimes, which he could recite fluently and answer immediately.
Execution on the spot? Tortured by five horses!
Any one of these punishments could be fatal, and Qin Junhao was determined to put him to death.
Mu Zhengnan was utterly shocked. He rushed to Lord Ma's desk and shouted hysterically, "Lord Ma, the cannon was indeed stolen by Qin Junhao and his accomplices. You have to believe me..." He did not frame Qin Junhao, nor did he try to sow discord between Southern Xinjiang and Qingyan.
Two officers rushed forward and grabbed Mu Zhengnan from both sides. He struggled desperately, and his angry roars echoed throughout the hall.
Lord Ma looked up at Mu Zhengnan: "Young Master Mu, words are meaningless. Everything requires evidence. Do you have any evidence to prove that Crown Prince Qin stole the cannon?" As the head of the Ministry of Justice, he had to rely on evidence to judge cases and convince people.
"Qin Junhao destroyed all the evidence, and I can't find it for the time being." Mu Zhengnan's eyes flickered with anxiety and hope: "Lord Ma, if you send people to Qin Junhao's post station to search carefully, you will definitely find some clues."
Lord Ma's eyes narrowed. Qin Junhao was a meticulous person. Even if he really stole the cannon, all the evidence had been destroyed and all the clues had been erased.
"Lord Ma, as the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang, I came to Qingyan for the sake of friendship between our two countries, not to listen to the slanders of the common people of Qingyan!" Qin Junhao emphasized the last sentence, his eyes flashing with a cold light.
If Lord Ma does not punish Mu Zhengnan, it would be a deliberate provocation against his authority as the Crown Prince. For the dignified Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang to be bullied by a commoner in Qingyan is intolerable.
The Qingyan and Nanjiang nations are evenly matched and neither is afraid of the other. However, it is truly unacceptable to provoke a war between the two countries over a trivial matter, causing widespread conflict and suffering.
Lord Ma's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed a wooden plaque, throwing it to the ground: "Take Mu Zhengnan away and tear him apart by five horses!"
Mu Zhengnan felt a sudden thud, and his mind went completely blank. Torn apart by five horses? He was going to be torn apart by five horses? How could this be?
When he came to his senses, two officers were dragging him away, hurrying him out. Outside the hall, five horses stood.
Seeing the gleaming torture device on the horse, Mu Zhengnan was shocked. It took him a long time to react before he anxiously shouted, "Lord Ma, what I said is true! Qin Junhao's stay in Qingyan is not for good. This time he stole the cannon, next time he might steal the imperial seal..."
Stealing cannons is a heinous crime. Mu Zhengnan is just an unknown nobody. Qin Junhao could crush him with one finger. There's no need to set up such a big trap just to kill him.
Mu Zhengnan repeatedly accused Qin Junhao of stealing the cannon. He must have been forced into a corner by Mu Zhengnan, which is why he had no choice but to hand over the cannon. Mu Zhengnan had caused Qin Junhao to lose what he had almost obtained. Qin Junhao hated Mu Zhengnan so much that he accused Mu Zhengnan of framing him and sowing discord between the Southern Frontier and the Azure Flame, and Mu Zhengnan wanted to kill him.
The reason is so simple that I can figure it out myself. As the Minister of Justice, Lord Ma must be able to figure it out as well. So why doesn't he save me or help me?
Mu Zhengnan was unaware that Lord Ma, having seen countless people, had long recognized that he was no good person. This time, for wealth and glory, he helped the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang steal the Azure Flame Cannon; next time, for his own promotion, he might risk his life to steal the Azure Flame Jade Seal.
Such a self-serving and petty person is a dangerous factor if left in Qingyan; the sooner he dies, the sooner things will be quieted down.
"Lord Ma, Lord Ma... please believe me, please believe me..."
Amid Mu Zhengnan's sorrowful wails, his hands, feet, and neck were bound with shackles. The cold shackles were tight, and he could not break free no matter how hard he tried. In his terrified gaze, five guards mounted the five horses.
With a flick of the reins, the horse galloped off in five different directions. Mu Zhengnan's tall body was instantly torn into five pieces. Blood and bits of flesh were scattered all over the ground, and a thick stench of blood filled the air. His head rolled around like a ball until it came to a stop by the door, face up, eyes wide open, filled with intense terror, anger, and resentment.
Qin Junhao looked at the blood-stained head, a barely perceptible sneer appearing on his lips. Daring to plot against him, he was courting death!
"Does the Crown Prince Qin truly not recognize Mu Zhengnan?"
Lord Ma's routine inquiry rang out, but Qin Junhao didn't even turn his head, replying casually, "I am the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang, why would I care about a commoner from the Qingyan tribe who feeds horses at an inn?"
"The Crown Prince Qin knows that Mu Zhengnan is a horse feeder, so he still cares quite a bit about the servants at the post station," Lord Ma said in a nonchalant tone.
Qin Junhao raised the corners of his mouth: "He said this identity himself. I just remembered it because I have a better memory!"
"It is truly pitiful that Crown Prince Qin has been framed. However, Crown Prince Qin, you should also reflect on yourself and see if you have done anything wrong." Flies don't land on eggs without cracks. Mu Zhengnan ignored all the officials in Qingyan and chose to frame him, the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang. He must have something wrong with himself.
"I've learned something." Qin Junhao's gaze instantly darkened. This Lord Ma, Qingyan, was not afraid of him. He had just torn Mu Zhengnan apart by five horses not because of Qin Junhao's pressure, but because he had long disliked Mu Zhengnan and was taking advantage of Qin Junhao's words to get rid of him.
Hehe, the cannon has been delivered to the palace, so Mu Zhengnan can no longer accuse him of stealing the cannon. Keeping Mu Zhengnan around is useless. Of course, we should get rid of such a profit-driven villain as him one by one to cleanse the Qingyan's atmosphere.
Who would have thought that he, the dignified Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang, with his profound wisdom and foresight, would be used by Qingyan's officials? How despicable!
"Court adjourned!" The trial was over, the guilty were brought to justice, and the innocent were released. Lord Ma slammed his gavel, and the last glimmer of light faded from the sky as night fell completely.
Dongfang Xun was acquitted and released. Shen Lixue and Dongfang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. They had just returned from Xiliang, and were exhausted from the long journey. Shen Lixue was pregnant again and fell asleep on the way back. When she woke up, she was being held in Dongfang Heng's arms as they walked into Fengsong Courtyard.
Dongfang Heng looked down at his wife, whose eyes were glazed over, and thought about the child they were carrying. His sharp eyes sparkled with tenderness and affection: "It's getting late. What would you like to eat? I'll tell the kitchen to make it."
Shen Lixue shook her head: "I'm full, I can't eat anything, a bowl of soup will do."
Lotus seed porridge is Shen Lixue's favorite drink. It has a rich and fragrant flavor and is good for her health. She used to be able to drink a whole bowl, but now she only drank a small half bowl before losing her appetite.
Upon learning that they were coming back, Qiuhe and Yanyue had their quilts taken out to air in the sun. After taking a bath, Shen Lixue lay in the soft brocade quilt, surrounded by the warm scent of sunshine, which smelled wonderful. Shen Lixue buried her face in the pillow, ready to fall asleep.
Suddenly, one side of the blanket was lifted, and Dongfang Heng lay down in, reaching out to pull her into his arms. A faint scent of pine resin mixed with the residual warmth of the hot water wafted over her, smelling wonderful. Shen Lixue stirred, her petite body nestled entirely into his embrace, her sleepiness fading slightly: "Heng, who do you think stole the cannon?"
"Qin Junhao." Dongfang Heng rested his smooth chin on Shen Lixue's black hair, his eyes deep and intense. "Mu Zhengnan is only interested in profit. If Qin Junhao hadn't tempted him with profit, he wouldn't have fallen for it. However, Qin Junhao is smarter than Mu Zhengnan. When he saw that things were not going well, he handed over the cannon. The valuable cannon was recovered, and the emperor was in a good mood. He would not investigate further. Qin Junhao escaped unscathed, but Mu Zhengnan suffered and was torn apart by five horses."
Shen Lixue frowned: "My elder brother was escorting the cannon. It was a top secret, known only to a few people. Qin Junhao is the Crown Prince of Southern Xinjiang. The Emperor is wary of him and would never leak such a confidential matter to him. How did he get the information?"
Of course, it's obtained through cooperation with someone, from someone in a high position of power!