Chapter 49: What Will You Use to Beg Me?

How could Mo Ziqian…

Young Master Mo sent a letter begging to see his wife.

“Let him in.”

The servant immediately brought him in. Before he could enter, Mo Shu rushed in and knelt with a thud. “Begging Madam Jiang to save my master!”

Yao hurriedly said, “Quickly, get up.”

Mo Shu cried, “My master would absolutely never be involved in such treasonous matters. My master’s words carry little weight and he has no real power. The old master only let him manage the business, so he handles everything, but real power has never been in his hands, only stable operations. He could never be involved in such a thing!”

Yao helped him up. “I also don’t believe Young Master Mo is such a person, but this case still needs to be investigated. Perhaps it’s just a summons for questioning.”

Mo Shu shook his head, crying. “No, it wasn’t a summons, it was the Imperial Guards, not constables or yamen runners, and they directly took him to the imperial prison! Anyone who enters that place will be stripped of a layer of skin. Originally, they only wanted to question the old master, but today they sent the Imperial Guards to seize my master directly. Doesn’t that mean, they’re singling out my master to take the blame!”

Yao wasn’t clear on the inner conflicts of the Mo family, but she could roughly guess. After all, Mo Shujie’s attitude towards Mo Ziqian was very obvious. Mo Ziqian’s life in the Mo family was never smooth.

Moreover, Mo Ziqian was talented and capable, and he also understood business. All the industries he managed were flourishing, and he was also responsible for supplying goods to the palace, such an important task, yet he didn’t have much real power.

Hearing that Mo had several sons, naturally, the old master would use one of his sons to help him take the blame.

Yao furrowed her brows. “No matter what, you can’t just be convicted without any investigation. Why not find someone familiar in the Ministry of Justice, give them some money to grease the wheels, and at the very least, buy some information.”

Mo Shu raised his head, his face full of tears. “I shamelessly beg Madam Jiang because I am begging Madam to ask the Marquis for help.”

Yao was stunned. “The Marquis?”

Yao had never inquired about Ling Xiao’s affairs of state, always maintaining her distance, especially regarding Ling Xiao.

But she remembered him occasionally mentioning that he was busy with affairs, and it was indeed about investigating a treasonous party.

This case of treason was handled lightly, although it was handed over to the Ministry of Justice, it was actually Marquis Ling who was the main judge. She really had no other way, so she had to beg Madam Jiang. He begged that Madam could consider their past friendship and save the young master’s life!”

Mo Shu kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead slamming against the floor until it bled.

“Child, help him up.” Yao said hurriedly.

The servant quickly stopped her and helped him to his feet.

Yao looked at Mo Shu’s hopeful expression and pursed her lips. “Don’t be anxious, I’ll think of a way.”

“Thank you, Madam Jiang!”

Yao asked the servant to treat Mo Shu’s wound while she paced anxiously.

Her relationship with Ling Xiao was now awkward and stiff. If she really asked him, how could she even bring it up?

But Mo Shu had already begged her here. She couldn’t just stand by and watch. Mo Ziqian had helped her several times. He was the best person she had met in the capital in the past six months. Now that he was in trouble, how could she ignore him?

Ling Xiao already suspected that Mo Ziqian was involved, and he harbored resentment towards Mo Ziqian. What if begging him would only make him less likely to let Mo Ziqian go?

Moreover, this was after all an affair of state. Intervening might make Ling Xiao even more displeased.

She was really in a dilemma.

After struggling for a long time, she finally decided to go to Ling Xiao.

No matter what, it would be good to test the waters first.

It wasn’t until dusk that Ling Xiao returned to the mansion.

As soon as he entered the door, Chi Yan greeted him. “Marquis, Madam is waiting to see you.”

Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow. These days she had been avoiding him like a snake, trying to go around him. Now she was taking the initiative to come to his door?

But he could guess why.

From the moment he ordered Mo Ziqian to be taken to the imperial prison for trial, he had guessed it.

Yao and Mo Shu were waiting. Ling Xiao knew that one room was for discussing matters, with a screen separating the inner area, which contained bookshelves and a desk, and further inside, an inner room with a couch for occasional rest.

Yao sat in a circle on the mat, the tea beside her had gone cold, but she didn’t care, feeling uneasy.

“The Marquis has returned.” A servant announced.

Then Ling Xiao came in, wearing a dark blue casual robe, his hair bound with a silver crown. His expression was calm, and his steps were leisurely and casual.

“What are you here for?”

These words sounded more like a statement than a question, as if he already knew.

Yao sized up his face, he seemed to be in a good mood.

But it was hard to say. Ling Xiao’s attitude towards her had always been strange, this strange gentleness.

Yao carefully began, first politely greeting him. “I heard that the Marquis is busy investigating cases and working hard, and the concubine is worried that the Marquis is tired, so I asked someone to send ginseng soup to nourish your body.”

Ling Xiao looked at her, his eyes showing a few emotions.

Still nourishing his body? Was he not heated enough already?

“Not bad.”

His words carried a hint of sarcasm.

But Yao was used to it and pretended not to hear it, hesitating before finally getting to the main point. “I heard that Mo Ziqian was convicted and imprisoned.”

Ling Xiao gently scraped the tea leaves in his teacup, not interrupting, as if waiting for the rest of her words.

His calmness made her even more uneasy, but the words were already out, and she couldn’t turn back.

“Has this case made any progress?”

Ling Xiao raised his eyes and glanced at her. “Are you here for Mo Ziqian?”

“He has helped me several times, and now that he is in trouble, I naturally cannot stand idly by,” Yao said hurriedly.

“His servant begged me and said he was wronged, and Mo Ziqian’s situation is already difficult. He has no real power at all. How could he be involved in treason? For the sake of this concubine, I hope the Marquis can investigate carefully.”

Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “I saved you several times, but I didn’t see you reciprocate.”

Yao choked, and then pulled back the topic. “The Marquis is wise and decisive, and will certainly not tolerate anyone fooling you. This case must have some secrets.”

Ling Xiao casually put down the teacup, his dark eyes staring at her, his voice faint. “The secret is indeed a secret, but these cases always involve a wide range of people. Mo Ziqian is indeed in charge of Mo’s security bureau, regardless, he should be sentenced for his crimes.”

“Whether it is him, his father, or those behind the scenes, they just need to be caught in one fell swoop and killed. As for the other details, there is no need to confirm.”

Ling Xiao’s expression was indifferent. To this day, what he relied on was his iron-blooded methods. What was it to add another life?

It’s better to kill the innocent than to let go of the guilty. As long as the treasonous party can be cleared, filling it with Mo Ziqian’s life is nothing.

Yao squeezed the handkerchief tightly, her body tense, and although she had heard of Ling Xiao’s methods, this was the first time she had witnessed his ruthless indifference, and a chill rose in her heart.

Indeed, for Ling Xiao, there was no need to discern these things. Just clear the treasonous party and kill them.

Why bother?

Yao moved her lips, and finally mustered the courage to say, “Investigating the evidence must also be very troublesome, can… can…”

Ling Xiao asked directly, “Are you begging me to let Mo Ziqian go?”

Yao pursed her lips tightly. “Yes.”

Ling Xiao looked at her, his dark eyes bottomless. “What will you use to beg me?”