Chapter 386: But he’s not willing (1/2)

Chapter 386: But he’s not willing

Kind people were cheated by others, kind horses were ridden by others. Sometimes, silence and patient tolerance would make others think you were easy to bully; they’d reach for a yard after getting an inch. But that wasn’t always the case. Nanguo Mingde and Official Yu both had put on a farce for so long while the Duke of Qin remained silent throughout it all. The duo had really gotten into their roles, repeatedly reaching for their yards while assuming the Duke of Qin was an easy target.

Now look at the results!

Chu Xifeng had already brought a team of men to search through the senior provincial official’s estates while the crowd waited with bated breath! Nanguo Mingde’s face was ghastly white, his body trembling all over. He stared at the doors to his estate, too nervous to speak. Although he’d almost lost hope, he still held a fleeting thought that maybe they wouldn’t discover his stores of grain in the secret basement.

Chu Xifeng didn’t emerge for a long time.

Nanguo Mingde felt his lucky sense strengthen. Perhaps I’ll be fortunate enough to escape detection? The secret stores of grain were hidden so well, and Chu Xifeng was unfamiliar with his property. How could he ever found the source? A long while later, Chu Xifeng finally emerged, earning the stares of everyone present. They were going to find out whether the estate had grain once and for all.

Chu Xifeng’s careless glance rested on Nanguo Mingde for a second before he scoffed, alarming him greatly. The hands inside Nanguo Mingde’s sleeves clenched into fists as his tension skyrocketed. But Chu Xifeng only said, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, this subordinate was unable to find any grain in the senior provincial official’s estate.”

They didn’t find it? Does that mean Nanguo Mingde didn’t embezzle any grain? The people present felt a little let down by that, while Nanguo Mingde relaxed completely. He knew it! He knew it’d be hard to find his secret stores! Finally, he’d escaped this calamity!

And yet, Chu Xifeng’s very next words were, “Your Highness, this subordinate couldn’t find it, but Young Master Nanguo is willing to personally lead the way on your behalf. According to him, there’s a giant secret chamber full of grain inside the estate!”

The crowd broke into an uproar.

Chu Xifeng wasn’t stupid enough to go searching all around the estate. All he’d done just then was threaten Nanguo Jun until the latter confessed. Nanguo Jun was all bark and no bite to begin with, so he was defenseless in front of his fear. It only took two or three sentence before he blabbed. Nanguo Mingde looked like he’d been struck by thunder five times over. He froze like a statue, never expecting his own son to sell him out!

This had to be called the ultimate dad-ception!1

Long Feiye’s lips rose in a mocking lilt. “Official Nanguo, didn’t you say your provincial officials estate had no more grain?” Even without seeing the secret storehouse, Nanguo Jun’s words were evidence enough! The surrounding crowd began to grow indignant and accusatory as they overturned old gossip with the new. His Highness Duke of Qin hadn’t embezzled the silver meant for the disaster areas; nor had he stolen their grain. Their so called provincial official was the greatest pest of all! He even said he’d taken the grain meant for his old mother. What an imagination!

Very soon, Chu Xifeng’s men brought out bag after bag of grain, enough to make a small mountain outside the estate. Han Yunxi furrowed her brows at the sight. So many people had starved to death in these regions, but these types were still sitting on their piles of grain and waiting for the prices to rise. Why were they so heartless? This Nanguo Mingde, even a hundred deaths is too good for him!

As the crowd hurled curses, Nanguo Mingde remained kneeling as he shuddered all over. He kept shooting glances at Official Yu. But the latter was hard pressed to preserve his own life, much less Nanguo Mingde’s. Instead of helping him out, Official Yu even worsened the situation by throwing rocks at a figurative well. “Nanguo Mingde, this official was mistaken in trusting you! I never thought you were that kind of man! South Ning Prefecture has the worst famine situation of all and got the largest share of relief grain, but you actually did something like this? How can you face the people now?” Official Yu asked righteously.

“Official Yu, you…” Nanguo Mingde was about to defend himself when Official Yu cut him off.

“Official Nanguo, you’re also a man with a mother and children. How could you bear to see so many of the old and young die of starvation? Just what is your heart made out of?” Though these words sounded like a verbal rebuke, but anyone who listened carefully would find them a little odd. The onlookers didn’t catch the veiled threat, but Nanguo Mingde did. Official Yu was holding the fate of his family against him! In his hands were the total records of grain sent to South Ning Prefecture by Official Yu. He might have embezzled the lot, but the grain he’d gotten had already been stolen from once. Official Yu meant for him to shoulder all the blame without implicating any of the higher-ups. Though Nanguo Mingde was unwilling, he knew early on that he’d be the dead scapegoat should everything fail.

What else could he say? He pressed his head against the ground and fell silent.

“Your Highness Duke of Qin is wise and brilliant! For the sake of South Ning’s populace, you’ve captured such a large pest. It really is their good fortune!” Official Yu flattered.

Long Feiye didn’t spare him a glance. “Someone come,” he commanded coldly, “Hang up Nanguo Mingde outside the city gates. Starve him for three days and three nights before his interrogation!”

Embezzling grain, was it? Then let him taste the flavor of going hungry! Despite accepting his lot, Nanguo Mingde was still afraid! He started kowtowing as he implored, “Your Highness Duke of Qin, have mercy! Have mercy, ah! This official never dares to do it again! I beg Your Highness Duke of Qin to give me another chance!”

Long Feiye was a very intelligent man. Having grown up in an imperial court full of flatterers, cheats, and struggles both open and covert, he was very clear on the veiled threat behind Official Yu’s words just then. He also had plenty of ways to ensure the safety of Nanguo Mingde’s old mother and his children, then make the man admit the actual quantity of grain sent to South Ning Prefecture.

But he wasn’t willing to act!

Nanguo Mingde was in charge of overseeing the entire South Ning Prefecture. How could Official Yu and the higher-ups ever embezzle so much so successfully, if not without his help? Long Feiye never like giving second chances to those who deserved their punishments. He ignored Nanguo Mingde’s pleas and said, “Someone come, take him away this instant!”

“Your Highness Duke of Qin! Have mercy, ah!”