novelapdf 102. Evidence
102. Evidence
Lin Mo sat upright in the study of Seven Absolutes Manor, as night deepened outside the window. On the table lay the latest secret report sent back from the capital by Hong Jiu, the handwriting exceptionally clear in the candlelight.
"At the Qingyun Guild Hall in the south of the city, three sons of wealthy merchants from Jiangnan are indeed acting suspiciously, frequently contacting a mysterious scholar. This scholar, using the alias 'Mr. Mo,' has been identified as a guest of Zhou Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites, whose real name is Liu Rumo. He is skilled at imitating various calligraphic styles, especially contemporary essays. In addition, Zhou Fu, the steward of the Zhou family, has recently been frequenting the 'Moyunzhai' in the west of the city. This shop ostensibly sells writing implements, but in reality, it is a transit point for the largest ghostwriting workshop in the capital. According to our undercover agents, several sealed manuscripts have already been transferred to the Qingyun Guild Hall through Moyunzhai."
Lin Mo tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, a cold glint in his eyes. Zhou Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites... this name was familiar from his previous life. He was a key figure in the Third Prince's faction, known for his cunning and ruthless methods. In his previous life, when the Seven Absolutes Manor was destroyed, he already held a high position in the court and had played a significant role in its downfall.
"As expected, it involves the Ministry of Rites, and it's Zhou Wenyuan, that big fish." Lin Mo muttered to himself, "But these peripheral pieces of evidence are not enough; we must obtain conclusive proof."
He rose and walked to the bookshelf, pulling out a seemingly ordinary commentary on the Analects. A small bronze token was hidden in the center of one of the pages. The front of the token was engraved with the characters "Seven Absolutes," while the back featured a miniature star map—this was the highest-level command order of the Seven Absolutes Manor, capable of mobilizing the manor's most secretive forces.
"Someone come here."
A dark figure appeared silently in the corner of the study and knelt on one knee: "Master."
"Pass this order on to Elder Mo of the 'Listening Wind Hall,' instructing him to personally lead the 'Hidden Blade' team and fully cooperate with the operation in the capital. Keep a close eye on Zhou Wenyuan, Liu Rumo, and Zhou Fu; I need to know their every move. In particular, we must thoroughly investigate Zhou Wenyuan's contact with the Imperial Guards."
"Yes, ma'am."
The dark figure took the token and vanished into the night in a flash.
The "Listening Wind Hall" of Seven Absolutes Manor specializes in intelligence gathering, while the "Hidden Blade" are the hall's most elite spies, each a master of infiltration and surveillance. The fact that they are being used this time demonstrates the importance Lin Mo places on this operation.
Three days later, even more detailed intelligence came back like snowflakes.
"It has been confirmed that Liu Rumo is the key ghostwriter in this cheating scandal, writing articles specifically for several wealthy young men favored by Zhou Wenyuan. Her methods are sophisticated, and she can imitate various writing styles, making her difficult to detect."
"Zhou Fu and the manager of Moyunzhai meet every three days to exchange exam questions and answer sheets. The undercover agents have managed to obtain several of their discarded drafts, which bear special markings."
"Zhou Wenyuan had a secret meeting with a man in black robes three days ago. Judging from his physique, he was most likely a member of the Inner Guard's 'Dark Blade'. The meeting took place at a private residence in the south of the city. The residence was registered under the name of a merchant and was actually used as an Inner Guard spy."
Lin Mo carefully perused each secret report, and his fingers paused slightly when he saw the words "man in black robes." The Imperial Guard was indeed involved, and at a high level. Anyone capable of directly contacting the Vice Minister of Rites was no ordinary Imperial Guard.
"Master, there is one more thing." A specially marked note was attached to the newly arrived secret report: "Chen Qiming has been repeatedly harassed recently. Someone has been drugging his food, but fortunately it was discovered in time. According to the investigation, it was instigated by those cheating students, with the intention of preventing him from participating in the imperial examination."
A fierce glint flashed in Lin Mo's eyes. These people are ruthless; they don't even spare a poor scholar.
"Send more manpower to ensure Chen Qiming's safety. Also..." Lin Mo pondered for a moment, "Have Hong Jiu try to contact Zhang Chengming, the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy."
Zhang Chengming was a well-known upright official in the court, known for his integrity and incorruptibility, and he had a long-standing feud with Zhou Wenyuan. More importantly, he had served in the Hanlin Academy and was quite knowledgeable in handwriting analysis.
Two days later, the crucial evidence was finally obtained.
"Last night, the Hidden Blade Team infiltrated the Zhou family's study and successfully obtained three original manuscripts by Liu Rumo, whose handwriting perfectly matched the model essays circulating in the examination hall. In addition, a ledger detailing the transactions between Zhou Fu and Moyunzhai was found in Zhou Fu's room, which recorded in detail the time of money exchange and manuscript delivery."
What concerned Lin Mo most was another secret report: "Zhou Wenyuan met with the man in black robes for the second time, and the argument was heated. He vaguely heard words such as 'Third Prince' and 'Inner Guard dispatch'. When the man in black robes left, he left behind a token. Although he quickly picked it up, the undercover agent had already seen the style—the 'Xuan' character token of the Imperial Inner Guard."
"The Xuan Code!" Lin Mo suddenly stood up. This corresponded perfectly to "Xuan Code No. 7" mentioned in the intercepted secret letter. It seemed that there was indeed an important figure in the Inner Guard codenamed "Xuan Code No. 7" assisting the Third Prince in these shady dealings.
All the clues point to Zhou Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites, and the chain of evidence is quite complete. Gunman, transit point, financial transactions, contact with the Imperial Guard... as long as this evidence is handed over to the right person, it will be enough to ruin Zhou Wenyuan's reputation.
But Lin Mo did not act immediately. He stood by the window, gazing at the distant starry sky, lost in thought. Zhou Wenyuan's downfall was not difficult; the challenge lay in how to use this opportunity to further weaken the power of the Inner Guard within the civil service system. Moreover, the true identity of "Xuanzi No. 7" remained a mystery, which was the greatest hidden danger.
"Master, Lord Zhang Chengming has agreed to assist us secretly." His confidant's voice interrupted his thoughts. "He said that as long as the evidence is conclusive, he will definitely impeach Zhou Wenyuan in court."
Lin Mo slowly turned around, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Give Liu Rumo's manuscript and the copy of the account book to Lord Zhang first. As for the evidence of Zhou Wenyuan's dealings with the Imperial Guards... suppress it for now."
"What does the master mean?"
"It's better to lure the snake out than to startle it in the grass," Lin Mo said calmly. "Zhou Wenyuan is just a pawn on the surface; what we want is the big fish behind him. Let him taste the bitterness of disgrace first, and see who he turns to for help in his panic."
The confidant suddenly understood: "I understand, I'll make the arrangements right away."
That night, Lin Mo climbed alone to the highest observation deck of Seven Absolutes Manor. The night wind howled, fluttering his robes. Memories of his past and present lives intertwined in his mind, the faces of his enemies still vivid. He knew that taking down Zhou Wenyuan was only the beginning; the real opponent lurked in the deeper darkness.
But with each layer of mist he peels away, he gets one step closer to the truth. This time, he will never let the tragedy of his past life repeat itself.
The lights of the capital city below the mountain are dim, the clamor of the imperial examinations has come to an end, but another war without gunpowder has just begun.