Chapter 864: Chapter 864: Whose Name Was Stolen?
Sure, here is the translated text:
Moreover, Brother Tian initially bet with Scholar Zheng that Lian Mu would not pass the retest, but he lost, and felt particularly ashamed, harboring a hidden resentment towards Lian Mu.
Additionally, Scholar Zheng admired Lian Mu, and Brother Tian suspected that his reputation was tarnished by Scholar Zheng, thus considering him as an enemy, equating that enmity to Lian Mu.
What the enemy admires, he seeks to destroy.
Speaking of Brother Tian, he has been quite troubled lately, first being praised in various places by gossipy old women for his poetry and writings, which led to ridicule from numerous scholars.
And that’s not all; every day he was restless, constantly challenged by others who wanted to compete with him in poetry and writings, yet his skills could not possibly match them, especially when outnumbered, resulting in successive defeats, leaving him disgraced and no longer daring to attend poetry gatherings like before.
These are manageable circumstances, as people might forget with the passing years, allowing him to return.
What’s terrifying is his own family—the direct line of the Tian Family, somehow implicated in Zhao Zhong’s conspiracy against the Imperial Heir, facing imminent imprisonment and beheading. He used to flaunt himself by leveraging his family background, but this is a life-threatening matter!
Fearing being implicated by the Tian Family direct line, he scrambled daily, and passing by Shuntian Prefecture this morning, he heard the drumbeats for grievances sounding loudly, disquieting the heart.
Squinting to see, he saw five people dressed ordinarily yet neatly, appearing as a family, with remarkable appearances, and among them, who else could it be but Lian Mu?
Realizing the unusual nature of the matter, he went to listen and heard claims on the indictment stating one crucial point: this Lian Mu was an impostor!
His mind was in turmoil, plans forming in his mind, while contacting a friend from Taiyuan Prefecture—a Scholar punished with a twenty-year ban from civil examinations—and spending silver to have the matter slightly altered and widely propagated.
At this time, someone called Brother Li saw Brother Tian looking displeased and praised him, the dejected empathizing with the dejected, each word hitting the mark, spoken extraordinarily pleasingly.
Brother Tian’s spirits lifted, his days of depression and fear dissipating considerably.
Brother Li then requested, "Brother Tian, whether we recover our qualifications and partake in the civil examinations again depends entirely on you."
Upon saying this, the others present immediately performed a deep bow.
Brother Tian felt a surge of pride, beating his chest soundly: "Rest assured, Brother Li, I will ensure that impostor cannot rise up, and seek retribution for the fellow brothers who were punished in Taiyuan Prefecture!"
Once the matter was discussed, Brother Li immediately suggested he host at the most exquisite and expensive Tianxiang Tower in the Capital to drink wine and discuss romance.
However, before they could set off, a group of unremarkable-looking individuals suddenly appeared behind them, gagging and binding them before they could react, and putting them into sacks to carry them back to the Internal Guard Bureau.
Within Canglan Court.
Cao De sat lazily on the side, speaking to someone not even facing him: "Yuchi Zhao, oh Yuchi Zhao, I am so concerned for your brother-in-law; as soon as those few people created a stir, they were caught in one fell swoop, how should you thank me?"
The Emperor dropped his red brush, closed the draft after signing his name, and picked up another one to continue, saying indifferently: "Just a bunch of clowns, their means are crude and clumsy; once the trial is made public by Shuntian Prefecture, these tactics will collapse on their own."
Not having earned merit, Cao De was dissatisfied: "Though the methods are clumsy, they are effective. Haven’t you heard that everyone in the Capital is talking about your brother-in-law, saying he’s a deceiver?"
The Emperor raised his head to glance at him: "Really?"
Not bothering to pay heed to this fellow, he intended to finish the drafts earlier to accompany his Little Concubine. Just now he overheard some noises, followed by a Young Eunuch conveying that his Little Concubine was preparing something fresh for him to try, not knowing what she’s up to.
Cao De suddenly found himself at a loss for words, thinking that the group of people was indeed incompetent, spreading so widely, attracting so many people, yet half of them don’t believe it, waiting for the trial result. They don’t even think it’s related to the Scoundrel Xue, nor do they believe the impostor claim; alas.
Feeling weary, Cao De sighed: "I find it strange that these scholars are usually quick to spread rumors, yet your brother-in-law seems to have enchanted them somehow, earning unwavering trust. Even young girls and ladies in alleyways insist your brother-in-law is a good person, surely not a bad one; truly unfathomable."
He rubbed his smooth chin, perplexed.
Thinking of something, he slyly angled his eyes, speaking with some malice: "But impostorship is a fact; aren’t you worried about your brother-in-law at all? You must know that these scholars are stubborn and incitable, the more they trust now, the less they can accept being deceived later, perhaps leading to impulsive actions."
Scholars are not keen on complex thinking, and with slight instigation, things might change.
The Emperor chuckled softly, saying nothing, continuing to review the drafts.
Troubles are certainly expected, something he has long anticipated.
However, the subsequent developments won’t be like Cao De mentioned. This fellow, having been out for some time, underestimates the influence of Lian Musu and the scholars’ fervor, leading to misjudgments as expected.
Especially with the cunning old Minister Fan and a great Confucian scholar like Minister Qin aiding him, how could anything happen?
At worst, there’s still himself.
Cao De felt annoyed by the Emperor’s confident demeanor and continued: "Scholars despise deceivers; once involved with such a bad reputation, the nature changes. At that time, those bookworms might write lengthy criticisms, word by word condemning your brother-in-law."
The Emperor raised an eyebrow at Cao De, asking casually: "Deceiving and taking whose name?"
Lian Musu does possess genuine talent and learning, earning his title through exams transparently, observed by countless eyes at the time. There’s no room for criticism here.
Don’t forget that the work "Public Opinion" is still widely circulated, all written by Lian Musu himself.
Such a talented person, why would he need to impersonate for the exams?
Because he was framed by the Guo Family, fearing their connections with the Xue Family, still being pursued relentlessly! Without changing his name and hiding, he would likely die without a burial place.
He bravely risks his identity to clear his family’s name, daringly striving for justice, completely fearless.
Moreover, during the initial retest, with the government posting the list on the second day, he attended confidently, open-hearted, standing in full view at Shanxue Square where many saw him!
Now, after gaining fame from passing the retest, Lian Musu does not continue to conceal his identity, choosing to openly stand in broad daylight, disclosing the matter candidly, presenting the truth openly to the world.