LOT – Chapter 7 Scandal! The Ministry of War Assistant Minister’s Concubine Caught Cheating!

Once they arrived at the imperial court, Lin Mo obediently stood behind Lord Li and spaced out as usual.

The court officials began discussing state affairs, but it seemed that the Grand General wasn’t present today.

Not that it had anything to do with her. She was just a minor meeting recorder — as long as she stood here and zoned out every day, that was enough.

“Your Majesty, this minister has found some clues regarding the matter of the Grand General. He had deep connections with Prince Qi’s household. I’ve also uncovered some details about Prince Qi’s time guarding the borders. Please, Your Majesty, take a look.”

One official stepped forward with a memorial in hand. Eunuch Li took it and handed it to the emperor.

Although Lin Mo had already learned about the connection between the General and Prince Qi’s estate yesterday, what the official had dug up today went even deeper — and more outrageous — than what the system told her!

Honestly, it was ridiculous. He, the dignified emperor, had been fooled for years by a dead man! The one who had actually been out on the battlefield, earning victories, was Prince Xin — but all the credit had been given to Prince Qi.

“Your Majesty, Prince Xin has endured injustice for so many years. It’s high time we gave him the justice he deserves.”

Lin Mo’s mind was a mess when she heard this. Wasn’t today’s big topic exactly the gossip she’d been digging into yesterday?

[System, didn’t you say Prince Xin’s leg was injured? Can it still be treated? He’s a war hero who fought for the country — it would be a real shame if he ended up disabled.]

Everyone instantly perked up their ears to listen — that was exactly what they were thinking.

Since it was now clear that all the accomplishments once credited to Prince Qi had actually been Prince Xin’s doing, he was clearly a rare talent. If someone like him were permanently crippled… it really would be a tragic loss.

System: [Of course it can be treated. It’s mostly accumulated old injuries. His leg wasn’t properly set when it first broke, and since Prince Qi treated him badly, there was no way he’d send a good doctor to treat him. That’s how the condition got worse.]

Lin Mo: [A prince gets injured and the emperor doesn’t step in? I didn’t think the emperor was such a cold person.]

System: [The emperor did try. He sent the best imperial physician and searched for top-grade medicinal herbs. But everything was embezzled by Prince Qi. Even if Prince Xin knew, there was nothing he could do.]

[And after the imperial physician returned, he didn’t dare speak out either. After all, he was just a lowly doctor — how could he go up against a prince? Back then, Prince Qi was at the height of his power. Crushing a little imperial physician would’ve been child’s play. In the end, the physician retired and returned to his hometown.]

The emperor clenched his fists tightly. Even though he hadn’t paid much attention to Prince Xin over the years, he was still his biological younger brother.

Back when Prince Xin was injured, he had personally ordered a search for rare herbs and dispatched the best doctors — only for all of it to be stolen by that dead bastard!

The other officials, especially the military ones, were practically shaking with rage. If they imagined such a thing happening to them, they’d be itching to kill someone too.

System: [Since the bone wasn’t set properly, it has to be broken and reset — but that’s no minor procedure. Only a highly skilled, experienced physician would dare to attempt it.]

Lin Mo sighed in her heart. So it was true — good people really didn’t get good endings.

Prince Qi’s whole family had enjoyed a life of glory and riches, while Prince Xin had been oppressed for most of his life.

“Your Majesty! Prince Qi’s estate used their status to commit all kinds of evil. Please punish them severely — especially Prince Qi’s heir!”

“That injustice Prince Xin has suffered all these years must be repaid!”

With a collective “whoosh,” the officials dropped to their knees in unison. Even the ones aligned with Prince Qi had no choice but to follow suit, however unwillingly.

Lin Mo: [Good thing I tied some cotton to my knees — otherwise with this sudden kneel, my kneecaps would’ve shattered.]

Emperor Xuande did his best to ignore Lin Mo’s presence and said with a solemn expression, “The matter of Prince Qi’s estate and the Grand General will be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review. As for Prince Xin… the grievances he’s suffered over the years aren’t something that can be cleared up in a day. It’ll have to be taken slowly.”

He truly felt guilty toward this younger brother. If he hadn’t ignored the situation, Prince Qi wouldn’t have had the chance to bully him so much.

He had always thought he treated his brothers fairly well — maybe not overly generous, but not harsh either. They had stipends, fiefs, everything granted according to princely standards.

But he had overlooked the fact that these princes also had maternal families. Prince Qi’s mother had been favored during her lifetime, and her family held considerable influence.

Whereas Prince Xin’s mother had been just a low-ranking beauty in the harem, and she died young. So Prince Xin had grown up under difficult conditions and naturally developed a quiet, peacekeeping temperament.

As Lin Mo knelt there, she suddenly caught a whiff of a terrible smell.

Lin Mo: [Ugh! Who farted up front?! This smell is seriously nasty!]

The moment she said that, the emotional atmosphere Emperor Xuande had just painstakingly built up was instantly shattered.

This girl… was she some kind of emotion-wrecking machine?

The officials kneeling in front all had strange expressions. Who farted? It wasn’t them!

Whoever did it better come clean — they were all being implicated!

System: [It was the Assistant Minister of War. He had a handful of stir-fried soybeans this morning, so naturally his fart smells terrible.]

The Assistant Minister of War, kneeling in front: … If only he hadn’t eaten those stupid beans this morning!

Emperor Xuande discreetly covered his nose. Stir-fried soybeans of all things — of course it’d stink!

Lin Mo noticed the sudden silence.

Lin Mo: [Huh? Why is nobody talking now? Don’t tell me… everyone smells it too?]

Indeed, nobody wanted to speak right now — with how bad it smelled, opening their mouths would only let the stench in!

System: [Ooh, there’s a juicy piece of gossip about the Assistant Minister of War. Wanna hear it?]

Lin Mo: [Yes!]

Of course she wanted to hear it — anyone who doesn’t love a good piece of gossip is a fool.

The surrounding officials couldn’t help the slight curls at the corners of their lips. A subtle, mysterious smile spread across their faces — even the emperor had the same expression.

Mm, after such heavy topics just now, it felt great to unwind with some juicy scandal.

The Assistant Minister of War, meanwhile, was cursing in his heart. He deeply regretted that fart. It was supposed to be stealthy — who knew it would reek like that?

If he hadn’t let it rip, maybe he wouldn’t have drawn the attention of this little troublemaker!

Emperor Xuande ordered everyone to rise and moved on to the next agenda, but part of everyone’s minds were already drifting… to the gossip.

System (gleefully): [The Assistant Minister of War’s concubine is having an affair with his steward!]

The words hit the Assistant Minister of War like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

Everyone began sneaking glances at him.

Tsk tsk tsk… tragic. Truly tragic.

An affair scandal like this? That was the juiciest kind — Lin Mo’s curiosity was instantly piqued.

Lin Mo: [Quick, quick! Tell me more! How are they having an affair? Is the steward handsome? I mean, the Assistant Minister is a dashing older man himself — could the steward really be better looking than him?]

The officials all began secretly scrutinizing the Assistant Minister’s appearance again. Even Emperor Xuande touched his own face, thinking to himself, I still think I look better than the Assistant Minister of War.