TGCFNM -Chapter 324 In Cahoots

After hearing Lian Wu’s verdict, Chu Ling didn’t immediately respond. She remained quietly silent for a moment.

Just as Lian Wu assumed Chu Ling would be dissatisfied with the ruling and openly oppose him, a sharp shout cut through the hall—so familiar that he nearly turned around instinctively.

Out of nowhere, a teacup flew across and landed squarely on Lian Wu’s shoulder, shattering on the ground with a loud crash.

Lian Ci was startled and quickly scooted aside.

“He’s your own brother, and you have no conscience? I gave birth to you, raised you, only for you to harm your own brother?!” Madam Lian’s face turned dark with fury as she rushed forward and slapped Lian Wu across the face.

Smack—

The sound was crisp, clearly delivered with no restraint.

“Mother! Mother! Save me! Save me, Mother!” Lian Ci immediately began crying.

Madam Lian knelt down in distress, carefully holding Lian Ci in her arms. “Mother’s here, mother’s here! No one will harm you, not a single soul!”

Lian Ci wailed, “The county magistrate still knew to summon people to question me one by one, but my eldest brother… he said it wasn’t necessary! What he investigated was practically identical, yet he wanted to beat me fifty strokes with the military cane. Isn’t that clearly trying to kill me, Mother?! He’s jealous of me; he wants to kill me!”

Anger and heartache welled up in Madam Lian as she glared viciously at the motionless, rock-like Lian Wu and scolded him, “When you were young, you almost killed your brother. Now that you’re grown, you’ve gone even further. And now you actually spared his life? You’re a disgrace as a son; you won’t die a good death!”

Lian Wu mechanically turned to face her, his gaze calm, and simply stated the facts: “Mother, he collected taxes privately. If this were reported to the capital, the Lian family could be ruined.”

“Hah, do you really think a woman secluded in the inner chambers doesn’t understand?” Madam Lian said with a cold smile. “The Emperor trusts the Lian family because the Lian family is capable, because your father is capable. This is a trivial matter—do you think the Emperor would deliberately harm a child? No, you merely twisted it to harm your brother on purpose.”

Lian Wu stared steadily at her. “Mother, you think I bear a grudge and deliberately wanted to harm him?”

“Of course!” Madam Lian answered firmly.

Lian Wu drew a deep breath. A subtle flicker of emotion crossed his otherwise controlled face. “I am the General; what is he to me? I can achieve merit and fame—what can he achieve? Whether he lives or dies doesn’t affect me at all. To me, he’s nothing more than a stone on the roadside—kick it aside, and I won’t care.”

Madam Lian raised her eyes and scowled at him. “Because your father was discussing a marriage for him—with Song Lian—so you bore resentment in your heart.”

“Lian Ci and Song Lian?” Lian Wu paused, disappointment flickering in his heart. “Why?”

“Otherwise, wouldn’t your brother be forever suppressed by you? You’ve already been so cruel to him; when your parents grow old, wouldn’t you immediately take his life?” Madam Lian said, her voice full of heartache as she hugged Lian Ci, then glanced toward Chu Ling.

Chu Ling clicked her tongue quietly. The show wasn’t over yet, and now it was her turn.

“Are you here to judge the case?” Madam Lian asked coldly.

Chu Ling cast her a proud, sidelong glance. “Entering the courtroom without permission… I see you intend to add another crime to Lian Ci’s name.”

Madam Lian froze. “You don’t know who I am?”

“Why should I care who a secluded woman is? Are you some renowned figure?” Chu Ling said dismissively. “I am here by order of Prince Rui to investigate this case. Just now, Prefect Jiang specifically allowed me to preside over this trial; the General can also attest to this.”

Lian Wu cupped his hands in a formal salute. “Indeed, this case should be presided over by Lord Chu today.”

Madam Lian furrowed her brows and looked at Chu Ling. “It’s just children playing around. Besides, it’s only a small amount of silver; we can just give it out.”

“It’s not about how much silver there is,” Chu Ling said, “what matters is that your young master insists this is a road tax. Collecting taxes privately—without authorization—is something even the Emperor cannot overlook.” With that, she struck the judge’s wooden mallet, successfully startling Madam Lian.

Chu Ling then turned to Lian Wu. “General Lian, your judgment just now was rather lenient. Are you trying to take over even my authority to preside over cases?”

Lian Wu cupped his hands apologetically. “Lord Chu, I overstepped my bounds.”

“Do you understand that this unauthorized tax collection will implicate you as well, even if you are the General? And of course, your father in the Ministry of War—no one will escape accountability,” Chu Ling said coldly.

Seeing the situation going badly, Lian Ci immediately shouted, “I’ve been framed! Yes, it’s—yes, it’s Deputy General Qi! He resents me because I am the General’s brother and refuses to see me as an equal, so he deliberately set me up.”

Madam Lian, as if she had uncovered some irrefutable evidence, pointed at Chu Ling and said, “My son has been framed. You won’t catch that Deputy General Qi, but you come to bully my son instead. You’ve colluded with Lian Wu, haven’t you?”

Chu Ling acted as if she’d been exposed, nervously responding, “How did you know? Yes, I did collude with General Lian.”

Lian Wu: “…”

Hearing this, Madam Lian became even angrier, glaring at Lian Wu. “The marriage between Song Lian and Ci’er has been arranged. Don’t even think about interfering.”

Lian Ci was also furious. “My big brother is really something—collaborating with outsiders to try to kill his own younger brother!”

Chu Ling pretended to be troubled and sat down, looking at those kneeling before her. “Actually, I’m just a humble county magistrate. Even though I serve the prince, when dealing with big shots, my principle is to offend no one if I can help it.”

“But alas, this involves taxation, and there is irrefutable evidence. Even if I wanted to look the other way, I can’t… However, I do have a method we can try.”

Lian Wu sensed that something about Chu Ling’s words was off, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what.

Chu Ling let out a faint, eerie laugh, drawing everyone’s attention.

“The only way to save Lian Ci is for him to turn the tables and claim that Lian Wu instigated it, intending to sabotage his marriage. After all, a mere deputy general could never persuade the troops on his own; it must have been Lian Wu silently approving and assisting behind the scenes.”

“Big brother, the General—what choice does Lian Wu give Lian Ci? Lian Ci will have to comply obediently.”

Lian Ci’s eyes lit up. He immediately looked pleadingly at his mother. “Mother, it wasn’t me! Really, it wasn’t me. Big brother said… said you gave me too much pocket money, while he is stingy, so I had to figure out a way to make a little more.”

Lian Ci gazed at Madam Lian with desperate sincerity.

Madam Lian glanced at Lian Wu. His expression hadn’t changed much, but his eyes were like ice, staring straight at her.

Feeling a bit guilty, Madam Lian looked away. “Y-you have a pardon token, don’t you? Granted personally by the Emperor.”

Lian Wu narrowed his eyes. “Mother, are you thinking of using my pardon token?”

Madam Lian clutched her handkerchief and wept. “If your brother truly dies because of this, I won’t survive either. Wouldn’t it be better to just admit to this once? After all, you have the pardon token, and you are the General—who would dare touch you? Can’t you admit a mistake this one time, for your brother, for your parents?”