Chapter 38#
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The hour of Xu had arrived, and the layers of trees on Qingping Mountain seemed drenched in ink, blending into a deep, thick expanse.
The hot water set outside the tent in the copper kettle had long since lost its last wisp of white steam, and the sesame cakes on the plate had gone cold and hard, enough to ache one’s teeth if bitten into. Yet none of the three inside the tent had any appetite.
Wen Zhuo rested his injured left hand on the low table, his fingertips slightly congested from the linen wrappings. He said calmly, “Hiding a court-escaped criminal is an enormous matter in itself. No matter how this reaches His Majesty’s ears, there is absolutely no chance it will end well. If we want to seize the initiative, we need to ensure that the first news the Emperor hears comes from us.”
Jun Dingyuan and Mo Shu exchanged a glance, both utterly bewildered.
This approach was too bold, leaving Jun Dingyuan shocked and suspicious: “Are you saying we should walk right into the trap?”
Wen Zhuo actually nodded, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes. “Exactly. People always remember firsthand news most vividly. Even if there are more complete explanations and greater disturbances later, they’ll merely be icing on the cake. We absolutely cannot let others get there first.”
Mo Shu frowned deeply, weighing his words carefully: “You think His Majesty will show leniency and re-investigate the ‘Mo Clan’s Lingyin Sect’ case just because I turn myself in?”
“Of course not.” Wen Zhuo replied bluntly, shattering his illusions without mercy. “Even if you have military merits, the Emperor’s suspicions will not disappear.”
“Then isn’t this a dead end?” he asked.
Wen Zhuo suddenly chuckled softly. “I said the Emperor’s suspicions will not disappear. So if you want to cover up something already huge, you must create something even bigger that frightens him more.”
“What could be bigger than hiding a fugitive?” Jun Dingyuan asked.
This was precisely the crux of Wen Zhuo’s long-laid plans.
He pretended to ponder for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up, and he clenched his fist lightly. “Thanks to the earlier incident of the spy swapping bones, this dead end now has a glimmer of hope.”
Shen Zhi sat to the side, thinking, Here it comes. Finally, I get to hear the cat’s true plan.
Mo Shu felt his heart rate suddenly accelerate, as if he had grabbed hold of a rope at the edge of a bottomless cliff.
“Please elaborate, Head of Academy.”
“The matter of the bones returning to their homeland has already reached the Emperor’s ears. Tomorrow, the Emperor is sure to commend you, General. You only need to take the opportunity during a private moment of gratitude to confess your guilt to His Majesty, saying that what you did was a last resort.” Even while thinking, Wen Zhuo’s injured hand kept fidgeting with his official robe.
“I’m not afraid to confess guilt, but how should I phrase it to make His Majesty believe me?” Jun Dingyuan steadied Mo Shu’s arm, trying to get him to sit down and listen, but Mo Shu stubbornly stared at Wen Zhuo, refusing to move an inch.
Wen Zhuo finally revealed the chess piece he had put in place three months ago.
“When Wukan left, he made a statement to Liu Quan. Liu Quan must have relayed every word to His Majesty. But His Majesty has never brought this up in court, which means either he doesn’t believe in the existence of the secret treasure, or he thinks Wukan was exaggerating. General, you need to tell His Majesty that the secret treasure does exist, but it is not an object—it is a person.”
He paused and continued, “You can fully recount how Mo Shu advised you in the Southern Frontier, how he helped you defeat the Nanping forces, cementing his indispensability. Remember, you only discovered his identity when the battle was fierce and Mo Shu offered the strategy to break the enemy. In the past, Feng Li and Xue Wanche were both former subordinates of Li Jiancheng, and they fought desperately against the Prince of Qin’s camp during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Yet later, they rendered extraordinary service for Li Shimin. You just need to explain that for the sake of the lives of thousands of soldiers and the dignity of the Great Qian Empire, you weighed the pros and cons and chose to bear the crime of harboring him, giving him a chance to atone through merit.”
Shen Zhi raised an eyebrow and interjected, “Teacher is telling Uncle to remind Father Emperor that Mo Shu is atoning for his crimes through merit. Killing him now would not only be unreasonable but also harm morale.”
Wen Zhuo gave him an approving look. “The General must also say that now that the war is over and the general has returned to court, you no longer wish to deceive His Majesty. Therefore, today you are revealing Mo Shu’s identity and leaving it to His Majesty to decide.”
“The key point of this sentence is,” Shen Zhi rested his chin on his hand, smiling, “that back then, Uncle’s actions could only be considered ’the general outside the court may refuse the king’s command,’ the same principle as when he led five thousand elite troops to assault Nanping without an imperial decree. Even if he is not rewarded for his merits, he certainly cannot be punished.”
“Exactly.” Wen Zhuo was very satisfied with Shen Zhi’s quick wit. This was much easier than when he had assisted Shen Chen in his previous life.
After Wen Zhuo’s explanation, Jun Dingyuan really felt that his crime wasn’t so severe anymore.
“The Head of Academy is right. One of us is atoning through merit, and the other acted as a general outside the court refusing the king’s command. Why would His Majesty want to be so ruthless?”
Wen Zhuo nodded. “So this matter is legally sound now. The only issue to resolve is His Majesty’s suspicion. The Mo Clan’s leader—because of him, his family was destroyed. How could His Majesty not be suspicious and worried?”
Mo Shu’s expression was calm, his eyes lowered as he said quietly, “Although I resent what happened back then, I have never considered rebellion. A rebellion would inevitably cause great suffering among the people. The disciples of the Mo Clan have always been dedicated to protecting the people. How could I bear to see them suffer again? All I seek is to clear my late father’s name.”
“Cao Fangzheng previously obtained the strategies from your Mo Clan, yet he still cut corners, leading to today’s exposure,” Wen Zhuo said. “Once the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel successfully impeach the Cao faction, your father will naturally have a chance to be vindicated. However, the fact that he privately manufactured weapons is true. Completely exonerating him would be exceedingly difficult. For now, I will ensure your safety. Once His Highness ascends the throne, everything will become much easier.”
Mo Shu nodded. “To have reached this point is already far beyond what I initially imagined. I am not in a hurry.”
Jun Dingyuan still had doubts. “Then how do we eliminate His Majesty’s suspicion?”
“Send him a crisis that is even more blatant, more terrifying, and more revealing than the private manufacture of weapons,” Wen Zhuo said coldly. “Make him understand who he should truly be wary of.”
Jun Dingyuan grew even more confused. “Now that the war is over, what crisis remains?”
Shen Zhi smiled, a smile tinged with the insight of one who understood the whole picture. “Mo Shu has been hiding very well. Until the victory, the Nanping people never detected his presence. Why, then, did enemy spies start frequently harassing the camp right after Wukan’s envoy returned home? There must be someone in the court who knew Mo Shu’s identity and deliberately leaked it to Nanping. Perhaps they traded some benefit with Nanping, or perhaps they didn’t want the war to end!”
Shen Zhi tapped his knee with his index finger and asked, “Father Emperor, as the sovereign, did not even know Mo Shu was hiding in the army. Yet someone in the court knew all about it. This person not only failed to report it but also colluded with Nanping. Such intelligence capabilities far surpassing the Emperor’s—isn’t that enough to make Father Emperor tremble with fear and lose sleep at night?”
He silently admired Wen Zhuo’s meticulous planning. In this whole affair, Wukan kept his life, Nanping obtained secret intelligence, Jun Dingyuan captured the spy and swapped the bones, gaining widespread praise, and Emperor Shunyuan learned of the court crisis and still had a chance to remedy it.
On the surface, everyone seemed to benefit, but everyone was also within Wen Zhuo’s scheme, collectively propelling him to become the biggest winner.
No, that wasn’t accurate. Not Wen Zhuo—it was him, Shen Zhi, whom Wen Zhuo was protecting.
As Shen Zhi’s heart softened with a pang of tenderness, he couldn’t help but wonder: with such a brilliant strategist as his advisor, how in history did Shen Ting manage to lose to Shen Chen?
The truth that Zhu Xiwen refused to delete could probably overturn all modern research on the Shunyuan period.
Wen Zhuo was also quite satisfied with this plan, so he lifted his chin slightly. “The General should still have the spy’s confession. They indeed received orders after Wukan’s return to search for the secret treasure in the tent.”
“We have physical evidence, the testimony of Liu Quan from three months ago, and the precedent of the Eight Meridians. His Majesty has no choice but to believe. If the matter of the Spring Terrace Chess Gathering concerned the face of Great Qian, then this matter concerns his very life and throne.”
Yes. Someone in the court was suspected of treason—that was the greater matter.
Compared to that, a small Mo Clan’s Lingyin Sect and a Mo Shu atoning through merit were nothing to fear.
Mo Shu reviewed the entire scheme and felt it fit perfectly with the “secret treasure” narrative, as if the “secret treasure” had been tailor-made for him, even though Wen Zhuo had not yet known him three months ago.
“There is one more thing,” Mo Shu suddenly said. “We all know there is no such traitor in the court. If His Majesty becomes suspicious and paranoid because of this, causing panic in the court, wouldn’t that be another Witchcraft Calamity?”
Only Wen Zhuo knew that this person would inevitably appear, but he could not reveal the secret of his rebirth. So he narrowed his eyes and said vaguely, “Then we’ll see who willingly jumps into this trap of certain death.”
Jun Dingyuan made the final decision: “Alright. I’m willing to gamble. If the Eight Meridians have rotted to such an extent, surely we can catch someone with ulterior motives?”
Shen Zhi clicked his tongue. “Although it’s atonement through merit, Father Emperor can’t easily execute Mo Shu, but physical punishment is likely unavoidable. I have a suggestion that might make Mo Shu completely safe.”
The three of them looked at him simultaneously, wondering what could be added to this already seamless plan.
Shen Zhi asked, “Mo Shu, are you skilled at hands-on work?”
Mo Shu was taken aback. “In what aspect, Your Highness?”
Shen Zhi: “Like inventions, creating new objects and such.”
Mo Shu was modest but direct: “The Mo Clan specializes in this. Catapults, door-blade carts, crossbow mounts, repeating crossbows, scaling ladders, hooks—all can be forged.”
Shen Zhi waved his hand. “No need for anything so bloody. I have an idea—see if you can make it.”
Mo Shu: “Please speak, Your Highness.”
Shen Zhi said with great enthusiasm: “Father Emperor has been growing weaker over the past year. His legs are powerless, and he needs Liu Quan’s support to walk. I want to create a lower limb exoskeleton for him.”
Wen Zhuo frowned. “What is a lower limb exoskeleton?”
Shen Zhi often used words Wen Zhuo had never heard, carrying a lingering Nanping flavor.
Jun Dingyuan also furrowed his brows. How could bones exist outside the skin?
“Have you heard of pulleys and levers?” Shen Zhi said, picking up the iron kettle and dipping his finger in the water inside, then drawing on the low table. “We need ox sinew ropes, iron gears, hardwood, thick leather straps, springs, cotton, copper nails, and so on. Use the knee as a fulcrum. Place a hardwood rod on the outside of the thigh, connect a rope under the calf, and fix the entire frame to the body with leather…”
As he drew and explained: “When you lift your leg, the muscle moves the lever, pulling the rope, which tugs the calf upward, reducing effort. When you step down, the spring helps return it to position. With this frame, we achieve force transmission and elastic support.”
Wen Zhuo and Jun Dingyuan fell into a long silence.
But Mo Shu, despite his lame leg, leaned over the table, staring intently at the nearly dried water marks. After a long while, he murmured, “Interesting.”
He pointed at a thick line. “This horizontal rod is what you call the lever. It can convert a small movement from the thigh into a large lifting force.”
“Exactly.” Shen Zhi quickly dipped his finger in water again and drew a supplementary diagram. “The longer the force arm, the more effort saved. Extend the wooden lever as much as possible, and lifting the leg becomes easier. Do you understand?”
Mo Shu’s eyes suddenly brightened with surprise. “Yes! I’ve seen similar records in the Mo Canon, but with Your Highness’s explanation, it’s much clearer!”
Shen Zhi thought to himself, Damn, he really is a STEM genius.
“Good. We can also install springs under Father Emperor’s shoes. If no springs, use bamboo strips. Can you understand energy conversion? The force from stepping down is converted into the spring’s potential energy, which can then become upward force when lifting the leg.”
Shen Zhi hadn’t used these junior high physics concepts for a long time. He wasn’t sure if he was explaining clearly.
But Mo Shu was simply too talented. After a moment of thought, he spoke excitedly, his voice trembling: “Excellent—energy conversion! I understand!”
Shen Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. “I can only provide the theory and rough sketches. How to make it light and practical is up to you. When you become someone who can directly affect Father Emperor’s well-being, you’ll be completely safe.”
Mo Shu looked at Shen Zhi and praised sincerely: “I am unworthy to be the Mo Clan leader. Your Highness’s talent may surpass mine.”
Shen Zhi dared not claim such talent. He quickly made something up: “You flatter me. I just happened to see a similar record in an ancient text.”
Wen Zhuo glanced at the dried water marks on the table and said skeptically, “Did you dig this up from the Qixing Luwang Palace too?”
Shen Zhi suppressed a laugh and nodded solemnly. “Teacher can understand it that way.”
The ancient little cat believed him.
Jun Dingyuan couldn’t help but ask, “What is the Qixing Luwang Palace?”
Wen Zhuo gave Shen Zhi a subtle glance, then smoothly changed the subject: “General, it’s getting late. His Highness and I need to return to the city before the bells toll and the gates close. If someone notices our whereabouts, it may invite trouble.”
He couldn’t bear to tell Jun Dingyuan that Shen Zhi had been forced to rob tombs and dig graves in Nanping, and had gradually developed such a hobby.
Seeing this, Jun Dingyuan dropped the strange name. “Alright! Go quickly. Tomorrow I’ll follow the plan.”
As they left the general’s tent, thick fog suddenly rose in the mountains, a white mist spreading across the mountain path, blurring Qingping Mountain’s outline.
Tabaisha had already been led out by the personal guards. The white horse snorted at the mountain’s cold air.
Wen Zhuo reached out to fumble in Shen Zhi’s saddlebag, pulling out a bright red carrot. He brought it to Tabaisha’s mouth, his voice coaxing: “You’ll have to run fast soon, alright?”
Tabaisha had already been well-fed by the soldiers, his belly full, and couldn’t eat another bite. But his black, glass-like eyes looked at Wen Zhuo as he obediently lowered his head, took the carrot in his mouth, and held it there without chewing.
Wen Zhuo was helped onto the horse by Shen Zhi. As he grasped the saddle, his palm suddenly stung. He immediately let go, looking down at the wound wrapped in linen.
A faint trace of blood seeped through—he had gripped too tightly.
“Does it hurt, Teacher?” Shen Zhi swung onto the horse behind Wen Zhuo, catching sight of the dark red bloodstain spreading on the linen in the faint light from the camp.
“It’s nothing.” Wen Zhuo closed his hand and gripped the saddle again. Once the horse started galloping over rugged mountain paths, if he couldn’t hold on, the consequences would be dire.
Shen Zhi lightly tapped the horse’s flank but didn’t urge Tabaisha to run. He let the horse amble slowly along the mountain path.
The horse’s hooves made a dull “clop-clop” sound, distinct in the silent wilderness.
Tabaisha walked for a while. Seeing that Shen Zhi still showed no sign of speeding up, Wen Zhuo turned to look at him.
The night was pitch black, with only a sliver of enchanting moonlight barely outlining Shen Zhi’s features.
His brows and eyes were bathed in a pale light, making them even more striking. His breathing was steady and deep, exhaling damp mist.
“What is Your Highness thinking? Why aren’t we going faster?” Wen Zhuo frowned, noticing that Shen Zhi wasn’t holding him tightly, just loosely encircling his waist. Of course, at this speed, there was no need for a tight grip.
After a few breaths, Shen Zhi suddenly spoke: “I said before that I don’t want Teacher to harm his body while helping me. Do you remember?”
“Of course.” Wen Zhuo replied confidently.
“Then was that fall earlier truly an accident?”
The chirping of insects in the mountains suddenly ceased, as if they too wanted to eavesdrop on the gossip.
Wen Zhuo couldn’t see Shen Zhi’s expression or read his mood. His heart gave a sudden lurch, sinking.
Could it be that he had been too impatient, and Shen Zhi had noticed something?
In truth, if it weren’t for the fact that in his previous life he had plotted against Shen Zhi, perhaps he could have found the courage to reveal the truth about his rebirth.
But he couldn’t. His actions in the previous life meant he could never let Shen Zhi know.
“Of course it was an accident.” Wen Zhuo lowered his eyes, his fingers buried in Tabaisha’s thick mane, idly picking at the rough, tangled knots.
Shen Zhi didn’t speak.
Just as Wen Zhuo was about to lose his composure and pretend to get angry, he suddenly heard Shen Zhi laugh.
“Alright.” Shen Zhi, now invigorated, hugged him tightly and then pulled the reins, kicking the stirrups hard.
Before the speed picked up, Shen Zhi’s breath was warm against Wen Zhuo’s ear, ignoring his reflexive flinch. “If one day I find out Teacher deliberately hurt himself, I’ll have a proper reckoning.”
Wen Zhuo’s body bounced with the horse’s motion, and his heart seemed to tremble with it.
He took a deep breath, his thoughts racing. Just as he was about to craft a clever reply—
“Your Highness—”
“I’m not scolding Teacher.” Shen Zhi rested his chin lightly on Wen Zhuo’s cool, dark hair, saying teasingly, “Just giving Teacher a heads-up.”