Chapter 081

Chapter 81: Crime of Deceiving the Emperor

[Who is it this time?]

[No words when there were none, and now, just as the ritual master is about to announce a new first talented lady, someone suddenly speaks up? Isn’t this obviously intentional?]

[And at this crucial moment, what could possibly need to be said?]

[Wait—don’t tell me something’s about to go wrong again.]

[Let me see—has the plot gone off the rails again?]

Yun Wan Ning perked up instantly and looked toward the source of the voice. She saw a cold-faced, black-robed young man rise from the seat beside Mo Zhao Zhao’s right hand. With an air of icy elegance, he walked steadily toward the main stage.

[Ah, it’s the young lord of the Xie family—Xie Xuan Yong.]

[In the original plot, he was Jiang Zi Tang’s betrothed. He loved her deeply, and even went so far as to slaughter the entire He family for her.]

[Wait, something’s off. I remember that because of a maid’s meddling, Jiang Zi Tang and Xie Xuan Yong were full of misunderstandings at this point. They were supposed to be fighting.]

[Which means Xie Xuan Yong wouldn’t have attended today’s banquet at all. Then why is he here? I must’ve been too focused on the heroine and didn’t notice him.]

[Let me think… it must be because big sister was reborn. Yes, yes, that has to be it.]

[In her past life, big sister witnessed all the misunderstandings and struggles between them. Now that she’s been given a second chance, she surely wouldn’t let them drift apart again. She wouldn’t allow Jiang Zi Tang to lose the title of first talented lady.]

[So she must’ve acted ahead of time, helped them resolve their issues in advance, and set the stage for this winter banquet.]

[And if she didn’t want to expose her secret, then using Xie Xuan Yong as a shield would be the perfect move.]

Yun Wan Ning had no idea that Jiang Zi Tang and Xie Xuan Yong had already reconciled. Yun Wan Yao had deliberately not told her after hearing about it from Mo Zhao Zhao. The meddling maid—the root of their past conflict—had also been thoroughly dealt with.

Yun Wan Ye: [???]

[Yun Wan Yao… reborn? What nonsense is this?]

[Why would my little sister think Yun Wan Yao is a reborn soul?]

[Oh, I get it. It’s probably because the plot’s been collapsing again and again lately, things growing more ridiculous each time. Since little sister doesn’t know everyone can hear her inner thoughts, and can’t find a logical reason for what’s happening, she’s decided Yun Wan Yao must’ve reincarnated.]

[That makes sense.]

[Well, this works out. Let her believe it’s Yun Wan Yao. Saves her from chasing wilder guesses.]

[And to be fair, she did get one thing right. Xie Xuan Yong was indeed the one big brother and I picked out after careful thought.]

They had no intention of revealing themselves, so they stayed in the shadows and passed the matter along to Xie Xuan Yong.

Of course, that was only their first plan. They’d also prepared a backup, in case Xie Xuan Yong didn’t believe them—since their identities were concealed and their origins suspicious. If today’s confrontation didn’t go according to plan, they would have acted themselves.

If Xie Xuan Yong had hesitated even a moment longer, Yun Wan Ye would’ve stepped in.

He could bet with certainty that Xie Xuan Yong waited until the very last moment to speak out because he was hoping to bait them into revealing themselves first.

After all, the heroine’s every move today had been predicted, and Xie Xuan Yong must be curious about who was feeding him such foresight. He would want to know who had the power to see the future so clearly.

But in the end, he cared more for Jiang Zi Tang’s reputation than anything else. He would never allow even the faintest blemish to fall upon her name.

In that sense, he was destined to lose this round of mental chess.

The hall fell into a quiet murmur. Everyone was surprised as they watched Xie Xuan Yong step forward.

“What is he trying to do? Is he upset that Su Qian Xue replaced Jiang Zi Tang and now wants to stir up trouble?”

“I don’t think so. Xie Xuan Yong became a top scholar at just thirteen. He’s a man of talent and discernment. Surely he knows who is superior between Jiang Zi Tang and Su Qian Xue. Besides, he’s not the kind to cause scenes without reason. There’s got to be more to this.”

“Exactly. Jiang Zi Tang admitted defeat herself. He probably isn’t here for that. I’d like to see what exactly he’s come for.”

Xie Xuan Yong paid no mind to the whispers. He walked calmly toward the front. As soon as he approached, Jiang Zi Tang rushed to meet him, looking up with concern in her eyes, clearly afraid he might cause trouble.

“Why are you here?” she asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” Xie Xuan Yong lowered his gaze to her, and his expression softened.

Hearing that, Jiang Zi Tang could only swallow back her words and give him a small nod.

Watching the couple exchange tender glances, Su Qian Xue rolled her eyes in disdain—only for a flash of shock to dart across her eyes the very next moment.

That man… wasn’t he Jiang Zi Tang’s fiancé, Xie Xuan Yong?

But in the original storyline, the two were meant to be quarreling at this time due to the maid’s scheming. Xie Xuan Yong shouldn’t even be at the banquet.

So why was he here now?

The plot was spiraling out of her control again. An uneasy feeling began to spread through Su Qian Xue’s chest.

“Young Master Xie, what exactly is your purpose in interrupting this old one at such a key moment?” The ritual master, clearly irritated, looked coldly at the handsome young man before him.

“I naturally have something important to say,” Xie Xuan Yong replied flatly, without a trace of emotion.

The ritual master’s face darkened further. “Then speak quickly. This old one is still busy.”

Xie Xuan Yong turned his gaze to Su Qian Xue. His eyes were like ink—deep, dark, and unreadable.

“Miss Su,” he said coldly, “let me ask you once again: were these two poems truly composed by you, on the spot, just now?”

The moment he spoke, Su Qian Xue’s heart sank.

Before she could reply, Xie Xuan Yong added with a cutting chill, “Allow me to remind you—his majesty the emperor is listening. You had best think carefully before you speak. Deceiving the emperor is a capital offense.”

[Oh-ho, Xie Xuan Yong is going all out. He’s even brought up the emperor and the crime of deceiving the sovereign.]

[In this era, deceiving the emperor is one of the gravest crimes. I’d really like to see how our dear heroine talks her way out of this.]

[Heh. This plot just keeps getting better and better.]

Su Qian Xue’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.

She wasn’t sure whether Xie Xuan Yong was bluffing or if he had real evidence in hand.

But the atmosphere was already at a boiling point. If she were to admit now that the poems weren’t hers but stolen, her reputation would be shattered.

It would be more painful than death.

“I’ve already said so, haven’t I?” she replied coldly. “Why must Young Master Xie ask again? Are you so young your ears have already gone bad? Or is it that you’re jealous Miss Jiang was bested by me?”

Xie Xuan Yong showed no anger. He simply replied, “Very well.”

Then he turned to the ritual master and said, “Before the banquet began, I had someone deliver two woodblock prints to you. The banquet is almost over now—would you be so kind as to unveil them, and allow the gathered scholars to admire a few prized artworks from the Xie family’s collection?”

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone in attendance fell into an awkward silence. No one could understand why the topic had shifted so suddenly.

But the moment the phrase “a treasured collection of the Xie family” was mentioned, the crowd’s interest stirred again. After all, the Xie family was the most revered of noble lineages, boasting a heritage that spanned centuries. With such a profound legacy, how could their collection be anything but extraordinary? Normally, catching a glimpse of such artifacts was as rare as reaching for the stars. Since this rare opportunity had come, how could anyone let it slip away?

And so, the crowd began urging the honorable wine master.

“Wine master, since Young Master Xie has brought something so valuable, you must show us quickly. Let us feast our eyes!”

“Yes, yes, we want to see the Xie family’s collection. The banquet can end later. This kind of treasure is surely more enchanting than any beauty here.”

“…”

Amid the clamor of voices rising one after another, the wine master suddenly remembered: when they had entered earlier, a servant from the Xie household had indeed brought something.

He had meant to wait until the end of the banquet to reveal it, but after being completely swept away by the brilliance of those two poems, the matter had completely slipped his mind.

“The items from the Xie family—where are they?” The wine master turned and looked toward a grand scholar beside him.

The scholar blinked in confusion and replied, “Where… are they again?”

Several of the elders turned around and quickly spotted the answer: on the stone table behind them, there lay two items wrapped tightly in layers of red silk.

Just as the wine master moved to retrieve them, someone beat him to it.

Zhu Yong Cheng stepped forward with a grin, lifting one bundle in each hand. “Wine master, please, be careful with your health. Let me help you carry them.”

Before the wine master could reply, Zhu Yong Cheng had already placed the two bundles on the main stage, cheerfully untying the silk for everyone to see.

The young scholars nearby quickly surged forward, eager eyes filled with curiosity.

[Second Brother, Second Brother! Everyone’s gone over to see—let’s go too!]

[Hurry, hurry! If we’re too slow, we’ll miss the excitement!]

Yun Wan Ning was just as curious about what Xie Xuan Yong had brought. She kept urging Yun Wan Ye in her heart while patting his arm with her tiny hand, even reaching out and pointing anxiously toward the stage.

Yun Wan Ye sighed inwardly. [Why is little sister so impatient?]

If he kept ignoring her, would she become so desperate she might actually speak?

“Let’s go. Second Brother will take little sister to see the fun as well,” he said lazily, rising to his feet and heading toward the commotion.

Wei Chao Hui and the others had already saved a spot for him, and the moment he arrived, he slipped right into the front row.

Yun Wan Ning nearly burst with joy.

[Wow, Second Brother actually understood me! He’s amazing.]

[A big thumbs up for Second Brother.]

[And Second Brother’s companions are great too. The spot they saved is perfect. He truly didn’t pick the wrong friends.]

On the stage, the red silk had already been peeled away in Zhu Yong Cheng’s hands.

Before the crowd appeared two smooth, polished wooden boards. They were about half an inch thick and gave off a faint fragrance.

Judging by the texture, it was likely top-grade agarwood—old, rare, and precious.

Each board had a delicately carved painting, one of bamboo, the other of chrysanthemum. Alongside the images were a few lines of wild, soaring cursive script.

A fine layer of golden dust had been sprinkled across the entire surface, making the artwork gleam with noble grandeur and luxurious beauty.

Gasps rippled through the audience.

As they looked closely at the script etched onto the wooden boards, many unconsciously sucked in a sharp breath, then turned to stare at Su Qian Xue.

Suddenly, one noble young lady read the words aloud, her voice clear and sweet. What she recited matched perfectly with the poems Su Qian Xue had presented earlier.

But there was a difference.

The paintings had signatures.

One board bore the name: Great Ming · Zhu Yuan Zhang. The other: Huang Chao.

The crowd exploded.

“What shamelessness! To brazenly claim another’s work as her own, and even stand tall before both the wine master and Young Master Xie. How many lies has she practiced to build such a thick skin?”

“I thought something was wrong. That useless girl couldn’t even play the zither properly—how could she possibly create something so majestic?”

“Indeed. Two years ago she embarrassed herself on stage. Today she steals others’ work before shaming herself. Su family’s noble daughter really knows how to make a name for herself.”

“Tsk. Su young miss, didn’t you say you composed these two poems on the spot? Then how do you explain this? There’s no way Young Master Xie conjured these paintings from thin air.”

“Exactly. Look at the agarwood—it must be at least a hundred years old. The carving alone would take a month to complete. Even if several master carvers worked together, it would take at least half a month. Even if these aren’t ancient family heirlooms as Young Master Xie claimed, they had to be started at least fifteen days ago. Su young miss, how do you explain that?”

“Don’t tell us Young Master Xie read your mind half a month ago and stole your poems in advance?”

“…”

[Wait, what? Even Zhu Yuan Zhang and Huang Chao’s names are carved here?]

[That can’t be right. Even if elder sister is reborn, she wouldn’t know those names—because the heroine certainly wouldn’t reveal the true authors.]

[So how did elder sister know?]

[Could it be… she isn’t a reborn person after all, but a transmigrator like the central phoenix?]

[No, no, elder sister must be like me—a reader who entered the story. Only by reading ahead could she know everything that would happen today. Only then could she identify the original authors.]

[That has to be it. Yes, yes, elder sister is definitely a transmigrated reader.]

Staring at the two wooden boards, Yun Wan Ning began to doubt her very existence, but after searching her mind for reasons, she finally arrived at a somewhat logical one.

[Xie Xuan Yong’s method may not be very clever, but I must admit, it’s crude and effective. No matter what the crowd says afterward, at least the heroine has been exposed.]

[As for what comes next… well, that’s a problem for the future.]

[Tsk. Xie Xuan Yong slapped a charge of “deceiving the emperor” right onto the heroine’s head. And that fool actually accepted it, walking straight into the trap he set.]

[Now that she’s been exposed in public, embarrassment is the least of her problems. If Xie Xuan Yong truly presses the issue, I’d like to see how the heroine plans to escape.]

[She’s not going to die here… right?]

[She clearly knows that deceiving the emperor means execution, and she still did it. I just can’t understand—how does she plan to keep her head on her shoulders now?]

[Even if the emperor wanted to spare her, could he really afford to? If he lets this slide, what power would a charge like ‘deceiving the emperor’ even hold?]

[If everyone thinks they can deceive the emperor and live… what dignity would His Majesty have left?]