Chu Yunshen glanced at Chu Yelin before he retrieved the token from his sleeve and handed it to Yuan Qing.

Yuan Qing quickly handed the token to the emperor along with the conspirators’ name list that Chu Yunshen got Xiaowu and the secret guard to investigate.

Chu Yunshen could sense that Chu Yelin was not pretending when he looked at the token hopefully as though it could save him from this predicament.

Instead, there was something amiss with Chu Jinshuo’s expression and his long and narrow eyes were filled with intense excitement.

He kept looking at the token as Chu Yunshen handed it over with his eyes glinting imperceptibly.

Now that Chu Yunshen had witnessed Chu Yelin and Chu Jinshuo’s reactions, he was even more certain in his heart.

Just as he expected, Chu Hongzhen turned to look at the seventh prince kneeling on the ground after he looked at the token.

Chu Yunshen continued, “I have already investigated the list of conspirators and the accounts. Something seems to be wrong with the accounts.”

“Is that so? What about Sir Su?”

Chu Hongzhen reverted to his typical sternness. He rubbed the token in his hand as he asked Chu Yunshen slowly in a vague tone.

“Sir Su has already admitted to his crimes. He was behind the crime and he has something to tell you.”

Even though Chu Hongzhen said nothing, Chu Yunshen knew that he had plans, so he didn’t go on talking and acted dumb as he knelt on the ground.

The biggest favor he could do Chu Hongzhen was to stay out of this way. Since he was an unaccomplished son, he had to act the part.

That was the reason that Chu Yunshen swallowed his father’s mistreatment all these years. This was the only way Chu Hongzhen could ever trust him.

Chu Yelin could not help blurting anxiously when he realized the predicament he was in. He was oblivious that the token in Chu Hongzhen’s hand belonged to him.

He felt relieved there was still one last witness, Su Ming, whom he could use to turn the tables.

“Father, Sir Su knows the truth. I was slandered.”

Chu Yunshen shook his head in his heart. Considering how Chu Yelin kept losing his composure, there was no wonder he couldn’t outwit Chu Jinshuo.

“Since both the seventh and fourth prince keep bringing you up, why don’t you say a few words?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I was behind the salt embezzlement and there was iron-clad proof, so I deserve a thousand deaths.”

Su Ming seemed determined to die. The moment Chu Hongzhen asked for him to speak, he swiftly admitted to his crime.

He retrieved a name list from his chest and held it high for Yuan Qing. “I have the name list here. I offer my neck for the crimes I committed!”

Chu Yelin and Chu Jinshuo looked at Su Ming happily. Chu Hongzhen didn’t blow his top this time. Instead, he spoke calmly, “Sir Su, why don’t you tell us what happened?”

Yet everyone in the hall knew this was just the peace before the storm, all except Chu Yelin.

Since Chu Hongzhen seemed a lot calmer and was even rapping his fingertips on the table gently, Chu Yelin thought he was saved.

Chu Yelin looked at Chu Jinshuo particularly proudly.

Chu Yunshen noticed Chu Hongzhen kept playing with the token ever since he handed it to him.

If Chu Yelin didn’t ask Su Ming to report on the details of the crime, Chu Hongzhen might have rubbed the token even longer.

Had his father caught on to the problem with the token?

Chu Yunshen looked at Chu Hongzhen in disdain, but he had to admit that Chu Hongzhen had the keen senses of a ruler.

Su Ming spoke unhurriedly as he stood beside Chu Yunshen, “A few months ago, I received secret correspondence stating that my mother was taken away. If I did not obey, she might die.”

Su Ming choked as he spoke. he paused to compose himself before he continued, “My mother had singlehandedly raised me and even came up with the money to send me to the capital to take the official exam, so I had to obey those orders and save her.”

“I got in touch with the local officials and rich merchants just like the letter told me to. I also used my connections to change the salt prices. After that, I framed the eighth prince for it.”

“I was unable to uphold patriotism when my mother’s life was at stake, so I acted selfishly. Please forgive me!”

“How could someone threaten the court official and frame a prince? Father, you really have to investigate the matter thoroughly.”

Chu Jinshuo instantly looked indignant as he scolded the culprit. The way he acted dumb and spoke exaggeratedly left them appalled.

After Chu Yelin heard what Su Ming said and noticed it was different from what they had agreed, his face was bereft of smugness and his eyes turned dark.

Just as Chu Yelin felt it was impossible in his heart, Chu Yunshen had discovered the truth!

No wonder!

It was no wonder a man who was absolutely loyal to Chu Yelin would suddenly turn against him. It was certainly typical of the culprit’s ruthless ways.

From the looks of it, Su Ming was transferring his allegiance.

Chu Hongzhen caught on to Chu Jinshuo and Su Ming’s pretense just as Chu Yunshen expected. After he suppressed his fury, he looked at the token in his hand and realized Chu Yelin was probably maligned.

“Who was the culprit?”

“Your Majesty, it was none other than the seventh prince.”

Su Ming had lost all hope. Chu Yunshen could keenly sense the utter despair radiating from him.

Every word he spoke stabbed Chu Yelin like a knife.

“Nonsense! Sir Su, how could you malign me? Have you forgotten our…”

“Forgotten what? Are you trying to threaten Sir Su?”

Chu Jinshuo interrupted Chu Yelin’s words and spoke in contempt.

“Father, since Sir Su works for me, it’s my fault for not keeping an eye on him when he committed the crime.”

He turned with a look of detest. “Since Sir Su’s mother was held hostage, he had no choice but to accede to the mastermind’s demands.”

Chu Yelin finally realized that they had schemed behind his back when he saw how they reacted.

“Well done, Su Ming!”

He was so furious that his hands trembled for a long time as he pointed at Su Ming and was incapable of uttering a word.

The eighth prince didn’t want to let him off so easily, so he did not go on pretending.

Instead, he stopped acting unknowing as he looked at Chu Hongzhen confidently.

“Father, I have something to tell you as well.”

Was he finally going to show his true self?

Chu Yunshen was certainly curious about the other tricks Chu Jinshuo had up his sleeve.

“Is that so? Didn’t you say you knew nothing about the case?”

Chu Hongzhen looked at him profoundly. He wanted to see what his eighth son was capable of saying now.

“Father, I was in a dilemma over our brotherly ties and the country. I now realize that the country is more important, and I was being narrow-minded, so I decided to come clean with the truth.”

Chu Hongzhen nodded and gestured for him to continue. He picked up the evidence and secret correspondence once more.

“I thought Brother Yelin was just messing around when he accused me of embezzlement. I simply thought it was a joke.”

Chu Jinshuo victimized himself as he spoke of Chu Yelin’s allegations against him, “But Brother Yelin refused to stop and kept planting false evidence to frame me. I was terrified, so I reported it to Brother Yunshen.”

The eighth prince always loved to cry and act vulnerable.

Chu Yunshen despised the eighth prince for acting defenseless as he backstabbed others. He couldn’t even be bothered to go on listening to Chu Jinshuo’s pompous words.

“Now that you have caught wind of it, I wanted to help Brother Yelin. However, he shockingly threatened Sir Su into committing something as audacious as this and hurting our people.”

He said righteously, “If he has a problem with me, he should pick it up with me. How could he have made the mistake of affecting the people’s livelihood?”

Despite his eloquence, Su Ming felt like gagging when he saw Chu Jinshuo’s hypocritical ways.

However, he had no choice but to keep acting with this pretentious man.

Fury seethed in Chu Yelin’s heart as he listened to Chu Jinshuo distort the truth. The moment he recalled the things that Su Ming had said, he was so mad that he trembled.

Chu Jinshuo confused right from wrong. “Also… I have actually come to know about this from Jin City’s prefect and county magistrate.”

Chu Yunshen was starting to get bored when Chu Jinshuo attempted to pounce on the opportunity to make himself look good. The moment he heard about Jin City’s prefect and county magistrates, he took interest.

Now all the dots were connected.

No wonder Chu Yelin was oblivious of the trap. It was one scheme after another!

Was this all Chu Jinshuo was capable of?

Chu Hongzhen was unaware that Jin City’s Prefect Magistrate Liu Yuanyi was already Chu Jinshuo’s man. “Get him to come over

Chu Jinshuo was just waiting for his father to say this. He hurriedly replied, “Father, Jin City’s prefect magistrate is already waiting outside and ready to see you.”

“Yuan Qing, send him in!”

Yuan Qing could not help having a whole new level of respect for Chu Jinshuo. It seemed he came prepared.

Liu Yuanyi sweated profusely after waiting for a long time. He moved his pudgy body along as he walked up quickly to Chu Hongzhen and knelt before him.

“Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Jin City’s Prefect Magistrate, Liu Yuanyi. Long live Your Majesty!”

“Enough. At ease.”

“Your Majesty, I deserve a thousand deaths.”

Liu Yuanyi trembled as he knelt and kept eyeing Chu Jinshuo. However, Chu Jinshuo did not react.

“I received a secret correspondence from the seventh prince. I’m so sorry for making the mistake of succumbing to his demands in a moment’s folly. I shouldn’t have done it!”

“Do you mean you received secret correspondence as well?”

Chu Hongzhen played with the token as an ambiguous light swept across his eyes.

“In reality, Sir Su wasn’t the only one who received secret correspondence. Sir Chen died the next day after he warned me that our lives were in danger…”

“Your Majesty, I have elderly parents and young children at home, so I feared for their lives. His Highness said if I refused to do as he said, I would follow in the path of Sir Fu.”

Liu Yuanyi cried as he kowtowed to Chu Hongzhen and begged for mercy.

He kept apologizing to Chu Yelin for putting his efforts to waste as he kowtowed.

All this acting seemed preposterous to Chu Yunshen. Chu Yunshen sneered in contempt before he subtly moved away from him a little.

“Yelin, what more do you have to say for yourself?”