Chapter 398

398 A Second rumor?

Mo Jinhai accepted the punishment that Xiaoming had decided for him. He had to work for Lóng Wei for the time he was in the Qijiang. He had to do every work of Lóng Wei like a servant. Mo Zhelan thanked Xiaoming for solving the matter calmly. He again apologized for his son’s mistake and told Jinhai not to disappoint the three princes in any way.

Jinhai nodded his head and asked Xiaoming if he could home to bring his things.

Xiaoming shook his head. “Your father will send the needful things in the hand of a soldier that I send with him,” he added. He called in a soldier and told him to follow Zhelan to his residence.

“Governor Mo, I want you to keep it a secret that we three princes are in Qijiang,” Xiaoming ordered him. Mo Zhelan assured him that from his end no one would find out about their presence.

Jinhai bowed at his father, who left with the soldier, after giving him a glance. Once they left, Xiaoming asked him if the punch was too painful. Jinhai nodded his head. His hand was still on his abdomen. He never experienced this kind of pain, but he could not even complain about it.

“Brother Lóng Wei is sensitive about his wife. He can bear anything, but he cannot hear anything bad about his wife. Also, as a nobleman, you must know that disrespecting any woman is not considered good. Since you will work for Brother Lóng Wei keep in mind that you will repent in his eyes,” Xiaoming explained to him. Jinhai silently listened to him when Xiaoming called for the physician.

The physician gave him medicine to reduce the pain and told him to take a day’s rest at least. Xiaoming knew that Lóng Wei would not let Jinhai rest. Also, he knew that it was the best punishment for Jinhai to let Lóng Wei’s anger go. Xiaoming asked the soldier if he saw Tianjie and Lóng Wei.

“No, Your Royal Highness,” the soldier replied and told them that he would search for them. Xiaoming nodded and then looked at Jinhai. He asked him to stay there for a while until Lóng Wei showed his presence.

At that moment, Bai Juchen came into the tent house and informed the Crown Prince how Lóng Wei spread a rumor and created havoc among the local officials, and people of the town. Xiaoming recalled the plan that Lóng Wei had shared with them.

.....

“Your Royal Highness, the Sixth Prince is making things worse here. He must return to Qinping,” Bai Juchen stated.

Jinhai was suddenly delighted to hear about it. He would not have to work for Lóng Wei if he returned to Qinping.

“General Bai, the King’s order cannot be neglected. His Majesty is the one on whose order Prince Lóng Wei is here. I cannot send him back for no reason,” Xiaoming stated.

“No reason?” Bai Juchen exclaimed and he got irked. “Your Royal Highness, such rumors are not the way to find the truth. Prince Lóng Wei is doing things immorally and it can lead to bigger negative consequences,” Bai Juchen opposed Lóng Wei’s ways to find the enemy. It only created a ruckus in the city.

“I did not create any ruckus,” Lóng Wei said. He had stepped into the tent house with Tianjie. “I merely put a trap for the person whom you failed to find. Someone in the town has helped our foes to show them the way to town. Someone at a good rank,” Lóng Wei stated and walked up to Bai Juchen.

“It is a part of the plan, General Bai,” Tianjie said, “we want the person to reach Meng Ru who is Brother Lóng Wei.” He glanced at Lóng Wei, whose eyes were on Bai Juchen.

“Let the officials, the people talk about it,” Xiaoming said. “Rumors are the best way to take the person out,” he added.

Jinhai keenly listened to them and found that Lóng Wei was a brainy person. He was talking to himself in his mind when Lóng Wei looked at him and he ended up putting a brake on his thoughts.

“Brother Lóng Wei, I have punished Mo Jinhai. He will work as a servant for you for the time we all are here. You can ask him to do any of your work. However, you cannot mistreat him. I want you to act like an ideal Prince,” Xiaoming stated.

Lóng Wei nodded his head. But in his mind, he already had decided that he would torture Jinhai to the extent that he would remember all his life about him.

“Prince Lóng Wei, I want to know how the person will contact Meng Ru which is you,” Bai Juchen said with inquisitiveness.

“When the second rumor be spread among the people,” Lóng Wei said with a smile.

“A second rumor?” Bai Juchen asked him to tell him about his plan.

“We will go into the town in the evening to fulfill this task,” Lóng Wei said and looked at his brothers. “We will go to the most famous place in the town. I heard that the night restaurant which includes only female workers is the talk of the town in the evening. We will go there and spread the second rumor there,” Lóng Wei asserted and glanced at Mo Jinhai.

“You must have visited that place numerous times,” Lóng Wei assumed. Mo Jinhai nodded his head.

“Many young officials visit that place at the night and even the commoners’ entry is allowed there,” Mo Jinhai said in a low voice.

“Great. I am excited to find the person,” Lóng Wei said while his facial expression turned into a serious one.

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Far in a dark place with only one candle in the room, a silhouette could be seen. “Meng Ru knows that you were the one, who led our men with Wu Zihao’s corpse to the town center,” a man said. He had his head down while his feet were trembling.

“Who is Meng Ru?” the silhouette of the person asked.

“There is no information about that. Forgive me, Master,” the man apologized and got on his knees.

The next second his neck got cut with the sharp blade of the sword and he fell to the floor. The blood spattered on the floor while the silhouette of the man continued to write something on the sheet.