“Who wants you dead?”
A cold, clear voice sounded from the darkness.
Yin Qiubai stepped into the light of the boat’s lantern.
The people on the other surrounding boats also moved forward under the glow — all of them were from the Bai Family.
Mu Qingbai was taken aback. “Miss Bai, why are you here?”
Yin Qiubai didn’t answer. Instead, she glanced at the qin girl Silian and the boatman.
Old Huang politely escorted Silian and the boatman onto another boat.
Yin Qiubai boarded Mu Qingbai’s small boat, and Old Huang took the boatman’s place, steering the craft toward the shore.
“Young Master Mu, didn’t we agree that even if you stayed at my residence for now, you wouldn’t leave without notice?”
Mu Qingbai smiled. “Do you know what I did in court today?”
Yin Qiubai nodded earnestly. “I heard about it! Young Master Mu stood firm in righteousness and loyalty, unyielding to power, rebuking the disloyal ministers in open court to defend Her Majesty! Truly admirable and worthy of praise!”
“No, not just that!” Mu Qingbai shook his head.
Yin Qiubai was surprised. She hadn’t attended court that day and had only heard the reports — could there have been more?
“What else?”
“I scolded the Foolish Emperor, cursed the ministers, jabbed at the generals’ spines, and ridiculed the scholars’ integrity. You could say I’ve done everything one could possibly be executed for.”
Yin Qiubai froze, dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected the person who had sent her the report to have understated it — Mu Qingbai had even insulted the empress herself, and right there in the Grand Hall no less.
After holding her breath for a long while, her face flushed as she forced out, “Young Master Mu… such loyalty and courage! Truly… admirable!”
“If looks could turn into blades and spears, I’d already be minced to dust,” Mu Qingbai said indifferently.
Yin Qiubai broke into a cold sweat and urged him anxiously, “Young Master Mu, speaking frankly to the throne is a loyal minister’s duty, but even then, one must choose words carefully!”
“Miss Bai, I’ve already offended the entire court. After today, I’ll surely die from a hidden blade or a poisoned arrow.”
Mu Qingbai said seriously, “Although I am but an 8th-rank official, I’m still a court member. If I were to die in your house, it would cause you trouble. That’s why I left without saying goodbye.”
Yin Qiubai’s face turned strange, then amused.
She had thought Mu Qingbai left to avoid implicating the Bai Family.
Who would’ve guessed — the man had simply gone mad, cursing out the entire court, the generals, and the emperor herself… and then ran out to wait for death.
But this was the capital! No matter how much someone hated him, who would dare assassinate a Censorate Inspector here?
They could plot against him or corner him politically, but assassination? Never!
“Young Master Mu, this is the capital! No one has the courage to attack a government official here.”
Mu Qingbai paused, stunned.
Yin Qiubai smiled. “It’s true you offended many people today, but because you caused such a stir and drew so much attention, no one would dare act against you now.” This chapter was copied from novelping(.)com without permission.
Mu Qingbai fell silent, as though struck by some cruel realization.
After a long pause, he stomped his foot in frustration. “Damn it! Is my rank too low to even deserve death?”
Yin Qiubai looked at him pitifully. His madness seemed to be worsening.
“If you hadn’t impeached the Grand General today, Her Majesty might’ve rewarded you,” she said.
Mu Qingbai frowned. “Rewarded me? For what?”
“The officials wanted Her Majesty to seal the Edict of Self-Reproach, and you resolved the crisis. Naturally, there’s merit in that!”
Mu Qingbai looked surprised. “I just told the truth… one gets rewarded for that?”
Yin Qiubai straightened up and said solemnly, “Young Master Mu, as you once said in prison — this world lacks men like you who dare to speak the truth.”
“I understand now!”
Yin Qiubai nodded, relieved. “It’s good that you understand.”
“In the capital, they won’t dare kill me! But if I leave the capital, they will!”
Yin Qiubai froze. She was about to refute that absurd logic when Mu Qingbai continued firmly, “Then I must leave the capital!”
Yin Qiubai: …
What exactly did you understand?!
She realized that scholars’ minds truly had a hundred holes in them — and Mu Qingbai’s had at least two hundred!
But she had no way to deal with him.
At that moment, the boat reached the shore.
Mu Qingbai stood up, stepped off, and started walking away as if he really meant to leave the capital under the cover of night.
Yin Qiubai quickly caught up and blocked his path.
“Young Master Mu, you’re a Censorate Inspector. Without the emperor’s permission, you can’t leave the capital.”
“It’s fine. I can resign.”
Yin Qiubai shook her head. “Her Majesty would never approve your resignation!”
“Can I retire, then?”
“…” Yin Qiubai looked at him helplessly.
Mu Qingbai sighed, finally accepting the truth — he wouldn’t be dying anytime soon.
But he wasn’t one to stay discouraged for long.
Soon, his spirit revived, and he muttered as he walked, “It’s fine. They want to kill me but don’t dare, so I’ll just curse them harder — right to their faces!”
“I’ll curse not only the ministers but the emperor too! Let’s see if their patience runs out before my defiance does!”
Though he was muttering, everyone behind him heard it clearly.
They all exchanged helpless looks and turned to Old Huang, unsure what to do.
Old Huang didn’t know either. He could only glance toward Yin Qiubai, sigh, and whisper, “Miss, bringing home such a lunatic… it’s hard to say if it’s a blessing or a curse.”
He was being polite — it was no blessing. Only trouble! And serious trouble at that!
“Wait, no!”
Mu Qingbai suddenly stopped and turned to Yin Qiubai.
She stiffened, quickly wondering if she or her people had slipped up, if Mu Qingbai had noticed something unusual about her true identity.
“I helped the emperor out of trouble. Even if there’s no reward for that, I also proposed a plan for disaster relief. Shouldn’t there be a reward for that?”
If he couldn’t die, then he might as well live well!
But he was broke — and how could one live without money?
Old Huang’s mouth twitched. “You call that a disaster relief plan? You suggested feeding the victims the same stuff livestock eat! Where’s the imperial dignity in that?”
Mu Qingbai frowned. “Would you uphold dignity at the cost of starving citizens? It’s because everyone thinks that way that so many people die during disasters!”
Old Huang was stunned silent.
Mu Qingbai’s words made sense — yet they defied conventional wisdom!
Old Huang shook his head. “Regardless, the method is ridiculous. Even if the court accepts it, they’ll probably do it under your name just to save face!”
Yin Qiubai agreed and nodded. “Young Master Mu, if that’s true, your name will be ruined forever. You’ll drown under the people’s scorn!”
Mu Qingbai gave a cold laugh. “They want to root out corruption, save the people, and still keep their precious image intact?”
“Heh. Since when do such perfect things exist?”
His figure disappeared into the darkness as he walked toward a carriage lit by lanterns.
Yin Qiubai and the others stood speechless behind him.
She watched his lonely back — thin, solitary, desolate.
And yet, it was that very lonely figure that carried the weight of the people’s suffering.
Yin Qiubai sighed softly. “Truly… hitting the nail on the head.”