Chapter 43 Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night

For three days, a light drizzle fell, like silk threads, enveloping the entire capital in a damp and chilly mist.

The gray sky hung low, and strings of water droplets hung from the eaves of the houses on both sides of the street, making a "drip-drip" sound as they fell, adding to the desolate atmosphere.

Su Moqing stood by the window on the second floor of the villa, wearing a moon-white jacket and a light blue cloak, watching the few pedestrians coming and going on the street.

Ever since that day when she returned from the Censorate, she had keenly sensed that the gazes watching from the shadows had not decreased but had become more intense, following her like a shadow, leaving her no peace for a moment.

"Miss, the medicine is ready." Xiaochun walked in carrying a gilded medicine bowl, her steps light, her expression revealing an undisguised unease. "Just now I went to Huichuntang on the street corner to get medicine, and I found several unfamiliar faces outside the pharmacy. They kept staring at people coming and going with fierce eyes, and they didn't look like good people."

Su Moqing took the medicine bowl, and the warm medicinal steam rose up, blurring her beautiful face.

She looked down at the dark brown medicine in the bowl, recalling the urgent secret letter she had received from Shen Rulan that morning. The letter contained only eight characters, written in strong, vigorous handwriting, yet conveying a sense of resolute determination:

"The bait has been released; we await the fish."

Shen Rulan intends to use herself as bait to lure out Cao Jin, who is lurking in the capital! This realization is like a sharp knife, piercing Su Moqing's heart and causing her immense anguish.

How could she let Rulan face danger alone? Cao Jin was treacherous and ruthless; a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin.

"Xiaochun, go and invite Sister Lin over." Su Moqing slowly put down the medicine bowl, her voice calm and without any ripples, as if she were talking about an ordinary little thing. "Just say that I'm craving Yangzhou fried rice, the most authentic kind that she makes."

This was a pre-arranged code between her and Lin Xiao – “want to eat Yangzhou fried rice”, which meant they had a life-or-death matter to discuss and needed to meet immediately.

Although Xiaochun was puzzled, she dared not ask any more questions and quickly agreed and withdrew.

A short while later, Lin Xiao strode into the room, still carrying a faint chill from the rain. Seeing Su Moqing's grave expression, she knew something was wrong and asked in a low voice, "Moqing, has something happened?"

Su Moqing was tidying up the painting tools on the table. She held a specially made paintbrush in her hand—the brush barrel was hollow, and a secret letter had been hidden inside.

She handed the paintbrush to Lin Xiao, her eyes resolute: "You must personally deliver this letter to Imperial Censor Zhang. It must not pass through the hands of a second person. If I fail to contact you within three days, or send back any news, you must immediately open this letter and act according to the instructions within."

Lin Xiao took the paintbrush, her fingertips touching the cold handle. Her heart sank, and her expression instantly turned serious: "What makes you say that? Do you mean to...?"

“Cao Jin’s ultimate target is me, and the Shen family.” Su Moqing looked out the window at the increasingly dense rain, the raindrops hitting the window frame with a “pitter-patter” sound. “He has set up such a big scheme, just to use me to blackmail Ru Lan, or to get rid of me directly and then frame the Shen family. As long as I show up, he will definitely not be able to resist making a move.”

"No!" Lin Xiao hurriedly stepped forward, her tone urgent. "Young Master Shen repeatedly instructed you to stay in the villa and not to act rashly. Everything must wait until the people she's sending from Yangzhou arrive! If something happens to you, Young Master Shen will..."

“That’s precisely why I have to do this.” Su Moqing turned around, her gaze clear and firm, carrying an undeniable resolve. “Rulan is strategizing in Yangzhou, and I’m cooperating with her in the capital. Only by working together from the inside and outside can we wipe out Cao Jin and his remaining cronies. If I keep hiding, it will only embolden Cao Jin and put Rulan in a passive position.”

She gently stroked the jade pendant she wore on her chest; the warm, smooth jade against her skin seemed to convey her warmth and affection.

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Lin Xiao knew her mind was made up and further persuasion would be futile. She sighed heavily and gripped her paintbrush tightly: "Mo Qing, take care! I'm going to see Imperial Censor Zhang now, and I will certainly not let him down!"

That night, the rain intensified, and strong winds swept through the streets and alleys of the capital.

An inconspicuous green-canopied carriage quietly drove out of the back gate of the Shen family's villa. Its wheels rolled over the wet stone slabs, splashing water everywhere, and headed straight for the Ciyun Temple in the western mountains.

Inside the car, Su Moqing was dressed in plain clothes, with only a simple white jade hairpin in her hair. Without any extra decorations, she looked even more elegant and refined.

She clutched a scroll tightly in her hand, a "gift" she had prepared for today's confrontation, and also the key to luring Cao Jin to appear.

Ciyun Temple is located deep in the Western Hills, built against the mountain and shrouded in clouds and mist all year round.

The torrential rain tonight made the temple even more desolate. In the distance, only a few meditation rooms were lit by faint candlelight, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps. The carriage stopped outside the temple gate, and Su Moqing, escorted by Lin Xiao, slowly walked into the temple, holding an oil-paper umbrella.

The abbot, who had already received the news, was dressed in a gray monk's robe and holding prayer beads. He had been waiting at the mountain gate for a long time. He put his hands together, bowed, and said to Su Moqing, "You have had a long journey, please come with me."

The abbot led them through a series of halls. The Buddha statues inside appeared solemn and dignified in the dim candlelight. Rain dripped from the eaves and accumulated into puddles on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard.

After walking through a secluded corridor, we finally arrived at a quiet meditation room in the backyard.

The candlelight in the meditation room was dim, and the flickering flames cast the shadows of the two people on the wall, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

On the wall hangs an old painting of Bodhidharma meditating facing a wall, its brushstrokes vigorous and exuding a sense of Zen.

Su Moqing thanked the abbot, knelt down on the futon in the center of the meditation room, and gently placed the scroll in his hand on the low table in front of him.

"Sister Lin, you stay outside and provide backup. If you hear any noise, send a signal immediately," Su Moqing instructed in a low voice.

Lin Xiao nodded, gripped the sword at his waist, turned and disappeared into the shadows outside the meditation room, his eyes warily scanning his surroundings.

Only Su Moqing remained in the meditation room.

Time passed slowly, with only the tireless sound of rain tapping against the windowpane, producing a monotonous and dull thud.

Su Moqing closed her eyes, clearing her mind of all distractions, but she couldn't help but think of Shen Rulan—Rulan, do you know that I am now betting everything on our future?

Suddenly, a very light footstep came from outside the door, stepping on the wet stone slabs, almost drowned out by the sound of rain.

Su Moqing suddenly opened her eyes, her expression turning serious.

"An old friend has come to visit. Miss Su, you have been waiting for a long time." A sinister voice rang out from outside the door, carrying a hint of smugness and mockery.

The door to the meditation room was slowly pushed open, and a figure wearing a black raincoat and a bamboo hat walked in.

Rainwater dripped down the raincoat, spreading out a small patch of water on the ground.

When he took off his straw hat, Su Moqing's pupils suddenly contracted, and a storm raged in his heart—the person who came was none other than Wen Shichang, whom he hadn't seen for many days!

Wasn't he already dismissed from his post and placed under house arrest for corruption? How could he be here, and even colluding with Cao Jin?

"Surprised?" Seeing her astonished expression, Wen Shichang's face broke into a smug smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes contorting into a menacing grin. "Miss Su, do you think you can rest easy after taking down Wen Shichang? Let me tell you, Young Master Cao's game has only just begun. You and Shen Rulan are merely pawns on his chessboard, destined to be discarded sooner or later!"

Su Moqing forced herself to calm down, looking at him calmly without the slightest panic: "Where is Cao Jin? Tell him to come out and see me. There's no need for him to hide like a coward."

"Why the rush?" Wen Shichang sat down on the futon opposite her, his gaze greedily sweeping over the scroll on the low table. "I heard that you brought a very generous gift to see Young Master Cao today? Why don't you let me see it first?"

Su Moqing slowly reached out and picked up the scroll, her fingertips gently tracing the cool wooden shaft. She knew that this scroll contained not only bait to lure Cao Jin out, but also the key to ending everything. She took a deep breath and slowly unrolled the scroll.

It was a painting of orchids in ink, with the ink tones varying in shades, and the orchid leaves unfolding lifelike.

Wen Shichang's eyes lit up instantly, and a greedy look appeared on his face. But when he saw the line of fine regular script among the orchid leaves, his face turned deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with shock and anger.

The smaller print read: "Jin deserves to be executed."

"What do you mean by this?!" Wen Shichang suddenly stood up, pointing at the scroll, his voice trembling with anger, "How dare you mock Young Master Cao!"

"What I mean is..." Su Moqing suddenly raised her voice, her tone sharp, like thunder piercing the rainy night, "Cao Jin, how long are you going to hide? Do you want your lackeys to die for you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the curtain hanging on the inside of the meditation room was suddenly lifted, and a burly man walked out. He was dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, his face was much more weathered, and there were even a few strands of white hair at his temples, but his eyes were still sinister and ruthless, exuding a chilling murderous aura—it was Cao Jin, who should have been on his way to exile!

"Miss Su, you have good eyesight and courage." Cao Jin sneered, walking step by step toward Su Moqing, each step feeling like a blow to her heart. "Unfortunately, since ancient times, clever people have often not lived long. You think you can lure me out by setting such a trap? You are too naive!"

He clapped his hands, and several men in black, each wielding a long knife, rushed in from outside. They all had cold faces and fierce eyes, clearly outlaws of the martial world.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao immediately rushed out of the shadows, drew his sword and stood in front of Su Moqing, pointing the tip of his sword directly at Cao Jin, and shouted sharply: "Cao Jin, you can't escape now, why don't you surrender!"

Cao Jin scoffed disdainfully, "You? Today will be your burial ground!"

The atmosphere in the meditation room instantly became tense, as if the air had frozen, leaving only the heavy breathing of the two people and the sound of rain outside the window.

Just at this critical moment, a deafening commotion suddenly erupted outside the temple, mixed with shouts from soldiers and the clash of weapons.

The firelight, growing brighter as it approached, spread like wildfire, illuminating the dark, rainy night as if it were daytime.

"Listen up, you inside!" Zhang Mingyuan's voice came through the rain, authoritative and powerful. "You are completely surrounded. Lay down your weapons and surrender immediately! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

Cao Jin's face turned deathly pale instantly. He turned sharply to look at Wen Shichang, his eyes filled with anger and suspicion: "You betrayed me?! I've treated you well, why would you betray me?"

Wen Shichang was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly, his face ashen, and hurriedly protested, "It wasn't me! It really wasn't me! Young Master Cao, I am loyal to you, how could I betray you? They must have set this up long ago!"

Su Moqing slowly stood up, took out a red signal flare from her sleeve, and gently pulled the fuse. A dazzling red light shot into the sky and exploded in the night sky, like a blooming red plum blossom.

She calmly looked at the panicked Cao Jin, her tone indifferent yet carrying a hint of relief: "Cao Jin, your show is over."

It turns out that all of this was a scheme within a scheme.

Shen Rulan deliberately let Zhao Qi, who was carrying false information, go in Yangzhou, making him think that he could easily frame Su Moqing and bring down the Shen family. Su Moqing, on the other hand, used herself as bait in the capital, pretending to make a deal with Cao Jin and luring him to Ciyun Temple. Meanwhile, Censor Zhang Mingyuan had already mobilized the patrol battalion and guards of the Censorate in the capital, according to Shen Rulan's secret letter, and laid a trap, just waiting for Cao Jin to walk into it.

"Charge out!" Cao Jin roared, drawing his sword and slashing at Su Moqing.

Lin Xiao immediately swung his sword to parry. With a clang, the swords clashed, and sparks flew everywhere.

The men in black rushed forward and engaged in a fierce battle with the government troops who had arrived after hearing the news.

Inside and outside the meditation room, the sounds of clashing weapons, shouts, and screams rose and fell, echoing throughout the entire Western Hills.

Seeing that the situation was not good and that he would not be able to escape today, Cao Jin tried to escape through the window.

He kicked the window open and was about to leap out when Lin Xiao, who was already waiting by the window, stabbed him in the shoulder with a sword, and blood instantly stained his dark outfit.

Cao Jin screamed and fell to the ground, where he was held down by the soldiers who arrived shortly afterward.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Wen Shichang tried to slip away through the back door, but he had only taken a few steps when he was captured on the spot by the soldiers who rushed in and tied up behind his back. He struggled and cried out, but to no avail.

When everything settled down, the rain had stopped sometime earlier.

A bright, clear moon broke through the clouds, casting its cool light upon the devastated Ciyun Temple.

Zhang Mingyuan led several guards into the meditation room, and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the captured Cao Jin and Wen Shichang.

He cupped his hands to Su Moqing and said, "Miss Su, you have been frightened. Cao Jin and his accomplices have all been captured. The successful capture of this traitor is all thanks to the cooperation and meticulous planning between you and Young Master Shen."

Su Moqing stepped out of the meditation room and looked at the bright moon in the sky. The moonlight shone on her, as if coating her with a layer of silver frost.

A relieved smile appeared on her face, and she said softly, "You're too kind, Lord Zhang. The wicked have been brought to justice; it's all the will of Heaven. Now, I want to go home."

Yes, it's time to go home.

Return to Yangzhou in Jiangnan, a place with ginkgo trees, plum blossoms, and Shen Rulan waiting for her.