Chapter 85 The Mei family betrayed the Ma family.
The carriage drove along the bustling Rongdu Street. Yellowed leaves tumbled and rolled forward, following the wheel tracks. The wheels crunched over the bare branches, making a soft, rustling sound. Inside the quiet carriage, the sound of the crunching branches was particularly clear. Luo Yichen hadn't seen the Mu family father and son in the same carriage for a long time. He listened intently for a long time, but couldn't hear anything from inside. He felt a little nervous.
"Do you have something to ask me?" Mu You closed his eyes to rest, but still spoke first.
Mu Chenbi lowered his head and remained silent, his sword-like eyebrows twitching slightly.
"He really does resemble you." Mu You slowly opened his eyes, saw Mu Chenbi's thin lips pressed tightly together, and said in a deep voice, "Are you dissatisfied with the reward I bestowed upon him?"
"Your subject dares not," Mu Chenbi said, raising his eyelashes.
Mu You smiled enigmatically, “You’re always so straightforward. You’ve been riding in the same carriage as me, so you must have something to say to me, right?”
Mu Chenbi opened his sharp eyes and saw his father fiddling with the dragon pendant at his waist. It was just a casual movement, but Mu Chenbi felt as if he were shrouded in mystery, and that he was tentatively probing the forbidden depths of his father's heart. "Your subject is just curious, Father, is your favor towards A-Jiu just... because of his face?"
"Otherwise what?" Mu You paused, his fingers still touching the dragon pendant. His tone was calm and indifferent, but the corner of his eye, which was usually kind, flashed with a cold glint, like that of a hawk. Mu Chenbi felt a chill run down his spine. Under the weight of the heavenly majesty, he dared not ask any more questions for a moment.
"The world is indeed as interesting as Grand Preceptor Cui said." Mu Chenbi chuckled self-deprecatingly. "When Father sees him, it's as if he sees his own son."
Mu Youning looked at Mu Chenbi's somewhat disappointed expression and said, "You and him are different. You just need to remember that you are my eldest son and the Crown Prince of the Great Jin."
Mu Chenbi parted his thin lips slightly, his expression immediately returning to calm. "Then I must fulfill my duties as Crown Prince. There is something that Father Emperor has misunderstood. The reason I rode in the same carriage with you was not to inquire about Ajiu."
"Oh?" Mu You smiled faintly. The car was dimly lit, and the father and son spoke softly. Their questions and answers were like fine needles. Mu You secretly observed his son's every expression and reaction. He suddenly felt that his son was becoming more and more like himself back then.
Mu Chenbi reached into his sleeve and pulled out a copper coin, holding it in his palm. "A few days ago, the young master of the Mei family of Gongcheng Money Shop found me and brought this over."
Upon recognizing the coins as copper coins, Mu You did not reach out to take them. "Young Master Mei? Instead of going to the Salt and Iron Bureau, you managed to find your place?"
Luo Yichen, who was pressed against the car window, suddenly heard the words "Young Master of the Mei Family" and his body immediately tensed up, as if afraid that one word would hurt him.
"Young Master Mei went to the Salt and Iron Bureau several times to no avail, and that's when he came to me. I wanted to report to you that very night, but when I got to Cheng'en Hall, Chang Lu told me that Father Emperor hadn't been sleeping well lately, so I didn't dare to disturb him." Mu Chenbi picked up a copper coin between two fingers and handed it to his father. "Young Master Mei said that counterfeit copper coins have appeared in Rongdu."
Mu You's brow furrowed as he glanced at the object in his son's hand, but didn't take it. "Fake copper coins?"
Mu Chenbi rubbed the copper coin in his hand, "Not only that, this item is an old one. It appeared in Rongdu many years ago, then disappeared for many years, and now... it has reappeared in Rongdu."
A fleeting glint of something unusual flashed in Mu You's eyes. He remained calm and didn't reply, as if recalling some old memory. He reached for the dragon pendant at his waist, his silence already hinting at a storm brewing.
“Since it’s an extinct species,” Mu You said calmly, but there was an undercurrent of emotion beneath his words. “Mei Junhe is dead, so how would the young master of the Mei family know about it? It seems… Mei Junhe kept the things from back then. This Mei Junhe is quite bold.”
Mu Chenbi seemed to have anticipated his father's words and calmly replied, "The Mei family is a treasure trove for the Great Jin Dynasty. Keeping this fake copper coin is to warn future generations not to repeat the same mistakes. If the Mei family hadn't kept one, how would they have known it was a re-enactment? Mei Junhe is not being reckless, but rather acting with far-sighted consideration for the country."
Mu You chuckled a few times, which Luo Yichen outside could faintly hear. Although he was laughing, a chill still ran through him. The sun was high in the sky, and Luo Yichen even shivered.
Mu Chenbi continued, "Recently, the Mei family has received a total of nineteen counterfeit copper coins, and in the past few days, perhaps... there have been more."
"What do you think?" Mu You asked, curious about his son's thoughts.
Mu Chenbi clenched his fist. "At that time, I wasn't even born yet. I only heard about the case from you, Father Emperor. I only knew that those involved were dead, their families exiled, and the mint was taken over by the court, becoming the responsibility of the Mint. Many years later, these things from back then have reappeared in the world. I share the same thoughts as the young master of the Mei family..."
"Go on," Mu You said calmly.
Mu Chenbi opened his palm again, stared at the object in silence for a moment, and said, "The reappearance of this old object is no accident. The Salt and Iron Bureau should not be careless and should thoroughly investigate this matter."
"A thorough investigation?" Mu You stared at his spirited son. The imposing manner in which he had just spoken was very much like his own when he volunteered to go to Eagle Ridge to quell the rebellion years ago.
Back then, I was just as young and ambitious, eager to lead troops to fight the enemy, achieve great deeds, and let my father know that although I was the most inconspicuous prince, I was the only son who could turn the tide in times of crisis.
The eldest son, Mu Chenbi, standing before me, was born in a peaceful era and grew up under my loving care. He still possessed a rare passion, and his words were full of lofty ambitions, showing the potential of a wise ruler.
"A thorough investigation? Where should we begin?" Mu You asked in a low voice.
“From…where this thing came from, follow the vine upwards,” Mu Chenbi replied calmly.
"But nineteen copper coins—perhaps they weren't completely extinct back then, and have been unearthed again." Mu You closed his eyes for a short rest. "The Salt and Iron Bureau didn't take it seriously, so why do you think we should investigate thoroughly?"
“Something unusual must be going on,” Mu Chenbi said decisively. “When I discussed the counterfeit copper coin case with Young Master Mei, I had some doubts about the details. The Ma family of the mint has served the country for three generations without ever making a mistake. The patriarch, Ma Yi, is a man of outstanding talent in this era and has considerable wealth. Why would he risk his life for some counterfeit copper coins?”
“Perhaps,” Mu You said slowly. “The Ma family has been engaged in coin minting for the imperial court for three generations. The profits are meager and there are many restrictions. The Ma family is not content with this. Ma Yi is proficient in coin minting, so it is not difficult for him to make a profit from it. He was just testing the waters at first. It was only because someone discovered it early and reported it to the government that a major disaster was averted.”
"It's like this," Mu You coughed lightly, "The rebellion of the seven cities of Xiguan initially started with a few city lords having a few drinks. They were chatting about the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty, how the Jin army besieged Buye City for half a year, leaving Buye City without ammunition or food, and the streets littered with starving corpses—a human tragedy. One of the guests was a descendant of the former city lord of Buye City. As the conversation became heated, they encouraged the rebellion in Xiguan. If this idea had been detected and nipped in the bud by the court before it could be realized, there would have been no rebellion of the seven cities."
"Does Father mean that Mayi's scheme is far more extensive than just these copper coins?" Mu Chenbi pondered. "If that's the case, how could it have been so easily discovered and reported?"
Mu You smiled. "Is there something the young master of the Mei family didn't tell you?"
Mu Chenbi, unaware of his father's implication, frowned slightly and shook his head. Mu You stroked his beard leisurely and said unhurriedly, "The Mei and Ma families are old friends. One mints coins for the country, the other amasses wealth for the country. One sets the currency, the other collects it—they're quite in sync." Seeing Mu Chenbi's puzzled expression, Mu You chuckled inwardly at the boy's lack of experience and continued in a deep voice, "Could it be that the young master of the Mei family believes there was a miscarriage of justice in the Ma family's case from back then? A thorough investigation to uncover the reappearance of counterfeit coins? Is the Mei family trying to overturn the Ma family's case?"
Mu Chenbi was stumped by his father's questioning. Mei Shiyu asked someone to see him, only saying that the copper coins were strange, without mentioning his true intentions, such as thoroughly investigating the fake copper coins... Since Ma Yi had already confessed and accepted punishment, further investigation would only be to exonerate the Ma family.
"It seems that Mei Junhe has been keeping something from his son," Mu You continued. "He's still just a young man, straightforward and outspoken. The young master of the Mei family must have been kept in the dark about that matter."
"Your Majesty, I do not know what you mean. Please enlighten me."
"You can't understand why Ma Yi would choose to behead someone. I just told you that the Mei and Ma families have been friends for generations and have a very good understanding with each other."
Mu Chenbi's phoenix-feather eyelashes fluttered in astonishment—one minted coins for the nation, the other amassed wealth for the nation; one established a system, the other advanced…
"Have you figured it out?"
"If, if the two families conspired, and the counterfeit copper coins smoothly entered Gongcheng Money Shop... and then flowed into various parts of the Great Jin... with the Mei family as guarantor and the Mei family's direct channels to all corners of the world..." Mu Chenbi felt a chill run down his spine, his chiseled face twitched, and he suddenly realized, "Mayi went to confess so quickly, could it be... that..."
"Go on," Mu You said, his hawk-like eyes fixed on him, coaxing him gently.
"The Mei family has turned against us?"
"Hahahaha." Mu You laughed loudly, "At least you're not too stupid. Didn't Mei Junhe tell his son that back then, it was he who went to the Salt and Iron Bureau to report that Mayi was minting counterfeit copper coins, and he also revealed Mayi's plan to the court. When Mayi saw that the matter had been exposed, he surrendered himself to the authorities to protect his family and took all the blame. I've told you about what happened after that."
Mu Chenbi's mind was buzzing. It turned out that Mei Shiyu's father had reported the Ma family... Mei Shiyu didn't mention this matter at all, so it seemed that he was also completely unaware of it and was still focused on thoroughly investigating and recreating the copper coin case in Rongdu.
“So…” Mu You raised an eyebrow at his son.
Mu Chenbi understood, "The Mei family's report was timely. The counterfeit copper coins in Mayi had not yet gained momentum. Even if they reappear now, they won't cause any trouble. We just need to have Gongcheng Money Shop keep an eye out and hand over any counterfeit copper coins they receive to the Salt and Iron Bureau for destruction."
Mu You cast an approving glance at him and said quietly, "I had hoped to have a chance to do something big, but Father Emperor defused it with just a few words. Are you a little disappointed?"
Mu Chenbi frowned slightly. “Peace and tranquility are what I desire. Of course, it would be best if there were no problems. I would rather live a life of mediocrity than cause trouble just to achieve something for myself. Father, you underestimate me.”
Mu Chenbi lowered his voice, but every word he spoke was resounding. Mu You nodded in response, the wrinkles on his forehead forming a knot, his eyelids drooping, perfectly concealing the turmoil in his eyes.
"I'm a little tired." Mu You closed his eyes and leaned against the carriage window. "Call me after we enter the palace."
Mu Chenbi responded softly, opened the carriage window to look outside, pondering his father's words, his eyes filled with unresolved confusion.
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