Futile Devices Scans

Adviser Jin had no idea where Mu Chun’s confidence came from.

Tao Mo immediately sent the same yamen runner as before to investigate further, but the runner answered without a moment’s hesitation, “This humble one knows the reason behind it.”

Tao Mo was taken aback. “What reason?”

The yamen runner said, “I’ve heard that Young Master Liang uses a wheelchair.”

Adviser Jin immediately turned to Mu Chun. “Adviser Mu seemed to say just now that he didn’t know this Young Master Liang.”

“Of course I don’t know him.”

“Then how did Adviser Mu know that he could not walk?”

“I didn’t.” Mu Chun remained perfectly at ease. “I merely thought… it was probably something that could be found out.”

Since Mu Chun refused to admit anything, Adviser Jin could do nothing about it. Nevertheless, he became even more wary of him. This Mu Chun kept a low profile and revealed little, yet behind the scenes he seemed remarkably well-informed. Adviser Jin could not help wondering who exactly he was.

Tao Mo paid no attention to the undercurrents between the two men and instead muttered to himself, “Young Master Liang is unable to walk. Could that be the reason he has delayed proposing marriage all this time?”

Adviser Jin said, “Since Your Excellency has summoned him to court, I imagine we’ll have our answer very soon.”

Mu Chun interjected, “The Qiu family and Old Master Tong were merely discussing a marriage arrangement. In theory, no outsiders should have known about it. I wonder how the Liang family learned of it.”

Tao Mo paused. “Could it be that the Liang family truly intended to honor the marriage agreement, and that’s how they heard about it?”

Adviser Jin said, “I think it’s more likely that someone in the Qiu family leaked the news.” As he spoke, he glanced toward Mu Chun.

Mu Chun merely smiled without committing himself either way.

When court convened that afternoon, there was one additional person present below the bench.

Because his legs were weak, Lu Zhenxue and Old Master Liang had to support him together, a task that was clearly not easy.

Tao Mo asked, “Where is your wheelchair?”

The young man was momentarily startled and looked up. “Outside the courtroom.”

Seeing that the young man had refined features and a handsome appearance—even if he could not compare to Mu Chun or Gu She—Tao Mo felt a bit more favorably disposed toward him. “Bring the wheelchair inside. Have a seat.”

Upon hearing this, Old Master Liang immediately kowtowed before turning to retrieve the wheelchair.

Once the young man was seated, Tao Mo asked, “What is your name?”

The young man cupped his hands. “This humble one is Liang Wenwu.”

Tao Mo said, “I heard you were already in Tanyang this morning. Why did you refuse to appear?”

Liang Wenwu had clearly anticipated the question. Without the slightest panic, he replied, “This humble one’s legs are disabled. It is inconvenient for me to appear in court.”

Old Master Qiu suddenly spoke up. “When did you injure your legs? Can you still walk?”

Maintaining his composure, Liang Wenwu answered, “I was injured more than a year ago. I can no longer walk.”

Old Master Qiu pointed angrily at his nose. “You Liang Wenwu! Knowing full well that you’ve become crippled, you still delayed my daughter’s future!”

Old Master Liang said, “My son may be unable to walk, but he is still perfectly capable of managing the Liang family’s business. If your daughter marries into our family, she will still live in comfort and want for nothing.”

Old Master Qiu snapped, “A cripple, and you speak of comfort and prosperity? I wager he can’t even lift with his hands or carry with his shoulders!”

Old Master Liang retorted, “The Liang family has plenty of servants who can do the lifting and carrying. We don’t have to do everything ourselves the way the Qiu family does!”

Old Master Qiu was so thoroughly rebutted that he was speechless for quite some time. At last, he managed to say, “In any case, I will never allow my daughter to marry a cripple!”

Old Master Liang trembled with fury. After repeating “Good! Good!” several times, he finally gritted his teeth and declared, “Then this marriage agreement is hereby canceled.”

Those words were exactly what Old Master Qiu had been hoping for. He immediately shouted toward Tao Mo, “Your Excellency, those were his own words! I ask that you render a fair judgment!”

Looking at Old Master Qiu’s triumphant expression, Old Master Liang no longer regretted his earlier outburst. Since the other party had no intention of honoring the agreement, why should he continue humiliating himself by clinging to it? Liang Wenwu might be disabled, but the Liang family was wealthy enough that finding a wife would not be difficult.

Suddenly, Liang Wenwu spoke. “Your Excellency. I am willing to dissolve the engagement, but there is one more matter for which I seek your judgment.”

The rapid turns in the case had left Tao Mo somewhat bewildered. “Go ahead.”

Liang Wenwu said, “Second Miss Qiu is in the prime of her youth, while Old Master Tong is already in the twilight of his years. Their ages are more like those of father and daughter than husband and wife. They are hardly a suitable match. Furthermore, Old Master Tong already has a wife. Second Miss Qiu is a respectable young lady from a good family. For her to enter the household as a concubine would be a grave injustice.”

Old Master Liang snorted coldly. “There’s nothing to be done about that. If anyone is to blame, it’s her father for valuing money above all else!”

Old Master Qiu flushed scarlet with shame, but there were some things he could not bring himself to say. He could only stand there stiffly in the courtroom.

Tao Mo looked from one side to the other before finally turning his gaze to the two litigators standing at the front.

Since entering the courtroom, Sun Nuo and Lu Zhenxue had not spoken a single word, almost as though they were in meditation. Only when Tao Mo looked toward them did they stir.

Sun Nuo spoke first. “Marriage is a matter that concerns a person’s entire life. It must not be handled carelessly. Since neither family now desires the match, there is no need to continue entangling ourselves in the matter. As Old Master Qiu and Old Master Liang have said, let it end here. As for whom Second Miss Qiu may marry in the future, that is no longer the Liang family’s concern.”

Liang Wenwu said, “If Old Master Qiu is unwilling to reconsider, then I am unwilling to dissolve the engagement.”

Old Master Qiu said disdainfully, “There are still fifteen days remaining in the agreed period. If you refuse to dissolve it, then I’ll simply wait until the final day.”

Liang Wenwu frowned as though weighing something in his mind.

Old Master Liang, however, tried to persuade him. “Son, if you don’t intend to marry that girl, then stop concerning yourself with her affairs. Whether she marries above her station or below it in the future has nothing to do with the Liang family.”

Liang Wenwu lifted his head and looked steadily at Tao Mo. “I ask Your Excellency for mercy.”

Tao Mo said awkwardly, “This… I’m afraid that isn’t something for you alone to decide.”

“This commoner, Qiu Wan’e, greets Your Excellency.”

A clear female voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtroom.

Everyone was startled and turned toward the entrance.

There, kneeling gracefully outside the courtroom doors, was a woman dressed in plain clothing. Framed by the yamen runners standing on either side of her, she appeared especially delicate and pitiable.

“Nonsense! What are you doing here?” Old Master Qiu was the first to leap to his feet.

Adviser Jin drawled lazily, “Your Excellency, the judge’s block.”

Acting on instinct, Tao Mo brought it down with a smack.

A little too hard.

Everyone in the courtroom jumped and turned to look at him.

“Please step forward,” Tao Mo said after giving a dry cough, startled even by his own reaction.

Only then did Qiu Wan’e rise to her feet. Taking a few graceful steps forward, she knelt once more. Because she wore a veil, those present could only vaguely make out her features through its outline, but it was enough to suggest uncommon beauty. Bowing toward Tao Mo, she said softly, “This commoner has come today to ask a favor of Your Excellency. I beg that you grant my request.”

Tao Mo said, “Is it concerning your marriage?”

Qiu Wan’e shook her head. “It is not. In truth, I have already resolved to leave the secular world and become a nun. I therefore ask that Your Excellency bear witness for me.”

“What? You—” Master Qiu cried out in shock.

Qiu Wan’e kowtowed. Her voice remained calm and emotionless. “I beg Your Excellency to grant my request.”

Master Qiu repeatedly called her ridiculous. Had this not been a courtroom, he would have rushed over and dragged her home himself.

Tao Mo stared blankly. “You are perfectly fine. Why would you think this way?”

Adviser Jin coughed repeatedly and said in a low voice, “Entering religious life is done to cultivate virtue and attain enlightenment. It is the very definition of coming to one’s senses. How can Your Excellency call it thinking the wrong way?”

“But she is still in the bloom of youth. This…” Tao Mo said.

Of course Adviser Jin knew she was in the bloom of youth. Her talk of becoming a nun was clearly meant to force someone’s hand. Knowing it was one thing; explaining it aloud required a different approach entirely.

“Why must you do this?” Liang Wenwu finally spoke, his voice carrying traces of helplessness and sorrow.

Ignoring him, Qiu Wan’e kowtowed again. “I beg Your Excellency to grant my request.”

Master Qiu was so angry that his eyes reddened. Slamming his fist against the ground, he shouted, “Back then, it was you who insisted on having your mother look for eligible men in the city before the marriage deadline had even arrived! It was also you who carefully chose Old Master Tong from among them all! Why are you going back on your word now?!”

Slowly raising her head, Qiu Wan’e said, “I chose Old Master Tong because I knew that even if Liang Wenwu did not wish to marry me, he would still remember our past affection and try to stop it. Unfortunately, I only guessed that he would intervene. I never guessed that he would still refuse to marry me.” She had staked everything on this desperate gamble, even sacrificing her own reputation, only for it all to come to nothing. At the thought, her heart sank into utter despair.

Master Qiu said bitterly, “You—you still haven’t given up on this cripple?”

“I have given up,” Qiu Wan’e replied. “That is why I have decided to become a nun.”

Master Qiu struck his chest repeatedly. “What a sin! What a sin! Are you trying to drive me to my grave?!”

Liang Wenwu said quietly, “You do not need to do this. My legs are crippled. I will never walk again.”

Turning toward him, Qiu Wan’e fixed him with a steady gaze and said coldly, “If you were my husband, then naturally you would have the right to stop me. If you are not my husband, then why do you insist on stopping me?”

“Shameless!” Master Qiu shouted.

Qiu Wan’e paid him no attention.

At last, Tao Mo realized something. “Then it was also you who informed the Liang family that the Qiu family and Old Master Tong were discussing a marriage arrangement.”

Qiu Wan’e nodded. “It was.”

Seeing that Liang Wenwu still showed no reaction, Old Master Liang grew anxious. Cupping his hands toward Tao Mo, he said, “Your Excellency, Second Miss Qiu’s feelings run so deep, and she and my son are devoted to one another. They are truly a match made in heaven. I ask that Your Excellency make the decision and set a wedding date for them.”

Qiu Wan’e said, “I appreciate Old Master Liang’s kindness. However, Liang Wenwu and I are fated to meet but not to be together. There is no use forcing what cannot be. I ask only that Your Excellency bear witness for me, so that I may leave behind all worldly attachments and enter religious life without regrets.”

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