Chapter 171

Because Mo Linyuan was traveling incognito, no one but Madam Zhong recognized him.

The expression on Madam Zhong’s face changed instantly. She didn’t expect a mere study companion to have the ability to have the emperor come and go at her will.

She knelt down unwillingly and paid her respect to the emperor, “Greetings Your Majesty. I wish you good fortune for ten thousand years!”

When Madam Zhong knelt and paid her respect to the young man in front of them, the surrounding people figured out the young man’s identity immediately. They followed her lead and knelt down quickly. Mo Linyuan waved his hand carefreely, allowing them to stand up.

“Get up and explain the situation to me.”

“Yes,” Madam Zhong stood up unwillingly and began explaining, “Your Majesty, you need to get justice for the Zhong Family. We came here to catch a runaway concubine, but the monks in this temple are refusing to let the woman go! Your Majesty, please seek justice for us!”

Ye Mu snorted, “I think there’s something fishy going on here. This woman can’t speak, so all the “evidence” is coming from the Zhong Family. How could we just accept a one-sided story? Besides, they kept saying that this woman had an affair, but where is the man she had an affair with?”

Madam Zhong reluctantly said, “The adulterer has been caught and beaten to death! The child in this woman’s arms is the product of an affair!”

No! It wasn’t like this! Fang Ru knelt down towards Mo Linyuan and shook her head unceasingly. This was not the case! Her child belonged to Young Master Zhong!

Mo Linyuan pulled Ye Mu behind him and smiled. He asked the Zhong Family, “Are you sure this woman is pregnant with another man’s child?”

“My words are absolutely true. This woman deserves to be drowned in a wicker basket!”

However, Ye Mu smiled and said, “But this woman said that this child belongs to the Young Master of the Zhong Family. Do you dare to let Young Master Zhong come here to prove it?”

Madam Zhong’s complexion paled at Ye Mu’s words. “Nonsense! My son is about to marry the young lady from the Wen Family. How could he have illegitimate children.”

Ye Mu had a sudden realization. No wonder the Zhong Family were so eager to kill the baby and the woman. It turned out that this matter might destroy Young Master Zhong’s marriage prospect with the Wen Family.

She said smugly, “How about this; we should invite Young Master Zhong to come here and prove whether this child is his by a blood test. If the child is not his, then I will give this woman to you immediately. However, if the child belongs to Young Master Zhong, then I want you to give him an official identity in the Zhong Family. Are you willing to take this bet?”

“That would be inappropriate.” Madam Zhong hesitated because she knew that the child belonged to her son!

Ye Mu ignored her and turned to ask Fang Ru, “What about you? Do you dare to bet?”

Fang Ru nodded her head, the fearful expression her face was gone.

Upon seeing this, Mo Linyuan knew who was telling the truth. He waved his fan and chuckled softly, “Young Master Zhong? Where is he now?”

Before Madam Zhong could speak up, the servant standing behind Mo Linyuan said, “He is working at the imperial palace.”

“Send for him to come here.” Mo Linyuan had just spoken when Madam Zhong waved her hands rapidly.

“No! There’s no need to send for him!” If the Wen Family found out about his son’s dirty laundry, then they might break off their marriage agreement.

She glanced at Ye Mu and then glared at Fang Ru angrily.

Madam Zhong weakly replied, “I admit that he is Young Master Zhong’s son. There is no need to conduct a blood test.”

The surrounding people immediately started booing at her. Madam Zhong couldn’t hold her face up anymore. She shrank back and timidly said, “I have confessed everything. Can I take the woman and child away now? This woman is indeed the concubine of the Zhong Family. I even have the book listing all the concubines in the Zhong Family to prove it!”

It didn’t matter if she admitted to this now. She just needed to take the woman and child away, then kill them behind closed doors. Who would care about a mere concubine’s death?

Fang Ru seemed to have foreseen her own destiny, and she kowtowed at Mo Linyuan’s feet. The child also cried out loudly. Madam Zhong glanced at the scene and felt that the woman was only bringing shame to the Zhong Family. In Madam Zhong’s opinion, this woman should’ve died a long time ago!

When Ye Mu saw this, she tugged Mo Linyuan’s sleeve and said, “Your Majesty, don’t you find the Zhong Family to be quite interesting? The child is clearly their children, yet they continuously claim that it was a bastard’s child. It’s so obvious that they’re afraid that the child will make the Wen Family unhappy, so they want to kill this child. I have an idea! Why don’t we give this woman a chance to set up her own household? This way, the child has nothing to do with the Zhong Family and appease both sides.”