“This Guilty Subject is dull-witted and cannot discern Your Majesty’s intentions.”
Mu Fuwan spoke with her head lowered.
At this moment, her hands and feet were still bound in chains. Nearby, Dongxue and Dongmei kept a close watch on her, ready to strike like lightning if she made any suspicious move.
Di Lingwei glanced at the sky. There was still time. She then spoke leisurely, “So, Chancellor Shangguan, Chief Steward Xing, do either of you know my intention?”
In truth, both of them had been guessing at Di Lingwei’s plan on the way over. Now, judging by the situation before them, they had more or less figured it out.
When Di Lingwei asked, Xing Ruolan glanced at Shangguan Yuchan and said meekly, “This Servant is foolish and dares not presume to know Your Majesty’s thoughts. The brilliant and resourceful Chancellor Shangguan likely knows.”
Shangguan Yuchan indeed felt she had guessed Di Lingwei’s plan. But just because you guess it doesn’t mean you should say it. One should pretend not to have figured it out, to flatter Your Majesty more effectively.
So Shangguan Yuchan also replied, “This Official is foolish and does not know Your Majesty’s intention.”
Di Lingwei’s gaze swept over the two of them, unsure if they were speaking truth or falsehood.
“Today, Mu Fuwan is to be beheaded. You and Zhen wait here, able to watch the scene at the execution grounds. Yet, in reality, Mu Fuwan is right here beside us. Why do you think that is?” Di Lingwei asked casually.
Once Di Lingwei had spelled it out to this extent, Shangguan Yuchan felt she could no longer pretend ignorance. Deliberately downplaying oneself to elevate Her Majesty was indeed a good choice sometimes, but one couldn’t debase oneself without limit. Appropriately demonstrating one’s ability was also a very correct way to interact.
“Your Majesty, could this move be… luring the snake out of its hole?” Shangguan Yuchan replied, putting on a thoughtful expression.
“Correct, luring the snake out of its hole.” Di Lingwei nodded, then looked at Mu Fuwan and asked, “Which snake do you think Zhen is trying to lure?”
Being asked this, Mu Fuwan couldn’t help but tense up. She kept her head down and said nothing, but her mind began racing uncontrollably with wild guesses.
Di Lingwei gave a faint smile and asked again, “Mu Fuwan, you must be quite loyal to the person behind you, correct? But I wonder if they value you highly. If they do, then upon learning of your impending execution, would they come to storm the execution grounds?”
Mu Fuwan’s face was tight, and she remained silent.
“Will anyone come to save you, do you think?” Di Lingwei repeated the question. Her tone was calm, but it exerted immense pressure on Mu Fuwan.
“All of This Guilty Subject’s actions were my own doing. How could anyone possibly come to save me?” Mu Fuwan finally spoke. But perhaps from excessive tension, her throat felt dry, and her voice came out slightly hoarse.
“Who knows about that? Zhen will just have to watch and see.” Di Lingwei said in a relaxed manner as she looked out the window towards Phoenix Tree Square.
Right now, her suspicion towards Wang Feifei was the strongest. She believed Wang Feifei was most likely the person behind Mu Fuwan. This move was an attempt to see if she could lure Wang Feifei out. If successful, Di Lingwei would have enough evidence to move against her.
Faced with this situation, Mu Fuwan broke out in a cold sweat.
‘Don’t appear. Please, don’t appear.’
Mu Fuwan screamed internally, because this was a trap set by the Heavenly Mandate Empress.
Gradually, the time arrived.
At the execution grounds, the criminal “Mu Fuwan” was brought out.
Mu Fuwan couldn’t help but raise her head and look out the window. She saw a woman on the grounds whose build was very similar to her own. Her hair was disheveled, much of her face hidden by loose strands, and numerous bloody streaks marked her face. At a single glance, even she herself felt that person looked exactly like her.
This was the bait!
Seeing this bait, Di Lingwei was quite satisfied. She had only instructed Ding Ling to find a prisoner with a similar build to Mu Fuwan and apply makeup to make her look as close to Mu Fuwan as possible. Ding Ling had actually found someone who already resembled her. With a little makeup and the disheveled hair, unless one looked up close, it was truly difficult to tell if it was Mu Fuwan or not.
Since they weren’t sure if they could truly lure the mastermind out, the beheading would be a real execution. This was precisely why they had found a substitute resembling Mu Fuwan. Mu Fuwan herself couldn’t die. She knew too many secrets—her death would mean losing everything.
The “Mu Fuwan” on the execution grounds knelt there, bearing countless gazes. The commoners surrounding the grounds pointed and gestured at “Mu Fuwan,” creating a scene of utter clamor.
The executioner, carrying a wide-bladed greatsword, had already ascended the platform, an aura of fierce brutality naturally emanating from him.
In this situation, Di Lingwei and the others in the teahouse looked around in every direction from the square, trying to identify any suspicious individuals. But the area around the grounds was too crowded; finding suspicious figures in the vast sea of people was no easy task.
Mu Fuwan also grew tense, her breathing becoming noticeably heavier.
Looking at Mu Fuwan, Shangguan Yuchan couldn’t help but smile. “Mu Fuwan, didn’t you say no one would come to save you? Why so nervous?”
Hearing Shangguan Yuchan’s words, Mu Fuwan lowered her head further and said, “The Chancellor is mistaken. I am not nervous at all.”
Shangguan Yuchan paid no heed to Mu Fuwan’s reply and instructed, “Dongxue, Dongmei, remember to keep a very close eye on Mu Fuwan. Don’t let this one disturb Her Majesty.”
The beheading was about to begin.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the executioner on the grounds raised his greatsword high with both hands, then brought it down mercilessly towards the kneeling “Mu Fuwan.” The image of blood splattering the scene was almost a foregone conclusion.
But just then—
“Whoosh!”
Accompanied by a whistling sound, a stone pellet shot out from the crowd and struck the executioner’s wrist. Upon impact, the pellet shattered into pieces on the spot, but the excruciating pain forced the executioner to reflexively release his grip and stumble back two steps.
The moment the executioner retreated, one black-clad figure after another leaped out from the crowd. One of them flicked a finger, sending another stone pellet flying to strike the falling greatsword, diverting it away from “Mu Fuwan” to prevent accidental injury.
In the next instant, several of the black-clad men had appeared right in front of “Mu Fuwan.”
One of them brushed aside the fake Mu Fuwan’s hair for a look. His expression instantly changed. This wasn’t their target; it was a fake!
“It’s a trap! Retreat quickly!”
He barked the order in a low voice. The group of black-clad men immediately turned to flee back into the crowd and escape.
But at that moment, the personnel from the Ministry of Justice, who had long been prepared, also revealed themselves, moving to capture these black-clad men.
