Ren Shuquan felt that Lai Chenglong was deliberately picking a fight.
He had disliked Lai Chenglong for a long time.
Who was he trying to impress?
At the end of the day, wasn’t it only because he had a capable father that he had become the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?
Otherwise, what was Lai Chenglong?
Nothing more than the Emperor’s hunting dog.
The Ren family feared him, yes, but did they really fear him?
What they feared was the Emperor Yongchang standing behind him.
Only Lai Chenglong himself seemed unaware of that fact, strutting around smugly.
Ren Shuquan violently shook off Lai Chenglong’s hand.
But Lai Chenglong immediately grabbed his wrist again and demanded coldly: “I’m asking you: where did this come from? What connection do you have with the White Lotus Sect?”
The White Lotus Sect?!
Ren Shuquan was stunned.
What White Lotus Sect?
He had absolutely nothing to do with them.
The only reason he even knew about the White Lotus Sect was because that dead eunuch Pu Wuyong had once colluded with them and nearly led them in an assault on Baiyun Temple. Fortunately, Xiao Yunting had led troops in pursuit and wiped them out.
He might be uneducated. He might be arrogant and overbearing. But even he knew that this was not something he could afford to touch.
Immediately, his embarrassment turned to rage. “Lai Chenglong! You’re framing me, aren’t you?! I’m a scholar! My whole family serves as officials! How could I possibly have anything to do with the White Lotus Sect?!”
It wasn’t as though he’d lost his mind!
Lai Chenglong could not be bothered to listen. Fixing Ren Shuquan with a cold stare, he narrowed his eyes. “Whether you do or not, we’ll find out after searching the Ren residence.”
Search?
Wasn’t that basically a house raid?
Ren Shuquan immediately panicked. Furious and alarmed, he began cursing. “Lai Chenglong, you’re really refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit, aren’t you?! Do you know who my eldest uncle is?!”
Lai Chenglong’s father might be powerful.
But Ren Ming wasn’t some nobody either!
Back when the late Emperor had gone to perform ancestral sacrifices and encountered a landslide, it had been Ren Ming who risked his own life, digging through rocks with his bare hands to rescue him.
For that deed, the late Emperor had bestowed a golden plaque granting immunity from death upon the Ren family.
It was still enshrined in the Ren ancestral hall.
The Ren family could be described as a household filled with officials and glory.
Lai Chenglong couldn’t simply do whatever he wanted.
But Lai Chenglong remained unmoved.
Raising a hand, he ordered coldly: “Take him away.”
For ordinary officials, conducting a search required reporting to superiors and obtaining authorization.
But the Embroidered Uniform Guard operated differently.
Their very purpose was to investigate and supervise officials.
When they encountered suspicious circumstances, they could act immediately.
They answered to the Emperor alone.
Thus, neither the immunity plaque nor Ren Ming could stop Lai Chenglong.
Not far away, Qi Zhen sucked in a sharp breath.
Suddenly, he wanted to go home.
Home was better.
At home, if he got frightened, he could at least sit down.
If things got really bad, he could even lean against a shelf for support.
Out here, there wasn’t even anything to hold onto.
Lean on his old father?
Judging by the look of it, his father was having trouble standing himself.
With a wave of Lai Chenglong’s hand, Chunsheng and the others dragged Ren Shuquan away.
They crossed the long avenue and headed toward the Ren residence from East Temple Street.
Along the way, the townspeople who had not yet had their fill of excitement eagerly followed.
After Censor Tie had dragged Ren Shuquan away, no further news had emerged.
Ordinary citizens could not enter the palace. But no law prohibited them from walking the streets.
Soon, an enormous crowd had gathered behind them. Before long, the procession grew so large that the entire street outside the Ren residence became packed to the point of being impassable.
The Ren family initially assumed some major event had occurred.
Ren Ming was not at home today and was still handling official business.
Upon hearing that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had brought Ren Shuquan back, Old Madam Ren was startled.
Ren Zhong had only recently died so she had invited monks from Huangjue Temple to conduct memorial rites for him.
At that moment, the front courtyard was filled with the sounds of wooden fish drums and Buddhist chanting. Hearing the commotion, Old Madam Ren emerged with the support of her daughter-in-law.
Looking uncertain, she trembled as she asked Lai Chenglong: “Lord, what exactly is going on?”
Before Lai Chenglong could answer, Ren Shuquan immediately started shouting. “Grandmother! These Embroidered Uniform Guards are abusing their power and deliberately causing trouble! They’re claiming that Second Uncle was full of crimes and that he deliberately used his death to frame the Lu family!”
The words nearly made Old Madam Ren collapse.
At once, she burst into tears. “We’ve been wronged! Our entire family serves the court! Everyone says that after mastering one’s learning and martial skills, one should dedicate them to the Emperor! Every member of our family would gladly die for His Majesty and for the people!”
Her cries became shrill. “And yet this is how we’re treated! Is there no justice left in this world?!”
The monks heard the commotion as well and uncertainly halted their chanting.
For a moment, none of them knew whether they should continue.
Lai Chenglong remained expressionless. His gaze swept over the servants who had been preparing to rush forward and cause trouble. They immediately retreated. Then he calmly cupped his hands toward Old Madam Ren. “Old Madam Ren, Ren Zhong’s matter is a separate case. Censor Tie is currently investigating it. This time, I’ve come for another reason. Do you know that Ren Shuquan was carrying a White Lotus Sect token?”
Old Madam Ren visibly trembled.
Her eyes instinctively turned toward Ren Shuquan.
Impossible.
She immediately recovered herself and declared firmly: “Utter nonsense! I know my own grandson! He’s still just a child. How could he possibly be involved with the White Lotus Sect?! Do you have any idea how serious an accusation that is?”
Lai Chenglong replied calmly: “But I have evidence.”
He immediately produced the white headscarf.
The white headscarf was indeed a symbol of the White Lotus Sect.
Almost all of its members wore one.
But after taking a single glance, Old Madam Ren let out a cold laugh. She snatched the headscarf and unfolded it.
Then she glared fiercely at Lai Chenglong. “If you want to condemn someone, you’ll always find an excuse! It’s nothing more than a headscarf. What proof is there that it belongs to my grandson? This is obviously a frame-up!”
Ren Shuquan nearly sobbed with relief.
His grandmother truly was formidable.
Exactly!
What did this thing have to do with him?
These people were simply shameless.
He shot a provocative glance toward Lai Chenglong and Chunsheng.
Chunsheng wanted nothing more than to punch him to death.
Lai Chenglong, however, remained completely unhurried.
Lightly, he said: “Why doesn’t the old madam take a closer look?”
He picked up the white headscarf, turned it around, and handed it back. “Old Madam Ren, examine it carefully. Isn’t Ren Shuquan’s name embroidered on the inside? This has long been a White Lotus Sect custom. They’re afraid that if members die in action, their identities will become impossible to determine. Therefore, everyone is required to embroider their name inside their headscarf.”
“Isn’t this Ren Shuquan’s name right here?”
Old Madam Ren and Ren Shuquan exchanged a glance.
At the same time, their hearts sank.
They could see it now.
Lai Chenglong had come fully prepared.
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