“Zhao Wang was not killed by me; this matter is a false accusation against me.”

    "Facing the cold insults of the two cheaper brothers, Chen Mo explained calmly."

    "Haha, it was you who dealt the heavy blow to Zhao Wang the other day, rendering him seriously injured. He lay in bed for two days without any improvement, and today he passed away. It must be your heavy-handed strike that caused this. Now you still want to deny it?"

    "Even if it wasn't you, what then? Chen Mo, all the evidence points to you. Zhao the Minister is dead set on accusing you of the murder and preparing to file a formal complaint with the emperor. Anyway, your father won't protect you. Don't even think about getting out. Perhaps in a few days, you might end up being led to the market square for execution."

    "……"

    The two brothers did not believe Chen Mo's words and instead thought that it was just his side of the story.

    Chen Mo was too tired to continue explaining and said indifferently, "The two brothers came today not to visit me, were they?"

    "Humph, do you think we should visit an abandoned child like you?"

    Chen Guang snorted coldly and said, "Chen Mo, you've caused me to endure the family's discipline. This grudge must be avenged, or I can't swallow my anger. Now that you're on the brink of death, let me beat you and vent my pent-up anger."

    Chen Jin also wanted to beat Chen Mo up, but he was a scholar after all, lacking in physical strength. The latter, now with tough skin and flesh, was as formidable as a warrior. Even if he tried to fight, there wasn't much he could do.

    "Father asked us to remind you that as the third son of the Chen family, you eat and drink from the Chen family, and live in the Chen family. The Chen family has been kind to you, so when you go to court, do not involve the Chen family. Just say that these things were all done by you alone and have nothing to do with the Chen family..."

    "It sounds good, but it's just to protect his own reputation. Chen De Wan is a hypocrite... No, a true villain. He wanted to leave after dishonoring my mother. If it wasn't for my mother carrying me, and he fearing that abandoning me would damage his reputation, he wouldn't have made a concubine out of a maid."

    "Although he took my mother as a concubine, he always looked down on her, and with others' idle talk, he grew more distant and harsh, often hitting and scolding her. This led to her being depressed to the point of death."

    "Being treated like an abandoned child, you two bullied me without mercy when I resisted, and when I tried to defend myself, he would order the beating. Being called the third son is just a title he doesn't want to confine me like a pet, and now he dares to say that the Chen family has been kind to me?"

    "Disgusting!"

    Chen Mo spat, his face filled with disgust as he glared at Chen Guang and Chen Jin.

    "Chen Mo, what kind of nerve you have to say such things about your father. I think you're asking for a beating."

    Chen Guang couldn't hold back any longer. How dare a worthless son of the Chen family act so arrogantly? He grabbed the iron lock of the prison gate and was about to take out the key to open the door and charge in to beat the latter up.

    "Second brother, you don't need to be so excited. Don't you want to know why I was arrested?"

    Chen Mo smiled and changed his attitude from earlier, becoming more humble.

    Chen Jin's eyebrows rose, "The murder of Zhao Wang is already a done deal. Could you have committed other crimes as well?"

    "Humph, what brazen audacity! Do you really think that just because you're the third son of the Chen family, the Chen family will bail you out?"

    Chen Guang coldly snorted.

    Chen Mo did not pay attention to Chen Guang and instead looked at Chen Jin with a smile, "The eldest brother is indeed wise. To be honest, this morning I beat up a man in the mountains and gave him a good thrashing. Do you know who he is?"

    Though not interested, Chen Jin couldn't help but ask after seeing Chen Mo's obnoxious expression, "Who was it?"

    "Ning Wang's son, Longhua."

    Snap

    Chen Guang's hand, which was holding the key, slammed down abruptly. He stared at Chen Mo in disbelief and exclaimed, "You hit Ning Wang's son?"

    Chen Jin was more rational, but the attitude of Chen Mo definitely wasn't just this. He cleared his throat and asked in a trembling voice, "What else have you done?"

    "Big brother is wise!"

    Chen Mo's eyes lit up as he said, "When the Ning Wang's son insulted me, I cursed him back. But that's not all; I also cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations..."

    Bang

    Chen Jin suddenly felt as if a spring thunder had exploded in his brain. He was stunned. It wasn't just him, even the simple-minded Chen Guang realized the gravity of the situation. Cursing the ancestors of Ning Wang's son for eighteen generations was equivalent to cursing the ancestors of today's empress for eighteen generations.

    If this gets to the empress's ears, she'll surely give him a 'happy family extermination' scene right there and then.

    "No."

    Chen Jin thought over and over again, feeling there was a gap in Chen Mo's story. He quickly followed up with a question, "If you really cursed the ancestors of Ning Wang's son for eighteen generations, he wouldn't have let you off easily. This news spreading to the emperor's ears would mean trouble not just for you but for us too. The fact that we are all safe now implies that you are lying."

    "Still a bit brainy..." Chen Mo smiled to himself, then continued with a laugh, "The prince wanted to humiliate me, so he gave me a chance. If I knelt down and apologized to him, he could keep the fact that I cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations from the emperor. But if I didn't bow down..."

    "Huh, third brother, while the eldest brother may have treated you poorly when you were young, it was all for your own good. Do you know that if it weren't for the eldest brother repeatedly humiliating you, you wouldn't have the courage now to even dare to hit the prince's son?"

    Chen Jin smooched his face, flattered Chen Mo and gave him some backhanded compliments.

    Seeing this, Chen Guang could no longer guess his brother's intentions, "Third brother, these years, second brother has beaten you for your own development. And second brother didn't lie to you; the silver he was keeping for you is still there..."

    The previous arrogant and domineering eldest and second sons of the Chen family now looked like dogs, smiling and flattering Chen Mo, completely different from their arrogant entrance.

    I still prefer your previous rebellious and insolent demeanor... Chen Mo couldn't help but coldly laugh, "Second brother says that over the years he has kept my silver safe. Well, if I need it today, can you give it to me?"

    "You're going to die; what use do you have for money?"

    Chen Guang immediately didn't like it. He never helped Chen Mo with the silver, as he used it all to help poor women in need... helping Chen Mo accumulate good karma.

    "Second brother is indeed stubborn. Then I will also follow second brother's example and be stubborn in front of the prince..."

    "Don't, don't, don't, third brother. My second brother was just joking. Actually, the eldest brother also helped keep the silver."

    Chen Jin smiled and explained, then turned around and glared at Chen Guang, who lowered his head with some shame.

    "Good, since the eldest brother is generous, I will be too. I said that I didn't kill Zhao Wang..."

    "Yes, yes, yes, you didn't kill him; we all believe you. How could the third brother possibly commit murder?"

    "So, you guys need to clear my name."

    "This..."

    The two Chen brothers looked at each other, both looking troubled.

    "Is the eldest brother finding it difficult?"

    "No, no, no, not difficult at all. The eldest brother will go and do it for you right away."

    Chen Jin forced a smile on his face and then pulled Chen Guang away.

    "Big brother, do you really believe what Chen Mo said?"

    Chen Guang hesitated for a moment and followed up with the question.

    He thought there was something fishy about this. If Chen Mo really offended the prince, it would surely be a capital offense.

    When a person is about to die, what use is having a clean reputation?

    "It cannot be believed, nor can it be entirely believed. Hurry and send people to investigate the prince's movements today. If the prince really left the city and was active near Chen Mo, then his words cannot be doubted..."