Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 723: Yanyan Goes to Jail (4)_1

Chapter 723: Chapter 723: Yanyan Goes to Jail (4)_1

However, with both personal and material evidence of Mo Qingze’s fraud in the examination, and the matter now widely known, two officials really didn’t have the courage to allow Mo Yan to enter.

Seeing the hesitation of the two, Mo Yan suppressed the anxiety in his heart and patiently persuaded, "Not to mention that my father was framed and sent to prison, even if he truly committed fraud, until the charges are confirmed, as the County Lord, I have the right to visit him in prison. If you two are not in charge, then let someone who is in charge come and speak with me."

After listening, the officials had no retort and, worried about facing rebuke if they allowed the visit, could only offer an apologetic smile and said, "To reply to the County Lord, this matter is of great importance, and we lower officials do not have the authority to decide. Fortunately, our Minister of Criminal Justice is still in the Government Office, so we will go and ask for instructions. We hope for the County Lord’s understanding and ask for a moment of patience."

Knowing that it would be useless to force them, Mo Yan said, "Then I’ll trouble you both! The prison is damp and cold; I am truly concerned about my father’s health. I hope you two gentlemen will say a few kind words on my behalf to the Minister so that I can send these items to ward off the cold to my father."

The officials glanced at the cotton quilts and garments that Liyan and Tang Xin were holding and said they dared not. The Shilang of the Ministry of Penal Affairs stayed to keep company while the other official hurried to seek instructions from the Minister of Criminal Justice.

Mo Yan had no choice but to sit down and wait, and this wait lasted for an hour.

The Shilang of the Ministry of Penal Affairs, seeing Mo Yan’s expression growing worse, secretly groaned. Others might not know, but he had taken part in this year’s autumn hunt, does he not know that the County Lord has saved the Crown Prince’s life? The Crown Prince’s position is very secure; if the County Lord loses patience and bears a grudge against him, just a single mention in front of the Crown Prince could delay his career.

Thinking this, his face grew sour, inwardly cursing the subordinate who went to report. Even if the Minister of Criminal Justice does not agree or is still "considering," could you not come back first to give a heads up?

Another incense stick’s worth of time passed and just when Mo Yan’s patience was nearly exhausted, the official who had gone to seek instructions finally returned, bringing the good news that the Minister of Criminal Justice agreed to let Mo Yan visit her father in prison.

The reason for the delay was that the Minister of Criminal Justice also dared not make the decision himself, so he hurried into the palace to seek the Emperor Huian’s approval, who finally gave his consent allowing the visit to proceed.

Compared to Liyan and Tang Xin’s joy, Mo Yan’s mood was especially heavy. Even the Minister of Criminal Justice had taken such cautious steps, indicating that the case of examination fraud was even more serious than she had thought. One misstep and her whole family could be ruined by it.

Under the personal guidance of the Shilang of the Ministry of Penal Affairs, Mo Yan and the others were unimpeded on their way to the Ministry of Justice’s Prison.

The environment in the Ministry of Justice’s Prison was better than Mo Yan had imagined; at least it was not perpetually dark inside, the cells seemed relatively clean, and there were no signs of snakes, insects, rats, or ants, though that might have been because it was winter, and those creatures were likely hibernating from the cold.

Mo Qingze’s cell was located deep within the prison but thankfully on the sunny side, with an iron window that allowed light to enter.

As Mo Yan approached, she saw her father sitting on a clay bed covered with straw, reading a book by the window. To her surprise, he was wrapped in a brand-new cotton quilt, while the other cells did not even have a piece of cotton batting, let alone a new quilt.

Mo Qingze was so absorbed in his book and his back was to Mo Yan and her group; he did not notice the commotion outside until she excitedly called out "Father," at which point he turned his head.

Seeing his daughter, Mo Qingze’s eyes showed both shock and joy.

As the Prison Head opened the cell door with his keys, Mo Yan rushed in, holding and inspecting her father’s hands, making sure he was clean and in good spirits—evident that he had not been tortured—she was immediately relieved.

After the Shilang and Prison Head left, Mo Yan sat with her father on the clay bed and shared her suspicions from yesterday in Space. Seeing the shock on her father’s face, she knew her guess was right.

"Father, why did you not tell your daughter about this matter?" Mo Yan was angry about her father’s secrecy, angry that he still treated her as a child and shouldered everything alone in silence.

Mo Qingze looked at his indignant daughter, guiltily averted his eyes, and dared not tell her about the plans he had agreed upon with Xiao Ruiyuan. Otherwise, he truly did not know if his daughter, in a moment of anger, would stop acknowledging him as her father.

Mo Yan, unaware of her father’s thoughts and seeing him sitting silently with his head down, assumed he knew he was wrong but was just too embarrassed to admit it, and her anger dissipated somewhat.

Yet she still pressed on unremittingly: "Father, in the past when I hid things from you, you found out and made me kneel in front of our ancestors for four hours, promising never to hide anything from you again. Yet you, as the father, failed to do the same, truly disappointing your daughter!"

Hearing this, Mo Qingze was even less inclined to tell his daughter about the matters, setting aside his paternal dignity and coaxing her in a gentle voice: "This time, it’s Father’s fault. Please forgive me this once, Yanyan. In the future, I will certainly not hide anything from you."

Mo Yan had not been very angry to begin with; she was more worried about her father. Seeing that he seemed truly remorseful, she did not linger on the topic and instead asked whether he had a plan to extricate himself.