CHAPTER 984: CHAPTER 981: SHIFTING THE BLAME

Mo Mingda’s eyes flickered as he gritted his teeth and said, "Second Grandpa, I have something to say."

Although he was an outsider, after living in the Yun Family for so long, he, like the others, referred to the Second Young Master Yun as Second Grandpa.

"What’s on your mind? Speak quickly," the Second Young Master Yun said impatiently.

"I know who stole the medicine," Mo Mingda said, enunciating each word clearly.

Hmm? Lin Tian frowned and looked at Mo Mingda in surprise. Others also stared at him, waiting for him to reveal the thief.

Mo Mingda seemed to have made up his mind and said loudly, "Last night, because I had to rush to finish a proposal, I stayed up a little late. Around 3 AM, I went to the balcony to get some air and accidentally saw someone sneaking past Yunxuan Residence. At that time, I didn’t pay attention, but now it seems that he must be the one who stole the medicine."

He said this very sincerely, painting himself as a diligent young man working late into the night. If Lin Tian hadn’t seen it with his own eyes last night, he might have almost believed Mo Mingda’s story. This guy was quite the actor.

However, Lin Tian did not immediately expose him, lest others see through his ploy, and besides, Lin Tian was curious to see what Mo Mingda was planning.

"Why didn’t you speak up earlier? You only thought to say something once it’s your turn for hand-washing verification. Who knows if what you’re saying is true or false?" the Second Young Master Yun said, looking at him suspiciously.

"Second Grandpa, I was unsure earlier and feared wrongly accusing a good person. After some recollection, I finally remembered the details from last night, so I’m only saying this now," Mo Mingda replied with an earnest face.

"Who exactly did you see?" the Second Young Master Yun asked again.

Mo Mingda’s eyes flickered covertly and then he said, "Mo Cong."

"Mo Cong?" Everyone in the hall looked at each other; everyone knew Mo Cong was Mo Mingda’s kin, yet he reported Mo Cong? What was going on?

What a strategy of sacrificing a pawn to save the king, Lin Tian thought with a sneer. It was ruthless. To protect himself, he pushed his own kin and confidant forward to take the blame. Although Mo Cong wasn’t innocent, Mo Mingda’s actions showed he was willing to go to any lengths.

"Someone, bring Mo Cong here!" the Second Young Master Yun shouted directly toward the hall’s entrance without any extra words, while the guards outside obeyed the order to fetch him.

Soon, the guards brought Mo Cong into the hall. Perhaps due to his guilty conscience, he dared not look at the elders in the hall.

"Mo Cong, put your hands into the water," the Second Young Master Yun ordered without explanation.

Mo Cong glanced at the Second Young Master Yun in surprise, reluctant to plunge his hand into the water. He didn’t know what was going on, so he turned to look at Mo Mingda.

"Mo Cong, I’m telling you to place your hands into the basin. Are you deaf?" the Second Young Master Yun said sternly.

Mo Cong, confused, reluctantly bent over and put his hands into the water. Instantly, everyone fixed their eyes on his hands. Unsurprisingly, Mo Cong’s palms turned pink, and the looks of the onlookers became grave.

With a bang, the Second Young Master Yun slammed the table heavily, his gaze sharp as ever: "Take Mo Cong away!"

Two guards immediately rushed in from outside, one grabbing him by each hand, attempting to restrain Mo Cong.

"Why are you arresting me..." Mo Cong, of course, was displeased and struggled desperately, unable to connect the arrest with last night’s drug theft.

Mo Cong probably had some skill; in his struggle, he managed to break free from the guards’ hold. But just as he gained his freedom, a smack landed on his face, leaving him dazed.

It turned out that Mo Mingda had seized the opportunity to slap him, and while others were still in shock, Mo Mingda took the initiative to seize Mo Cong, quickly whispering in his ear before he could struggle, "Take the blame for the drug theft, and I’ll find a way to save you. Otherwise, you know the consequences!"

Mo Mingda’s voice was so low, and his body conveniently blocked most people’s view, so the Yun Family didn’t notice his odd behavior.

However, Lin Tian heard his whisper clearly. Wang Wanxi frowned slightly, seemingly having heard something, or perhaps not clearly.

Hearing Mo Mingda’s instruction and warning, Mo Cong was suddenly stunned. Just last night, he was very proud of his stealth, but now, he was captured in a muddled state overnight.

While he was in a daze, the two guards swiftly moved in, kicking his legs, and Mo Cong was instantly dropped and pinned to the ground, unable to move.

He instinctively wanted to resist, but remembering Mo Mingda’s earlier warning, he chose to give up. He was aware of Mo Mingda’s methods and knew that if he didn’t follow Mo Mingda’s instructions, the consequences would be worse than falling into the Yun Family’s hands, so he wisely chose to submit.

"Why are you arresting me?" Mo Cong protested again. Though he planned to take the blame, he still needed to put on a show.

"In the early hours past 3 AM last night, you sneaked into Yunxiang Inn to steal Lin Tian’s elixir, thinking you’d remain undetected. However, unbeknownst to you, the glass bottle had a special substance that leaves a pink mark on whoever touches it, which cannot be washed off for several days. The color on your hands is the most compelling evidence. Do you still want to deny it?" the Second Young Master Yun said sternly.

Mo Cong suddenly realized, turning his head to look at Lin Tian, just in time to see a hint of a smile in Lin Tian’s eyes, knowing he had fallen into Lin Tian’s trap.

He felt that smile was like a devil’s grin, sending chills down his spine. Mo Cong regretted not heeding Mo Mingda’s warning not to underestimate Lin Tian. If he had worn gloves during the theft last night, would today be different? Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret.

Of course, this was just his own wishful thinking. He had no idea he had fallen into a deeper trap, and even with gloves, Lin Tian had ways to ensnare them.

"I confess, I stole the elixir," Mo Cong said, lowering his head in defeat.

"Why did you steal the elixir? What was your motive? Don’t tell me it was just a moment of madness. I’m not an idiot!" the Second Young Master Yun said coldly, not easily deceived.

Mo Cong indeed wanted to say it was a moment of madness, but that wouldn’t work. He had to make up a story: "I heard others say Lin Tian is a Jianghu doctor and a Jianghu trickster, and I feared the medicine he concocted would harm the old master. But being insignificant, no one listened to my advice, so I had to act, stealing the medicine to first resolve the issue before discussing it later."

Damned, this old rascal dared to falsely counter-charge and masquerade as loyal. His skin was even thicker than mine. Lin Tian almost cursed out loud; indeed, shameless people are invincible in the world.

Upon hearing this, the Yun Family members who didn’t know Lin Tian began to discuss softly, especially the younger generation.

They knew even the Ghost Valley Inheritors couldn’t cure the old master back then, so could this young man in front of them? The notion that he might be a Jianghu doctor wasn’t entirely implausible, which was what most of the younger Yun Family disciples thought.