[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-52":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2288887,4475,"Chapter 52: To Protect His Family, He Dies to Atone","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-52",52,"\u003Cp>Inside the room, Jiang Mingyu’s furrowed brow and narrowed eyes revealed the gravity of the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He silently thought the matter had ultimately taken the worst possible turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu knew well that Ma De, though hating him, lacked the capability to set up such a complex trap alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for Prince Qi, despite knowing the evidence was conclusive, to still seek Ma De’s death must have ulterior motives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This case was inextricably tied to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling past grievances between them and Prince Qi’s character, Jiang Mingyu was nearly certain the mastermind behind this case was Prince Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Ma De died now, the truth might never see the light of day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Ma De was already held at the tip of a blade, his life in peril.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Jiang Mingyu understood political maneuvering, he was powerless in this critical instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that very moment, before Jiang Mingyu could speak, the agile Tukesiluo swiftly intercepted Prince Qi’s descending blade, rescuing Ma De from death’s grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu exhaled slightly, quickly gathered his thoughts, and spoke in a low tone: “Your Highness, are you not acting too hastily? There must be hidden circumstances here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Qi, suddenly halted by Tukesiluo, twitched his facial muscles, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes, but he quickly forced composure and stammered: “I—I sit upright and act justly; what is there to fear? This villain has slandered my reputation—I am merely upholding the law to eliminate evil and protect the good!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his nervous, uneasy gaze had already betrayed his weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu nodded slightly and spoke calmly: “Your Highness, your reaction has already revealed the hidden truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Qi, exposed by Jiang Mingyu’s words, turned instantly pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stammered, trying to find excuses to defend himself, but could not make his story coherent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Jiang Mingyu turned his gaze to Ma De, drenched in cold sweat, and spoke calmly: “Commandant Ma, will you continue to conceal the truth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma De immediately understood Jiang Mingyu’s implication—your master has saved himself; if you still refuse to see reason, you are only courting your own destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma De’s furrowed brow betrayed his inner struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Prince Qi, having regained some composure, fixed Ma De with a venomous, serpent-like stare and whispered, in a voice only the two could hear: “Villain, will you not confess?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Ma De still hesitate, Prince Qi added a further warning: “If you do not confess now, think of your eighty-year-old mother and your wife and children...” He paused meaningfully—the implication was clear: betray your master, and your entire family will pay the price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma De understood Prince Qi’s threat; sweat poured from his brow, his lips turned white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from Prince Qi’s eyes, Ma De also read another implication—if he stepped forward to take the blame, his family would remain unharmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief but fierce internal struggle, Ma De made his decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gentlemen, this matter was truly my doing... I hated Senior Jiang for cutting off my livelihood, so I framed him to seek revenge. I know I deserve death a thousand times over—I shall wash away Senior Jiang’s injustice with my own blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his words had fully ended, Ma De violently drew a gleaming steel blade from his waist and, without hesitation, plunged it straight into his own throat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sudden turn of events happened too swiftly—even the agile Tukesiluo could not react in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, blood sprayed, Ma De’s throat severed, his head and body split apart, and he collapsed dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu keenly noticed that in the instant Ma De fell, Prince Qi’s face clearly showed a look of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke calmly: “Your Highness Prince Qi, your handling of this matter is truly masterful.” His tone carried a faint edge of sarcasm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Qi’s expression shifted slightly, but he forced calmness: “I do not understand what Senior Jiang means.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu gave a light laugh and spoke meaningfully: “There is plenty of time ahead—there will come a day when Your Highness will understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at Ma De’s corpse, drained of blood and lifeless, then instructed Tukesiluo: “Later, send Dog Egg with some silver to properly bury the body. Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Jiang Mingyu’s retreating figure, Prince Qi finally exhaled, the dark clouds on his face clearing, his expression complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt he must eliminate Jiang Mingyu as soon as possible—this dire threat to his heart—if he wished to avoid certain doom in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the crowd gathered outside, seeing Jiang Mingyu released unharmed, regained their energy and began murmuring among themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you our Imperial Commissioner would never kill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! The idea that he used coal to harm someone is utterly absurd!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone, disperse quickly—don’t delay the Commissioner’s return to rest; we’ll still need this upright magistrate in the days ahead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu paid no heed to these fickle commoners; he merely smiled faintly, offering no harsh reprimand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood these people were like grass on a wall, swaying with the wind. Though he felt a faint loneliness, Jiang Mingyu had long since accepted the coldness of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>",857,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7ea35bdd3071e8a93359b77f982478226de99373ea7d52d2169697b4113c7c87","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-53","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-51",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]