Memorializing the Throne

The Third Watch was around one o'clock. Those who did not stay up late need not wait.

Though Sun Shaozong was somewhat curious how this husband and wife had ended up in their present state.

He had borrowed them not to pry into such gossip.

So he immediately darkened his face, dismissed Xu Shi, then instructed the couple to put the Gag Ball on Yang Hancai first.

After receiving the order, Wu Shuigen immediately selected an instrument. Yet instead of using it on Yang Hancai at once, he went out to ask Wang Biao for hot water and thoroughly cleaned the Gag Ball inside and out.

"Come."

Once it had been cleaned and the water inside shaken out, he stepped forward and gripped Yang Hancai's mouth. He first pulled out the rotten rag stuffed inside, then shoved the gag ball into his mouth while soothing him with a spring-breeze smile. "My lord, do not struggle. I will serve you carefully and certainly will not hurt you."

Yang Hancai had kept shouting and struggling in the county yamen courtroom, but now that he was in the Heavenly Prison, he appeared exceptionally obedient.

Not only did he offer no resistance, he even opened his mouth wide and cooperatively swallowed the Gag Ball.

Before anyone could question him, Yang Hancai hurriedly cried, "Lord Sun, this truly is a misunderstanding! I only wanted to help Patrol Inspector Zhang clear his name, so I kindly looked into this inside information. Who would have thought he would take it so hard that he actually killed himself in prison?!"

That did sound fairly logical.

Indeed, no matter how arrogant this fellow was, he would not deliberately provoke Sun Shaozong while he himself was under suspicion.

Perhaps he truly had wanted to "help" Zhang An clear his name,