Court Hearing

First Watch

Leaving aside how the Ministry of Revenue officials outside eyed one another with suspicion.

After Sun Shaozong entered the inner hall, he strode around behind the magistrate's desk without slowing. Only after settling into the high-backed chair did he unhurriedly ask, "How did the identification go over there?"

Zhao Nan's face immediately fell. He first glanced behind him several times, and after confirming that no one was eavesdropping outside the door, he still did not feel it was secure enough.

So he stepped closer and reported miserably, "In answer to Your Honor, that prostitute did identify them—but she identified two people at once! Head Constable Huang is still questioning her, but seeing how muddled she is, I'm afraid she cannot tell which one it was."

This was not beyond Sun Shaozong's expectations.

Earlier, after Huang Bin showed him the woman's testimony and the portrait sketched from it, Sun Shaozong keenly noticed that only three details in the statement and portrait were truly clear and prominent: a Four-Cornered Pacification Scarf, a square face, and small eyes.

The first two were the most conspicuous features above the neck.

And when lanterns were lit at dusk, the eyes reflected light, making them easier to see than other features.

In other words, the prostitute named Qiu Yu had not truly seen the man's facial features. She had only vaguely remembered the most recognizable details.

And leaving aside the hat, the latter two physical features were fairly common as well.

Given that, the fact that she had narrowed the suspects down to two already delighted Sun Shaozong.

Could it be that all these advisers were born with such "extraordinary bone structure"?

"Who do those two men work for?"

"Shen Chengzhuo, Section Director of the Shaanxi Qingli Department, and Yang Kui, Administrator of the