Dust Settles, Farewell, Shaoshang

Dust Settles, Farewell, Shaoshang

The emperor was truly furious this time. Instead of handing the criminals over to the Court of Judicial Review or the Grand Commandant's office, he ordered Wang Yue and Ling Buyi to investigate the case from all those years ago together. He wanted the whole world to see it.

After all, Wang Yue and Ling Buyi had both been orphaned by the Lone City Case. Having the two of them investigate it would silence the public and clear his name.

Young Marquis Yue knew the matter had blown up, so he hurried to the palace to beg Consort Yue to spare his life. But she refused to see him. He then went to the Third Prince, who told him that if he had something to confess, he should turn himself in. Young Marquis Yue thought he might not be implicated this time, however, so he ignored the Third Prince's advice.

Ling Buyi was in charge of the interrogations. With vengeance finally within reach, he grew impatient and questioned the prisoners through the night without sleep. He had already learned a great deal from the Shouchun prisoners in the Left Cavalry's prison.

Wang Yue moved even faster. He ordered his subordinates to uproot every Tian family tavern in the Capital City and elsewhere. The reason he could complete the task so quickly was that every town with one of these taverns also had a Youjian Inn.

Wang Yue knew the taverns' intelligence network inside out. Their shadowy owner was soon identified and arrested before he could even escape.

What surprised Wang Yue was that the owner, Tian Su, wasn't acting on anyone else's behalf. He was the true mastermind—and a remnant of Emperor Li's faction.

In Tian Su's secret room, Wang Yue found even more evidence linking