Wrath

Qin Shouchang stepped to the center, his gaze stern as he said:

"Whatever happened today, if any of you dare reveal so much as half a word to outsiders, I will personally strip you of your student status!!"

"Yes!!"

Every student was brimming with confidence.

Qin Shouchang slowly nodded.

Then he walked toward the first student.

In that instant, Qin Shouchang's bearing seemed to change.

He had originally resembled a withered old man, but now his presence was deep and powerful, his righteous energy vast and imposing:

"Hey!"

At that shout, the student's entire body trembled. His eyes went dull as he stared blankly at Dean Qin before him.

"I ask you: were you involved in the Zhang Lun Case?!! Speak truthfully!!"

"No, no... I stole the clothes of the widow next door... I also stole..."

"Get out!"

"Next!"

"Hey! I ask you: were you involved in the Zhang Lun Case?!"

"No... I secretly drew a portrait of the Dean's wife, and secretly faced that portrait..."

Slap!

"Next!"

"..."

After questioning everyone in turn.

Qin Shouchang's expression grew even darker.

Until he reached the next person.

Before he could ask, that person stepped forward with an indifferent expression.

"Dean Qin, do you remember the regulations of the Great Sage Dynasty?"

Young Master of Prince Jiang's Estate, Wang Lin.

Qin Shouchang's expression froze slightly.

The Great Sage Dynasty had an explicit rule.

Members of the imperial family and serving officials could not undergo Heart Inquiry.

As for why?

The extremely unbearable scenes just now were the most standard answer.

Wang Lin's face was expressionless, his voice cold.

"Imperial Family Kin are the face of the royal house."

After saying that, he slowly stepped aside and spoke no more.

"Dean..."

The instructor following behind Qin Shouchang darkened in expression.

Qin Shouchang remained impassive. He reached out and pressed down the instructor's hand, saying blandly:

"Question the others first."

There was another person at the scene staring fixedly at Wang Lin.

It was Zeng Anmin.

Wang Lin's words struck his mind like a thunderclap.

In an instant, every thread of the matter became clear...

It was him!!

Zeng Anmin narrowed his phoenix eyes.

At once, he recalled Wang Lin's appearance yesterday afternoon.

Wang Lin fit every single characteristic of the murderer!

He wanted the Shuidu Order!

He had a martial artist guard at his side!

Whether it was the time of the crime or the motive, his suspicion was absolutely the greatest!!

The deadliest blow was this regulation of the Great Sage Dynasty.

"Imperial clan members and serving officials cannot undergo Heart Inquiry."

Zeng Anmin's heart sank sharply.

If Wang Lin was the murderer, then this case had no solution!

Wait.

As though remembering something, Zeng Anmin's clenched heart finally eased.

Here, Wang Lin still had one fatal weakness.

That was the martial artist named "A Da" at his side!

As long as they caught him and questioned him, everything would come to light.

At this point, Dean Qin Shouchang had already reached Zeng Anmin.

Yet before he could speak, Zeng Anmin said with a dark expression:

"Dean Qin, it seems you have missed someone."

He absolutely could not let Qin Shouchang use Heart Inquiry on him.

Other matters would be fine; at worst, he would lose face. But if his identity as a transmigrator were uncovered, he might lose his life outright.

"Hm?"

Qin Shouchang frowned as he looked at Zeng Anmin.

He knew Zeng Anmin's true identity.

So he did not wish to use Heart Inquiry on Zeng Anmin either.

If it were the son of another official, that would be one thing. But Zeng Anmin was the son of a great figure in the Confucian Dao Kindling Realm.

If he used Heart Inquiry on Zeng Anmin today and unearthed something...

Who could guarantee that Zeng Shilin would not personally come to inquire into Qin Shouchang's heart...

Though Qin Shouchang did not acknowledge Zeng Shilin's talent, he had nothing but acknowledgment for his Confucian Path Realm.

"Speak."

Qin Shouchang said in a low voice.

"I recall that beside Young Master Wang Lin, there seems to be a guard named A Da."

Zeng Anmin deliberately raised his voice. As he spoke, his gaze turned toward Wang Lin.

He wanted to see what reaction Wang Lin would have upon hearing his words.

Yet Wang Lin's expression did not change.

As if he had not heard at all, an eerie smile even curved across his lips.

At the sight of that smile, Zeng Anmin's heart grew heavy.

"Dean, the true culprit has been caught!!!"

Wang Daoyuan's loud shout rang out from nearby, cutting off everyone's train of thought.

In an instant.

Everyone turned their gazes toward Wang Daoyuan.

Zeng Anmin shuddered all over, his phoenix eyes narrowing at once!

He had figured everything out!!!

He abruptly raised his head and stared fixedly at Wang Lin.

At that moment, laughter lingered in Wang Lin's eyes as he happened to look over as well.

Their eyes met.

Within Wang Lin's gaze, Zeng Anmin saw a trace of mockery.

"What happened?"

Qin Shouchang's expression stiffened slightly. Then he frowned and looked gravely at the hurriedly approaching Wang Daoyuan.

Wang Daoyuan walked before Qin Shouchang, drew a deep breath, and bowed.

"The murderer's name is A Da. He claimed to be a guard of Prince Jiang's Estate and came to surrender himself just moments ago."

"A Da of Prince Jiang's Estate?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Shouchang's expression immediately darkened.

There was no need to think about it—there was definitely something fishy in this matter!!

Yet Wang Lin stepped forward at this very moment.

"Who? A Da?"

An "unbelievable" expression appeared on his face.

Wang Lin looked at Wang Daoyuan and frowned as he asked:

"This Young Master merely had a few verbal clashes with Zhang Lun during our transaction..."

"And that A Da killed Zhang Lun because of it?!!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Shouchang caught a sensitive word. He frowned and looked at Wang Lin.

"A transaction? What transaction?"

Wang Lin sighed. "Zhang Lun was a man of noble character, yet he suffered from being born into a poor family. So I wished to offer him some support in the name of Prince Jiang's Estate."

At this point, he revealed a bitter smile.

"Who would have thought that he would give the Shuidu Order to this Young Master."

"I considered it over and over, and felt that I merely valued his talent. I could not accept his gift."

"Yesterday afternoon, I personally went to find him, intending to return the Shuidu Order... Who knew that in his anxiety, he exchanged a few harsh words with me."

The moment these words fell.

Several students suddenly came to a realization.

"I saw it. Young Master Wang went to find Zhang Lun yesterday. Though I did not hear clearly, I could sense that the two of them truly had an argument."

"I saw it too."

"Yes... Who would have thought that this guard was so foolish..."

"..."

Voices of discussion rose.

But to Zeng Anmin, those voices were incomparably piercing.

He alone in the entire gathering knew every word Wang Lin and Zhang Lun had exchanged yesterday.

Wang Lin sighed again and took a jade pendant from his waist.

"This is the Shuidu Order Zhang Lun gave me."

After saying that, he tucked the jade pendant back into his pocket.

Whether intentional or not, his returning hand passed before Zeng Anmin.

Zeng Anmin said nothing.

His fists were clenched tight.

He had been taught a lesson.

A real, solid lesson.

This feudal society...

The phrase "human lives were treated as grass and weeds" had laid bare its true meaning before him.

The "criminal" had already been caught.

And there was now a flawless reason for why the Shuidu Order was in Wang Lin's possession.

Zeng Anmin strode forward and looked at Qin Shouchang.

"Dean Qin, at this juncture, we should conduct Heart Inquiry on that A Da!"

The only chance to expose Wang Lin's lies now lay with that A Da!

Yet upon hearing this.

Wang Daoyuan drew a deep breath, his face solemn as he said:

"A Da committed suicide out of fear of punishment."

Zeng Anmin halted. He fell silent.

By now.

There was no evidence left; the dead could not testify.

He could tell them what had happened yesterday.

But who would dare believe him?

Even if someone dared to believe him, who would dare arrest Wang Lin based solely on his word?

Even if he revealed his identity as the son of the Governor of Two Rivers.

It would only bring needless trouble to his father.

After all, the "murderer" had already been executed...

Wang Daoyuan came to Zeng Anmin's side and lowered his voice.

"Young Master Zeng, Prince Jiang's Estate has issued an order for the Xuanjing Division to swiftly close this case and not tarnish the estate's reputation."

This case could now be cleanly declared closed.

The methods were so seasoned and ruthless that there was not a single flaw to exploit!

It was plain to see that Prince Jiang's Estate had done no small number of such filthy deeds!

Zeng Anmin turned his expressionless gaze toward Wang Lin.

At that moment, Wang Lin gave him an innocent smile.

"Dean Qin, someone from Prince Jiang's Estate has come to donate ten thousand taels of silver to the Academy."

A steward slowly appeared and whispered softly into Qin Shouchang's ear.