Fury

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

"Anyone who dares to breathe a single word of what happened today to outsiders—I will personally revoke your student status!!"

"Yes!!"

All the students answered with full confidence.

Qin Shouchang nodded slowly.

Then he walked toward the first student.

In an instant, Qin Shouchang's aura seemed to transform.

Before, he had appeared like a withered old man, but now his presence was profound and his righteousness vast:

"Ha!"

At that shout, the student shuddered, his eyes glazing over as he stared blankly at Dean Qin before him.

"I ask you—did you have any part in Zhang Lun's case?!! Confess truthfully!!"

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

"Get lost!"

"Next!"

"Ha! I ask you—did you have any part in Zhang Lun's case?!"

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

"Slap!"

"Next!"

"..."

After questioning everyone in turn.

Qin Shouchang's face grew darker.

Until he approached the next person.

Before he could even ask, that person stepped out with a calm expression:

"Dean Qin, do you recall the laws of the Great Sage Dynasty?"

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

Qin Shouchang's expression faltered slightly.

The Great Sage Dynasty had clear written laws.

Members of the imperial family and incumbent officials could not undergo the heart-inquiry.

As for why?

The utterly disgraceful scene just now was the most standard answer.

At this moment, Wang Lin's face was expressionless, his voice carrying a cold detachment:

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

Having said this, he slowly stepped back to the side and said no more.

"Dean..."

The tutor following behind Qin Shouchang darkened his expression.

Qin Shouchang remained impassive. He reached out and pressed the tutor's hand, saying calmly:

"Question the others first."

Elsewhere, one person was staring fixedly at Wang Lin.

It was Zeng Anmin.

Wang Lin's words made his mind explode with a bang.

In an instant, all the threads became crystal clear...

It was him!!

Zeng Anmin's Phoenix Eyes narrowed.

He immediately recalled Wang Lin's appearance yesterday afternoon.

Wang Lin fit all the characteristics of the murderer!

He wanted the Shuidu Order!

He had a Martial Artist as a guard!

Whether in terms of opportunity or motive, his suspicion was absolutely the greatest!!

The most fatal blow was this law of the Great Sage Dynasty.

"Imperial clansmen and officials in active service cannot be subjected to heart-questioning."

Zeng Anmin's heart sank heavily.

If Wang Lin was the murderer, then this case was unsolvable!

Wait.

Zeng Anmin seemed to recall something, and the knot in his heart loosened.

Here, Wang Lin had one fatal weakness.

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

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

By now, Dean Qin Shouchang had already walked up to Zeng Anmin.

However, before he could speak, Zeng Anmin said with a dark face:

"Dean Qin, it seems you've overlooked someone."

He absolutely could not let Qin Shouchang perform heart-questioning on him.

Other matters might just be embarrassing, but if his identity as a transmigrator was revealed, it could cost him his life.

"Mm?"

Qin Shouchang frowned as he looked at Zeng Anmin.

He knew Zeng Anmin's true identity.

So he also didn't want to perform heart-questioning on Zeng Anmin.

If it were the son of some other official, it might be fine, but as the son of a Confucian Dao Kindling Realm big shot—

If he performed heart-questioning on Zeng Anmin today and dug up something, it was hard to say whether Zeng Shilin himself might come to question Qin Shouchang's heart...

Though he didn't admire Zeng Shilin's talent, he had no complaints about his Confucian Path Realm.

"Speak."

Qin Shouchang said in a deep voice.

"As I recall, Young Master Wang Lin seems to have a guard named A Da by his side."

Zeng Anmin deliberately raised his voice, and as he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Wang Lin.

He wanted to see Wang Lin's reaction to his words.

Unexpectedly, Wang Lin's expression didn't change at all.

As if he hadn't heard, a strange smile even curled at the corner of his mouth.

Seeing that smile, Zeng Anmin's heart grew heavy.

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

Wang Daoyuan's loud shout came from not far away, interrupting everyone's train of thought.

In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to Wang Daoyuan.

Zeng Anmin's body jolted, and his Phoenix Eyes narrowed sharply!

He had figured everything out!!!

He jerked his head up and stared fixedly at Wang Lin.

At that moment, Wang Lin's eyes held a hint of a smile, and he happened to look back.

Their eyes met.

Zeng Anmin saw a trace of mockery in his gaze.

"What's going on?"

Qin Shouchang's expression froze slightly, then he frowned and looked sternly at the hurriedly approaching Wang Daoyuan.

Wang Daoyuan stepped before Qin Shouchang, took a deep breath, and bowed:

"The culprit's name is A Da. He claims to be a guard of Prince Jiang's Estate, and he just came to surrender himself."

"A Da of Prince Jiang's Estate?"

Hearing this news, Qin Shouchang's face instantly darkened.

He didn't even need to think—there was definitely something fishy about this!!

Just then, Wang Lin stepped forward.

"Who? A Da?"

At this moment, an expression of utter disbelief surfaced on his face.

Wang Lin looked at Wang Daoyuan with a furrowed brow and asked:

"This Young Master merely had a few words of dispute with Zhang Lun during our transaction..."

"And then A Da killed Zhang Lun?!!"

Hearing this, Qin Shouchang caught a sensitive word. He frowned at Wang Lin:

"Transaction? What transaction?"

Wang Lin sighed: "Zhang Lun was a man of noble character, but he suffered from being born into a humble family. I wanted to extend some support to him in the name of Prince Jiang's Estate."

Having said this, he put on a wry smile:

"Unexpectedly, he actually gave the Shuidu Order to this Young Master."

"After much thought, I felt that I only valued his talent and could not accept his gift."

"Yesterday afternoon, I went to find him in person, intending to return the Shuidu Order to him... Who would have thought that in his agitation, he had a few words of quarrel with me."

The moment he finished speaking.

Several scholars suddenly realized:

"I saw it. Yesterday, the Young Prince went to find Zhang Lun. Though I couldn't hear clearly, I could tell the two of them did indeed quarrel."

"Yes, I saw it too."

"Yes... Who would have thought this guard could be so foolish..."

"..."

Murmurs of discussion arose.

Yet to Zeng Anmin's ears, these voices were unbearably grating.

He alone in the entire hall knew every word of the conversation between Wang Lin and Zhang Lun the day before.

Wang Lin let out another sigh. He took a jade pendant from his waist and said:

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

Having said this, he tucked the jade pendant back into his own pocket.

Whether intentionally or not, his withdrawing hand passed right in front of Zeng Anmin.

Zeng Anmin said nothing.

His fists were clenched tightly together.

He had been taught a lesson.

A thorough, undeniable lesson.

This feudal society...

The phrase "treating human lives as worthless as grass" was laid bare before him, revealing its true meaning in all its nakedness.

The "criminal" had already been caught.

As for why the Shuidu Order was on Wang Lin's person, there was now a flawless explanation.

Zeng Anmin strode forward quickly and looked at Qin Shouchang: "Dean Qin, under these circumstances, we should interrogate A Da!"

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

But upon hearing this.

Wang Daoyuan took a deep breath, his face heavy with gravity: "A Da has committed suicide out of guilt."

Zeng Anmin froze. He fell silent.

At this point.

All witnesses were dead.

He could speak out about what had happened yesterday.

But who would dare believe him?

Even if someone dared to believe, who would dare to arrest Wang Lin based on one man's word alone?

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

It would only bring unnecessary trouble to his father for nothing.

After all, the "murderer" had already been brought to justice...

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 close this case quickly, and not to tarnish the estate's reputation."

This case could now be declared closed, clean and neat.

The methods were so seasoned and ruthless, utterly flawless.

It was clear that Prince Jiang's Estate had plenty of practice with such dirty dealings.

Zeng Anmin turned a blank expression 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 appeared quietly, whispering softly into Qin Shouchang's ear.