To Shen Manor

Two Rivers Prefecture, Linjiang Street.

At this moment, peddlers and passersby thronged Linjiang Street.

Zeng Anmin sat atop a tall horse, his sharp gaze sweeping over the people coming and going.

Dachun followed behind him. Though Dachun's horse was no small one either, beneath him it looked as comical as an adult riding a tiny wooden pony.

Behind Dachun was Shen Jun, the suspect in the aunt-murder case, whose injuries had only just healed.

At this moment, Shen Jun's somewhat guileless brows stood bristling upright, while his thick lips pressed tightly together beneath his face.

The way he looked at Zeng Anmin carried reverence and gratitude.

He knew that the convoy was now heading toward his home.

Its purpose was to help clear him of suspicion.

"Clerk Zeng, Shen Manor is ahead."

Riding abreast of Zeng Anmin was none other than Xu Yunfeng, the Right Clerk of the Xuanjing Division.

Xu Yunfeng's face was full of smiles. The two wisps of mustache at the corners of his mouth swayed with the horse's gait, making for a rather comical sight.

Zeng Anmin cast Xu Yunfeng a faint glance, then looked ahead.

Shen Manor.

A simple yet enormous plaque, beneath which lay the accumulated legacy of who knew how many generations.

"Open the gates. Enter the manor."

With a light wave of Zeng Anmin's hand, a Red-robed Guard stepped out from each side and headed for the manor gates.

When an old man opened the gate and saw the two imposing rows of Red-robed Guards outside, he nearly fainted from fright.

These days, whenever officials knocked on a merchant's door, nothing good ever came of it.

After the Red-robed Guards spoke with the man for a while, they paid no heed to whether he agreed or not. Two of them stepped forward and shoved the gates open.

The gates of Shen Manor stood wide open before Zeng Anmin.

"Move."

Zeng Anmin swung down from his horse and strode into the manor.

Dachun followed close behind him.

Seeing his somewhat hurried steps, Xu Yunfeng remained perfectly at ease, leisurely dismounting from his horse.

With Shen Jun leading the way, they reached the crime scene before long.

Their purpose in coming to the crime scene today was simple.

First, to ask for more testimony.

Second, to search the Spirit Hall from that day for any secret passage or hidden mechanisms.

"Young Master!!"

A young girl in green suddenly cried out in delighted surprise, drawing everyone's attention.

Zeng Anmin looked over instinctively and saw a delicate, pretty girl running over with a face full of joy, staring at Shen Jun.

"It really is Young Master! Young Master, you've returned from prison!!"

Under Zeng Anmin's gaze.

Shen Jun looked somewhat embarrassed. He rubbed his nose and said respectfully,

"This is my personal maidservant. Her name is Zhenzhu."

At the sight of Zhenzhu, Zeng Anmin felt a sour ache in his heart.

Look at that—someone else's personal maidservant had looks that, if not peerless, were at least above eighty points.

Then look at the buck-toothed, flat-nosed lot in his own courtyard...

Father, when would he finally come to his senses?!

"Mm."

Zeng Anmin nodded expressionlessly and looked at Zhenzhu as he asked,

"When the crime occurred, was she at the scene?"

Shen Jun immediately shook his head. "No. If she had been there, I would not have been so powerless to defend myself."

"Oh."

Zeng Anmin instantly lost interest.

The main hall was the Spirit Hall.

Three months had passed since the crime, and it had long since lost its original appearance.

Before long, a group of people came running over.

Old and young alike.

When they saw Shen Jun return, some wept with joy, some said nothing, and naturally, some wore dark expressions.

It truly displayed all the myriad faces of humanity.

Zeng Anmin did not even need to speak before Red-robed Guards stepped forward to "negotiate" with the Shen Family.

The Shen Family quickly agreed to temporarily hand over the manor's main hall for the lords of the Xuanjing Division to inspect.

Soon, two teams of Red-robed Guards entered the main hall and began searching with a clatter.

Anyone who could become a Red-robed Guard of the Xuanjing Division had undergone the most basic training.

They were extremely skilled at searching, leaving no corner unchecked.

Zeng Anmin folded his arms and took the opportunity to carefully examine the surrounding environment.

Before long, his gaze settled on the training ground in the courtyard outside the main hall.

Sabers, spears, swords, halberds—the eighteen kinds of weapons were all displayed on racks.

"Does someone in Shen Manor practice martial arts?"

Zeng Anmin raised a brow and looked at Shen Jun as he asked.

"Mm. Leading a fleet means encountering many dangers. Learning martial arts for self-protection is basic for people in our trade."

"You practice martial arts too?"

Zeng Anmin pointed at the weapon racks.

"No. Those belonged to my uncle. Unfortunately, his talent was lacking. After barely entering the ranks, he made no further progress."

At the mention of his uncle, Shen Jun sighed, his face darkening.

"Oh."

Zeng Anmin nodded thoughtfully.

He then shifted his gaze to two servants dressed in coarse clothing.

"You two were the servants guarding outside the Spirit Hall when the crime occurred?"

Zeng Anmin had only been in the Xuanjing Division for two days, yet he had inherited the airs of an official quite well.

His face was as still as water, his voice stern, carrying a strong sense of pressure.

"Replying to you, sir, it was the two of us."

The two servants first exchanged a glance, then tremblingly came before him, fell to their knees, and kowtowed.

"This official asks you two: when the crime occurred, did either of you hear anything?!"

Zeng Anmin narrowed his eyes, one hand behind his back, his expression grave.

The two hurriedly knelt on the ground and said,

"The two of us were on duty at the hall entrance."

"Other than Young Master, no one came to the Spirit Hall... As for sounds, we could not hear anything from the front. Before Young Master came out, he raised his voice and said a few things, but we did not hear them clearly..."

The two cast a dry glance at Shen Jun beside them. Seeing no reaction from him, they turned their gazes back to Zeng Anmin.

Their answers were more or less the same as those recorded in the case file.

Zeng Anmin shifted his gaze away from them.

Neither of them had a motive for the crime.

Madam Liu Shen had not been violated when she died.

More importantly, the two had other witnesses.

There were many servants in Shen Manor, and those who got up during the night had indeed seen the two dozing against the pillars by the main hall entrance.

"Reporting to you, sir, no hidden passage or mechanisms were found."

Before long, the two teams of Red-robed Guards came out. Their leader saluted Zeng Anmin and reported.

"None?"

Zeng Anmin's heart slowly sank.

"None." The Red-robed Guard nodded firmly. "And there are no traces of any recent construction."

The implication was clear: the murderer could not possibly have returned to seal up an existing secret passage.

"A locked-room murder..."

Zeng Anmin's gaze slowly fell upon the main hall as he silently calculated.

He turned his gaze to Shen Jun again.

Shen Jun's slightly thick brows were drawn tight as he watched him nervously, his fists clenched hard.

Zeng Anmin slowly closed his eyes and began recalling every clue, murmuring softly,

"Shen Jun has no motive, and the suspicion against him is not great. The two servants had no time to commit the crime either, and they have alibis..."

"Heh heh."

A soft chuckle rang out, interrupting Zeng Anmin's muttering.

Zeng Anmin opened his eyes and looked over, only to find Xu Yunfeng watching him with a broad smile.

"My worthy brother, those words are mistaken. How can Shen Jun's suspicion be considered insignificant? And how can you so readily conclude that he had no motive?"

"You must know that when judging a case, one's stance must remain neutral. You cannot favor either side. Otherwise, it is irresponsible toward the deceased and a desecration of one's own abilities."

His words were barbed. His voice was gentle, yet every word grated harshly on the ear.

"What thoughts does Clerk Xu have?" Zeng Anmin raised his brow and looked at him calmly.