Chapter Nineteen: The Crime of False Accusation

With a series of metallic clangs, seven or eight long blades were instantly leveled at Chen Zhuo.

The morning sun had just begun to rise, and the light reflecting off the blades fell squarely upon him.

Chen Zhuo's skin, muscles, and bones tightened in an instant.

"Those uninvolved, move aside."

Under the sharp, stern command of the bailiffs, the area around Chen Zhuo was cleared automatically.

Even Sun Fei, whose face had changed drastically, was forcibly dragged away by his arms by someone before he even realized what was happening.

The gazes of the hundred or so people on the Drill Ground converged on Chen Zhuo in unison.

"Squad Leader Huang, may I ask what crime I have committed?"

Chen Zhuo suppressed the shock in his heart and looked at Huang Yuan'er with a grim face.

However, his questioning was met only with a sneer from Huang Yuan'er.

"You know exactly what you did."

Huang Yuan'er said expressionlessly, "Last night, you killed Huang Sanyou."

Huang Sanyou was dead?

Chen Zhuo's pupils shrank violently. He subconsciously opened his mouth to defend himself, but Huang Yuan'er's voice rang out again before he could speak.

"It has been confirmed this morning that Huang Sanyou died at the hour of the Rat last night. You were the only one who did not return to the dormitory all night, and the dagger that pierced Huang Sanyou's heart was found under your pillow."

Having said this, Huang Yuan'er waved his hand: "Bring them up."

At his command, seven prisoners covered in wounds were brought beneath the high platform.

Chen Zhuo shifted his gaze and looked closely, discovering that these seven men were his roommates who had not arrived at the morning roll call.

"In the presence of the three officials, confess everything clearly, and your lives may be spared. Otherwise, you shall be treated as accomplices."

Huang Yuan'er's voice seemed to strike immense fear into the seven men.

They scrambled to kneel on the ground, and a square-faced man among them raised his hand and pointed at Chen Zhuo.

"Him! The murderer is definitely him! Not only did he not return all night, but he also had blood on him when he came back. He even hid the dagger under his pillow. He thought we were all asleep, but in reality, I saw it all clearly."

As these words fell, a massive uproar erupted across the Drill Ground.

"This fellow is truly vicious, daring to kill someone inside the yamen and then going back to sleep as if nothing happened."

"I remember him. Wasn't that Huang Sanyou the one he personally captured yesterday? How could he have slaughtered him by nightfall?"

"Perhaps he is just naturally cruel by nature. Didn't you see him covered in blood yesterday..."

While the crowd was whispering, a bailiff hurried onto the platform and handed a wooden box to Huang Yuan'er.

Huang Yuan'er opened the box and presented its contents to everyone.

It was, shockingly, a blood-stained dagger.

"Poor grand-uncle, to have fallen under this very dagger. It truly breaks my heart."

Huang Yuan'er looked at the dagger with deep sorrow on his face. After a heavy sigh, he turned and bowed to Magistrate Liu and the other two officials sitting nearby.

"With both human and material evidence present, the case is clear enough, three officials. Although this thief is merely a White-Uniform Runner, he is still registered with the yamen. I await your decision on how to dispose of him."

Registrar Wang and Chief Clerk Sun did not speak, both turning their gazes toward the Magistrate.

Magistrate Liu, who had a dignified appearance and resembled a middle-aged scholar, pondered for a moment before frowning. "To think such a daring scoundrel exists within the yamen. Handle the matter entirely according to the laws of our Great Yong."

"Chief Clerk Sun."

"This subordinate is here."

Magistrate Liu said indifferently, "In the future, when selecting men, tell your subordinates to keep their eyes open."

Chief Clerk Sun, who stood like a mountain, rose and bowed slightly. "It is this subordinate's fault. I await your punishment, my lord."

Magistrate Liu waved his sleeve. "Let this be the only time."

"This subordinate will take your instruction to heart."

Chief Clerk Sun bowed, returned to his seat, and waved his hand. "Proceed according to the Magistrate's wishes."

Huang Yuan'er nodded, turned back, and a faint smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "Chen Zhuo, do you confess?"

The voice was not loud, but it felt like a sharp sword thrust directly into Chen Zhuo's chest.

His heart felt as if it had been gripped by a hand, leaving him almost unable to move.

Fast!

Too fast!

Once Huang Yuan'er began his assault, the moves came one after another, wave upon wave, leaving no time to react.

First, he seized the initiative, followed by the human and material evidence, easily pinning a death sentence on Chen Zhuo.

At this moment, a bailiff walked up to Chen Zhuo with a confession document and an ink pad, handing them to him.

"Sign and press your thumbprint."

Chen Zhuo looked down at the contents of the confession, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the paper.

From the moment the incident occurred to the aftermath, every single one of his actions was recorded here in complete detail.

It was airtight, leaving no room for any rebuttal.

Clearly, the other party had been prepared for a long time.

But a lie, in the end, is still a lie.

"I do not confess."

Chen Zhuo raised his head and slowly spat out the three words.

Huang Yuan'er's smile grew even more radiant. "With both human and material evidence present, you still want to deny it?"

"I was the one who brought Huang Sanyou to the yamen myself; what motive would I have to kill him?"

"Furthermore, I spent the entire night in Master Yan's courtyard and never stepped out once. Not only can Master Yan testify to this, but he can as well."

Chen Zhuo's voice was low as he raised a finger, pointing toward Dunzi and Xiao Liu in the back kitchen. "He came to find Master Yan this morning and saw me walk out of Master Yan's courtyard with his own eyes."

Swish. Everyone's gaze immediately fell upon Yan Ming and Xiao Liu.

Could there be a reversal?

Yan Ming looked at Huang Yuan'er with an expressionless face. "I can testi..."

"Your name is Xiao Liu, right? Is what Chen Zhuo said true?"

Before Yan Ming could finish his sentence, Huang Yuan'er bypassed him to interrogate Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu turned to look at Chen Zhuo, then turned back to bow to Huang Yuan'er. "I did indeed go to find Master Yan early this morning, but I never saw Chen Zhuo. From start to finish, there was only Master Yan alone in the courtyard."

The words stirred up a thousand ripples.

Yan Ming's brows furrowed tightly. He glanced at Xiao Liu, then shifted his gaze to Huang Yuan'er. His brows gradually smoothed out, but a layer of frost settled over his face.

On Huang Yuan'er's smiling face, killing intent finally broke through.

"With things as they are, what else do you have to say?"

Registrar Wang's sharp, grating voice rang out in tandem.

"Stubborn and unrepentant. If you will not confess, then we shall execute you on the spot."

Chen Zhuo stared blankly at Huang Yuan'er before shifting his gaze to Registrar Wang.

The thin old man let out a few cold laughs and licked his lips in a bizarre manner.

The way he looked at Chen Zhuo was like looking at a piece of prey about to fall into his hands.

Old bastard...

Chen Zhuo suddenly laughed.

His gaze swept across the crowd.

Beyond the murderous intent radiating from Huang Yuan'er and Registrar Wang, he saw Magistrate Liu's indifference, Chief Clerk Sun's apathy, the ugly face of Xiao Liu, and the terror and faint traces of apology in the eyes of the seven White-Uniform Runners who shared his quarters.

Finally, the regret on Yao Xiong's face caused Chen Zhuo to slowly unclench his tightly balled fists.

He suddenly understood.

It was just as Fatty Sun had mentioned regarding the deal not long ago.

This meticulously planned trap was likely just one link in the transaction between the two parties.

He was nothing more than an insignificant chess piece.

By solving a murder case with such swift and decisive action, surely no one would dare to question his sudden promotion to squad leader anymore.

Not to mention that he and Huang Yuan'er already had a blood feud.

Killing two birds with one stone—wasn't that just perfect?

Chen Zhuo understood that he no longer needed to defend himself.

The case itself didn't matter at all.

He just wondered, what price had he been sold for?

Chen Zhuo took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his chest rising and falling like a mountain range.

"If you are determined to condemn someone, you will always find a pretext."

As his voice hit the ground, his right hand was already resting on his waist.

Clang! His long blade left its sheath.

"Huang Yuan'er, go to hell!"