When Zhu Huaizhang returned to the government office, he saw a group of people blocking the entrance, and a row of unfamiliar people sitting next to Zhou Yan.
He had served in the south for many years, and any transfers he made were lateral moves, so he didn't have to return to the capital to meet the emperor. He didn't even know the Provincial Surveillance Commission of Jing'an Prefecture, let alone the Crown Prince.
Zhu Huaizhang was filled with unease, wondering what had happened. Just as he entered the crowd, a man approached him and asked, "Are you Zhu Huaizhang, Lord Zhu?"
Zhu Huaizhang stopped and sized up the unfamiliar man. "You're looking for me?"
Yao Dahai knelt down at Zhu Huaizhang with a thud, crying and pleading, " Lord Zhu... my daughter Yao Yuniang, five years ago she was a maid in Cloud Brocade Workshop, and she has neither been seen alive nor found dead."
We have submitted our petitions countless times, but they have all disappeared without a trace... We beg Your Honor to grant justice to us humble people!
Zhu Huaizhang's expression changed drastically. "You're Yao Yuniang's father?"
"Right..."
Zhou Yan jumped to his feet, his voice trembling with shock, "Your Highness... Yao Yuniang died five years ago. I've only been in Jing'an Prefecture for two years. This matter has nothing to do with me!"
Damn it... Ever since Zhu Huaizhang came to Jing'an Prefecture, all sorts of filthy things have come to light, even the corpse of someone who had been dead for five years was dug up by dogs.
The Crown Prince, who never leaves the capital, has suddenly appeared. Is Zhu Huaizhang some kind of plague god reincarnated?
Xiao Yuan, "Why are you in such a hurry, Lord Zhou? I haven't blamed you."
Upon hearing Zhou Yan address the man as the Crown Prince, the surrounding crowd was so frightened that they all knelt down. Yao Dahai, remembering that he had just contradicted the Crown Prince, was so terrified that his legs went weak and he could barely stand.
Xiao Yuan looked at Zhu Huaizhang, " Lord Zhu... since the people trust you, this case will be entrusted to you for trial."
Before Zhu Huaizhang could recover from his shock, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, He Liangzhong, said in a low voice, "Your Highness... this is, after all, Jing'an Prefecture. It would be more appropriate for Zhou Yan to handle the case."
Xiao Yuan glanced at him, and He Liangzhong immediately fell silent, subconsciously touching the mole on his forehead to hide his embarrassment.
Zhu Huaizhang had been struggling for days, and was worried about where to start with the Cloud Brocade Workshop appeared out of nowhere, truly a stroke of luck.
He stepped forward, lifted his robe, and immediately knelt down, saying in a deep voice, "Your subject obeys the decree."
After speaking, he stood up and looked behind him, only to see Jin Shanyao standing outside the crowd with two children, waving his fists at him and making sounds as if saying, "Get him..."
Zhu Huaizhang was both amused and exasperated. She meant waiting two days for the Crown Prince, but her divination was surprisingly accurate.
After changing his clothes, Zhu Huaizhang sat in the main hall, with Xiao Yuan, Lu Chi, and others on his left, and Zhou Yan and the officials from the Provincial Surveillance Commission on his right.
Zhou Yan's heart was pounding like a drum, and sweat streamed down his face. He never expected that a moment of greed would cause such a huge mess.
The hall was packed with people listening to the trial, and Jin Shanyao stood in a corner with her two children.
Meng Anci asked Jin Shanyao in a low voice, "Auntie, this case is very complicated. Where should we start?"
Jin Shanyao chuckled, "Even in complex cases, there are breakthroughs... If I were Zhu Huaizhang, I would first conduct an autopsy to prove Anzhi Hall's innocence."
The siblings nodded in unison, "Auntie is right, our family hasn't been cleared of any wrongdoing yet."
Zhu Huaizhang slammed his gavel, "Bring Yao Dahai to the court."
Yao Dahai knelt in the courtroom, his eyes red-rimmed. This was the first time he had stood in court since his daughter's death five years ago.
Zhu Huaizhang lowered his voice, " Yao Dahai, state your demands truthfully."
"My lord, my daughter entered Cloud Brocade Workshop in the first month of the twenty-third Sheng Dynasty. She returned once in October of the same year, and has never returned since."
Yao Dahai finished recounting the whole story in a hoarse voice, as if it had been scraped out of his throat.
Zhu Huaizhang's words, spoken calmly, were utterly cruel. " Yao Yuniang didn't escape. Her body was dug up in the back courtyard of Cloud Brocade Workshop."
Although Yao Dahai was mentally prepared, he still couldn't accept it for a while. He would rather believe that his daughter had eloped with someone than hear the government say that they had found the body.
Zhu Huaizhang ordered Yao Dahai to be taken away, opened the case file, and said unhurriedly, "Summon everyone from Cloud Brocade Workshop to the government office to await trial."
Zhou Yan watched helplessly as Fang Rui accepted the order and left. He thought Fang Rui would drag things out, stall, and "miss" one or two key witnesses along the way.
But in less than a quarter of an hour, everyone from Cloud Brocade Workshop was kneeling down in the hall.
Zhu Huaizhang looked at Bai Yunduan and said coldly, "Now all the clues are related to Bai Yunjin, and the case file states that he died from eating jujube seeds. I need to exhume the body for an autopsy."
Zhou Yan's heart skipped a beat. He was about to speak to stop him when he saw Xiao Yuan looking over with a teacup in his hand, so he swallowed back the words he was about to say.
The current situation is no longer something they can control.
The group arrived at Bai Yunjin's tomb, opened the coffin to examine the body, and although the body was already decomposed, the cause of death was quickly determined.
The coroner reported, "Sir, Bai Yunjin died from strangulation by embroidery thread, not from drug poisoning."
Zhu Huaizhang investigated the cause of death and reburied Bai Yunjin.
Upon returning to the government office, he immediately summoned Jiang Wancheng to the main hall.
Jiang Wancheng was now in a terrible state from torture. Zhu Huaizhang, his face ashen, flipped through the case files. " Jiang Wancheng," he said, "I opened the coffin and examined the body. I found that Bai Yunjin did not die from drug poisoning. Why do you confess?"
Jiang Wancheng looked up in disbelief and saw a stranger sitting in the lobby. He looked around and saw Zhou Yan staring at him intently. He understood everything.
He prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, "I beg you, Your Excellency, to do me justice! I have never admitted that Bai Yunjin's death was related to Suanzaoren. It was Lord Zhou who tortured me into confessing and forced my handprint on it."
These words caused an uproar in the room.
Zhou Yan stood up, pointed at Jiang Wancheng, and cursed, "You're spouting nonsense!"
Bang! The gavel slammed down, and Zhu Huaizhang said sternly, " Lord Zhou, the facts are before us. Do you still intend to frame him?"
After speaking, he looked at Xiao Yuan.
"Your Highness, this case is unrelated to the medicinal herbs. Jiang Wancheng should be acquitted... and compensate Jiang Wancheng and Anzhi Hall for all their losses."
Xiao Yuan tapped his fingers on the table, his face ashen. " Lord Zhu, you may proceed with the trial according to your own judgment."
Having received approval, Zhu Huaizhang announced loudly, "Guards, release Jiang Wancheng. The government will pay him three hundred taels of silver in compensation, and post notices throughout the city to prove his innocence."
He paused, then looked out of the hall and saw Jin Shanyao angrily waving her fist at him, as if to say: Go, kill them.
Zhu Huaizhang was greatly encouraged and firmly stated, " Anzhi Hall was implicated, and will be compensated at a rate of eighty taels per day, for a total of three hundred and twenty taels over four days."
Xiao Yuan searched around but couldn't find anyone from the Anzhi Hall, so he turned to Lu Chi and asked, "Where are the people from the Anzhi Hall?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he followed Lu Chi's gaze and saw a girl with two children, glaring angrily at the lobby. Every time Zhu Huaizhang looked over, she would throw a punch at the other person.
Xiao Yuan was puzzled, "Is she going to hit Zhu Huaizhang?"
Lu Chi lowered his voice, "She's encouraging Zhu Huaizhang, urging him to go for it... That's her usual style; if she's bullied, she'll fight back. It seems Zhou Yan has given them quite a bit of trouble these past few days."
Xiao Yuan understood. It seemed that Zhu Huaizhang was indeed protecting his own. Jiang Wancheng had been beaten so badly, yet Jin Shanyao hadn't been imprisoned.
Thinking of the secret letter in his hand, Xiao Yuan seemed to understand again. He looked at Zhou Yan with hostility, and the moment their eyes met, a cold sweat broke out on Zhou Yan's back. He thought to himself that he was completely doomed this time...