Yu Jiaonu turned deathly pale with fright. "It wasn't him, it wasn't him... Zither Master Feng is a woman of impeccable morals and never frequents brothels, how could he have killed her?"
Meng Anci pressed his advantage, "Then let me ask you, why did you kill Zither Master Wu... What was your grudge?"
"I... I... I..." Yu Jiaonu bit her lip tightly.
Meng Anci's mind raced, and he made a Dadan guess. With a straight face and a firm tone, he said, "Because you are Feng Qixian's lost daughter... Feng Miaoyin... and Zither Master Wu is the one who kidnapped you."
He stared intently at Yu Jiaonu's face, and seeing her eyes grow increasingly panicked and her face turn paler inch by inch, he knew he had guessed correctly. Meng Anci's tone became even sharper.
He approached Yu Jiaonu step by step, questioning her with every word, giving Yu Jiaonu no chance to breathe.
" Zither Master Wu sold you to the Pure Joy Pavilion and didn't reappear until you came of age. He thought you were too young to remember what happened back then, but you never dared to forget that face even in your dreams... Is that true or not?"
Forced to retreat by him, Yu Jiaonu's mental support crumbled. She looked at Meng Anci in disbelief, wondering how he knew all this.
Meng Anci's eyes were fixed on her face. When he saw the glint in her eyes, he knew he had guessed correctly, so he unleashed his trump card.
" Feng Qixian and Zither Master Wu were originally close friends, but Zither Master Wu hated Feng Qixian to the bone... He came to you entirely to avenge the years of Feng Qixian's constant dominance over him."
Upon learning that his best friend had abducted and slept with his only daughter, Feng Qixian was immediately filled with murderous intent and killed Zither Master Wu on the spot.
He paused, then continued, "And you... took the blame for your father to protect him, didn't you?"
"No, no... You're talking nonsense. It's not like that at all. When I got back to the house, Zither Master Wu was already dead. I have no idea who killed her."
Meng Anci chuckled, "That's why I said it was Feng Qixian who killed him."
"It wasn't him... On the day of the incident, he was always at the Anzhi Hall divination. When I went to the Anzhi Hall for treatment, I even bumped into him, but I was too timid to go up and acknowledge him."
When I fled back to the Pure Joy Pavilion in a disheveled state, Zither Master Wu had already been strangled to death. I was filled with hatred; he had wronged me so badly, why should he die so easily? So I took out a dagger and slit his throat to vent my anger.
Yu Jiaonu blurted everything out, only realizing what she had said after she finished, and her body went limp, collapsing to the ground.
Pang Yougong hadn't expected Meng Anci to react so quickly; he almost couldn't keep up with his train of thought. No wonder he was named the top scholar at such a young age; he was indeed quick-witted and a rare talent.
No, this only proves that Zither Master Wu's death has nothing to do with Yu Jiaonu, but it doesn't prove that Zither Master Wu is unrelated to him. Who killed Zither Master Wu is still unknown.
He looked at Meng Anci, then at Yu Jiaonu, who was slumped on the ground, his eyes unreadable. "Guards, take them all away. We'll hold another trial another day."
As Meng Anci was escorted back to his cell, he paused slightly as he passed Yu Jiaonu. " Feng Qixian has suffered greatly these past years, almost exhausting his entire life searching for you. I saw him outside the Court of Judicial Review when I arrived; he must have recognized you already. There's no point in hiding it any longer..."
Yu Jiaonu remained silent, only burying her head even lower. How could she possibly have the face to acknowledge him now? Her father had always been a man of impeccable morals and utterly despised such a sordid place. If people knew he had a daughter who was a prostitute, his lifelong reputation and honor would be utterly ruined.
The two were taken away. Pang Yougong sat in his chair without moving, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. The case had once again reached a dead end, and the murderer who killed Zither Master Wu was still nowhere to be found.
Just as he was pondering, a gatekeeper came to report, "My lord... Zhao Zhiyuan of the Hanlin Academy, Lord Zhao requests an audience."
Pang Yougong frowned slightly. "Tell him that this case involves the Hanlin Academy, and I will not see anyone..."
"My lord... Lord Zhao says he has evidence proving that the rubbing didn't leave Meng Anci's hands," Pang Yougong looked at him, "Did he really say that?"
The gatekeeper nodded... " Lord Zhao already guessed you would refuse."
Pang Yougong chuckled in exasperation. "What a fine combination of top scholar and second-place finisher... so young, yet so cunning," he said. "Bring him in."
A moment later, Zhao Zhiyuan arrived in the lobby.
He bowed respectfully to Pang Yougong, saying, "This humble official Zhao Zhiyuan, greets Your Excellency."
Pang Yougong looked at him with great interest. "I've read Lord Zhao's articles. They say that writing reflects the person. If I'm not mistaken, you're a shrewd and worldly person who should be wise enough to protect yourself. Yet now you're willing to get involved in this mess for the sake of a colleague."
Zhao Zhiyuan smiled and said, " Lord Pang is joking. As an official appointed by the court, it is my duty to serve the people and share the burdens of my colleagues. How can you talk about protecting myself?"
He paused, his tone softening slightly, "As the saying goes, when the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer. Today they can frame Meng Anci, who knows if it won't be Zhao Zhiyuan turn tomorrow?"
"If the real culprit isn't caught and the evil isn't eradicated soon, I'll be the one who suffers in the future."
Pang Yougong sat up straight and asked curiously, "Are all people from Qingzhou Prefecture this eloquent?"
Upon hearing Zhao Zhiyuan knew that Lord Pang had suffered a loss at Meng Anci, so he was relieved... Then he inwardly mocked himself for being so restless.
With Meng Anci's brain, how could he not find a breakthrough? He sighed slightly, "Fine... since I've wade into these muddy waters, I'll see it through to the end."
Zhao Zhiyuan handed the booklet he had brought with him to Pang Yougong. "Sir... I've had a habit since I was little of organizing my bookshelves. I keep a catalog of where every book is, and the dates Meng Anci put the books in are all on this catalog."
Pang Yougong opened the book, which contained a clear record of when each book was placed, its arrangement, and even who saw it. He called over a subordinate who handed him the book, saying, "Take this... go to the Hanlin Academy to verify the situation."
"My lord... the Hanlin Academy is more prestigious than ours."
Pang Yougong clicked his tongue and glared at him, saying, "You wouldn't say that the clues in this case point to the Hanlin Academy's library, which involves lives and imperial secrets, and that the Court of Judicial Review is acting on imperial orders to investigate and verify evidence, so you would like to ask the Hanlin Academy members to do you a favor, and also to find out the library's entry and exit records for me."
"Yes, sir..." the man said, taking the booklet and hurrying away.
Pang Yougong frowned at Zhao Zhiyuan and said, "What are you still standing there for? Aren't you going to leave?"
"Sir, I would like to see Meng Anci. He is young, and I'm afraid he'll be scared in prison."
Pang Yougong scoffed, "He's young, you're old... It's like a crow landing on a pig; it can see the blackness in others but not in itself."
"No," Pang Yougong stood up, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave.
Zhao Zhiyuan stood there motionless for a long time, but he was lying. That booklet wasn't some kind of "habit" of his at all.
On his first day at court, his great-uncle called him to his side and said, word by word, "The officialdom is like a battlefield, Hanlin Academy is an even more silent battlefield. Every action you take must leave a trace. Don't let anyone take advantage of you, and don't put yourself in danger."
From then on, he would secretly make a note of everything he handled.
He could have chosen not to take it out.
As long as he pretends to know nothing, he will have one less opponent in officialdom, which will increase his chances of winning. He will also avoid offending those in the shadows and making enemies for no reason.
He understood this better than anyone else.
But he couldn't do it.
I can't bear to watch someone I grew up with be framed like this.
I can't stand idly by when I know he's innocent.
Moreover, the other party was after Meng Anci's life...