The hidden hand surfaced (extended chapter)

Wang Zhenwen was a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, so the Wenyuan Pavilion naturally became the place where Grand Secretaries and other officials conducted their official business.

Inside the hall, Wang Zhenwen, dressed in a scarlet robe and with gray hair, was working at his desk. The other civil officials and clerks were busy with their own tasks, occasionally discussing things in hushed tones, but overall it was quiet and harmonious.

When disagreements arose, the civil officials would go to a side hall for a heated argument to determine a winner. However, when scholars argued, usually neither side could convince the other.

Ultimately, the decision must be made by a higher authority.

"Your Excellency, Miss Simu has arrived and says she wishes to see you." A clerk on duty outside the door tiptoed in, speaking in a very low voice.

The Grand Secretary Wang's brush paused, and the ink immediately spread across the paper, turning into a blot of ink.

How did she get into the palace? What is she doing in the cabinet? Two questions arose in Chief Minister Wang's mind one after the other.

The Wenyuan Pavilion is located on the east side of the palace, but it is not inside the palace walls. However, in the planning, it belongs to the palace and is heavily guarded, preventing unauthorized personnel from entering.

The Grand Secretary's daughter was also among the "unofficial guests".

"I won't see her. Let her in through the back door. I'll wait for her in the side hall." Chief Minister Wang put down his pen, placed one hand behind his back and the other on his abdomen, and calmly left the inner hall, heading towards the side hall.

After waiting a few minutes in the side hall, Wang Simu, with her quiet and elegant demeanor, entered carrying a food box. She gently placed it on the table and sweetly called out, "Dad!"

The Grand Secretary Wang grunted an "Hmm" with a stern face, then said unhappily, "Weren't you out boating on the lake with your close friend? What are you doing in the cabinet? Who brought you into the palace?"

Wang Simu smiled, calmly opened the food box, and took out a bowl of fragrant fish soup, her voice soft:

"While boating on the lake, the daughter saw that the carp in the lake were plump and delicious, so she had a few caught. She brought them back to the mansion while they were still at their freshest and personally cooked fish soup for her father."

"Dad, you're very busy with official duties, but you must take care of yourself and drink more nourishing soups."

The Prime Minister's expression softened slightly. He inhaled the enticing aroma, took a small bite, and immediately showed a look of enjoyment, praising:

"Fish soup with chicken bouillon is truly a delicacy. The Bureau of Astronomy's development of this dish is a blessing for the people of Great Feng."

After the chicken essence developed by the Bureau of Astronomy entered the market, it immediately gained popularity among all social classes. Today, high-ranking officials, nobles, and wealthy merchants in the capital cannot live without chicken essence in their daily diet.

Ordinary families might occasionally splurge on a little something extravagantly to enhance the flavor of their dishes.

Wang Zhenwen had not seen the Bureau of Astronomy develop such a wonderful thing for many years.

Wang Simu then added, "I once heard a rumor that this chicken essence wasn't actually developed by the Bureau of Astronomy, but by someone else."

Wang Zhenwen was taken aback. "Someone else?"

Wang Simu smiled and said, "I heard from His Highness Lin'an that the true inventor of chicken essence was Xu Qi'an, the Silver Gong; the Bureau of Astronomy merely made some improvements."

Wang Zhenwen hadn't paid attention to such a trivial matter, but upon hearing her daughter's words, she was stunned for a moment and didn't drink a drop for quite a while.

"This child is exceptionally intelligent and incredibly talented," Wang Zhenwen remarked, shaking his head as he continued drinking his fish soup.

Wang Simu continued chatting, "I originally wanted the Imperial Guards to bring you the fish soup, but we ran into Princess Lin'an on the way, so I came to the palace with her."

With that, Wang Zhenwen's two questions have been answered.

Before Wang Zhenwen could finish his fish soup, Wang Simu stood up to take his leave. "Father, please drink slowly. Remember to bring the bowl back when you're done. Women are not allowed inside Wenyuan Pavilion, so I won't stay any longer."

The last question has also been answered: I came to Wenyuan Pavilion to deliver fish soup to my elderly father.

Wang Zhenwen then smiled and said gently, "Go back. I know about Mu'er's filial piety."

That old fox, Father, is too difficult to deal with. It's exhausting to play mind games with him. Wang Simu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, smiled sweetly, and turned to leave the side hall. But she didn't actually leave Wenyuan Pavilion; she waved to the maid waiting outside.

A maidservant hurried over carrying another food box, and then the two of them went to the office of another Grand Secretary.

In another side room, Wang Simu placed a food box on the table, presented a bowl of fragrant fish soup, and said with a smile, "Uncle Qian, I went boating on the lake today and saw that the fish were very plump, so I had a few caught to make fish soup for you and your father."

Qian Qingshu was a tall, thin old man. Unlike the dignified and composed Wang Zhenwen, he had a more gentle and easygoing temperament, making him seem like an extremely approachable elder.

Qian Qingshu and Wang Zhenwen were classmates and close friends, and even passed the imperial examination in the same year. In terms of academic performance, Qian Qingshu was the third-ranked scholar in the first class, while Wang Zhenwen was the second-ranked scholar. Later, Wang Zhenwen was selected to enter the Hanlin Academy and became a probationary official.

"If the emperor demands timber, I offer broken wood; if the emperor demands fish, I offer dried grain. These have always been delicious." Qian Qingshu took a sip, his eyes brightening slightly. "Mmm, delicious."

Amidst a busy work schedule, it's nice to take a break and enjoy a bowl of fish soup!

"I recently heard some news that Xu Huiyuan, a top scholar in the imperial examination, has been imprisoned for cheating," Wang Simu said, feigning curiosity.

Qian Qingshu paused for a moment, then slowly nodded. "The newly appointed Left Inspector-General impeached Grand Secretary Zhao Tingfang for accepting bribes and leaking exam questions to Xu Xinnian."

"And Xu Xinnian's 'The Road to Shu is Hard' was not written by him; it was written by his cousin, Xu Qi'an."

Was Xu Huiyuan's poem written by Xu Qi'an? This matter even involves Zhao Tingfang, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. Wang Simu's expression changed slightly, various thoughts flashing through her mind. She quickly composed herself and asked:

"Uncle Qian, please drink slowly and explain the ins and outs of this to your niece."

Qian Qingshu frowned, hesitated for a while, and sighed, "As expected, you're beholden to someone who pays your bills. But you have to promise that not a single word you hear here will be leaked."

Wang Simu quickly pecked his head. "Of course, I'm the most trustworthy."

The Xu Residence.

In the study, Xu Qi'an sat behind his desk, pondering his next plan.

Dealing with a Minister of Ministry of Justice is nothing; getting Erlang off the hook is just the first step in his plan. Next, he needs to find the real enemy among the civil officials.

Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle.

"Huaiqing is a princess, but she can only watch the schemes of the court officials; she can't interfere. After all, she's a princess without real power. However, she probably has some hidden confidants."

"Duke Wei's attitude toward this matter is not very positive. He is more testing my abilities. If I cannot handle it and go to him for help, although Duke Wei will definitely help me, I will inevitably be disappointed."

"How can I get some inside information? Governor Zhang is a good candidate, but he's Wei Yuan's man, which would arouse suspicion from the opposing camp's civil officials, so he might not know too much."

As he pondered, his ears twitched, and he heard footsteps.

"Knock knock."

The footsteps stopped outside the door, there was a knock, and then a voice said, "Dalang, a young lady is looking for you."

Girl, who is it?

"Uh, I have too many girls, I can't possibly guess," Xu Qi'an replied. "Please ask her to go to the inner hall, I'll be right there."

He picked up where he left off, thought for a few more minutes, picked up his teacup to moisten his throat, and then got up and went out.

Upon entering the inner hall, I saw a charming maidservant in a lotus-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) standing there. A little boy circled around her, speaking very familiarly:

"Sister, let's play! Let's play! I'll treat you to water chestnut cake."

The pretty maid forced a smile, seemingly unaccustomed to interacting with young children.

"Miss Lan'er?"

Xu Qi'an stepped across the threshold; the maid had just been here an hour earlier.

"Lord Xu," Lan'er bowed, then took a folded note from her sleeve and handed it to Xu Qi'an, saying in a low voice, "My young lady asked me to deliver this. This servant will not disturb you any longer, I will take my leave."

Without giving Xu Qi'an a chance to stop him or open the note, she hurriedly left.

Xu Qi'an sat in the chair, unfolded the note, glanced at it quickly, and looked completely astonished.

His expression gradually turned serious, because the information on the note was too important; it almost clearly revealed the inside story of the cheating scandal in this imperial examination.

The person who submitted the memorial impeaching the "examination fraud" was the newly appointed Left Censor-in-Chief Yuan Xiong. After succeeding Wei Yuan and taking charge of the Censorate, he engaged in a fierce struggle with the "remnants of the eunuch faction" led by the Right Censor-in-Chief.

Logically speaking, Liu Hong, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, was also one of the chief examiners and was Yuan Xiong's target. However, in this imperial examination cheating case, it was Zhao Tingfang, a scholar at Dongge University, who leaked the questions.

The reason is that if Yuan Xiong were to directly impeach Liu Hong, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, then he would be facing Wei Yuan head-on. Even if he were to use the banner of suppressing Cloud Deer Academy, most factions would likely just stand by and watch, offering limited assistance.

After all, even if Xu Xinnian were allowed to participate in the palace examination and enter the court as an official, the officials in the court would still have ways to suppress or sideline him.

Therefore, the second mastermind behind this case emerged: Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War.

The former Minister of War was executed along with his entire family because of the case of Princess Pingyang. Originally, Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War, was the first in line to succeed him as Minister of War.

However, Emperor Yuanjing appointed the leader of a minor faction to succeed him as Minister of War.

With no hope of advancement, Qin Yuandao changed his approach. He planned to join the cabinet and squeeze out Zhao Tingfang, the Dongge University student who had no powerful backing and weak personal influence.

For Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, the person he was suppressing, Xu Xinnian, was not only a student of the Cloud Deer Academy, but also the cousin of Xu Qi'an, the Silver Gong.

If Xu Qi'an didn't want his cousin to be disgraced, he would definitely ask Wei Yuan for help. As long as he dragged Wei Yuan into the mess, how could he not deal with Liu Hong, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief?

Furthermore, the note provided by Wang Simu also mentioned that Cao Guogong Song Shanchang was involved in the scheme.

"On the surface, it appears to be a joint effort between Yuan Xiong, the Left Censor-in-Chief, and Qin Yuandao, the Vice Minister of War, along with their cronies. In reality, setting aside Erlang's status as a student at the Cloud Deer Academy, just the fact that he is my cousin means that those I offended in the Sangbo case, the Pingyang Princess case, and the Yunzhou case will inevitably seize the opportunity to retaliate against me. Minister Sun is a prime example."

"Furthermore, the situation is precarious for the students of the Cloud Deer Academy. Besides, what is the Duke of Cao up to? It's understandable for civil officials to cause trouble, but why is a crude nobleman like you getting involved? What's your motive?"

Furthermore, why should I believe Wang Zhenwen's daughter? Can I trust the information she provides?

But what was the point of her lying to me? From an outsider's perspective, Erlang was completely finished this time, and she should have been secretly pleased. There was no need for her to do anything unnecessary. That maid also seemed furtive, running away after handing over the note. Wasn't that because she felt guilty?

Either this young lady from the Wang family is an idiot, or she thinks I'm an idiot. But after listening to Erlang and Lingyue's analysis, this young lady isn't stupid at all. Damn, does she think I'm an idiot?

When in doubt, consult Wei Yuan. I'll say that I found this out myself and then ask him to verify it. This will make Wei Yuan look at me with new respect. Even if I'm deceived, it won't matter. It will just show that I'm cautious and don't easily trust people.

In the afternoon, as Xu Qi'an emerged from Haoqi Tower, Wei Yuan's words echoed in his mind, "The Duke of Cao and the Prince of Zhenbei are in cahoots."

Yesterday at dusk, he received a "secret letter" from Wang Simu. He thought about it alone for a long time and felt that it was highly credible, but he did not believe it rashly.

After lunch today, I asked Wei Yuan to verify, and received an affirmative answer.

The Prince of Zhenbei and I have absolutely no connection; this must be the Duke of Cao's own idea. But I'm not familiar with the Duke of Cao either, so why is he targeting me?

The thought flashed through Xu Qi'an's mind as he practiced the Vajra Divine Skill.

On his way back to Yidao Hall, he encountered a clerk who happened to be looking for him. The clerk said, "Lord Xu, someone is looking for you outside."

"Who?" Xu Qi'an's eyes flickered slightly.

"People from the Prince of Huai's residence," the clerk replied.

At the Prince of Huai's residence, Xu Qi'an let out a breath of stale air. "Understood."

He immediately turned around and walked out of the yamen. When he arrived at the yamen gate, he saw a luxurious carriage parked by the roadside. Two rows of heavily armored soldiers guarded the carriage.

Upon seeing Xu Qi'an emerge, a guard immediately came over to ask, "Is that Xu Yinluo?"

Xu Qi'an nodded.

"General Chu is waiting for you in the carriage," the guard said.

After a few seconds of hesitation, he followed the guard to the carriage and heard a deep male voice from inside. "Come in and talk."

His voice carried the air of someone accustomed to being in a superior position, more like a command.

Xu Qi'an boarded the carriage and entered the compartment.

Inside the spacious carriage sat a bearded man in a light purple robe. He had a square face, dark skin, and sharp, piercing eyes.

The bearded man gestured for Xu Qi'an to sit down, and said in a deep voice:

"I heard that Xu Yinluo's cousin is involved in an imperial examination cheating case."

Xu Qi'an stared at him and tentatively asked, "General, who are you?"

The bearded man replied succinctly, "Chu Xianglong, the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei."

Xu Qi'an, the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei, narrowed his eyes immediately. "Shouldn't the general be guarding the north? Why has he returned to the capital?"

"This is not a question for someone like you, a mere silver gong, to ask," the bearded man said calmly.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I've come to you to make a deal."

"Please speak, General."

"Hand over the cultivation method of the Vajra Divine Skill, and this general will help you get that person out of prison." Chu Xianglong stared intently at him.

As expected, it was for the Vajra Divine Skill. After all, what martial artist wouldn't covet this protective divine skill? The Vajra Divine Skill was within the indestructible body of the monk Shenshu. Even high-ranking martial artists would be envious of this Cultivation Method.

So, it seems that Duke Cao and this person were plotting against my Vajra Divine Skill, trying to take advantage of my misfortune and seize benefits from me.

"The Vajra Invincibility of Buddhist School is not something ordinary people can learn; it requires a great fortuitous opportunity," Xu Qi'an cautioned.

"I don't need your reminder. Since you've already mastered the Vajra Divine Skill, it means you've grasped its profound meaning. Whether you can successfully cultivate it after inscribing its essence is my own business," Chu Xianglong reassured him.

"As long as you can record the profound secrets of this divine skill, this general will have a way to get you out."

"You're not just trying to squeeze every last drop out of me, you're also trying to toy with my intelligence?" Xu Qi'an sneered inwardly, asking:

"May I ask, General, how do we get them rescued?"

"I have my own way," Chu Xianglong replied calmly.

"This case involves a wide range of people and is very complicated. Those civil officials won't listen to you. General, don't take me for a three-year-old." Xu Qi'an sneered without any politeness.

"I only said I'd get him out of trouble, not that I'd exonerate him." Chu Xianglong stared at Xu Qi'an with sharp, piercing eyes and said:

"He's just a nobody, nobody's really going to keep hounding him. I'm confident I can get him a lenient sentence, at most three years, and then he can take the imperial examinations again."

"Given Cloud Deer Academy's painstaking efforts in Qingzhou, that would be the best place for him."

Xu Qi'an's eyes flashed, and he said, "Alright! However, my condition is that you save people first."

Chu Xianglong nodded. "Okay."

After ending the conversation and leaving the carriage, Xu Qi'an stood expressionless on the street.

Now he could confirm the true purpose behind Duke Cao's behind-the-scenes manipulation.

"These bastards have been eyeing my Vajra Divine Skill for a long time. Before, when I was at the height of my power, they were wary of me. Now, they're taking advantage of the imperial examination cheating scandal to suppress Erlang, hoping to make me obediently submit and hand over the Vajra Divine Skill."

"Fine, see how I rip you off."

After the carriage disappeared from sight, he did not return to the Nightwatchers's office, but disappeared at the end of the long street.

After a day and a night of fermentation, spread, and the instigation of those with ulterior motives, rumors of cheating in the imperial examinations broke out the following day.

From nobles to commoners, everyone was discussing this matter, treating it as a topic of conversation. The most heated debate came from the Confucian scholars. Some did not believe that Xu Huiyuan had cheated, but many more scholars chose to believe him, applauding the court's actions and praising the severe punishment of those who cheated in the imperial examinations, thus giving all scholars in the country an explanation.

Xu Xinnian's reputation plummeted, transforming him from a praised and admired top scholar into a villain condemned by everyone.

Xu Xinnian, who was in prison, was completely unaware of this and was facing his first interrogation by the Ministry of Justice and the local government.

"Bang, bang!" The jailer banged on the bars with his stick and shouted.

"Xu Xinnian, come out with me, the adults want to interrogate you."

Meanwhile, inside the interrogation room, the Ministry of Justice and the Junior Magistrate of the Prefectural Government sat behind a table, drinking tea and discussing the case.

"Your Excellency, why is torture not permitted?" Shao Yin asked, puzzled.

"It's Minister Sun's order," the Vice Minister explained, then added dismissively:

"Xu Xinnian is just a greenhorn. I'll give him a good scolding to throw him off balance, and then I'll interrogate him slowly. At that time, I'll have to trouble you, Lord Shao Yin, to play the stern judge."

The magistrate nodded. "We can also use criminal penalties as a threat. Nowadays, students are quick-witted, but the mere sight of blood will turn them pale with fright."

The officials smiled; they were all experienced interrogators, and dealing with a young student was a piece of cake for them.

The jailer led Xu Xinnian out of the cell and into the interrogation room, bowing to the officials inside and saying:

"My lords, the prisoner Xu Xinnian has been brought here."

After saying that, he tactfully withdrew.

Xu Xinnian stood at the doorway and glanced at the scene in the interrogation room. Behind the main table sat two officials in scarlet robes, namely the Ministry of Justice and the Junior Magistrate of the Prefectural Government.

On either side were several officials accompanying the interrogation, clerks taking notes, and a white-robed Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy.

"Smack!"

The Ministry of Justice slammed his gavel on the table and said in a deep voice, "Xu Xinnian, someone has reported that you bribed the chief examiner Zhao Tingfang to participate in cheating in the imperial examination. Is this true?"

Xu Xinnian shook his head. "Nonsense."

The Ministry of Justice sneered and continued, "You bribed Zhao Tingfang with three hundred taels of silver through his steward, and obtained the exam questions in advance by using the steward as an intermediary."

"Zhao Tingfang's steward, Zhu You, has confessed. Here is his statement; take a look for yourself."

As he spoke, he took out a confession from his sleeve and had the clerk hand it to Xu Xinnian.

Xu Xinnian took it and read it carefully. The confession was written in great detail, even specifying the exact time of the "transaction" between the two parties, with almost no loopholes.

"As expected of someone from the Ministry of Justice, even I, the person involved, couldn't see any flaws. However, I also have a certificate here; would you gentlemen like to see it?" Xu Xinnian said.

"What proof?" the Ministry of Justice asked.

"Bring me a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone," Xu Erlang said calmly.

Immediately, the officials brought over a small table and set out writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Wearing handcuffs and shackles, Xu Xinnian stood by the table, picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write furiously.

In a short while, the paper was filled with tiny characters. Xu Xinnian dipped his thumb in ink, pressed his fingerprint on the paper, threw down the pen, and said, "Please take a look, sir."

The Ministry of Justice ordered someone to fetch it. Upon closer inspection, his face froze, his breathing grew heavy, and he suddenly tore the paper apart. Pointing at Xu Xinnian, he said angrily:

"Use torture! Use torture on me!"

The Vice Minister was taken aback. This was different from what had just been said. The prisoner hadn't even lost his composure yet, but the Vice Minister had?

The officials present subconsciously glanced at the torn pieces of paper, wondering what Xu Xinnian had written that could have made a high-ranking official so angry and hysterical.

"Look, even Your Excellency thinks I'm talking nonsense?"

Xu Xinnian shrugged and scoffed, "If you write down the time, place, people, and details of the process, and then add a fingerprint, it will prove that I bribed some butler."

"Then, my lord, no, my son, call me 'Father' and let me hear it. Everything your mother and I have done is written down clearly and plainly."

The officials looked again at the scraps of paper, seemingly knowing what was written on them.

"Use torture! Use torture on him! I will make this madman wish he were dead!" The Ministry of Justice's eyes were bloodshot.

A mere scholar dared to insult his deceased mother. A mere tribute student dared to publicly humiliate him, a Principal Fourth Rank official.

The Ministry of Justice's Blood Qi boiled instantly, his anger surging like boiling water.

"Your Excellency, please calm down. The Minister has ordered that no torture be used." An official from the Ministry of Justice hurriedly stepped forward to appease him, whispering in his ear.

"Hmph!" The Ministry of Justice took a sip of tea, forcing himself to control his anger, but he said nothing more.

The magistrate's assistant coughed, took over the interrogation duties, and asked, "Xu Xinnian, have you committed any fraud?"

Xu Xinnian replied righteously and firmly, "No, I, Xu, have always acted with integrity and have never engaged in any fraudulent activities."

Upon hearing this, Shao Yin looked at the white-robed Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy.

This man is Young Master Xu's cousin. Young Master Xu had already come to the Bureau of Astronomy this morning to warn him that everything Xu Xinnian said was true. The white-robed Warlock nodded. "He didn't lie."

Shao Yin then asked, "Was that poem 'The Road to Shu is Hard' your work?"

Xu Xinnian puffed out his chest. "This is indeed my work, though I am not very talented."

The white-robed Warlock answered mechanically, "I'm not lying."

The Vice Minister of Justice and the Ministry of Justice exchanged a glance. The former pondered and said, "This case is quite complex and has many intricate details. Perhaps we should postpone the trial for another day?"

The Minister of Ministry of Justice nodded. "Good."

The two left the prison and went into a side hall, where they drank tea and talked.

"As expected, the Bureau of Astronomy is indeed favoring Xu Xinnian," the Ministry of Justice said in a deep voice.

The deputy magistrate of the prefectural government smiled but remained silent. In the "examination cheating case," the prefectural government adopted a wait-and-see attitude, going with the flow.

"There's no need to summon the Warlock from the Bureau of Astronomy today," said the Ministry of Justice.

"Yes." Shao Yin nodded.

The next day, the Vice Magistrate of the Prefectural Government came to the Ministry of Justice to participate in the interrogation of the criminal Xu Xinnian, but was led by an official to see Minister Sun.

"Please have a seat, Lord Shao Yin," Minister Sun greeted him with a smile as he sat in the large chair.

"This humble servant greets Your Excellency, Minister." The Junior Magistrate bowed and then took his seat.

Minister Sun took a sip of hot tea, held the teacup, and said with emotion, "His Majesty attaches great importance to this case, and has repeatedly ordered us to find out the truth as soon as possible."

"Now that Zhao Tingfang's housekeeper has confessed, all we need to do is get Xu Xinnian to talk, and the case will be closed. Don't you agree?"

The junior official straightened his back and said somewhat reservedly, "If the Minister refuses to use torture, how can Xu Xinnian possibly confess?"

Minister Sun said with a smile, "It's not always necessary to use torture to get someone to confess."

Shao Yin understood immediately, but then looked troubled.

Minister Sun smiled gently, "No rush, no rush. Go back and ask Prefect Chen before making a decision."

The junior magistrate returned to the government office and relayed Minister Sun's words to Prefect Chen.

Without the slightest hesitation, Prefect Chen replied, "Very well, we'll do as Minister Sun says."

Shao Yin hesitated, saying, "My lord, this is against the rules. What if Xu Xinnian is innocent?"

Prefect Chen sat behind his desk and sneered, "Xu Xinnian is innocent or not is irrelevant; he's just a nobody. What those people want is 'evidence,' not the truth."

"With evidence of their crimes, they can fight each other in court; with evidence of their crimes, they can claim to be in the right. His Majesty will also think they are right. Tomorrow, there will be a show to watch in court."

"If we don't agree, this case will be stuck here, and you won't be able to bear the consequences."

What could Shao Yin say? He simply cupped his hands and said, "Your insight is profound, sir."

Prefect Chen shook his head. "It's strange that Duke Wei didn't take action. Send Lü Qing to the Nightwatchers's office and subtly inform Xu Qi'an about this matter."

After leaving the government office, the Vice Magistrate went to the Ministry of Justice, but still did not interrogate the criminals. He simply relayed Prefect Chen's reply to Minister Sun.

Minister Sun smiled with satisfaction, "Minister Shao Yin, after this case is concluded, I will be hosting a banquet at my residence. I hope you will attend. There are a few officials who would like to get to know you."

The next day, at the crack of dawn.

The civil and military officials remained silent and passed through the Meridian Gate in an orderly manner to attend the court assembly.

Fifteen minutes later, Xu Qi'an, dressed in the uniform of Nightwatchers, slowly approached. To his left was Huaiqing, dressed in a plain palace dress, as ethereal and aloof as a fairy in a painting.

On the right is Lin'an, dressed in a fiery red dress, charming and alluring, with captivating eyes.

"How confident are you?" Huaiqing tilted his head and looked at Xu Ningyan beside him.

Xu Qi'an bowed towards the sky and murmured, "May Wu Wu Kai bless us."

P. S.: I'm going to take a nap now, I'm so sleepy, my eyes are almost closing. I'll update the second chapter when I wake up, it will definitely be after midnight, so please don't wait up for me.