The matter of Gong Shilin killing someone quickly spread throughout the capital city like wildfire.

No one could believe that the refined, mild-tempered Young Master Gong could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing—a murderer.

As for the reason, no one knew!

However, the storytellers in the various major teahouses throughout the city told vivid and colorful tales.

Some said Gong Shilin had become murderously jealous of Du Mubai’s handsome appearance.

Some said Du Mubai had broken Gong Shilin’s beloved jade cup, yet declared that thing was just a few broken ceramic pieces, not worth much money. As the saying goes, disaster comes from the mouth, which brought upon him this fatal calamity.

Others said Du Mubai had stolen Gong Shilin’s beloved woman, thus incurring his revenge.

There were even more outrageous stories! Some said Gong Shilin was born with a preference for cut sleeves and had taken a fancy to Du Mubai, wanting to keep him as a lover on the side. But the Nansheng scholar wasn’t willing and kept mocking him relentlessly, saying he would spread the word. This enraged Gong Shilin—if he couldn’t have the “beauty,” he would destroy him, and thus murderous intent arose.

These various bizarre tales had the common people in the teahouses calling out in approval continuously.

Unable to stop themselves.

Clamoring to hear more stories.

The storytellers, receiving tips, had mouths that ran like wound-up clockwork, talking on and on.

Outrageous ones, funny ones, disgusting ones, strange and peculiar ones—basically anything they could spin, they spun.

After Song Zhi finished listening to all this gossip, he returned to the old residence and told Ji Yunshu and the others.

He sighed and said, “Those people are just too idle.”

Bai Yin laughed. “Others are idle, but aren’t you even more idle? The examination is coming up soon. You’re not in your room reviewing, not going to the bookshop to study, yet you have the leisure to go to a teahouse and listen to those loose-lipped storytellers spout nonsense.”

“You misunderstand!”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“You don’t know—right now it’s being spread everywhere. I went for a walk around the bookshop, and the people inside were also talking about it. I found it too noisy, so I could only go sit in a teahouse for a while, and just happened to hear it.” Song Zhi had an innocent expression on his face.

Bai Yin didn’t want to deal with him and rolled her eyes at him.

After hearing about this matter, Jingrong went out of the hall alone, standing under the eaves outside, gazing at the falling snow before him.

His expression was grave.

Ji Yunshu followed him out. “Are you thinking about why Gong Shilin is unwilling to reveal the reason?”

Jingrong glanced at her. “Actually, you know the reason.”

“Yes.”

“It’s related to that Miss Xing’er from the Zuiyue Pavilion?”

“I think… yes.” She said thus.

Inside the interrogation room of the Ministry of Justice’s prison, Gong Shilin was bound tightly with rope to a frame!

Before him was placed a brazier, flames flickering, illuminating this dim cell particularly red.

Inside the brazier were inserted several branding irons, the iron pieces burned bright red.

The case had been transferred from the Capital Judicial Bureau to the Ministry of Justice and was now entirely in Liu He’s charge.

Although Gong Shilin admitted to killing someone, he wouldn’t mention a single word about the reason.

However, the case files required detailed records!

Therefore, this major task also fell into Liu He’s hands.

At the time, he had also been troubled for quite a while, feeling that Director Li from the Capital Judicial Bureau was deliberately making things difficult for him. By rights, they should have interrogated everything clearly before sending the person to the Ministry of Justice. But now, they’d just thrown this difficult problem directly at him! Without even asking if he was willing? Moreover, everyone knew he had originally been an official in the Ministry of Personnel, and what he handled were evidence against corrupt officials. Where would he have experience interrogating criminals?

So he thought it over and decided to use the tricks commonly employed in all prisons—forced confession!

Perhaps it might have some effect.

Looking at the iron pieces that had been heated red, he walked before Gong Shilin, putting on a stern interrogating face, and asked, “Gong Shilin, as long as you reveal the reason, you can naturally be spared from punishment.”

Gong Shilin raised his eyes to look at him, completely unafraid. “Whatever.”

Two words that made Liu He’s heart uneasy.

Actually, he had no intention of really using torture. After all, this person was Left Premier Gong’s son.

Moreover, Gong Shilin worked at the Hanlin Academy, and the Ministry of Personnel sometimes had matters that connected to the Hanlin Academy, so the two had also had dealings.

Their relationship couldn’t be called good, but it definitely wasn’t bad.

To truly be ruthless—Liu He really couldn’t do it!

Besides, Gong Shilin’s mouth was too tight. Even if countless red marks were branded on his body, he still wouldn’t speak.

But scaring him should be okay, right?

Liu He, holding onto a thread of hope, still picked up a branding iron.

Sparks flew from the brazier.

He aimed the branding iron directly at Gong Shilin’s chest.

Gong Shilin had no desire to struggle, nor any trace of fear.

“This official asks you one more time—will you speak? Or will you not speak?”

He kept his mouth tightly shut.

Didn’t say a single word.

As the red-hot iron piece gradually approached Gong Shilin, the jailer at the side quickly stepped forward, leaning close to Liu He’s ear to say, “My lord, this cannot be done! If Left Premier Gong finds out about this, he will certainly hold someone accountable.”

Liu He’s face darkened as he glared at the jailer.

He hadn’t planned to actually brand him. Now hearing these words, his heart was quite annoyed.

There really was a moment when he wanted to brand the iron piece onto Gong Shilin’s body to see if Left Premier Gong would dare do anything to him!

But the impulsive thought was immediately suppressed by himself.

“Gong Shilin, why must you make things difficult for this official? Since you’ve already admitted to killing someone, why not reveal the reason?”

Gong Shilin said, “Director Liu, I know you are an upright official! I also don’t want to make things difficult for you. Even if I really did speak, it would certainly be lies to deceive you.”

“You are truly stubborn.”

“Perhaps.” He smiled bitterly.

Liu He sighed and ultimately put the branding iron in his hand back. “You and I are colleagues after all. I don’t want to torture you. But if you continue refusing to speak, I can only give up. At worst, the court will later place upon me the label of incompetence.”

“Director Liu, thank you.”

“Forget it, forget it.” Liu He waved his hand, ordering people to untie him.

He was escorted back to his cell.

Before Liu He left, he said to Gong Shilin in the cell, “At this point, my heart contains only the word ‘pity.'”

He left helplessly.

After returning, Liu He wrote several words in that case file—”Motive for murder unknown.”

Then he filed the case record into the dossier.

As the saying goes, a life for a life!

Since this case had been transferred to the Ministry of Justice, he naturally had to handle it according to Huyi law.

He then picked up his brush, planning to write the word “execution” at the end of this case’s dossier.

But he couldn’t bring himself to write it.

He still held onto the thought that there might be a turning point.

He also truly couldn’t bear for a literary talent like Gong Shilin to lose his head just like that.

At this moment, a minor official from outside hurriedly came to report, “My lord, Third Prince has arrived.”

With Gong Shilin in trouble, there was no reason for Tuo not to get involved.

Liu He quickly closed the dossier and went to greet him.

His heart was also somewhat panicked.

He knew about Third Prince’s relationship with Gong Shilin. If Third Prince intended to save him, it would certainly influence the judgment of the case.

Thinking of this, he wanted to learn from Director Huang back then and feign illness to avoid visitors! But right now, how could he possibly avoid him!