Li Cheng hadn’t expected Gong Shilin to come out, much less that he would be willing to go with him to the Capital Judicial Bureau.

He had originally thought that either Left Premier Gong had already hidden him away, or he had already left the capital.

Who would have thought that the two of them would now be standing face to face like this?

Li Cheng’s hand inside his robe involuntarily tightened.

As for Gong Shilin, he had already prepared himself for death.

He didn’t want to flee anymore.

Didn’t want to hide anymore.

Because for him, every single minute and second would be endless torture.

Just as he said he would go with Li Cheng to the Capital Judicial Bureau, Left Premier Gong strode forward quickly and grabbed his arm in one swift motion, yanking him backward with force.

He commanded sternly, “This has nothing to do with you, step back!”

His eyes were sharp.

He couldn’t let anything happen to his son!

But Gong Shilin didn’t listen to him. “Father, at this point, I must make this trip to the Capital Judicial Bureau.”

“Did you not hear what I said? I told you to step back, so step back. In any case, no one is taking you away today.” Left Premier Gong was almost roaring.

“Your son’s mind is made up!”

“Shut up…”

“Father, I know what I’m doing, and I know what I’ll be facing.”

Left Premier Gong was so angry his teeth were clenched. He raised his hand, preparing to strike his face, but when his hand was raised in midair, it suddenly froze!

His palm felt as if it were burning.

Yet it trembled violently.

In the end, Left Premier Gong clenched his fist tightly, swinging his arm down forcefully, but ultimately didn’t strike.

His eyes contained tears, his face full of wrinkles.

His entire body couldn’t help but tremble.

And that tightly clenched fist had veins bulging prominently.

It was as if in this moment, he had aged more than ten years!

Gong Shilin looked at his father, feeling overwhelming guilt and heartache.

But he had been hiding for six years already!

He didn’t want to continue hiding.

“Father, your son is unfilial! But things have already come to this. I must make this trip. No matter what the outcome, I accept it willingly.” He persisted.

Left Premier Gong was both furious and heartbroken.

However, in front of everyone, he still couldn’t lose his dignity.

He tried his utmost to restrain that emotion in his heart.

He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak a single word.

Finally, Gong Shilin had already taken a step forward, walking outside.

Seeing this, the guards from the Capital Judicial Bureau all stepped aside to both sides.

The armed guards in the premier’s residence also withdrew together, clearing a path for him to walk.

No one dared to block him.

Li Cheng then led his people away as well.

Naturally, Left Premier Gong and Marquis Pingyang also went along to the Capital Judicial Bureau.

Two incense sticks’ time later, inside the Capital Judicial Bureau, the court session began.

The atmosphere was completely solemn.

The officials inside all held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

Every single one of them had grave expressions!

Li Cheng, dressed in his official robes, sat behind the square table on the raised platform with imposing authority.

Above his head hung a plaque inscribed with the characters “Bright and Fair Virtue.”

In the center of the hall, Gong Shilin stood.

His expression was calm, revealing nothing.

Dressed in plain robes, he appeared frail and delicate.

Who would believe that such a handsome, refined scholar could be the murderer who killed Du Mubai?

On the left side of the great hall, Left Premier Gong sat with furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, his two hands gripping the chair’s armrests tightly.

On the opposite side, on the right side of the great hall, Marquis Pingyang had also taken his seat.

Unlike Left Premier Gong, his heart was seized with anxiety!

After a long moment, Li Cheng finally spoke. “Gong Shilin, this official has sent people to investigate and confirmed that the murder case of Nansheng scholar Du Mubai six years ago is related to you, and we already have direct evidence. Now I ask you, do you have anything to say? Anything to defend yourself with?”

Hearing this, Gong Shilin’s eyes flickered slightly.

His gaze fixed on the ground before him, and he didn’t speak for a long time.

He didn’t want to defend himself!

But—

“Where is the evidence? Present it then.” Left Premier Gong spoke up.

His eyes glared fiercely at Li Cheng, as if burning with fireballs.

Li Cheng then said, “Previously, we have already learned the perpetrator’s method and process of committing the crime. According to the autopsy results obtained by that Young Master Ji, there were three identical and equidistant protrusions on Du Mubai’s back ribs, as if he had collided with something similar to door studs. After investigation, we finally found that place—it was a bronze tripod bell! And the bronze tripod bell was located in an abandoned pavilion! Beside it was also a lake. To reach that place, one must pass through the small alley in front. I have already questioned the beggar at the alley entrance. The beggar said that on the day Du Mubai died, he indeed saw him go in. This proves that the murderer and Du Mubai met face to face in that pavilion…”

He explained in full detail how the murderer had drugged Du Mubai unconscious and how he transported him to the grove across the way.

As well as how the murderer disguised himself as Du Mubai and used the height of the rope to create confusion—he made everything clear.

Such a meticulous murder process could indeed be conceived by someone as clever as Gong Shilin.

After hearing all this, Gong Shilin, standing in the center of the hall, remained extremely calm.

Because he had personally experienced all of this.

Li Cheng then spoke of the murderer’s method for transporting Du Mubai into the literary hall. “The murderer knew that every year before the imperial examinations, many literary masters and wealthy young masters would box up books they no longer needed and send them to the literary hall for those scholars who usually couldn’t even afford to buy books. The murderer took advantage of this. That evening, he hid Du Mubai in a large book crate and transported him in through the back door. After he disguised himself as Du Mubai and entered, he then moved the real Du Mubai out of the crate and created the false impression of him hanging himself to create confusion! However, despite all his calculations, he still miscalculated one thing…”

As he spoke, he glanced at his guard.

The guard then presented the patterns and designs that Ji Yunshu had previously drawn on paper, along with a book.

Li Cheng held up the book. “It’s this book!”

Gong Shilin raised his head, looking at the somewhat worn book gripped tightly in his hand.

Li Cheng’s gaze fixed on him as he asked, “This book—you should be familiar with it, right?”

“It’s mine.” He said flatly.

“Then you probably never imagined that it was precisely because of this ordinary book that we were able to identify the murderer.” Li Cheng opened the book, turning to the page with the imprint, showing it to him. “You probably didn’t even notice this imprint yourself! Perhaps you don’t even know what it is! But this imprint has already been reconstructed by that Young Master Ji. This is not a footprint, nor any other kind of mark, but rather an impression made by a seal stamp.”

Having said this, he picked up a piece of paper before him.

On the paper, four characters were written prominently and clearly: Han Chang Jian Yin!

Beside it was also a flower whose name couldn’t be called out.

Gong Shilin’s face still showed no expression.

But these four large characters and that single flower struck Left Premier Gong like a thunderbolt.

He slapped the chair and stood up. “What… can this possibly prove?”