The man earlier had spoken of palace secrets so clearly. Initially he hadn’t noticed, but now… He laughed coldly in his heart. This matter was probably planned by Feng and Quan together, including Du Ruoxiu before him!

The ones pointing at deer and calling them horses were them!

But did they think they could convict him with just this rotten corpse?

He looked at the corpse with disgust, gesturing with his sword, then narrowed his eyes at Du Ruoxiu: “Master Du, you say this isn’t an old corpse – how ridiculous! Could this be newly dead? Either you’re merely pretentious, unable to distinguish old from new, or you want to frame me, Wei Wujun, for something. You can randomly pick any coroner from your judicial office who can tell you this person has been dead five days. What killed him was a dagger, not a sword. I’ll let you search me to see if I carry any dagger!”

After his cold words, he heard Du Ruoxiu suddenly say: “Benefactor Zhang, Master Yunhui, Master Meng – please bear witness to what Young Master Wei just said.”

Wei Wujun froze, seeing the robust middle-aged man, plus a monk and an elderly scholar approaching.

The monk chanted a Buddhist phrase: “Monks don’t lie.”

The other two nodded: “No matter who we face, we’ll speak truthfully.”

Wei Wujun suddenly realized something, his face turning deathly pale. Then he remembered that though he’d never met Yunhui and the others, he’d heard their names – all were respected figures in the capital… He jerked his head up to see Du Ruoxiu looking at him with a seeming smile, but his eyes held a stern clarity.

“You’re absolutely right! Even a coroner needs examination before being so clear about how many days a person has been dead and what weapon killed them. With bloodstained, unclear clothing, you can definitively state the victim’s details in one breath. Second Young Master, no one wants to convict you – it’s that you’ve already committed murder. This is the youth who died here five days ago.”

“This official will now arrest you. Men!”

He spoke, and several constables quickly emerged from the crowd.

Wei Wujun laughed in extreme anger: “Benefactor’s grain distribution, empty alleys, provocation, luring me to act… what a grand performance! But not only was I speaking casually about this corpse, even if it truly were my doing, what can you do to me! My father and son’s contributions to the court – how can they compare to these few lowly lives? You… dare… arrest… me?!”

Du Ruoxiu remained calm: “The Son of Heaven breaking law is judged the same as commoners. Young Master Wei, the lives on your hands – how could it be just a few? For personal gain, from past to present, you’ve killed one hundred and twelve innocent people in total! It’s just that officials protect each other and there’s been no evidence.”

Wei Wujun said nothing more, his eyes filled with mockery, chin raised high, staring at the approaching constables.

“Who dares?” Two light words emerged from his mouth, full of danger.

His attendants immediately surged forward, swords drawn horizontally, fierce as wolves and tigers.

Du Ruoxiu said: “Arrest him and bring him back to the Judicial Office. The name of the Metropolitan Judicial Commission arose because of Feng, prospered because of Li – it cannot fail because of me!”

Those constables were assigned from the capital, not brought by Du Ruoxiu from local areas. Seeing this, they all showed fear.

“Let Six Fans Gate handle this for Master Du.”

As people were angrily protesting, a voice spoke calmly from the crowd, and four men and one woman emerged.

“Wuqing.” The leading man had a cold expression, nodding to Du Ruoxiu in an extremely brief self-introduction.

“We originated from judicial offices – all public servants following former Li Tixing’s case-handling rules: handling cases for the people, no other distinctions.”

Du Ruoxiu was both surprised and delighted, while Wei Wujun’s expression changed dramatically.

As the man’s words fell, in just the time of sparks flying, four long swords were already at the throats of Wei family soldiers.

Wuqing’s sword pointed at Wei Wujun’s heart.

Wei Residence.

Wei Chenghui was in private discussion with Wuliang when the steward hurried in.

“My Lord, trouble!”

“What matter makes you so panicked!” Wei Chenghui frowned in displeasure, but the steward still looked grave: “The Second Young Master has been arrested by the Judicial Office!”

…

“Excellent Du Ruoxiu! Excellent Six Fans Gate Wuqing!” After hearing the full account, Wei Chenghui’s face was iron-blue as he slammed the table and stood. Wuliang quickly rose saying: “My Lord, we must act quickly and immediately enter the palace to see the Emperor.”

“No!” Wei Chenghui almost immediately waved his hand, his eyes showing deep calculation: “The Emperor has just been injured by assassination. If I go disturb him now, I’d inevitably be accused of disrespect.”

“Enter the palace, yes, but I’ll go find the Empress Dowager.” After brief contemplation, he said: “There are no walls that don’t leak in the world, especially such matters that will soon reach the Emperor’s ears. Trials also need time – no problem.”

“Good.”

Wei Chenghui thought further: “But Brother Wuliang, please send several disciples to secretly protect him. This matter comes with premeditation. I fear they might somehow make my son sign confessions in prison. Though there’s no immediate danger to life, it would still be troublesome.”

“Alright, brother, rest assured. I’ll immediately have Jinglun take several experts to secretly monitor and protect.”

“Father—” As the two were talking, someone hurried in from outside.

Wei Chenghui looked to see his eldest son Wei Wuya.

He too looked anxious: “I just heard from servants that Second Brother was arrested and taken to the Judicial Office?”

This son had an honest, weak personality and was close to his illegitimate daughter Wei Wuyan. Wei Chenghui didn’t much like him, but he was still the eldest son. Knowing his brotherly affection, he patted his shoulder and grunted acknowledgment.

Wei Wuya also held military position, though not as high as Wei Wujun’s previously. He said: “Father, I’ll take some military brothers to the Judicial Office, intimidate that Du Ruoxiu so he doesn’t dare do anything to Second Brother.”

Wei Chenghui nodded: “You finally show some sense.”

Night. The Judicial Office.

This place had once become ruins, but now had been restored to its original appearance.

All faces were different, but the peach blossoms remained.

In the courtyard under moonlight, the Judicial Office’s new master Du Ruoxiu was discussing something with a man seated across from him. His brows were tightly furrowed – clearly the discussion wasn’t about anything relaxing.

“Sir, we’ve brought this person back, but the Wei family’s power is at its height. When it comes to trial, if the Emperor’s decree arrives, I fear…” the middle-aged man opposite said.

From his dress, one could tell he was like Xiao Zhou beside the previous Judicial Office master.

“Correct. We must quickly make him sign and confess, otherwise all our efforts will be wasted.” Du Ruoxiu sighed.

“Sir,” the middle-aged man suddenly made a throat-cutting gesture and lowered his voice: “Why don’t we use some methods?”

Hearing this, Du Ruoxiu’s eyes showed darkness, but then he said sternly: “No. The previous master of this Judicial Office never used torture to extract confessions, no matter what great evil the opponent was. I absolutely cannot set this precedent and taint the meaning of this office’s establishment.”

“Perhaps I have a method to help you, sir.”

Someone suddenly entered from outside the courtyard – blue robe, black boots, sword at waist. It was a Six Fans Gate constable.

Du Ruoxiu remembered this person was called Leng Xue.

“Please elaborate.” He had just spoken when the newcomer had already produced a bottle from his chest, saying softly: “Six Fans Gate specializes in dangerous Jianghu cases. What Jianghu lacks least are stubborn cases. This is Six Fans Gate’s secret formula – after drinking, with slight guidance, one will speak in detail and confess guilt.”

Du Ruoxiu’s eyes lit up: “Really?”

…

On the roof, the leading black-clothed figure made a silencing gesture to retreat to those behind. Soon, the group disappeared from the rooftop.

Moments later, they reappeared in a concealed spot by the Judicial Office prison entrance.

“Marquis Wei and Master truly had foresight. Given the current situation, I think we must first bring the Second Young Master back to Wei residence. Though it seems like fleeing, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.” The leader spoke quietly again, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

“Right, Old Ghost, we’ll listen to you.”

The man behind him spoke roughly, then waved back, and the remaining five immediately followed.

Four constables guarded outside the prison. They saw several dark shadows suddenly fall, and without even seeing clearly, cried out briefly and collapsed unconscious. One didn’t even manage to make a sound.

The group quickly filed in.

Oil lamps were embedded in the prison walls, their light dim, but one could vaguely see about twenty or thirty cells of various sizes from outside to inside, left to right. Some held multiple prisoners, some single occupants, but nearly all were occupied.

Seeing intruders, the prisoners were startled.

Then the leading black-clothed figure cupped his hands to his mouth and called: “Second Young Master.”

Footsteps came from the prison depths.

“The Second Young Master… is not here.”

As the voice lowered, three people slowly emerged from the last cell in the prison.

Still blue robes, black boots, swords at waist. One stepped forward.

The black-clothed figures’ hearts sank as they heard the other slowly speak: “Yu Mao, have you both been well?”

“We met Master Du today by chance. All being Judicial Office people, just divided by old and new, we felt great kinship and stayed as Master Du’s guests tonight, also helping him watch the door. We didn’t expect you to also come… as guests.”

He spoke the words “as guests” meaningfully, a cold gleam passing through his eyes.

What they had done to a woman – he would never forget in his lifetime!

Yu Jinglun and Mao Hui looked at each other, laughed coldly, but showed no fear, suddenly drawing swords with their fellow disciples.

…

At the same time, a black shadow avoided the Judicial Office’s many guards and slipped into a room in the back courtyard.

A person was imprisoned in this room.

He was disheveled, expression sinister. Seeing someone break in, he was slightly startled but quickly regained his usual calm, demanding quietly: “Who goes there?”

“Second Young Master, this subordinate comes on Marquis Wei’s orders to rescue you. This place is dangerous – you cannot remain!” The shadow quickly approached him, speaking in low tones.

Happy New Year! I sincerely wish everyone happiness, luck, sweetness, and joy in the new year. Previously I hastily wrote “see you the day after tomorrow,” but who knew I had things that day and didn’t finish writing… So that night I hurriedly had the moderator post a notice for everyone not to wait, but I also mentioned I’d write through the night and if I could finish that night, I’d post it. But I didn’t come out until the next evening… I thought the moderator had posted the notice, the moderator thought I’d get it out, so didn’t notify… I only learned later… So this unreliable liar without character cheated everyone again… A flood of complaints, I know everyone’s aggrieved but I’m also… During Spring Festival first to seventh day, everyone don’t wait for updates, have a happy holiday. Post-holiday updates will be according to the moderator’s announced dates. After the holiday, definitely don’t wait for updates at night either… Come refresh once during the day, and if there’s nothing, check again in a few days… I had originally planned to finish the novel before New Year, but unfortunately my estimates are always like being chewed by dogs, then I often casually mention various “when we’ll meet”… but sometimes things just don’t go as planned… Starting next chapter, Li Su’s romance will intensively explode, with restraint and without restraint, with xxx and without xxx… Anyway, it’s truly the finale now. Everyone might also find it a good choice to wait until it’s completely finished to read together… Good night.