On the journey escorting Shen Que back to Chang’an from Lingnan, Cui Xun deliberately avoided the main roads, choosing smaller paths instead. Despite this precaution, they still encountered two direct attacks and three assassination attempts. The most dangerous occurred before they could join up with the main Investigation Department forces, when they were passing through the ancient Western Capital road and encountered several hundred black-clad assassins in a dense forest at night. However, when these assassins charged out, Cui Xun seemed prepared, calmly ordering his soldiers to form defensive formations. After the assassins failed to break through several times and were about to charge again, they suddenly discovered a mass of soldiers surging from behind them. The encirclers became the encircled, the ambushers became the ambushed, and they found themselves like turtles trapped in a jar.
It turned out that since Cui Xun departed from Chang’an, he had been carefully observing the surrounding terrain along the way. With his excellent memory, after arriving at the Guizhou Post Station, he had drawn an entire map of the terrain from Guizhou to Chang’an, anticipating every possibility. He had expected an ambush in the dense forest, so he deliberately split half his soldiers to delay the march, waiting for the assassins to reveal themselves before closing the trap.
His command was decisive, showing the bearing of a great strategist. From this, Li Ying caught a glimpse of his brilliance from six years ago. If not for the events of six years past, he would likely be a spirited young commander now, rather than the Deputy Chief of the Investigation Department entangled in the intricate power games of Chang’an.
Under siege, the assassins knew escape was impossible. They all bit into poison pills hidden in their teeth and died, leaving not a single survivor. Such thoroughness without a backup plan clearly showed they were well-trained.
Cui Xun wasn’t surprised by this. Standing among the corpses, he lifted the black cloth covering the prisoner’s cart and calmly said to Shen Que: “Your accomplices are trying every means to kill you. Are you sure you still want to keep secrets from them?”
Shen Que didn’t even bother to look at the corpses on the ground. He just sneered: “They may not be good people, but compared to you, Cui Xun, I hate you more. I won’t do anything that pleases you, but I will do things that displease you.”
The venom in Shen Que’s words was almost overflowing. If in Chang’an he had merely hated Cui Xun because of the Heavenly Might Army case, now his emotions had become even more complex. He laughed coldly: “If you want me to talk, you can make Sheng Ah’man come beg me!”
He glanced sideways at Cui Xun and taunted: “After all, you, Cui Xun, have always been an unscrupulous villain. What’s the big deal about sacrificing a woman?”
Despite Shen Que’s insulting words, Cui Xun didn’t get angry but smiled instead, as if discovering something. His lips curved into a mocking smile: “So Duke Shen truly fell in love with Ah’man.”
Shen Que’s face froze. It seemed Cui Xun had hit upon his true feelings. Cui Xun found it increasingly amusing and shook his head: “You killed Ah’man’s brother and defiled her. Now you’re acting as if she betrayed you. Don’t you find that absurd?”
Shen Que was completely stunned by these words. After a long moment, he gritted his teeth and said: “Sheng Ah’man or testimony, choose one.”
Hearing this, Cui Xun just laughed lightly: “What right do you have to make me choose? Shen Que, no matter how deeply you show your feelings, Ah’man will never forgive you. After you die, she won’t remain faithful to your memory either. Rest assured, she will live well.”
Shen Que’s eyes had turned bloodshot. Cui Xun didn’t want to pay him any more attention and let the black cloth drop. He could hear Shen Que shaking the wooden bars of the prisoner’s cart and cursing madly: “You’re lying! She’s carrying my child! How could she be so heartless toward me? Cui Xun! You’re lying! Lying!”
But Cui Xun had already boarded the carriage. The rumbling of the carriage wheels and the clop of horse hooves shut out Shen Que’s curses. He closed his eyes, feeling extremely fatigued, so much so that he didn’t even notice when Li Ying took his hand.
Li Ying gently held his fingers and softly asked: “When Shen Que reaches Chang’an, will he still refuse to confess?”
Cui Xun slowly opened his eyes. The exhaustion from constant vigilance against assassins over the past days, along with tonight’s fierce battle, made his body increasingly weak. As soon as he boarded the carriage, it seemed all strength had left his body. He nodded: “Shen Que is stubborn by nature. When he hated the Empress Dowager, he hated her for twenty-nine years, constantly plotting to harm her life. If he loves Ah’man, he treats me as an enemy and would rather die than forgive Ah’man’s betrayal. So even torture might not make him talk.”
Li Ying carefully examined Cui Xun’s hand, noticing that his palm had grown colder and the blue veins on the back of his hand were more visible. Li Ying sighed softly: “You disregarded your health to escort Shen Que from Lingnan. If Shen Que insists on not confessing, what should we do?”
She had also heard what Shen Que had said earlier. Shen Que wanted Cui Xun to choose between Ah’man and testimony, meaning that if Ah’man went to beg him, he would confess. But this method was one Cui Xun would never use, and even she wouldn’t suggest it to him.
Ah’man had already suffered enough in her life. If the price of obtaining testimony was sacrificing Ah’man, then that testimony would have “humiliation” written between every line. Even the fifty thousand soldiers in the City of Unjust Death waiting for justice would never want to bear such humiliation.
For a moment, Cui Xun couldn’t think of a way to make Shen Que confess. He pressed his thin lips together and said: “Let’s wait until we reach Chang’an to decide.”
Several days after leaving the ancient Western Capital road, the main force of the Investigation Department caught up with Cui Xun. With the addition of the five hundred elite soldiers borrowed from Guizhou, the rest of the journey could be said to be completely safe. Even so, Cui Xun remained extremely cautious. To prevent poisoning, he had rabbits test Shen Que’s food first. Although Shen Que repeatedly refused to confess, this was the closest Cui Xun had come to obtaining justice in six years, and he would not give up.
After more than ten days of arduous travel, the prisoner’s cart carrying Shen Que finally reached Chang’an. Commoners waited on Zhuque Street, craning their necks, all wanting to see the current miserable state of this once arrogant royal relative. But to their disappointment, the prisoner’s cart was covered with black cloth, and they couldn’t see anything at all.
In front of the prisoner’s cart was an elegant four-horse carriage. He Shisan and other youths squeezed through the crowd, pointing and discussing:
“Is that Shen Que who harmed Brother Sheng inside the prisoner’s cart?”
“Seems like it.”
“Why did that traitor go to Lingnan to escort him?”
“Who knows? I heard they don’t get along.”
“That traitor took this assignment just to settle a personal grudge, right?”
“Definitely.”
Just as the youths were speaking gleefully, their heads were suddenly struck heavily with a folding fan. He Shisan clutched his head and turned around angrily, but his expression changed when he saw who it was. He smiled and said, “Brother Yu, it’s you?”
Since Yu Fuwei had sent medicine to He Shisan last time, He Shisan didn’t want to owe him a favor and often went to his mansion to deliver fish or game he had caught. Coming and going, they became familiar with each other. He Shisan now called him “Brother Yu,” showing that he respected Yu Fuwei like an elder brother. Yu Fuwei asked: “Who were you just saying was settling a personal grudge?”
“That traitor,” He Shisan said with a grin. “No wonder he went to Lingnan. It turns out he didn’t get along with Shen Que and went to settle a score.”
Yu Fuwei said seriously, “You’re mistaken. If he truly went to Lingnan for personal revenge, why is the prisoner’s cart covered with a black cloth? Shouldn’t he have removed the black cloth and thoroughly humiliated Shen Que in front of the people?”
He Shisan was stunned: “Well… maybe the Empress Dowager and His Majesty told him to do so.”
Yu Fuwei said, “If the Empress Dowager and His Majesty have already put Shen Que in a prisoner’s cart, would they care about a piece of black cloth?”
He Shisan was also confused: “Then why did he cover it with a black cloth?”
Yu Fuwei said, “Because he wants to investigate Sheng Yunting’s case and doesn’t want to cause unnecessary complications over such trivial matters. It can only be said that compared to the official business he needs to handle, he has never considered his grudges.”
He Shisan seemed to half-understand but still said: “Alright, Brother Yu, we’ll admit we misjudged him this time.”
Yu Fuwei nodded and let He Shisan and the others continue watching the spectacle while he turned into a secluded area. Li Ying was already waiting for him there. Yu Fuwei sighed: “I’m a merchant who’s not doing business but instead is here defending Cui Xun. If word got out, it would be truly laughable.”
Li Ying smiled gently: “Thank you, Mr. Yu.”
She hadn’t entered Chang’an City with Cui Xun but had gone in herself first. After not seeing Yu Fuwei for quite some time, he had been eagerly waiting for her at the city gate. While the two were chatting, they watched the prisoner’s cart enter the city. During this time, Li Ying heard He Shisan and others mocking Cui Xun and felt quite uncomfortable. So she asked Yu Fuwei to help clarify things for Cui Xun. The last part of what Yu Fuwei said just now was specifically what Li Ying had asked him to convey.
Yu Fuwei said, “There are too many people in this world who misunderstand him. How many can you convince?”
“Convincing one is one,” Li Ying replied.
Hearing these words, Yu Fuwei couldn’t help but look up at Li Ying. During this journey to Lingnan, she and Cui Xun must have experienced some unforgettable events, which made her unable to tolerate even He Shisan’s idle talk. Yu Fuwei smiled bitterly to himself. He shifted his gaze and looked at the four-horse carriage slowly driving away on Zhuque Street. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh.
The prisoner’s cart proceeded to the Investigation Department.
Cui Xun, supporting his ailing body, went directly to the palace. His Majesty summoned the ministers to discuss Shen Que’s case. Whether the case was handed over to the Investigation Department or to the Court of Judicial Review, the other side would not be satisfied. After deliberation, it was decided that the Investigation Department, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate would jointly hear the case, while Shen Que would be imprisoned in the Censorate’s jail, jointly guarded by the Investigation Department and the Court of Judicial Review.
Shen Que’s case had spread to every corner of Chang’an and could be said to be the focus of public attention. Commoners always loved stories of revenge and justice. A handsome, noble young man kills a beautiful young woman’s brother; the beautiful young woman submits to her enemy, lurking by his side for months until finally obtaining evidence, then travels thousands of miles back to Chang’an to ring the Grievance Bell and file a complaint to His Majesty. This story, even without embellishment, was exceptionally dramatic.
The fervent discussions grew increasingly intense, and the three departments dared not be negligent. They set the interrogation of Shen Que for two days later.
Two days later, at the Censorate, the three departments convened for the joint hearing.
In the great hall, Shen Que’s chains had been removed. He stood proudly, with Yang Heng kneeling beside him. On the table lay the sword from the night he killed Sheng Yunting, as well as his blood-stained armor.
Yang Heng had already confessed. He admitted that six years ago, Shen Que had led them to kill Sheng Yunting and had instructed him to bury the sword and armor. Now, with both witness and physical evidence present, Shen Que could not deny it.
But Shen Que maintained a haughty expression and said just three words: “I don’t admit!”