Being in the great hall of the forbidden palace, right under His Majesty’s nose, Ruyi never expected someone would dare make a move. Before she could cry out, a numbing sensation spread throughout her entire body.

Qingyi’s situation was identical to hers. Both stood behind stone pillars at the very back of the great hall. It was one thing for the officials in front not to notice, but the imperial guards watching them from behind didn’t even lift an eyelid.

Shen Qiyuan was describing matters concerning the civilian black market, detailing Xu Houde’s process of establishing the black market and how many lives were on his hands. Each word fell with resounding force, shocking the entire hall.

The next step would be to bring forward the witnesses.

Xu Houde glanced toward the back of the hall and suddenly sneered: “Lord Shen tells quite a story, but the evidence is truly insufficient. Even these witnesses are half-dead – could it be they were tortured into false confessions to slander me?”

Shen Qiyuan was slightly stunned. He turned his head to look back and saw Liu Ruyi and Zheng Qingyi both looking dazed, their backs trembling as they knelt.

He frowned in confusion.

They had been fine just moments ago, yet in an instant, they had become like this.

The sovereign on the throne was also puzzled: “They look like they’re about to faint.”

“Everyone in Lin’an knows that Lord Shen’s Ministry of Justice prison is a place that devours people without spitting out bones. I don’t know these two people at all, yet they were brought here as witnesses – they must have suffered considerable torture.” Xu Houde spoke with deep implication.

Zhou Tingchuan felt somewhat angry. Wasn’t this saying their lord had tortured them into false confessions to frame him? Even at this point, how dare he!

—Xu Houde truly dared.

As soon as he received the news, he made arrangements. Even if Shen Qiyuan brought the witnesses into the great hall, one needle of rapid paralysis grass would render them unable to speak clearly or stand straight. Within a quarter hour, these two would die before His Majesty, and Shen Qiyuan’s crime of murdering witnesses to frame imperial relatives would be unshakeable even by thunder.

Xu Houde couldn’t help but curl his lips.

What divine case-solving ability, what incorruptible integrity – today, he would make this young upstart who dared investigate him utterly disgraced.

Zhou Tingchuan anxiously crouched down and shook Qingyi: “Lady Zheng, you are before His Majesty – how can you not speak a word?”

Qingyi mumbled something incoherently, completely incomprehensible.

The previously one-sided situation suddenly seemed to have a turning point. Those usually friendly with Xu Houde now stood up one after another, accusing Shen Qiyuan of plotting treachery and calling the National Uncle truly wronged.

Amid the chaotic clamor, the sovereign was also somewhat troubled: “Minister Shen, this…?”

Shen Qiyuan’s face darkened. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the sound of golden bells.

He turned his head with slight surprise, just in time to see the three golden bells hanging from Ruyi’s hair ornament, gently swaying with a pleasant tinkling sound.

Looking down further, those lazy, long eyes had also opened, glancing at him with playful amusement.

When their gazes met, his throat loosened, and an emotion surged up with it, making his chest pound thunderously.

She was fine?

“This humble woman Liu pays respects to our dynasty’s Sacred Lord. May His Majesty live for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years, with blessed longevity and eternal health.” She touched her forehead to the back of her hand, prostrating fully to the ground.

The arguing voices in the hall suddenly ceased.

The sovereign became interested: “You are Lady Liu. Minister Shen says that though you are a woman, you dare investigate murder cases and accuse imperial relatives – you have the courage of an undefeatable warrior.”

Oh?

Ruyi stealthily glanced at Shen Qiyuan from the corner of her eye.

Not half a kind word to her face, yet praising her like this behind her back?

Shen Qiyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable and bowed: “Now that the witness has arrived, please, Your Majesty, conduct the inquiry.”

Xu Houde stared in disbelief.

The Lady Liu before him still had a red mark on the back of her neck from the silver needle – she had been given rapid paralysis grass. How could she be completely unaffected?

She even calmly and unhurriedly finished answering the sovereign’s questions: “What this humble woman has personally experienced contains not half a false word. Please, Your Majesty, make a clear judgment.”

With witnesses confirming that the black market truly existed and was indeed a den of murder when deals went wrong, the sovereign’s face darkened as he glared at Xu Houde. Xu Houde looked aggrieved and was about to argue further.

Qingyi at the side was still not fully conscious, swaying as he fell toward her.

Ruyi supported him, and the movement is completely natural.

However, with this support, Qingyi recovered his spirits, kneeling upright as if awakening from a great dream.

“Your Majesty, this commoner Zheng can testify that what the previous witness said was not false. I also have several confessions and evidence to present.” He kowtowed, saying, “I only ask Your Majesty, considering my aged mother, to mercifully spare this commoner the death penalty!”

Xu Houde’s face finally turned pale.

“No, impossible.” He murmured, “This is impossible.”

One person’s awakening might be an accident, but both people recovering after being poisoned – how could that be explained?

He went over it in his mind again and again, confirming he had made no errors, and his gaze fixed deadly on the Lady Liu ahead.

“There’s something wrong with her.”

Xu Houde looked toward the sovereign: “Your Majesty, there’s something wrong with her! She’s not ordinary – perhaps she’s some kind of demon!”

Having read the confessions and seals that Qingyi presented, along with the various iron-clad evidence Shen Qiyuan had collected, the sovereign looked at him with growing disappointment: “Even now, how dare you still argue?”

“No, I can accept the charges, but this matter is suspicious, Your Majesty.” Xu Houde pointed at Liu Ruyi, “This woman was struck by rapid paralysis grass, yet completely unaffected. How could mortal flesh be capable of this? Your Majesty knows the power of rapid paralysis grass!”

“Audacious!” The sovereign was deeply angered.

Xu Houde quickly prostrated himself: “This subject misspoke, but this subject is considering Your Majesty’s safety. Please, Your Majesty, first investigate this woman.”

Ever since the astrologers had predicted his imperial destiny, the sovereign had deeply believed in supernatural matters. Since gods existed in this world, naturally, there would also be demons and monsters.

The sovereign’s gaze couldn’t help but waver.

Shen Qiyuan’s brow furrowed slightly: “Your Majesty has read countless people – surely you don’t believe such evasive words?”

“Whether it’s evasion or not, one examination will tell. What is Lord Shen afraid of?” Xu Houde retorted sarcastically.

Shen Qiyuan clenched his hands, his expression displeased.

Great Qian’s practices of summoning gods and expelling ghosts were very prevalent, and some talismans were truly effective against demons.

He couldn’t help but glance at her from the corner of his eye.

This person was strange and clever, extraordinarily sharp – perhaps…

However, in his line of sight, Ruyi’s face was pale, her eyes darting left and right as if panicked.

Indeed, with high ministers and imperial clan members all present, what methods could she have?

Shen Qiyuan’s jaw tightened.

“Someone come.” The sovereign finally spoke, “Take these two witnesses through the Water Gate.”

The Water Gate consisted of two dragon-carved pillars in the square outside the treasure hall, with water gushing forth imbued with talismans – demons would inevitably be revealed upon contact.

Ruyi turned her head, looking at Shen Qiyuan with pitiful eyes.

Just watch her go like this?

Reason told her that Shen Qiyuan could only watch her go. After all, no matter how capable he was, taking action in front of so many people would have endless consequences. Moreover, given his heavenly mandate, he protected the common people but not evil beings.

But she still blinked, looking pitiful and wronged.

I came to testify for you – won’t you protect me?

The person before her seemed to be hesitating, his lowered eyelashes trembling slightly.

However, she was led away from in front of him, her dress sweeping past his crimson purple official robe, stepping over the threshold, walking down the steps, kneeling on the square paved with bluestone, water imbued with talismans splashing onto her dress.

Throughout all this, he still did not move.