“Isn’t this obvious? My sister sent Huasheng to spy on the Li residence at night, and Huasheng ended up dead on the street. Could it be that Huasheng committed suicide?” Prince Gong of Xijiang took over the conversation.

“Suicide?” Minister of Justice Kou Xingze seriously pondered this.

Xijiang people had such thick skin – this possibility didn’t seem very likely. But if they could conclude it was suicide, that would save a lot of trouble.

Prince Gong of Xijiang’s mouth twitched in anger.

He had only made a small sarcastic remark, but this old fellow was considering it seriously.

Regardless, Huasheng’s death is connected to the Li residence. This prince hopes Minister Kou will immediately send people to bring the Li residence’s people for questioning.”

The Left Censor-in-Chief spoke up: “Your Highness, your country’s warrior spying on a young lady’s residence at night – that’s inappropriate, isn’t it?”

If he were Li the Scholar or Marquis Guanjun, seeing such a person in the middle of the night, he’d also beat him to death with clubs first.

“Even if it was inappropriate, does that justify using private punishment?” Princess of Xijiang lifted her sleeve to wipe tears. “I harmed Huasheng. I only instructed him to go in and see if Miss Li was studying by candlelight at night, to resolve my doubts. Who knew it would cost him his life?”

Princess of Xijiang questioned the Left Censor-in-Chief through teary eyes: “Is this how Great Liang treats human life so carelessly? Even if Huasheng was wrong, his crime didn’t deserve death. If this matter is truly related to the Li residence, we were at fault first and aren’t thinking of demanding a life for a life, but the Li residence should at least give us an explanation.”

“This—” The several men looked at each other after hearing Princess of Xijiang’s words.

Breaking into someone’s residence at night and being discovered and killed by the homeowner wasn’t unheard of. Usually, it was a case of the people not reporting and officials not investigating, but if there was a plaintiff filing charges, it indeed needed to be investigated, especially when it involved another country.

“Then let’s first ask Scholar Li to come and inquire about the situation.” Kou Xingze raised his eyelids. “Everyone, please sit for now. I’ll go give instructions to Vice Minister Yang.”

Kou Xingze paced outside, looked up at the overcast sky, and sighed.

“Sir, you were looking for me?” Vice Minister of Justice Yang Yunzhi hurried over.

“This matter has gotten entangled with Scholar Li’s family.” Kou Xingze explained the situation, then instructed: “Send another person to Marquis Guanjun’s residence, explain our current understanding of the situation to Marquis Guanjun, and ask him to come to the Ministry of Justice office.”

“Sir, rest assured. I’ll arrange this immediately.”

Morning light poured into Xingzi Alley on West Street, opening the day’s curtain.

The fried dough stick stall at the mouth of Xingzi Alley was already surrounded by people. With one hand holding fried dough sticks wrapped in oil paper and the other holding freshly made soy milk, they were animatedly discussing last night’s murder case.

Chen Guang got up early and asked Qiao Zhao for leave, preparing to go to Marquis Guanjun’s residence to report last night’s events. He had just reached the alley entrance when he heard the discussions and froze.

What? That three-inch nail was dead? This was impossible. Having followed the general for so long, if he couldn’t even control his strength to this extent, he wouldn’t be fit to continue.

What? He was killed by throat-cutting?

Hearing this, Chen Guang’s expression became serious.

Throat-cutting – ordinary people didn’t have such methods.

He pretended nothing was wrong and walked forward, stopping to buy soy milk and fried dough sticks when passing the stall. In this short time, he got a general understanding of the situation. After leaving Xingzi Alley, he ran as fast as he could.

“You’re saying last night the Xijiang warrior was preparing to climb the wall, you knocked him unconscious and threw him on the street, and now that person has died from throat-cutting?”

“Yes. This subordinate thought that since he was from Xijiang, if we killed him, that Xijiang prince would definitely make a fuss, so we just gave him a thorough beating. Who knew he would die?” Chen Guang worried and scratched his hair. “General, did this subordinate cause you trouble?”

Shao Mingyuan glanced at Chen Guang coolly, a thin layer of ice forming in his eyes: “Next time, anyone who breaks into the Li residence at night, kill them directly. Why is a personal guard like you worrying about so many idle concerns?”

His subordinates were responsible for killing, he was responsible for the aftermath – this cooperation had no problems at all. Chen Guang needed discipline.

Thinking of a man wanting to sneak into the Li residence in the middle of the night with designs on Qiao Zhao, Shao Mingyuan’s killing intent surged. Then, thinking of the person who had cut the Xijiang warrior’s throat, he felt annoyed.

If he hadn’t guessed wrong, the real murderer’s target wasn’t Zhaozhao, but him.

This move of being the mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waited behind was meant to drag him into this muddy water.

What was the other party’s purpose? To make him oppose the Xijiang delegation? What benefit could the other party gain from this?

Shao Mingyuan pondered silently. Hearing his guard report that someone from the Ministry of Justice office had come, he headed to the Ministry of Justice with Chen Guang.

As Shao Mingyuan reached the hall entrance, he heard Li Guangwen angrily shouting: “What? You, a Xijiang princess, actually sent a grown man to break into my daughter’s boudoir at night? Minister Xing, is there even a need to ask me about this? Just expel the instigator from our Great Liang.”

Were all these heads of the Three Judicial Offices just freeloaders? Taking salaries without doing proper work.

Kou Xingze’s feelings toward Li Guangwen were somewhat complex.

Originally, Marquis Guanjun was his granddaughter’s husband-to-be, but now Marquis Guanjun was engaged to this blockhead’s daughter, and he still had to give this blockhead some face. This didn’t feel good.

Kou Xingze didn’t want to speak, so the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had to explain: “Scholar Li, the key point isn’t this – that Xijiang warrior who spied on the Li residence is dead.”

“Dead?” Li Guangwen let out a breath of relief, his face showing a smile like a clear breeze and bright moon. “Just hearing that someone broke into our house at night made me so angry, I didn’t hear the rest. Since the person is dead, I won’t pursue a dead man’s responsibility.”

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the others’ lips moved, but they didn’t know what to say.

Prince Gong of Xijiang sneered: “Scholar Li, our man just died like this. Shouldn’t your residence explain?”

“An explanation?” Li Guangwen widened his eyes in confusion. “I didn’t tell him to go sneaking around in the middle of the night. What explanation can I give?”

“You—” Prince Gong of Xijiang encountered this type of official for the first time and was choked speechless.

“But your Li residence killed someone. Do you think you can just let this matter pass?” Princess of Xijiang interjected.

Only then did Li Guangwen glance at the Princess of Xijiang, frowning: “Where’s the evidence? You sent someone to sneak around our house, so our residents killed him? Maybe some chivalrous hero couldn’t stand such petty behavior and drew his sword to help when he saw injustice.”

Before Princess of Xijiang could retort, Li Guangwen curled his lips again: “Besides, didn’t you say that person was some Xijiang first warrior? Your Xijiang’s first warrior was so incompetent that he could be killed by servants in a scholar’s residence? I’m not afraid to tell you – our family is poor and only has three to five servants in total, including an old gatekeeper.”

Great Liang officials: “…” Well done!

Xijiang delegation: “…” This was a strategic misstep. We should have gone directly to Marquis Guanjun. Let’s get this fellow out of here quickly.

Outside the door, Shao Mingyuan nearly smiled, hearing his father-in-law’s eloquent speech, then lifted his foot and walked in.

The official at the door announced: “Marquis Guanjun has arrived.”