Investigate the facts

"teacher."

Cheng Zhijie bowed respectfully. He looked much better than when he first returned to Chang'an; his cheeks were fuller and his complexion was rosy.

Sui Chuke reluctantly followed him in bowing, deliberately avoiding Sui Zhixu.

She pretended not to see it, her mind preoccupied with the case, and immediately asked Cheng Zhijie, "How are the Yang family members?"

"Yang Siqing's youngest son went missing a couple of days ago, but he was just found today. According to the Yang family, Yang Siqing had another son who died young, so he cherished this youngest son very much."

The situation is quite clear: a group of people are using his youngest son to threaten him into changing his testimony.

Cheng Zhijie continued, sounding quite tired, "After discovering Yang Siqing's suicide this morning, the Dali Temple quickly dispatched a coroner to determine the time of his death and investigated the prison guards who approached the cell last night, but so far there has been no result."

"The Dali Temple is a bunch of useless idiots. They can't even keep an eye on a person properly. He died all night and no one noticed. They only found out he was dead when they were taking him to court early this morning." Sui Chuke cursed and rolled his eyes at the sky.

After he finished speaking, Cheng Zhijie said to Cong Lan, "Lord Ning has asked Third Madam Ning to continue the investigation, so my cousin and I will go ahead to investigate the Yang family's affairs."

Cong Lan patted Cheng Zhijie's shoulder to comfort him, "Don't be too anxious. The rumors have reached the Princess and involve the search for the Prince, so things will inevitably become more complicated. Don't panic, things will work out naturally."

Sui Zhixu stood in the corner of the hall, head bowed in thought.

There are now three testimonies.

Minister Lu confessed that he had planted people among the imperial eunuchs through Tao Li, revealing the route of the disaster relief funds to Prince Xun, who then covered it up through Yang Siqing. After the account books were lost, Minister Lu decided to frame the Pei family.

Aside from the Prince of Xuanping's covert manipulations, this is basically the whole story.

The second document is Yang Siqing's original confession, in which he detailed the plot to find the king under interrogation by the Dali Temple, and even revealed the name of the king's subordinate with whom he first met.

However, Yang Siqing did not recognize the person who was transporting the goods to Hedong at the second meeting. He recognized the person by the token of the King and handed over the disaster relief money.

Sui Zhixu felt that this step was taken by Sima Xian's people.

In his third confession, Yang Siqing recanted his confession, explaining that he had made false accusations against Xun Wang under severe torture at Dali Temple. He claimed that he and Duke Pei were from the same school, and that Duke Pei had asked him to help switch the money in Xuzhou. He also had evil intentions and embezzled the disaster relief funds.

Upon hearing that the account books were missing, he was filled with anxiety day and night. He transported the embezzled disaster relief funds to Hedong and ceased his involvement in Duke Pei's corruption.

"His wife is the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Luoyang. She has a rich dowry, and her land and shops are in good locations and doing very well. She can be described as making a fortune every day..."

Fan Lingzhang's words lingered in his mind, as did the numbers in the ledger.

"There's something wrong with your recantation!"

Sui Zhixu looked up and said, "Yang Siqing's wife is from a wealthy family in Luoyang. He has no reason to embezzle money just for the amount of silver recorded in the account books. Besides, his youngest son happened to be missing for two days. All signs indicate that he was threatened."

“What my junior sister said does confirm that Yang Siqing’s testimony is untrue, but there’s another crucial point: the Yang family refuses to testify. My cousin and I found out through the neighbors.” Cheng Zhijie smiled bitterly. “The servants didn’t utter a word about it, so they must have taken care of things.”

Yang Siqing, as the Prefect of Luozhou, was escorted here from Luoyang. His wife and children accompanied him to the capital and are now settled in an inn.

"I'm going to find Ayan." Sui Zhixu decided to go find Ning Yan; she couldn't stop here at the last minute.

We hope Ning Yan can find the person who informed Yang Siqing that his youngest son is missing.

Dali Temple

The sunlight, like scattered gold, lit up the open space outside the Dali Temple prison. Ning Yan stood in front of the prison guards, her eyes cold.

One by one, the jailers went to Puyang Kai to record his whereabouts from the previous night and the whereabouts of others he had seen.

"What's all the commotion about? Think carefully about what you did last night."

"Third Miss, if what you said is helpful, how about you treat us to a meal at Yunlai Restaurant at the end of the month? We'll do this to save our son-in-law, you know," a jailer mingling in the crowd said in a nonchalant tone.

Ning Yan glanced at him; he was one of Aye's men. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright, you've done well. Write everything down carefully; I'm comparing them. Also, think about whether it's possible that an outsider disguised themselves and came in last night."

"As Third Sister said, how could the Dali Temple let outsiders in? We know you care about Pei Sanlang, but don't worry, if they're innocent, they'll be released. If they are guilty..." The speaker chuckled, "There are plenty of young men in Chang'an, don't you all agree?"

Everyone surrounded him, laughing and joking. Then, Xu, unaware of what was wrong, walked over to Ning Yan, who had a cold expression, and whispered to her what was wrong.

Ning Yan shook her head and said loudly, "It's nothing, it's just that Lu Siqing's men are not honest."

"No matter what, if he reaches into the palace, he's doomed. The Pei family's matter is just an additional crime, punishable by the extermination of a few more clans. If the Emperor gets angry, he might wipe out all his subordinates as well."

“That’s right. The palace maid that Minister Lu contacted was beaten so badly in the Yeting Prison that her skin was torn open and her face was unrecognizable. She’s barely hanging on by a thread now,” Sui Zhixu said, following her words.

Anyway, she was telling the truth. Tao Li was on her last breath. She mentioned Consort Zhou and spoke very disrespectfully to the Emperor and Empress Dowager. But the Emperor, perhaps because Tao Li was the only one left in the palace who had served Consort Zhou, did not take her life. Instead, he sent people to treat her wounds.

I can't understand His Majesty's thoughts.

That being said, Tao Li had deep intentions, all aimed at the fates of the Lu and Pei families.

In her mind, if things succeeded, she could avenge the Imperial Concubine; if not, the Lu family would die with her.

She was not afraid of death at all; on the contrary, she looked forward to serving Empress Wenzhao.

Before the Emperor arrived, Xu was forced to listen to her ravings.

The last person she was so infatuated with was the charming grass in her home, admired by the literati of Chang'an, who wrote many poems praising it.

"It's just Yunlai Restaurant, but with my monthly salary, I can easily treat you all for a month. But if we don't live to eat there, that's another matter."

Her cold and beautiful face was magnified in front of Sui Zhixu. Pei Qingzhuo had changed a lot since being imprisoned, and her tone was much sterner.

A peony, wet with rain, seemed to appear in front of her, and she stubbornly raised her head toward the stage.

She touched Ning Yan's head and said, "I'll cover it, for a year."

"My God, did I hear that right? A year?"

"Yes, do whatever your third wife tells you to do."

She had just arrived and didn't actually know how Ning Yan had arranged things.

It's alright. I'll book Yunlailou for a year. The money transfer slip that Xiao Furong gave her a few days ago should be enough. If not, there's still the money from last time.

"How could I let you spend money?"

Ning Yan grasped her hand, her eyes shimmering with emotion. She gently rubbed it, lifting the peony's crown.

"It's much better now."

When Xu met Ning Yan's sorrowful eyes, he changed the subject, "What did you have them write?"

She caught a glimpse of the jailers all heading towards Puyang Kai and his group.

Ning Yan hit her angrily, "You don't even know what I'm doing, yet you insist on paying."

Sui Zhixu blinked, her face calm.

He waved his hand dismissively, "It's okay."

Ning Yan glared at her again and told her her thoughts.

The Court of Judicial Review is actually divided into three factions. The people under Minister Lu are also the faction that took it upon themselves to curry favor with him and had Pei Qingzhu punished with caning.

The other two factions used people commonly employed by the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and the people who negotiated with Ning Yan were the same people commonly employed by Lord Ning.

As the superior official, Minister Lu and his subordinates became arrogant among the three factions, often clashing with the other two.

The other two factions were usually on good terms, but with the downfall of Minister Lu, the new Minister of Justice will inevitably be chosen from among them.

The atmosphere between the two sides is now tense and strained.

If anyone refused to admit to dereliction of duty, Ning Yan would have them report each other.

It's easy to criticize others, but there are also plenty of fabricated stories.

Ning Yan carefully flipped through the pages, her brows furrowing with each turn.

Xu glanced at it; Puyang Kai had already simplified it as much as possible, but the paper was still filled with densely packed small characters.

She gently twirled the thin sheet of paper between her fingers. Tempted by Yunlai Tower, she began to report even the trivial matters that were usually ignored.

Some people noticed two loose flagstones on the path and missed their shift by the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Others watched ants moving house for almost half an hour, and still others spent nearly 45 minutes picking at the paint on the west wing's window frame...

No wonder they were so animated when they were talking, and each of them sat in front of Puyang Kai for quite a while.

Beneath her black eyelashes, a pair of icy eyes revealed a sense of bewilderment.

Do they consider these things something that can be recorded?

What she really wanted to say was that they found it interesting to do these things.

She originally thought that Puyang Kai would remember their speculations or even slander against others.

The dark eyes beneath the peach blossom silhouette stirred slightly in what was once a calm lake, then quickly returned to normal.

She continued to turn them over, while Ning Yan beside her was more accustomed to and better at handling them.

“It’s him.” Ning Yan’s slender white fingertips touched several pieces of paper, where densely packed small characters contained a single name.

Cao Chunfeng

“I did write his name many times.” Pu Yangkai’s eyes remained gentle and warm, and meeting his gaze easily evoked immense determination.

"Let's call them over to take a look," Sui Zhixu said calmly. "The Pei family's affairs can't be rushed."

Ning Yan nodded, a wry smile appearing on her lips. "I've been in too much of a rush lately."

Pei Qingzhuo stayed in prison for almost a month. Without Lu Siqing's obstruction, she secretly went in a few more times.

She dared not let him find out, dared not speak to him, and dared not meet the hopeful gazes of the Pei family.

Just when things were finally about to end, the witness died.

Despite all the precautions, something still happened right under our noses.

Ning Yan took a deep breath and called for someone.

"Cao Chunfeng, tell me honestly what you did last night."

"Third...Third Sister," he stammered, his eyes darting away.

He waved his hands in front of his chest and said, "I really just went to the outhouse. I really didn't do anything."

"This morning you said you only went to deliver food to Yang Siqing. You're being dishonest. I don't think you're telling the truth at all!" Ning Yan said coldly.

"Third Sister, I..."

Ning Yan stood up. Cao Chunfeng was an old man from the Dali Temple. Recalling the situation in his family, she decided to deal with it herself.

"Ah Xu, go and check on Ah Lian."

Sui Zhixu nodded and took Puyang Kai out with him.

Ning Yan met his flustered eyes, closed her eyes and sighed. Cao Chunfeng had been working at the Dali Temple since she could remember.

All beings suffer, but his suffering always comes so inexplicably.

He was 53 years old and the youngest child in his family. His parents died early, and he was raised by his older brothers and sisters who were more than ten or twenty years younger than him. He did not receive much formal education.

At the age of fifteen or sixteen, he was introduced by an old man from the Dali Temple and found a job as a helper, doing odd jobs for the Dali Temple.

Before long, his older brothers, who were more than ten years older than him, seemed to be cursed, and one after another they died of illness.

Cao Chunfeng had no money. What money could a fifteen or sixteen-year-old who had just entered the Dali Temple to do odd jobs have? The Cao family also had no money.

The elder brother's sons seemed to breathe a sigh of relief after their father's death, and there was little grief at the funeral.

When an illness lasts a long time, even loved ones stop seeing each other and become enemies instead.

The eldest sister patted Cao Chunfeng on the shoulder at the funeral, but there was nothing else she could do.

Cao Chunfeng's eldest sister married twice. She gave birth to a daughter with her first husband. She cherished the daughter but couldn't show her too much care, firstly because her ex-husband had a new bride, and secondly because her current mother-in-law disliked her.

Finally, when her daughter reached the age to be considered for marriage, she had the opportunity to go and see for herself and worry about it.

She secretly gave all her savings to that young woman as dowry, and had no money left to treat Cao Chunfeng's brothers' illnesses.

And so, Cao Chunfeng's brothers were buried in the ground in a relaxed atmosphere.

Cao Chunfeng knelt in front of the grave mound without saying a word. Money had crushed everyone. Some of his nephews were even older than him, and they were at the age to start their own families and careers. They needed money for everything they did every day.

No one can be sick indefinitely, especially someone who is already old.

Therefore, before leaving, Cao Chunfeng's brothers could only look on with their cloudy eyes and make low, gurgling sounds.

Those who die from illness are certainly not happy before they die. Cao Chunfeng watched his elder brother, who was like a father to him, grow thin and frail.

Finally, he passed away completely, letting out his last breath.

A few years later, Cao Chunfeng obtained a formal position in the Dali Temple and had more money. At the age of twenty-two, he got married to the wife of a tofu seller in the neighborhood. His wife was gentle and considerate.

The couple were inseparable at first, and those were probably some of the happiest days in Cao Chunfeng's life.

Things don't always go as planned, especially for poor families like theirs.

Cao Chunfeng's daughter went missing, and the five- or six-year-old girl was exceptionally cute, with a delicate and beautiful appearance. She wasn't afraid of people, and the neighbors all liked the Cao family's little girl.

Cao Chunfeng had few relatives throughout his life, and when he finally found someone who was connected to him by blood, he treated the young girl exceptionally well.

We named her Cao Ning, hoping she would have a peaceful and healthy life.

Everyone at the Dali Temple knew that Cao Chunfeng had a clever and intelligent young lady in his family, whom he cherished dearly.

During that period, Cao Chunfeng worked even harder at the Dali Temple. In his prime, with a beloved wife and daughter, he was full of energy and followed the young Lord Ning out to investigate cases.

During that major case, he injured his leg but also received a generous reward. When he returned home, his wife sat on the bed and cried uncontrollably.

A pair of bloodshot eyes met his hopeful eyes, which were full of anticipation for the future.

But then he heard, "A-Ning is missing."

It's gone.

His little girl has disappeared.

We can't find it anywhere; we've asked all over Chang'an. We reported it to the Dali Temple. Everyone knows Cao Chunfeng is keeping a close watch on things, and our brothers have searched diligently, but we still can't find it.

Even his wife fell ill.

Once again, but this time it was different. He had a large sum of money, but he still couldn't save his wife.

His leg injury hadn't been properly healed, and during that time it had relapsed into an old ailment. From then on, whenever it rained, his leg would ache faintly, and he would know with absolute clarity that his wife was gone, and his lover was gone too.

You can't even lie to yourself.

A certain part of his body remembered it vividly, like a brand that could never be erased.

For over twenty years, Cao Ning remained missing. Cao Chunfeng was once again penniless, just like when he first entered the Dali Temple.

He no longer followed Lord Ning in investigating cases, but continued to do odd jobs. The people of the Court of Judicial Review knew about his past, and even the people under Minister Lu rarely made things difficult for him.

"Uncle Cao, tell me, what exactly did you do last night?"

"You didn't bring food to Yang Siqing, did you?"

"Uncle Cao, tell me."

Cao Chunfeng looked up, and their eyes met. He suddenly said, "If Aning were alive, she would be a few years older than Third Sister."

He lowered his head and recounted the events of the previous night with stumbling steps.

He did not bring food to Yang Siqing. In the evening, he suddenly received news that Cao Ning had been found and that she had come to Chang'an to find him.

At this point, Cao Chunfeng's voice choked with emotion, and Ning Yan opened her mouth but couldn't utter a sound.

As expected, Cao Ning didn't exist.

Cao Chunfeng was deceived; someone delivered food to Yang Siqing in his place, inducing him to commit suicide.

Ning Yan gripped the corner of the desk, her mouth full of bitterness, "I understand, Uncle Cao, you can go now."

After Cao Chunfeng left, Ning Yan leaned against the table, looked up, and wept.

Who exactly is it?

She knew Uncle Cao; for so many years he had accepted help from others at the Dali Temple to find Cao Ning, and now, because of his negligence, Yang Siqing was dead. He felt guilty and afraid.

He wanted to speak but dared not.