Chapter 66 The Man in the Net (Bonus Chapter)

The team was led by a deputy commander surnamed Fang from the Imperial City Guard. She stared expressionlessly at the imperial plaque above the Cai residence, her eyes showing no emotion.

Behind her followed officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review. One of the officials from the Ministry of Justice had a livid face and his eyes were practically spitting fire as he stared at the gate of the Cai residence: her mentor was the one who had been demoted and died in despair years ago for offending Cai Mingshu.

Over the years, Li Langzhong had been extremely cautious in the Ministry of Justice, and had witnessed firsthand how Cai's faction members ostracized dissidents and manipulated criminal law. This hatred had long since seeped into his bones.

The gate slowly opened, and Cai Mingshu was still dressed in his neat official robes, his hair combed meticulously, as if he were just going to court on an ordinary day.

“Prime Minister Cai,” Deputy Commander Fang bowed, “His Majesty has decreed that you please come forward.”

The official from the Ministry of Justice couldn't help but step forward and said coldly, "His Majesty's decree is to question you, but it doesn't mean that the Cai family can stay out of it. Who knows if someone will take the opportunity to pass on information or destroy evidence?"

In my humble opinion, all members of the Cai household should be immediately detained, placed under separate custody, and thoroughly interrogated!

Before she could finish speaking, she waved her hand, signaling the Ministry of Justice officers behind her to step forward: "What are you all standing there for? Bring everyone in the mansion out, don't leave a single one out!"

"Lord Li." Another voice rang out; it was Zhou, a junior official of the Court of Judicial Review.

Zhou Shaoqing had appeared nearby at some point: "Lord Li, I understand your eagerness to solve the case, but you must also follow the procedures. His Majesty's decree is clear: we are ordered to invite people. As for whether the servants of the Cai family are involved in the case, we need evidence and we need to request assistance in the investigation according to procedures, rather than detaining them based on conjecture."

Physician Li's face flushed red: "Minister Zhou! Prime Minister Cai is involved in a shocking case. What if word gets out..."

"Precisely because this is a major case, we must be even more cautious and proceed step by step in accordance with the law. If, due to our eagerness for quick results and our arbitrary use of private justice, the case becomes unclear and complications arise, or an innocent person is wronged, can Lord Li bear this responsibility? Do the colleagues of the Imperial City Guard agree with this approach?"

Her gaze shifted to Deputy Commander Fang, who remained silent to the side.

Deputy Commander Fang raised his eyelids slightly and said calmly, "We will request the personnel as ordered. As for the rest, His Majesty will make the final decision."

This clearly demonstrates that the government does not support the radical approach of expanding the detention of Dr. Li.

Li Langzhong's chest heaved violently. She glared at Zhou Shaoqing, then glanced at the expressionless soldiers of the Imperial City Guard. Knowing that further commotion would be futile, she angrily flicked her sleeve, turned her face away, and said no more.

Zhou Shaoqing turned back to Cai Mingshu: "Prime Minister Cai, please. As for the people in the mansion, as long as they cooperate with the questioning, no one will deliberately make things difficult for them."

Cai Mingshu's gaze lingered on Zhou Shaoqing's face for a moment.

She remembered this person; he was not her student, and had even rejected an official's petition in a case, but his rejection was so well-reasoned that no one could find fault with him.

Later, the official tried to find a pretext to trip up Zhou Shaoqing, but she stopped him. It wasn't out of kindness, but because she knew that the court also needed people like him who could uphold the bottom line and act according to the rules.

"Thank you for your trouble, Zhou Shaoqing." Cai Mingshu nodded slightly, his voice a little hoarse.

She didn't look at the indignant Physician Li again, nor did she glance back into the doorway, and stepped down the stairs.

The morning breeze stirred the hem of her deep purple official robe. Her back remained straight, yet amidst the imposing armor and the multifaceted gazes, a sense of desolation emanated from her.

As Cai Mingshu sat in the unmarked carriage, she leaned against the side wall and slowly closed her eyes.

The wheels rolled, grinding over the bluestone pavement, making a monotonous rumbling sound.

Those who hate her hate her deeply and specifically; those who follow the rules are not trying to excuse her, but simply adhering to that cold and necessary line.

Throughout her life, she prided herself on her insight into people's hearts and her ability to manage relationships.

They promote those who are capable and suppress those who are disobedient, walking a tightrope between the upright officials and the powerful elites, using their influence against them, and seeking space and benefits for their own people.

She thought she was the one playing the game, and that her students, friends, and various factions were merely pieces on her chessboard to be manipulated at will.

But only now, in this carriage heading into the unknown, did she vaguely realize—

Where is there any real player who wields the chess pieces?

The connections between people are a vast and invisible network.

She promoted the capable Sun Man, who, in order to consolidate his position and climb the social ladder, pushed forward the illegal mining in Xishan, which ultimately attracted Ling Wei's sharp blade.

Some of the capable officials she had appreciated in her early years went too far in the conversion of salt fields to rice paddies for their own political achievements or underlying interests.

She initially only wanted to use this incident to make the nobility party suffer some losses so that she could profit from it, so she gave some vague hints.

Those below, each pursuing their own agenda, added layers of pressure, ultimately leading to the catastrophic death of the Crown Princess.

When the incident occurred, a terrified plea for help was delivered to her. Faced with an irreversible outcome, she weighed the pros and cons rather than right or wrong.

Ultimately, she chose to cover it up, transforming herself from an outsider into an insider.

This hidden sin, once dropped into water, will continue to spread and permeate.

Just like this time, the Third Princess Ling Xuan had already been tied to the war chariot of the noble faction, and her interests were deeply intertwined with those of Marquis Yongchang and others.

Therefore, Ling Xuan had no choice but to act, to step forward, to cover for them, and even to the point of harming Ling Wei.

She thought she was controlling the chess pieces, but little did she know that she was also being pulled along by countless threads.

A rash move by someone below, a selfish thought by a colleague, or even a push from an opponent could cause her to involuntarily move step by step, from the edge of the chessboard to the center, eventually becoming mired in a quagmire from which she could no longer extricate herself.

The carriage swayed slightly.

Cai Mingshu opened her eyes, and the last glimmer of light in them finally faded, leaving only a silent, desolate grayness.

......

One year later, in the Northwest, at the Cold Stone Field.

The cold wind, carrying sand and gravel, swept across the barren wasteland.

A woman is mechanically swinging a heavy iron pickaxe, striking the frozen ground.

Her face was etched with deep lines from the elements, her hands were covered with layers of calluses and frostbite, and her prison clothes were thin, making her shiver in the howling north wind.

Suddenly, the sound of orderly hooves, so out of place in this desolate place, came from afar. A group of people dressed in official robes and with swords at their waists, led by a local official, came straight to the work site.

All the prisoners stopped what they were doing and looked over with suspicion and fear in their eyes: the arrival of the officials usually meant harsher supervision or new misfortune.

The woman stopped too, gripping the cold pickaxe handle tightly.

The leading official dismounted, unrolled a scroll of official documents, and said in a loud voice, "By imperial decree, investigate those exiled in connection with the Haining County seawall case of the 18th year of the Jinghe era. Is Li Zhaowan present?"

The woman dropped her pickaxe, which fell to her feet. She looked up and managed a hoarse voice: "...The sinners are here."

The official glanced at her and continued reading: "Upon investigation, it was found that Li Zhaowan was implicated in the case and the verdict was unjust. He is hereby pardoned from exile, restored to his good household registration, and allowed to return to his hometown. Furthermore, considering that he has been wronged for several years and has been struggling to make a living, a special allowance of one hundred taels of silver, twenty mu of land, and ten shi of millet is allocated to help him settle down."