Chapter 485 Wei Family's Reversal of Verdict?

In the morning, at the back entrance of Jiangzhou Hotel.

Ouyang Rong lowered his head and tied a lotus-white sachet around his waist.

Under Xie Lingjiang's silent gaze, he stood by the carriage, fully prepared to head to the Censorate.

Before getting on the bus, he stopped and called out.

"Junior Sister".

"Um?"

Xie Lingjiang snapped out of her daze and made a nasal sound.

Let's go together.

"What?" She didn't understand.

I said, let's go together.

Xie Lingjiang looked puzzled:

"Didn't you used to dislike me coming along? Why the change of heart today?"

Ouyang Rong did not answer, but asked softly:

"A female official from the Control Yuan just came to deliver a message; you must have heard it, right?"

"I didn't hear anything." Xie Lingjiang said sternly, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who eavesdrops?"

"It was a message from Lady Rong, asking me to attend a meeting, saying there was something important to discuss."

Xie Lingjiang blurted out, "I know that..."

She stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence, having let something slip—after all, how would she know the details if she hadn't eavesdropped…

Xie Lingjiang blushed slightly and looked away.

Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged, showing no displeasure, and his tone remained the same:

"Junior Sister, do you remember what I told you this morning about what happened last night?"

"Senior Brother, are you referring to Wei Shaoqi? The third young master of the Prince of Wei's mansion?"

"Hmm." He nodded. "If nothing unexpected happens, he should be there too. As for the meeting..."

Ouyang Rong stopped speaking.

Xie Lingjiang's curious expression immediately disappeared.

I remembered someone mentioning this morning about the things they had inquired about last night.

She pursed her lips, said nothing, and boarded the carriage.

Ouyang Rong followed.

The carriage carrying the two left the Jiangzhou main hall. Instead of heading straight to the Censorate, they took a long detour back to the Yinbingzhai residence in Huaiye Lane, retrieved something, and then grabbed a young female scholar in Confucian robes who was sleeping in a wardrobe and went out... to continue their journey.

Moreover, before leaving the residence in Huaiye Lane, Xie Lingjiang called a reliable servant to deliver a message to the Prince of Xunyang's mansion.

The two men and one ink spirit rode in a carriage, slowly heading towards the Censorate.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was somewhat quiet.

Ouyang Rong closed his eyes to rest.

Xie Lingjiang placed the long, rectangular violin case horizontally on her knees, her hands tucked into her sleeves.

The little girl, Miao Si, sat on Xie Lingjiang's shoulder, swinging her legs and curiously observing the two silent senior and junior sisters.

Miao Si looked down curiously at the long sword box, but unfortunately it was blocked by the chest of the Xie noblewoman. She could only tilt her head and stretch her neck to examine it.

"Where are we going?" she muttered.

"The Control Yuan," Xie Lingjiang said softly.

Miao Si suddenly clapped her hands in realization: "That wicked woman's territory?"

Her eyes lit up: "Xie girl, shouldn't we go and establish our authority, and defeat the bad woman?"

Before Xie Lingjiang could speak, Miaosi was already grabbed by Ouyang Rong and could not break free.

"Thank you, girl. Let's take down that bad man first, he only bullies the weak. We need to unite, we need to unite..."

Before he could finish speaking, the little sprite was pinched back into its original inkstone form.

At that moment, the carriage came to a stop.

They have arrived at the Control Yuan.

Xie Lingjiang took Miao Si's natal ink stick from his hand and stuffed it into her sleeve.

The Wonderful Idea can provide Spirit Ink, increasing the combat power of some Confucian Qi cultivators.

Inside the carriage, the newly appointed female sage sat upright, a sword case lying across her lap, without moving.

Ouyang Rong stood up and stepped down from the carriage.

His wrist was grabbed.

Ouyang Rong turned around.

Xie Lingjiang looked up at him, her lips pressed tightly together.

Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then smiled slightly:

“If this were a trap set by the Wei family, she wouldn’t have called me over; she could have just brought people over directly. We’re just doing this as a precaution.”

Xie Lingjiang slowly released her hand:

Is the distance enough?

"More than enough."

Ouyang Rong took out a sandalwood pill box from his pocket, tossed it aside, and then stuffed it back into his pocket.

"wait for me."

Under Xie Lingjiang's gaze, he stepped off the carriage without turning his head.

...

As Ouyang Rong walked into the Censorate, he found that the security around him was much tighter than usual.

There was a female official or guard standing guard every ten steps.

However, since he came frequently, many female officials recognized him, and perhaps Rong Zhen had given him some pointers, allowing Ouyang Rong to travel freely.

He wasn't in a hurry. He walked along the corridor, occasionally stopping to exchange a few pleasantries with several female officers on guard duty whom he knew, before finally entering the heavily guarded council hall.

Why are you so late?

At the head of the hall, a cold-looking girl in palace attire stood up and asked.

There were three other people in the hall.

Lin Cheng, the slightly chubby young man, and Wang Lengran, who was waiting impatiently.

And there was also that carefree young man in brocade robes whom I met once last night.

Wei Shaoqi.

"Something came up and I was a little delayed, so I just came to check it out. I didn't know you were in a hurry."

"By the way, Ms. Rong and Brother Lin, have you had breakfast yet? I brought you some sesame seed cakes from the shop at the entrance."

"No need." Rong Zhen waved his hand. "Sit down and let's get down to business."

"etc."

Wei Shaoqi remained silent, but Wang Lengran, standing beside him, shouted out an objection:

"Lady Historian, what brings him here all of a sudden? Didn't Young Master Wei say today that it was a matter of great importance and secrecy?"

"I understand inviting Lin Lingtai, as he is a recognized expert in the capital's Dali Temple, given that some cases are involved. But inviting Ouyang Lianghan..."

Wei Shaoqi glanced sideways.

"It was I who summoned him."

Rongzhen turned to him and said seriously:

“Prefect Ouyang is also skilled in solving cases, and he has served as the chief official in Xunyang and Longcheng. He is most familiar with this place. Perhaps he can offer some advice on what Young Master Wei wants to say.”

Seeing that Rongzhen had made her stance clear.

"OK."

Wei Shaoqi nodded: "Ms. Rong is indeed very thoughtful. I trust Ms. Rong."

Wang Lengran had no choice but to shut up.

First, she secretly glared at Ouyang Rong, who had brought sesame cakes to "pollute" the air in the hall. Then, with a serious expression, she asked:

"The clues that Young Master Wei mentioned in his letter..."

Wei Shaoqi rubbed his face, then stood up without saying a word.

"Bang--!"

A loud slam on the table interrupted Rongzhen's words:

"Your Excellency, you must do justice for the Wei family! My sixth brother has gone missing in Jiangzhou and may very well have been murdered by treacherous people!"

"Your sixth brother?"

“Yes, it’s my sixth brother, Wei Shaoxuan. At the end of last year, he came to Jiangzhou with his master for travel, and he has been missing ever since. It’s almost certain that he has been murdered, and that he encountered a vicious villain…”

Rong Zhen pursed her lips, digested the thought for a moment, and waved her hand:

"That's a separate case, we'll discuss it later. Today, we've gathered here to first discuss the case of the Butterfly Lovers' Master, that's the most important thing."

"I understand the pain of losing my brother, but I also hope that Young Master Wei can prioritize his own interests."

Wei Shaoqi took a deep breath.

His eyes, slightly reddened, remained fixed on Rong Zhen.

"Your Excellency, if I were to say that along with my sixth brother and his teacher, there was also... a cauldron sword that disappeared?"

"A cauldron sword?!"

Rongzhen looked up instantly, speechless.

Ouyang Rong and Lin Cheng both stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with astonishment.

"Young Master Wei just mentioned the Dingjian sword, is that correct?"

"That's right."

Wei Shaoqi shook his head.

Wang Lengran, standing to the side, squinted as he observed the expressions on everyone's faces.

"Where did this cauldron and sword come from? Is it new or old?"

Rong Zhen frowned and pressed for more questions:

"Why is the Wei family only reporting this now?"

Wei Shaoqi nodded, then shook his head:

"This is my sixth brother's opportunity in Dragon City, and it's not convenient to say more. This is a secret of the Wei family. I hope that after you all leave this hall, you will not spread it, otherwise... Father will definitely be unhappy. Gentlemen, please give the Wei family some face."

"Speaking of which, my sixth brother disappeared along with this cauldron and sword!"

"Dragon City?"

Ouyang Rong frowned and couldn't help but interject:

"Isn't this the county I was in when I was the magistrate? Wait, what is the connection between this cauldron sword and the ancient Yue sword shop of the Liu family?"

Wei Shaoqi and Wang Lengran remained silent, but their eyes were both fixed on Ouyang Rong's face, scrutinizing his expression as if trying to find some clues.

Ouyang Rong looked at them with suspicion, his gaze growing increasingly doubtful.

"Back then, was it possible that the Liu family..."

Wei Shaoqi ignored her and looked at Rong Zhen.

The girl in the cold palace attire glanced at the bewildered Ouyang Rong and waved her hand to signal him not to rush.

She turned around and said solemnly:

"Young Master Wei, are you saying that the cauldron sword used by the Butterfly Love Flower Master in the case that I and the Imperial Observatory are investigating was originally an opportunity belonging to your sixth brother?"

“That’s right, it’s very likely that they are the same cauldron sword. After all, the time of their disappearance coincides, and cauldron swords are extremely rare. There is no such coincidence in the world that multiple cauldron swords can appear in the same area in a short period of time.”

After a pause, Wei Shaoqi noticed the subtle change in Rong Zhen's expression and chuckled somewhat sneered:

"Your Excellency would not doubt that the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower is my missing sixth brother, would you?"

"Has he lost his mind? The Great Zhou Songde Tian Shu and the Four Directions Buddha Statue were built under the supervision of our father. Why would my sixth brother threaten to destroy the Donglin Buddha?"

Rongzhen remained noncommittal: "Go on."

Wei Shaoqi frowned and told him:

"This was discovered by Father after reviewing the files of the Imperial Observatory. The characteristics of the cauldron sword used by the owner of Butterfly Love Flower are exactly the same as those of the cauldron sword reported back by the informant of my sixth brother!"

"It is the Dingjian sword that my Wei family acquired at great expense of manpower and resources, but it has now been stolen by thieves."

"When was your sixth brother confirmed missing?"

“In September of the year, he did not return by the agreed time. My father had already made it clear about this matter, so he sent me to Jiangzhou to investigate and report the case.”

"So, you suspect the killer is the same person?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Wei Shaoqi slammed his hand on the table: “The real culprit in the disappearance of my sixth brother, Wei Shaoxuan, and the case of the Butterfly Love Flower Master is very likely the same person!”

He paused slightly, squinted, and said:

"Didn't Your Excellency want to ask our Wei family for clues? Actually, neither the Prince's Mansion nor I know much about the case of the Butterfly Love Flower Master. However, the real culprit in the two cases mentioned above, this Butterfly Love Flower Master, may have committed another crime. Our Wei family does know quite a bit about this case and we must report it to Your Excellency."

"What case?" Rong Zhen stared intently at Wei Shaoqi. "What other cases does this thief have?"

Wei Shaoxuan did not answer, but surveyed the entire room, his gaze sweeping over Ouyang Rong's face, who remained silent with his eyes lowered. He spoke, word by word:

"The case of Zhu Lingxu and his son's defection!"

"I suspect that there is a great injustice in this case. Zhu Lingxu and his son may not have had any intention of betraying the country. All of this was instigated and framed by villains!"

"And this villain might be the owner of Butterfly Love Flower, or at least they have a great connection and are the work of the same gang."

"Young Master Wei, please be careful with your words!"

Rongzhen stood up and interrupted, saying sternly:

"This case is now airtight. His Majesty and the Council of State have already made their decision, and it cannot be reversed. Besides, the person is already dead..."

"I know!"

Wei Shaoqi's eyes flashed with a fierce light, like a wolf's gaze or an eagle's stare:

"But the Wei family can't swallow this insult. We have to investigate further, all three cases together, and investigate them thoroughly!"

"In the case of Zhu Lingxu and his son's defection, your Wei family was involved and had a conflict of interest. Therefore, even if your testimony is presented, it will not be very convincing in front of His Majesty and the officials."

"but……"

Rong Zhen squinted and said:

"You can tell me why you suspect the owner of Butterfly Love Flower, and see if it can inspire the other two cases. If so, it's not impossible... to overturn part of the case for your Wei family."

"good."

Wei Shaoqi nodded and lowered his voice:

"Miss Rongzhen, please think carefully: why did the owner of Butterfly Love Flower kill Zhao Rushi, the guerrilla general and former county magistrate of Jishui, in the street?"

"Perhaps a personal grudge."

"Personal grudge? But why resort to such brazen vigilante justice? And the timing is just too coincidental."

"It just so happened to coincide with Zhu Yuheng's defection, the two events occurring one after the other."

"When Zhu Lingxu, who was far away in Xunyang City, learned of this, he also defected that same day. One or two things could be said to be coincidences, but when several things come together, is there really no connection at all?"

Rongzhen's eyelashes drooped:

"I did wonder why this thief beheaded Zhao Rushi in the street, which led to the exposure of the swordsman's identity."

"But what does this have to do with Zhu Lingxu's defection?"

Wei Shaoqi, never one to shy away from making outrageous statements, raised one finger:

"Based on a report from one of our servants, a Persian merchant who had worked in Jiangzhou before his disappearance, I have reason to suspect that my sixth brother was impersonated, and that this fake sixth brother entered and exited Zhu Lingxu's residence."

"If he really wanted to defect, why didn't Zhu Lingxu cooperate from within and without and surrender Jiangzhou earlier? Why did he wait until his eldest son, Zhu Yuheng, defected before hastily leaving the city? Is there anyone that stupid?"

"Zhu Lingxu is deeply wronged!"

Rong Zhen frowned slightly:

"But Zhu Lingxu and his son have a history of surrendering and defecting, twice. This is why His Majesty was furious at the first opportunity. No one can say for sure what will happen to such a treacherous person who jumps between right and wrong."

Lin Cheng nodded thoughtfully:

"That's right. And it's also possible that the father and son were not of one mind. Zhu Yuheng wanted to defect, but Zhu Lingxu did not want to defect. After being implicated, he was terrified and tried to escape, and was beheaded at the city gate."

Wei Shaoqi chuckled and nodded:

"Then may I ask, why was Zhu Yuheng beheaded on the spot by Cai Qinjun when he led 1,500 vanguard soldiers to surrender to Hongzhou?"

"Has such a stupid thing ever happened in history, both ancient and modern, in China and abroad? Defecting without even giving prior notice or a warning?"

Everyone frowned slightly.

After speaking, Wei Shaoqi took out a box from his sleeve, opened it, revealing a blood-stained jade ring, and gestured to the crowd:

"Your Excellency, gentlemen, please look, this ring was found next to Zhu Yuheng's body."

"This is one of the irrefutable pieces of evidence!"

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone crowded around to take a closer look.

Ouyang Rong glanced sideways at the familiar object.

(End of this chapter)