Chapter 94 Liberation

Liu Min himself didn't know exactly what had happened.

But that doesn't prevent him from becoming a criminal.

He vaguely remembered that he made the decision the moment he heard the good news, and was in a hurry to leave. Of course, he would skip class, grab his things and go back to his cell. After packing his things in the cell, he planned to go back to the Liu residence.

What's there to tidy up in that cell? It's all unimportant stuff. He was too happy and lost his mind.

If we had just left, maybe nothing would have happened.

He was rolling up his clothes in his cell when, suddenly, everything went black, and he lost consciousness...

When he woke up again, his cell had become the scene of the crime, surrounded by countless people.

Someone died in his cell.

Wu Hao, a student of the Imperial Academy, came from a wealthy family in Qingzhou Prefecture in the southeast. As the youngest son, he was extremely spoiled. It was difficult for him to travel and endure hardship like his older brothers, but his parents doted on him. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted, and over time, he accumulated a reputation for outrageous behavior in Qingzhou, even getting involved in a murder case. Fortunately, his family was wealthy enough to easily bribe his way out, but this terrified his parents, who then began to discipline him strictly. Finding this restrictive, he listened to a friend and asked his family to pay for him to study at the Imperial Academy in the capital, hoping to use money to secure an official position and bring glory to his ancestors. His parents readily agreed and immediately arranged for him to go to Xingdu. In Xingdu, he naturally continued his bad habits, and the entertainment options there were even more outrageous. Within six months at the Imperial Academy, he had formed a group of dissolute friends and was constantly causing trouble. The person who was supposed to exchange the beautiful maid for Liu Min was this one.

Liu Min fought with Shan Lai because Shan Lai had offended him. After both of them were tortured with combs, they were both sent home. Later, when Liu Min returned to the Imperial Academy to study, Shan Lai was also summoned back by the Imperial Academy to show that both sides were treated equally.

But in his view, this was not treating everyone equally, but rather a blatant humiliation.

He declared that he would definitely teach Liu Min a lesson.

Those close to him at the Imperial College all knew about this.

Then he died in Liu Min's cell, his throat slit by a piece of porcelain, a gruesome death.

Liu Min had only a few minor injuries, but one on his right hand looked like it had been cut by a piece of porcelain. The sharp end of the porcelain shard that had killed Wu Hao could have made that kind of wound.

The matter seems quite clear at this point.

Because of the fight earlier, Wu Hao harbored resentment towards Liu Min and wanted revenge. So when he saw Liu Min hurriedly leave the classroom, he skipped class and followed him. Something happened, but the two started fighting again in the cell. In the heat of the moment, Liu Min used a shard of porcelain to slit Wu Hao's throat, killing him.

This is a very reasonable inference.

But Liu Min, as the person involved, knew very well that this was not the case.

He clearly did nothing.

However, Wu Hao died in his cell, and the murder weapon that killed Wu Hao also injured him, staining him with his blood. Moreover, at the time of the incident, classes were in session in all the halls of the Imperial Academy, and no one was in the cell, so no one saw it.

No one can testify for him.

This matter is indeed very clear.

He was the son of a high-ranking official. Who was a high-ranking official? A second-rank official, not quite second only to the emperor, but certainly above everyone else. Even if the position of high-ranking official wasn't enough, his nominal maternal grandfather, Le Yuan Le Kaiyuan, was the current Grand Secretary, truly second only to the emperor. With such a background, who wouldn't want to mess with him?

Even Qiu Yi, the salt transport commissioner, didn't dare utter a single word because his daughter had died.

It can only be Yuejia.

The stepmother had her own son and no longer needed him, but she also found him an eyesore, so she came up with this way to get rid of him.

How could she not be an eyesore? For so many years, she had cared for him in every way, showing him meticulous consideration, yet he only treated her perfunctorily. He was so ungrateful, thinking he was something special? She could crush him with a single finger.

fine.

I used to feel guilty and indebted, but now I owe you nothing. I've paid it all off.

There was nothing he could do if he didn't pay. They wanted him dead, and he had no power to fight back. All he could do was wait for his death.

What kind of place is the Imperial College? How dare they commit murder there? It's outrageous! Outrageous!

The Ministry of Justice arrived quickly, and the Court of Judicial Review arrived a little later. These two departments, from their superiors to their lowest-ranking officials, had never gotten along well. However, this time they were quite polite to each other, respecting each other's opinions during the investigation. In the end, they even humbled themselves, saying that they were not capable enough and asking the other to take over the case.

Everyone knows it's too hot to handle.

Ultimately, the decision is made by drawing lots.

The case was handed over to the Ministry of Justice, and Liu Min was to be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail.

Since waking up and realizing what had happened, Liu Min hadn't said a word. He didn't resist when he was taken away, and he didn't seem to be scared out of his mind. His eyes were clear and his face was calm. So, to onlookers, it was clear that he had indeed killed someone and knew he couldn't escape punishment, so he wasn't wasting his time.

Although Liu Min was a criminal, everyone in the Ministry of Justice treated him very politely. They all spoke softly and were generous with their food and drink, bringing it to his cell as if it were free. Moreover, the cell was very good, well-ventilated, and had moonlight. The jailers later even brought him candles and clean blankets.

Liu Min didn't touch any of the things they brought, but he thanked them.

After thanking him, he sat down on the straw under the moonlight, head down, lost in thought.

It evokes a sense of emotion in those who see it.

A once noble young man has now become a prisoner.

Liu Shen arrived late at night; his shoes were wet, and there was dew on his temples.

The jailer quietly opened the door, and he quietly went inside.

Liu Min remained seated, seemingly oblivious to everything. Liu Shen watched for a while, then opened his mouth and called out to him in a trembling voice.

“Pity…”

Lian Si remained silent and did not look up.

Liu Shen suddenly fell silent as well.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Min suddenly spoke up, saying, "I heard you're going to be a father again. Congratulations."

His tone was very calm, but if you listen carefully, you can actually hear a bit of sincerity in it.

It was this sincerity that made Liu Shen unable to hold on any longer. His legs went weak, and he fell backward until something blocked his way, stopping his retreat.

He stopped, and Liu Min turned to look at him.

Because of the moonlight, their faces were clearly visible.

"Are you in such a hurry?" The voice was calm, almost cold. "Aren't you being too hasty? The baby isn't even born yet. What if it doesn't turn out as you wish?"

This is slow slicing, a thousand cuts.

Fortunately, there was something behind him that could support him.

Liu Shen swallowed hard, panting, and said with difficulty, "Nothing will happen... nothing will happen to you... I swear..."

"No need," Liu Min refused decisively. "Why bother?"

"Are you still prepared to fall out with them for my sake? I didn't even fall out with you for Shanlai's sake. Didn't you teach me how to assess the situation back then? How come you've forgotten what I learned?"

It's different, it's different...

"Don't be afraid! I have a way! I definitely have a way!" He rushed over, knelt on the straw, knelt before his son, and gripped his son's shoulders tightly. "There will be a way..."

He suddenly burst into tears, overwhelmed by the fragility of his subordinate—only sixteen years old! Sixteen years old, his child…

Sixteen years ago, he walked down the street and told everyone he met, "I'm going to have a child! My child..."

"I don't need your solutions, I don't need what you say, and I don't need what you do. This is fine. I'm just begging you to give me a release."

He said he was relieved.

“If you weren’t my father, I would definitely think you were a very good person. I really didn’t want to be your son. Being your son makes me feel like my life is bad, really bad. I’m always clingy with everyone, unable to love or hate, indecisive, and not happy at all. You’ve ruined me. You gave birth to me, my blood comes from you. According to the books, I should be grateful and repay you, even willing to die for you. But I should also treat my mother the same way,” he mentioned his mother to him for the second time, “and even repay her more, because she died for me. You killed her, so should I love you or hate you? You even married another murderer who killed my mother, had a child with her, and then made me call her mother, and call her daughter and sister, hurting me again… I should hate her, I should hate her with good reason, but you put me under her control and made me suffer her kindness…”

"I'm already in such a miserable state, and you still won't let me go, you're hurting me again! Sixteen years as father and son, what have I ever done to you?" He had already come to terms with it and didn't care, but when he said this, a wave of grievance suddenly welled up in his heart. "Besides begging you to take me with you back then, wanting to go back to see my grandmother one last time... nothing! I just wanted to be with Shanlai, I only love her! I did whatever you wanted me to do, I didn't disgrace you, I didn't wrong you, I studied so hard just to please you, to make you understand that I can make a living even without a wife from a prominent family, why don't you understand! You had to force Shanlai away from me, force her to leave me, to abandon me, are you happy now?"

"I'm really fed up."

"But I also know that I can't say these things to you. Without you, I would have nothing. I am alive today because of your kindness. I owe you."

"Now it's all right, I'll grant your wish, and you'll grant mine."

“It might not sound good if word got out that your wife has wronged me like this, and if you do nothing about it, your reputation might suffer as well, but I don’t intend to seek justice for myself.”

“I accept this as my way of repaying her for raising me all these years. No matter what, she was genuinely good to me... This is also my way of repaying you. I was superfluous to begin with. Letting me go will only benefit you. The Le family will definitely treat her son with sincerity and won't let your years of hard work go to waste. You are a real family, not some outsider like me. You will definitely live a harmonious life and won't have to go through this mess.”

"As long as you are safe, that will be my way of repaying my grandmother."

"That way I won't owe anyone any favors."

"I would die willingly."

"That's it, my son and I, let's leave it at that."

"Neither of us owes the other anything."

"I think it's great, so you don't need to say anything more."