Yes, why didn't the court report the murder of an official to the criminal justice department, but instead sought help from the Marquis of Zhongyong?

Everyone looked at the advisor.

The advisor's surname was Qin, and his given name was Lu. He had served the county magistrate for many years.

Qin Lu kowtowed, “The magistrate’s wife comes from the border region. When the city fell and the enemy army slaughtered the people, it was the Marquis who arrived in time to save the wife’s entire family.”

The lady, grateful for the Marquis's life-saving grace, could not bear to see his reputation tarnished upon his triumphant return, and thus instructed me to come here.

Marquis Zhongyong frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Qin Lu looked up at the Lady Hou, "During the day, the Lady Hou implied that the Lord and the young mistress had an affair, and at night, the Lord was murdered."

He repeated word for word what Lady Hou had said to Ye Zhen.

"And I happened to see this purse on Guard Wu yesterday."

Wu, the guard, was a servant of the Marquis's household. The lady was worried that if she reported it to the authorities, it would implicate the Marquis.

On one side is her benefactor, and on the other is her husband.

After much deliberation, Madam has decided to temporarily suppress the news and has sent me with the evidence to ask you to give my master justice privately.

Marquis Zhongyong understood.

The magistrate's wife suspected that the Marquis's family had killed the magistrate, but she wanted to do him a favor and settle the matter privately.

Marquis Zhongyong glanced at his personal attendants and ordered, "Take them away and interrogate them."

Guard Wu was quickly taken away.

Lady Hou slumped to the ground, her face pale. "My lord, there must be some misunderstanding here."

Marquis Zhongyong pulled her up and pressed her back into the chair, his expression unreadable.

When he turned to look at Madam Wang, his gaze softened considerably. "I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip, Aunt. I wonder how much you know about this matter?"

Madam Wang then had the nanny recount everything that had happened the previous day, including the details of Ye Zhen's injuries.

"I have no intention of interfering in the affairs of the Marquis's family, but since Ting-ge'er's mother passed away early, I am the only elder in his maternal clan who can consider things for him."

If there has been any overstepping of bounds, I hope Your Excellency will forgive me.

Marquis Zhongyong waved his hand, "Aunt, please don't be distant. I know your good intentions."

However, what the nanny said was very different from what his wife had told him.

He pointed to the purple bamboo and then ordered, "Interrogate."

Lady Hou could barely sit still in her chair.

She knew very well that Marquis Zhongyong Shen Zizhu did not disbelieve what the old woman said, but rather doubted her, his wife.

Fortunately, those she heavily relied on all had weaknesses that she could exploit.

Ye Zhen looked calmly at the Lady Hou.

During the days she was locked in the dilapidated house, the old women who guarded her were keen to pass the time by chatting.

The clerk, Qin Lu, and the county magistrate's wife, Madam Yu, were caught in bed together, which gave them plenty of time to gossip.

Last night, when Guard Wu left, Qin Lu was secretly observing everything.

Ye Zhen followed Qin Lu to Yu's room, and only after confirming that the rumors from his previous life were true did he go to the county magistrate's office.

Qin Lu and Yu Shi were childhood sweethearts. When Qin Lu went away to study, the county magistrate forcibly married Yu Shi.

However, he did not treat her well after the marriage, and Madam Yu already hated the magistrate to the bone.

Qin Lu gave up her studies for love and infiltrated the county magistrate's inner circle. She gained his trust, and for many years, the two of them neither laid a hand on the magistrate nor tried to escape.

Ye Zhen guessed that it was because the two were unwilling to give up their power.

Therefore, evidence was left to identify Lady Hou. If Qin Lu is ambitious, she would probably take a gamble.

Today, Qin Lu came to visit, and Ye Zhen knew he had guessed correctly.

They didn't intend to report it to the authorities; instead, they wanted to seek benefits from the Marquis of Zhongyong.

They would then insist that the magistrate was killed by Guard Wu in order to get compensation from the Marquis.

Wu, the bodyguard, was a confidant of the Marquis's wife and always acted on orders. This was something that the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery could have imagined.

When Lady Hou tried to shift all the blame to Guard Wu, Ye Zhen interrupted her and diverted the Marquis of Zhongyong's attention to Qin Lu.

Naturally, Ye Zhen also considered that Yu Shi and Qin Lu would report directly to the Jingzhao Prefecture, and the evidence Ye Zhen left behind would be enough to identify Guard Wu.

As he pondered, a personal attendant entered and said, "My lord, you have confessed."

Wu, the guard, insisted that he had received kindness from Xie Yunzhou, and therefore resented the magistrate for publicizing Xie Yunzhou's deeds. This is why he killed Xie Yunzhou to avenge him.

This explanation cannot withstand close scrutiny.

The attendants waited for the Marquis of Zhongyong's signal, asking whether to continue the interrogation.

Marquis Zhongyong's eyelids drooped slightly. "Take him away."

Lady Hou secretly breathed a sigh of relief, which was tantamount to acknowledging Guard Wu's statement.

The attendant went out and then came back in.

"My lord, please forgive me. I was careless and caused Zizhu to bite her tongue and commit suicide because she could not bear the pain."

The Marquis of Loyalty and Valor defeated the enemy state, forcing them to surrender their cities and beauties. Those who could follow him and become his close followers would not easily allow prisoners to commit suicide during interrogation.

Besides, she was just a maid who couldn't even kill a chicken.

It was clear that the attendants were just guessing at the loyal and brave marquis's thoughts and had no intention of revealing the secret of the purple bamboo to the public.

Without even lifting his eyelids, Marquis Zhongyong said in a deep voice, "Go down and receive your whip."

Lady Hou breathed a sigh of relief once again.

In the end, the Marquis still protected her.

Old Madam Wang was a shrewd and experienced woman; how could she not see that Marquis Zhongyong was intentionally suppressing this matter?

She stood up and said, "I'm getting old, and I get very sleepy after sitting for a short while, so I'll head back now."

When you have some free time, my lord, please bring my unfilial son over so he can have a simple home-cooked meal with me.

"My lord, it's been a long time since you've tasted my cooking. When the time comes, you two brothers should enjoy a few drinks."

The implication was that she had come today to discuss the private matters between the two families, and would not reveal the affairs of the Marquis's residence, much less allow her son, who was an imperial censor, to expose them.

Marquis Zhongyong also got up and escorted the man to the outside of the manor.

Upon returning, he asked his attendants a few questions before going back inside.

The people inside the house did not move. Marquis Zhongyong said to Qin Lu, "I have not managed my household properly, which has allowed my servant to commit a serious mistake. I will personally kill him to pay for the magistrate's life."

"I appreciate your kindness, Madam. Please convey my message that I will do my best to fulfill your wishes as compensation."

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