Chapter 111 Do you still respect the law and the emperor?
"It's good that Lord Qiu has admitted it."
The candlelight in the main hall suddenly burst open, illuminating Qiu Renshan's pale face. Lin Yin drew his sword three inches from its sheath, but Chen Liangyu stopped him with a raised hand.
"I was afraid that Lord Qiu would deny it even if he died."
Chen Liangyu tapped her knuckles on the scabbard of the Lancang sword, her eagle eyes gleaming like fire. Her composed demeanor as she lightly tapped the scabbard contrasted sharply with Qiu Renshan's uncontrollable roar and violent emotions.
Qiu Renshan's expression changed instantly, and he said politely, "Admit it? Why should I admit to something I didn't do? Is the General trying to force a confession with his power?"
Chen Liangyu said, "Lord Qiu and Li Yilian, the former prefect of Yong'an, are old friends. How can you be so unclear about matters of criminal justice? As long as there is a confession, whether it was forced or not is not important."
Qiu Renshan said, "General, you've chosen my mother's birthday to come and interrogate me without any evidence. Aren't you afraid I'll accuse you of framing an official of the court?"
Chen Liangyu said, "Go ahead and impeach me. The Censorate has impeached me so many times, but have they managed to bring me down?"
"Yes, you hold a very high position and wield great power in the court. But even if you suspect me, so what?"
The peacock pattern on Qiu Renshan's official robe twisted and deformed with his breathing.
"How can you gain people's trust by making empty promises and relying on rumors without any physical evidence or witnesses?"
Chen Liangyu said, "The witnesses and physical evidence are hidden in Lord Qiu's house, aren't they?"
A sudden gust of wind swept past the door, seemingly burying some faint footsteps.
"Nonsense!"
Qiu Renshan seemed startled by something and looked towards the door, where several dark figures appeared to be sneaking along the corridor.
Chen Liangyu stood up, sword in hand, the candlelight casting a long, slender shadow of her. She looked down from above.
A shadow fell over Qiu Renshan's head.
Before his death, Wang Biao kept calling out "Qiu." Initially, he was stubborn and couldn't be pried open, but he tried to confess before he died. However, the Ministry of Justice used excessive torture, beating him until he was barely alive, rendering him unable to speak even if he wanted to. Colluding with the enemy was a capital offense, and it was impossible for Wang Biao to have kept the secret letter Qiu Renshan had sent to Xiling. Chen Liangyu ordered a thorough search of Wang Biao's residence, but they found no clues.
The garrison commander of Shuncheng had a backup plan: he kept the secret letter that Wang Biao had secretly sent to Shuncheng, and after surrendering, he handed the letter over to Chen Liangyu.
Wang Biao was a cautious man. In recent years, engraving shops had flourished, and the secret letter was written in small characters engraved on pear wood, not by hand, making it impossible to compare the handwriting. Precisely because of this, Wang Biao relied on the fact that Chen Liangyu had no concrete evidence and no authority to punish the people in the palace's eunuch department, which allowed him to stubbornly argue his way through the journey.
Chen Liangyu guessed that the secret letter Qiu Renshan sent to Wang Biao in Xiling must also be related to the engraving shop.
He wasn't foolish enough to write a letter of treason himself.
Chen Liangyu said, "I previously reviewed the files from Yong'an Prefecture. The owner of a carving shop in Yongdu is missing. His wife reported the case right after Bu Ping'er and Jing He attacked the city. Lord Qiu, is he not at your residence?"
Qiu Renshan stroked the patterns on the armrest of the Eight Immortals Chair. “Whether it’s the family members or the servants of the Qiu family, they have all been registered with the yamen. If the General suspects that I am hiding people in the mansion, I will summon everyone in the mansion to the front yard and count them one by one.”
Chen Liangyu said, "Having an extra living person is too conspicuous, but a dead person is different."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Renshan dug his fingers deep into his palm. That was exactly what he had been thinking. Although the Qiu mansion was large, it would be almost impossible to hide a living person and deceive everyone, but it would be much easier to hide a dead person.
Did Chen Liangyu know something and come prepared today?
Two men in black stood outside the door, bowing respectfully to Chen Liangyu. "General, we've found it."
Chen Liangyu said, "Since Lord Qiu has such a clear conscience, then let him see the innocent people who died tragically again. Bring them here."
"yes."
The birthday banquet was in chaos, and no one noticed that men in black had secretly infiltrated the Qiu residence.
Qiu Renshan suddenly stood up, and even now, not a trace of fear appeared on his face.
"General, let me be frank with you. We both know that the Ministry of Revenue is extremely important to the Princess. Xun Shutai is the Empress's brother, and the Princess cannot win him over. The accounts of the Ministry of Revenue are in my hands, which is why the Princess can control the Ministry."
Chen Liangyu gripped the scabbard tightly. "You dare mention the Princess?" The moment the Lancang sword was drawn, all the candles in the room dimmed for a moment. "The Princess promoted you from the Prefect of Chong'an to the Vice Minister of Revenue, yet you secretly colluded with the rebels of Beiyong and Xiling, committing such a heinous crime that would exterminate nine generations of your family! How dare you still have the face to mention her?"
Qiu Renshan suddenly closed in on Lancang Sword, the blade pressed against his throat.
He smiled with his head down, his eyes resolute. "You are nothing more than a pawn in the Princess's scheme. Do you know how many of the Princess's spies are buried within my nine clans? Based on a secret letter with illegible handwriting and a dead man, do you think you can sentence an official to death? We both serve the Princess, why must you be so ruthless, General? If you strike her down today, you will sever one of the Princess's arms."
Chen Liangyu said, "I must seek justice for the thousands of soldiers who died at Tongmen Pass. I must also avenge Jinghe and Bu Ping'er. I will do my best to sentence you to death."
Mentioning Jinghe, Qiu Renshan's eyes flickered. News of Jinghe's suicide had already spread throughout the court.
"Deputy General Jing is a man of courage and integrity, and I admire him."
Chen Liangyu said, "No need."
In the abandoned west wing of the Qiu residence, wild wormwood grew to waist height, and weeds grew rampant, obscuring the entrance to a cellar. Several cracks appeared in the rotten wooden cover, piled high with decaying leaves to mask the odor. Lifting the cover revealed a dark, gaping hole.
The men in black dragged a man's corpse out of the cellar.
The man's limbs were nailed with peach wood nails, and the wounds were festering and oozing pus; he was already rotting.
The Eagle-Headed Army soldiers, dressed in black, carried the man to the main hall, pinching his nose and holding his breath, afraid to breathe.
Qiu Renshan didn't even look at him and said, "I don't know this person, nor do I know why he died in my residence."
Chen Liangyu said, "If Lord Qiu knows that this person died in the Qiu residence, then things will be much easier."
She raised her hand, and a servant walked in from outside the hall.
"This humble servant greets the Great General."
Seeing the servant bow to Chen Liangyu, Qiu Renshan could no longer remain calm, "You..."
This servant was in the kitchen washing and chopping vegetables, and he also managed the cellars where grain and vegetables were stored. He was from the Bureau of Investigation. Qiu Renshan knew he was a spy planted in the Qiu residence by the eldest princess, and had already bribed him, telling him what he should and shouldn't say. The corpse with peach wood nails was the one he was tasked with disposing of.
The servant bowed his head, facing Chen Liangyu, and said, "The Princess has ordered me to obey the General's commands."
Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves echoed outside the Qiu residence. After the guests had left, Qiu Renshan instructed his steward to bolt the doors. The next instant, the vermilion gate was violently flung open, and soldiers clad in black cloaks filed in. Judging by their attire, these men were the guards of the Marquis of Xuanping's residence.
Chen Liangyu said, "I will thoroughly investigate the Tongmen Pass case. From today onwards, until the matter is clarified, no one except Lord Qiu is allowed to enter or leave the Qiu residence."
Qiu Renshan's body swayed slightly. "Chen Liangyu, without an imperial decree, how dare you mobilize troops to seal off the residence of a third-rank official?"
"What if I were to say that this was also the Princess's wish?"
Qiu Renshan's face turned deathly pale in an instant. He knocked over the octagonal chair and groped for the candlestick on the table, but Lin Yin knocked it down first.
He laughed hoarsely, "The Princess is willing to sacrifice the Ministry of Revenue just to let you thoroughly investigate this matter?"
Chen Liangyu said, “The Princess has been in charge of state affairs for many years and has always prioritized national matters. When have you ever seen her resort to any means to gain power? How can you be so naive as to think that she would disregard the greater good for the sake of a traitor who has caused the deaths of thousands of soldiers on the battlefield? Not to mention protecting you, the fact that she did not personally behead you is already the last bit of dignity she has left between you.”
"This humble official has never colluded with Bei Yong." Qiu Renshan's official hat was askew, revealing his graying temples, but his tone was very firm. "Never!"
Chen Liangyu covered her mouth and nose and walked to the corpse. The corpse was covered with a white cloth, but it was still difficult to cover up the pungent smell of decay. Chen Liangyu lifted the white cloth to take a look, and then covered it again.
A murder occurred in the residence of the Vice Minister of Revenue. It was to be jointly tried by the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate. The joint trial by the three departments required the Emperor's decree. It was nighttime, and the palace gates would not be opened at night unless there was an emergency military matter. We could only wait until the morning court session tomorrow to ask Xie Yuan for the decree.
"First, go to Yong'an Prefecture to summon a coroner to examine the body."
Turning around again, Qiu Renshan was already slumped on the octagonal chair, with Lin Yin holding a sword to his neck.
"I have something to say."
Qiu Renshan's voice was detached, as if it had been drawn out like silk threads.
He pointed at Chen Liangyu, "This humble official only gives instructions to the General, and tells everyone else to leave."
Lin Yin's arm veins bulged as he shouted, "Don't try anything funny, you old geezer."
"Lin Yin, you may also step down."
Lin Yin glared hatefully at Qiu Renshan, then bowed and withdrew. Blood trickled from Qiu Renshan's neck; Lin Yin's knife had just embedded itself in his flesh, but he had only managed to restrain himself from slashing it off.
Everyone retreated outside the hall. The candles in the main hall burned out, and the hall became somewhat dark.
Qiu Renshan said, “This humble official was unaware of the collusion between the Xiling rebels and Beiyong, and has never harbored any intention to betray the country. My son died unjustly, and the murderer was someone close to you, Chen Liangyu. This humble official could not kill her. This humble official has dreamt countless times of my son’s head lying in a pool of blood. He asked me why, knowing who killed him, I did not avenge him. This humble official does not know how to answer him…”
"I apologize to the General for the death of Deputy General Jing."
As he spoke, he slowly slid to his knees, supporting himself on the armrests of the octagonal chair, and kowtowed, saying, "This humble official only wants Bu Ping'er's life."
Chen Liangyu asked, "Do you and Consort Shu have any private dealings?"
"I cannot say."
"Facing imminent death..."
“Precisely because I am about to die, I cannot speak. There are only the two of us here, the General and I. What I say here and now is known only to the two of us. After tonight, anything I say will be null and void. I have already been regarded as a pawn by the Princess. Why should I involve more people? The more people I involve, the more unclear my crimes will become.”
Chen Liangyu said, "Can you explain it clearly now?"
"I can't explain it."
Qiu Renshan knelt on the ground and sighed, "This matter was done by me alone, and the Qiu family was unaware of it. I will pay for the lives of the soldiers of Tongmen Pass."
Chen Liangyu's waist slumped, and the Lancang sword she had just drawn remained sheathed. Qiu Renshan, caught off guard, thrust the sword across her neck. Chen Liangyu immediately kicked the sword away, but the deed was done. The Lancang sword was too sharp; blood splattered onto the white crane that Chen Liangyu had brought, standing on a pine branch, staining its chipped tail crimson.
The kick was powerful enough that Qiu Renshan leaned back and his head slammed into the hard pear wood table.
He clutched his throat, blood gushing from between his fingers. "I will atone with my death. You... you'd better watch yourself!"
Another horse neighed outside the Qiu residence, and someone came to report: "General, Lord Rong Junrong from the Princess's residence is outside the residence."
Chen Liangyu nodded.
When Rong Jun stepped into the main hall, Qiu Renshan was leaning against the leg of the octagonal table, his eyes wide open, blood staining the peacock embroidery on his official robe. He was already dead.
Chen Liangyu stood there, holding the Lancang Sword. In the light and shadow, the blood beads still clung to the blade.
Qiu Renshan did not leave a single word of confession.
The following day, the joint memorial of impeachment from the Censorate was delivered to Xie Yuan without delay.
The death of a third-rank official in one of the Six Ministries on his mother's birthday caused an uproar in the court and among the public. Zhao Xingli's first impeachment memorial after being appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief was a swift and forceful appeal to his fellow censors to jointly impeach Chen Liangyu.
Inside Chongzheng Hall.
Memorials were scattered on the imperial desk, and bright yellow scrolls were strewn all over the floor. The eunuchs, palace maids, and servants serving in the Chongzheng Hall were all lying on the cold bricks of the hall, and even the ambergris incense had been forgotten to be refilled.
Xie Yuan's angry curses startled the geese circling above Chongzheng Hall.
"Chen Liangyu, do you still have any respect for the law? Do you still respect me? You think you can just kill the current Vice Minister of Revenue like that!"
Author's note: Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to update another chapter tonight.
Wishing all readers a happy May Day!
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