Shangguan Wanning came back from the palace and just got off the carriage when she saw the servants at the door beating a thin little girl.
"stop."
Shangguan Wanning shouted, hurried forward, and slapped the servant. "Who gave you the right to bully the weak here?"
Seeing that Shangguan Wan Ning was really angry, the servant immediately knelt down, lowered his head and explained tremblingly: "Miss, please spare her, it's this girl who refused to leave. No matter how hard we tried to persuade her, she just wouldn't listen..."
"Kind sister, please save my brother..."
Shangguan Wanning only felt her calves tighten, and when she looked down, she saw the little girl’s hands were tightly holding her.
"Is it you?"
Shangguan Wanning recognized her as Huo Gang's sister, so she leaned over and helped her up. "Get up first. Little sister, what's your name? What happened to your brother?"
"My name is Su Mo, and my elder brother was arrested by the people of Jingzhao Prefecture."
"Su Mo?"
Shangguan Wanning was a little surprised. Why did Huo Gang have a different surname from her?
"Why did the people from Jingzhao Prefecture arrest your elder brother?"
"They said... my eldest brother killed someone. He is a murderer and he has been put in jail. Sister, please save him. He is not the murderer."
"Don't worry, I'll think of a solution."
Shangguan Wanning walked into the house holding Su Mo's hand and asked Lutong to prepare some clean clothes for her. After she took a bath, she brought her food.
She asked carefully and found that Su Mo didn't know more about the inside story. It seemed that only by meeting Huo Gang in person could she understand the real situation.
Shangguan Wanning comforted Su Mo, asked Lutong to accompany her, and went to find her father, hoping to get in touch with the prefect of Jingzhao and go to the prison to find out what was going on.
Unexpectedly, her father was out and had not returned yet. She was a little anxious, so she asked the housekeeper to prepare a sedan chair and went to the Mu Mansion.
"You only met Huo Gang once, so you trust him so much?"
Mu Jingrui hadn't seen Shangguan Wanning for several days. He took her hand and sat her on his lap.
"I always feel that Huo Gang is not a bad person. The crime of murder is very serious, and now is an extraordinary period. I am afraid that the Jingzhao prefect will rush to make a false case."
Seeing that Shangguan Wanning was very persistent, Mu Jingrui couldn't help feeling helpless.
"Okay, then I'll go to Jingzhao Prefecture in person to find out the situation."
"I'm going too."
Shangguan Wanning pulled Mu Jingrui's arm and acted like a spoiled child. "I can pretend to be your follower. Don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble."
"Haven't you caused me enough trouble?" Mu Jingrui pinched Shangguan Wanning's nose. "Going to Jingzhao Prefecture to handle this case is just asking for trouble. You should know that the Ministry of War has no right to interfere in the judgment of Jingzhao Prefecture."
If Mu Jingrui really wants to show up, he can only use his personal connections.
He brought Shangguan Wanning, who was dressed as a servant, to Jingzhao Prefecture, but he did not expect that the situation was much more serious than they had imagined.
The prefect of Jingzhao actually suspected Huo Gang was the murderer of several recent serial murders.
Mu Jingrui was also shocked.
"Did the prefect find any evidence?"
"No, but I believe that if I torture him severely, he will confess."
"Does the prefect have any evidence?"
"Of course there is evidence." Jingzhao Prefecture Governor said with a proud look on his face, "This prefecture has always sent people to secretly protect those girls who are highly regarded and have the opportunity to become the oiran. That Huo Gang was secretly following a girl, and his behavior was suspicious. Who else could it be if not him?"
The prefect of Jingzhao was a member of the prince's party. Ever since Xiao Yujue was found at the crime scene by the chief detective of the Ministry of Justice, he had been hoping to clear him of suspicion as soon as possible.
After all, they are a community of interests.
"Sir, can you let me meet him?"
Mu Jingrui was half a level higher than the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, and he was also Xiao Yujue's absolute confidant, so the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture had to give him this face and brought him to the cell.
Mu Jingrui met Huo Gang.
He found that Shangguan Wanning did have a unique vision.
Although Huo Gang is not very old, he exudes a kind of aloofness and coldness.
He sat in the middle of the cell, legs crossed, body raised, and remained calm despite the harsh environment.
"Huo Gang, have you thought it through? Do you want to confess?" Jingzhao prefect was a little impatient, "If you don't confess, I will punish you severely."
Huo Gang raised his eyes to glance at the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, snorted lightly and turned his head to the other side.
"Hey you……"
The prefect of Jingzhao was about to get angry but was stopped by Mu Jingrui.
"Huo Gang, I'm here to see you on behalf of one of your friends."
Huo Gang was slightly startled, a little confused. "My friend?"
"Yes, her surname is Shangguan."
Huo Gang's heart suddenly tightened, and then he saw the servant standing behind Mu Jingrui and winking at him.
His expression relaxed, he smiled knowingly, and bowed to Mu Jingrui.
"I see. My apologies."
"Your friend asked me to tell you that your sister is safe and sound, and she will take care of her."
Huo Gang was a little excited, his lips trembling slightly. "Thank you."
"If you don't want your sister to be helpless, just tell me the truth. Why did you follow that girl?"
Huo Gang trusted Shangguan Wanning, and seeing that she was also present, he said frankly: "I followed that girl not to hurt her, but to protect her."
"Protect her? What gives you the right?" The prefect of Jingzhao didn't believe it at all and sneered contemptuously.
Huo Gang didn't care. He stood up from the ground, took a few steps forward, and said, "You know, murders like this don't just happen in the capital."
After hearing these words, everyone present was stunned.
"You mean... there are some somewhere else?" Mu Jingrui was very shocked.
"No, it's impossible." Jingzhao Prefecture Yin firmly refuted, "Such a serious case, even if it happened in a remote place, would definitely be reported to the Ministry of Justice. But I have been an official in the capital for many years, and I have never heard anyone from the Ministry of Justice mention it."
"This only shows that the local officials concealed the truth. You officials are deaf and blind. You have failed in your duties."
Faced with Huo Gang's powerful accusation, the prefect of Jingzhao was so angry that he wanted to rush up and slap him twice.
"Besides the capital, where else have such murders happened?" Mu Jingrui asked.
"Two in Lihe County, four in Shouchang County, four in Yongfu County, and eight in Dongnan Prefecture. There were eighteen victims in total, and no one survived."
"These places you mentioned..." The prefect of Jingzhao looked up, as if he was thinking about something.
"Don't worry, Lord Prefect. These places all belong to the southeastern border and are under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Prefecture."
The prefect of Jingzhao couldn't help but gasp.
"Who are you?" Mu Jingrui's expression darkened and he asked coldly.
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