Chapter 20
On the other side, the young man had already reached out to grab Yuanniang, but Yuanniang dodged him.
"Brother, do you really have to think of me like this? Do you have to attack me with such harsh and embarrassing words?"
Yuanniang's eyes were red and tears were shining in her eyes.
Yin Liu supported her and looked at the young man: "Young Master, I am also very sad about your passing. You are siblings, blood relatives. Aren't your words hurting her heart?"
"The girl never thought of exonerating Baishan. All she did was to give Baishan a fair and just opportunity, to ensure that the case could be thoroughly investigated with a clear conscience, and to get to the bottom of the truth."
"The truth?" the young man sneered. "So after all, you still believe in Baishan, a murderer?"
Yuanniang did not refute this: "I believe in Baishan. From what I know of Baishan, he would not kill anyone, let alone my father. I am afraid..."
She bit her lip and looked up at the young man, "Brother, aren't you afraid?"
"What am I afraid of? I'm only afraid that I won't be able to avenge my father. Baishan deceived you and killed my father. I'm afraid I won't be able to cut him into pieces."
Yuanniang's expression darkened. "That's right. My brother has always disliked Baishan, so you were sure it must be Baishan and only thought about how to kill him. But what if?"
"Brother, have you ever thought about what if it wasn't Bai Shan? Aren't you afraid that your anger and hatred will blind you and cause you to let the real murderer escape?"
The young man paused, his expression turning pale and blue before calming down again. "I only believe what I see with my own eyes." Baishan was caught red-handed, his father lying next to him, his hands covered in his father's blood.
"In this situation, you tell me where the chances are! They are just excuses for Bai Shan.
"Come on, come home with me! You can't even think of entering the city while I'm here. I will never let you find the eldest prince. I won't let you do such an unfilial thing that will make your father rest in peace."
After such a long standoff, the young man's patience had run out. He gave an order and his servants rushed forward and surrounded the two men.
The young man seized the opportunity, grabbed Yuanniang onto his horse, and galloped off. Yinliu, however, was left behind. She followed the horse for a few steps before suddenly stopping. Recalling Yuanniang's earlier instructions, she gritted her teeth and turned back toward the inner city.
She wants to do for the girl what the girl has not done.
But unexpectedly, the young man returned with his servants: "I almost forgot about you."
The young man swung his whip, and it was about to hit Yinliu.
Qi Yuanniang exclaimed, "No! Brother, although I saved Yin Liu, she never sold herself to the Qi family. She is a good citizen, not a slave. You cannot hurt her at will, let alone kill her."
Qi Yuanniang struggled to grab the young man's arm. The young man cursed inwardly, thinking he had some reservations, not about Yin Liu being a commoner, but about Qi Yuanniang's stubborn and obstinate nature. He then lowered the whip and shouted, "Take her back!"
The next moment, Yinliu was abducted by servants and put on a horse, and a cloud of dust was raised on the roadside again.
——This is how the plot develops. At first I thought it was a scam; then I thought it was a story of a bully and a hero saving a beautiful girl; but it turns out to be a story about love?
I feel sick when I see someone who's in love. I really don't understand these people. A scumbag killed your father, and you're still running around to defend him. I really want to know what's going on in their heads. No one would do something like this.
Love brain?
Liu Ju didn't quite understand the word, but he could imagine it wasn't a good thing. He frowned slightly, very unhappy with the barrage's rash judgment. Just as he was about to speak, Huo Qubing lowered his head and asked, "What do you think?"
Liu Ju thought for a moment and said, "Although the specific circumstances are unclear, I think they are right: at least give Bai Shan a chance for a fair and impartial trial. However..."
He frowned. "This kind of thing would normally be investigated by the government, right? Why is that girl so nervous? It's as if even if Bai Shan is innocent, there's a good chance he'll be convicted if I don't intervene. Is there something else going on?"
There was too little information for Huo Qubing to understand. He patted his head and said, "It's getting late today. Let's talk about it tomorrow. If you're worried, you can send someone to tell the magistrate of Changling County first."
Liu Ju accepted this plan. He didn't know what he was thinking. He rolled his eyes and said, "I'll let Zuo Jian go."
Huo Qubing: ???
Is it necessary for the Left Supervisor of the Supreme Court to intervene in such a trivial matter?
Liu Ju blinked. "Find him something to do, so he won't have to listen to the files tomorrow. My father allowed me to get involved in criminal investigations, but he didn't say it had to be limited to files."
"I've been studying theory for so long, I should definitely put it into practice. Didn't my cousin also say that reading military manuals a hundred times is not as good as experiencing the battlefield once?"
Huo Qubing: ...If you don't want to see the files, just say so. There's no need to use me as an excuse. Thank you so much.
After returning to the palace, Liu Ju indeed asked Feng He to pass on the message to the Left Supervisor. The next day, after completing the necessary daily cultural courses, he led his men out of the palace. Of course, to reassure his father and mother, he once again brought Huo Qubing with him.
Anyway, when there was no war, Huo Qubing was quite idle. He was so idle that he was moldy. It would be a waste if he wasn't used as a tool.
Zuo Jian was very efficient and had already understood the whole story. He took advantage of the time on the road to inform Liu Ju.
"That family's surname was Qi, and they were originally nobles of the Chu State, one of the eight major surnames. However, after the Qin Dynasty conquered the six states, the nobles of the six states gradually fell into decline, and their family was a side branch.
"So, now, all their family has left is a noble title and a few properties. But the Qi family still prides themselves on their status and bloodline."
Liu Ju nodded to show his understanding.
Having a noble title and some property was already better than most people in the world, and he had reason to be proud. However, in Changling, where the nobles gathered, he was perhaps a little inferior, and compared with the people in the inner city of Chang'an, he was not as good.
"Your Highness saw the Qi siblings yesterday, the only two children of the deceased, Mr. Qi.
"The Qi family lived on the same street as the Gongshu family. The Gongshu family's children often made some exquisite toys, which Qi Yuanniang loved very much. She often went to play with her brother, and the two families were quite familiar with each other.
"The other young masters of the Gongshu family all have tempers, so if there are conflicts during playtime, it's inevitable that they will get into fights. They are all young masters of our own family, and the Gongshu family is now stronger than the Qi family, so who is willing to give in?
"Only Baishan was different. Although he was a disciple of the Gongshu family, his family background was far inferior, so he was always a little cautious in his dealings with others. The young masters often pushed things they didn't want to do to him, and he accepted them all, never refusing.
"So sometimes the young masters wanted to play by themselves and didn't want to take Qi Yuanniang with them, so they would just leave her to Baishan. Baishan would also take good care of her.
"Over time, Qi Yuanniang felt that although he was quiet and reserved, he could accommodate her and consider her in everything, which no one else could match. As a result, her liking for him gradually turned into mutual affection.
"But the young master of the Qi family disagreed. If Qi Yuanniang had liked the nephew of the Gongshu family, he would have agreed. But Bai Shan, whose family was not well-known and who lost his parents at a young age, was not much valued by Gongshu Xing even though he was a disciple of the Gongshu family. How could such a man be worthy of his beloved daughter?
"And Mr. Qi already has a favorite son-in-law."
Liu Ju raised his eyebrows: "Who?"
"Xiu Chengjun's son Guangzhong."
Liu Ju: ...Huh?
"Qi Dalang, Qi Yuanniang's brother, often visited Shengping Tower and got to know Guangzhong. He once invited Guangzhong to his home. The young master of the Qi family was very pleased with him and wanted to marry his daughter to him.
"Guangzhong neither agreed nor refused, but he praised Qi Yuanniang several times during the meal, suggesting he had some affection for her. But Qi Yuanniang was adamant and unwilling. The matter was dropped before it even began.
"Guang Zhong may not have cared much about Qi Yuanniang, but she chose a young apprentice of Gongshu Family instead of herself, which was a bit disrespectful to herself.
"After this, although Guangzhong didn't do anything overtly to the Qi family or Baishan, his attitude towards Qi Dalang obviously cooled, and their relationship gradually became distant.
"After the incident, the Changling Yamen runners came to arrest Baishan. Guangzhong happened to see them. After asking about the whole story, he made some sarcastic remarks and gave him some words of advice.
"He spoke sarcastically. Tell the county magistrate to conduct a thorough investigation and trial. He must not tolerate evil men like Baishan who seduce young ladies to advance their careers. If everyone follows his example, all the young ladies in Chang'an will suffer."
Liu Ju paused for a moment, then suddenly understood: "Because Guangzhong intervened, Qi Yuanniang is worried that the county magistrate will act according to his wishes?"
The left supervisor shook his head: "Not entirely. Qi Dalang has always believed that Bai Shan deliberately seduced his sister, and now he has the revenge of his father's murder. He wants to kill him on the spot. Although he forced himself not to make a move, he refused to give up.
"He has already proposed several times to the government office that the murderer be punished and that Bai Shan be sentenced to death to avenge his father. Also, does Your Highness know who the magistrate of Changling County is?"
"who?"
"Yi Zong."
Liu Ju was confused and still didn't understand. Huo Qubing added: "Yi Zong's style of action is comparable to Zhang Tang's."
Liu Ju: I understand.
With pressure from his own brother and Xiucheng Zizhong, and encountering a cruel county magistrate, Qi Yuanniang became anxious. She was afraid that Baishan would be tortured into confessing and die unjustly, so it was completely understandable that she wanted to ask him for help.
Just one more thing.
Liu Ju frowned. "This matter involves the Gongshu family. Gongshu Xing couldn't have been unaware of it. He knew Baishan was my man. Regardless of whether Baishan's murder was true or not, he should have told me. Why didn't he do anything? Was he deliberately hiding it from me?"
Huo Qubing sneered: "What are you thinking? Gongshu Xing is not that bold. Besides, even if others don't know what Baishan did for you, Gongshu Xing will know it."
What did you do? Zuo Jian paused and looked at Guanjun Hou, but when he met Huo Qubing's gaze, he lowered his head again and explained respectfully.
"Gongshu Xing has been working for His Majesty these days and hasn't returned home for several days. I'm afraid he still doesn't know that Baishan has been imprisoned. The young masters of the Gongshu family are at a loss as to what to do."
Liu Ju nodded. "Well, he had wronged Gong Shuxing." He reflected.
After the matter was understood, the carriage entered Changling. Liu Ju went straight to the Lingyi government office. Changling County Magistrate Yi Zong was already waiting at the gate and personally welcomed him to the government office.
All the people involved in the matter were summoned and asked to wait in the outer hall.
In the hall, Qi Yuanniang stared at the door, her brows slightly furrowed, her mood complicated and indescribable.
After being captured yesterday, she thought her plan had failed and was thinking of other ways to find another way, or even preparing for the worst. However, she soon received news that the prince knew about the matter and would come to inquire about it tomorrow.
This was originally her goal, but now that it had been achieved, she felt inexplicably nervous, both expectant and slightly uneasy.
Qi Dalang glanced at her and said in a cold tone, "Now you have achieved your wish? Have you ever considered what will happen if the eldest prince wants to protect Baishan? If the murderer who killed my father successfully escapes with the help of his power, you will be the sinner of the Qi family."
Qi Yuanniang paused and her face changed drastically.
At this time, Liu Ju had already entered the room under the guidance of everyone, leaving her no room to think about regretting.
Qi Yuanniang took a deep breath, calmed herself down, took a few steps forward, and knelt down to pay her respects with her brother.
Only when they were closer could they clearly see the faces of Liu Ju and Huo Qubing. They were the two men they had met yesterday and had almost been hit by their horses.
Qi Yuanniang was stunned, and she vaguely understood why the prince suddenly learned of this matter. She had thought it was Gongshujia's work, but unexpectedly it was her.
Liu Ju raised his hand and called out, and the brother and sister stood up one after another, making way for Liu Ju to go ahead.
Liu Ju entered the inner hall, followed closely by Huo Qubing, Zuo Jian, and Yi Zong. Qi Dalang and Qi Yuanniang naturally remained in the outer hall and could not enter without being summoned.
Qi Yuanniang looked into the distance at the direction where everyone was leaving, remaining silent.
Qi Dalang's expression was sullen. Afraid of being overheard by the inner hall, he lowered his voice and said, "Why don't you say anything? Do you regret it?"
Qi Yuanniang pursed her lips, clenched her fists, and took a deep breath: "I don't regret it."
Qi Dalang frowned.
Qi Yuanniang turned and looked at him, her attitude firm: "I don't regret it. If I had to do it again, I would do it again. As for my brother's worry, it's unnecessary.
"As my brother said, Baishan is just a small technician. Your Highness doesn't have a close relationship with him. If he is innocent, clearing his name would be a way of upholding the law and redressing an injustice.
"If he is not innocent and is indeed the murderer, then as the High Prince, you can just let it go. There is really no need to disregard the law for him. Bai Shanyuan is not that important."
She gritted her teeth and said, "Even if there really is a chance, I won't let him go. Whether he tries to please me with flattery, seduce me with affection, or fight me with violence, risking his life, I will kill him with my own hands."
"No matter who he is, I will kill him, using all my means, until he dies.
"Everyone else is like this, Baishan is like this too. As long as he is the real murderer, he will be like this."
This is true for everyone else, for Baishan as well, and for the real murderer as well.
It was a simple sentence, spoken in a loud voice and with a gentle tone, yet it was sonorous, powerful and resounding.
There were tears in Qi Yuanniang's eyes, but her expression was very firm and her tone was full of determination.
Qi Dalang had never seen such a gesture before. Every word was like a heavy hammer hitting his heart, again and again, bang, bang, bang.
Qi Dalang's expression changed several times, his mind was in turmoil, and it was unknown what he was thinking about, and his expression was difficult to discern.
Yin Liu, who was following beside him, was even more stunned.
No matter who he belongs to... I will fight him to the death...
She lowered her head, her hands slightly curled. If the hatred for her father's murder was so great, how much more was the hatred for the annihilation of her entire family and the massacre of her entire village?
Yin Liu subconsciously looked up at Liu Ju in front of her, then quickly lowered her head, her mind full of thoughts, the light in her eyes flickering.
Wait and see, don't be impatient. Although the prince is noble, the person behind the scenes is also a member of the royal family.
Not only does she have to ensure that the person who takes over the lawsuit has the power and ability to do so, she must also ensure that he or she will not cover up the crime and is trustworthy.
There was only one piece of evidence, and only one chance. She wasn't afraid of death, but she was the only survivor of that tragedy. If she died, no one would know the secret.
The truth is buried, and the souls of the dead will never be comforted. They may not be able to rest in peace even in the underworld.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com