"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Guo!" Zu An replied quietly as well. Having a wide circle of friends is still somewhat useful; at least people will help him with small favors when they are within their capabilities.
Guo Zhi gave him a deep look, then left silently.
Zuan was taken to a special cell where he was placed under a restriction by a master, and his body was also bound by the Soul-Hooking Chain of the Embroidered-Robed Envoy, ensuring that he could neither escape from prison nor commit suicide.
These experiences were all expected, and Zuan showed no emotional fluctuation.
Since he can summon many of his abilities without using his vital energy, these measures won't have much impact on him.
What he was most worried about now was the upcoming joint trial. Thinking about this made him feel a bit of a headache. He was just a minor official in the Crown Prince's household. Did he really need such a high-level joint trial by the three judicial authorities?
This world is somewhat different from ancient China. Here, the three judicial departments usually conduct joint trials, namely the Court of Justice, the Censorate, and the Commandant of the Capital Region. However, since this case involves the Crown Princess, it is likely that the authorities do not want the case to be publicized. Therefore, the Minister of the Imperial Clan and the Grand Master of Ceremonies have replaced the Censorate and the Commandant of the Capital Region.
Zongzheng is one of the Nine Ministers, in charge of various matters concerning the imperial family, relatives of the empress, and nobles. This matter involves the Crown Princess, so it is most appropriate for him to preside over the case.
He remembered that Chu Chuyan had told him before that the Imperial Clan Secretary Zhen Xueyi's wife was Princess Changchuan, the emperor's sister. The emperor had sent him to preside over this trial, so he must trust that Zhen Xueyi was one of his own.
The Minister of Justice and the Grand Master of Ceremonies were also among the Nine Ministers. The Minister of Justice, Jiang Boyang, was in charge of criminal cases and was an expert in solving cases, so he was naturally indispensable in investigating cases.
This wasn't the first time I'd dealt with him. In the last case involving Cheng Xiong, he strongly advocated for Cheng Xiong's innocence, but Cheng Xiong was still convicted by him in the end.
Tsk tsk tsk, what a small world! This time, falling into his hands, I'm probably doomed.
The melody of "Cool" started playing in Zu An's mind, but then he thought, "Last time I seemed to have used the identity of Gold Medal Eleven. What does that have to do with me, Zu An, the Crown Prince's Attendant?"
Jiang Boyang might not hold a grudge against me. Hmm, I hope so.
However, things are more complicated for the Grand Master of Ceremonies. Murong Tong, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, used to be a high-ranking and powerful Sili Xiaowei, but because of me, he was transferred to this leisurely government office. He must be very dissatisfied with me, and there's no way to avoid that.
The emperor is acting strangely. Two of the three officials he sent to investigate the case are from the Qi King's faction and both have a grudge against me. Is he trying to kill me?
If I die, your daughter-in-law's reputation will be ruined!
Despite his complaints, he had come to understand during his time in the capital that the Prince of Qi's power was equally entrenched, and they would not let such a good opportunity slip by.
The key point is that whether it's Jiang Boyang or Murong Tong, one is a case-solving expert and the other was formerly the Commandant of the Capital Region. They are both experts in this field, and it would be difficult for the emperor to refuse their participation.
Time passed unnoticed, and soon a jailer came to take him away: "Lord Zu, please come out with us. Lord Zongzheng and the others have something to ask you."
These people owed him a favor because of the assassin's prison break, so they all spoke to him politely and did not subject him to the humiliation that ordinary prisoners would have.
Zu An was taken to a quiet room, where the jailers said, "Lord Zu, as is customary, we must lock you up. Please forgive us."
“It’s alright.” Zuan said calmly.
As the jailers handcuffed his hands and feet to the bench, they praised him, saying, "Lord Zu is truly extraordinary. We've imprisoned countless high-ranking officials here, and they've all either wept bitterly or lost their souls. Few have the composure of Lord Zu."
Zu An smiled slightly: "I have never done anything wrong and I have nothing to fear. I am innocent in this matter, so I am not afraid of being interrogated like others."
The jailers offered another round of praise. Just then, the door opened, and several officials dressed in purple robes slowly walked in.
The first person was an old man with a bitter and resentful look. His white hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, with many strands hanging down in a mess. He had a strange sense of decadence. When Zu An first saw him, he thought he had met an older version of Ji Dengtu.
However, the two did not resemble each other at all, ruling out the possibility that this person was Ji Dengtu's cheap father.
Judging from his official robes and the fact that he was walking in the lead, he must be Zhen Xueyi, the Minister of the Imperial Clan.
It is said that he married the emperor's sister, so he should be of the same generation as the emperor. Why is it that the emperor looks like he is in his prime, while this guy already looks like he is old and frail?
The second official was a refined middle-aged man with a handsome face and only a few gray hairs at his temples, which only added to his dashing charm. One can imagine how popular he was with girls when he was young.
Compared to the previous Lord Zongzheng, he was much more upright, with his hair neatly combed and his clothes perfectly pressed without a single wrinkle.
Judging from the white tiger pattern on his official robes, he must be Jiang Boyang, the Minister of Justice.
Zu An sized him up a few more times. He had dealt with Cheng Xiong before, but this was their first meeting.
He noticed that Jiang Boyang wasn't looking at him, but rather staring at the Zongzheng Lord's messy hair with a somewhat distorted expression, as if he were constipated.
Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer: "Lord Zhen, as the Nine Ministers, we are naturally role models for officials, and we should pay attention to our appearance on a daily basis."
Zhen Shouyi chuckled a few times: "The Nine Ministers? They are no longer as glorious as they once were. They are hardly role models for officials. You should say that to the people in the Chancellery, the Secretariat, and the Ministry of Personnel."
Jiang Boyang's eyelids twitched, and he took a deep breath and said, "But don't you feel uncomfortable with your hair like this? How about I help you tie it up?"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com