Entry
Zhou Mansion.
Mrs. Zhou looked haggard, her brows filled with anxiety. "Tell me, do you have a way to wake my son up?"
Zhou Huaijin had been injured for two days, and countless groups of imperial physicians had come, yet he remained unconscious. Even the chief physician, Wan, shook his head. Madam Zhou was already exhausted from dealing with rumors within the mansion and worrying about her son. Now these two men had been recommended through her family connections, and she carefully examined the seemingly well-behaved girl before her.
"This is the disciple of Medicine King Valley, and also the well-known Doctor Xue in the martial arts world. He specializes in snatching people from the King of Hell." Aruo pointed at Old Xue, who had been forced to wear a white robe by her and looked neat and elegant like an immortal.
"Why should I believe you?" Madam Zhou snorted coldly. The maid beside her leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Her expression changed slightly, and she looked at them with a little more scrutiny.
Aruo didn't know how Ruxian arranged it, but the connections of the most popular courtesan in the capital must be extraordinary. She knew there must be a reason that forced Mrs. Zhou to believe her.
"Since someone has guaranteed you, I will trust you this time. If my son is safe, I will definitely reward you with ten thousand taels." Mrs. Zhou pondered for a moment and finally agreed.
"We don't want any reward," Aruo held down Old Xue, who was about to rise, and looked at Madam Zhou calmly. "If your son is safe, we only want to ask Madam to release Granny Chen. Give us a few more days, and we will definitely find Chen Changsheng and find out if he hurt your son."
Madam Zhou's expression turned stern. "You and them... this is absolutely not allowed!"
"Madam," Aruo knew she would be furious, so he quickly stood up to appease her. "We just happen to live in the same courtyard as the Chen family and their grandson, and we are not related to them. However, this matter has not yet been finalized. I hope you can give the child a chance. We will also do our best to save your son."
"How can it be slander when the evidence is irrefutable? My son was injured that night when his classmates saw them arguing. And that's the same road that little bitch walks every day... If he wasn't guilty, why would he still be missing?"
The word "little bitch" made Aruo's eyes turn cold. She clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and suppressed the words that were difficult to say. She said calmly, "Changsheng is a suspect, but no one has seen him hurt your son. It has always been your son who picked on him, right? His whereabouts are still unknown. Besides fleeing for fear of punishment, it is more likely that he took the blame for someone else or even was silenced... If the murderer is someone else, even if your son Zhou escapes this disaster, he may still be harmed by others in the future. Madam Zhou, can you rest assured if the matter is not investigated? Granny Chen is old, and she may not be able to endure what you are doing. Do you really want to sacrifice innocent lives while letting the real murderer go unpunished, eyeing your son covetously?"
Mrs. Zhou's face darkened. What the girl said made sense. Whether the Chen family's grandmother and grandson lived or died was irrelevant, but if the murderer was someone else, then her son's safety would always be a concern for her.
As the saying goes, a thief can steal for a thousand days, but you can't guard against thieves for a thousand days.
"What can you do?" Mrs. Zhou calmed her temper and asked coldly.
"I will find Changsheng, no matter whether he is the murderer or not. If he is, then he will be sent to the Zhou family and handed over to the government. If he is not, then he is most likely hidden by the real murderer. In this way, finding him will give us clues about the murderer." Aruo said in a deep voice.
"Why should I believe you?" Mrs. Zhou sneered. How dare a young girl who looks so young make such a boast?
"Madam Zhou, we sincerely want to save Young Master Zhou. To you, he is the most important, isn't he? Granny Chen is just a detour. What you want is the murderer. I don't have any bargaining chips to make you believe me, but since you are willing to let us go and see Young Master Zhou, why not wait until we see the results before deciding whether to release him or not? I just hope that Madam will keep her promise and release Granny Chen after seeing that Young Master Zhou wakes up." Aruo had nothing to rely on. She didn't even know how Ruxian arranged it, but since she was here, she naturally had her own way.
Mrs. Zhou was choked by her frank attitude and didn't know what to say.
"Alright," Old Xue said, displeased with the exchange. All he cared about was the patient, a patient even the imperial physician couldn't handle, and the need to quickly shed the clothes that made him so uncomfortable. He hadn't worn such white cloth in eight hundred years; he missed his tattered clothes. And then there was that scalp; the bun was so tight it was unbearable.
Mrs. Zhou snorted coldly, waved her hand and asked someone to take them to Master Zhou's courtyard.
"Madam, the master..." The maid couldn't help but remind them as she watched them leave.
Madam Zhou raised her hand, frowning, and said tiredly, "I can't care less. If anything happens to Jin'er, no matter what he thinks, I will destroy him to the death!"
Seeing this, the maidservant could no longer persuade her and could only help the lady out of the main hall. She wanted to see them with her own eyes.
"Madam," the steward came to greet her just as she left the courtyard, "Lord Liang, the Prefect of Jingzhao, is here."
"What is he here for?" Mrs. Zhou was a little surprised. Lord Zhou was not at home, and she was the only one qualified to receive him. She had no choice but to ask the maid to look after the two men while she went to the front yard to take a look first.
"Mrs. Zhou." Lord Liang saluted with his fists when he saw the dignified woman walking in.
"Sir Liang," Madam Zhou returned the greeting, "My master hasn't come home yet. I wonder why you suddenly came to visit. What's the matter?"
"We received a report that an old woman who sells night fragrance was locked up in the Zhou Mansion and was lynched. We didn't want to trouble Madam, but a few unruly people testified that the Zhou family's servants forcibly took the person away and did not return all night. This officer came to inquire about this matter." Lord Liang looked worried. In the case of Mr. Zhou being harmed, it was one thing for them to punish him according to the rules, but it was another matter for the Zhou family to arrest people without permission.
"So what? The kid from the Chen family hurt my son so badly, and you haven't caught him yet. I asked that old woman to come here because I don't believe that kid doesn't care about his grandmother." Mrs. Zhou got angry after being told about this matter again and again.
"My opinion is that the law does not apply to the family members of the victim if they assault someone. Isn't this a violation of the law? This old woman is not a servant of the Zhou family, nor does she have a bond with them. How can you imprison and punish her privately?" Lord Liang was also unhappy. Before he came here, he had been scolded by a few unruly people in person, and he was already full of anger. "Please, madam, release her immediately!"
Madam Zhou's eyes hardened. Just as she was about to retort, the steward rushed in again, "Madam, Lord Lin, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, is here to visit."
The two people in the hall were stunned, "Why is he here?"
Before Mrs. Zhou could say anything, there was a sudden scream from the other end of the inner courtyard, and the sound was so shrill that it echoed throughout the entire courtyard.
"Oh no, Jin'er!" Mrs. Zhou's face turned pale, and she staggered, pushed the steward away and ran to the inner courtyard.
Lord Liang was slightly startled, and without caring about etiquette, he hurriedly called his followers and followed with the steward.
Stumbling into Zhou Huaijin's yard, Mrs. Zhou saw the maid sitting by the door with a look of horror on her face, pointing inside the door with trembling hands, her face filled with fear.
"Jin'er!" Mrs. Zhou's heart trembled, and she hurried over and opened the half-closed door.
Inside the door, her Jin'er was lying on the ground, covered in blood, while the woman squatting beside him, holding a bloody dagger, looked into her eyes with calm eyes.
Mrs. Zhou's heart was broken, her legs gave way, and she fell to the ground. She crawled a few trembling steps, her fingertips probing Zhou Huaijin's nose. Then, she sat on the ground in despair, leaning over and hugging her son, sobbing uncontrollably.
Lord Liang rushed over and saw this scene, his face stern. "How dare you try to murder someone in broad daylight? Come! Take this woman away!"
"Wait a minute!"
Just as the two men behind Lord Liang were about to take action, they heard a voice behind them.
Lin Ziyan, dressed in a crimson official robe, came hurriedly with four or five guards.
"What does this mean, Master Lin?"
"Sir Liang, this case involves the family members of officials. I'm afraid it's not a matter for the Jingzhao Yin Department alone. Since this person is a suspect, he should be detained in our Dali Temple." Lin Ziyan said in a sonorous and forceful voice.
Lord Liang hadn't expected him to come and rob someone, and he was furious. "The Jingzhao Yin is in charge of the capital's security. This man is here to murder the Zhou family's son. I'm arresting him according to the rules. How can I allow you, the Dali Temple, to interfere?"
"I have the trust of His Majesty, and the Dali Temple is responsible for hearing criminal cases. Now that she is suspected of murdering the family of an imperial official, I should take her to the Dali Temple for trial. What's wrong with that? If you have any objections, why not wait until I take her into custody and then go before His Majesty to discuss the matter?"
Going to see the emperor just for such a small matter? Lord Liang laughed in anger, thinking of the previous sensational case of official silver and salt, in which the Dali Temple even snatched people from the Ministry of Justice. He was even more angry and didn't want to be humiliated by the Dali Temple.
Lord Liang's attendants exchanged glances of anxiety. The Jingzhao Yin's responsibilities were numerous and complex, and this case looked troublesome, so they hadn't been particularly eager to take it. But if they handed it over to the Dali Temple like this, Lord Liang would lose face, and their return would be difficult.
Suddenly, one of them had an idea and began to stammer, "Well, my Lords... although this case seems clear, the facts haven't been tried yet. Shouldn't it be handled by the Ministry of Justice? Since you two Lords are refusing to give in, why don't we notify the Ministry of Justice and have them take the suspect into custody first?"
Lord Liang was stunned, while Lin Ziyan's eyes lit up. "Yes, the Ministry of Justice handles all cases in the world, so it would be best to give it to them. What do you think, Lord Liang?"
Lord Liang choked and wanted to refute, but it seemed like there was nothing to refute.
"My Lords," Aruo, whose hands were tied behind his back, spoke weakly, "After you have discussed this, can you please send someone to check on my witness? He's not dead yet."
Lin Ziyan and the other man were stunned for a moment before they saw a middle-aged man in white clothes fainted on the ground in a corner of the room, with blood all over his face.
I never expected to find myself in the renowned Ministry of Justice Prison again, as a serious criminal. The screams in my memory overlapped with reality, but Aruo wasn't actually terrified, just that her hands and feet were a little unaccustomed to them.
After all, this time, she was not locked up to be frightened, but was a real suspect, and they shackled her hands and feet.
There was a sound of the iron chain being opened on the door frame behind her. Aruo shook her body, took a deep breath, and got up from the ground tremblingly. Her legs were a little weak. She hoped that what was waiting for her was not the ten tortures.
I mustered the courage to look up. The man before me was dressed in a light blue robe, his features elegant and refined, a few strands of hair cascading down his face. He was as handsome as jade. The repression and worry I'd felt during this period seemed to melt away, and the grievances and bitterness welled up. My vision began to blur, but I dared not blink away the tears, fearing he would become a dream in an instant.
The man came over and pulled her into his arms. His slightly rapid breath blew against her ears. She was still a little dazed. Her hands were cuffed and she had nowhere to put them. She subconsciously grabbed the man's clothes, "Su... crazy?"
"I told you not to be impulsive, not to act recklessly, and not to take risks... Be more careful, be more cautious... How did you do it..." The suppressed voice was low and hoarse, and the strength of the grip on her made her feel a little painful.
The awkwardness of the blaming tone combined with the hug made her feel at ease. "I was wrong..."
"Don't think you can get away with it by admitting your mistake." The tense body slowly relaxed, and Su Zirui leaned against her.
"So you're planning to crush me to death?" Her heart was at peace, but her body hadn't yet reacted. Her legs were weak and she was about to lose her balance. She couldn't help but raise her hand to push him. The moment her palm touched his chest, she sensitively noticed his slight tremor, and her face changed immediately, "Are you hurt?"
Looking up, his face was extremely pale, his brows furrowed, but he didn't loosen his grip on hers. He spoke nonchalantly, "You won't die."
"Stop it," he leaned back, and Aruo pulled the torture device to his elbow, and unbuttoned his shirt with his fingers, "It's bleeding, let me see."
Unable to dodge and too lazy to stop her, Su Zirui raised an eyebrow and watched her open his coat and pull the collar of his inner shirt.
"Sir...ah!" Xu Tian, who had finally caught up, saw this scene as soon as he entered the cell. He was instantly at a loss, "This..."
"Aru, you..." Beili, who arrived later, looked troubled, "Here... being so aggressive, is that okay?"
"Uh, no, it's not what you think!" Caught off guard, Aruo was a little tongue-tied. Looking up, she saw Su Zirui smiling meaningfully, and she couldn't help but get angry. "What are you laughing at? I, I didn't mean that!"
The smile and the pain from the wound spread, and Su Zirui turned his head and gave Xu Tian a wink.
"My lord... Miss Aruo, my lord was ambushed and has injuries on his chest and arms. He rushed back overnight. You, you should take it easy..." Xu Tian understood and pulled Beili away, unable to help but admonish her.
"I just want to see his wound!" Aruo was furious. Was she so impatient? She was even wearing torture instruments! "No, come back..."
There was a weight on her shoulder, and he buried his head in her shoulder socket. Aruo's attention was immediately drawn back to this person. She only heard him softly say, "It hurts..."
The power of this man showing weakness was too great. She felt distressed for no reason and her heart was in turmoil.
Helping the man sit on the wooden bed in the prison, Aruo couldn't help but recite, "You said I was reckless, but you are the same. You are injured like this and still rushing on the road. Don't you want to die?"
"I'm afraid..." Bending over her, his chin resting on her small shoulder, Su Zirui sighed with relief, "I'm afraid someone will take you away regardless of the consequences. I'm afraid someone in the Ministry of Justice will torture you. I'm even more afraid that you'll do something stupid and mess up again..."
The look in this man's eyes almost made her fall in love with his gentleness. If his hand was not just holding her neck lightly, ready to make another move, she would be even more moved.
"How could I be so stupid? I did the most reliable thing so far." Aruo was a little indignant, but she knew his life and death were in his hands, so she didn't dare to refute him too much. "After all, I have some acquaintances in the Ministry of Justice. Otherwise, why do you think I planned to let them in?"
Fortunately, Lin Ziyan caught up, otherwise it would have been difficult to end. Of course, Aruo didn't dare to say this. Holding his hands with both hands, freeing her neck from danger while also trying to wipe away his worries, Aruo smiled and comforted, "I have always cherished my life, and you said that if anything happens, I will stay aside and wait for you. Did you forget? Hmm?"
"You cherish your life, but you can be stupid a lot." He closed his long fingers and held both of her hands in his palms, and only then did it feel a little bit real.
Her cherishment of life is just like her martial arts skills. It depends on the situation and her mood. Who knows how stupid she can be when she gets excited?
"Su Feng, don't think I won't beat you just because you're hurt." Saying these harsh words, Aruo raised her head and pulled his collar back. Seeing the white cloth oozing with blood inside, her heart ached, more painful than losing money. "Does it hurt a lot?"
"It hurts." The answer was clear and concise. Su Zirui never forced himself when he should have been soft. He didn't care much about face anyway. At this moment, he wished she would focus all her attention on him. His fingertips lightly slid across her slightly red eyes, and he couldn't help but chuckle, "Does it hurt?"
"Nonsense." She rubbed his neck, her fingertips subconsciously entwined with his, and she couldn't blink away the bitterness in her eyes.
"That's right." He wanted her to feel distressed, touched, and even more so, guilty, so that she wouldn't dare to act rashly or put herself in danger again.
This person is really... speechless. Aruo pinched him angrily and defended herself, "I really have no other choice. He was determined to get me to find him, and you guys just happened to be away... How could there be so many coincidences? He was simply trying to isolate me and force me to find him. Now it's the Chen family's grandmother and grandson, and I dare not say who will be next. He's pressing me step by step, and I have no chance of winning... I can only find a way to find a place to breathe."
Power is a good thing. She was almost forced into a state of no return. Luo Ziran was certain that she couldn't bear to see those innocent people suffer. If she continued to be stubborn, she would only feel more guilty. Since he wanted her to plead for mercy, she would lock herself up first. She didn't believe Su Zirui would never come back.
"Your method is to try to kill Zhou Huaijin?" Su Zirui said in a sinister tone.
"How could I be that stupid? Murder is a capital crime, okay?" Aruo was a little scared when she thought about it. Fortunately, Old Xue was very capable, and Madam Zhou also cooperated very quickly. "I asked someone to find a connection and brought Old Xue to the Zhou Mansion to rescue Zhou Huaijin. I originally planned to let her release Granny Chen on this condition. Who knew that Old Xue said that Zhou Huaijin was poisoned, and... Anyway, it was very chaotic at the time. By the time I was able to grasp the situation, it had become like that. I thought such a good scene should not be wasted. So I deliberately made it look like I had killed him. When Madam Zhou rushed over, I told her that Zhou Huaijin's poison had been cured, so that she would pretend to be too sad. Lord Lin came and snatched people from Jingzhao Yin. In fact, it was intentional so that I could be taken to the Ministry of Justice in a logical way. In this way, Luo Ziran's people will not come to the door for a while. If I'm not here, it's meaningless for him to do anything."
"Yeah." Su Zirui responded nonchalantly. He'd already guessed the reason for her joining the Ministry of Justice when he'd heard about it, but he hadn't expected her to actually do this. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to discuss someone he disliked at this moment. The fatigue from relaxing spread, and his mind was a little distracted.
"Are you tired?" She stroked his face gently, and the temperature was a little off. Aruo didn't know where he had been or how he had rushed back, but she had never seen him so tired. She had always been easygoing and cold-hearted, trying her best in everything, but she couldn't do anything about him. "Su Feng, why don't you go back and rest first? I'll be a good boy here and won't do anything stupid."
"Hmm... stop making noise, let me rest for a while." Su Zirui mumbled half asleep, changed to a more comfortable position, rubbed her cheek with satisfaction, and buried his head in her shoulder.
Being used as a pillow, Aruo was speechless. Fortunately, the weather was not cold, otherwise she would have chased the person away. She gestured to the person who had retreated to a nearby place to avoid suspicion, said a few words silently, and only after seeing the other person nod and leave did she feel at ease and nestled in.
This guy must have been in a hurry and injured, but apart from a hint of blood, there was no strange smell at all. How did he do that? The pressure that had been lingering for some time finally dissipated, and Aruo's mind began to wander.
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