Chapter 33
A long, narrow scar was strikingly visible above the monk's eye, exactly as the old woman had described. Everyone present stared at the monk for a moment, then turned to look at Ling Huanchen, their gazes shifting from shock to admiration.
I had only heard that the prince of Yuluan Palace was outstanding in appearance, but I didn't expect that he was actually a far-sighted and foresighted person.
However, the monk didn't seem ready to accept his fate. After being thrown to the guards, he struggled for a while, "Sir, why are you arresting me? Have I, a monk, ever offended you?"
Ling Huanchen brought his mysterious image to the extreme. In fact, he learned it all from Yu Xi. No matter how confident he was, he could not lose in momentum. He had to make the other party feel that he had everything under control.
"You haven't offended me, yet you aided and abetted the tyrant, helping Sun Sheng to destroy the Qi family and then destroying the bodies. Such acts, which infuriate heaven and man, shouldn't you be arrested?"
The monk lowered his head, seemingly giving up the struggle. The next moment, he struggled to break free from the guards' restraints, grabbed the broadsword, and strangled one of the guards. With a murderous glare in his eyes, he shouted to everyone around him, "Don't come near me! Anyone who comes near me, I'll kill him right now!"
Du Heng's face suddenly sank. A guard from the Ministry of Justice had been so easily subdued. Even so, he still had to save the person. "Don't resist stubbornly. Understand that you can't escape. If you cooperate with us, you can suffer less."
"Bah! I don't believe your nonsense, let me go!"
The blade got closer to the guard's neck, and the frightened guard cried for help, "Sir, please save me! I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child. I can't die yet!"
The guards surrounded the monk, but because he held a hostage, they couldn't move forward and waited for orders. Du Heng looked at Ling Huanchen. After what had just happened, his trust in Ling Huanchen had skyrocketed, and he subconsciously followed his instructions.
Others were either anxious or panicked, but Ling Huanchen showed no sign of worrying about it, as if the precarious situation before him was a child's play. "Did you catch the wrong person? Shouldn't you be holding me hostage?"
The monk was stunned when he heard this and gripped the knife handle even tighter. "What do you mean?"
Ling Huanchen curled his lips and said, "What I mean is that you can't escape today no matter what. As for the hostages in your hands, you can do whatever you want with them."
As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked again. Ling Huanchen ignored the gazes of the people around him and showed an indifferent attitude, "Didn't I express myself clearly enough? Why don't you do it?"
The monk's hand holding the knife couldn't help but tremble, "I didn't expect you to be so cruel."
"There's more you haven't thought of."
Ling Huanchen winked at Yunhe, and then the broadsword in the monk's hand was snatched away. The guards rushed forward and tied the monk up.
"Thank you very much for saving my life, sir." The kidnapped guard knelt on the ground and kowtowed in gratitude.
Ling Huanchen sneered, "Capture this man."
Things took a sudden turn for the worse, and although the guards were unable to react, they had the execution ability to immediately tie the man up like the monk.
"How could a well-trained guard from the Ministry of Justice be captured by an unruly servant?"
Du Heng suddenly realized, "Sir, do you suspect this person is colluding with the murderer?"
It wasn't suspicion, it was certainty. This guard was the spy planted in the Ministry of Justice by the person behind the scenes. He had kept him until now because he wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Otherwise, if there was no grounds for suspicion, it would be difficult to arrest him legitimately.
"Take the two back to the Ministry of Justice prison, along with the assassin, and detain them separately for strict interrogation."
Du Heng bowed and said, "I obey your command!"
Now that all the witnesses had been gathered, if their confessions matched, the verdict could be overturned immediately. Ling Huanchen seized the opportunity and immediately issued an order to arrest Sun Sheng the same day he returned to the Ministry of Justice. In his previous life, he had waited until all the confessions were complete before arresting anyone, so Sun Sheng had already received the news and disappeared. It took a long time to apprehend him, delaying the trial and effectively buying time for the other party to kill him and silence him.
He has learned his lesson in this life. As long as the witnesses are there, it is only a matter of time before they confess. So he just arrests the person first.
Ever since Sun Sheng was imprisoned, the Ministry of Justice had never been quiet. Ling Huanchen strictly prohibited any requests or gifts from the Sun family. Finally, he had waited for the person he had been waiting for.
Ling Huanchen sat at the desk, sipping tea with great interest, his expression indifferent. If you didn't know, you would think he was the only one in the room, but in fact, there was someone sitting opposite him.
"Your Highness, I have taken the time today to come and pay my respects to Your Highness. Since entering the court, Your Highness has been diligent and dedicated, serving the emperor, the people, and the ministers as a model. I am sorry that I have not come to pay my respects to you until now."
Compared to Ling Huanchen's indifference, the Minister of Personnel seemed a bit nervous. He was confident that after years of service at court, he had always been well-connected, and other officials had to give him some respect. However, he was now facing Ling Huanchen. Within the court, Ling Huanchen did not favor any faction. If there was one faction, it was the current king. This one faction was indeed overwhelming.
"What do you want to say, Lord Sun?" Ling Huanchen put down his teacup and looked up at him. "Why don't you just say it."
Lord Sun smiled awkwardly, "It's all because of my disappointing nephew. He might have been a little naughty and got into trouble. I'll teach him a lesson when I get home and won't let him do it again."
Ling Huanchen really didn't want to look at this person's face any longer. It was not as pretty as the tea leaves floating in the teacup. "Lord Sun, do you call this a little trouble?"
Lord Sun tried to smile apologetically for a long time, but to little avail. He was almost losing face. He turned and waved at the door, and immediately a servant came in carrying a wooden box. The lid was open, revealing a dazzling golden light.
"I beg you to accept this small token of my gratitude. I guarantee with my own head that this case has nothing to do with my nephew. Please, Your Highness, please allow me to take my nephew back with me. I can sign a document promising to keep him under my watch until the case is concluded and to be available at your beck and call."
Ling Huanchen knew that he was trying to win him over, but his method was too crude and he didn't even understand the principle of adapting to local conditions.
"Master Sun, do you think I need these?"
Lord Sun choked up for a moment. With Ling Huanchen's status, he had everything he needed, including wealth and luxury. He had no leverage to negotiate a deal with him. This negotiation had been one-sided from the start.
"Since Your Highness does not wish to do this, I will not force you. I will take my leave."
Only after everyone left did Ling Huanchen stop fighting with the teacup in his hand. Yun He had been guarding the door the entire time, and she came in right after Lord Sun left.
"Master, Minister Sun doesn't look very good. I'm afraid something might happen."
Of course, this person would not sit still and wait for death. He had done murder and kidnapping in his previous life.
"Don't worry, I know what's going on."
Ling Huanchen ordered additional personnel to the Tianlao and Du Mansion to prevent Minister Sun from harming the witnesses. The trial was proceeding smoothly, and the only thing left to be announced to the court was the court. At this critical juncture, a strange man suddenly arrived, beating a drum and shouting his innocence, declaring that he would file a complaint with the emperor.
When the guards brought the man in, the man's eyes lit up when he saw Ling Huanchen. If the guards had not been quick, he would have pounced on Ling Huanchen.
"Chen'er, you have such a cruel heart, how could you leave me alone?" As the man spoke, tears fell on the spot and he sobbed uncontrollably, just like an abandoned woman crying in the street about her husband abandoning her and children.
This time, not only everyone was dumbfounded, Ling Huanchen was also stunned for a moment.
Who is this guy? What nonsense is he talking about?
However, the man continued to sob and his words became more and more outrageous. "Chen'er, we were childhood sweethearts. When you were in the mermaid tribe, you told me that you would only be with me in this life. How could you follow King You? I know you were coerced, right? He must have forced you. I know you have only loved me!"
Without waiting for Ling Huanchen to react, Du Hengxian shouted, "That's nonsense! Beat this guy out with a stick."
The man struggled violently, "Chen'er, so it's you who has changed your heart? Have you forgotten our vows of eternal love, forgotten the time we were together under the moonlight, and forgotten how happy you smiled when I held you in my arms?"
"Master." Yun He couldn't stand it anymore. If these words were to reach King You's ears, it would definitely cause a big stir.
The man's words became increasingly explicit, but Ling Huanchen's mind became increasingly clear. This was a new tactic of Lord Sun's. He had previously underestimated him, but Lord Sun knew how to adapt to the situation. He knew that Yu Xi was behind him, so to bring him down, he had to shake his position in Yu Xi's heart.
This trick is really good.
If he kept this person, it would definitely cause a stir in the city. Even if it was proven that he had nothing to do with this person, it would still become a topic of conversation. He didn't care about his reputation, but he cared about Yu Xi.
Thinking of this, Ling Huanchen's eyes turned cold, "Ah He."
"The servant is here."
"Leave no one alive."
As soon as he finished speaking, the dagger had already pierced the man's chest. With a flick of the hand, the knife came down and the man died instantly.
Yun He returned to Ling Huanchen's side and nodded, "Master, it's done."
Du Heng looked at the master and servant across from him, then at the corpse on the ground. "Sir, how should we deal with this?"
"Burn it."
Although the mouth was silenced, the matter was not over yet. Minister Sun wanted to send this person to spread rumors and slander his reputation. Now that the person is dead and the slander fails, he will definitely use this as an excuse to impeach him.
As expected, the next day, the impeachment book of Ling Huanchen was handed to Yu Xi's desk. Minister Sun knelt in the study of Ziyi Palace. Every word was reasonable and every voice was sincere, describing how Ling Huanchen abused his power and hurt people's lives indiscriminately.
After he finished speaking, Yu Xi slowly spoke, "Lord Sun said Lord Ling killed someone without any reason?"
"Yes, there's absolutely no reason." Minister Sun lamented. "Now the relatives of the deceased have come and are threatening to file a complaint. I'm afraid of damaging the royal family's reputation, so I've temporarily suppressed it. But this matter must be explained, and Lord Ling cannot escape the blame. I don't want to embarrass Your Majesty, but Lord Ling must give an explanation on this matter. I ask Your Majesty to make the decision."
"I'm here to give Master Sun an explanation."
A clear and cold voice sounded, and the two looked towards the door at the same time. Minister Sun's expression changed again and again, but finally stabilized.
When Yu Xi saw the person coming, he was delighted, but before he could say anything, he suppressed his words and even frowned.
His little mermaid got into trouble, but he didn't even mention it to him. What if he got bullied?
The author has something to say:
Small Theater
After Yu Xi's black face
Minister Sun: Mr. Ling, you are finished.
Ling Huanchen: It’s over, I have to coax her again when I get home.
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