There's no need to report on anything concerning Shen Chu after Chapter 152.
The white cloth was only the size of a palm, and when unfolded, it bore a large, blood-stained character: Wrongful!
Li Chengxuan was startled. "Ah...where did you get this strip of cloth?"
He was with Shen Chu the whole time and didn't see anyone hand him anything.
A thought suddenly struck him, "Could it be that murderer Zhao Bin who gave it to you?"
Shen Chu nodded, "Yes, when I gave him the sugar-coated fried dough, he took the opportunity to slip it into my hand."
At the time, she felt that Zhao Bin's eyes were filled with despair and resentment, anxiety and a hint of longing, which was really unlike the eyes of a murderer.
His lips trembled as the bailiffs pressed him to the ground.
She looked closely and understood his lip movements; he was repeatedly muttering: "Innocent."
Zhao Bin's eyes and lip movements touched her, reminding her of her father being escorted back to Beijing.
So before the constables took Zhao Bin away, she tentatively offered him a piece of fried dough stick.
Sure enough, as Zhao Bin took the sugar-coated fried dough, he quickly stuffed a piece of cloth into her hand.
Shen Chu carefully examined the strip of cloth in front of her. It was clearly torn hastily from her undergarments, and the bloodstains on it had dried, turning a purplish-black color, which looked shocking.
It was obvious that the banner had been written a long time ago, and Zhao Bin probably hadn't found an opportunity to deliver it along the way.
What happened between her and Pei Yuan at the breakfast stall this morning must have been the subject of gossip among the minor officials who ate with them.
Zhao Bin was being escorted by and must have overheard the conversation, so he struggled to break free from the constables' restraints and ran over just to stuff the piece of cloth into her hand.
He ran too fast and couldn't stop in time, but was mistaken for trying to knock her down and was kicked away by Luo Heng.
He was desperate and unwilling to accept defeat, and could only plead for help with his eyes.
Li Chengxuan stroked his chin. "The yamen runner from the Ministry of Justice just said he was the magistrate of Anhua County in Changsha Prefecture, right?"
It also said that he committed all sorts of evil deeds during his tenure, oppressed the people, and repeatedly colluded with bandits to kill and rob.
Could it be that Magistrate Zhao is innocent?
Shen Chu said, "Don't tell anyone about this. I'll go ask Lord He about it."
She went to He Zhengxiang's duty room.
He Zhengxiang was fiddling with walnuts in one hand and flipping through official documents in the other. When he saw him come in, his mustache twitched.
"Oh, isn't this the ever-busy Lord Shen? What brings you to this old man's place again today?"
Since Zhao Dewen was punished and He Zhengxiang became the Left Censor-in-Chief, the entire Censorate has been busy and harmonious from top to bottom, sweeping away the previous gloomy and scheming atmosphere.
He Zhengxiang's smile grew wider, as if he regarded Shen Chu as his right-hand man, and he would tease him from time to time.
Shen Chu smiled and mentioned that she wanted Zhou Jun to come to the Inspectorate to help her.
He Zhengxiang readily agreed, “Although Young Master Zhou has no official rank, his father is a third-rank scholar and his mother is a princess, so he can request a hereditary title.”
"To become a seventh or eighth-rank inspector in the Censorate, I just need to submit a document and inform the Ministry of Personnel."
"Thank you, sir." Shen Chu thanked him. "Just now, I went to the street for breakfast and happened to run into the Ministry of Justice escorting prisoners to the capital."
I've heard that the magistrate of Anhua County in Changsha Prefecture has been arrested for murder and robbery. Are you aware of this, sir?
He Zhengxiang said, "A few days ago, the prefect of Changsha submitted a memorial to His Majesty about this matter, saying that Zhao Bin levied heavy taxes on merchants and privately sold salt permits to line his own pockets."
In Anhua County, there was a wealthy merchant named Sun Hongzhi who ran a business selling cloth and tea. It was said that he refused to pay heavy taxes as stipulated by Zhao Bin, so Zhao Bin, along with bandits, kidnapped his wife and children and killed them all.
Sun Hongzhi narrowly escaped death and fled all the way to Changsha Prefecture to file a complaint. The Changsha prefect investigated carefully and finally found Zhao Bin.
The Ministry of Justice sent an imperial envoy to Changsha Prefecture to investigate. The envoy returned and reported that the evidence was conclusive. His Majesty was furious; it seemed the death penalty was inevitable.
"Does Your Excellency know what Zhao Bin's performance has been like over the past few years as an official?"
He Zhengxiang shook his head. "We need to check with the Ministry of Personnel to find out. What? Are you interested in Zhao Bin's case?"
Shen Chu nodded. "I happened to run into him on the street just now. I didn't think he looked like a vicious or ruthless person, so I thought I'd ask him."
He Zhengxiang seemed thoughtful. "So you suspect there's more to this case than meets the eye?"
"I can't say for sure, it's just a gut feeling. If it's convenient for you, sir, please keep an eye out for this matter for me."
She took the blood-stained cloth from Zhao Bin, who was pleading his innocence, and felt a heavy weight in her heart.
He Zhengxiang agreed, "The Sixth Prince's Flying Eagle Guard monitors the thirteen circuits and thirty-six prefectures of the country, and can find out all kinds of information."
"I'm going to the Sixth Prince's residence for dinner tonight. Why don't you come with me? We can ask him for some information then."
Shen Chu shook his head and refused, "I have another dinner engagement tonight, please go ahead."
He Zhengxiang curled his lip, "You're just making excuses. What other dinner plans you have? It's just that you don't dare to eat spicy food."
Shen Chu chuckled, "What a coincidence, I do have a dinner engagement."
As for not being able to eat spicy food, since becoming pregnant, she has found spicy food increasingly delicious and no longer experiences stomach pain after eating it.
That's really quite strange.
He Zhengxiang didn't believe it, and that night he told Pei Yuan about it as a joke.
"Xiao Shen was so scared of the spiciness of Sichuan food last time that he refused to come back, insisting that he had a dinner engagement."
He's been at the Inspectorate for so long, and I've never seen him go out to socialize with his colleagues.
"Heh." A cold smile crept across Pei Yuan's lips.
Jinbao, standing beside He Zhengxiang, kept giving him meaningful glances, inwardly groaning.
My Lord He, please don't even mention Lord Shen.
It took a lot of effort to finally finish using up the shredded potatoes in the manor.
Jinbao's eyes were practically bulging from being squeezed together, but unfortunately He Zhengxiang didn't notice, as the conversation was still focused on Shen Chu.
"Little Shen has suddenly become very interested in the case of Zhao Bin, the magistrate of Anhua County. Does Your Highness have any news from Anhua?"
Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Sun Yan.
Sun Yan said, "The Flying Eagle Guard has not received any unusual news from Changsha Prefecture today."
He Zhengxiang chuckled, "Perhaps Xiao Shen is overthinking it. He insists that the way he looks at Zhao Bin doesn't seem like that of a vicious person."
Since there's nothing unusual, then forget it. I'll go back and tell Xiao Shen.
After He Zhengxiang left, Pei Yuan asked, "How did Shen Chu run into Zhao Bin?"
Sun Yan said, "I heard that this morning, when the Ministry of Justice was escorting Zhao Bin past the breakfast stall where Lord Shen was eating, Zhao Bin suddenly broke free from the yamen runners and tried to escape, almost knocking Lord Shen down."
Later, Young Master Luo appeared and saved Lord Shen. Lord Shen must have briefly encountered Zhao Bin at that time.
Pei Yuan tightened his grip on the wine glass slightly, then relaxed it as if nothing had happened.
Sun Yan continued, "To express his gratitude, Lord Shen is hosting a banquet at Tonghe Restaurant tonight to entertain Young Master Luo Qi."
Pei Yuan lowered his eyes, tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup to the bottom, then got up and left.
Jinbao was so anxious that he kept winking and stamping his feet, wishing he could go up and cover Sun Yan's mouth.
This matter doesn't have to be mentioned.
Your Highness was already unhappy, and when you heard that Lord Shen would rather go to a restaurant with others than come to the Sixth Prince's residence, wouldn't you be even more unhappy?
"Jinbao, what's wrong with your eye? Is it cramping?" Sun Yan asked, puzzled.
Jinbao was exasperated. "Serves you right for not being able to finish the shredded potatoes."
He chased after him, his heart pounding with fear, and whispered, "Your Highness, are we going to the kitchen? This servant will have the potatoes washed first."
Pei Yuan stood in the night breeze for a moment, then chuckled softly, “What are you doing in the kitchen? Since I’ve said we’re colleagues, we’ll only ever be colleagues from now on.”
"I always keep my word. There's no need to report on anything concerning Shen Chu anymore. I'm leaving now, heading to my study."
Jinbao stood there blankly for a moment, then suddenly his eyes reddened.
Waaaaah, His Highness is so upset because of Lord Shen, he keeps cutting potato shreds, and he wants to cry.
Now that His Highness refuses to cut it, he feels even more like crying.
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