Chapter 15: Final Verdict (1)

Unexpectedly, while waiting for Scholar Ming Xiangzhao and the witnesses, another incident occurred.

A court bailiff came to report that someone had filed a complaint.

The yamen was indeed bustling with activity today.

Le Wuya asked, "Who is it?"

The bailiff replied, "Magistrate, it's Li Asi."

Butcher Li Asi?

The owner behind Jixiangfang?

Le Wuya was slightly surprised. "What case is he reporting?"

The bailiff said, "From what he said, it seems to be a case of theft."

Le Wuya blinked and showed a faint smile. "Whether major or minor, all cases concern the people's livelihood. Have him brought in."

During the day, he hadn't provoked Li Asi with the 'seditious document' for no reason.

But that Li Asi acted so quickly was somewhat beyond Le Wuya's expectations.

He thought, this man is also clever.

A man with a ruddy, glowing face, a stout build, about fifty years old, waddled into the court with a protruding belly, followed by two others.

He knelt and greeted, "Your Honor, I, Li Asi, am here to report a crime."

Le Wuya responded courteously, "Rise and state your case."

Butcher Li Asi stood up.

Le Wuya looked at him.

Their eyes met, and they instantly understood each other.

Li Asi, having risen from a butcher to his current success, was no fool.

His judgment was exceptionally sharp.

For instance, after hearing his nephew Li Qing's description of the raid on Jixiangfang, his thoughts ran deeper and farther than Li Qing's.

The case of Scholar Ming Xiangzhao's rebellion was known to everyone in Nanting County.

Perceptive people could easily see that he had gotten into trouble for investigating the Xiaofu Coal Mine.

As a result, before one case was resolved, another storm arose: an anonymous letter of accusation suddenly appeared, accusing his own Jixiangfang of harboring seditious writings.

This inevitably made one wonder if the Xiaofu Coal Mine was using the same trick again, trying to drag him down as well.

However, he and Master Chen were both making money in Nanting, and they had always kept to their own business. There were occasional disputes, but no major conflicts of interest. Master Chen had no need to use such a vicious method to harm him.

Regardless of whether the letter was true or false, the fact that the Magistrate himself had shown up at Jixiangfang's doorstep meant one thing:

This Magistrate Wenren wanted to win him over.

So should he cooperate?

Li Asi almost immediately gave his answer.

The Magistrate was an official, and he was a merchant.

A merchant fighting an official is biting off more than he can chew.

It would be extremely difficult for him to overthrow the Magistrate; but for the Magistrate to ruin him was easy.

Today's raid on Jixiangfang showed that the Magistrate had the ability to make them suffer in silence.

Even without the seditious document, if the shady businesses he ran were brought to light, that alone would be enough to cause him trouble.

If he didn't take sides, Master Chen would not thank him one bit.

If Master Chen fell, the Magistrate would get the lion's share, but he could also get a piece of the pie, slightly making up for the losses from the raid on Jixiangfang, and also do the Magistrate a favor.

Comparing the two, it was clear which deal was more advantageous.

But...

This Magistrate, though young, could use open tactics to force him to help.

A county magistrate in his early twenties, newly appointed, could already employ such tactics of pulling one and striking another—Li Asi had never seen the likes of it in his life.

Le Wuya asked, "Li Asi, what is your complaint?"

Li Asi clasped his hands and said, "I operate a money house called Huitong. A few days ago, Chen Fu'er of the Xiaofu Coal Mine deposited fifty taels of silver at Huitong and exchanged it for a bank draft. Today, Manager Qian of Huitong was reconciling the accounts and found that the fifty taels had been withdrawn using the draft. Turns out the person who cashed it was a good-for-nothing named Liu Deben. I've heard of him—he's a local good-for-nothing. It's highly suspicious that this fifty taels of silver fell into his hands."

He pointed to the two men beside him. "These are the manager of the money house and the clerk who handled the exchange. I have brought them to report the case, not to accuse anyone, just to get the facts straight. I suspect someone stole Chen Fu'er's draft and came to cash it. To our money house, fifty taels is a pittance, not worth mentioning. However, if it tarnishes the money house's reputation and ends up benefiting thieves, that would be bad for business. I ask the Magistrate to look into it thoroughly."

Hearing this, the crowd below immediately broke into animated discussion.

Among the crowd, someone asked softly, "Excuse me, may I ask who Liu Deben is?"

"Which Liu Deben could it be? The one who testified that Scholar Ming Xiangzhao was rebelling!" The onlooker rubbed his hands together excitedly. "It's all connected! Everything ties together now!"

The questioner said politely, "Thank you."

The man who was asked thought this man was very polite. He turned his head and found that two people had somehow appeared beside him.

The questioner was in his twenties, extremely handsome and refined.

When he noticed being looked at, he gave a gentle smile that made the moonlight and snow look dull in comparison.

The other man wore a black veil covering his face entirely, but his presence was imposing—like a magnificent flower in full bloom standing out in the hall.

The man they had asked was stunned by this exquisite pair and stammered, "...N-no problem."

...

Facing the thin bank draft presented to him, along with the account books clearly showing the date and the name of the casher, Le Wuya gave a brilliant smile. "You've been very thorough."

For a money house that handled silver day in and day out, fifty taels in and out was a drop in the bucket.

If Li Asi hadn't caught on to something fishy at the time of the exchange and deliberately kept the record early on, he probably wouldn't have been able to dig it out in such a short time.

The cunning Li Asi pretended not to understand Le Wuya's hint, and immediately laughed, looking like a smiling Buddha. "You're too kind, Magistrate."

Le Wuya: "I was about to summon Liu Deben for interrogation. Can the physical evidence and the witness be temporarily held in this yamen?"

Li Asi nodded: "As you say, Your Honor."

After briefly instructing the manager and the clerk, Li Asi left temporarily.

Before leaving, he clasped his hands toward Le Wuya meaningfully.

In the future, the two would likely have more dealings to come.

Before long, Scholar Ming (Ming Xiangzhao) and the witness Liu Deben were brought into the courtroom together.

As Ming Xiangzhao knelt in chains, Le Wuya took a sip of tea, observing him from above the steaming cup.

Those familiar features, which Ming Xiangzhao had long known, were now blurred by the rising steam, appearing strangely novel and intriguing.

He knelt properly before him and kowtowed.

Le Wuya: "Ming Xiangzhao, raise your head."

Ming Xiangzhao lifted his face slightly, his eyes asking: *Shall I speak?*

Le Wuya, feigning nonchalance, pursed his lips as he set down the cup.

Ming Xiangzhao: *Ah, still not allowed to speak.*

So he pressed his lips together and said nothing.

As for Liu Deben, once he entered the courtroom and saw this Scholar Ming, he guessed why the yamen had summoned him.

Seeing Scholar Ming hang his head in silence without protesting, Liu Deben was most pleased.

When Le Wuya looked toward him, Liu Deben, without waiting for a question, eagerly delivered a lengthy statement: "Your Honor, at the time, I was working as a day laborer. The master wanted a hot drink, so I went to the tavern. While the waiter was warming the wine, I waited nearby. That's when I overheard this Scholar Ming spouting nonsense... The words were utterly filthy, I dare not repeat them... I tried to pretend I hadn't heard and slip away along the wall, but Scholar Ming spotted me, glared, and asked what I had heard. The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became. I'm just an ant—easy to crush—and this Scholar Ming is an expert at manipulating lawsuits. If he got tangled up with me, I'd be finished. So I came straight to the yamen to report."

This was identical to the testimony he had already given.

Clearly, Liu Deben had used the waiting time to memorize his story, afraid of any discrepancy.

Le Wuya squinted at Liu Deben with a half-smile.

Seeing this, Ming Xiangzhao thought to himself, *This Brother Gu must have had bad eyesight in his past life.*

Le Wuya: "Liu Deben, how did you know that I summoned you for this matter?"

He ordered, "...Bring Ge Erzi to court."

As soon as Ge Erzi entered the courtroom, his sharp tongue went to work: "Your Honor, it's him! He must have been bribed by Xiaofu Coal Mine to slander Scholar Ming!"

Liu Deben, thinking he had performed well, was secretly pleased—until Ge Erzi popped up and accused him vehemently, leaving him dumbfounded.

...What was happening?

Flustered and angry, he stammered, "You—you—what the hell are you saying? I clearly heard it!"

Ge Erzi had a tongue as sharp as a knife, easily handling Liu Deben: "Who testifies for you? Did the waiter hear it? You say you heard it with just your lips flapping—find a witness, then."

"He has seditious writings at home—that's the evidence!"

"Oh~ 'He has seditious writings at home'~" Ge Erzi mimicked him in a nasal voice, "Did you see it with your own eyes? You're so sure—maybe you planted that book in his home. Oh, I almost forgot—you're a thief with sticky fingers. Years ago, you stole corn from someone's house and nearly had your hand chopped off!"

The two street thugs made quite a row.

Liu Deben, overwhelmed with rage, spat in Ge Erzi's face: "You son of a bitch!"

Ge Erzi wiped his face and grabbed Liu Deben by the collar, continuing his tirade: "You say you heard it? I saw Xiaofu Coal Mine give you a bag of silver to bribe you!"

Liu Deben grew more panicked: "You're talking out of your ass!"

Ming Xiangzhao watched this dog-eat-dog scene with astonishment. While edging away, he looked up at Le Wuya:

...How had it come to this in just one day?

Le Wuya, who had always put on airs in his past life, didn't bother to hide it now. He chuckled softly behind his fan.

The courtroom was brightly lit by candles, exceptionally warm, as if it were the moment of their first meeting the night before.

Ming Xiangzhao looked up, meeting the crescent-moon eyes above the fan's edge.

...It seemed to radiate infinite brilliance, bewitching him.

Le Wuya chose his moment to cut in: "Liu Deben, you say there's no silver. How about I search your house to find out?"

Liu Deben's heart skipped a beat.

Framing someone for treason could cost him his head, so he wouldn't do it for nothing—he had extorted a hefty sum from the Xiaofu Coal Mine.

The fifty taels from Xiaofu Coal Mine had only been in his hands a few days; he hadn't even had time to warm them up.

If they were found, how would he explain it?

But he was quick on his feet and hastily explained: "Search all you like, Your Honor. But I have a distant uncle who died recently. He had no children, so he left me some money."

Ge Erzi, who had overheard Li Asi's entire complaint, chimed in loudly from the side: "Would that happen to be exactly fifty taels?"

...Liu Deben wished he could strangle him.

Le Wuya's gaze drifted further away, weighing whether to send someone to search Liu Deben's house first or enjoy the show a little longer. Then, he saw someone standing at a distance in the shifting crowd, staring fixedly at him.

Le Wuya stood in the light, while that person was in the shadows.

He couldn't see clearly who it was.

Le Wuya squinted for a long time, but the other person had already fully taken in his silhouette.

That gaze was clear and intent.

And while the Sixth Prince watched Le Wuya, the Seventh Prince, wearing a veiled hat, turned his head slightly to watch the Sixth Prince.

Involuntarily, he raised a hand and gently touched his right ear.

Though they were born of the same mother, the Sixth Prince was the elder, and having been taken at birth to be raised by the childless and devoutly Taoist Imperial Consort Zhuang, his status was naturally higher than the Seventh Prince's.

As they grew older, their features became more similar. To tell them apart, the Emperor had taken Xiang Zhishi and burned a small scar onto his right earlobe.

At the tender age of six, Xiang Zhishi didn't understand the reason and thought he had committed a grave sin. He fell sick with a high fever afterward.

Through his fever daze, he saw Xiang Zhijie sitting by his bed, feeding him water and food bit by bit.

Previously, Xiang Zhishi had no idea why his father had done this to him.

However, after seeing this face that looked exactly like his own, Xiang Zhijie guessed as much.

An inexplicable disgust rose from the depths of his heart. Feigning indifference, he suddenly waved his hand to shoo him away, but accidentally knocked over a bowl of scalding medicinal broth nearby.

Xiang Zhijie reached out to block him, but the medicine spilled all over his hand without a single drop wasted.

Without uttering a sound, he called for an attendant to deal with the bowl and the stained bedsheet.

Xiang Zhishi heard the eunuch's shrill voice: "Oh dear, how did your hand get so burned? It's all swollen..."

Xiang Zhijie stammered, "Shh, don't... disturb him. It's... nothing."

Xiang Zhishi turned over without expression, jostling his slightly infected ear.

He was in great pain, but from this agony he also felt a hint of satisfaction:

"If you think it's no big deal, wouldn't it be better if this thing were branded on you instead?"

From then on, the Seventh Prince often wore all kinds of luxurious gemstone earrings on his right ear to hide the noticeable scar.

As they grew older, the two still weren't on equal footing.

It was fine in the palace, but whenever the Emperor assigned them tasks requiring them to go out together, he was always the one who had to hide his face to avoid standing out too much.

Even after all this time, he never got used to it.

Just like now—he simply couldn't see the person in the hall as clearly as Xiang Zhijie did; he only felt that the other was always like a flower veiled in mist or the moon reflected in water.

While Le Wuya was holding court, they had not been idle.

They had sent Jiang He to sit in on the entire trial. They originally planned to wait for him to return and report back, but the Seventh Prince was cautious and sent out several more groups of secret guards to gather information from the outskirts.

Unexpectedly, the details they gathered grew more and more dramatic, interlocking into a massive scheme.

Only after Le Wuya had fully investigated Chang Xiaohu's death and dragged in the Xiaofu Coal Mine did the two finally get restless and decide to go themselves, dressed in plain clothes and traveling light.

No sooner had Jiang He left the county office than they arrived.

Seeing the Sixth Prince staring intently, he teased, "Sixth Brother, what are you looking at? Don't tell me you've actually taken a liking to him?"

He didn't answer. Xiang Zhishi, long used to this, continued, "This man truly has some skill. He worked the case overnight, swooping in with overwhelming force, catching them off guard."

"If it were someone else, and they paused even for a moment, giving these people a chance to catch their breath—not to mention others—Ge Erzi and Liu Deben could have been taken care of that very night."

"He also cleverly found these miners. I heard that when he was investigating Chang Xiaohu's case half a year ago, this magistrate also called in miners from the mine. But with some manipulation on their part, it's hard to say whether those selected were actually real miners."

"However, this Xiaofu Coal Mine must have some hidden secrets. Relying solely on the people from Nanting County probably isn't enough. Even with our people watching, it may still not be enough. I heard that General Pei Fengyou is nearby..."

Xiang Zhijie interrupted him: "Yes."

Xiang Zhishi: "?"

He had just rambled on so much, and he had no idea which sentence that quiet man's abrupt "yes" was in response to.

Before he could figure it out, Xiang Zhijie added, "Seventh Brother, you're especially talkative today."

Xiang Zhishi: "..."

"Is that so?"

He turned his gaze toward Le Wuya in the hall.

Xiang Zhishi began to dislike this man.

Because he instinctively felt that Xiang Zhijie liked him.

At this thought, Xiang Zhishi paused slightly.

"...Before, it seems he also came to hate that person in the same way."

"So similar—how interesting."