PC Chapter 21

Su Cen faced off with a group of officials from the Ministry of Rites, even attracting the attention of He Zhongqing, the Vice Minister of Rites.

It’s often said that higher-ranking officials can suppress others, but Su Cen, a mere seventh-rank clerk from the Dali Temple, demanding a list of imperial examinations from over a decade ago at the Ministry of Rites, seemed almost absurd to anyone present.

As the main gate of the ministry was shut, the two of them were surrounded by Ministry of Rites personnel. Xiao Sun, trembled behind Su Cen, regretting stepping out today, thinking that he must have not checked the almanac when he went out today, fearing he’d angered a formidable figure. Meanwhile, Su Cen stood undaunted before He Zhongqing, resolute in his demand for the list.

In the end, He Zhongqing sighed first. “Lord Su, while the Dali Temple’s investigation is something we should assist with, and with the prince’s decree, we should comply, you must consider our situation. The Double Ninth Festival is approaching, and His Majesty wants to bestow clothes and hundreds of silks, and go up to the altar to offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for blessings. The etiquette is complicated, and the Ministry of Rites is already busy. Additionally, this year marks the Emperor’s fourth reign, and both Chancellor Liu and the Empress Dowager are placing great importance on it. We truly have no capacity right now. If you could wait until after the festival, we will definitely provide the list.”

Su Cen’s expression remained cold. “I need it today.”

“You are being unreasonable!” A minor clerk stepped forward behind He Zhongqing.

He Zhongqing waved the clerk away and continued, “Not to mention the Chongyang Festival, but requesting a list from over a decade ago suddenly, even if you are the new top scholar, you should understand that the number of candidates over the years reaches into the thousands. Moreover, this person never made it onto the list. The Ministry of Rites alone could not produce this list in a single day, even with full cooperation.”

Su Cen frowned. “The Ministry didn’t keep records of his mysterious death during the examination?”

He Zhongqing replied, “He died suddenly due to anxiety and was unable to answer the exam questions. What records should we keep? Not only do we have no record, but even the Ministry of Justice has none.”

“If there are no records, then investigate,” Su Cen said sternly. “Check among the candidates sent from various regions, and examine the examination papers from that year. I must see that person’s name today.”

He was determined to find out who was using the guise of a vengeful ghost to commit murder.

He Zhongqing sighed again, his patience clearly exhausted, and waved his hand. “Throw him out.”

“Who dares to touch me!” Su Cen brandished the jade ring. “If I don’t resolve this case today, I’ll make sure everyone at the Ministry of Rites shares the same fate! If the prince’s token is shattered in the Ministry’s hall, guess who the prince will hold accountable?!”

He Zhongqing was momentarily speechless.

Just then, the tightly shut door of the Ministry was slammed open from outside. A figure stepped in, towering and exuding a cold, murderous aura. His pale eyes swept over everyone in the hall before he addressed He Zhongqing, “Do as he says.”

He Zhongqing dared not speak another word.

Although Qi Lin was merely a guard by Prince Ning’s side, everyone knew he came from the Tuo Duo Three Guards, a Turkic man known for his ruthless nature. He once wiped out the remnants of the Ashina clan with a curved blade, and when he accompanied Prince Ning into the capital, he frightened the young emperor to tears, resulting in a punishment of fifty strokes from the Prince himself. After receiving his punishment, he stood up and walked back to Xingqing Palace on his own. Since then, he had dressed as a Han Chinese and swapped his curved blade for a longsword, but his fierce demeanor remained, causing fear in those who saw him.

He was a man with no feelings, merely a blade without compassion. Knowing that further discussion was futile, He Zhongqing could only agree, saying, “Understood.”

As He Zhongqing turned to leave, a cold voice came from behind, “I want to see the list before the hour of Shen.”

He Zhongqing paused, sighed, and slowly walked away.

After leaving the Ministry of Rites, Su Cen also breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though he had seen the light of day again.

Looking at the trembling Xiao Sun, who could barely walk, Su Cen thanked Qi Lin with a nod, “Thank you.”

Qi Lin returned the gesture with a cold expression, “I was only following the orders.”

Su Cen then asked, “Has the person been brought there?”

Qi Lin replied, “As you instructed, they’ve been locked up with Gao Miao.”

Su Cen nodded, “Let’s go and see the seamstress.”

In the Dali Temple’s prison.

In one cell were two people: One was covered in blood and paralyzed in a corner. In the hot summer, the wound had already shown signs of decay. Although it was simply bandaged, it still looked shocking. And the other, with disheveled hair, huddled and cautiously observing the surroundings.

Su Cen watched them for a moment, then cleared his throat. Both individuals looked up at him—one with a resentful gaze and the other, upon meeting his eyes, hurriedly looked away.

Su Cen said, “Open the door.”

The jailer opened the door, and Su Cen walked over to Xiu Niang, crouching beside her. “Do you remember me?”

Xiu Niang looked at him with a shiver and then forced a smile, “Top Scholar, I’m the Top Scholar’s wife.”

Su Cen smiled and sat down on the floor, “No need to pretend, I know you’re not insane.”

Xiu Niang briefly looked stunned, then quickly grabbed some straw from the ground and placed it on her head, saying, “Top Scholar, can you help me with my hair?”

Su Cen took the straw and toyed with it in his hands. “You’re actually quite clever, just unfortunate to have trusted the wrong person. Knowing that being sent back would mean another beating and continuing in the same dirty trade, you decided to feign madness to buy time and plan when people’s guard was down.”

“But you didn’t anticipate that Lü Liang was such a small-minded person. Before leaving the capital, he was afraid you would damage his reputation and intended to silence you to avoid future troubles. Fortunately, someone helped you by killing him.”

Hearing this, Xiu Niang shrank back, hugging her knees and suddenly crying out, “It was a vengeful ghost, a vengeful ghost that killed him! It wasn’t me; it was a vengeful ghost that killed him!”

“I know you didn’t kill him,” Su Cen said, grabbing her by the arm, “but you’re the only one who has seen the murderer!”

“Lü Liang wanted to kill you; he suddenly appeared and killed Lü Liang, saving you. You felt grateful and wanted to protect him, so you claimed it was a ghost who did it!”

“I don’t know; it was a ghost that killed him…” Xiu Niang held her head in her hands, “I don’t know anything…”

Su Cen yanked her up and dragged her to Gao Miao’s side. “Look at him! He’s just a scholar who came to the capital to take the exam, from a family of butchers. After ten years of hard study, he hoped to succeed, but he was framed and coerced into a confession! Now the one you’re protecting is still at large while an innocent man suffers here! If he dies, will you be able to sleep at night knowing you’ve sent him to his doom?”

Xiu Niang looked at Gao Miao, whose already swollen face from beatings made it impossible to discern his features. She then lowered her head, remaining silent.

Su Cen crouched down, pushing Xiu Niang’s disheveled hair behind her ears to reveal her youthful face, and stared directly into her eyes. “I don’t have much time. After sunset, he will be sent to the Ministry of Justice’s prison. With the panic in the capital, once he’s sent there, he will never come out alive. His current predicament is my doing. If he dies, I’ll accompany him in death. That would make five lives lost, including the three scholars who have already died. You are the only one who can save him now. I know you didn’t kill anyone, and I don’t have the authority to keep you here. Tomorrow, once I’m no longer in office, someone will release you. I just want you to see that if he is truly taken by the Ministry of Justice, it will be you who led him to the edge of the knife.”

Xiu Niang bit her lip, burying her head between her knees.

“Think carefully,” Su Cen said as he stood up and left.

In the main hall, the interrogation of Wu Deshui’s colleagues and neighbors continued. Each one knelt, shivering in fear, with no new information emerging.

As noon approached, there was no progress.

Among those being questioned was Hou Ping, the monkey-like man from that day. Seeing Su Cen approach, he was momentarily stunned but then leaned in and said, “Sir, it’s me.”

Su Cen nodded, “I remember you.”

“Sir, please release us. We don’t know anything. Wu Deshui looked down on us and never associated with us. We really didn’t know him well.”

Su Cen took a seat in the hall and asked, “Do you remember if Wu Deshui had any unusual behavior on April 8?”

Hou Ping thought for a moment and replied, “Nothing unusual. He just took two big jars of wine and left with the key to the Northwest Gate.”

Su Cen suddenly stood up, “Wine? What kind of wine?”

“Huh?” Hou Ping was taken aback, “Two large yellow jars, tightly sealed. I remember someone even joked, ‘Wu Laizi, aren’t you going to share this wine with everyone?’ He cursed back, ‘A bunch of useless trash, go drink your own piss,’ and then left with the wine.”

Su Cen recalled that Wu Deshui’s home did have several large jars of wine, but he was too rushed at the time to observe them closely.

“Have you examined Wu Deshui’s body?” Su Cen asked.

The coroner replied, “Yes, the body was examined. It was filled with alcohol, and the internal organs are badly damaged.”

“He died from drinking alcohol?” Su Cen inquired.

“Not exactly,” the coroner explained. “He choked to death. The alcohol went into his mouth and nose, blocking his airway, and he was suffocated to death.”

“Were there any other injuries on the body?”

“There are pressure marks on either side of the jaw—two on the left and one on the right—but they are not fatal.”

Su Cen pondered this information. It seemed someone had held Wu Deshui’s jaw and forced the alcohol into him, causing him to choke to death.

Hou Ping, trying to ingratiate himself, said, “Sir, I’ve told you everything I know. Can’t you let me go now?”

“Continue the interrogation,” Su Cen instructed his subordinates. “Qi Lin, come with me to Guiyi Ward.”

 

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