The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 57 Entering the Palace to Meet the Emperor! A Summoning from Li Shimin...

The prison was cold and damp; the deeper one went, the more the chill rose from the soles of one's feet.

Liu Shuyi quietly tightened his robes as he followed the Imperial Guards, glancing at the prison cells on both sides.

As they went deeper into the prison, the cells began to change from large communal cells to small individual cells.

Without exception, these cells were all made of steel bars, with heavy doors and a foul stench. Some cells had a few dry grasses on the floor to keep out the heat, but most of them had no grass at all.

The prisoners could only curl up and lie shivering on the cold ground.

Having spent several years in the Ministry of Justice, Liu Shuyi knew that prison was an extremely realistic place. If these prisoners had relatives and friends outside, and those relatives and friends were willing to pay some money, then they would have a better time in prison. At least they could sleep on hay, and even better, they might have a blanket.

However, if it is a heinous crime involving the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan, and the prisoner has no relatives or friends outside, or if the relatives or friends are too poor, or are unwilling to spend money to bribe officials, then every day these prisoners live in prison is a day worse than death.

If even a man would find it difficult to endure such pain, one can only imagine how a frail woman like Miaoyin'er would fare.

Lost in thought, the Imperial Guards stopped.

“Master Liu, Miaoyin’er is right here.”

Liu Shuyi looked up at the sound.

They stopped in front of the innermost cell.

Because it was located right next to the outer wall, the chill was more intense than in other cells during this cold early spring.

Standing here, he could even feel the cold wind seeping in from the cracks in the wall, then creeping into his body through the gaps in his bones, making his limbs feel instantly frozen.

As the torch drew closer, the scene in the cramped cell suddenly became clear.

Miao Yin'er was wearing a prison uniform, which was covered with bloodstains. She was not lying on the cold ground, but sitting with her knees bent away from the wall. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was pale, and her former charm was nowhere to be found. All that remained was a fragility that seemed as if she could wither at any moment.

Boom!

The Imperial Guard picked up his sword hilt and pounded on the cell door, shouting, "Miaoyin'er, wake up! Master Liu has something to ask you. Get up now!"

Miao Yin'er's body trembled slightly, and her head, which had been hanging down, slowly rose.

Through the gaps in the messy hair, Liu Shuyi vaguely saw a pair of hazy eyes.

But soon, the blurriness in his eyes faded, and a familiar voice rang out: "Master Liu?"

"Has Chief Liu been promoted?"

Miao Yin'er supported herself on her knees with both hands and slowly stood up. She seemed to be seriously injured, and her body swayed, giving Liu Shuyi the feeling that she was about to fall at any moment.

With a forced upright posture, Miao Yin'er let out a soft breath, as if that had exhausted all her strength.

Immediately, she came to the fence, bowed gracefully to Liu Shuyi, and said in her soft, sweet voice, "I was trapped here and did not congratulate you in time. I hope you will forgive me."

Listening to Miao Yin'er's words and recalling Du Ruhui's evaluation of Miao Yin'er, Liu Shuyi's gaze became even more profound.

Despite her dire situation, Miao Yin'er behaved as usual, showing no signs of being in prison, which gave Liu Shuyi a sense of confidence.

Where does her confidence come from?

Is he as fearless of death as Liu Yuanming?

still is……

Liu Shuyi was deep in thought, but showed no sign of it on his face.

He shook his head and said, "It's not too late to congratulate you after you leave."

"go out?"

Miaoyin giggled: "Is Master Liu testing me?"

But the next moment, she became saddened and even shed a few tears: "I also want to go out, but does Master Liu think I still have a chance to go out?"

Seeing Miaoyin'er switch between joy, anger, sorrow and happiness so easily in the blink of an eye, Liu Shuyi couldn't help but sigh, "You really are hard to read."

Upon hearing this, Miao Yin'er instantly went from being on the verge of tears to laughing again. She raised her delicate hand, which was covered in whip marks, and brushed the hair from her forehead behind her ear, revealing her dark and moist eyes clearly in Liu Shuyi's field of vision.

Then you can see that his bright eyes have not dimmed because of his imprisonment; they still shine with a brilliance, as if he is both angry and reproachful: "I am very saddened by how you speak of me, Master Liu."

Knowing how difficult Miao Yin'er was, Liu Shuyi didn't waste any more words with her. He got straight to the point and said, "I have two questions for you."

"Alright, whatever Master Liu asks, I will answer truthfully." Miao Yin'er was overly cooperative, just like when she was captured.

However, whether her answer is credible, like Liu Yuanming's, requires careful consideration.

Liu Shuyi gave her a deep look and said directly, "My first question is, do you know my elder brother, Liu Shuzhong?"

"Liu Shuzhong?"

Miao Yin'er recalled for a moment, then raised her eyebrows: "Liu Shuzhong, the judge of the Dali Temple?"

"You know her?" Liu Shuyi leaned forward instinctively, his eyes fixed on Miaoyin'er.

Then, he saw Miaoyin wink at him and giggle, "How could I not recognize him? After all, I've spent several nights with him, and he even promised to redeem me from my servitude in the future..."

As she spoke, Miaoyin'er couldn't help but show a surprised expression: "You said he was your brother, and he said he would redeem me from my servitude, so wouldn't I have almost become your sister-in-law?"

Liu Shuyi's eyelids twitched.

It is true that redeeming prostitutes does happen from time to time, but I have never heard of redeeming brothel owners!
Not to mention that in his memory, his elder brother never went to brothels to save money, and he would go straight home after work, never staying out all night.

Therefore, the claim that he accompanied her for several nights is pure nonsense.

Miao Yin'er did answer very cooperatively, but not a single word of truth came out of her mouth!
When was the last time you saw my brother?

Although Miao Yin'er was a habitual liar, lies sometimes contain clues. Liu Shuyi did not expose Miao Yin'er's lies, but continued to question her.

Miao Yin'er touched her bloodless lips with her fingertip and said, "I can't quite remember, it seems to be before the emperor changed."

Before the emperor changed... before the Xuanwu Gate Incident?

Liu Shuyi continued, "Did my brother say anything before you parted ways for the last time?"

"What did you say?"

Miao Yin'er said with some resentment, "He said he would redeem me from my servitude and told me to wait for him. He said he would raise the money in a few days at most..."

"But the result..."

She looked at Liu Shuyi, pouted, and said, "I've waited for him for almost two years, but he hasn't come. You men really can't be trusted. You're all heartless bastards!"

She looked aggrieved: "Master Liu, can you ask your brother if he is being hypocritical towards me? Is he deliberately toying with my feelings? Why hasn't he sent me a single word in two years? Even if he doesn't want to redeem me, he should at least tell me so I won't wait foolishly?"

Listening to Miaoyin'er's aggrieved complaints, Liu Shuyi stared intently at her, not missing a single change in her expression, and said, "Don't you know that my brother disappeared two years ago?"

"What? Missing?"

Miao Yin'er covered her mouth, her watery eyes widening in surprise: "When did this happen? So he didn't come to redeem me because he didn't like me anymore, but because he disappeared?"

Seeing Miao Yin'er's surprised and bewildered expression, Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes.

He gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips and said, "Next is the second question."

Miao Yin'er said, "Don't ask the second question yet, we haven't talked about your brother's matter..."

Liu Shuyi interrupted Miaoyin'er directly, asking, "Do you know Chen Feng, Zhao Meng, and Lu Yangyuan?"

Miao Yin'er paused for a moment, then blinked blankly: "Who are they?"

"do not know?"

Miaoyin'er suddenly smiled: "They may be guests I used to entertain, but I have never developed feelings for any of them, unlike your brother."

The implication is that her feelings for Liu Shuzhong were genuine, which is why she remembered him so well, while she had long forgotten the others with whom she had no feelings.

Liu Shuyi scrutinized Miaoyin'er with his eyes and said, "Your master wants to kill them, how could you not know about them?"

"what?"

Miao Yin'er blinked again, looking bewildered: "Is that so? I really don't know."

She waved her hand and sighed, "I've been locked up here by you all and know nothing about what's happening outside. So no one has told me who died or who killed them. Even if I wanted to know, I wouldn't be able to find out."

After listening to Miao Yin'er's words, Liu Shuyi remained silent for a moment before saying, "Alright, that concludes my question. Is there anything you'd like to say to me?"

"You rarely come to see me, and you only ask these two questions?"

Miao Yin'er looked at Liu Shuyi with her watery eyes and a pitiful expression: "The night is long, I am willing to keep you company a little longer, Liu Lang. You can ask me more questions."

Liu Shuyi said expressionlessly, "It seems you have nothing to say. See you later."

After saying that, Liu Shuyi turned to leave.

Seeing that Liu Shuyi was leaving so abruptly, Miao Yin'er's eyes flickered, and she said, "Liu Lang, I have a suggestion, I don't know if you would like to hear it."

Liu Shuyi paused slightly and turned to look at her.

Miao Yin'er glanced at the Jinwu Guard standing to one side.

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and said to Jinwuwei, "You go ahead and get busy."

The guards dared not delay, and after saying "yes," they quickly left.

"There's no one here, so speak."

Miao Yin'er took a step forward mysteriously, gripping the cold steel railing with both hands, and said, "Liu Lang, do you still remember the words I said to you when we parted?"

Liu Shuyi's mind stirred slightly.

When he exposed Miao Yin'er's identity as the murderer and Miao Yin'er was taken away, she said something inexplicable to him.

They said a great tide was about to rise and that he needed to be promoted to the fifth rank as soon as possible...

Miao Yin'er said, "Although Liu Lang has risen from a ninth-rank clerk to a sixth-rank assistant minister in such a short time, surpassing the speed of many others..."

"But after the sixth rank, each step becomes an insurmountable chasm; unless one reaches the fifth rank, it's all in vain..."

"Many people spend their entire lives without ever crossing the threshold of the fifth rank. I fear that you, Liu Lang, will follow in your footsteps."

"Therefore, I can give you a suggestion: if you can seize this opportunity, you will be on your way to becoming a fifth-rank official!"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and watched Miaoyin'er perform quietly.

Miao Yin'er wasn't embarrassed when Liu Shuyi didn't respond.

She continued, “There is a book in Changsun Wuji’s residence that contains the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State. If Liu Lang can find this book and the lost Imperial Seal of the State, and present it to Li Shimin, then… Li Shimin’s ascension to the throne was illegitimate, and he needs the Imperial Seal of the State, which can prove his identity, the most. If you give it to him, it will surely please Li Shimin greatly.”

"At that time, advancing from the sixth rank to the fifth rank will be absolutely no problem!"

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes, looking somewhat surprised.

He never expected that Miaoyin'er would bring up the matter of the Imperial Seal of the State.

The Imperial Seal of the State has some historical recollections of its predecessor.

The Imperial Seal of the State was carved by Prime Minister Li Si at the behest of Qin Shi Huang. It bears eight seal characters in the seal script, "Having received the mandate from Heaven, may its longevity be everlasting." It was a symbol of legitimacy for emperors throughout history, and only those who possessed the Imperial Seal of the State were considered legitimate rulers.

In the fourteenth year of the Daye era, Emperor Yang of Sui was killed by Yuwen Huaji. Empress Xiao, along with her grandson Yang Zhengdao, fled to the Northern Turks with the Imperial Seal of the State. After that, the Imperial Seal of the State disappeared without a trace.

It has been ten years since then.

Some say that Empress Xiao gave the Imperial Seal of the State to the Turkic Khan; others say that Empress Xiao met with an accident and, in order to save her life, handed the Imperial Seal of the State to bandits; still others say that the seal has fallen into the hands of former Sui officials, who are now plotting to restore the Sui Dynasty...

Numerous rumors circulated, varied and contradictory, making it impossible to discern their truth or falsehood.

But there was one thing Liu Shuyi knew: Li Shimin really wanted the Imperial Seal of the State.

Li Shimin specially commissioned people to carve jade seals such as "Shouming Bao" and "Dingming Bao" to prove his identity in place of the Imperial Seal of the State. However, a fake is still a fake. Only by obtaining the real Imperial Seal of the State could Li Shimin completely escape the shadow of "illegitimate accession to the throne".

If I could truly present the Imperial Seal to Li Shimin as Miaoyin'er suggested, it wouldn't be difficult to be promoted to the fifth rank.

only……

Liu Shuyi looked intently at Miaoyin'er. Was Miaoyin'er's word believable?

If Changsun Wuji really had clues about the Imperial Seal of the State, why didn't he present it to Li Shimin?
Could it be that Changsun Wuji is harboring some ulterior motives?

If that's the case, and I now know the clues to the Imperial Seal, does that mean I'm now facing off against Changsun Wuji?

The presence of Pei Ji and the master behind Miao Yin'er already put immense pressure on her.

If we were to have another Changsun Wuji, whose status and skills were in no way inferior to Du Ruhui's...

Liu Shuyi felt he might have to change his number and start over.

Moreover, would Miaoyin really have good intentions towards me?

How did she know about such a secret matter?
Is this related to a conspiracy by her master?

Liu Shuyi's mind raced, but his face remained expressionless, as if he had heard something completely unrelated.

Seeing that Miaoyin'er remained silent, Liu Shuyi asked, "Are you finished?"

Miao Yin'er paused for a moment, seemingly not expecting Liu Shuyi to react this way, and nodded subconsciously.

"Then see you later."

This time, Liu Shuyi didn't give Miaoyin'er a chance to stop him and strode away.

As Liu Shuyi's figure disappeared from sight, Miao Yin'er's eyes flickered with emotion.

A moment later, she looked away and gave a cryptic smile.

"You have a wonderful younger brother..."

“My love.”

…………

On the way back to the yamen after leaving the prison.

Liu Shuyi's mind raced as he pondered his recent exchange with Miaoyin'er.

Although it's hard to tell whether Miaoyin'er's words are true or false, most of them are lies.

However, Liu Shuyi still managed to deduce some things from this.

First of all, Miao Yin'er does know her brother, which aligns with her speculation about why the mastermind behind the scenes would target her.

Unsurprisingly, the reason the mastermind behind the scenes attacked him was because of his brother.

Secondly, Miaoyin'er had just pretended to be aggrieved and told her to ask her brother why he stood her up and whether he still had feelings for her...

Eliminate lies based on emotions.

This is in light of the fact that she knew her brother had already disappeared.

So she would say to herself that either it was just her usual nonsense, or... it might be a test!
Test what?
He was testing whether he could see his brother and whether he could speak with him!
Does this prove...?

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered: Are they also looking for their elder brother?
Does this prove that the elder brother is still alive?

Then, considering the reason why the mastermind behind the scenes attacked me, it's related to my brother...

Did they attack me in an attempt to force my brother to show himself?

Instead of silencing him because he feared his brother might leave behind clues that could harm them, he did not do so.

Liu Shuyi frowned.

The information we received today is completely contrary to our previous assumptions.

Furthermore, it's difficult to discern whether Miao Yin'er's words are true or false...

For a moment, he hesitated.

I'm not sure if I'm overthinking it or if I'm actually getting closer to the truth.

In addition, he also made a judgment about the matter concerning Chen Feng and the other two.

When she unexpectedly mentioned Chen Feng and the other two's names, Miao Yin'er was clearly taken aback. Although she quickly gave a reply, that moment of surprise still spoke volumes.

Later, after pointing out that Chen Feng and the other two were killed by the mastermind, Miao Yin'er said that she was imprisoned and unable to know anything about the outside world...

Miao Yin'er's implication was that Chen Feng and the other two died after she entered the prison, and she couldn't possibly have known.

However, since she did not mention the time of Chen Feng and the other two's deaths, Miao Yin'er's answer proved that she definitely knew about the situation of Chen Feng and the other two, and even knew when Bai Jinghong would make his move. Otherwise, she would not have subconsciously lied about the time.

"After Zhao Chengyi's accident, it was Miaoyin'er who cleaned up the mess."

"Miaoyin'er not only knew about the deaths of Chen Feng and the other two, but she was also very clear about the details. It's possible that she was involved in this matter..."

"Everything I've encountered regarding the mastermind behind the scenes involves Miao Yin'er. This means that Miao Yin'er is definitely a very important pawn to the mastermind, at a level no lower than Zhao Chengyi, and knows no fewer secrets than Zhao Chengyi."

"So, Zhao Chengyi was silenced immediately after being arrested, but what about Miao Yin'er? Why haven't we seen any signs of her being silenced yet?"

"Is it because all the prison staff have been replaced, making it impossible to take action?"

"Or……"

Liu Shuyi stroked his chin: "This pawn is too important to kill! But if we don't kill him, he'll be interrogated in prison every day and will become a troublesome problem sooner or later."

"so……"

Liu Shuyi suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He turned around abruptly and looked at the large prison, which was hidden in the darkness and only had a vague outline left. A bold guess came to his mind.

He gently stroked the jade pendant that had been stolen by the mastermind half a year ago, his eyes darting around, and thoughts rapidly rising and falling in his mind.

He stood there for a full quarter of an hour until someone called him from behind, at which point he turned his gaze away with a deep look in his eyes.

He turned to the clerk who had called him and asked, "Has Lu Yangyuan woken up?"

When she mentioned Chen Feng and the other two, even the cunning enchantress Miao Yin'er was taken aback for a moment, which meant that she never expected that she would know about Chen Feng and the other two.

The exposure of Chen Feng and his two companions was completely beyond their original expectations.

However, they cannot plan for things that are unexpected.

In other words, this might be the key to finding their secret.

Then he saw the clerk nod repeatedly: "Lu Yangyuan has just woken up, and Clerk Zhao is with him. He asked me to report to Assistant Minister Liu."

…………

There is a separate courtyard on the east side of the Ministry of Justice. The courtyard is neat and clean, with more than a dozen rooms.

This is a resting place for officials who work overtime late into the night and cannot go home.

Liu Shuyi followed the clerk and quickly arrived at the second room on the left.

The clerk said, "Lu Yangyuan is right here."

Liu Shuyi looked up at the room with lit candles, nodded to the clerk, and said, "Go ahead and get busy. You don't need to keep me company."

Knowing that he was not qualified to listen to the conversation that was about to begin, Ling Shi tactfully nodded in agreement.

Seeing that the clerk had left, Liu Shuyi did not delay any longer and knocked on the door.

A wary voice immediately came from inside the room: "Who's there?"

Liu Shuyi said, "Me."

With a creak, the door was quickly opened.

Zhao Feng looked at Liu Shuyi outside the door, quickly stepped aside, and said, "Master Liu, Lu Yangyuan has woken up, but his condition is not quite right."

"Something's not right?" Liu Shuyi was startled and quickly walked into the room.

Upon arriving at the bedside, they saw Lu Yangyuan lying on the soft mattress, curled up and trembling all over.

Cold sweat poured from his forehead, and he kept groaning, seemingly in great pain.

Zhao Feng said, "After I ordered someone to carry Lu Yangyuan in, I pretended to be asleep and watched over him, thinking that when he woke up, I would know immediately and report to the Assistant Minister."

"About a quarter of an hour ago, I vaguely heard a noise coming from the bed, so I quickly opened my eyes to check."

"As a result, I found him in this state. I didn't know what had happened to him, and I dared not leave him for fear of something going wrong. So I quickly asked my colleagues to help me report to the Assistant Minister."

After understanding the whole story, Liu Shuyi reached out and nudged Lu Yangyuan, saying, "Lu Yangyuan, can you hear me? Can you speak?"

Lu Yangyuan's pale lips moved slightly, as if in response, but Liu Shuyi couldn't hear what he said.

"Call a doctor..."

"No!"

Liu Shuyi said, "Go and invite Miss Du immediately!"

Lu Yangyuan may now have his only chance to find the mastermind behind Miao Yin'er, which is important to him and also to the mastermind.

Therefore, once the mastermind behind the scenes finds out that Lu Yangyuan was not killed by Bai Jinghong, he might use some method to silence him.

In this situation, he could not fully trust ordinary doctors, or even imperial physicians.

If someone here is an inside agent of the mastermind, Lu Yangyuan will surely die.

He had no doubts about Du Ying.

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Zhao Feng did not hesitate at all after hearing Liu Shuyi's words and turned to run outside.

Liu Shuyi frowned as he looked at Lu Yangyuan's pained expression, his eyes flashing with a mixture of emotions.

Why did Lu Yangyuan become like this?

Is Bai Jinghong hiding something from me?

Did he not only use a sleeping pill, but also other drugs?

Or……

The mastermind behind the scenes was worried that Bai Jinghong, this pawn, might change, so in order to ensure everything went smoothly, they also used other methods.
If so...

Liu Shuyi's heart sank slightly. He looked at Lu Yangyuan and said, "Lu Yangyuan, hold on, don't give up, don't fall asleep. I have invited the most skilled doctor in Chang'an to treat you. Her residence is not far from here, and she will arrive soon!"

"You must hold on! Think of your family, think of your wife and children, they are all waiting for you..."

Human will is extremely important in life-or-death situations.

The will to survive versus complete surrender can often directly determine life or death.

Liu Shuyi doesn't know anything about medicine, so the only thing he can do now is to keep stimulating Lu Yangyuan's will to live and give him hope.

So when Du Ying entered the room carrying the black wooden box, she happened to hear Liu Shuyi praising her to the skies, describing her as the reincarnation of Hua Tuo and Bian Que, the best and most unparalleled divine doctor in the world.

She raised her cool eyebrows slightly and looked at Liu Shuyi with a complicated expression, seemingly not expecting that she was seen as such a great figure in Liu Shuyi's heart.

Upon hearing the door open, Liu Shuyi quickly turned around.

Upon seeing Du Ying, he went straight up to her and said, "Miss Du, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I have no other doctor I can trust besides you..."

"I know."

Du Ying showed no displeasure at being disturbed from her sleep, and said, "After all, I am the number one divine physician in the world in your heart."

"what?"

Liu Shuyi felt that Du Ying might have misunderstood something.

But now is not the time to explain. He said, "Miss Du, please take a look at Lu Yangyuan. His condition is very bad."

Without delay, Du Ying quickly went to the bedside.

After setting down the black wooden box, he reached out and lifted Lu Yangyuan's eyelids to examine the whites of his eyes.

He then checked Lu Yangyuan's pulse.

His usually aloof brows furrowed slightly as he said, "He's been poisoned."

"Poisoning?" Liu Shuyi's heart skipped a beat, just as he had guessed.

"How about it?"

Liu Shuyi asked, "Can you save him?"

"We can keep him alive first, then find out what kind of poison he has been poisoned by, and then prepare the corresponding antidote."

Du Ying's voice was calm and unhurried, giving people a strong sense of reassurance.

Seeing that Du Ying was able to save Lu Yangyuan, Liu Shuyi's heart finally settled down.

Lu Yangyuan is too important; he must not be lost.

"Alright! Then I'll trouble Miss Lu to keep him alive for now."

Without delay, Du Ying first took out a porcelain bottle from the wooden box.

Open the porcelain bottle and pour out two round, pale green pills.

"This is a heart-protecting pill formulated by my mentor. It can protect the heart and prevent it from being invaded by poisons."

As she spoke, Du Ying stuffed the pill into Lu Yangyuan's mouth, then took the water glass and poured it into Lu Yangyuan's mouth with great gusto. She then touched a spot on Lu Yangyuan's neck, and Lu Yangyuan's throat moved obediently, swallowing the heart-protecting pill.

Afterwards, Du Ying took out silver needles and performed acupuncture on Lu Yangyuan for half an hour. As Lu Yangyuan spat out a mouthful of black blood, Du Ying wiped the sweat from her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief: "That's enough. His life has been spared for now."

Looking at Du Ying's exhausted appearance, Liu Shuyi knew that this set of acupuncture techniques was by no means a simple matter for Du Ying.

He poured Du Ying a glass of water, handed it to her, and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Without you, he probably wouldn't have survived tonight. Miss Du, you've done me a tremendous favor."

Du Ying took the water glass, took a sip of the warm water, glanced at Liu Shuyi with her cold, beautiful eyes, and made a rare joke: "So how do you plan to repay me?"

Liu Shuyi thought about the help Du Ying had given him.

Autopsy, detoxification, borrowing the silver mirror, utilizing the Du family's intelligence network to investigate clues...

One pile, one piece.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already incurred so many favors from Du Ying.

Du Ying, on the other hand, came from a wealthy family and had no shortage of money or material possessions.

The daughter of the current prime minister is never short of flattery and praise.

Thinking about it this way, it seems that I really can't find anything to repay Du Ying with.

What was that saying from the ancients?

If I have no way to repay you, then...

Liu Shuyi thought about it and subconsciously blurted out, "Offer yourself in return?"

The room suddenly fell silent.

Then came a violent coughing fit.

Zhao Feng coughed until his face turned red.

He looked at Liu Yuanwailang with great admiration, feeling that Liu Yuanwailang was truly a role model for him, and his method of repaying kindness was an eye-opener for him.

Even the usually aloof Du Ying paused for a moment, her beautiful eyes blinking slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in them. She seemed unsure whether Liu Shuyi was repaying her or she was repaying Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi then realized what was happening, and his face flushed red, a rare sight for him.

"just kidding."

Liu Shuyi coughed and said, "Miss Du has helped me so much, I really can't think of any way to repay you. So if Miss Du needs anything from me, just tell me. Even if it means reaching for the moon, I will never refuse."

Du Ying didn't know if she believed Liu Shuyi's explanation, but she certainly didn't continue the topic of "offering herself in return."

She took another sip of water and said, "I was just joking with Master Liu. Master Liu and I are friends, and it's normal for friends to help each other. Master Liu doesn't need to think too much about it."

friend?

Liu Shuyi never expected that he and Du Ying had only known each other for a few days, yet Du Ying already considered them friends.

He knew Du Ying's personality; she wouldn't deliberately say flattering things. If she said such things, it meant that's what she really thought.

Liu Shuyi said with a smile, "That's right. Friends should help each other, so if Miss Du ever needs anything from me in the future, please be sure to contact me directly."

“That’s natural.” Du Ying didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

When she was in Wudang Mountain, she and her fellow disciples, as well as the daughters of several farmers, would simply ask for help if they needed it, and they would help if they could, and if they couldn't, they would find a way to help.

Liu Shuyi chatted with Du Ying for a few more minutes before his gaze returned to Lu Yangyuan on the bed. He asked, "Does Miss Du know what kind of poison he has been poisoned with?"

Du Ying shook her head: "There are countless poisons in the world, and many of them exhibit the same symptoms. Even my mentor wouldn't dare say he knows them all."

Liu Shuyi frowned.

Du Ying said, "Could you tell me about his condition? Perhaps I can figure out how he was poisoned."

Liu Shuyi naturally did not hesitate, and then recounted in detail how he had given Bai Jinghong a sleeping potion, causing him to fall into a coma.

"Drugs?"

Du Ying pondered, "What kind of sleeping potion? It works so quickly and is so powerful that it can burn someone alive without them even realizing it?"

Upon hearing Du Ying's words, Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he said, "Does Miss Du suspect that there is something wrong with this sleeping potion?"

Du Ying pondered and said, "The sleeping pills I know are not this strong, and usually oral sleeping pills do not take effect immediately; it takes a while for them to work."

"Furthermore, as you said, after Lu Yangyuan left home, he met with Bai Jinghong and was only tricked into taking a sleeping potion by Bai Jinghong. He didn't eat anything else in between..."

"Although I don't know what kind of poison it is, I can still confirm that it is ingested."

Liu Shuyi was very quick-witted, and he immediately understood what Du Ying meant as soon as she spoke.

"Zhao Lingshi".

He looked at Zhao Feng and said, "Send someone to the Chang'an County prison immediately to inquire where Bai Jinghong got the sleeping potion and whether there is any left. If there is any left, bring the sleeping potion back."

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Zhao Feng quickly turned and left.

Liu Shuyi let out a long breath, glanced back at Lu Yangyuan who had stopped causing trouble, and said to Du Ying, "It's still a while before dawn. Would you like to go back to the manor to rest, Miss Du?"

Du Ying said, "I need to keep an eye on Lu Yangyuan's situation to prevent any accidents from happening to him. Liu Yuanwailang can find me a room nearby."

Liu Shuyi also felt that this was the most appropriate way, and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Du."

…………

The night ends and the day dawns.

Liu Shuyi opened his eyes groggily, looked at the unfamiliar room, and paused for a moment before realizing that this was not his own room in the Liu residence, but a guest room in the Ministry of Justice.

After arranging a room for Du Ying to rest, Liu Shuyi, who had been busy all day, was also very tired, so he fell asleep in the room next to Du Ying's.

I closed my eyes, and here I am.

With Lu Yangyuan's condition on his mind, Liu Shuyi quickly dressed and went out after regaining consciousness.

As soon as they entered Lu Yangyuan's room, they saw that Du Ying had woken up at some point and was talking to Zhao Feng.

"Liu Yuanwailang".

When Zhao Feng saw Liu Shuyi, he quickly bowed.

Liu Shuyi waved his hand, and only then did he notice that Du Ying was holding a paper packet containing some white powder.

A thought struck him, and Liu Shuyi said, "Is this the sleeping potion that Bai Jinghong used?"

Zhao Feng nodded repeatedly: "Bai Jinghong said that he bought the sleeping pills on the black market from a man wearing a silver mask. He didn't use them all; he still has some left, which I brought with me."

black market?

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly. Chang'an City had two markets, East and West, where one could buy almost everything one needed for daily life.

But at night, in the shadows unknown to ordinary people, there is a black market.

The black market not only sells daily necessities, but also intelligence, sleeping pills, and poisons.

The imperial court was aware of the existence of the black market and had taken action to eradicate it several times.

But after each eradication, they quickly reappear in other places.

This black market, forged by human greed and the wickedness of human nature, can never be completely eradicated as long as there are people around.

Therefore, rather than eradicating them only to find out where they will reappear next, it is better to bring them under surveillance and keep an eye on the black market at all times. If any disturbance occurs that is detrimental to the safety of the court, the court will be informed immediately.

Bai Jinghong going to the black market to buy sleeping pills was exactly what he expected.

but……

He looked up at Du Ying and asked, "How is it?"

Du Ying knew what Liu Shuyi was asking and nodded, saying, "It's not a normal sleeping potion; it's mixed with poison."

really!

A glint flashed in Liu Shuyi's eyes: "It seems that the person wearing the silver mask who sold Bai Jinghong the sleeping potion is inextricably linked to the mastermind behind it all!"

"The mastermind behind this has indeed taken double precautions! Not only did he lure Bai Jinghong into killing for him, but he also considered the possibility that Bai Jinghong might fail. So he tampered with the drug Bai Jinghong was given. As long as Bai Jinghong knocks out the other party, regardless of whether he succeeds in killing them in the end, the poison will still kill Chen Feng and the other two!"

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, Zhao Feng felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but say, "This mastermind is truly ruthless and cautious!"

Liu Shuyi nodded. Fortunately, he made the decisive move last night to ask Du Ying for help. If it weren't for Du Ying, and it were someone else, Lu Yangyuan might already be dead!
He asked, "Miss Du, can you concoct an antidote?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng also looked at Du Ying nervously.

Then they saw Du Ying raise her beautiful eyebrows, a very confident expression on her face: "Not difficult."

Zhao Feng's eyes suddenly lit up.

Liu Shuyi was also delighted: "How long?"

"I will be able to wake him up tomorrow."

tomorrow?

Liu Shuyi breathed a sigh of relief; it was only one extra day, thankfully.

He cupped his hands and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Miss Du."

After saying that, he didn't disturb Du Ying's thinking about the formula anymore. He walked out of the room with Zhao Feng and said as they walked towards the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice, "The black market opens tonight. Send people to check if the person wearing the silver mask is still there."

Zhao Feng asked, "If they are there, should we arrest them immediately?"

"No!"

Liu Shuyi squinted: "Keep an eye on him. He's different from Miaoyin'er and the others. The mastermind behind him may not know that he has been exposed. Keep an eye on him... maybe we can catch a bigger fish."

Zhao Feng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly nodded: "This subordinate understands."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice.

I almost bumped into someone as soon as I entered.

Zhao Feng subconsciously looked up, and upon seeing the person who had arrived, his expression changed at first, but then, as if he had thought of something, his expression became strange again.

He lowered his head and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Greetings, Master Qian."

They saw that the official Qian Wenqing had a grim face and was looking at them with a sinister expression.

Seeing Zhao Feng bow, he merely gave a perfunctory "hmm," then looked at Liu Shuyi, who was blocking his way, and gritted his teeth, saying, "I haven't even congratulated Liu Yuanwailang yet on solving such a major case in a single day!"

The tone was very sarcastic.

Liu Shuyi was not annoyed, but simply smiled and said, "This is all thanks to the help of Master Qian. If Master Qian had not asked me to investigate the case, how could I have made such a contribution so soon after taking office?"

"you……"

Qian Wenqing's eyes turned cold, but when he thought of how he had been crushed by Liu Shuyi yesterday, he couldn't refute it.

In the end, he could only flick his sleeves and say, "I have a piece of advice for Liu Yuanwailang: the tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind. Being too conspicuous is not a good thing."

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he was about to say something.

"Master Liu..."

Suddenly, a hurried voice sounded from behind.

Liu Shuyi subconsciously turned his head to look.

The newcomer was a guard stationed at the Ministry of Justice. He ran up to Liu Shuyi, panting, and said, "A message has arrived from the palace..."

"His Majesty has decreed that Assistant Minister Liu must immediately enter the palace to meet the Emperor!"

"What!?"

As soon as the guard finished speaking, the entire Ministry of Justice courtyard fell into an eerie silence.

Whether it was the officials walking around or Qian Wenqing, who had just been sarcastic towards Liu Shuyi, they all froze on the spot at this moment.

Entering the palace to meet the emperor...

Since Li Shimin ascended the throne, apart from the fifth-rank official in charge of the Ministry of Justice, no other official from the Ministry of Justice has ever entered the palace!
Even a senior official in the Ministry of Justice could only stand at the very back during court assemblies and catch a glimpse of His Majesty from afar.

For an entire year, he didn't have the chance to say even a single word to His Majesty.

Not to mention, he was summoned by His Majesty alone.

So when they heard the guard's voice, everyone wondered if they had misheard.

The guard said, "Master Liu, the eunuch who comes to deliver the message from the palace is waiting outside. We must hurry over."

it is true!
They heard right!

Liu Shuyi, who was just promoted to Assistant Minister yesterday, was indeed summoned by His Majesty for a private audience!

What a glory this is!
"How is this possible..." Qian Wenqing stared wide-eyed, unable to understand what qualifications Liu Shuyi had to be summoned by His Majesty.

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he immediately had a guess in his mind.

Perhaps... it's related to what he said to Du Ruhui last night.

His mind raced, and as he looked at Qian Wenqing's incredulous yet envious expression, he suddenly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

He leaned close to Qian Wenqing's ear and said with a half-smile, "Master Qian is right. It's not good for a tree to stand out in the forest, nor is it good to be too conspicuous..."

"Otherwise, you might end up like me, inadvertently catching His Majesty's eye..."

Qian Wenqing's pupils narrowed.

I suddenly went to look at Liu Shuyi.

But Liu Shuyi had already strode away without even glancing at him again.

(End of this chapter)