The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 62 Military Advisor Cui is truly amazing; even the murderer should applaud you!
An Qingxi, the governor of Bingzhou, was about forty years old and had a square face.

Above each of his eyebrows was a black mole. As he furrowed his brows, the two moles kept shifting their positions, giving Zhao Feng and the others the feeling that they weren't moles but two black mosquitoes, making them feel an urge to reach out and slap them to death.

"I and Military Advisor Cui looked around curiously and happened to see Qin, the messenger, heading towards the warehouse..."

After hearing Cui Lin identify Qin Wuyuan, Liu Shuyi did not immediately take Qin Wuyuan into custody, but instead sent someone to invite An Qingxi over.

The worst thing you can do when investigating a case is to listen to only one person's opinion.

Even seemingly useful testimonies need to be verified from multiple perspectives.

Otherwise, if a witness has a faulty memory, gives an inaccurate account, or deliberately lies or misleads the investigation, the result will be a huge deviation in the direction of the entire investigation.

If there is enough time, and it is found that this road is blocked, there is still a chance to go back and check again.

But for Liu Shuyi, who doesn't even have a day to spare, if he investigates in the wrong direction, the consequences will be irreversible.

Therefore, he must be extremely cautious, and no accident can be allowed to happen.

After An Qingxi arrived, Liu Shuyi asked An Qingxi the same questions he had just asked Cui Lin.

He didn't say how Cui Lin answered, but only let An Qingxi recount what happened in the early morning.

As a result, An Qingxi's answer was exactly the same as Cui Lin's answer.

Although the wording differs, the content remains the same.

After hearing An Qingxi's answer, Zhao Feng couldn't help but say, "There won't be any problems. The murderer must be Qin Wuyuan!"

"No wonder Qin Wuyuan has been so nervous and fearful. He is clearly afraid that we will discover his true colors and feels guilty and worried."

"And the lock on this warehouse wasn't broken; it could only have been opened with a key. There are only two keys, and one of them happens to be on Qin Wuyuan... He's definitely the murderer!"

A thoughtful look flashed in Du Gou's gentle eyes, and he slowly nodded: "Qin Yishi was indeed too nervous today."

Upon hearing this, Wang Gui no longer hesitated.

He said directly, "I'll arrest this murderer right now!"

With that, Wang Gui led his men directly toward Qin Wuyuan.

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes as he watched Qin Wuyuan struggle in panic when Wang Gui captured him.

He looked at An Qingxi and said, "Prefect An, I wonder if anyone else knows about your plan with Military Advisor Cui to monitor the Xueyantuo envoy?"

"No."

Although An Qingxi's rank was much higher than Liu Shuyi's, he was very gentle in his attitude towards Liu Shuyi, much more so than Cui Lin.

He said, "This matter is of great importance. If the news gets out and the Turkic spies hear about it, it will alert them. They might abandon the operation and go into hiding. In that case, it will be much harder for me to find them."

"Furthermore, if the Xueyantuo envoys were to learn of our plan, they might overthink it and wonder if it's an excuse for the Tang Dynasty to cause them trouble... Therefore, only I and Cui, the military advisor who personally arrested the spies in Bingzhou, know about the Turkic spies. Everyone else is completely unaware of it."

Liu Shuyi nodded and continued, "When you took action at dawn, did you make any noise that alerted the other officials traveling with you?"

"Probably not."

An Qingxi said, "I had arranged with Military Advisor Cui in advance to rest well and recharge our energy before starting our operation at 1:00 AM. We were careful enough that we pushed the door gently to avoid making too much noise, so we should not have alerted anyone else."

After thinking for a moment, Liu Shuyi ordered someone to summon Cui Lin, who was waiting not far away.

He asked Cui Lin the same question.

Cui Lin frowned: "You don't suspect our colleagues in Bingzhou, do you?"

“I can confirm that we did not alert anyone. Moreover, if we were to go from Lianxiangzhai, where we are, to the storeroom, we would have to pass through the main gate of Juxiangzhai. We have been hiding in the corner of the wall nearby. If anyone had passed by, it would have been impossible for them to have escaped our ears and eyes!”

"Therefore, Liu Yuanwailang need not place his suspicions on my colleagues."

"Furthermore, only Qin Wuyuan went to the warehouse last night when the incident occurred. Isn't that enough to prove that he is the murderer?"

Cui Lin frowned, looking at Liu Shuyi, his voice somewhat cold: "Master Liu, you can't doubt my testimony just because you dislike me, can you? You can't turn a blind eye to the truth that is obvious to everyone, can you?"

"Military Advisor Cui, you mustn't be rude!"

As soon as Cui Lin finished speaking, An Qingxi immediately rebuked him.

Cui Lin has not yet been transferred to another official position and is still a judicial officer under An Qingxi's jurisdiction. Therefore, when he saw Cui Lin speak so rudely to Liu Shuyi, An Qingxi frowned and warned Cui Lin. Then he quickly said to Liu Shuyi, "Liu Yuanwailang, Cui Lin is just like that. He can't keep his thoughts to himself. He didn't mean to target you or have any ill intentions. I hope you will forgive him."

Liu Shuyi glanced at Cui Lin, who still looked defiant.

Clearly, in Cui Lin's mind, he still believed that the person who had taken his position and had just reprimanded him was asking him all these questions because he disliked him.

Seeing that Cui Lin's dissatisfaction was written all over his face, Du Gou worried that the conflict between Liu Shuyi and Cui Lin would deepen after this incident.

He said in a low voice, "Master Liu, don't you think Qin Wuyuan is the murderer?"

Liu Shuyi understood what Du Gou meant, and he simply said in a low voice, "If he is the murderer, it will be a huge problem."

"What?" Du Gou was taken aback.

Liu Shuyi said, "Du Sicheng, think about Qin Wuyuan's identity."

"He is the postmaster of Duting Post Station, the highest-ranking official appointed by the imperial court to receive officials in Hebei Province."

"Before the imperial court formally met with these officials in Hebei Province, Qin Wuyuan represented the will of the imperial court."

"So, if the former subordinates of Prince Xi knew that Qin Wuyuan, who represented the will of the imperial court, had brutally murdered Ma Fuyuan, the prefect of Yizhou, who was the leader of the Hebei Circuit officials, right under the city walls, what would they think?"

He looked at Du Gou, his voice low and heavy, like a stone pressing down on Du Gou's heart, making Du Gou's heart tighten: "Will they think that Ma Fuyuan was acting on the orders of the court and killed people?"

"Could it be that the imperial court couldn't find a legitimate reason to deal with them, so they sent Ma Fuyuan to deal with them in this way? To settle scores with them?"

Du Gou's pupils contracted: "This doesn't make sense. If the court really wanted to assassinate them, wouldn't it be better to do it on the road and frame the bandits? Why bother doing it at Duting Post Station?"

"Furthermore, we can also tell them the truth that Qin Wuyuan is Liu Yuanming's accomplice."

"unreasonable?"

Liu Shuyi chuckled, then looked at Du Gou and remarked with a sigh, "I suppose Vice Minister Du has never faced a life-or-death crisis?"

Du Gou was taken aback, then nodded subconsciously.

"No wonder."

Liu Shuyi said, "Du Sicheng has never faced a life-or-death crisis, so he doesn't understand the thoughts of those former subordinates of the Prince of Xi who are filled with fear, with a butcher's knife hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any moment, leaving them like Ma Fuyuan, decapitated..."

"They knew their identities were sensitive, they knew the imperial court might purge them, and they might have secretly done something to betray the court in Hebei..."

“In this situation, their lives are threatened, and someone tells them it's the imperial court's doing. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, they will definitely be wary and suspicious…”

"Not to mention, they already have great suspicions about the imperial court, and are even convinced that it was the court that did this, but they just don't have any evidence."

"And then, we tell them that the murderer is the highest-ranking official the imperial court arranged to receive them. Do you think... they'll consider whether it's reasonable or not? They'll only think they guessed right, and that the imperial court is indeed malicious!"

Du Gou's heart sank suddenly.

He is of good character, but that doesn't mean he doesn't understand the terror of suspicion.

Throughout history, countless innocent people have been beheaded because of a single suspicion from an emperor.

Emperors are human, and so are the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi; the principle is the same.

If they had no suspicions, that would be fine, but once they have subjective suspicions, the moment those suspicions arise, in their minds, that is already the truth.

Not to mention, Qin Wuyuan's identity as the postmaster of Duting Post Station perfectly matched their suspicions!

"As for revealing that Qin Wuyuan is Liu Yuanming's accomplice..."

Looking at Du Gou's grave expression, Liu Shuyi asked, "Does Vice Minister Du think that if Qin Wuyuan is truly the murderer, he would confess to these things on his own initiative?"

"If he doesn't admit it, what evidence do we have to prove his identity?"

"What if he turns around and accuses us of doing this on His Majesty's orders?"

Du Gou's heart sank deeper and deeper.

The joy of discovering the truth vanished in an instant.

They even felt that the truth was like a thick, dark cloud, completely obscuring any hope they could see.

"What should I do?"

Du Gou frowned: "Isn't it better not to find the murderer at all than to find him?"

"How about we pretend we don't have enough clues and hide Qin Wuyuan's identity as the murderer for now?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "It's too late!"

"what?"

Du Gou's heart tightened, and he subconsciously followed Liu Shuyi's gaze.

Wang Gui then tied Qin Wuyuan up tightly. Qin Wuyuan struggled violently and loudly questioned Wang Gui about why he was being tied up.

Wang Gui spat at Qin Wuyuan and cursed, "You insidious and vicious murderer, you dare ask me why I kidnapped you? You've already been exposed..."

As soon as Wang Gui shouted this, the Imperial Guards and officials from the Ministry of Justice around him were stunned for a moment before cheering and jumping for joy.

"Have they found the killer?"

"Was the murderer Qin Yishi?"

"real or fake?"

"Since County Commandant Wang has taken action, there's no way this is fake!"

"Master Liu is truly amazing! He found the murderer in such a short time!"

Excited discussions arose everywhere.

Everyone excitedly spread the news.

Word has spread.

Du Gou's heart sank.

The news has already spread, and now it's impossible to even hide the truth.

Even some of the Prince of Xi's old subordinates may have already heard these words.

And just thinking about their reaction after hearing these words...

Even the usually composed Du Gou couldn't help but swallow hard.

"What should I do now?"

"We should have stopped Wang Gui's actions just now!"

Liu Shuyi shook his head and remained silent.

"Master Liu, what's wrong?"

At this moment, An Qingxi noticed that Liu Shuyi and Du Gou looked a little off and asked them about it with concern.

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "It's nothing, there are just some questions about this case that I haven't figured out yet."

"Confuse?"

Cui Lin scoffed.

What's your question?
In his view, Liu Shuyi was simply unhappy that the case was closed so easily, especially since he had provided the crucial clues.

After all, Liu Shuyi had taken his position, but the case was only solved with his help, and he didn't even have a chance to show his abilities. If this got out, people might wonder how they viewed Liu Shuyi and himself.

Perhaps some people will feel that they are more deserving of the position of Assistant Minister of Justice.

The thought of Liu Shuyi taking his place made Cui Lin's eyes darken. When he received Pei Ji's message that someone wanted to take his position, he was already on his way. Even though he rode at full speed, he only arrived yesterday.

If he had set off with Governor An earlier, the outcome might have been completely different.

He stared at Liu Shuyi with a gloomy expression, a cold smile playing on his lips. Just wait and see; he wouldn't let this matter of Liu Shuyi being robbed of his position as a wealthy landowner go unpunished.

"Liu Yuanwailang".

At that moment, Du Ying's voice came from behind.

Liu Shuyi's heart skipped a beat. He quickly turned around and asked, "How is it?"

Du Gou also looked nervously at Du Ying.

Du Ying said, "It's consistent with the time you estimated based on benzoin."

Du Gou's face turned pale, and he lost all hope: "The times of the crime can be verified by each other, so it can be confirmed that it was between the hours of Chou (1-3 AM) and Yin (3-5 AM)."

"At that time, only Qin Wuyuan went to the warehouse, so it seems there will be no surprises."

Finding the truth should have been a happy thing, but at this moment, Du Gou wished that Du Ying would tell a different time to prove that their judgment was wrong!
Unfortunately, the reality will not change as he wishes.

He moved closer to Liu Shuyi and said in a deep voice, "What should we do? We can't delay any longer..."

Liu Shuyi looked outside. Cheng Chumo had not yet returned, and there were some things he could not make a final judgment on.

He thought for a moment and said to Du Ying, "Miss Du, you have a very keen sense of smell. Can you help me identify something?"

"Confirm what?" Du Ying asked curiously.

Liu Shuyi leaned down and whispered in Du Ying's ear.

The fragrance of lotus flowers entered his nostrils. This faint, cool fragrance was like a powerful tool to refresh his mind, making Liu Shuyi's brain feel much clearer in an instant.

He whispered his request into Du Ying's earlobe.

The warm breath filled her ears, making Du Ying feel itchy and her ears tingling.

Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, she looked somewhat puzzled, but out of trust in Liu Shuyi, Du Ying did not hesitate and said directly, "Okay, I will confirm."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly.

He has done all he could.

Next, let's see how these two things turn out.

One question is whether Cheng Chumo can find the two things he wants.

One question is whether the already deceased Ma Fuyuan was truly a sufficient warning.

"Master Liu..."

He had just parted ways with Du Ying when a member of the Imperial Guard rushed over and said, "Officials from Hebei Province request an audience."

"An official from Hebei Province?"

Du Gou's pupils suddenly narrowed, and he looked directly at Liu Shuyi.

"It came really quickly..."

Liu Shuyi frowned slightly, his eyes flickering as he considered whether he should see them.

Just then, a loud voice that he had been waiting for suddenly rang out.

"Master Liu, I'm back!"

Before he even arrived, Cheng Chumo's voice blared like a loudspeaker.

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he suddenly turned his head.

Then Cheng Chumo, carrying two huge battle axes on his back, strode towards them.

His face was a complex expression, a mixture of shock, disbelief, bewilderment, and confusion, as he approached Liu Shuyi. Seeing Cheng Chumo's expression, Liu Shuyi already had a guess, but he still asked, "Well? Did you find what I was looking for?"

thing?

what?
Du Gou and the others were unaware of what Liu Shuyi had instructed Cheng Chumo to do.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Cheng Chumo with curiosity.

Cheng Chumo nodded emphatically.

Looking at Liu Shuyi, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Master Liu, you're amazing! You're truly amazing!"

"I can't believe what I found! How could you have known it would be like this?"

It was found...

A sharp glint suddenly flashed in Liu Shuyi's eyes.

The anxiety that had been hanging in the air suddenly subsided!

He then looked at Du Ying.

Du Yingqiong twitched her nose, pondered for a moment, and then nodded to him.

Liu Shuyi let out a long breath.

"I see."

"That's true!"

He said a few words that no one could understand, then looked directly at the Imperial Guard who had come to report and said, "Go and invite the officials from Hebei Province."

"besides……"

He continued, "The officials of Bingzhou, as well as the officials of Duting Post Station, were also summoned."

The Imperial Guard nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "What about the Xueyantuo envoy? Should we summon them as well?"

"No need."

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "If the Xueyantuo envoy asks, just say that we have already found out the truth and that this case has nothing to do with them. Tell them to wait a little longer and they will be freed."

An Qingxi and the others nodded slightly when they heard Liu Shuyi's words.

They were well aware of Liu Shuyi's reasons for doing this.

After all, the most important clue was that An Qingxi and Cui Lin were monitoring the arrival of the Xueyantuo envoy, and this matter must not be known to the Xueyantuo envoy.

Upon receiving the specific orders, the Imperial Guards did not delay any longer and quickly turned and ran outside.

Within fifteen minutes, all the people involved in the case arrived, and they were clearly separated from each other.

Nine Hebei Province officials, their faces full of vigilance, stood together in a corner, as if only in this way could they feel safe.

The three later officials from Bingzhou stood behind An Qingxi and Cui Lin, following their lead.

The officials at Duting Post Station, like the three officials from Bingzhou, were searching for Qin Wuyuan, who was in charge of them, but as they searched, they were stunned.

They discovered that Qin Wuyuan was bound hand and foot, with a piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth, making him only able to whimper and unable to utter a single complete word.

This left them completely bewildered.

Fortunately, the second-ranking postmaster arrived soon, and they regained their support and stood beside him.

But their gazes couldn't help but drift toward Qin Wuyuan, wanting to know what had happened.

The warehouse had never been so crowded, but everyone was very quiet.

No one whispered at that moment.

The tense atmosphere made them subconsciously hold their breath, waiting for Liu Shuyi, who was holding the imperial edict, to speak.

Liu Shuyi's gaze swept over the three forces, taking in everyone's expressions, before he finally spoke slowly: "I have summoned you all here because all the clues and evidence in the case of Governor Ma's murder have been found. Next, I will reveal the truth of this case to you."

Upon hearing this, the officials of Bingzhou and the officials of Duting Post Station all had their eyes light up.

They didn't expect the case to be resolved so quickly.

Meanwhile, the officials of Hebei Province kept a close eye on Liu Shuyi and his men, their faces showing no joy but rather increasing vigilance.

Liu Shuyi observed their reactions and, without delay, said directly, "Bring the Qin courier."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Gui immediately escorted Qin Wuyuan to the front of the crowd.

He removed the cloth strip from Qin Wuyuan's mouth.

"Unjustly accused!"

At the same moment the cloth strip was removed, Qin Wuyuan's cry of injustice rang out.

"Master Liu, I am innocent!"

"I didn't kill anyone! I didn't kill Governor Ma! I'm truly innocent!"

Qin Wuyuan's face was full of grievance and fear of being wronged. He shook his head vigorously at Liu Shuyi, tears and snot flying out together.

The onlookers frowned, stared in astonishment, and sneered at the sight.

"I saw it with my own eyes, and you still dare to cry foul?!"

Cui Lin stood with his arms crossed. Except when facing An Qingxi and Liu Shuyi, he was somewhat restrained, but when facing others, he made no attempt to hide his arrogant personality.

He looked at Qin Wuyuan with a sneer and said, "Dare you say that you didn't come to the warehouse between 1 AM and 3 AM this morning?"

"I do not……"

Qin Wuyuan opened his mouth, about to shake his head, when Cui Lin said, "Both I and Governor An saw your whereabouts with our own eyes. Do you think it will be useful for you to deny it?"

Cui Lin's words were like a knife, piercing Qin Wuyuan's heart.

Qin Wuyuan's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"me……"

He looked at Liu Shuyi, almost in tears: "I was framed!"

"Framed?" Cui Lin's words were like knives, each one piercing the heart: "In my more than ten years of investigating cases, the first thing every criminal I've caught says is that they've been framed, that they've been wronged! Qin Wuyuan, you're supposed to be an official in Chang'an, can't you come up with something new?"

"I..." Qin Wuyuan was speechless for a long time after being rebuked by Cui Lin.

This scene made everything clear to everyone.

"Was the murderer really Qin Yishi?"

"How could it be him? How could Qin, the messenger, be such a good person, kill someone?"

The officials at Duting Post Station could not believe it.

The officials of Bingzhou bowed to Cui Lin and flattered him, saying, "Military Advisor Cui is as brilliant as ever in solving cases. Even though Qin Wuyuan is so cautious and cunning, Military Advisor Cui still managed to see through his true colors!"

"Haha, even in Chang'an, Military Advisor Cui's charm remains undiminished!"

Cui Lin clearly often heard these officials from Bingzhou flatter him, and upon hearing this, he merely raised his chin at Liu Shuyi, his eyes revealing a hint of provocation and smugness.

It seems to be saying, "Look, so what if you took my place? Today, everyone will only remember my contributions!"

Liu Shuyi, who had seen countless people, naturally saw through Cui Lin's thoughts at a glance, but he ignored Cui Lin and instead focused his attention on the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi in Hebei Province.

The other two factions were also discussing it animatedly.

However, the nine officials in Hebei Province were not happy at all about finding the murderer of their colleague.

Instead, their brows furrowed even more deeply, and as they looked at each other, their expressions grew increasingly grim.

Du Gou followed Liu Shuyi's gaze and saw this scene as well, which made his heart grow even heavier.

Judging from the reaction of the Hebei officials, he knew that Liu Shuyi's deduction had been completely verified.

"This is troublesome..." Du Gou said anxiously, feeling a slight pain in his teeth.

He couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi, wondering if Liu Shuyi could still turn the tide and find a way to deal with the situation as before.

Then, he saw Liu Shuyi's gaze fall back on Qin Wuyuan, who was crying out for justice, and he said, "Tell me, did you come to the warehouse between the hours of Chou (1-3 AM) and Yin (3-5 AM)?"

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's question, Qin Wuyuan raised his head to speak.

"to be frank!"

Liu Shuyi looked at him with deep, unfathomable eyes: "Say what you have to say. Don't cry foul or try to justify yourself. It's pointless!"

"If you are truly innocent, only by telling the truth can I save you!"

Qin Wuyuan was taken aback, as if he had grasped a lifeline, and quickly nodded emphatically: "I will tell you, I will not hide anything."

Ah!
Cui Lin chuckled. He found Liu Shuyi's words ridiculous. Everyone had already realized that he had provided crucial assistance, so what was the point of Liu Shuyi asking again?
“I lied before. I did not stay in my room all night.”

“I did go out between the hours of Chou (1-3 AM) and Yin (3-5 AM), and I did walk in the direction of the warehouse, but I absolutely did not come to the warehouse!”

"Moreover, I have not only been out from the hour of Chou to the hour of Yin, but also after the hour of Yin."

Qin Wuyuan no longer denied the fact that he had gone out. He said to Liu Shuyi, "But the reason I went out was because I had an upset stomach. I was heading towards the warehouse, not to go to the warehouse, but to go to the outhouse."

"To the toilet?"

Cui Lin sneered, "What a ridiculous reason! Qin Wuyuan, don't tell me that there are no outhouses near your residence, so you have to come all the way here to use them."

"Yes, yes..."

Qin Wuyuan explained, "But there was something wrong with that outhouse, and it couldn't be opened, so in my anxiety, I went to the outhouse near the storeroom."

"Can't open it?"

Cui Lin looked at Liu Shuyi with a half-smile and said, "Master Liu, don't tell me that you would believe such obviously false sophistry."

"I'm not making excuses! It's true!"

Fearing that Liu Shuyi wouldn't believe him, Qin Wuyuan quickly said, "Master Liu, I swear, if I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Looking at Qin Wuyuan, whose face was pale and who was trembling with nervousness, Liu Shuyi asked, "Can anyone prove that the outhouse in your yard can't be opened?"

"This……"

Qin Wuyuan shook his head: "This morning after I woke up, I went to the outhouse... and found that the door could be opened again. I asked the others if anyone got up in the middle of the night last night, but they all said no."

"so……"

Qin Wuyuan could no longer continue speaking.

Let alone others, even he himself felt that his words had no credibility whatsoever.

Tears streamed down his face as he cried out in despair, "Everything I said is true, it's all the truth!"

Looking at Qin Wuyuan's despairing expression, Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Since you did so many things last night, why didn't you tell me when I asked you? Why did you lie?"

"I……"

Qin Wuyuan pursed his lips and shook his head, saying, "I dare not say! I'm afraid if I do, you'll arrest me as the murderer!"

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Last night, only the murderer and I were wandering around outside. I don't know who the murderer is, and I don't know if you can find him."

"So, I'm afraid that if I say it, you'll doubt me."

"If you never find the murderer, I'm afraid..."

He paused for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "I'm afraid you'll hand me over as the murderer just to get things done."

"After all, no one can prove that I went to the outhouse. Even if you want to arrest me, I have no way to explain it!"

"Later, when I discovered that the real crime scene was not Ma's room, but this storeroom, I became even more terrified."

"Because I came here to use the restroom!"

"This is too much of a coincidence! It's so coincidental that I can't explain it at all!"

"That's why I didn't say anything, that's why I was so nervous, I was so scared! I was so afraid of being wronged!"

Qin Wuyuan's voice trembled as he choked back tears and shook his head, saying, "I was wrong, I know I was wrong! I know I shouldn't have hidden it!"

"Master Liu, everyone says you're a brilliant judge. You have to save me, you absolutely must save me!"

"save you?"

Cui Lin glanced at Liu Shuyi and sneered, "You said he's a brilliant detective, so you think he wouldn't be able to see through your lies?"

"What do you mean by 'just happened to come here to use the restroom,' or 'I dare not say for fear of being wrongly accused'..."

"Nonsense! It's all sophistry!"

"Master Liu..."

He looked at Liu Shuyi, as if he had forgotten Liu Shuyi's previous reprimand, raised his chin again, and said as someone with experience, "Although you have investigated a few cases, you are still too young and inexperienced."

"I have been investigating cases for more than ten years and have rich experience. As soon as a prisoner lifts his buttocks, I know what he is going to defecate."

"I'm sick of hearing Qin Wuyuan's sophistry. Almost every prisoner makes this kind of excuse when they are first caught."

“But as long as you put them in jail and torture them, they will behave.”

"Therefore, if it were me, I would gag him right now, lock him up in the Ministry of Justice's prison, and torture him severely!"

"That way, the case will be closed quickly, you'll be able to report back, we'll all regain our freedom, and Magistrate Ma's revenge will be achieved! That's true efficiency!"

Hearing Cui Lin's words, the officials of Bingzhou and the officials of Duting Post Station all nodded in agreement.

Everything is now perfectly clear, and there is no need to listen to Qin Wuyuan's sophistry any longer.

The important thing is to close the case as soon as possible.

"No! Don't..."

Seeing that everyone agreed with Cui Lin, Qin Wuyuan turned pale and looked utterly desperate: "I'm not the murderer, I really am not! Why don't you believe me? Why..."

Liu Shuyi's eyes swept over the crowd, taking in their expressions of contempt, anger, sighs, and disbelief, before turning to the Hebei officials in the corner.

Seeing the deepening wariness and solemnity on their faces, he slowly shook his head.

"Qin, after this incident, if you encounter similar events again, will you still conceal them?"

"No! I dare not do it again! I will never doubt Liu Yuanwailang again!" Qin Wuyuan shook his head vigorously.

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly: "Learning a lesson isn't a bad thing."

After he finished speaking, he raised his head and looked at Cui Lin.

Under Cui Lin's smug gaze, he slowly said, "Military Advisor Cui just said that if it were you, you would gag Qin the Postmaster, immediately lock him up in jail, and subject him to severe torture..."

Cui Lin frowned, not understanding what Liu Shuyi meant by that: "That's right, the case is already very clear, and doing it this way is the most efficient!"

"Indeed, it's the most efficient!"

Liu Shuyi nodded and said, "Once the case is closed, the murderer can breathe a sigh of relief and go unpunished, which could also cause unrest in the Tang Dynasty and trigger internal strife..."

"That's incredibly efficient! So efficient that even the murderer would want to applaud and cheer for you..."

"What!?" Cui Lin was stunned.

(End of this chapter)