The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 67: Liu Shuyi's Unexpected Performance for Li Shimin – His First Participation in Court Discussions!
The heavy palace doors slowly opened.

As before, Liu Shuyi entered the Liangyi Hall.

As soon as he entered, he noticed something was amiss.

He noticed that the people inside the hall were all staring intently at him.

Changsun Wuji looked surprised, while Du Ruhui looked pleased.

Li Shimin, sitting high on the dragon throne, now showed a look of satisfaction on his unfathomable face.

Liu Shuyi quickly arrived at the front of the hall and bowed to Li Shimin, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"I love your life."

Li Shimin's voice was even gentler than when he had seen him that morning.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Liu Shuyi straightened up. He knew the reason for their unusual behavior. Without delay, he said directly, "Your Majesty's trust has been rewarded. I have found out that the death of Ma Fuyuan, the Prefect of Yizhou, was the work of Liu Yuanming and An Qingxi, the Prefect of Bingzhou!"

"An Qingxi and his accomplice, Wang Xi, a post station worker at Duting Post Station, have been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice prison and will be tried and convicted in the future."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, both Changsun Wuji and Du Ruhui showed surprise.

"Was the murderer An Qingxi, the governor of Bingzhou?"

An Qingxi, as a high-ranking local official of the third rank, would be equivalent to the highest-ranking official in the Six Ministries, Five Directorates, and Nine Temples in the imperial court. There were only a few dozen officials of this rank in the entire Tang Dynasty.

They never imagined that such a high-ranking official would be Liu Yuanming's accomplice.

Li Shimin's gaze was deep as he said, "Tell me in detail."

Liu Shuyi did not hide anything and directly recounted how he determined the time of the crime after arriving at Duting Post Station, how he found the primary crime scene, and how he obtained Qin Wuyuan's crucial testimony from An Qingxi and Cui Lin...

He then recounted in great detail how he saw through An Qingxi's scheme, confirmed that there were two dead, and how, based on Ma Fuyuan's counterattack, finally exposed An Qingxi, as well as how he appeased the Hebei officials and made them believe in the imperial court... He explained every step, every conspiracy, and every way to break it.

The spacious hall fell silent for a long time after he finished speaking.

After a long while, Du Ruhui sighed and said, "I really didn't expect that An Qingxi would devise such a complicated conspiracy in order to frame the imperial court."

He looked at Liu Shuyi with satisfaction and said, "It's really not easy for you to crack his conspiracy and find out the truth in less than three hours."

Changsun Wuji looked at Liu Shuyi with even more seriousness than he had in the morning. He nodded and said, "Liu Yuanwailang is indeed a brilliant judge. His Majesty has not trusted the wrong person."

"Hahaha, I knew it! Minister Liu would never let me down!"

Upon hearing their words, Li Shimin laughed heartily.

He looked at the young and handsome Liu Shuyi with undisguised admiration in his eyes: "Being able to solve cases shows that you have a talent for investigation and are highly skilled."

"The ability to act decisively and seize the opportunity to expose Liu Yuanming and An Qingxi's conspiracy, thus directly cutting off their possibility of killing and framing others in the future, is a sign of great cunning."

"You have foresight in being able to appease the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi, gain their trust in the court, and stabilize the situation."

"Minister Liu, everything you have done today deserves the word 'excellent'!"

Hearing Li Shimin's undisguised appreciation and praise, Liu Shuyi breathed a sigh of relief.

Being valued by Li Shimin makes all the effort he put into investigating this case worthwhile.

He said, “Your Majesty treats me as a national hero, and I should repay you as a national hero. This is all I should do, and I dare not claim credit for it.”

Seeing that Liu Shuyi remained humble and proper despite his meritorious service, Li Shimin nodded with even greater satisfaction.

Even the company commander Sun Wuji couldn't help but glance at Liu Shuyi a few more times, and whispered to Du Ruhui, "No wonder you admire him so much. He is indeed second to none among the younger generation, both in terms of ability and character."

Hearing Changsun Wuji praise the person he valued, Du Ruhui smiled and nodded, but suddenly, alarm bells went off in his mind.

Changsun Wuji, a man of great cunning, rarely praised others in this way.

Could it be that he's also taken a liking to Liu Shuyi?

Moreover, Changsun Wuji also has a daughter of marriageable age waiting to be married...

Du Ruhui immediately became alert. He wasn't afraid of Cheng Yaojin trying to take people from him. Although Cheng Yaojin was a bit of a scoundrel, he was upright and straightforward. As long as he was careful, he could always defend himself.

But Changsun Wuji is unpredictable; what if he uses underhanded tactics...?

Du Ruhui felt he had to urge his daughter and Liu Shuyi to make progress, and he couldn't let someone else steal the fruits of his hard work in cultivating them.

"Minister Changsun..."

Li Shimin looked at Changsun Wuji and said, "You know the ins and outs of the case, right?"

Changsun Wuji understood Li Shimin's meaning and immediately said, "I understand everything."

"The task of sending the letter to Hebei Province is entrusted to you. You must deliver the truth of the case to Hebei Province as quickly as possible!"

"I understand, I will do it right away!"

After saying this, Changsun Wuji nodded to Du Ruhui, gave Liu Shuyi a deep look, then turned around and left quickly.

Soon, only Liu Shuyi and his two companions remained in the spacious Liangyi Hall.

"His Majesty……"

Liu Shuyi looked at Li Shimin and said, "Besides that, there are two other things I need to report."

besides?

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow and said, "Speak."

Liu Shuyi said, "The first thing is that there may be Turkic spies hidden within the Xueyantuo delegation..."

Liu Shuyi recounted in detail his conversation with Cui Lin and his speculations with Du Gou.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's gaze suddenly turned cold.

"Jiali!"

"He is indeed cautious enough. Knowing that there is internal strife in the Turkic Khaganate, and that I might seize the opportunity, he has taken advantage of the Xueyantuo, whom I have been supporting!"

Li Shimin's dislike and hatred towards the Turks were genuine.

He still can't let go of what happened in the ninth year of the Wude era.

On the ninth day of the eighth month of the ninth year of the Wude era, he ascended the throne as emperor.

Just half a month later, on August 24, the Turks invaded Gaoling and eventually even approached Chang'an!

At that time, Chang'an had very few troops and was no match for the 200,000 Turkic cavalry.

Therefore, Li Shimin was forced to meet with Jieli and sign an alliance.

He had just ascended the throne when Jieli attacked the capital. For the new ruler, what difference was there between this and being ridden on his head in humiliation?
Therefore, after that, Li Shimin vowed that he would destroy the Turks in his lifetime and avenge this grudge.

This is why, seeing the internal strife within the Turkic Khaganate, he was so eager to seize the opportunity to send troops to Liang Shidu, who was supported by the Turks.

Du Ruhui knew that Li Shimin disliked the Turks and understood the strategic position of the Xueyantuo in the Tang Dynasty's plan to plot against the Turks. After thinking for a moment, he said, "This matter must not be made public. Before we are sure who the Turkic spy is, we must not let the Xueyantuo envoy know about this matter."

"We cannot give the Turks the opportunity to spread rumors and sow discord between us and the Xueyantuo."

Li Shimin nodded: "I will arrange for the Imperial Guards to keep a close watch on the Xueyantuo envoys. If any spy dares to show his face, I will arrest him immediately!"

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Your reminder is very timely. If we can capture the Turkic spies and thwart the Turkic conspiracy, you will get a share of the credit."

Liu Shuyi was surprised to receive credit even while lying down, and quickly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Shimin said, "What is rightfully yours is yours, no need to thank me... Now, tell me, what is the other matter?"

"While searching for clues in Governor Ma's room, I discovered something..."

Next, Liu Shuyi recounted in detail how he discovered Ma Fuyuan had hidden the letter using the writing implements, and how he found the letter based on the marks on the boot.

"...When I opened the letter, I finally learned that Governor Ma had come to Chang'an with a very important matter to attend to."

"What is it?" Li Shimin and Du Ruhui both stared intently at Liu Shuyi. The fact that Ma Fuyuan had hidden the letter so well made them realize that it was likely related to a conspiracy by the restless former subordinates of the Prince of Xi in Hebei Province.

Liu Shuyi looked at Li Shimin, took a deep breath, and said, "They're looking for... the Imperial Seal of the State!"

The Imperial Seal of the State!?
Du Ruhui was taken aback at first, then seemed to understand their intentions, and his expression changed slightly.

He quickly looked at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin's gaze was now icy cold.

"Okay!"

"Not only are they secretly gathering troops, but now they've even started looking for the Imperial Seal of the State..."

"Are they trying to prove that they are the chosen ones?"

Liu Shuyi and Du Ruhui both lowered their heads, not daring to say anything more.

After all, they all knew very well how obsessed Li Shimin was with the Imperial Seal of the State.

From the moment he ascended the throne, Li Shimin ordered people to search for the Imperial Seal of the State.

Li Shimin supported the Xueyantuo in the northern desert, intending to use their strength to search for the Imperial Seal of the State in the north.

He has used countless resources to find the Imperial Seal of the State, but more than a year has passed and he still has no clue.

Just then, he suddenly learned that Li Jiancheng's men were also looking for the Imperial Seal of the State, and that they had even made some progress. How could he not be furious?
He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "He came to Chang'an to look for the Imperial Seal. Could the Imperial Seal be in Chang'an right now?"

Du Ruhui also looked at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "In his letter, Ma Fuyuan only said that they had received intelligence that news of the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State had appeared in Chang'an, but he did not say whether the seal was in Chang'an. I think they probably don't know either."

Li Shimin frowned.

If the imperial seal is in Chang'an, he will search the earth three feet deep to find it.

But right now it's just news...

Li Shimin asked, "Did they explain where they heard the news? Where did they look for it?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "No."

He did not repeat what Miaoyin had told him.

On the one hand, he could not be sure if the news was true or false, and if he offended Changsun Wuji because of it, it would be a loss that did not outweigh the gains.

On the other hand, he was unwilling to get involved when he was unsure whether the matter of the Imperial Seal was a setup.

He wouldn't knowingly jump into a game that's been set up by someone else.

Seeing Li Shimin frown, Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I have already ordered people to keep a close eye on that letter. If anyone comes to collect it later, I will also have people monitor their movements. If they really have information, perhaps they can guide us..."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, Li Shimin's gaze immediately fell upon him.

Liu Shuyi felt as if that gaze weighed a ton, but he was not alarmed at all, and his back remained as straight as a pine tree.

"it is good!"

Finally, Li Shimin withdrew his gaze and said, "You've done a good job letting these treacherous officials lead the way for us."

"Regarding the letter, we'll proceed as you instructed..."

"I will also arrange for others to search for relevant information in Chang'an. We will proceed on two fronts and must find the information about the Imperial Seal of the State."

"Your subject obeys!" Liu Shuyi said, bowing.

Li Shimin nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, then looked at Du Ruhui and said, "Minister Du, Ma Fuyuan and his men are openly searching for the Imperial Seal and secretly gathering troops. These things are enough to confirm that there must be problems in Hebei Province. What do you think..."

His gaze was deep and unfathomable: "What should we do?"

Du Ruhui did not rush to answer. After thinking for a moment, he said, "There are two ways now."

"explain."

"First, before the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi in Hebei Province make their move, assuming we are unaware of their secrets..."

Du Ruhui's voice was filled with murderous intent: "Let's strike first! Catch them off guard and wipe out Hebei Province as quickly as possible and at the lowest cost!"

Liu Shuyi's heart skipped a beat.

Du Ruhui was decisive and ruthless.

Once the attack is launched, at least several thousand, or even tens of thousands, of lives will be lost.

"but……"

He then changed the subject, saying, "The officials in Hebei Province are clearly wary of us and are probably monitoring our movements at all times. It may not be easy for us to truly catch them off guard."

"Once they realize what's happening, they can use the city walls to hold out and buy time. It's uncertain when the war will end."

"We might miss the best opportunity to send troops to Liang Shidu, and this is exactly what Liu Yuanming and his forces want..."

"If we do as they want, they will likely take other actions, and then, who knows what unexpected changes might occur..."

"Therefore, I believe that this plan is a last resort and should be avoided if possible."

Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then said, "What is the second method?"

"Sow discord and defeat them one by one!"

A chilling glint flashed in Du Ruhui's deep eyes.

He said, "The Prince of Xi is dead. Who will lead the forces of the Prince of Xi's former subordinates? I'm afraid many people have this idea."

"Therefore, they may not really be of one mind."

"If we could understand their situation in detail, and know who are the staunch rebels, who are neutral and wavering, and who remain loyal to His Majesty..."

"Then we can deal with them one by one."

"First, sow discord among the staunch rebels, making them fight each other for their own interests. Then, use the promise of benefits to lure those who are neutral and wavering, and make them work for us."

"As long as they can't unite as one and fight their own battles, they'll be a disorganized mess... then dealing with them won't be difficult for us."

Li Shimin's eyes showed deep thought.

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and then said, "From Ma Fuyuan's letter, we can see that he knew there was great danger in going to see the mysterious person, but he still chose to go alone and did not ask any other former subordinates of the Prince of Xi to accompany him..."

“I think this is enough to prove that these former subordinates of the Prince of Xi are not of one mind, just as Minister Du said.”

Li Shimin's eyes flashed, and Du Ruhui also glanced at Liu Shuyi, a hint of surprise on his face, and said, "With the clue of Liu Yuanwailang, the feasibility of this plan is even greater."

"However, although this plan does not come at a high cost and can avoid what Liu Yuanming and his group wanted, it is still quite difficult to implement."

Du Ruhui looked at Li Shimin: "How to know their specific situation is a problem."

Li Shimin tapped the armrest with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over Liu Shuyi. Seeing Liu Shuyi deep in thought, and recalling Liu Shuyi's remarkable performance in this case, Li Shimin's heart stirred slightly, and he asked, "Minister Liu, do you have any thoughts?"

Liu Shuyi was taken aback. He hadn't expected that Li Shimin would ask him, a mere sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Justice, about such an important national matter.

Du Ruhui was also somewhat surprised, but he quickly smiled, which meant that Liu Shuyi's status in His Majesty's heart was completely different from before.

He encouraged him, saying, "If you have any ideas, please feel free to speak them. We are in the discussion stage now, so don't be afraid of saying the wrong thing."

Having received Du Ruhui's hint, Liu Shuyi was certain.

She knew this was a golden opportunity to solidify her position in Li Shimin's heart.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Minister Du's problem is difficult in some ways, but simple in others."

"Oh?"

A hint of curiosity appeared in Li Shimin's eyes, and he said, "Tell me about it."

"Hebei Circuit is far from Chang'an, making it difficult for us to know what is happening there in a timely manner. The former subordinates of the Prince of Xi have built up an impregnable stronghold there over the years. It is very difficult to find out their specific situation from the outside in a short period of time!"

"But if we understand it from the inside..."

Liu Shuyi changed the subject, saying, "That's different."

"internal?"

Du Ruhui's eyes flashed, and he quickly understood Liu Shuyi's meaning, saying, "Do you know anyone who can be used by us?"

Li Shimin also stared intently at Liu Shuyi. Liu Shuyi did not answer immediately, but instead recalled the behavior of the nine officials inside the Duting Post Station.

Their initial demeanor upon arriving at the warehouse, their reaction upon learning that Qin Wuyuan was the murderer, their exposure of An Qingxi's conspiracy, the changes in An Qingxi's scheme, and finally, their expression when they reassured Li Shimin on behalf of Li Shimin...

The changes in each person, the expressions on each person's face as they looked at him, all flashed through his mind at this moment, like a movie in slow motion.

After a moment, Liu Shuyi slowly exhaled.

He said, "I do have a candidate in mind."

"Who?"

Li Shimin leaned forward subconsciously, and Du Ruhui also looked at Liu Shuyi.

"Miao Xian, the Prefect of Hengzhou!"

"Miao Xian?"

Li Shimin and Du Ruhui both frowned, clearly not having a deep impression of this person.

Liu Shuyi said, "During the investigation, I was actually secretly keeping an eye on these officials in Hebei Province..."

"Your Majesty, I have noticed that when Qin Wuyuan was falsely accused of being the court's way of dealing with the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi, the expression of Miao Xian, the Prefect of Hengzhou, showed a clear change of panic..."

"Afterwards, when I returned the truth to Qin Wuyuan and pointed out that all of this was a conspiracy by An Qingxi and his group, Miao Xian visibly breathed a sigh of relief and his expression returned to normal."

"Later, when I reassured them in Your Majesty's voice, Miao Xian looked somewhat conflicted..."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, Du Ruhui, being wise and insightful, quickly understood Liu Shuyi's meaning and said, "If he were a staunch rebel, he shouldn't have breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that Qin Wuyuan was wronged and that the court wasn't targeting them... because then they wouldn't have a legitimate reason to rebel."

"But if he is loyal to His Majesty, he shouldn't be troubled when Assistant Minister Liu reassures them in His Majesty's voice; instead, he should be happy..."

"so……"

He looked intently at Liu Shuyi and said, "Is he a neutral swing voter? He hasn't made a decision yet, or whose side he'll lean towards?"

Liu Shuyi nodded and said, "Minister Du is indeed a man of profound virtue and extensive knowledge, whose wisdom encompasses all things..."

He looked at Li Shimin and said, "My thoughts are the same as those of Minister Du."

"Furthermore, I have also noticed that Miao Xian has been standing at the very back of the other eight people, at a slight distance from them."

"This proves that his position among these people must be the lowest, and that the other eight may be ostracizing him, or that he is wary of these eight..."

Du Ruhui's eyes flickered: "So, he is definitely not of one mind with the other eight, and it is most likely that he was bribed by us?"

"Yes!" Liu Shuyi nodded emphatically: "And on two occasions, this person was the first to speak, echoing my words..."

“Your Majesty!” Du Ruhui immediately looked at Li Shimin.

A strange light flashed in Li Shimin's deep eyes.

He never expected that Liu Shuyi, who was just investigating a case, would give him so many surprises.

"Just as Liu Aiqing said, secretly contact Miao Xian and see if we can bribe him. If we can get rid of them from within..."

He stared intently at Liu Shuyi and said, "You deserve the greatest credit!"

…………

On the way back to the Ministry of Justice.

Riding on his steed, Liu Shuyi reviewed his performance, and after confirming that he had acted appropriately and that Li Shimin's satisfaction with him was genuine, he let out a soft breath.

The first impression I made on Li Shimin today was probably better than I had originally expected.

One case, multiple credits.

Liu Shuyi suddenly had the illusion that Liu Yuanming and An Qingxi were his lucky stars.

After all, without their mischief, he would not have been able to meet Li Shimin twice in one day, and receive such praise from him, despite being only a lowly sixth-rank official.

Now that he had made a good impression on Li Shimin, if any major or unusual cases came to Li Shimin in the future, the first person Li Shimin would think of would not be anyone else from the Three Departments, but him.

With more opportunities to make contributions, it won't be as easy for Pei Ji to casually crush him, a nobody, as he did before.

After all, the outcome is completely different for those who have left an impression on the emperor and those who have not, should an accident occur.

As for Li Shimin's promise of the county viscount title...

In a few days, an imperial edict should be issued to announce it to the world.

At that time, I will be a person with a fifth-rank noble title.

Their status and treatment will be elevated to a new level.

With a title comes the opportunity to be promoted to a higher rank...

Perhaps in the future, I will really have the opportunity to reach the rank of Duke, which my father once held.

If that's the case...

Liu Shuyi looked up at the vast sky, perhaps he really could restore the glory of the Liu family, just as his brother hoped.

If my elder brother were still alive, he would probably be very happy to know that he has been granted a title.
Liu Shuyi's lips curled up slightly.

Mentioning his elder brother, Liu Shuyi thought of Lu Yangyuan, the Deputy Commandant of Xuanjie, who was lying in the Ministry of Justice.

Because Du Ying was busy helping with her investigation, she couldn't take care of Lu Yangyuan all the time, and she didn't know how well Lu Yangyuan was affected by the poison.

Lu Yangyuan is currently his only chance to learn about the main clues behind Miaoyin'er, and he must not let anything happen to him under any circumstances.

With this in mind, Liu Shuyi quickened his pace and soon arrived at the Ministry of Justice.

He then dismounted, handed the horse to the official, and quickly went to Lu Yangyuan's room.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw a cold and beautiful doctor in white robes giving Lu Yangyuan acupuncture.

Liu Shuyi subconsciously stopped, afraid of disturbing Du Ying who was carefully administering acupuncture.

Du Ying seemed unaware of Liu Shuyi's arrival. Her fair fingers held a slender silver needle, her beautiful eyes intently watching Lu Yangyuan. Then, with lightning speed, she swiftly and precisely placed the needle.

The entire acupuncture process was so smooth and natural that it gave Liu Shuyi a wonderful feeling.

Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her stunning profile, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, lost its aloofness and gained a touch of gentleness.

Liu Shuyi knew Du Ying was beautiful, but for a moment he never realized that Du Ying was this beautiful.

He was so engrossed in watching that Du Ying, who turned around, caught him red-handed.

Why is Master Liu staring at me like that?

"Cough cough..."

He was caught peeping at a girl, and even though Liu Shuyi has a thick skin, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

The two were so familiar with each other that the more familiar they were, the more awkward the situation became.

He coughed twice, came to the bedside, and abruptly changed the subject: "How is Lu Yangyuan?"

Although Du Ying was aloof, she was very perceptive and intelligent. When she saw that Liu Shuyi did not answer her as usual, but deliberately changed the subject, a thoughtful look flashed in her aloof eyes.

Seems to understand something.

She gave Liu Shuyi a deep look, but did not expose him, and said, "I have already prepared the antidote and given it to him."

"I just gave him another acupuncture treatment. If all goes well, he should wake up tomorrow."

Liu Shuyi looked at Lu Yangyuan. Although Lu Yangyuan was still unconscious, his face was no longer so pale, and his tightly furrowed brows had relaxed. Just as Du Ying had said, his condition had improved a lot.

His anxiety finally subsided.

"Thank you so much, Miss Du. First, you helped me rescue Lu Yangyuan, and then you went to Duting Post Station to examine the body and help me solve the case. I really don't know how to repay you..."

Liu Shuyi knew that Du Ying would definitely say there was no need to thank him again, but Du Ying had helped him so much. If he really did nothing, not to mention what others would think of him, he wouldn't be able to get over his own conscience.

He thought for a moment and said, "It's almost evening, time for dinner... If Miss Du has the time, I would like to ask for an opportunity to have dinner with you."

"Dinner?"

Du Ying initially wanted to refuse; she lacked nothing, having cultivated with her master on the mountain for many years and having few material needs. However, upon hearing Liu Shuyi mention dinner, rather than anything else…

He paused for a moment, then nodded directly: "Okay."

Liu Shuyi's eyes lit up; he hadn't expected Du Ying to agree so readily.

"Let's go."

Du Ying picked up her black wooden suitcase and went to Liu Shuyi's side: "Where should we eat?"

Liu Shuyi was taken aback; he hadn't expected Du Ying to be even more proactive than he was.

A thought suddenly occurred to him: Could it be that the aloof and beautiful Du Ying is actually a foodie?

"Before my brother disappeared, he would take me to a restaurant once a year. The food there was very special. His signature dishes, 'Hun Yang Mo Hu' and 'Kui Geng,' were delicious. They also had Sanlejiang from Persia. I wonder if Miss Du knows about Sanlejiang? It's made from three kinds of fruits from the Western Regions: Amola, Pili, and Heli. It's very popular among women in Chang'an. Although the environment and prices there can't compare to the big restaurants in the East and West Markets, but..."

"That's it!"

Before Liu Shuyi could finish speaking, the aloof doctor secretly swallowed and said, "Let's set off now!"

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed; had he really guessed right?

Did Du Ying really love food?

The thought that Du Ying, who was as aloof as an iceberg and snow lotus, was actually a glutton with her mouth stuffed as full as a hamster's, inexplicably amused him.

"Cold and cute"—is that what describes someone like Du Ying?

If Du Ying knew what Liu Shuyi was thinking, she would definitely prick him with silver needles. What kind of cold and cute is that?
If Liu Shuyi were like me, living a life of hardship on the mountain, eating wild fruits every day and rarely eating meat more than twice a year, and this went on for ten years, Liu Shuyi would definitely be even more obsessed with food than I am.

Seeing that Du Ying couldn't wait, Liu Shuyi smiled and didn't delay. He instructed Zhao Feng to arrange for someone to keep an eye on Lu Yangyuan and not allow anyone to approach him before leaving the Ministry of Justice with Du Ying.

Half an hour later.

"Xu..."

Liu Shuyi tightened the reins and stopped.

Looking up at the slightly worn-out storefront and not-so-luxurious decor of the restaurant, a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

Although the elder brother Liu Shuzhong barely managed to support the Liu family's expenses, he would still bring the young original body to this restaurant every year during the Spring Festival to improve their meals.

The reason they always came here was that before Liu Wenjing's accident, whenever he and his brother were craving something sweet, Liu Wenjing would bring them here.

Later, when Liu Wenjing had her accident, without her father's protection, they still came here, but they could only tighten their belts and come here once a year during the Spring Festival.

After that, her brother disappeared without a trace, which greatly affected the original owner of this body, and she never came back here again.

Liu Shuyi shook his head, trying not to think about those sorrowful past events. He turned around and looked at the aloof and beautiful figure peering out from behind the carriage curtain. He smiled and said, "Miss Du, we've arrived."

As he spoke, he dismounted, walked to the carriage, raised his hand, and placed his arm in front of Du Ying.

Du Ying glanced at Liu Shuyi, and without hesitation, she placed her fair fingers on Liu Shuyi's arm, using the leverage to jump off the carriage.

The two entered the restaurant.

This restaurant looks very old; the floorboards creak when you step on them.

Although it looks old, it is very clean and there are quite a few customers inside.

"Two guests, do you want to be a top-notch person or stay in a hotel?"

The waiter greeted them warmly.

Liu Shuyi asked, "Are there any private rooms available?"

"Yes, sir, please come upstairs..."

The two followed the waiter to the second floor and entered the second private room on the left. After they were seated, the waiter said, "Would you like me to introduce our specialty dishes and drinks?"

"No need."

Liu Shuyi said directly: "One serving each of whole sheep meat soup, sunflower soup, ancient tower vegetables, and vinegared celery, and one pot of Sanle juice."

"It seems you're a regular customer of our restaurant..." the waiter couldn't help but say as he listened to the names of the dishes Liu Shuyi announced.

Liu Shuyi looked at him and smiled, "I used to come here often, but you look unfamiliar."

"The younger one only came two years ago."

The year before last?

That was the year my brother disappeared. I haven't been here since, no wonder he looks unfamiliar.

"Go do it..."

"Yes."

The waiter left quickly.

Liu Shuyi looked at Du Ying, who was earnestly waiting for the food and wine, and couldn't help but smile and say, "Miss Du, have you always been this serious about food?"

Du Ying then realized she had lost her composure. She withdrew her expectant gaze from the doorway and said calmly, "I take everything very seriously."

Seeing Du Ying's attempt to make amends, Liu Shuyi smiled and was about to say something...

dong dong dong.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the private room.

"Go in," Liu Shuyi said.

With a creak, the door opened.

A middle-aged man, dressed in fine clothes, slightly overweight, and with a cheerful smile on his face, walked in.

He looked Liu Shuyi up and down carefully, then his eyes lit up and he said, "Manager Liu?"

Liu Shuyi recognized the man and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting: "Manager Zhao, you still remember me?"

"of course I remember."

Seeing that he had not mistaken the person for someone else, Zhao Hong, the restaurant manager, said, "You come every year, and every time you come, you order the same food and drinks. How could I forget?"

"But in the last two years, Manager Liu has never come again."

Zhao Hong was unaware that he had been promoted and still thought that he was the same person as his brother when he came before, a principal officer in the Ministry of Justice.

Liu Shuyi explained, "My brother went missing two years ago, and I also encountered some things, and was troubled by worldly affairs, so I didn't..."

"Missing?"

Zhao Hong was taken aback: "Commentator Liu disappeared two years ago? How could that be?"

He seemed to have thought of something and couldn't help but ask, "May I ask, on what day did Judge Liu disappear?"

Which day?
Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes.

Zhao Hong's reaction was somewhat strange.

He thought for a moment and said, "The fourth day of the fifth month."

"The fourth day of the fifth month...it was that day!"

Zhao Hongman stared wide-eyed, looking utterly astonished.

Seeing Zhao Hong's strange reaction, Liu Shuyi couldn't help but ask, "Does Manager Zhao know something?"

"To be honest, Manager Liu..."

Zhao Hong looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Your brother left something with me, saying that if you ever come to the restaurant, I should give it to you..."

"And the day he handed the thing to me was exactly..."

"On the evening of the fourth day of the fifth month in the ninth year of Wude!"

(End of this chapter)