The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 77 reveals the ending! I'm the one who laughs last!

As the man in the crimson robe finished speaking, the richly dressed people immediately fixed their eyes on Changsun Chong in the iron cage with burning passion, excitedly exclaiming repeatedly.

"It really is Changsun Chong! I thought you were joking!"

"How did you manage to bring Changsun Chong here!"

"Who cares how he got him? This is Changsun Chong! He's the highest-ranking young man besides the princes... If someone like him were to warm my bed, I'd be set for life!"

"If we could tame him into an obedient slave and make him kneel and serve us every day, wouldn't that be the same as trampling Changsun Wuji under our feet!"

"What's the point of taming him? It's more interesting to watch him fight with wolves and get torn to pieces!"

"That won't do, it's such a waste of talent, this isn't an ordinary person."

"Be careful, if Changsun Wuji finds out, none of us will escape."

"How could we let Changsun Wuji know? Anyone who comes here is as good as gone from the face of the earth. Even Changsun Wuji won't be able to find them again!"

These people were dressed in rich clothes, clearly wealthy and powerful, but their words were more terrifying than the howl of a wild wolf.

Changsun Chong, inside the iron cage, trembled uncontrollably.

"If my father finds out about you, you will all die! No one will escape!"

But his words didn't make everyone nervous; instead, they made them even more excited.

outside the window.

Looking at the scene inside the building that shattered his worldview, Du Gou couldn't help but say, "They captured Changsun Chong with the intention of auctioning him off, and yet someone actually wants to use him as a bed warmer and tame him! How dare they!? Don't they know what terrifying consequences would be if their actions were discovered?"

"That's why they're so excited, precisely because they know it."

Liu Shuyi calmly said, "To trample on those who are usually high and mighty, to suppress them, to humiliate them at will—something they would never dare to dream of doing in normal times—now they have the opportunity to do it. Moreover, this is by no means their first time here for an auction. They are well aware of the abilities of this group of thieves and know that the chances of Minister Changsun finding out are not high... Under such circumstances, the evil in human nature will be magnified many times over. The fact that they did not rush up to snatch Changsun Chong immediately is already a sign of their composure."

Du Gou pursed his lips, knowing that what Liu Shuyi said was true.

But I still can't accept what I'm seeing.

They auction off people like objects, and even force them to fight wild animals...

This is a group of lunatics who have no humanity whatsoever.

Liu Shuyi knew how much of an impact Du Gou had suffered, but having lived two lives, he had seen far more inhumane things, so he was no longer surprised by this.

He glanced one last time at the view through the window and said, "Let's go. Now that it's confirmed, there's no need for us to take any more risks."

"Who is there!"

Just then, a shout suddenly rang out: "There's someone outside the window!"

Upon hearing this, both Liu Shuyi and Du Gou's expressions changed.

"not good!"

Without any hesitation, they ran straight out of the courtyard.

Bang!

The tightly closed door was kicked open.

The man in red said with a grim expression, "There was someone spying under the window just now. Call everyone together and close the front and back doors immediately. Don't let them escape!"

The two guards then realized that someone had slipped in right under their noses. They didn't dare to delay, drew their weapons, and immediately gave chase.

These two men were burly and extremely fast. Even though Liu Shuyi and Du Gou managed to escape quickly enough, they were still caught up with by them when they reached the courtyard wall.

"Oops!"

Du Gou's face turned pale.

Both he and Liu Shuyi were scholars, unable to lift heavy objects, and faced with these two burly guards, they had no chance of escaping.

Liu Shuyi frowned as well. He wasn't completely weak; he still had the fighting skills he had learned in his previous life. It was just that with his current physique, he could only exert less than 30% of his strength.

"How dare you sneak in right under our noses!"

"Die!"

The two burly men raised their knives, ready to strike Liu Shuyi and his companion.

"You've finally arrived! Quickly launch a surprise attack on them!"

Unexpectedly, at that moment, Liu Shuyi suddenly looked behind them, his face filled with excitement.

"What? A sneak attack!?"

The two men were startled and instinctively turned around.

But behind them, there was nothing, not a single person in sight. There was no sneak attack at all.
The two immediately realized they had been tricked.

He turned around angrily, ready to tear Liu Shuyi to pieces.

puff--

But just as the two turned their heads, a handful of white powder suddenly fell on their faces with the wind.

It was inhaled uncontrollably into my nose.

The taste was indescribably strange.

"what?"

They instinctively raised their hands and wiped it away.

But then I felt my hands and feet go weak.

For a moment, he couldn't even hold onto the machete.

"how come!?"

The two exclaimed in horror.

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed; the sleeping potion provided by Du Ying was indeed effective!
At the crucial moment, it was the girl he had his eye on who helped him a lot.

"go!"

Liu Shuyi did not hesitate, nor did he intend to take the opportunity to take down the two men. The others would catch up soon. For him, the important thing was to hurry up and notify Wang Gui outside.

As soon as Wang Gui arrives, all crises will be resolved on their own.

Otherwise, if the theater staff catch up with us and close the gates, it would be truly dangerous.

Using the trees as cover, the two quickly climbed onto the courtyard wall.

Afterwards, with Zhao Feng's help, they quickly returned to the front yard.

Liu Shuyi didn't have time to recount what they had seen, and said directly, "Quickly go and inform County Lieutenant Wang, and tell him to take action immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng didn't say a word and ran out of the theater.

Before the news from the backyard reaches the front yard, now is the best time to inform Wang Gui.

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou were quite exhausted at this moment. Instead of running out of the courtyard like Zhao Feng, they quickly returned to the stage.

Du Ying was worried about Liu Shuyi and the others, and kept glancing outside the courtyard.

Just then, they saw Liu Shuyi and Du Gou walking briskly towards them.

Her eyes lit up, and she quickly stood up: "How is it?"

Liu Shuyi looked around and said, "Hide it first, we'll talk about it later."

As he spoke, he grabbed Du Ying's arm and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to them, walked directly towards a place next to the stage where they could hide.

Du Ying looked down at the large hand on her arm, her lips slightly pursed, and without saying a word, she obediently followed Liu Shuyi away.

Du Gou stared at the large pig's trotter that had landed on his sister's arm, his eyelids twitching violently a few times. But remembering his father's instructions, he finally looked away and pretended not to have seen anything.

Soon, they were in hiding.

The play is still going on, but news from the backyard has yet to arrive.

At this moment, Liu Shuyi whispered, "We discovered their secret in the backyard. They weren't actually sending slaves to buyers; instead, they were inviting buyers here for an auction. Buyers could choose to purchase slaves or have them fight wild animals..."

Having followed Sun Simiao in his spiritual practice for over a decade, Du Ying possessed a level of knowledge far exceeding that of a young lady from a wealthy family. Therefore, upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, she immediately understood what kind of place this was.

She frowned slightly: "They don't treat people like human beings at all."

Liu Shuyi nodded.

"They are all rich and powerful, and probably find life boring, so they want to do things they can't normally do."

"If they wanted slaves, they could have easily bought slaves of low social status through legitimate channels, but they refused. They came here, risking everything to buy those well-trained, free people, to witness firsthand these people fighting wild beasts and ultimately being devoured by them..."

"They crave excitement, their hearts are twisted, and they don't treat ordinary people as human beings. Little do they know that at this moment, they themselves are no longer human."

Liu Shuyi could always easily expose the evil in human nature and say things that made people think deeply. Du Gou and his sister nodded and marveled at the depth of Liu Shuyi's thoughts, which were already comparable to their father's.

"Search!"

"Let's see if they're hiding here!"

Just then, a series of sharp shouts suddenly rang out.

Immediately following were gasps of surprise from the audience.

"What are you doing?"

"Why are you arresting us?"

Upon hearing the commotion, Liu Shuyi and the other two immediately fell silent.

They hid themselves well, waiting anxiously and quietly for reinforcements.

Wang Gui and his men were hiding outside the theater, so as long as Zhao Feng could break out, reinforcements would arrive in time.

Judging from the speed at which these people arrived, Liu Shuyi felt that they shouldn't have a chance to stop Zhao Feng, and the problem wouldn't be too big.

Although his decision to come here undercover and conceal his identity seemed somewhat risky, everything was still under his control, and he could manage the level of danger.
"Oh no! Someone has broken in!"

"We can't stop them! There are too many of them!"

"How can there be so many people!?"

"What should we do? Should we still look for those two?"

"What are you still looking for! Hurry up and go to the backyard..."

The voice, which had been filled with murderous intent, suddenly changed tone.

Then came the sound of metal clashing.

Screams, cries of alarm, and pleas for mercy erupted one after another.

"Where are you, Assistant Minister Liu and Vice Minister Du?"

"Your humble servant has arrived; it's safe now!"

Wang Gui's voice, mixed in with the noise, came through.

Liu Shuyi and the others exchanged glances, then immediately stood up and cautiously looked outside.

Then they discovered that the yamen runners and the guards of the Changsun residence had already dealt with the pursuing thieves.

Apart from two thieves who knelt down and begged for mercy, everyone else lay dead in pools of blood.

Seeing this, Du Gou's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

He quickly waved his hand: "We're here."

Wang Gui and Zhao Feng were anxiously searching, fearing that they had arrived too late and that something might have happened to Liu Shuyi and the others.

Upon hearing Du Gou's voice and seeing that Liu Shuyi and the other two were unharmed, Wang Gui and Zhao Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

They rushed over, and Wang Gui asked, "Liu Yuanwailang, Du Sicheng, are you alright?"

"fine."

Liu Shuyi didn't waste any words: "Go to the backyard! The slaves and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices are all locked up in the backyard."

Upon hearing Changsun Chong's whereabouts, before Wang Gui could even speak, the steward Jia Ping had already led the guards of the Changsun residence to rush to the backyard.

"We'll go too."

Liu Shuyi followed closely behind and left.

When they arrived at the backyard gate, they found it was already open.

The two guards who were originally standing at the door were also covered in knife wounds and were beyond dead.

Looking at the messy and gruesome wounds on their bodies, Liu Shuyi could imagine the hatred and anger that the Changsun family members had felt when they attacked them.

Liu Shuyi did not delay and quickly entered the backyard, soon arriving at a courtyard full of carriages.

At this moment, the courtyard was filled with yamen runners and guards from the Changsun family.

The building they had been peeping at now had its doors wide open.

Those dressed in fine clothes rushed out in terror.

Their faces were deathly pale, and their expressions were filled with panic. Where was the arrogant and carefree demeanor they had just displayed, as if they were in control of others' lives with a smile?
"Get 'em!"

"Don't let them get away!"

As these people rushed out, the yamen runners guarding outside immediately took action.

They quickly pinned these wealthy and powerful people to the ground.

Liu Shuyi glanced around, his brows furrowing slightly. He said, "They're all buyers here for the auction. There's no sign of that man in red, nor of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices..."

Du Gou said, "They might still be inside."

"Step aside!"

Just then, a fierce voice suddenly came from inside the building.

Then, the yamen runners who had rushed into the building, as well as the guards from the Changsun family, all retreated out from behind the door.

Their bodies were tense, their expressions tense, and their faces extremely solemn.

Upon seeing this, Du Gou and the others' expressions changed; they knew that something unexpected might have happened.

As the yamen runners and guards left, Jia Ping, the steward of the Changsun Mansion, also emerged from the crowd.

He also backed out, his face full of tension: "Don't be impulsive, don't hurt my young master. We, the Changsun family, can satisfy any need you have. Just let the young master go, and we'll agree to anything you ask for!"

Upon hearing the butler's words, Liu Shuyi's eyes narrowed immediately.

He looked toward the door and saw the man in red finally appear, but at this moment, he was holding a sharp dagger and holding Changsun Chong hostage.

Changsun Chong was firmly blocked in front of him, the tip of the dagger had already pierced into the flesh of Changsun Chong's neck, and drops of blood flowed out, falling to the ground and instantly shattering into countless pieces.

This scene made Wang Guixin tremble.

He had no doubt that this madman in the bright red robe could really take Changsun Chong's life at any moment.

They had finally found this place, and they had finally found Changsun Chong. If Changsun Chong died in front of them at this last moment, not only would all their efforts be in vain, but more importantly, no one present could withstand Changsun Wuji's wrath.

As the county constable in charge of maintaining peace in Chang'an County, he was beyond the help of even the most powerful deity.

"Do not impulse!"

He quickly added, "Don't hurt Changsun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Everything can be discussed."

Seeing the tense look on everyone's faces, the man in red stuck out his tongue and licked his bright red lips, which looked as if they had been smeared with rouge, and grinned, "I really did just pick up a treasure by chance."

"Not only can it be sold for a high price, but even if your court discovers it, you can rest easy knowing he's safe!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but reach out and touch Changsun Chong's pale face: "Should I say you're my lucky star or my jinx?"

Changsun Chong was trembling all over. His official robe, which represented his status and position, was wrinkled and crumpled. His hair, which used to be tied up, was now disheveled like that of a madman.

He shook his head, not daring to use too much force, afraid that he might accidentally stab himself in the throat with the dagger: "Let me go, I guarantee your safety! If you kill me, Father will make you wish you were dead!"

"Tsk, I just don't like being threatened, what should I do?"

Upon hearing Changsun Chong's words, the man in red suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter growing increasingly manic, as if he truly cared nothing for his own life or death.

The dagger in his hand trembled with his laughter, causing the wound on Changsun Chong's neck to grow larger and larger.

The number of drops of blood also increased.

"stop!"

Jia Ping felt his heart trembling along with the dagger.

He said, "Tell us what you want! If something really happens to the young master, you'll get nothing!"

Wang Gui nodded emphatically: "That's right, as long as the safety of Changsun Temple Assistant is guaranteed, we'll agree to anything!"

Seeing this, Du Gou frowned and whispered to Liu Shuyi, "What should we do?"

Liu Shuyi squinted and slowly shook his head: "Let's ensure the safety of Changsun Temple Assistant first."

The enemy had a hostage, and this hostage was none other than Changsun Chong, who absolutely could not be harmed. They were completely bound by their own limitations and had no choice whatsoever.

If it were in later times, with the help of snipers, Liu Shuyi could find a way to create opportunities for them, but right now, no one can do that.

However, just because there's nothing that can be done now doesn't mean there won't be anything that can be done later.

after all……

Liu Shuyi's gaze was deep and unfathomable; they were not the only ones who wanted Changsun Chong.

If the murderer believes that he only needs to be wary of them and everything will be fine, then the outcome will probably be beyond his expectations.

Seeing everyone's tense reaction to Changsun Chong, the man in red laughed even louder.

"Very good! I am very satisfied with your attitude."

"Since that's the case, then I'll give you a chance to save Changsun Chong's life." Hearing his words, Jia Ping quickly said, "What chance? Tell me, as long as it's within our power, we'll definitely do it!"

"Don't worry, you can definitely meet my conditions."

As the man in red spoke, he raised his finger and pointed at the crowd. He first pointed at Wang Gui, who looked nervous, then at Zhao Feng, who had a furrowed brow, then at Du Gou, who looked solemn, and finally... at Liu Shuyi, who was holding a folding fan.

He grinned and said, "Kill him! Trade his life for Changsun Chong's!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing the man in red's words, everyone's expression changed drastically.

They never imagined that the man in red would demand Liu Shuyi's life in exchange.

"impossible!"

Three voices rang out almost simultaneously.

Zhao Feng, Du Gou, and Du Ying refused without even thinking.

Wang Gui frowned and said, "If you want money or a horse to escape, we can agree to those conditions, but if you want Liu Yuanwailang's life... no way!"

Jia Ping's eyes flickered, and his expression showed some struggle. He said, "Liu Yuanwailang is a benefactor of my Changsun family. We cannot treat him like this."

"Oh?"

The man in red raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile, "It seems that your young master's life is not particularly important. A mere sixth-rank official is not even worth as much as your young master's life."

He shook his head and sighed in disappointment: "You all just said you could agree to any condition, but now you won't even give me the life of a minor sixth-rank official. Sure enough, you people are all talk and no action!"

His tone suddenly changed, becoming chilling: "If that's the case, what else is there to say? Anyway, I'm just a worthless life, having your young master with me isn't a bad deal!"

As he spoke, he plunged the dagger in his hand even deeper into Changsun Chong's neck.

Drops of blood instantly turned into a trickle.

The once green official robe was now stained with blood, a glaring sight.

"stop!"

"do not want!"

Jia Ping and the other members of the Changsun family exclaimed in surprise.

“Liu Yuanwailang…” Jia Ping couldn’t help but look at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi stared intently at Jia Ping: "Steward Jia, you don't really want me to trade my life for your young master's, do you?"

Jia Ping was stunned for a moment, then quickly shook his head: "Of course not, it's just, it's just..."

But he couldn't say what it was for a long time.

Liu Shuyi suddenly laughed: "Steward Jia, there's no need to be nervous. I understand how you feel right now. If it were me, in a choice between the two, I would probably also choose the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

“Master Liu, you…” Jia Ping was startled.

The expressions of everyone else also changed.

“Master Liu, don’t be impulsive!” Du Gou couldn’t help but speak up.

Liu Shuyi smiled and shook his head: "Don't worry, I won't act impulsively."

After thinking for a moment, he went directly to a constable and said, "Can I borrow your sword?"

The constable paused for a moment, then quickly nodded.

Liu Shuyi took the sword, gently touched the blade with his fingers, felt the sharpness through his fingertips, and exclaimed, "What a fine sword!"

With a flick of his wrist, the tip of the knife touched the ground.

Then he picked up his sword and walked step by step toward Changsun Chong and the man in red.

As she walked, she looked intently at the man in red and asked, "Are you really sure you want to trade my life for the life of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"

"If I die, but you don't release Changsun, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, what will happen then? Wouldn't my death have been in vain?"

His voice was calm, giving everyone the impression that he wasn't the one talking about dying.

The man in red hadn't expected Liu Shuyi to react this way. Seeing Liu Shuyi getting closer and closer, he couldn't help but shout, "Stop!"

"stop?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow: "This distance is a bit far. I think someone like you would probably enjoy the feeling of hot blood splashing on your face, right?"

"So I'll stay closer, so that when I commit suicide, my blood will fall on you."

As he spoke, he continued to approach the man in red.

The man in red frowned. He thought he was already crazy, but compared to Liu Shuyi at this moment, he felt that his madness had been suppressed by Liu Shuyi.

He gripped the dagger even tighter, causing Changsun Chong to gasp in pain and cry out, "Stop! Stop now!"

But Liu Shuyi ignored him. He didn't even glance at Changsun Chong, but stared at the man in red with a half-smile, getting closer and closer.

"All right!"

The man in red seemed to sense the danger and suddenly loosened his grip, saying, "I don't need you to trade your life for mine!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, immediately settled down.

Du Gou's tightly clenched hands suddenly loosened.

Du Ying, who had already pulled out silver needles from her sleeve and was thinking of saving her life at any moment, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Shuyi paused, then stopped, and said with some regret, "Really, I don't have to trade my life for another? To be honest, I really wanted this knife to be stained with blood."

The man in red would never believe Liu Shuyi.

I kind of want that knife to be stained with blood, stained with my blood, don't I?
"Step back!" the man in red said coldly.

Liu Shuyi shrugged, and this time he didn't refute it again, returning to Du Gou and the others.

The man in red, unwilling to delay any longer, said directly, "Open the back door and get all your men into the theater. No one is allowed to stay in the alley."

"Also, give me three carriages and park them at the back gate!"

Upon hearing the man in red's words, Jia Ping immediately said, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and go!"

The guards at the Changsun residence then realized what was happening and hurriedly drove the carriages in the courtyard toward the back gate.

Wang Gui frowned, somewhat hesitant...

The man in red said, "Don't think I don't know you've also deployed men in the backyard. To tell you the truth, I'm going to take Changsun Chong and leave in the carriage. If anyone tries to stop us on the way, or if I see anyone lingering in the alley, I'll kill them immediately!"

"If you don't believe me, you can try it!"

Jia Ping's expression changed, and he quickly looked at Wang Gui, saying, "County Commandant Wang, the young master's safety is more important than anything else..."

Wang Gui knew all this, but he was just unwilling. They had finally found the murderer, and if they let him leave like this, they would probably never be able to catch him again in this lifetime.

Jia Ping was right. Changsun Chong was more important than anything else. If anything happened to Changsun Chong, their own lives would be at stake.

He gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Let all our men in!"

The constable received the order and hurriedly ran out.

Not long after, the guard returned to report: "The carriage has already arrived at the back gate."

Wang Gui gritted his teeth and said, "Our people have all returned, and there's not a single person left in the alley behind the gate."

The man in red nodded in satisfaction: "It seems you value Changsun Chong more than Liu Shuyi..."

As he spoke, he looked at Jia Ping and said leisurely, "When you go back, you must tell Changsun Wuji about Liu Shuyi's performance. He doesn't care about Changsun Chong's life or death at all. Does he really deserve to be the benefactor of the Changsun family?"

Upon hearing this, Du Gou and the others' expressions changed.

They never expected that the man in red would ultimately try to sow discord between Liu Shuyi and Changsun Wuji.

Everyone witnessed Liu Shuyi's actions. If Jia Ping were to go back and exaggerate his story to Changsun Wuji, it's hard to say how Changsun Wuji would view Liu Shuyi.

Jia Ping's eyelids twitched, and he said, "You don't need to worry about these things."

The man in red laughed, then gave Liu Shuyi one last, somber look before turning and walking toward the back door.

As he walked, he cautiously turned Changsun Chong towards the crowd, shielding him from view, and said, "From now on, none of you are allowed to move."

"No one is allowed to follow me. If I find anyone moving even slightly, then what awaits you..."

He grinned maliciously and said, "It's Changsun Chong's corpse!"

Changsun Chong trembled uncontrollably, his voice tightening: "They won't, don't be impulsive."

"It's best..."

The man in red stared intently at Liu Shuyi: "Especially you, Jia Ping, I advise you to keep a close eye on Liu Shuyi. You value Changsun Chong, but he may not."

Even though everyone knew that the man in red was still sowing discord, Jia Ping and the others couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi said helplessly, "You guys are really strange. I was willing to exchange my life for that of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, so how come in the end, I'm the one who values ​​him the least?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

It seems really...

Liu Shuyi did not hesitate at all just now.

However, Liu Shuyi's expression and behavior just now gave everyone the illusion that he was not going to commit suicide, but to kill someone.

And so, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the man in red, holding Changsun Chong hostage, led him to the back door.

He cautiously peeked out from the back door and looked to the left and right.

After confirming that there was indeed no one in the alley, he glanced at the group of people still standing in the courtyard in the distance with a smile, a sarcastic and mocking smile playing on his lips.

"If you want to rescue Changsun Chong, maybe in your next life..."

As he spoke, he slammed the back door shut.

Seeing the door close and the two figures disappear from sight, Wang Gui hurriedly said, "Quick, after them!"

Everyone then rushed towards the back door.

Arriving at the back door, quickly open it.

Then they saw that the three carriages that had been parked at the back gate had disappeared.

They rushed out the back door and looked to the left and right, only to see carriages speeding at both ends of the alley.

Because they couldn't see inside the carriage, they had no idea which carriage the man in red had led Changsun to board, or which direction they had run off in.

"How to do?"

Wang Gui couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi: "How should we pursue them?"

Jia Ping was also very anxious: "He hasn't said where he's going to drop the young master off yet. We absolutely can't follow the wrong person..."

Everyone looked at Liu Shuyi, only to see him gently rubbing his fingernails against the jade pendant at his waist, saying unhurriedly, "Don't rush."

"Don't worry? How can we not worry? The carriage is about to disappear!"

Jia Ping couldn't help but say, "Why don't we split into three groups and chase after these three carriages separately? We absolutely cannot lose sight of the young master..."

"what!!"

Just then, a scream suddenly came from the carriage in the alley on the right.

Then a figure suddenly fell off the carriage.

He was dressed in a bright red robe... and he was the murderer who had taken Changsun Chong hostage.

But at this moment, he had a long wound on his abdomen, from which blood was gushing out. His face was deathly pale, his eyes wide, and his expression was full of disbelief: "You actually hid someone under the car..."

"What!?"

"They hid the person under the car?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then quickly looked at Jia Ping.

Jia Ping looked shocked and instinctively shook his head: "I didn't."

Everyone then turned to look at Wang Gui.

Wang Gui also shook his head blankly: "I didn't arrange anyone either. In that situation just now, how could I dare to arrange anyone randomly? If he found out and hurt the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, I wouldn't be able to pay for it with my life."

"Besides, he's been keeping an eye on our every move, so I haven't had a chance to make any arrangements!"

Everyone was stunned.

If it wasn't Jia Ping or Wang Gui, then who could have hidden the man under the car beforehand and then ambushed the man in red, seriously injuring him?
Could it be...

They thought of someone and immediately looked at Liu Shuyi.

But Liu Shuyi shrugged: "He's keeping a close eye on me the most; I'm the one who has the least chance of doing that."

If it's not even Liu Shuyi, who is the most likely candidate, then who else could it be?
Everyone was confused.

"wrong!"

At this moment, Zhao Feng suddenly said, "Since the murderer has been seriously injured and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices has been rescued, why is the carriage still not stopping?"

Upon hearing this, everyone noticed that after the man in red was kicked off the carriage, the carriage not only did not slow down, but instead sped up.

They were about to rush out of the alley.

"not good!"

Wang Gui's expression changed, as if he had thought of something: "Could it be... that person wasn't here to rescue Changsun Sicheng at all? He wants to take Changsun Sicheng away!"

"Could it be..."

He suddenly looked at Liu Shuyi and exclaimed, "It was done by the people who were monitoring us at the Lin residence!?"

"What!?"

"The people at the Lin residence are spying on us!?"

"Are there other forces?"

Everyone felt their heads buzzing.

The unexpected changes were truly overwhelming, one after another, giving them absolutely no time to react or think.

"Why are there other forces involved?"

Jia Ping couldn't help but swallow hard: "Where did all these forces come from that want to harm the young master?!"

Without thinking twice, he hurriedly said, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and chase after them! No matter who it is, we absolutely cannot lose the young master!"

Only then did everyone realize what was happening, and they prepared to return to the theater to ride horses and chase after them.

"No need."

But before they could act, Liu Shuyi's voice rang out again: "They can't escape."

"Can't escape?"

Jia Ping was stunned for a moment. Before he could ask any questions, the carriage carrying Changsun Chong suddenly slowed down.

then……

Then, the sound of a horse's pitiful cry rang out.

Then the luxurious carriage seemed to have hit something, and with a bang, it rolled over on the spot!
Bang bang bang!
The carriage slammed against the wall and the ground several times before finally coming to a stop.

By this time, the luxurious carriage was in a very bad state, with many parts smashed.

"what happened?"

"How did the car suddenly overturn?"

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene.

They quickly ran towards the carriage.

As they approached, they discovered that, in front of the carriage, at the alley's exit, there had been a chevaux-de-frise used against cavalry on the battlefield, placed there at some unknown time!
The horse was completely pierced through the sharp tip of the spear.

Blood gushed out, and the horse was still struggling and neighing violently, but judging from the strength of its struggles, it was getting weaker and weaker, and it looked like it was about to die.

Behind the barricades, dozens of Imperial Guards, clad in black armor, with swords at their waists and menacing expressions, stood ready for battle.

At the very front of them was Cheng Chumo, the familiar Left Wing General of the Imperial Guard.

"It's General Cheng!"

Wang Gui couldn't help but widen his eyes: "How could he be here? How could he have just happened to block the carriage?"

Everyone else was also full of surprise and astonishment.

They thought Changsun Chong was about to be robbed by another group of bandits.

Who knew things would take such a dramatic turn for the better so quickly!

Even Jia Ping, the steward of the Changsun residence, was momentarily stunned.

Then they saw Cheng Chumo cup his hands in greeting and say with a smile, "Master Liu, I haven't disappointed you, have I?"

Liu Yuanwailang?

It was Liu Shuyi who did all this!?
Everyone suddenly looked at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi's gaze was fixed intently on the figures struggling to get up inside the overturned carriage, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"pity……"

"I am the one who is unaware of the oriole behind."

　There are still some plot points left to be revealed, and some hidden clues yet to be uncovered. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the case should be closed tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)