The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 78: Case Closed! A Shocking Twist!

bang-

The deck of the dilapidated carriage was kicked open.

Three figures climbed out of the carriage.

Everyone quickly looked over...

Then they saw two burly men dressed in black with ordinary faces, holding sharp broadswords to Changsun Chong's neck, struggling to stand up.

"It's really you!"

As soon as Wang Gui saw the black robes, he recognized their identities.

Du Gou then realized that when Liu Shuyi first inquired about Changsun Chong's whereabouts from the street vendors, the vendors said that another group of people had also inquired about the information, and the color of the clothes worn by that group was black!
Could it be them?

"Don't hurt my young master!"

Seeing that Changsun Chong had been taken hostage again, the butler said nervously, "Whatever your demands, we will fulfill them, but please don't hurt the young master!"

Upon hearing Jia Ping's words, Wang Gui subconsciously frowned.

Before they even clashed, Jia Ping was already discouraged.

However, he could understand Jia Ping. After all, Jia Ping was not a government official. His only task was to ensure Changsun Chong's safety. Nothing else mattered.

"Step aside!"

The burly man gripping the steel knife frowned as he looked around at the crowd. The fall had seriously injured him, and his hand holding the hilt was trembling slightly.

His voice was icy as he said, "Prepare two fine horses for us and let us go, or we will kill Changsun Chong immediately!"

As he spoke, the blade in his hand touched Changsun Chong's neck, instantly cutting another wound on Changsun Chong's neck, with drops of blood sliding down.

Poor Changsun Chong was replaced by two groups of robbers in no time. Both groups were ruthless and acted without warning.

This resulted in two bleeding wounds on his neck.

"don't want--"

Jia Ping quickly waved his hand: "We'll prepare horses for you right away. Please don't hurt the young master."

With that, he turned around and shouted at the guards, "Why aren't you going yet?!"

The guard nodded hurriedly and rushed into the theater.

Jia Ping said, "The horses will be here soon. Keep your knives away from my young master."

The two burly men in black exchanged a glance, and then the man holding the knife slightly shifted the position of his blade.

However, he still cautiously shielded Changsun Chong firmly in front of him, saying, "Don't try anything funny, or if anything happens to us, Changsun Chong will surely die!"

Jia Ping hurriedly shook his head: "No! You saw it yourselves. We didn't stop them just now in order to protect the young master, and we would never stop you."

"They didn't stop them?"

The leader of the men in black coldly looked at the barricades at the alley entrance, and at the horse that had already breathed its last, he said in a chilling tone, "You prepared the barricades in advance, and as soon as the carriage approached, you immediately set them up. No one would have time to react. Is this what you call not stopping it?"

"This……"

Jia Ping was speechless for a moment.

Because he had no idea that Liu Shuyi had prepared such a backup plan.

No wonder Liu Shuyi was so calm, saying there was no need to chase after him.

Who would have thought that he had secretly contacted Cheng Chumo without anyone knowing, and had actually secretly used the power of the Golden Guard.

He couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi and said, "Master Liu, now... you shouldn't have any backup plans, right?"

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively looked at Liu Shuyi.

Then Liu Shuyi smiled and asked Jia Ping, "Steward Jia, would you like me to have it, or not?"

Jia Ping was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond.

"Humph!"

The man in black snorted coldly: "I don't care whether you have it or not, from this moment on, you are not allowed to stay here."

He looked at Jia Ping and said in a commanding tone, "Get him a horse and make him leave this place immediately and return to the Ministry of Justice... Otherwise, I'll break Changsun Chong's arm first!"

Jia Ping's eyelids twitched, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

As the steward of the Changsun residence, who, apart from the few masters in the house, would dare to treat him so arrogantly? Even the highest-ranking official would have to be polite to him when he came to the Changsun residence.

But the situation at hand forced him to accept the constraints.

He looked at Liu Shuyi, troubled, "Master Liu, what do you think of this..."

"It's alright, leave it to me."

Liu Shuyi remained calm and composed, as if everything was under control.

He looked at the man in black and said with a half-smile, "You hate me so much, I thought you would be like that man in red and want to take the opportunity to kill me."

Seeing Liu Shuyi's reaction, the man in black took a step back warily and pressed the blade back against Changsun Chong's neck.

He stared intently at Liu Shuyi: "You are too treacherous. If we push you too far, who knows if you will still care about Changsun Chong's life? I'll leave you a way out, and you should give us a way out too. We'll call this a draw. If you want to fight to the death, we'll talk about it next time."

"Draw?"

To everyone's surprise, Liu Shuyi shook his head upon hearing his words: "I went to such great lengths, deliberately giving you the opportunity to seize the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and even secretly sent someone in advance to ask General Cheng for help, all for this very moment."

"You've already got yourself trapped, and now you're asking me to give up? That's not fair, is it?"

Upon hearing this, the man in black's expression changed.

"What do you mean by that?!"

His eyes were fixed on Liu Shuyi, his pupils throbbing violently: "You said we snatched Changsun Chong, and you deliberately gave us this opportunity!?"

Jia Ping and the others were also taken aback.

They had no idea that Liu Shuyi had made such an arrangement.

Liu Shuyi had not told any of them about this beforehand.

Jia Ping couldn't help but ask, "Master Liu, is what you're saying... true?"

Du Gou and his sister Du Ying looked at Liu Shuyi with surprise.

They had been following Liu Shuyi closely and were completely unaware of all this.

Liu Shuyi looked at the two men in black and said calmly, "Perhaps you don't know, but I actually already knew about your existence."

“When I went to ask the vendors, I learned that there was another group of people also looking for Changsun Temple Assistant, but I did not know your whereabouts at that time.”

"After I finished investigating the Lin family's case and left, I secretly arranged for County Lieutenant Wang to stay in Guanglu Ward to keep an eye on things. He told me that he discovered people dressed in black were watching us..."

“At that time, I had complete control over your whereabouts and knew that you would definitely follow me to this Da'anfang.”

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, the two men in black's pupils constricted, their faces filled with astonishment.

"You actually knew of our existence?"

"We were exposed so early!?"

Their hearts leaped into their throats, and a chill instantly enveloped their entire bodies.

They quickly gripped Changsun Chong tighter, shielding him firmly in front of them, as if only in this way could they feel a little safe.

Seeing their tense reactions, Liu Shuyi continued, "However, you are very good at hiding. You have always been hidden in the shadows. Even if I knew you would follow me, I would not be able to find you."

"So I decided that since I can't find you out, why not make you show yourself and walk into my trap?"

"Your department!?"

The leader of the men in black felt a sudden tightness in his chest. He gripped the hilt of his knife and said, "That man in red took Changsun Chong hostage and threatened you. You had no choice at all. How did you end up in his trap?"

Wang Gui and the others nodded subconsciously.

The man in black was right. From the moment Changsun Chong was taken hostage by the man in red, everything had been under the control of the man in red.

They were completely led by the nose because they were worried that Changsun Chong would be harmed.

Whether they chose to leave by carriage or through the back door, it was the man in red's own decision. How did it become Liu Shuyi's scheme?
They couldn't figure it out.

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Some things, if you can predict them in advance, you can take advantage of the situation and create a small plan."

"for example……"

He looked at everyone and said, "I can foresee that after we storm the theater, the people there will realize they can't resist and their first thought will be to escape. But we've blocked both the front and back doors, so they have nowhere to go. At that moment, their only chance of survival will be through the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"

"Therefore, it was practically inevitable that the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices would be taken hostage by them; it was bound to happen..."

"Now that they've taken Changsun Temple Assistant hostage, their next concern is how to escape."

"To avoid being caught by us, they either ride horses or use horse-drawn carriages..."

"Whether on horseback or in a carriage, if they want to leave as quickly as possible, they need to minimize the number of pedestrians blocking their way. Therefore, they will most likely choose sparsely populated alleyways rather than bustling main streets."

"Moreover, they took Changsun Temple Vice Minister hostage in the backyard, which is closest to the back gate. If they chose the front gate, they would have to cross the entire theater, which is not a short distance. They are afraid that we have set up an ambush, and that we will not listen to their threats. The longer the distance they have to travel, the more disadvantageous it will be for them..."

"From this perspective, they will also prioritize leaving through the back door."

"so……"

He spread his hands and said, "This will basically determine the way and direction the thief left."

"Since all of this can be predicted, it is not difficult to arrange for General Cheng to ambush them."

After listening to Liu Shuyi's explanation, everyone suddenly understood.

"So it turns out that Master Liu had foreseen everything all along!"

"So... that man in red, who seems very arrogant and in control of everything, was actually doing everything under Liu Yuanwailang's control all along?"

"Wow, that's amazing! Not only is Master Liu skilled at investigating cases, but his ability to plan and strategize is also unparalleled!"

As Zhao Feng listened to the crowd's exclamations and praises, he nodded emphatically. His gaze toward Liu Shuyi was filled with even more respect and admiration.

Even the usually aloof Du Ying had a strange glint in her eyes at this moment.

Liu Shuyi smiled, then turned his gaze back to the two men in black, saying, "I know you're determined to get the position of Chancellor Changsun, and I know you've been hiding in the shadows, waiting for your opportunity..."

"So, after I figured out how they would escape, you said..."

He smirked, a half-smile playing on his lips, and said, "Could I have predicted your actions? Could I have imagined that you would seize this rare opportunity?"

Their pupils contracted sharply, and cold sweat dripped uncontrollably from their foreheads.

"so……"

The man in black stared intently at him: "You only cooperate like this when the man in red makes a request?"

"Is this all to create an opportunity for us!?"

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "The others really had no choice but to cooperate, but as for me... I'm naturally understanding. I know you need this opportunity, so I'll give you this opportunity."

"It's not like you can refuse to give it to me!"

Another man in black disliked Liu Shuyi's all-powerful tone and couldn't help but retort.

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow: "What if my answer is that I can take care of him on the spot without giving you a chance?"

"What!?"

The man in black was taken aback.

Everyone else was also taken aback.

"ridiculous!"

Seeing the surprised expressions on the others' faces, the man in black sneered, "Liu Shuyi, who do you think can believe what you say?"

"The situation before is the same as the situation now..."

He pointed to the knife his companion had placed against Changsun Chong's neck and said coldly, "Changsun Chong is in our hands, and you can't do anything about it. Although you can arrogantly explain everything now, it's only because we're waiting for the right opportunity that we're letting you speak. Otherwise, you wouldn't even have a chance to speak!"

"Do you really think that when we say we're evenly matched with you, we're negotiating with you?"

"This is an order! If you dare not let us go, Changsun Chong will die right in front of you. Do you think you can withstand Changsun Wuji's wrath?"

His tone was contemptuous and sarcastic. Although Liu Shuyi's strategic maneuvering had taken him by surprise, he still did not believe that Liu Shuyi had won.

As long as Changsun Chong remains in their hands, they will always be invincible.

As for Liu Shuyi's plan...

Winning at the beginning doesn't count as winning; only having the last laugh counts as winning.

Those who control Changsun Chong are the ones who will have the last laugh.

The leader of the men in black clearly shared the same idea, so he did not stop his subordinates from provoking and mocking Liu Shuyi.

"Haven't you ever thought about this..."

To everyone's surprise, Liu Shuyi did not get angry upon hearing these sarcastic remarks. Instead, he said meaningfully, "Why would I dare to send General Cheng to attack you?"

"Am I not afraid that if you find us in an ambush, you will kill Changsun Temple Assistant in a fit of rage?"

"Am I not afraid that the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices will be seriously injured or even die as the carriage rolls over? After all, the impact was not minor!"

"This..." The two men in black were suddenly taken aback; they hadn't considered these things.

When Liu Shuyi brought it up, they frowned, a bad feeling creeping into their hearts.

"Oh, there's one more thing I forgot to mention."

Their hearts tightened, and they instinctively looked at Liu Shuyi.

Then Liu Shuyi continued, "I'm also afraid that you won't seize this opportunity, and I'm also afraid that the thieves will really go crazy... If they see someone lying in ambush, they will directly attack Changsun Temple Assistant."

"Therefore, I made a special agreement with Cheng Zhonglang."

"If I don't raise both hands at the same time, it means that General Cheng can act at will, as long as he can stop the fleeing thieves, regardless of the consequences."

"If I raise my hands, it means that even if General Cheng is lying in ambush at the alley entrance, he cannot take action and can only watch helplessly as the thieves leave..."

"And the result was that I allowed General Cheng to act at will, even if that action would injure the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices..."

He stared at the two of them with a deep gaze: "Do you know why I made this decision?"

The two of them grew increasingly uneasy.

They naturally didn't know why Liu Shuyi would do this.

But there was one thing they knew... that the treacherous Liu Shuyi was definitely hiding other schemes.

But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't figure out what this conspiracy was.

Seeing this, Liu Shuyi turned to look at the steward Jia Ping and said with a smile, "Steward Jia, do you know why I did this?"

Jia Ping subconsciously shook his head: "Master Liu is resourceful and wise, how would I know?"

Liu Shuyi smiled, then his gaze swept over the faces of the others, noticing their puzzled expressions. He said, "It seems none of you understand..."

"In that case, I won't keep you in suspense any longer."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, pointed at Changsun Chong who was being held hostage by the man in black, and slowly uttered a sentence that made everyone's eyes widen and they stood there stunned:
“I allow you to kill him.”

"Do it!"

As soon as these words came out.

Everyone present felt a sudden buzzing in their heads.

At this moment, my brain seemed to have lost its ability to think.

What did they hear?
What is Liu Shuyi saying?!

They allowed the men in black to kill Changsun Chong? And they even let them do it directly!?
This……

Did you hear it wrong?
still is……

They looked at Liu Shuyi abruptly, momentarily at a loss for words.

Not only them, but the two men in black who had taken Changsun Chong hostage were also completely stunned.

They had considered anything Liu Shuyi might say, but they never imagined that he would actually order them to kill people!
No matter how you look at it, this is impossible!
But it just happened!
"how?"

Seeing the two men staring at him in disbelief, Liu Shuyi said with a half-smile, "I've already given you permission to make your move, so why aren't you?"

"Do you think I'm bluffing you?"

"In this case……"

Liu Shuyi looked around, then came to Cheng Chumo and said, "General Cheng, may I borrow your sword?" Cheng Chumo not only carried two broadswords on his back, but also always carried a sword at his waist to deal with different scenarios and situations.

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, he instinctively drew his sword. Just as he handed the sword to Liu Shuyi, he realized what Liu Shuyi was about to do and quickly grabbed Liu Shuyi's wrist, saying, "General Liu, don't be impulsive!"

"Don't worry, I'm very calm right now and I know what I'm doing."

Liu Shuyi pulled his hand out of Cheng Chumo's iron grip, picked up his sword, and walked up to the two men in black and Changsun Chong. He continued, "If you can't bring yourself to do it, I'm the most understanding person and I'm willing to help you."

As he spoke, he actually picked up his knife and walked towards Changsun Chong.

Hearing the sizzling sound of the knife tip cutting through the ground, and seeing Liu Shuyi getting closer and closer to them, at this moment, they finally understood how the man in red in the theater had felt back then.

It's too absurd, and too uncertain...

"stop!"

The leader of the men in black finally changed his expression and roared, "Do you really think we wouldn't dare to kill Changsun Chong? Liu Shuyi, if you dare to take another step forward, I will really kill Changsun Chong!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi simply shrugged: "I already said I allowed you to kill people, and if you don't, I was even prepared to help you kill them, so..."

He narrowed his eyes, a chilling smile spreading across his face: "You think this can threaten me?"

"you……"

Seeing that Liu Shuyi was really not stopping his actions and wasn't just bluffing, the man in black panicked completely: "You're crazy! You're crazy!"

He couldn't help but look at Jia Ping and the others, and shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Do you really want to just watch Liu Shuyi kill your young master?"

Hearing the black-clad man's sharp shout, the people at the Changsun residence finally reacted.

Jia Ping's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly said, "Master Liu, stop! You can't hurt the young master!"

"Quickly!" he shouted to the others, "Stop Liu Yuanwailang!"

Only then did everyone rush toward Liu Shuyi in a panic.

Before they could even touch Liu Shuyi, he uttered another sentence that once again shook them to their core, leaving them frozen in place:
"I'm only killing an imposter, an accomplice of the murderer, not the real Chancellor Changsun. Why are you stopping me?"

"What!?"

Liu Shuyi's words were like a bomb thrown into a deep pool that had not yet regained its calm.

Instantly, it stirred up a huge wave in everyone's hearts.

"Fake?"

"Fake!?"

"Not the real young master?"

"Or is he an accomplice of the murderer?"

"This...is it real!?"

Everyone froze on the spot, unsure whether to stop Liu Shuyi or help him kill someone.

The two men in black who had taken Changsun Chong hostage were also shocked and incredulous.

They stared blankly at Changsun Chong, whom they had taken hostage and who was trembling all over, their minds completely blank.

fake?

Did they kidnap a fake Changsun Chong?

Just kidding! ?
They went through so much trouble and effort, only to find out... it was a fake!?

This was unacceptable to them.

"I do not believe!"

The man in black behind him shook his head vigorously. He looked at Liu Shuyi and shook his head, saying, "You're definitely lying to us! You're definitely trying to trick us into letting Changsun Chong go in order to save him."

"Are you kidding me?"

Liu Shuyi paused for a moment at this point.

He turned to look at Jia Ping and said, "Steward Jia, take a closer look... Is this Changsun Chong really your young master?"

Jia Ping frowned. He looked him over carefully and couldn't help but say, "This... I can't see his face clearly, but judging from his height and build, he is indeed the young master."

"So, you still think he is Changsun Chong?"

Jia Ping pursed his lips and said, "I'm not sure either, unless I can see his face clearly."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly, then looked at Du Gou and said, "Minister Du, what do you think?"

Du Gou examined it carefully for a moment, then suddenly frowned: "The appearance is indeed very similar, but..."

He looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "His temperament is not like it."

temperament?

Everyone was stunned.

Liu Shuyi laughed: "I have never seen the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, so I will not identify him by his appearance."

"I asked Du, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and he told me that Changsun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was a man of great talent and unconventional character."

"And his unconventional personality means he will never be subservient..."

"Furthermore, the fact that he deliberately left behind copper coins as a backup when he was kidnapped, without being noticed by the murderer, shows that he is intelligent and calm, and can remain calm even in the most dangerous situations."

"so……"

Liu Shuyi looked at everyone and said, "How could someone like Changsun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, be so terrified and nervous after being locked in an iron cage by thieves? How could he utter such useless threatening words?"

"After he was taken hostage by the thieves, how could he have acted like this, trembling all over and so nervous that he couldn't even say a word?"

"This..." Hearing Liu Shuyi's words, everyone couldn't help but look at Changsun Chong, who was being held hostage by the men in black.

Du Gou's eyes flickered, and images of his interactions with Changsun Chong kept flashing through his mind.

At that time, Changsun Chong was confident, unruly, intelligent, and carefree.

Compared to the Changsun Chong before him, they were not only different in temperament, but completely different!

"I only just noticed these anomalies..."

He couldn't help but look at Liu Shuyi: "When you were peeking through the window, did you suspect his identity?"

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Because I don't know what the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices looks like, my focus is different from yours, so I can better perceive the issues in his personality and temperament."

"However, this is only one of the reasons."

Du Gou was taken aback: "Are there other reasons?"

Liu Shuyi looked at him and said slowly, "It went too smoothly."

"Smoothly?" Du Gou frowned.

Liu Shuyi said, "Du, you might want to think about it: from the moment we arrived at the theater, to sneaking into the backyard and discovering Changsun, to calling on County Magistrate Wang and the others to take action..."

"Isn't all of this going too smoothly?"

Du Gou's face showed a thoughtful expression.

Liu Shuyi continued, "Of course, we encountered some danger during our escape, but I easily resolved it, and it was nothing to worry about."

"But you should know that this theater is a very important stronghold for thieves."

"Here, they gather the tamed slaves, receive buyers, sell the slaves, and also put on some bloody battle performances between humans and wild beasts..."

"If any secret here is leaked, it will be a disaster for them."

"At the same time, in order to avoid attracting attention, the stage in the outer courtyard continued to receive guests and perform plays as usual."

"People come and go in the front yard, but the back yard is their biggest, most secret that they can't let anyone discover..."

"In this situation, what do you think..."

He stared directly at Du Gou and said in a deep voice, "Shouldn't their backyard be guarded like an iron barrel? Shouldn't there be sentries every five steps and patrols every ten steps to prevent their secrets from being discovered?"

"This……"

Du Gou's gaze sharpened, and he immediately understood Liu Shuyi's meaning.

He frowned and said, "But we easily climbed over the wall and went in, and followed the carriage all the way without encountering a single guard. It was only in front of the last building that there were two burly men guarding the gate..."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "Yes, we had a smooth journey, just like being back home. Even though there were guards at the door, they didn't notice us when we went to peek through the window."

Du Gou pursed his lips and said, "If that's the case, then it's indeed too smooth, which is abnormal."

"besides……"

Liu Shuyi smiled and continued, "We were eavesdropping outside the window, and what a coincidence! Just as we started eavesdropping, the man in red was talking about the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was cooperating with him, roaring and threatening..."

"And his threats just happened to confirm his identity."

"you say……"

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered as he stared at the trembling hostage: "Is he truly roaring in anger, or... is he trying to tell us, the eavesdroppers outside the window, to confirm his identity so that we won't suspect him?"

Du Gou's pupils jerked violently.

Details that had previously gone unnoticed now became problematic upon reflection after Liu Shuyi's reminder.

He said, "So... just after we confirmed his identity, the thief discovered us hiding outside the window and scared us away..."

"Could it be that this isn't a coincidence? Or do they think we already have enough information and are afraid that if we keep listening, they'll discover the flaws?"

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Minister Du is intelligent."

"It really is so..."

Du Gou suddenly raised his head, his eyes fixed on the hostage: "You really aren't the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"

Listening to their conversation, the surrounding crowd, though unaware of the specifics of what had happened, understood...

There's something wrong with this Changsun Chong in front of us, a really big problem!

It's highly likely that it really isn't Changsun Chong!
"how come!?"

Jia Ping was filled with surprise and shock: "If he's not the young master, then where is the young master?"

The two men in black were even more in a bad mood.

They felt that nothing in the world was worse than what was happening in front of them.

They went to great lengths, thinking they were like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, and that they could make Liu Shuyi suffer a great loss... But who knew that in the end, what they stole was a fake!
The leader of the men in black couldn't help but angrily question, "Are you really kidding me?"

"I..." The man was about to speak.

The steel knife in the black-clad man's hand plunged directly into his neck, blood gushing out. He roared, "Dare to tell a lie, and I'll send you to meet the King of Hell right now!"

The man trembled violently, unable to control his fear and panic any longer. He hurriedly said, "I didn't want to... they forced me to."

“They said I am the same size as Changsun Chong, and we look somewhat alike. I am also good at imitating other people’s voices.”

"So they made me impersonate Changsun Chong, and if I disagreed, they would kill me!"

"I really didn't want to, I really didn't mean to lie to you!"

this moment.

Everyone fell silent.

The counterfeiter admitted it.

He really is a fake!

Both men in black swayed simultaneously, nearly collapsing from the shock of this cruel reality.

Looking at his own injuries and then at the trembling imposter before him, the man in black wanted to roar at the heavens, "What the hell did I do in my past life to deserve this in this life?!"
"Why?"

Wang Gui was filled with confusion: "Why would they make a fake?"

"What's the point?"

Upon hearing this, everyone forgot their shock and instinctively looked at Liu Shuyi.

This question baffled them, leaving them completely baffled as to what benefit the thieves would gain from doing so.

"I don't know their deeper motives for doing this."

Seeing everyone looking at him, Liu Shuyi didn't keep them in suspense and said, "However, their stated purpose has already told us."

"They told us?" Everyone was taken aback.

Liu Shuyi said, "They made us believe that this person was the real Changsun Temple Assistant, and then this person was taken away by the men in red..."

"If no third party intervened, and if I hadn't made any backup plans..."

He looked at Wang Gui and asked, "What does County Commandant Wang think will happen?"

"what happen?"

Wang Gui frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Of course, the man in red left with the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and we should go after them."

What if you can't catch up?

“We can’t catch them…” Wang Gui was about to say that it was impossible not to catch them, but when he thought about the thieves’ plan, which was obviously prepared in advance, he realized that the thieves might have a backup, so he really couldn’t be sure what the final outcome would be.

Liu Shuyi said, "If the thieves have someone to help them and are able to break out of Chang'an, wouldn't we assume that the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices has already been taken away from Chang'an?"

Wang Gui pursed his lips and nodded: "Of course."

"If the thieves hadn't come to their aid, or if the city gates were heavily guarded and they hadn't managed to break through, the man in red would have killed this man right in front of us, and deliberately slashed his face with a knife, disfiguring him..."

Liu Shuyi continued, "Then could we assume that the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is dead?"

Wang Gui's heart sank, understanding Liu Shuyi's meaning: "Yes! After all, this is what we saw with our own eyes."

Liu Shuyi laughed: "Whether the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is taken out of Chang'an, or he is killed before our eyes, it will lead to the same result..."

His gaze swept over the crowd: "That means the city gates will be sealed off! The search throughout Chang'an will end!"

"In this situation, the thieves then take the real Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices out of Chang'an..."

His voice was low and deep, making everyone feel as if a huge rock had suddenly pressed down on their chests, causing them to instinctively hold their breath.

Then Liu Shuyi said, "Do you all think it will still be difficult?"

Liu Shuyi's words were like the biting cold wind in the frigid spring, making them feel a chill that shot from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads.

This sent a chill down their spines.

Is it even necessary to think about it?
Now that they already know Changsun Chong's fate, how could they possibly continue to seal the city gates and continue searching inside the city?

Therefore, if the thieves' plan succeeds, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the real Changsun Chong will be taken away; it is an inevitable event!
Once Changsun Chong is taken away from Chang'an...

Finding him again would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

The people from Jia Ping and the eldest grandson's residence couldn't help but turn pale.

They almost fell for the thieves' trick!

If Liu Shuyi hadn't recognized this person's identity, they wouldn't even dare to imagine what the consequences would have been.

Even if a third-party force intervenes, the men in black will likely still obediently hand over the horses, just like before...

At that time, the result will still be the same!
Jia Ping couldn't help but say to Liu Shuyi, "Master Liu, we are so grateful to you today, otherwise... the young master would have really been in trouble!"

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Since I have accepted Minister Changsun's commission, I will naturally do my best."

As he spoke, he looked at the crowd and said, "Now you all should understand why I disregarded the safety of this so-called Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, right?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The hostages are fake; if they were in their shoes, they wouldn't care either.

At the same time, they finally understood what Liu Shuyi meant when he said he could prevent the man in black from making a move if he wanted to…

This is not an arrogant or conceited statement!
Liu Shuyi was deliberately giving them the opportunity to act; in other words...

Whether it was the man in red or the man in black... all the thieves and all their actions were truly under Liu Shuyi's complete control.

The two men in black felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

They finally understood why such intelligent people as Zhao Chengyi and Miaoyin'er had fallen into Liu Shuyi's hands.

This Liu Shuyi is truly terrifying!

　I misjudged again. This case isn't completely closed yet; we'll have to wait for the next chapter...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)