Chapter 15#

The Verdict (Part One)#

Who would have thought that, while awaiting Ming Xiangzhao and the witnesses, another incident would arise.

The yamen runner came to announce someone had filed a complaint.

The yamen was indeed unusually lively today.

Le Wuya asked, “Who is it?”

The runner replied, “Your Honor, it’s Li Asi.”

Butcher Li Asi?

The actual owner behind Jixiang Alley?

Le Wuya was mildly surprised. “What case?”

The runner said, “From what he says, it seems to be a theft.”

Le Wuya blinked, a faint smile appearing on his face. “Big case or small, all concern the people’s livelihood. Bring him in.”

During the day, it wasn’t for nothing that he used the “treasonous writings” to provoke Li Asi.

But Li Asi’s swift reaction somewhat exceeded Le Wuya’s expectations.

It seemed this was also a smart man.

A plump, ruddy-faced man of about fifty, with a protruding belly, strode into the courtroom in a measured gait, accompanied by two others.

He knelt in salute: “Your humble subject Li Asi, here to report a crime.”

Le Wuya returned the courtesy: “Rise and speak.”

Butcher Li Asi stood up.

Le Wuya looked at him.

Their eyes met, and in an instant, each understood the other’s intentions perfectly.

Li Asi, rising from a butcher’s trade to his current success, was by no means a simpleton bloated with wealth.

His judgment was exceptionally sharp.

For instance, after hearing his nephew Li Qing’s account of the Jixiang Alley raid, he thought deeper and further than Li Qing ever could.

The case of scholar Ming Xiangzhao’s rebellion was known to everyone in Nanting County.

Any discerning person could see he had fallen victim to his investigation of Xiaofu Coal Mine.

But before one case was resolved, another storm arose—an anonymous letter of accusation suddenly appeared, alleging that his own Jixiang Alley was hiding treasonous writings.

This inevitably made one wonder if Xiaofu Coal Mine had used the same trick again, trying to drag him down too.

However, he and Squire Chen had both been making money in Nanting, each keeping to their own business. They occasionally had disputes but no major conflicts of interest. There was no reason for Squire Chen to resort to such vicious means to harm him.

Regardless of whether the accusation letter was genuine or false, the fact that the magistrate himself blocked Jixiang Alley’s entrance meant one thing:

This Magistrate Wenren wanted to recruit him to take sides.

So, should he cooperate?

Li Asi gave his answer almost immediately.

The magistrate was an official; he was a merchant.

A merchant contending with an official was overreaching.

For him to overthrow the magistrate would be an uphill battle; for the magistrate to ruin him would be effortless.

Today’s raid on Jixiang Alley was proof the magistrate could make them suffer in silence.

Even without the treasonous writings, just the borderline business he himself conducted—if brought to light—would be more than enough to finish him.

If he didn’t take sides, Squire Chen wouldn’t thank him at all.

If Squire Chen fell because of this, the magistrate would get the meat, and he could at least get some soup to offset Jixiang Alley’s losses and also owe the magistrate a favor.

Comparing the two options, which deal was more advantageous was clear.

Only…

This magistrate, though young, was using an open strategy to force him to lend support.

A twenty-something, newly-appointed county magistrate who could employ such tactics of winning one over and striking down another was something Li Asi had never seen in his life.

Le Wuya asked, “Li Asi, what is your complaint?”

Li Asi clasped his hands and said, “I have a money house called Huitong. A few days ago, Chen Fuer of Xiaofu Coal Mine deposited fifty taels of silver there and exchanged it for a draft. Today, the manager of Huitong Money House was going over the accounts and found that the fifty taels had been cashed out with the draft. But the cashier turned out to be a rogue named Liu Deben. I’ve heard of this man—he’s a loafer around here. How these fifty taels ended up in his hands is quite suspicious.”

He pointed to the two men beside him: “This is the money house manager and the clerk who cashed the draft. I’ve brought them here to report. I’m not accusing anyone in particular; I just want to verify the matter. It’s possible someone stole Chen Fuer’s draft and cashed it. Fifty taels is a small sum for our money house, not a big deal, but if it tarnishes our reputation by inadvertently helping thieves, that would be unfortunate. I beg Your Honor to investigate thoroughly.”

The spectators below immediately burst into excited murmurs.

Among the crowd, someone quietly asked, “Excuse me, who is Liu Deben?”

“Which Liu Deben? The one who testified against Scholar Ming!” The onlooker rubbed his hands together excitedly. “It’s all connected! Everything ties together!”

The questioner replied politely, “Thank you.”

The one being questioned thought this person was very courteous and turned his head to find two people had appeared beside him without his notice.

The questioner was in his twenties, extremely handsome and elegant.

When the man looked at him, he gave a gentle smile, outshining moonlight and snow by three parts.

The other person wore a black gauze hat that completely covered his face, but his bearing was not to be underestimated—like the most splendid and luxurious flower in full bloom.

The man being questioned was stunned by this pair of jade-like figures and stammered, “…Y-you’re welcome.”

…

Faced with the thin draft and the account book clearly recording the date and the cashier’s identity, Le Wuya smiled radiantly: “You’ve been thorough.”

The inflow and outflow of fifty taels of silver, for a money house that processed thousands daily, was like a drop in the ocean.

If they hadn’t noticed something amiss at the time of cashing and deliberately kept the records, they would never have found it so quickly.

The shrewd Li Asi pretended not to catch Le Wuya’s hidden meaning, smiling back like a benevolent Maitreya Buddha: “Your Honor flatters me.”

Le Wuya said, “I was just about to summon Liu Deben for interrogation. Could you leave the physical evidence and witnesses here in the yamen for now?”

Li Asi nodded: “As Your Honor commands, so it should be.”

After briefly instructing the manager and clerk, Li Asi took his leave.

Before departing, he clasped his hands toward Le Wuya with profound meaning.

From now on, the two would likely have dealings ahead.

Not long after, Ming Xiangzhao (Wenren Yue), along with the witness Liu Deben, was brought into the courtroom.

As Wenren Yue knelt in his handcuffs, Le Wuya was sipping tea, observing Wenren Yue from above the steaming cup.

These features, which Wenren Yue had long since grown familiar with, were blurred by the hot steam, lending them an unfamiliar charm.

Wenren Yue knelt properly and kowtowed.

Le Wuya: “Ming Xiangzhao, raise your head.”

Wenren Yue lifted his face slightly and asked with his eyes: Do you need me to speak?

Le Wuya, acting as if nothing was wrong, pursed his lips while setting down the teacup.

Wenren Yue: Ah, still not allowed to speak.

So he kept his mouth shut and said nothing.

As for Liu Deben, once he was brought into the courtroom and saw the scholar Ming, he guessed why the yamen had summoned him.

Seeing that Scholar Ming was dejected, silent, and not defending himself, Liu Deben was delighted.

When Le Wuya looked at him, before the magistrate could even ask, Liu Deben eagerly provided a lengthy testimony: “Your Honor, at that time I was working as a day laborer. The master wanted hot liquor, so I went to the tavern. While I was waiting for the waiter to warm the wine, I overheard this Scholar Ming spouting nonsense… Those words were too unspeakable; I dare not repeat them. …I planned to pretend I hadn’t heard and slip away along the wall, but Scholar Ming spotted me, glared, and asked what I’d heard. After I got back, the more I thought about it, the more scared I became. I’m just an ant—someone could squash me with one finger. And this Scholar Ming is skilled at lawsuits. If he got tangled up with me, I’d be done for. So I came to the yamen to report.”

This was identical to his earlier deposition.

Clearly, Liu Deben had spent the time waiting for the summons memorizing his lines, afraid of any inconsistencies.

Le Wuya squinted at Liu Deben with a half-smile.

Seeing this, Wenren Yue thought, This Brother Gu must have had poor eyesight in his previous life.

Le Wuya: “Liu Deben, how did you know I summoned you about this matter?”

He ordered: “…Bring Ge Erzi in.”

As soon as Ge Erzi entered the courtroom, his glib tongue went to work: “Your Honor, it’s him! He must have been bribed by Xiaofu Coal Mine to slander Scholar Ming!”

Liu Deben, thinking he had performed well, was secretly smug. He never expected Ge Erzi to jump out and accuse him so fiercely. He was dumbfounded.

…What was going on?

Flustered, he stammered, “You, you… what nonsense are you spouting? I clearly heard him!”

Ge Erzi’s tongue was sharp as a knife, and handling Liu Deben was child’s play: “Who’s your witness? Did the waiter hear anything? You just flap your lips and claim you heard it—find someone to back you up!”

“He has treasonous writings at home—that’s proof!”

“Oh~ ‘He has treasonous writings at home’~” Ge Erzi mimicked him in a shrill voice. “Did you see it with your own eyes? You’re so sure—maybe you were the one who stuffed the book into his house. Oh, I almost forgot—you’ve got sticky fingers. A few years back, you were nearly caught stealing corn from someone’s house and almost got your hand chopped off!”

The squabble between the two street thugs was quite lively.

A surge of rage filled Liu Deben, and he spat in Ge Erzi’s face: “Screw you!”

Ge Erzi wiped his face, grabbed Liu Deben by the collar with his dirty hands, and carried on his tantrum: “You say you heard him? I saw Xiaofu Coal Mine give you a bag of silver to bribe you!”

Liu Deben grew more panicked: “Bullshit!”

Wenren Yue watched this dog-eat-dog scene in astonishment. As he quietly scooted to the side, he looked up at Le Wuya:

…How did it come to this in just one day?

Le Wuya, having been accustomed to putting on airs in his last life, found little need to hide it in this new body. He hid a light laugh behind his fan.

The courtroom was bright with candlelight, unusually warm, as if it had returned to the moment they first met last night.

Wenren Yue looked up at the curved eyes visible above the edge of his fan.

…It seemed to shine with boundless radiance, captivating one’s heart.

Choosing the right moment, Le Wuya interjected: “Liu Deben, you say there is no silver. How about I search your house to see for myself?”

Liu Deben’s heart trembled.

Falsely accusing someone of rebellion risked one’s head, so he had to make it worth his while—he had extorted a considerable sum from Xiaofu Coal Mine.

The fifty taels from Xiaofu Coal Mine had only been in his hands for a few days; he hadn’t even had time to enjoy them.

If they were found, how would he explain?

But he was quick-witted. He explained hastily: “Search as you wish, Your Honor. But I have a distant uncle who passed away recently. He had no children, so he left me some money.”

Ge Erzi, who had overheard Li Asi’s entire complaint while standing below, eagerly fanned the flames: “It wouldn’t happen to be exactly fifty taels, would it?”

…Liu Deben could have strangled him.

Le Wuya cast his gaze further, considering whether to send someone to Liu Deben’s house to search for the silver or to enjoy the show a little longer, when he saw a figure standing far off in the crowded throng, staring fixedly at him.

Le Wuya was in the bright area; the man was in the shadows.

He couldn’t see that man very well.

Le Wuya squinted for a long time, but his own figure had already been thoroughly observed by the other.

Those eyes were clear and focused.

While the Sixth Prince watched Le Wuya, the Seventh Prince, wearing the gauze hat, turned slightly to look at the Sixth Prince.

Unconsciously, he reached up and gently touched his right ear.

Although they were brothers born of the same mother, the Sixth Prince was the elder, and he had been taken at birth to be raised by the childless, devoutly Taoist Imperial Noble Consort Zhuang, which elevated his status naturally above the Seventh Prince’s.

As they grew older, their appearances became increasingly similar. To distinguish them, their father, the Emperor, took Xiang Zhishi and had a small mole burned directly onto his right earlobe.

At only six years old, Xiang Zhishi, not understanding the reason, thought he had committed some grave error. He fell ill upon returning home, burning with fever.

In his delirium, he saw Xiang Zhijie sitting by his bed, feeding him water and food bit by bit.

Earlier, Xiang Zhishi had not known why the Emperor treated him so.

But upon seeing a face exactly like his own, Xiang Zhijie guessed the reason.

An inexplicable disgust rose from the depths of his heart. Feigning unconsciousness, he suddenly swung his hand, trying to drive him away, but accidentally knocked over a scalding bowl of medicine.

Xiang Zhijie reached out to block it. Not a drop of medicine was wasted; it all spilled onto the back of his hand.

He didn’t make a sound and called for a eunuch to clean up the medicine bowl and the soiled bedsheet.

Xiang Zhishi heard the eunuch’s shrill voice: “Oh dear, how did your hand get so burned? It’s swelling…”

Xiang Zhijie stammered, “Shh. Don’t, don’t disturb him. It’s, it’s nothing.”

Xiang Zhishi turned over expressionlessly, aggravating the slightly festering ear.

It hurt, but he also derived a faint sense of satisfaction from the pain:

If you think it doesn’t matter, it would be better if this brand were on you.

From then on, the Seventh Prince often wore various precious and beautiful gemstone earrings on his right ear to cover the conspicuous scar.

As they grew older, the inequality persisted.

It wasn’t so bad in the palace, but whenever the Emperor assigned them a task requiring them to go out together, he was always the one to cover his face, to avoid being too conspicuous.

Even after all these years, he hadn’t grown accustomed to it.

Just like now, he couldn’t see the person in the courtroom as clearly as Xiang Zhijie could. To him, that person always seemed like a flower in mist or the moon reflected in water—elusive.

While Le Wuya was holding court, they had not been idle.

They had sent Jiang He to observe the entire proceedings, planning to wait for his report. But the Seventh Prince had been cautious, dispatching additional shadow guards to gather intelligence from the periphery.

What they heard turned out to be increasingly dramatic, each piece interlocking into a vast scheme.

By the time Le Wuya had clarified Chang Xiaohu’s death and implicated the Xiaofu Coal Mine, the two could no longer sit still. They decided to go in plain clothes, making the trip themselves.

Jiang He had just left the yamen when they arrived.

Seeing the Sixth Prince staring intently, he teased, “Sixth Brother, what are you looking at? Could it be you’ve really taken a fancy to him?”

The Sixth Prince didn’t answer. Xiang Zhishi, accustomed to this, continued: “This man does have some skill. He tried the case all night, swept in with an overwhelming momentum, catching them off guard.”

“If it were anyone else, if they paused even slightly, giving these people a chance to catch their breath—not to mention others—Ge Erzi and Liu Deben could have been dealt with overnight.”

“Finding these miners was also clever. I heard that when Chang Xiaohu’s case was tried half a year ago, the magistrate also brought in miners from the coal mine. But with a little manipulation, it would be hard to tell whether the ones selected were real miners.”

“Still, there must be some deep mystery in Xiaofu Coal Mine. Relying solely on Nanting County’s manpower won’t be enough. Even with our people watching, it might not suffice. I heard General Pei Fengyou is nearby…”

Xiang Zhijie interrupted him: “Yes.”

Xiang Zhishi: “?”

He had just rambled on with all that talk, and he had no idea which part that sullen “yes” was referring to.

Before he could think further, Xiang Zhijie added, “Seventh Brother, you are especially talkative today.”

Xiang Zhishi: “…”

Is that so?

He turned his gaze toward Le Wuya on the court.

Xiang Zhishi began to dislike this man.

Because he sensed that Xiang Zhijie liked him.

At this thought, Xiang Zhishi paused slightly.

…It seemed he had detested that person in the same way before.

How remarkably similar. How interesting.