A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 135 The Truth Revealed to the World (21)

Song Shuyu had no reason to refuse. In any case, the judge was trapped in the capital, so using him one more time or one less time made no difference.

"However, it's best to go at night, disguised as a constable, to avoid being discovered."

"Why?"

Mu Qingcheng was puzzled. She looked towards the gate and listened to the shouts of the people. She frowned and guessed, "Is the magistrate afraid that too many people will make the magistrate's whereabouts known?"

Song Shuyu said, "The mastermind behind the poisoning, if he wanted to use poison to control Madam Liu, why would he easily let someone else cure her? We in the Jingzhao Prefecture are investigating a case, and we can't let the Chief Justice's life be implicated."

"The General's mansion was completely sealed off. The physician was brought back in a carriage with his head covered and mouth gagged. Liu Changqing was also under our surveillance. Logically speaking, the news of Madam Liu's poisoning should not have leaked out..."

"Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what happens."

A hint of urgency suddenly appeared on Song Shuyu's calm face. "Qingcheng, from now on, you must never go out alone, understand?"

Mu Qingcheng's mood shifted slightly. After yesterday, she realized they could only discuss official business and it was no longer appropriate to indulge in personal emotions. Therefore, she took a half step back, cupped her hands in a respectful bow, and said in a calm tone, "This humble servant will remember your teachings, sir! If there is nothing else, this humble servant will take her leave!"

"Qingcheng!"

“My lord, I am, after all, an unmarried woman. To address me by my maiden name would damage my reputation. Please address me as Coroner Mu.”

"..."

Mu Qingcheng turned and left.

Just as she was about to step out the door, she heard Song Shuyu's voice behind her, tinged with tears: "Coroner Mu, do you hate me that much? I know I scared you and disappointed you. I'm sorry, I apologize. Please... please don't distance yourself from me, okay?"

Mu Qingcheng stopped in her tracks.

Her slender, pale fingers clenched and unclenched with the ebb and flow of her emotions. His vulnerability, sensitivity, and even inferiority complex were all laid bare before her in this moment of clarity, shaking her feigned coldness.

But she knew clearly that hesitation would only lead to more trouble.

She slowly turned around, looked at Song Shuyu whose eyes were red at the corners, whose lips were pressed tightly together, and who was trying to appear strong, and said calmly, "My lord, we have nothing to talk about except official business. I am not disappointed in you, and you don't need to apologize to me. There is just one thing I would like to say to you."

"What did you say?" Song Shuyu's Adam's apple bobbed, his heart filled with bitterness and despair.

Mu Qingcheng paused for a moment before saying, "Marriage is a major life event, so follow your heart and don't let worldly constraints hold you back. Life is only a few years long, and the best person to share your life with is a confidant, so that you can feel at peace."

After saying that, she left without looking back.

Song Shuyu stood there, stunned.

What does Mu Qingcheng mean? In the first half, she said there was nothing to talk about with him, but in the second half, she encouraged him to marry the woman he liked.

Well, he couldn't disobey his wife's orders, so naturally he had to obey.

Song Shuyu felt like she had walked a tightrope, her emotions fluctuating wildly in an instant. Fortunately, the outcome was good; not only was she not disappointed, she also gave him the opportunity to be her bedmate!

Thus, Song Shuyu's sorrow turned to joy, and he left the house with a beaming smile.

……

The Imperial Palace. The Imperial Study.

Because of the people's siege of the Jingzhao Prefecture, Emperor Shen Zhu urgently summoned Song Shuyu to discuss the matter.

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager arrived upon hearing the news, and together with Guo Xuan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Liang Ruoming, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, she barged into the Imperial Study to see the Emperor!

"I see you, Your Majesty!"

The emperor sat before his desk, not telling them to rise. He stared at Guo Xuan and Liang Ruoming kneeling below, a hint of malice hidden deep in his dark eyes.

The eunuchs brought over chairs and respectfully invited the Empress Dowager to sit down.

The emperor rose and bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your subject greets the Empress Dowager!"

"Your humble servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager!" Song Shuyu then lifted his robe and knelt in a salute.

The Empress Dowager raised her hand slightly, "Get up."

"Thank you Queen Mother!"

The emperor returned to his seat, and Song Shuyu stood to one side.

Seeing that the emperor was trying to sow discord between Guo and Liang, the Empress Dowager smiled slightly and preemptively said, "Your Majesty, please don't be offended. I heard that Shuyu arrested the eldest son of General Liu Changqing of Ningyuan, causing the people to besiege the Jingzhao Prefecture and causing a great disaster. I was afraid that Shuyu was too young and it was his first time in office, so he might not be able to handle this matter well. That's why I summoned Minister Guo and Vice Minister Liang to help me think of a solution."

"The Empress Dowager has truly gone to great lengths for Minister Song," the Emperor said calmly. "But I wonder, how do Minister Guo and Vice Minister Liang intend to assist him?"

Guo Xuan replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that such a sensational case that has shaken the entire city should be jointly investigated by the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Prefectural Government of the Capital, in order to reassure the people!"

"Heh, Lord Guo really has a clever plan!" Upon hearing this, Song Shuyu immediately sneered, "I plowed the land, sowed the seeds, weeded, and carefully tended to the trees, finally waiting for the peach trees to blossom and bear fruit, and Lord Guo comes to pick the peaches at this time? How shameless can he be?"

Guo Xuan's old face flushed red. He tried his best to suppress his emotions, but he still couldn't help but feel a hint of anger in his eyes. "Song Shuyu, how can you speak like that? I am your future father-in-law!"

Song Shuyu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. “Lord Guo, we are discussing state affairs now. Why are you bringing up personal matters in front of the Emperor? To put it another way, my father and grandmother have not yet agreed to the marriage. Our two families have not even exchanged betrothal letters. We haven’t even formally agreed to the marriage. How can we talk about the etiquette between father-in-law and son-in-law?”

Guo Xuan was embarrassed by the retort and couldn't even lift his head. Although Song Shuyu's words were unpleasant, he was indeed anxious!

The Empress Dowager glared at Guo Xuan with annoyance and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Shuyu, etiquette cannot be neglected. Minister Guo is both an elder and a senior. You are new to officialdom and young and impetuous. You should learn more from Minister Guo! Besides, Minister Guo is helping you out of kindness and does not want to steal your achievements. Do not misunderstand him."

"Yes!" Song Shuyu cupped his hands, appearing humble and receptive to instruction. "It was Shuyu's ignorance; please forgive me, Your Majesty! And please forgive me, Lord Guo!"

The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction, "In that case..."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I have suddenly thought of a perfect solution!" Song Shuyu exclaimed excitedly, "Since this case is being handled by my Jingzhao Prefecture, I should preside over the trial. The Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice can send officials to Jingzhao Prefecture to accompany the trial, and the Censorate can supervise the trial. With such a grand scale, we can surely get a clear and thorough trial and appease the people!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor immediately clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent idea! I grant it!"

The Empress Dowager and Guo Xuan exchanged a glance. They decided that settling for second best was better than not getting involved in the case at all, so they nodded in agreement.

However, Song Shuyu's shrewdness and cunning were truly unexpected. He actually petitioned the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, Lord Guo is a third-rank official, while I am a third-rank official. I am the presiding judge, so how can I have Lord Guo sitting below as an observer? This is unreasonable. Therefore, I recommend Lu Xun, the heir of the Marquis of Huai'an, to serve as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and represent the Court of Judicial Review as an observer!"

(End of this chapter)