A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 331 Corpse Hidden in Wine Jar (11)

Liang Ruoming was also genuinely afraid of Mu Qingcheng.

This composed and unflappable Master Mu rarely speaks, but once she does, she gives no one a chance to lie or conceal anything! Her eyes, devoid of much warmth, are like bronze mirrors, revealing everything about a person, leaving no room for hiding even the slightest secret!

Fortunately, he was telling the truth, without any embellishment.

However, the Empress Dowager did not give Mu Qingcheng a chance to demonstrate her talents. Her sharp eyes were filled with anger. "A person who should avoid suspicion dares to overstep the bounds and question someone? Guards, immediately drag Mu Qingcheng away and have her flogged!"

Mu Qingcheng immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness, "This commoner knows her mistake, please have mercy, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, the question raised by Master Mu is to reconstruct the course of the case, not to exonerate Lord Song. In my humble opinion, a verbal reprimand is sufficient; the punishment of caning is too severe!" Ji Yue raised a different objection. He, who was usually low-key and did not like to stand out, was now solemn and imposing.

Having held a high position for so long, how could the Empress Dowager possibly take this young fourth-rank official seriously? She smiled coldly, her eyes filled with a hint of threat, "Lord Ji, do you dare to lecture me?"

"Your humble servant dares not!" Ji Yue replied neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Cases belonging to the public sector should be handled in accordance with the rules of the public sector and the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty. I dare not trouble Your Majesty the Empress Dowager with your concerns, lest the censors of the Censorate label Your Majesty as 'interfering in politics with the empress dowager' and hurt Your Majesty's feelings!"

The Empress Dowager's face turned green with anger, her delicate features contorted in a grimace. "Insolence!"

"Lord Ji, be careful what you say!" Qin Songyang's eyes were stern. "The Empress Dowager's words are not wrong. Mu Qingcheng certainly deserves to be punished!"

"Your Excellency!" Ji Yue exclaimed incredulously, "Don't you understand the principle of overcorrection?"

Qin Songyang was furious. "How dare you lecture this Minister?"

Lu Xun lowered his eyes, remained silent, and appeared detached from the matter.

Song Shuyu lowered her eyebrows slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Seeing that internal strife was about to break out, the emperor stroked his jade thumb ring, his clear and cold voice exuding imperial majesty, "Minister Qin, there are priorities in matters, let's inquire first."

Qin Songyang had no choice but to suppress his anger and bow, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, this old minister obeys!"

Although this incident involved only a few words of argument, in the eyes of the officials, it clearly revealed the political stance of the three judicial departments.

However, Lu Xun, the person in charge of the Dali Temple, was incomprehensible. He was recommended by Song Shuyu and promoted by the emperor, yet he remained aloof and indifferent to matters that did not concern him.

But he was very proactive in his inquiries, and he repeated Mu Qingcheng's question again, "Minister Liang, during the deceased's struggle, did he have any physical contact with the man who resembles Lord Song?"

"Yes," Liang Ruoming replied quickly.

"Be more specific."

"It's...it's that the deceased slapped the murderer with both hands."

"Where did they hit?"

"Arms, um, and hands."

Lu Xun nodded. "Okay, I understand."

At this moment, the Empress Dowager reminded him, "Minister Lu, why don't we ask the eunuchs in the Jade Wine Pavilion and the Imperial Kitchen? Perhaps there are other eyewitnesses!"

Qin Songyang also said, "Eunuch Zhou, please inquire with the other palace maids and eunuchs to see if anyone passed by during that time period and if they saw anything."

Zhou Chun responded and went to get busy.

Lu Xun also went to question him personally.

The investigation uncovered two new witnesses: Xiao Fuzi, a eunuch who oversaw the wine warehouse at the Jade Wine Pavilion, and Xiao Cui, a palace maid who swept and cleaned.

The two palace maids insisted, "We saw with our own eyes that Lord Song smothered Miss Guo to death, and then threw her into wine jar number three." Lu Xun then asked, "Did you see her face clearly?"

The two men said, "We've seen it clearly, the murderer is Lord Song!"

At this point in the trial, Guo Xuan beat his chest and stamped his feet, heartbroken. "Song Shuyu, the witnesses and physical evidence are all there. The motive for the murder and the time of the crime are all correct. What else do you have to say!"

"Song Shuyu, you have disappointed me greatly!" The Empress Dowager said angrily, making a face of disappointment at his lack of ambition.

Song Shuyu smiled lightly, "Your Majesty, there is no need to be disappointed too soon. This humble subject has no intention of admitting guilt."

Qin Songyang said, "Lord Song, whether you plead guilty or not, based on the information we have so far, you must be detained in the Ministry of Justice to await further investigation and evidence collection by the three judicial departments!"

Song Shuyu's handsome face darkened. "You dare!"

However, the emperor made the final decision: "The case shall be handled in accordance with the regulations of the government; no one shall abuse their privileges for personal gain!"

Immediately, all officials and their families were dismissed, and the imperial palace was summoned. Song Shuyu was taken to the Ministry of Justice, and his body was also taken away and sent to the Ministry of Justice.

As for Mu Qingcheng, the emperor merely glanced at her indifferently, left with the words "It is entirely up to the Empress Dowager to decide," and then returned to the palace.

The crime scene was placed under complete martial law and taken over by criminal investigators from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review for investigation.

After leaving the Jade Wine Pavilion, Mu Qingcheng originally thought that the Empress Dowager was going to punish her with a cane, but unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager ordered people to take her to the Shou Kang Palace.

Thinking of the gesture Song Shuyu made to her as he left, which meant "reassurance," Mu Qingcheng felt much more at ease.

Although she didn't know what Song Shuyu was planning or why Lu Xun was acting strangely, she believed that they must have a backup plan and would not sit idly by and wait for their doom!
Upon entering Shou Kang Palace, the Empress Dowager left only her nanny and Eunuch Qin to attend to her.

The palace was magnificent and luxurious, exuding extravagance.

Seeing Mu Qingcheng looking around so casually, as if she were a country bumpkin visiting the city, the Empress Dowager, half-reclining on the chaise lounge, sneered, "How is it? Do you like it?"

Mu Qingcheng lowered her eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I am used to simplicity."

"You wretched girl, you dare to push your luck even though I haven't punished you with a cane?"

"Whether the Empress Dowager will punish me with a cane, I do not know, but I suspect that the Empress Dowager brought me to Shou Kang Palace for something more worthwhile than caning!"

The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed, a hint of interest in her eyes. "Mu Qingcheng, I think I understand why Song Shuyu likes you. Compared to that fool Ningchang, you are more suitable to be the mistress of the Duke's mansion."

"Your Majesty flatters me. I am merely a clerk in the Jingzhao Prefecture and would never dare to aspire to the position of Lord Song," Mu Qingcheng replied calmly.

"Is that so?" The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. "Is it that you don't like it, or that you dare not even think about it?"

Mu Qingcheng paused for a moment, then replied, "Both."

The Empress Dowager nodded, her tone quite meaningful, "Fortunately, that's how it is; otherwise, I would be worried sick for you."

"I wonder what Your Majesty means by these words?" Mu Qingcheng frowned slightly.

The Empress Dowager smiled, "Does Song Shuyu know that your father is Mu Yan, the former Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?"

“…I know.” Mu Qingcheng’s heart sank.

The Empress Dowager's luscious red lips parted and closed, like a blood-red hole, and the words she uttered carried a sinister and terrifying aura, "Then do you know who ruined your father? From the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to a coroner in Jiangnan, his future was ruined, he lived in anonymity for more than ten years, and he couldn't even avenge his wife! Do you understand all this? And does Song Shuyu understand it?"

Sorry, everyone. It's the end of the year and I've had so many family things to take care of, plus the kids are on holiday. It's really delayed my writing. I'm so sorry!

(End of this chapter)