A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 37 gives Coroner Mu a chance to prove himself.
The next day.

Despite his illness, Song Shuyu went to court and reported to Emperor Shen Zhu the case of the mysterious deaths of Li Mu, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, and his daughter.

The entire court was in an uproar!
The people of the Great Zhou Dynasty were devout Buddhists. From the emperor to the common people, they all held Buddhist temples in the highest esteem. Yuntai Temple was a renowned temple with influence throughout the country. Therefore, news of the hanging corpse at the temple gate spread like wildfire within just two days, sweeping through the capital and beyond.

The fact that the Jingzhao Prefecture sealed off the mountains and temples, and carried out such a large-scale operation, added an air of mystery to the case!

The people both hate the murderer for dumping Li Yunyao's body and defiling the tranquility of the Buddhist temple, and grieve that Li Yunyao took her own life with her son, disregarding family ties!
The world has lost a kind person and gained two wronged souls. The Li family and the Liu family are naturally the first to bear the brunt and have become the focus of public opinion!

However, just one day later, the Jingzhao Prefecture carried Li Mu's body out of the Li family again!
The deaths of the father and daughter were so sudden that even the old woman selling vegetables and carrying manure on the street sensed something was amiss!
Therefore, Song Shuyu entered the palace amidst a storm raging throughout the city.

Emperor Shen Zhu ascended the throne at a young age. Although he had been ruling in his own right for three years, half of the officials in the court were from the influence of Empress Dowager Song Zi. Among them were members of the Song family, led by the Duke of Song. They were not only the Empress Dowager's maternal family but also a family of military generals with great achievements and military power. Their foundation was solid and difficult to shake.

Therefore, Song Shuyu, as the second son of the Duke of Song, even though he had been a dissolute man for many years and had no official rank, he could still enter officialdom whenever he wanted. Moreover, he had a huge appetite and even brought up his father and brother's military achievements to get himself a third-rank official position as the Prefect of Jingzhao!
How could the ministers who supported the emperor allow the Song family to control the gateway to the capital? Opposition grew louder and louder, but in the end, under the coercion of the Empress Dowager and the Song family, the emperor compromised. However, the price of the compromise was the exchange of control over the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate. The Empress Dowager initially disagreed with this unprofitable deal, but Song Shuyu was rebellious and persistent, insisting on becoming the Prefect of the Capital to show off. The Empress Dowager had always favored Song Shuyu, so she granted his wish.

Now, Song Shuyu has only been in office for a month, and such a sensational case has occurred, which has naturally given his political enemies an opportunity to attack him!

"Lord Song is a latecomer to officialdom with no experience in governance. Can he handle this?"

"Why not? Although Lord Song has never participated in the imperial examinations, he is not an incompetent fool! Besides, Lord Song has a keen eye for talent and has recruited many capable and ambitious people!" "Recruiting a female coroner makes her a capable and ambitious person? This is simply heretical and violates the Ministry of Personnel's rules for appointing and dismissing officials!"

"Isn't that right? The autopsy is the most important part of a criminal case. Lord Song actually entrusted the entire process to a female coroner. Isn't he afraid that her lack of expertise might lead to a wrongful conviction?"

"..."

Whether it was whispers or open mockery, Song Shuyu accepted it all and even prevented officials from his own faction from defending him.

The emperor on the dragon throne calmly watched the overwhelming condemnation of Song Shuyu below. He remained silent for a long time, his serene expression revealing nothing of his true feelings.

Only after the officials had exhausted themselves from their tirade and gradually stopped their incessant chatter did Song Shuyu finally speak, his tone languid and unrestrained, "I trust those I employ, and I don't employ those I don't trust. Whether my coroner Mu has true talent or not, we'll know once someone in your family dies. Or, which of you gentlemen will personally die to give Coroner Mu a chance to prove himself?"

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials nearly fainted in the hall!
The solemn and dignified emperor suddenly burst into laughter—

There will be two more updates today, see you later!

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(End of this chapter)