The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 122 Li Shimin's Surprise: I Have a Chance to Clear My Name?

Liu Shuyi was already clear about Hu Hebing's role, or at least one of his roles, in the Ma Qingfeng family massacre case.

This also explains why the investigation conducted by the three departments and the Wannian County government two years ago yielded no results.

Next, he needs to determine three things.

First, how did the murderer administer the drug, and how did they ensure that everyone in the Ma residence would ingest it?

Second, what was the reason why the murderer piled up the corpses into a horrifying tower after killing them?
Third, what role does Wei Ji play in this case? Could he be the so-called servant from the Ma family who went out to change the lanterns? And what role does Yao Guang play in this case? Is he hiding behind the scenes controlling the whole situation, or is he also personally involved, but no one knows it?
If all three questions can be answered, the truth of the case will be revealed.

To solve these three problems, staying in the Wannian County government office and staring at useless files is definitely not an option.

"It seems I'll have to make a trip to the Ma residence..."

Liu Shuyi looked at Gu Wen and asked, "County Commandant Gu, after the massacre at the Ma family residence, what happened to Doctor Ma's mansion? Has it been occupied by new people, or is it still empty?"

This kind of thing can be easily found out by asking anyone, and Gu Wen is not afraid of being implicated by Liu Shuyi. He said, "Everyone is extremely wary of ordinary haunted houses, let alone a haunted house with a family wipeout case like this."

Liu Shuyi asked, "So, the Ma residence is still empty?"

"Yes."

Has anyone cleaned it?

Gu Wen shook his head: "Who would bother cleaning up unrelated houses? Not to mention that people in the neighborhood are very wary of the Ma family. They avoid the Ma residence whenever possible, and no one dares to get close."

In other words, the Ma residence remained exactly as it was at the time of the incident, and the scene had not been disturbed... Liu Shuyi breathed a sigh of relief; this was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

If the Ma family has already moved into a new house, or if someone kindly cleaned it, then any clues that might have remained undiscovered would have already been destroyed.

Zhao Feng understood Liu Shuyi's meaning and said, "Sir, shall we set off for the Ma residence?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "No rush, let me write something first."

He looked at Gu Wen and said, "County Commandant Gu, may I borrow your writing materials?"

Gu Wen naturally dared not refuse: "Of course, please come this way, Mr. Liu..."

Soon, Liu Shuyi, led by Gu Wen, arrived at a quiet office.

Gu Wen said, "This is my office. It's a bit cramped. I hope you'll forgive me, sir."

Liu Shuyi glanced at the cramped office, which was indeed much smaller than his own office in the Ministry of Justice. The files on the desk were scattered haphazardly, making the office seem even more crowded.

Gu Wen quickly tidied up the files to the side, clearing a clean table for Liu Shuyi. He then took out some papers and placed them in front of Liu Shuyi, and handed him an unused calligraphy brush.

Liu Shuyi took the brush, first expressing his gratitude, and then said, "Next, I need to go to the residence of Physician Ma, and I will need County Lieutenant Gu to accompany me. So, County Lieutenant Gu, please take this opportunity to arrange some official business."

Gu Wen was surprised that Liu Shuyi would still try to drag him along. He felt bitter and wanted to refuse, but when he met Liu Shuyi's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, he dared not say the words of refusal.

In the end, he could only nod and say, "Then I will make the arrangements..."

With that, he quickly left the office.

Stepping out of the room and looking at the bustling government office, Gu Wen's smile quickly vanished.

His brows were furrowed, and his face looked grim.

He wanted to distance himself from Liu Shuyi so that when the Emperor dealt with Liu Shuyi, his anger would spill over into him.

But to everyone's surprise, Liu Shuyi wouldn't let him leave at all.

It was one thing for him to be questioned about his case at the county government office, but now that they wanted to investigate at the Ma residence, they were even dragging him along.

Those unaware of the truth would certainly believe they are in cahoots with Liu Shuyi, and that they are fully cooperating with Liu Shuyi in the investigation...

Even if I talk myself hoarse, I doubt anyone will believe my explanation.

"no!"

"I can't just stand by and watch Liu Shuyi kill me!"

Gu Wen's eyes flashed violently: "I need to let His Majesty know that I was forced..."

"I've got it! Magistrate Li is in the palace right now. I can ask him for help and have him put in a good word for me with His Majesty, letting him know that Liu Shuyi is investigating His Majesty's case, and letting His Majesty know about my situation..."

"Also, I wrote to Qian Wenqing to make him understand what a stupid thing Liu Shuyi is doing, and to tell him not to worry, he's bound to win!"

Thinking of this, Gu Wen turned around and glanced at Liu Shuyi, who was writing something at his desk, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

To drag yourself down with me? Delusion!
He withdrew his gaze and strode towards another room. Once the letter was sent, even if he cooperated with Liu Shuyi again, he wouldn't have to worry about any future troubles.

…………

"Lieutenant Gu's expression seems off. Is he reluctant to come with us?"

As Lu Yangyuan leaned against the doorframe, yawning, he watched Gu Wen's departing figure and, recalling Gu Wen's expression when he turned around, couldn't help but say something.

"Does this need to be said?"

Zhao Feng wasn't surprised: "He practically had 'unwilling' written all over his face."

"If he's so unwilling, won't he become lax and procrastinate, delaying the official's investigation?" Lu Yangyuan asked worriedly.

Zhao Feng shared the same thought.

"It doesn't matter."

Knowing their concerns, Liu Shuyi said calmly, "I have a general understanding of the information I need regarding this case. The reason I asked him to accompany me is because he was the first government official to arrive at the crime scene back then. I need him to help me determine whether the current Ma residence is different from the Ma residence back then, so as to judge whether Yaoguang destroyed any evidence."

Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan then realized what was happening.

They said that given the official's temperament, he would never do anything detrimental to the case. Even they noticed Gu Wen's unusual behavior, so it was impossible for the official not to notice.

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "You should all take a rest first. Once things get busy, we don't know how long it will take."

The two understood that when Liu Shuyi said he was busy, he wasn't joking; he really was busy day and night. So they didn't stand on ceremony with Liu Shuyi and quickly found a place to sit down and take a break.

Liu Shuyi refocused his attention on the paper in front of him.

He was writing a memorial to Li Shimin.

Although he knew very well that the massacre of Ma Qingfeng's family was not the work of Li Shimin, the general public believed that Li Shimin was behind it.

Therefore, he had to inform Li Shimin of his speculation in advance so that Li Shimin would know that he believed in Li Shimin and that his investigation into the case was to clear Li Shimin's name... lest Li Shimin suddenly hear that he was investigating the Ma Qingfeng case and think that he was really going to investigate Li Shimin, causing unnecessary misunderstandings.

Moreover, informing Li Shimin in advance would give him something to look forward to.

Li Shimin had high expectations, so how could the reward not be generous after he solved the case?
Soon, Liu Shuyi finished writing the memorial. In order to let Li Shimin understand the current situation, he wrote in great detail, starting from the confession in Anqing West, to his own meticulous reasoning, to the search of countless files, and finally to the discovery of the ins and outs of the Ma Qingfeng family massacre case.

He highlighted the difficulties he encountered and his determination and belief in solving them... He believed that such a memorial would be enough to let Li Shimin know how hard he had worked and how much effort he had put in, and then praise him as a good minister.

As an employee, working hard is necessary, but letting your boss know how hard you work and how difficult it is is even more important.

After writing this, he carefully put the memorial away, thought for a moment, picked up another piece of paper, and quickly wrote a few sentences.

He then put the two pieces of paper into separate envelopes and handed them to Lu Yangyuan, saying, "Lieutenant Lu, thank you for making this trip for me again..."

"Please deliver this memorial to the Ministry of Justice and give it to Minister Du. Please ask Minister Du to pass it on to His Majesty."

"The other letter was sent to the Jinwuwei government office and given to General Cheng, asking him to help me find some people."

If he were to submit his memorial through the normal channels, after several procedures, it would probably be tonight, or even tomorrow, at the earliest before it reached Li Shimin's desk.

He was about to go to the Ma residence, and once he arrived, the news would spread quickly. It was not a good thing that the memorial was delayed until it reached Li Shimin's desk.

Therefore, having Du Ruhui forward the memorial would save all the trouble, and his memorial would soon reach Li Shimin's hands.

"I understand."

Without any hesitation, Lu Yangyuan took the envelope, carefully put it away, and then turned to leave.

Liu Shuyi let out a soft breath. The preparations were complete; now it was time for the formal investigation…

He stood up and said, "Let's go, it's time to set off."

…………

Qinrenfang was one of the gathering places for officials and nobles in Chang'an.

After the An Lushan Rebellion, An Lushan's residence was located on the south side of Qinrenfang, while the residence of the famous general Guo Ziyi was on the north side of Qinrenfang.

However, at this time, Qinrenfang was inhabited by ordinary officials and nobles, and Ma Qingfeng's residence was located on the west side of Qinrenfang.

"Uu——"

The horse raised its forelegs high and then came to a steady stop.

Liu Shuyi sat high on his horse, looking at the houses ahead.

The house was quite large, with three courtyards. The walls were covered in dust, though the plaster hadn't peeled off, indicating that it hadn't been maintained for a long time.

The two lanterns in front of the door are now just bamboo frames, their candles long since burned out, swaying gently in the spring breeze.

The gate, nailed with copper nails, had faded vermilion paint, and the seal that sealed the gate was also dilapidated after two years of wind and rain, with the writing on it no longer legible.

The street in front of the Ma residence was an important street in Qinrenfang, but at this moment, there was not a single pedestrian on this wide street except for them.

On their way there, the other streets of Qinrenfang were all very lively.

This street, and the eerily quiet Ma Mansion, seemed to have been abandoned by the gods from this world of Qinrenfang. It was clear how much the surrounding residents feared the Ma Mansion, where a family massacre had occurred.

However, this was actually a good thing for Liu Shuyi, as it meant that even unruly children and beggars would not be allowed to enter the Ma residence to play or rest.

"Let's go."

Liu Shuyi didn't delay any longer. He dismounted and went straight to the faded door.

He immediately tore off the seal, pushed it open with both hands, and heard a creaking sound. The door, which had been closed for two years, was finally opened again.

As the door opened, a desolate and lifeless scene came into view.

The spacious courtyard, neglected by everyone, was overgrown with weeds, some of the tallest reaching half a person's height. The thick snow was blown about by the wind, and as far as the eye could see, there was not a single path to be found.

In just two years, it has become so desolate.

"County Lieutenant Gu, lead the way," Liu Shuyi said.

Gu Wen clicked his tongue, looking at the desolate courtyard covered in snow, unsure where to step.

Left with no other choice, they had to follow their memory, stepping through the snow crust, and walk toward the main hall.

As the weather warms up, the snow has begun to melt, causing the previously frozen snow to sink in easily when stepped on, making it feel like walking on a muddy road.

Gu Wen grimaced in disgust as he sped up; he really couldn't stand the difficult road any longer.

Fortunately, the Tower of Corpses was located inside the main hall, and they arrived there after a short walk.

As Liu Shuyi entered the main hall, the first thing that caught his eye was the large patch of blood on the ground, which had dried and was mixed with dust.

Two years is enough time for many things to disappear, but the traces of blood seeping into the floor seem to have been forgotten by time. They still allow people to know at a glance where that shocking tower of corpses was located.

Gu Wen had already written a letter to the county magistrate, and believed that it wouldn't be long before His Majesty would know that he had been forced to come along, so he was no longer worried about telling Liu Shuyi about the case.

Seeing Liu Shuyi staring at the bloodstains, he said, "When I arrived, it was still a pool of blood. The blood of thirty-five people mixed together looked like a lake of blood, which was much more frightening than it is now."

Liu Shuyi could picture the scene. He glanced around the other corners of the main hall and asked, "You searched the Ma residence, didn't you? Did you find any bloodstains elsewhere?"

Gu Wen shook his head: "No, there is bloodstains only in the main hall."

Liu Shuyi squinted. He saw that in the entire main hall, there was only a large pool of blood in front of him, but there was no blood anywhere else except for dust. He said, "So, the murderer first brought everyone here, then piled them up together, and finally slit their throats one by one?"

Gu Wen nodded: "The Three Departments and I also speculate in the same way." Zhao Feng gasped upon hearing this.

What was the killer thinking?

The tower of corpses was horrifying enough in itself.

Now they're telling him that those people weren't dead when the tower was being built; they were only killed one by one after it was finished.

This horrified him even more than the human head towers used to intimidate enemies on the battlefield.

Liu Shuyi's eyes also flickered. Normally, if a murderer wanted to wipe out the entire family, he should have killed everyone first to prevent any accidents from happening, and then dealt with other matters.

But the murderer insisted on painstakingly moving everyone here, piling them up, and then killing them...

Was the murderer so confident in the drug he used that he was certain that no matter what he did, no one would wake up and resist?

Or is there some reason why the killer had to do this?

If it's the second possibility, what could be the reason?
A religious ceremony?

Or perhaps, there are other reasons?
Liu Shuyi had already been suspicious of the three judicial departments' explanation of the Corpse Tower in the case file.

Now it seems he is almost certain that the truth is definitely not what San Si and Gu Wen said, that the murderer wanted to make the corpse more shocking and instill fear in others.

After all, even if one were to do this, it should only be considered after the killing is complete.

Instead of carefully piling up the people in the Ma family one by one before committing the murders.

Although the only difference is the order, the meanings they represent are completely different.

Liu Shuyi gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. After a moment, he gathered his thoughts and looked around the scene again.

This represents the most formal main hall of a mansion, and as Gu Wen said, there was nothing there except for bloodstains.

There wasn't even a single table or chair left to serve guests.

The murderer certainly went to great lengths to build the tower of corpses.

Finding no further clues in the main hall, Liu Shuyi didn't linger any longer and turned to leave, saying as he went, "County Commandant Gu, take me to the kitchen."

Gu Wen was much more agreeable than he was at the yamen. Upon hearing this, he nodded directly: "This way, sir..."

Liu Shuyi glanced at Gu Wen with some surprise, seemingly lost in thought about Gu Wen's change.

He walked side by side with Gu Wen and said, "County Commandant Gu, when you searched the Ma residence, did you find anything missing from the Ma residence's property?"

"property?"

Gu Wen frowned and said, "Does Master Liu think the murderer killed for money?"

Liu Shuyi smiled and shook his head: "It's never wrong to learn more information."

Gu Wen shrugged, ignoring what Liu Shuyi was thinking, and said, "There shouldn't be any missing valuables."

"should?"

"After all, we don't know exactly how much wealth is in Doctor Ma's mansion. However, there are no signs that the cabinets in any of the rooms have been ransacked. We found a money box in those cabinets, and Doctor Ma's money bag was also placed on the dressing table in his bedroom. There were quite a few copper coins in the money bag. If the murderer cared about the valuables, even if they didn't have time to ransack the cabinets, they could have at least taken the money bag from the cabinet when they moved Doctor Ma, right?"

Gu Wendao said, "But even the money pouches that were on display on the dressing table were not missing, so we all believe that the murderer killed someone and that the money was not involved."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly.

However, what he cared about was not whether the murderer killed for money. What he really wanted to confirm was whether the luminous pearl on Wei Ji's body was given to him by Hu Hebing.

At the same time, he also wanted to determine whether Wei Ji was the only person who committed the crime that night, or whether there were others involved.

After the Ma Qingfeng case, Yao Guang couldn't wait to silence Wei Ji, which shows that Wei Ji posed a greater threat to him than Hu Hebing.

In other words, Wei Ji knew more secrets and was more involved.

Hu Hebing was already considered an accomplice working outside, while Wei Ji was more involved, so he could only be the one actually carrying out the work in the Ma residence.

However, Wei Ji risked great danger to come to the Ma residence to assist in the murder for those few precious luminous pearls, and afterwards he had to carefully escape, fearing that he would be in danger...

Despite his deep concern for money, he didn't even take the obvious money bag when he committed the crime at the Ma residence...

It was because Yao Guang was strict and did not allow Wei Ji to touch any of the money in the Ma family's household that Wei Ji obediently complied.

The fact that Wei Ji fled Chang'an the very day he took the luminous pearl shows that he was definitely not an honest and obedient person, and even if he secretly took some money, Yao Guang would never have known.

However, when An Qingxi captured Wei Ji, Wei Ji had nothing on him except for the luminous pearl.

This shows that Wei Ji did not steal the money. So, under what circumstances would someone as greedy as Wei Ji, who would do anything for money, including conspiring with a tyrant and killing his entire family, be able to see the money bag but not take it?

Liu Shuyi felt there could only be one possibility...

That is, Wei Ji was not alone when he committed the crime.

There were others with him, watching him to prevent him from doing anything unnecessary.

Could this person be Yao Guang?

Liu Shuyi's gaze was deep and unfathomable.

…………

Meanwhile, the Royal Palace.

Just as Li Xinchun, the magistrate of Wannian County, left the Liangyi Hall, he encountered Du Ruhui, who was walking briskly towards him.

He quickly bowed to Du Ruhui: "Minister Du."

Du Ruhui laughed and said, "So it's Magistrate Li. Magistrate Li, have you finished your audience with His Majesty?"

"Yes." Li Xinchun's expression was somewhat strange. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Minister Du, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."

"Oh?"

Du Ruhui raised an eyebrow and said, "Magistrate Li, please speak freely."

Li Xinchun looked at Du Ruhui: "Minister Du, do you know what case Liu, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, is investigating?"

A glint flashed in Du Ruhui's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged as he smiled and said, "The court has been dealing with too many things lately. I have been busy with state affairs and haven't really paid much attention to the Ministry of Justice. Magistrate Li specifically mentioned Assistant Minister Liu. Has he done something wrong?"

Li Xinchun shook his head: "It can't be said that he did anything wrong. After all, as an assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, it is his duty to investigate cases."

"only……"

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "There are always a few cases in this world that you can't touch."

"Can't touch?"

Du Ruhui looked intently at Li Xinchun: "What do you mean by the case that Magistrate Li said is untouchable?"

Li Xinchun sensed something amiss in Du Ruhui's expression and chuckled awkwardly, "I was just speaking casually, Minister Du, please don't take it to heart..."

"His Majesty is still waiting for Minister Du, so I will not keep Minister Du any longer."

After saying that, Li Xinchun turned around and quickly left.

Watching Li Xinchun's departing figure and recalling Li Xinchun's meaningful words, Du Ruhui's already deep eyes became even more profound.

Only after Li Xinchun's figure disappeared from sight did Du Ruhui turn away and enter the Liangyi Hall.

Upon entering the hall, Du Ruhui, who knew Li Shimin well, immediately sensed that Li Shimin was in an unusual mood.

His eyes flickered slightly as he approached the palace and bowed to Li Shimin, saying, "Your Majesty."

Li Shimin sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression as calm and composed as ever, but deep within his eyes lay a hint of embarrassment and helplessness.

He looked at the arm he trusted most, and a rare, genuine emotion appeared on his face: "Minister Du, do you think I haven't been good enough to Liu Shuyi?"

Du Ruhui raised his eyes, feigning ignorance: "Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?"

Li Shimin asked, "Do you know that Liu Shuyi investigated the case of Ma Qingfeng's family massacre?"

“This…” Du Ruhui frowned: “Is this really true?”

Li Shimin continued, "You know best that the Ma Qingfeng family massacre had nothing to do with me, but everyone in the world believes that I ordered it!"

"I have been wronged for two whole years! But I have no way to defend myself, since the case is still unsolved... If I were to say that I am not the murderer without any reason, people would inevitably think that I have a guilty conscience."

"But if I don't defend myself, everyone will just acquiesce!"

"I can only let it go and pretend it doesn't exist."

"I had almost forgotten about it, but then Li Xinchun told me that Liu Shuyi went to the Wannian County government office and forced County Lieutenant Gu Wen to cooperate with him, saying that Liu Shuyi was targeting me and wanted to investigate the case thoroughly!"

"Tell me, what is he really thinking?"

Li Shimin spoke so much in one breath, and his unusual behavior made Du Ruhui realize that Li Shimin was really angry.

After all, Liu Shuyi was a promising young talent that Li Shimin had high hopes for, and Li Shimin kept giving Liu Shuyi opportunities to climb the ranks. However, Liu Shuyi secretly investigated him, which, in Li Shimin's eyes, was tantamount to being stabbed in the back by Liu Shuyi.

Recalling Li Xinchun's words, Du Ruhui finally understood what had happened.

It seems that Gu Wen, the county magistrate of Wannian County, passed the message to Li Xinchun first.

Li Xinchun was as eager as if he were seeking credit to report to His Majesty.

But... is it really a success?

Du Ruhui bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I truly do not know what case Liu Shuyi investigated. After questioning An Qingxi with me, he left in a hurry..."

"but……"

He took out a memorial from his wide sleeve and said, "Liu Shuyi entrusted someone to give me this memorial urgently, instructing me to present it to His Majesty as quickly as possible, no matter what."

"Your Majesty knows Liu Shuyi best, and I believe he is by no means a heartless person. Therefore, there may be some changes in this matter that we are unaware of. I urge Your Majesty to take a look at Liu Shuyi's memorial before judging whether he has done anything wrong."

Li Shimin frowned slightly: "Liu Shuyi's memorial?"

He disliked the feeling of being betrayed, but this was a memorial submitted by Du Ruhui on behalf of Liu Shuyi, so even if he didn't care about the monk, he had to consider the Buddha's feelings.

"Give it to me," Li Shimin finally said.

Du Ruhui handed Liu Shuyi's memorial to Li Shimin with both hands.

Li Shimin took the memorial, somewhat irritated, and flipped it open. He initially only glanced at it casually, but the next moment—

"what?"

A rare look of surprise appeared in Li Shimin's deep eyes.

Then those eyes suddenly lit up.

His usually placid face, rarely showing emotion, first revealed astonishment, then understanding, and finally a contradictory expression of joy and anger.

Du Ruhui had followed Li Shimin for so many years, and this was the first time he had ever seen Li Shimin's expression change so quickly in such a short period of time.

Thus, he could understand the extent of the impact Liu Shuyi's memorial had on Li Shimin.

Li Shimin read it once, and then read it again.

He read it twice before putting the memorial back on his desk.

Then he looked at Du Ruhui, remained silent for a long time, and sighed, "Minister Du, I have wronged Liu Shuyi. He is not an ungrateful person. On the contrary, he is my best minister!"

(End of this chapter)