The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 138 Taking Office! Initiating the Investigation!
Half an hour later.

Han Xi escorted Liu Shuyi out of the Han residence.

He had drunk quite a bit, and he was walking unsteadily with a slightly flushed, chubby face.

He grabbed Liu Shuyi's arm and said, "Why don't we stay at the Han residence tonight? I'll have the servants prepare a superior room for you, and we can continue drinking. It's really not enough that you're leaving so soon after we've started drinking."

Liu Shuyi grabbed Han Xi's fingers and pried them apart one by one, then cupped his hands and smiled, "I already feel it's too much of a trouble for you, Han Shaoqing, to host this banquet. How could I possibly trouble you any further?"

"It doesn't matter if we don't have enough fun today. Another day, I will host a banquet for Han Shaoqing, and we will drink until we drop."

Seeing Liu Shuyi say this, Han Xi had no choice but to nod: "Then it's settled. You can't just disappear like your brother, leaving me unable to find you."

"Of course."

Han Xi looked up at the night sky and said, "Since Physician Liu wants to go back, then let's hurry up. The curfew is about to begin. If we can't get back before curfew, we'll run into the Imperial Guards patrolling the streets, and that will cause us some trouble."

Liu Shuyi nodded, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Han Xi, then boarded the carriage and slowly departed at Mo Xiaofan's command of "Giddy up!"

Supported by the steward, Han Xi stood under the red lantern, watching the carriage depart.

After the carriage had driven away, the steward said softly, "Master, it's time to go back."

Han Xi waved his hand and then stood up straight.

The butler then realized that the master was not drunk at all.

He dared not say anything more and silently retreated behind Han Xi.

Han Xi stared intently at the carriage as it receded into the distance, watching it gradually become a black dot and disappear completely into the darkness before letting out a deep breath and withdrawing his gaze.

…………

Inside the carriage.

Liu Shuyi leaned against the car wall, closing his eyes in deep thought.

He was organizing the information he had received that evening.

He received three key pieces of information about his brother tonight.

First, the last place Liu Shuzhong was seen before he disappeared was Miaoyinfang in Pingkangfang.

Secondly, Liu Shuzhong's desire to turn back time suggests that he may regret a decision or action he took in the past, which could be related to his distress at the time and his subsequent disappearance.

Third, Liu Shuzhong and Miaoyin'er may have some kind of relationship.

These three pieces of information were all incredibly shocking to Liu Shuyi.

Especially the last piece of information: if Liu Shuzhong really has a relationship with Miaoyin'er, then it means that Miaoyin'er was not lying to him in prison.

Then I would have to reassess whether the other things Miaoyin'er told me were true or false.

At the same time, we must reconsider Miaoyin'er's attitude towards us—whether it is hostility or a mixture of hostility and goodwill.

Thinking of all this, Liu Shuyi couldn't help but take off his turban and scratch his hair.

It was truly the enchantress Miaoyin'er who gave him such a cunning impression that he felt a headache whenever he encountered her.

In his view, judging the truth or falsehood of Miaoyin'er's words was no easier than investigating the Ma Qingfeng case, and perhaps even more difficult.

After all, there were clues and evidence to rely on in Ma Qingfeng's case, but there was no basis for Miao Yin'er's words.

However... all of this is based on the premise that Han Xi's words are true and credible.

If Han Xi misremembered, or if Han Xi had ulterior motives and spoke only partially, then the veracity of these three pieces of information remains to be verified.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to determine the authenticity of these three pieces of information.

Judging the first piece of information is not difficult... Just ask the others in Miaoyinfang. If it is really as Han Xi said, it is unusual for a man to drink alone without a girl by his side. Then the others in Miaoyinfang will definitely notice Liu Shuzhong.

The second piece of information... the predecessor did not have any memories of Liu Shuzhong sighing and regretting his past actions, so if Liu Shuzhong really had something to regret, it was likely not something that happened in his personal life, but rather in his official duties.

Therefore, to confirm this, it is necessary to make a trip to Dali Temple.

As for the third piece of information... the only people involved are Miao Yin'er and Liu Shuzhong. Liu Shuzhong has disappeared. If you want to know the relationship between the two, you can only ask Miao Yin'er.

But how to determine whether Miaoyin'er's words are true or false is a problem.

Liu Shuyi gently stroked the family heirloom jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips, feeling the warm and smooth texture of the jade. He exhaled a long breath and reopened his eyes.

"First, confirm the authenticity of the first two pieces of information. We'll confirm Miaoyin'er's matter last."

Liu Shuyi made a decision.

He needed to confirm whether his brother had actually appeared in Miaoyinfang. If all of this was fabricated by Han Xi, then he didn't need to ask Miaoyin'er.

If we can confirm that Han Xi's words are true, then it's not too late to go find Miao Yin'er.

Moreover, Miao Yin'er's temperament is unpredictable, and it's hard to tell what's real and what's fake. So, if one could learn more about one's brother's secrets and then interact with Miao Yin'er, one might be able to discern her true thoughts.

Once you understand Miaoyin'er's thoughts, it becomes easier to judge the truthfulness of her words.

"call……"

Liu Shuyi exhaled again.

His eyes cleared again.

With the plans in place, tonight's banquet was definitely worthwhile.

…………

The next day.

After the court meeting.

Today, Du Ruhui will be stationed at the Ministry of Justice and will not be coming to the Ministry of Justice, so Liu Shuyi came to the Ministry of Justice by carriage.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Justice, he alighted from the carriage, told Mo Xiaofan to rest, and then entered the yamen.

As soon as he entered, all the officials from the Ministry of Justice walking around in the courtyard stopped immediately and bowed to Liu Shuyi in unison.

"I have met Physician Liu."

Their voices were in unison, and their tone was filled with reverence.

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow, glanced at the crowd, and without saying a word, the officials remained bowed.

This is completely different from when he was a minor official.

When I served as an assistant secretary, although other officials would greet me with a bow, they would simply clasp their hands in greeting and then continue with their own work.

This situation, where no one gets up unless we tell them to, is unprecedented.

The difference between the fifth and sixth ranks is truly reflected in every aspect of life, at all times.

He smiled and said gently, "My colleagues, there's no need for such formalities. Everyone is busy with official duties, so let's not delay and go about our business."

Upon hearing this, everyone straightened up.

Liu Shuyi didn't say anything more to them, nor did he give them a chance to flatter him. Having experienced being surrounded and congratulated by officials of the fifth or even fourth rank in the palace, the flattery and congratulations from these ordinary officials could no longer stir any ripples in his heart.

He hurried to the courtyard of the Ministry of Justice.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw the officials of the Ministry of Justice standing in neat rows, looking out.

Upon his arrival, they all bowed and greeted him, their voices louder than those of the officials he had just encountered.

The sparrows on the eaves were so frightened that they flapped their wings and flew away.

Liu Shuyi looked at the crowd and saw two figures standing at the front.

One of them was Qian Wenqing. Qian Wenqing was bowing with his head down. I couldn't see his face clearly, but his whole body was tense. I could imagine that he was not in a good mood at the moment.

The other person was Cui Lin, who was wearing a green official robe.

Liu Shuyi was somewhat surprised. Cui Lin had taken office so quickly?
Is the Ministry of Personnel really that efficient?

Behind Cui Lin were familiar figures such as Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan.

Oh... there's another official who's been sneaking around looking at me. This person looks familiar... Right, isn't this Wang Xun, the official in the Ministry of Justice who once approached me and said he was willing to pledge allegiance to me?

Wang Xun had clearly promised to report Qian Wenqing's whereabouts to him at all times, but he hadn't received anything, and Wang Xun was clearly acting guilty...

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly, and he guessed the reason.

This opportunist is indeed unreliable. He probably realized that after learning he was investigating Ma Qingfeng's family massacre, he shared the same thought as everyone else: that he was crazy and looking for death, so he switched sides back to Qian Wenqing.

I wonder if Wang Xun regrets it now.

As Liu Shuyi mentally recited the names of these people, his gaze swept over them one by one.

Some of these people are familiar to me, some are strangers to me, some have bullied me before, and some have immediately turned to the light... No matter what their intentions are, at this moment, they all belong to me.

Their future, their promotion or demotion, everything about them, is in their own hands.

From the moment he became the Director of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Justice became his territory, and he truly possessed power.

Liu Shuyi smiled and raised his hands, saying, "Gentlemen, there's no need for such formalities. In the future, I will need your help in handling the affairs of the Ministry of Justice."

Everyone quickly replied, "It is our honor to be able to share the burden of Doctor Liu."

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Alright, everyone, go ahead and get busy. The Ministry of Justice's tasks will proceed as before for now. If there are any changes, I will have the Assistant Minister inform you."

After receiving Liu Shuyi's instructions, everyone dispersed.

Zhao Feng stepped forward and said, "Doctor Liu, your new office has been prepared."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly and arrived at the office in the very center of the Ministry of Justice's courtyard, where the lighting and view were the best.

This office originally belonged to Wan Rong. After Wan Rong died, it was left empty. After the news of Liu Shuyi's promotion spread yesterday, Zhao Feng immediately led people to clean and tidy it up.

Upon entering the office, Liu Shuyi's first impression was that it was spacious.

The room was twice the size of his previous office, with two rows of bookshelves against the wall and a vermilion-lacquered mahogany desk under the window. Several calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, and an incense burner sat in one corner of the desk, its fragrance wafting through the air, creating an atmosphere of exceptional elegance.

He sat down and saw Qian Wenqing and Cui Lin walk into the room one after the other.

Before Liu Shuyi could speak, Qian Wenqing said directly, "Doctor Liu, the unsolved case I'm investigating is not yet over. I need to continue investigating that case today. I wonder if Doctor Liu would allow me to?"

Upon hearing these words, Qian Wenqing felt as if her heart was being torn apart.

He used to do whatever he wanted, and nobody cared about him.
Even when Wan Rong was around, because Pei Ji was looking after him, Wan Rong wouldn't ask anything of him.

As a result, after Liu Shuyi took office, he found himself without any freedom to do anything. In his opinion, this was worse than that of an ordinary clerk or even a minor official.

Liu Shuyi glanced at Qian Wenqing's face; with his abilities, he could easily know what Qian Wenqing was thinking.

However, he didn't care. The fact that Qian Wenqing took the initiative to come to him to report on the mission meant that the shackles he had placed on Qian Wenqing had taken effect.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Now that the investigation has begun, it cannot be stopped halfway. You may go."

Qian Wenqing's eyes lit up, and he was about to nod when he heard Liu Shuyi continue, "However, before you finish your shift tonight, you must accurately write down the case file of the case you are investigating and send it to me."

"It needs to be marked which things you found before and which things you found today. I need to know what you have gained today so that when Lord Du asks, I can tell whether you were slacking off today or focused on investigating the case."

Qian Wenqing felt a sudden darkness before his eyes.

Does Liu Shuyi think everyone is like him, able to solve cases in a day?

This is a case from several years ago. If you're lucky, you might find some clues in a day. If you're unlucky, you might not find anything even after two or three days, let alone a day.

If I write this down, wouldn't it mean that I haven't done anything?

Although he did want to slack off and enjoy himself outside, which was better than having to deal with Liu Shuyi's attitude in the Ministry of Justice, he couldn't let Liu Shuyi have his way of judging him.

He wanted to refute Liu Shuyi, but he was afraid that if he did, Liu Shuyi would seize the opportunity to take over his case, just like when he was first promoted to assistant secretary.

By then, wouldn't I have been doing all the work for Liu Shuyi?
After much internal struggle, Qian Wenqing finally gritted his teeth and nodded: "This humble official understands."

He'd deal with the rest later; he didn't want to see Liu Shuyi for even a second right now.

Liu Shuyi gave Qian Wenqing a deep look and said, "Then go ahead and get busy."

Without saying a word, Qian Wenqing turned around and quickly left.

Liu Shuyi looked at Cui Lin again, this time with a genuine smile, and said, "Master Cui, you took office faster than I expected."

Cui Lin smiled and cupped his hands in thanks: "It's all thanks to Physician Liu's high regard for me."

"Upon learning of the intentions of Physician Liu and Master Du, I immediately returned to my family and informed my elders. Upon learning that I could not only stay in Chang'an but also be promoted to Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, my elders immediately went to the Ministry of Personnel to explain the situation on my behalf."

"Upon hearing this, the Ministry of Personnel sent someone to the Ministry of Justice to confirm with Lord Du. Afterwards, the Ministry of Personnel considered that my term of service in Chang'an was about to expire, and if I was not transferred as soon as possible, I would have to return to Bingzhou..."

"Therefore, after considering all these factors, the Ministry of Personnel completed all the procedures on the same day, and I took office early this morning."

Liu Shuyi understood. In fact, the most crucial factor, besides his own recommendation, was the influence of the Cui family of Qinghe.

Under normal circumstances, even with one's own recommendation, the Ministry of Personnel would not be able to complete the process in less than three to five days.

The only way the Ministry of Personnel could make an exception is through the work of the Cui family of Qinghe.

The capabilities of top-tier families are truly astonishing. However, if the Cui family had acted on Cui Lin's behalf earlier, Cui Lin would not have ended up being ridiculed by Qian Wenqing yesterday.

Ultimately, even aristocratic families are quite pragmatic.

They would only add to the glory of collateral branches, not offer help in times of need.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "It's good that you can take office sooner. I happen to be short-handed, and the sooner you come, the easier it will be for me."

Cui Lin nodded emphatically: "Please do whatever you need me to do, Doctor Liu."

At this moment, when he faced Liu Shuyi, he no longer had his former arrogance, but only sincere gratitude and respect.

Liu Shuyi thought for a moment and said, "You should familiarize yourself with the Ministry of Justice first, get to know your colleagues better, and review the case files sent by the Court of Judicial Review. If there are any other tasks, I will call you again."

Cui Lin was new to the area and needed time to adjust, so Liu Shuyi didn't assign him too many tasks.

"I understand."

Cui Lin nodded, then quickly left. The position of Assistant Minister of Justice was one he had long awaited, and he couldn't wait to make his mark.

Watching Cui Lin's energetic departure, Liu Shuyi smiled and shook his head. He then looked at Zhao Feng and asked, "Manager Zhao, do you have any tasks assigned to you today?"

Zhao Feng said, "It's just a regular task of copying case files."

"Leave this matter to someone else. Go and do something for me."

Zhao Feng immediately said, "Please give your instructions, Physician Liu."

"Go find someone from Miaoyin Pavilion and ask them something..."

Then, Liu Shuyi told Zhao Feng about his brother's drinking alone at Miaoyinfang.

Zhao Feng knew about Liu Shuzhong's disappearance and therefore understood the importance of this matter. Without any hesitation, he nodded directly: "This subordinate will go and investigate immediately."

After saying that, he quickly left.

Soon, only Lu Yangyuan remained.

Lu Yangyuan looked at Liu Shuyi expectantly and said, "Doctor Liu, do I have a mission?"

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Of course."

"Go to the Dali Temple and find Du, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Ask Du to introduce a colleague of my brother from the Dali Temple, and then bring that colleague to see me."

Lu Yangyuan immediately patted his chest and said, "This humble official guarantees that I will handle it perfectly for Physician Liu!"

After saying that, he dashed out.

Seeing Lu Yangyuan's hurried and energetic demeanor, Liu Shuyi smiled helplessly. He looked away, gazing at the spacious office in front of him, and inhaling the pleasant fragrance of incense, he felt refreshed and relaxed.

When he first transmigrated, he was just a minor official in the Ministry of Justice, walking on thin ice, constantly on guard against Qian Wenqing's oppression.

And now, in just over a month, he has already taken up the highest position in the Ministry of Justice.

It truly feels like the tides of fortune shift every thirty days.

Now that he's a physician, he doesn't have to review every case file. Only cases that the assistant minister can't handle will be sent to him. So he's actually more relaxed now than before.

Taking advantage of the temporary free time, Liu Shuyi took out the ancient book "Lianshan". He originally wanted to copy "Lianshan" into four copies as soon as possible and then find someone to explain the contents of the book to him. However, he had too many cases and was busy with other things, and he has not finished copying it yet.

With time slipping away, we couldn't delay any longer.

Liu Shuyi picked up a brush and quickly began copying.

This copying took an hour.

It wasn't until Lu Yangyuan returned with his men that Liu Shuyi put away the half-copied "Lianshan".

"Come in," Liu Shuyi said to the door.

crunch--

The door was pushed open.

Lu Yangyuan led in a middle-aged man dressed in a blue official robe.

Upon seeing Liu Shuyi, the man immediately bowed and said, "This humble official, Zhao Wenzhong, a judge of the Court of Judicial Review, greets Physician Liu."

Liu Shuyi sized up the middle-aged man. The man was seven feet tall, thin, and his clasped hands were like skin and bones, making him look like he had been malnourished for a long time.

He said, "Commentator Zhao, there's no need for such formalities."

Zhao Wenzhong then straightened up.

He looked at Liu Shuyi cautiously and asked, "I wonder why Doctor Liu summoned me here?"

Liu Shuyi did not answer directly, but asked, "Are you very familiar with my elder brother Liu Shuzhong?"

"Judge Liu?"

Zhao Wenzhong nodded: "We've worked in the same government office and shared the same office space for years, so we're naturally familiar with each other."

Liu Shuyi asked, "I wonder what kind of work my brother usually does at the Dali Temple?"

Zhao Wenzhong thought for a moment and said, "It's just the normal task of a judge in the Court of Judicial Review: to investigate cases, cooperate with the chief judge and the chief judge in trying cases, and give their opinions."

Was there anything unusual before my brother disappeared?

“This…” Zhao Wenzhong frowned and pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, “At least this humble official has not noticed anything unusual.”

"Did my elder brother commit any wrongdoing while he was at the Dali Temple?"

"Commentator Liu is very calm and steady, and has never made a mistake."

Never made a mistake...

Liu Shuyi tapped the desk lightly with his fingertip, pondered for a moment, and then said, "You are so familiar with my elder brother, so you must know which cases he was involved in, right?"

"Yes." Zhao Wenzhong replied without hesitation.

Liu Shuyi stood up abruptly and said, "Let's go to the case file room and find the case files related to my elder brother."

Since he hadn't made any mistakes on the surface, the only thing that could make Liu Shuzhong regret it and wish he could turn back time is a case he was involved in.

He specifically brought up this case when others offered help, but he felt his problems were unsolvable and he was desperate…

This is enough to prove the importance of this case to him and the impact it had on him.

Therefore, if this case can be found, we may be able to learn more about Liu Shuzhong's secrets, and even glimpse some of the truth behind Liu Shuzhong's disappearance through this case.

　This chapter is rather scattered, mainly laying the groundwork for the plot. I'm actually not keen on writing transitional plots, but I have no choice. Without clearly explaining the causes and consequences, writing directly about the case would feel disjointed.

　　Fortunately, all the groundwork has been laid, and the next chapter will begin with a new case.

　　Sorry to keep you all waiting. I will write a new case that is more complicated and exciting than the Ma Qingfeng family murder case!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)