The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 187 A Leap Forward for a Fourth-Rank Vice Minister! Assemble, set off!

"drive!"

The wheels spun rapidly, and the two carriages sped past the noisy crowd.

Inside the carriage ahead.

Liu Shuyi and Du Ruhui sat facing each other.

Seeing that his future father-in-law insisted on seeing him off personally, Liu Shuyi asked, "Master Du, is there anything you need to tell me?"

Time was of the essence, and Du Ruhui didn't waste any words with Liu Shuyi. He simply nodded and said, "Yes."

Liu Shuyi immediately sat up straight and said, "Please speak, Master Du."

Looking at his prospective son-in-law, who satisfied him in every way, Du Ruhui only said four words: "Come back alive."

Liu Shuyi was taken aback. He thought Du Ruhui was going to give him more detailed instructions on the mission, or offer some help in terms of experience and lessons learned.

Unexpectedly, Du Ruhui's purpose in coming out with him and sending him back to pack his luggage was simply to tell him the four words "come back alive"!
But after a moment of stunned silence, an indescribable warmth filled my heart.

Du Ruhui truly regarded himself as a junior member of the family...

Coming back alive, at first glance, sounds like a wish for someone to return safely, a blessing and expectation. But if you delve deeper, it's another kind of instruction... Coming back alive is the most important thing. Everything else, including the task of investigating the case, has to take a backseat.

Du Ruhui knew that Liu Shuyi could understand what he meant, but he still explained, "If something is impossible, or even if it is possible but at the cost of one's life, then give up."

"Although none of us want Hebei Province to be in chaos at this time, we are not truly unprepared. In fact, the imperial court is prepared to suppress Hebei Province at any time, but doing so would come at a high cost, so we prefer to resolve the issue quietly by slowly boiling the frog in water."

He looked directly into Liu Shuyi's eyes and said, "You are not without a way out. It is not that if you fail, the Tang Dynasty will really be finished... Don't put too much pressure on yourself. It would be best if you could successfully resolve the crisis in Hebei Province. If you can't, the sky won't fall."

These are words that Du Ruhui, as the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, should never have said.

But he still said it. He knew Liu Shuyi was very smart, but smart people can sometimes get stuck on things. He was really afraid that Liu Shuyi would do what he said in the palace, and would not give up even if it meant death.

Liu Shuyi smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Master Du, I cherish my life more than anyone else."

Seeing that Liu Shuyi understood his meaning, Du Ruhui didn't say anything more.

He leaned back, rubbing his forehead wearily, and said, "Regarding this case, regarding Hebei Province, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will tell you everything I know."

With his own safety at stake, Liu Shuyi didn't stand on ceremony with Du Ruhui and asked directly, "Are we ready to use the fake Prince Xi's illegitimate son as a substitute?"

Previously, he had suggested a scheme to Du Ruhui: the court should fabricate a illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi and let him appear before the real illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi, thus establishing his reputation and allowing the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi to recognize him first. In this way, when the real illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi appeared later, he would be seen as an imposter, and the court's illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi could directly launch an attack, accusing him of being an imposter, and creating a scene of the thief crying "stop thief!"

"We found the right person, but before we could make a move, Jiang Rui died. We were unsure of the future situation in Hebei Province, so we left him in the shadows and made further plans."

Liu Shuyi nodded. Du Ruhui and his team were incredibly efficient. They had made all the preparations in just a few days after he came up with the idea. However, he hadn't expected such an unexpected turn of events.

"Give me a way to contact him. If I have the chance, I might be able to help him."

Upon hearing this, Du Ruhui's eyes flashed: "You want to use yourself to pave the way for him?"

Liu Shuyi chuckled softly: "Everyone knows I ruined the plans of the illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi, and he will surely hate me. So I should be able to help him solidify his identity and even build some prestige for him among the former subordinates of the Prince of Xi..."

"Of course, everything depends on the specific situation in Hebei Province. If I can't even protect myself, then I can't help him."

Du Ruhui pondered Liu Shuyi's words carefully, a sharp glint flashing in his deep eyes: "If you can really help him, it will indeed be twice as effective with half the effort. In that case, the real illegitimate son of the Prince of Xi will probably have even less chance to rise again. And if our people can control the Prince of Xi's old subordinates, the opportunity to completely resolve the Hebei Province issue may be just around the corner..."

He immediately took out a dark green jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Liu Shuyi, saying, "Take this jade pendant to Zhao's pawnshop in Xingzhou City, and someone will contact you... Not only will you find this person, but you can also contact the spies and inside agents that the court has arranged in Hebei Province."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi quickly and carefully put the jade pendant away.

He thought for a moment and then asked, "Among the officials in Hebei Province, which ones can be completely trusted?"

Du Ruhui shook his head: "Human hearts are complex and fickle. Although we have recruited some of the old subordinates of the Prince of Xi and can get them to do some things for us, to say whether we can completely trust them... my answer is no."

"It's not that they actually have any problems, but in a life-or-death situation, we can't gamble..."

"You can have them do small things for you, but when it comes to matters of life and death, my advice is that you can't trust anyone except the people you brought from Chang'an!"

As he spoke, Du Ruhui took out another book from his bosom.

"This booklet details who we have bribed, who we are in contact with, and who are staunch rebels... You can refer to it to at least know who among the people you encounter may have good intentions towards you and who is definitely full of malice."

Liu Shuyi took the book and quickly opened it.

He only flipped through two pages before he understood how valuable the book was.

It can be said that the greatest gain for Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji after so many days of hard work was this book. With this book, the situation in Hebei Province was clear at a glance.

Liu Shuyi carefully put it away, saying, "With this book, I have even more confidence."

At this time, the carriage stopped.

"We've arrived at the Liu residence," came the voice of Du Ruhui's coachman.

Du Ruhui let out a soft breath and said, "To be honest, I don't want you to take risks, but there are many things in this world that are beyond my control..."

Liu Shuyi understood Du Ruhui's meaning. He chuckled and said, "I know you're worried about me, but a fledgling eagle has to go through certain things to become a mighty eagle... and this trip to Hebei is dangerous, but it's also an opportunity for me."

"Although Lord Du hinted to me before that I had a chance to compete for the rank of fourth-grade vice minister..."

“But I understand that His Majesty has already made an exception for me several times in a row by promoting me. If His Majesty wants to make an exception for me again, it is not something that can be achieved simply by accumulating merits.”

"Or rather, even if it is the accumulation of merit, the amount of merit required must be extremely terrifying. At the current rate, it is impossible to accumulate that much merit in less than a year and a half... And His Majesty cannot allow the position of a fourth-rank vice minister to remain vacant for such a long time."

"Therefore, I need an opportunity, an opportunity that will allow me to take a big leap forward..."

He met Du Ruhui's gaze: "The trip to Hebei Province is such an opportunity! As long as I can perfectly resolve the calamity in Hebei Province, I can come very close to the merit of a fourth-rank vice minister. Only then will I truly be qualified to compete for the position of vice minister!"

Seeing that Liu Shuyi's goal was clear and obviously the result of careful consideration, Du Ruhui put aside his last bit of worry.

He patted Liu Shuyi on the shoulder: "Go on, I'll be waiting for your triumphant return!"

Liu Shuyi nodded emphatically. He stood up and bowed slightly to Du Ruhui: "Lord Du, take care of yourself and wait for our victorious return."

…………

An hour later.

Liu Shuyi rode his horse out of the city, glancing around to the left and right.

"Dr. Liu, over here."

A familiar and hearty voice came from the right.

Liu Shuyi looked in the direction of the sound and saw Cheng Chumo, who was carrying two huge battle axes, waving vigorously at him. Behind him was a team of more than a hundred people.

Liu Shuyi spurred his horse forward, and upon reaching them, he slowed down, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "General Cheng, will you be escorting us this time?"

"It wasn't supposed to be my turn..."

Cheng Chumo grinned and said, "When Father heard that you were going to that dangerous place in Hebei Province, he insisted on personally escorting you and didn't give me a chance at all. But before he could even put on his armor, he was stopped by others. They said that if Father went to Hebei Province, those former subordinates of the Prince of Xi might be frightened into thinking that the imperial court had attacked, and then Hebei Province would probably be in chaos... So Father had no choice but to give me this opportunity."

Liu Shuyi never expected that there would be such a drama behind his escort.

Cheng Yaojin and Cheng Chumo actually got into a fight over something; anyone who didn't know better would think they were going to some great place.

Liu Shuyi said with a smile, "General Cheng is very kind. It's just a pity that we are about to leave and I can't thank General Cheng in person."

As he spoke, Liu Shuyi glanced at the guards behind Cheng Chumo.

These guards were all burly and imposing, with swords at their waists and bows and arrows on their backs. Each of them had sharp eyes and an awe-inspiring presence.

Liu Shuyi nodded inwardly; just by their spirit and energy, he could tell they must be elites.

stomping on...

The sound of galloping horses came from the city gate.

Cheng Chumo said, "Minister Du and the others have arrived."

Liu Shuyi turned around and saw four figures riding towards him.

It was Du Gou and Du Ying, siblings, as well as Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan.

After much deliberation, Liu Shuyi decided that the Ministry of Justice would only send Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan to assist him, while Cui Lin would remain stationed at the Ministry of Justice.

If he and Cui Lin both leave, then Qian Wenqing will be the highest-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice, and he will regain control of the Ministry of Justice.

Knowing that Pei Ji would find an opportunity to scheme against him, he could not allow Qian Wenqing to regain control of the Ministry of Justice. Therefore, he specifically left Cui Lin in the Ministry of Justice to suppress Qian Wenqing, while secretly monitoring Qian Wenqing to see if Pei Ji would take advantage of his absence to do something with Qian Wenqing.

The Ministry of Justice is our rear base and headquarters; we must not lose it.

When Du Gou and the others arrived, Liu Shuyi cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Minister Du, you'll have to work hard again."

Du Gou, with his gentle demeanor, shook his head and said, "Between you and me, there's no need to talk about hardship."

Liu Shuyi laughed heartily, "That's right!" As he spoke, he looked at Du Ying again. Du Ying's cold and beautiful eyes met Liu Shuyi's gaze, and without saying a word, they seemed to understand each other's meaning.

Du Ying nodded slightly and said, "With me here, you will be immune to all poisons."

These words gave Liu Shuyi the illusion that he was being protected by a powerful figure.

And this was not an illusion; Du Ying really could shield herself from all the hidden arrows from poisonous creatures.

He laughed and said, "With Miss Du's words, I think my chances of coming back alive this time have increased by at least double."

Du Ying wanted Liu Shuyi not to say such unpleasant things before setting off, but after hesitating for a moment, she ultimately didn't say it.

She made up her mind that she must protect Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi's gaze continued to move, landing on Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan.

Before he could even speak, Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan said in unison, "We swear to protect Doctor Liu to the death."

Liu Shuyi: "..."

Why does going to Hebei Province feel like I'm just going to my death...?

"Don't talk nonsense."

Liu Shuyi cautioned, "We are going to Xingzhou in Hebei Province to investigate the murder of the Xingzhou Prefect and to avenge Jiang Rui, the Prefect of Xingzhou. This is a normal case investigation. Be careful with your words. It would be bad if the officials of Hebei Province misunderstood our intentions."

Zhao Feng and Lu Yangyuan were not stupid. Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's reminder, they quickly understood what he meant.

Zhao Feng nodded hurriedly: "Doctor Liu is right. I was wrong. I will definitely cooperate with Doctor Liu to find out the truth."

Lu Yangyuan said, "Me too."

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Suddenly, a series of dull thuds echoed from the ground as objects fell.

Everyone instinctively looked down and saw several money bags lying at their feet.

Lu Yangyuan and Zhao Feng looked puzzled: "Who dropped the money bag?"

Du Ying frowned slightly, fearing the money pouch was poisoned, and kicked it away.

Du Gou, seemingly lost in thought, looked up and met Liu Shuyi's gaze. Both men saw a strange expression on each other's faces.

My money bag kept falling... and it was still this much...

Throughout the entire city of Chang'an, there is only one person who would do such a thing.

"Gentlemen, is this the money bag you dropped?"

A familiar voice rang out from behind them at just the right moment.

Liu Shuyi and Du Gou quickly looked over.

Then they saw a handsome man riding a horse behind them. He was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit and looked very imposing. What was most eye-catching was that he had more than a dozen money pouches hanging from his waist, which was quite a sight.

This man was none other than Changsun Chong, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs!
Changsun Chong first bowed to Liu Shuyi, then looked at Changsun Chong, raised his left eyebrow slightly, and said in a somewhat unrestrained manner, "You repressed gourd... oh no, Vice Minister Du, did you drop it?"

A repressed, brooding man...

Liu Shuyi's eyelids twitched involuntarily. He suddenly remembered that when he went to the banquet at Changsun's residence last time, Changsun Chong had told him that Du Gou was a repressed and brooding man.

Then he said that it was not the behavior of a gentleman to speak ill of others behind their backs, so Changsun Chong said that he would say it to Du Gou's face in the future...

Liu Shuyi thought Changsun Chong was joking at the time, but he never expected that he would actually say such a thing in front of Du Gou.

At this moment, even the gentle and refined Du Gou's face turned somewhat dark.

He sneered, "The Money-Sprinkling Immortal... oh no, Vice Minister Changsun, I'm sorry, I don't have a money bag that looks so dirty."

"The Money-Sprinkling Immortal..." Liu Shuyi's eyelids twitched again. When did Du Gou start giving people nicknames?
But I must say, the nickname is quite fitting.

But... is this kind of tit-for-tat response still the gentle and refined gentleman I know?
Cheng Chumo seemed to notice Liu Shuyi's odd behavior and whispered, "Both Changsun and Du are very good at studying. All the champions of poetry and literature gatherings have come from among the two of them... Some people think that Changsun is better, while others think that Du is the best student among the younger generation. As a result, neither of them is willing to admit defeat to the other."

So that's how it is. Liu Shuyi never expected that the two of them had such a past.

When Changsun Chong went missing, he asked Du Gou about Changsun Chong's situation. Du Gou remained calm and showed no emotional fluctuation, so much so that he didn't realize that the two were still in a competitive relationship.

But thinking about it, it's understandable. Given Du Gou's personality, he wouldn't stoop to talking badly about people behind their backs. It was only because Changsun Chong provoked him to his face that Du Gou would have responded so directly.

“This is indeed not Du Sicheng’s money bag, because this is my money bag.”

Cheng Chumo bent down and happily picked up the money bags from the ground one by one.

While picking them up, he said, "The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices has such good eyesight. I didn't even notice that my purse was missing until you told me. Thank goodness, I didn't lose a single piece."

Watching Cheng Chumo happily stuff those money pouches into his arms, making his chest bulge, even the usually unrestrained Money-Sprinkling Immortal fell silent at this moment.

Clearly, this was the first time he had encountered someone as shameless as Cheng Chumo.

So much so that he forgot about his confrontation with Du Gou.

"All right."

Liu Shuyi coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention.

He said, "Everyone is here."

"I think you all know very well how dangerous this trip to Xingzhou to investigate the case is, so I won't say anything more."

"I'll only say one thing..."

Everyone looked at Liu Shuyi seriously, and Liu Shuyi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Take good care of yourselves! If you encounter any danger that threatens your lives, I hope you will not hesitate or waver, and immediately evacuate Xingzhou and even Hebei Province."

"Even if I remain in Xingzhou, you must not interfere with me..."

"I hope that many who go forth will return..."

Liu Shuyi looked around at everyone and said seriously, "It's still the same number of people."

After saying that, he mounted his horse, turned it around, and said, "Let's go!"

As Du Gou and the others watched Liu Shuyi's resolute back and recalled his words, their restless hearts calmed down.

They knew that this journey would be fraught with danger, and their lives would be uncertain.

But whether for the sake of continuing the family's honor or for the affection between them, they had no other choice.

"Let's go."

Du Gou stopped arguing with Changsun Chong and said, "Next in Xingzhou, your money-dropping technique might come in very handy."

Changsun Chong raised an eyebrow, patted the numerous money pouches at his waist, and said, "I've been prepared for a long time. Just watch."

Cheng Chumo grinned and said, "Stop arguing?"

Changsun Chong rolled his eyes at him: "We can make a scene in Chang'an and we won't die. If we keep making a scene outside, then we really don't want to come back alive... By the way, when are you going to return my money pouch? It's an important tool for me to make friends in the future."

"What did you say? The wind is too strong, I didn't hear you..."

While picking at his ear, Cheng Chumo pretended to be deaf and sped up to chase after Liu Shuyi.

Only Changsun Chong was left behind, cursing and swearing...

At the same time, on the city wall.

Li Shimin looked down at the crowd that was getting further and further away on the road and said, "Du Qing, do you think Liu Shuyi and his group of children can successfully resolve the Hebei Province issue?"

Du Ruhui remained silent for a moment, watching his children gradually disappear into the distance, and said, "I hope they can."

"hope?"

Li Shimin shook his head: "I rarely hear those two words from your mouth."

Du Ruhui did not explain. The team he was sending included not only the talents he had trained, but also his most cherished children. He simply could not calmly analyze the chances of their safe return.

The word "hope" simply reflects a father's expectations for his children.

"However, I am just like you..."

Li Shimin gazed at the figures that were no longer clearly visible and slowly said, "I also hope that they can perfectly resolve all the problems and return safely without a single one missing."

　Changsun Chong and Cheng Chumo haven't appeared for a long time, so we gave them more space in our writing. This team can be considered the strongest second-generation team in the Tang Dynasty, so we wrote more about their gathering.

Starting tomorrow, it will be all about the case.

This trip to Hebei Province will be more complex than any previous case. Not only is the case itself complex, but the environment also presents many opportunities for wits and courage. Therefore, the story will be more exciting than previous cases, and I will do my best to write a good plot.

Finally, it's the end of the month. If you have any unused monthly tickets, please vote for them in my favor. Thank you!
　
(End of this chapter)