The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 191 Zhao Feng's Surprise: A Breakthrough Has Arrived!?
Seeing Chu Xiong leave, Du Gou and the others then stepped forward.

"How was it?" Du Gou asked. "Did you gain anything?"

Liu Shuyi didn't hide anything, saying, "There were some gains, but not many..."

Then, he revealed all the information he currently possessed, as well as his deduction that Chu Xiong had secretly arranged for people to investigate, without reservation.

Upon hearing this, Du Gou and the others felt a chill in their hearts.

"Damn it! These guys were already making things harder for us by not cooperating and keeping things under wraps, but now they're secretly investigating behind our backs, trying to prove that this case was done by the imperial court and use us as a sacrifice..."

Cheng Chumo couldn't help but say, "Why don't we strike first and chop these guys down? I prefer to take the initiative rather than be sacrificed!"

Although Cheng Chumo's words were somewhat emotional, they reflected the negative emotions in everyone's hearts.

too difficult!
Their current situation is like hell for them!
They faced numerous difficulties investigating the case in this unfamiliar place, but the local government deliberately concealed the truth and secretly obstructed their efforts.

That's fine, but it makes the investigation more difficult.

However, the local government is secretly having another team continue the investigation, and if the murderer intends to frame the imperial court, he will inevitably fabricate some false evidence that is detrimental to the court.

Once these false testimonies fall into the hands of the prefectural government, they will subjectively believe that the case was committed by the imperial court and will certainly not carefully investigate. At that time... one can imagine what will happen.

Their time was extremely tight, and this tightness was different from having a specific deadline.

The prefectural government could find evidence at any time, declare the case closed, and then take direct action against them...

In other words, they were constantly facing imminent annihilation, and terrifying pressure was always looming over them.

This is far greater than the pressure of having a clear deadline!
In other words, they are all outstanding members of the younger generation with strong mental fortitude. Otherwise, if it were an ordinary person, they would probably be in despair after learning about these things.

This isn't a case investigation; it's more terrifying than going to war.

Du Gou took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and asked Liu Shuyi, "What are you going to do?"

Everyone was watching Liu Shuyi closely.

Liu Shuyi knew that at this moment, as the leader, he should encourage everyone, but time was of the essence and he didn't have much time to waste. Moreover, everyone present was a smart person, and no matter what he said, he couldn't change their perception of the current situation.

Therefore, Liu Shuyi decided to skip the nonsense.

He met the gazes of the crowd and said, "We must solve this case, and we must solve it before Chu Xiong and the others close it!"

"Therefore, we must divide our forces into three groups!"

"The first route..."

He looked at Du Gou and said, "Du Sicheng, you will lead the men to re-interrogate the local people. I do not believe any of the information Chu Xiong gave me. I need to investigate and confirm all the information again."

Du Gou nodded without hesitation: "Okay!"

"The second route..."

Liu Shuyi's gaze fell on Changsun Chong, and he said, "Changsun, it's time to use your 'money-dropping' ability. I need you to go to the prefectural government office, find a way to bribe some people there, and then extract some information from them..."

"Including whether they know the progress of the case investigation, whether Jiang Rui has been behaving unusually recently, and whether non-governmental personnel frequently meet with Jiang Rui, etc."

This was something Changsun Chong excelled at. He patted the money pouches hanging from his waist and said, "Leave it to me! I'll definitely get it out for you!"

Liu Shuyi nodded, then looked at Cheng Chumo and said, "General Cheng, you go with Vice Minister Changsun and protect his safety."

"And what about you?" Cheng Chumo frowned subconsciously. His mission was to ensure Liu Shuyi's safety at all costs.

Liu Shuyi said, "I am the last one to go. I will go to the brothel with Miss Du and Manager Zhao to find out about Jiang Rui before he disappeared. If Jiang Rui's body is found along the way, Miss Du will go to examine the body as soon as possible."

Knowing that Cheng Chumo was worried about his safety, he added, "You don't need to worry about your safety. It's not time to really break ties yet, so they won't make a move easily."

"The governor's office is their stronghold, where many people are dissatisfied with the court. The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is not skilled in martial arts, and I was worried that someone might cause trouble, which is why I sent you to protect him..."

Cheng Chumo then realized what was happening.

But he still said, "I will arrange for guards to accompany you."

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Good! Better safe than sorry. Everyone should be careful and protect themselves."

Everyone is aware of their own situation, so they naturally won't object.

"That's it."

Liu Shuyi took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces, and said, "Gentlemen, time is life. I won't waste any more words. Your own safety is the first priority. If you sense that the situation is not right, you must evacuate immediately..."

"Besides that, let's do our utmost. Our fate is already tied to that of Hebei Province and even the Tang Dynasty."

"We can't lose!"

After saying that, he turned around and said, "Let's go!"

Without the slightest hesitation, and without even a final farewell, the group mounted their horses, exchanged one last look at each other, and galloped off in three different directions.

Under the blazing sun, their shadows grew farther and farther away, until finally, they disappeared at the end of their respective roads.

…………

Chunxiang Pavilion.

Chunxiang Pavilion is one of only two brothels in Xingzhou City. It is located on the north side of Xingzhou City, right next to the main street.

As a venue open at night, Chunxiang Pavilion is very quiet during the day. Inside the ornately decorated pavilion, only the fragrance of incense wafts out, without any decadent music.

Zhao Feng looked around the brothel in front of him and said, "This place is some distance from the intersection where Governor Jiang's body was found."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "Two possibilities... One is that Jiang Rui went to the intersection area that night, so the murderer killed him in that area and then disposed of the body nearby."

“One possibility is that Jiang Rui was murdered near Chunxiang Pavilion, but the murderer had to bring his body to the intersection for some special reason. If it is the second possibility, then the intersection must have a different meaning for the murderer.”

Zhao Feng thought for a moment and agreed, "I just don't know which possibility it will be."

"Let's go to the brothel and ask. If we can find out why Jiang Rui left, we might be able to deduce his whereabouts that night."

As Liu Shuyi spoke, he dismounted.

Du Ying, Zhao Feng, and the guards all dismounted.

"Is this the brothel that so attracted my brother?"

Smelling the fragrant aroma emanating from the brothel, Du Ying nodded and said, "It is indeed different from other places, it smells so good..."

Then she looked at Liu Shuyi and asked, "Do you like it here?"

Alarm bells rang in Liu Shuyi's mind. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately declared righteously, "I am not Du Sicheng. I am a person of integrity and have never been to a brothel."

Seeing Liu Shuyi tense up, as if his tail had been stepped on, Du Ying couldn't help but smile on her cold and beautiful face: "Why are you so nervous? I'm not stopping you from going to a brothel."

She says she won't stop us, but who knows what she's really thinking... Ha! Woman! Your name is insincere.

"Whether Miss Du stops me or not, I will not come to a brothel easily."

Well, he won't come easily. If he doesn't come easily, then we'll see... Liu Shuyi never speaks definitively. He was afraid that Du Ying would delve deeper into when he meant "not easily," so he coughed and said, "Let's not delay, let's go in quickly."

Having said that, he quickly stepped into Chunxiang Pavilion.

Watching Liu Shuyi's swift, almost frantic figure, as if being chased by a monster, Du Ying's eyes curved into a smile, a gentle light in them that she had never seen before.

She didn't actually care whether Liu Shuyi went to brothels. Even a gentleman like her brother couldn't resist going, so it was normal for Liu Shuyi to go too. What she cared about was Liu Shuyi's reaction to her. Such an intelligent person as Liu Shuyi was acting so clumsily at this moment, which was enough to show her position in his heart.

Seeing Liu Shuyi enter Chunxiang Pavilion, Du Ying and the others did not delay any longer and followed him in.

As soon as they entered, a burly man with a fierce face greeted them: "Chunxiang Pavilion does not accept customers during the day. The girls are all resting. If you want to find a girl, please come back at night."

Liu Shuyi glanced at the man and said calmly, "I am indeed looking for a girl, but not in the way you're thinking..."

The man sized up Liu Shuyi and grinned, "Well, I'm curious, if you come to a brothel and aren't looking for girls to warm your bed, what else could you be doing?"

"Questioning!"

Liu Shuyi was too lazy to waste words with him and directly revealed his identity: "I am a senior official in the Ministry of Justice. I have come to Xingzhou to investigate the case of the murder of the governor of Xingzhou. I have heard that the last place Governor Jiang was seen before his death was your Chunxiang Pavilion. Is that true?"

A senior official in the Ministry of Justice!?
The burly man's expression changed upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words.

The mocking look on his face instantly turned into panic. He hurriedly bowed, his attitude changing 180 degrees to be warm and respectful: "This humble one did not know that the honored guest was an official. I have just offended you, and I hope you will forgive me."

Liu Shuyi said calmly, "You have indeed offended me. If this were Chang'an, I would be able to throw you in jail."

The burly man turned pale and hurriedly said, "Sir, spare my life! I didn't mean to offend you. Please forgive my words."

"You treated it like a fart?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "That won't do! I'm here to investigate a case, and your words are important testimony. I can't take them lightly..."

The man trembled and almost knelt down before Liu Shuyi.

"but……"

Liu Shuyi changed the subject, saying, "Confessions can be important or not. If you cooperate fully with me and help me obtain many useful confessions, then I may ignore the unimportant ones."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, the burly man grasped at a straw like a drowning man, and hurriedly said, "I will cooperate fully. I will tell you everything I know."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi nodded in satisfaction: "Then let's see how you perform next."

The man nodded emphatically: "Doctor, please ask whatever you want to know. I will not hide anything from you."

Seeing that Liu Shuyi had completely subdued this fierce-looking man who looked like he was not to be trifled with in just a few words, Zhao Feng and the others couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It had to be Doctor Liu. If it were them, let alone subduing this man, getting him to cooperate would probably be a difficult task.

Liu Shuyi had limited time. Seeing that this person had been controlled, he didn't delay any longer and said directly, "Your name and your identity in Chunxiang Pavilion."

The man hurriedly replied, "I am Han Si, a guard at Chunxiang Pavilion. My usual job is to guard the gate and protect the girls and the distinguished guests who come to Chunxiang Pavilion for entertainment."

"Guard the door?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow: "So, everyone who enters and leaves Chunxiang Pavilion has to be scrutinized by you?"

"I can't say all..."

Han Si said, "I will take turns guarding the gate with others. I can only say that during my time guarding the gate, everyone entering or leaving Chunxiang Pavilion must pass in front of me."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "Were you the gatekeeper the night Governor Jiang had his accident?"

"Yes." Han Si nodded.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng and the others' eyes lit up.

They never expected that the first person they met at the brothel would become a key witness in the case.

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes and asked, "When did Governor Jiang leave?"

"It was about 1:15 AM."

"A quarter past midnight? So specific?"

The file Chu Xiong gave him only stated that Jiang Rui left the brothel around midnight, a very vague time, yet Han Si was able to be so certain...

Han Si said, "I was feeling a bit sleepy at the time, so I was pacing back and forth in the main hall of Chunxiang Pavilion. After hearing the watchman's 'midnight' signal, I was on my fifteenth round when Governor Jiang happened to come down from upstairs..."

"At my speed, fifteen laps would take about a quarter of an hour, so I can roughly determine that Governor Jiang left at the hour of Zi (11:15 AM), not too far off."

"I see." Liu Shuyi nodded, then asked, "Have you informed the prefectural government about this?"

"Of course!" Han Si said, "I dare not conceal such a serious matter as the murder of Governor Jiang."

Han Si informed the prefectural government, but Chu Xiong didn't include it in his own file...

Liu Shuyi sneered inwardly. Chu Xiong really went to great lengths to stop him.

He gives me information, but not all of it... He tries to waste my time and energy on these details, but even if I know the truth, I can't cause him any trouble.

After all, he hadn't concealed this information; he just hadn't given it all. If he were to question him, Chu Xiong could easily say that he wasn't sure about the veracity of Han Si's testimony and was afraid of affecting his judgment and delaying the investigation... In that case, he would have to praise him for being cautious enough.

In retrospect, choosing to personally verify all the information was indeed the right decision...

"When Governor Jiang left, did he look unusual? Did you ask him why he left so late at night?" Liu Shuyi asked again.

Han Si thought for a moment and said, "I didn't notice anything unusual about him. He looked the same as when he came, with a gentle expression that made people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze."

"As for inquiries..."

Han Si smiled wryly and said, "How could I dare to interfere in the affairs of the governor? Governor Jiang said he was leaving, so I had no choice but to open the door quickly. I didn't dare to have any other thoughts."

"The same expression he had when he arrived..."

Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered as he said, "And your face is so gentle, like a spring breeze?"

“Yes!” Han Si didn’t understand why Liu Shuyi was repeating his words.

Zhao Feng and Du Ying seemed to have thought of something, and their eyes flashed as they both looked at Liu Shuyi.

"Doctor Liu, so you mean Governor Jiang's departure is..." Zhao Feng tentatively asked.

Liu Shuyi understood Zhao Feng's meaning. He nodded slightly and said, "If Governor Jiang had to leave because of some unexpected event... then he would definitely not be in a good mood."

"Yet he could still treat a brothel doorman with kindness, making him feel like he was bathed in a spring breeze..."

"This just means he's in a good mood..."

"Under what circumstances would someone be forced to wake up in the middle of the night and leave, yet still be in a very good mood?"

"I think that his waking up and leaving were his own choices!"

"That is to say..."

He looked at Zhao Feng and Du Ying, and under Zhao Feng's excited gaze, he said in a deep voice, "Prefect Jiang's departure that night was something he had planned long ago. His waking up in the middle of the night wasn't because something unexpected happened, but because he had planned to go out at that time..."

(End of this chapter)