The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 209: Setting up a feint, Liu Shuyi's plan to escape unscathed!
"Yes."

Du Ying was not surprised that Liu Shuyi would guess the reason for her going out.

She said, "I was a little worried that your plan to steal the sky and change the sun was not carried out by us. I was afraid that the Snake Tiger Guards would not do a good job and ruin your plan, so I went to Caishikou with Changsun Temple Assistant and the others."

Liu Shuyi nodded and said, "Now that you're back, you can bring me meals without worry, so everything must be going smoothly, right?"

Du Ying's heart finally calmed down a bit. She raised her hand to touch her cheek, which was still a little hot. She didn't dare to turn around, afraid that Liu Shuyi would discover her embarrassment, so she kept her back to Liu Shuyi and said, "Everything went according to plan. As you expected, although officials from various prefectures and counties went to the scene when the beheading took place, they did not approach the execution ground. They just watched from a distance. Therefore, they did not realize that the disheveled Chu Xiong was not the real Chu Xiong."

"To prevent the fake Chu Xiong from shouting and exposing the truth, we had his mouth gagged. As you said, the county and state officials did not raise any objections... And so, the beheading proceeded normally. As 'Chu Xiong's' head fell to the ground, the county and state officials left without caring about Chu Xiong's funeral arrangements."

Liu Shuyi swallowed the food in his mouth and said calmly, "Of course they won't object. After all, they are afraid that Chu Xiong will betray them and reveal their secrets at the last moment in order to save his own life. So even if I don't ask you to shut 'Chu Xiong' up, they will find a way to do so."

“That’s true, they’re even more afraid of Chu Xiong speaking up than we are,” Du Ying said.

Liu Shuyi picked up a piece of fish. The fish was tender, fresh, and delicious, with no fishy smell at all. He had to admit, Qingqing's cooking skills were really good.

As he ate, he said, "Chu Xiong's family hasn't noticed anything unusual, has they?"

Hearing this, Du Ying secretly glanced at Liu Shuyi: "With your abilities, how could these ordinary people possibly discover anything when you try to scheme against them? After 'Chu Xiong's' head rolled, they couldn't wait to carry 'Chu Xiong' outside the city. They didn't even change his clothes before putting his body in a coffin and burying him. The speed was unprecedented in my life..."

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "It seems that the Snake Tiger Guards are quite good at pretending to be charlatans. They've really scared the Chu Xiong family."

“If we’re even a little late, our whole family will die a violent death… Who wouldn’t be afraid?” Du Ying said.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "There's no other way. To be absolutely sure, I have to exaggerate the situation."

Seeing that Liu Shuyi was only eating rice and not drinking soup, Du Ying poured him a bowl of soup and said, "Drink some warm soup to warm yourself up."

"I'm not cold..." Of course, Liu Shuyi wouldn't be foolish enough to say that. He smiled and took the soup bowl, saying, "Others only care about whether I solve the case, but only Miss Du cares about whether I'm warm or not."

"..."

Du Ying's heart, which had finally calmed down, started racing again.

She rolled her eyes, a rare occurrence for her, and said reproachfully, "Speak properly."

Liu Shuyi knew when to stop. After drinking the soup, his eyes lit up... This is chicken soup? It has a rich aroma and is truly delicious.

It seems that Qingqing has the potential to be a great chef. Why don't we bring Qingqing into the manor to be a cook?
Lost in thought, he asked, "Did the returning Imperial Guards send back a few messages by carrier pigeon?"

Du Ying thought for a moment and said, "Three."

three...

Liu Shuyi did some mental calculations. It was not yet 11 PM, and the Jinwu Guards left around 11 PM last night.

It has been about eight hours since then.

If the Imperial Guards had not encountered any unforeseen circumstances, and at a rate of releasing one carrier pigeon every two hours, four carrier pigeons should have been released by now.

Calculating the distance again, it's normal that the three carrier pigeons arrived here one after another.

The fourth carrier pigeon should arrive in three hours... and the fifth one, as the distance increases, will take longer and longer to fly, and will arrive late at night.

"Is anyone concerned about my condition?" Liu Shuyi asked again.

“Of course…” Du Ying seemed to have thought of something amusing, and said in a rare teasing tone, “When Zhang Canjun heard that you were sick, he acted as if his own parents were sick. One minute he was trying to find you the best doctor, the next he was asking if we needed medicine and offering to buy it for you. Then he asked if you had an appetite, saying he knew a restaurant with light and mild food that was suitable for sick people…”

"It's only because we know about your relationship with him that people who don't know the situation would really think you might be his long-lost relative."

Listening to Du Ying's words, Liu Shuyi recalled Zhang Bu's distress as he racked his brains to repay his kindness, only to be repeatedly rejected.

He smiled and shook his head: "He's quite thoughtful, but what about the officials in other prefectures and counties?"

"Naturally, they all asked me a few polite questions," Du Ying said.

Politeness?
Although Du Ying was aloof, she was sharp-minded and had a keen eye, so Liu Shuyi trusted her judgment.

Since Du Ying said that the other state and county officials were only showing polite concern, rather than being overly concerned and asking too many questions, then it is highly likely that... the so-called interception or the person who wrote the letter had nothing to do with them.

They didn't care whether I was truly ill or had already passed away.

"correct……"

Then Du Ying thought of something and said to Liu Shuyi, "After the execution, officials from various prefectures and counties brought up the matter of returning home. They wanted to say goodbye to you, but we refused on the grounds that your condition was serious and you needed to rest."

"Return trip?"

Liu Shuyi nodded: "It is indeed time for them to return. Their purpose in coming to Xingzhou was to determine whether Jiang Rui's death was related to the imperial court. Now that they have the results and have resolved the potential threat of Chuxiong betraying them, they have no reason to stay in Xingzhou any longer. The most important thing is to return to their own prefecture and report the situation to their masters."

Those who were supposed to leave have all left; now, the only outsiders left in Xingzhou City are ourselves.

As for when and how they would leave...

Liu Shuyi looked at the sunlit window, his gaze deep: "We'll see what the Jinwu Guard reports back."

…………

Night fell, and the candlelight flickered.

Liu Shuyi sat at the table, reading by candlelight while yawning.

Although he hadn't left the house for only one day, the sudden free time made him feel that time was passing exceptionally slowly. As a result, he felt bored as if he hadn't been out for many days after being confined to his room for just one day.

"I'm destined to be busy; I can never have a moment to rest."

Liu Shuyi shook his head and turned to look out the window.

The night was pitch black, with only the faint light of lanterns illuminating the doors and windows.

There was some distance between here and the street, making it difficult to hear the night watchman's voice, and it was unclear what time it was or whether the Golden Guard's pigeons had returned as usual.

dong dong dong.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Doctor Liu, are you asleep?" Cheng Chumo's voice came in.

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed. In order to better pretend that he had already left and that his so-called illness was just a trick, he made an agreement with Cheng Chumo and the others that if they came to find him, they could just push the door open and come in.

In this way, even if someone is monitoring them, they won't notice anything unusual.

But now, Cheng Chumo spoke up to ask...

Liu Shuyi had a premonition and said, "Come in."

crunch--

The door was pushed open.

Liu Shuyi then realized that Cheng Chumo was not the only person outside the door.

Du Ying, Du Gou, Changsun Chong, Lu Yangyuan, and Zhao Feng all came.

This was the first time so many people had come since he started feigning illness.

Everyone entered the room one by one, with Lu Yangyuan at the back, closing the door behind him.

Before they could speak, Liu Shuyi asked directly, "Did something happen to the Imperial Guards on their return journey?"

"As expected, nothing can be hidden from Doctor Liu."

Cheng Chumo said in a deep voice, "Just now, four pigeons flew back at the same time." Four pigeons?

Liu Shuyi's heart sank.

The Imperial Guards brought a total of ten pigeons on their return journey. Three pigeons had already returned, and this time four pigeons returned at once... This is more than half of the remaining pigeons, indicating that it was impossible for the pigeons to have accidentally broken free and flown away.

"Was there any letter on the returning pigeon?" Liu Shuyi asked.

“No.” Cheng Chumo shook his head: “Just like the previous carrier pigeons, there’s nothing there.”

"Multiple pigeons flew back at the same time, but without any information..." Liu Shuyi pondered, "It seems that they really encountered an accident, and the situation was extremely dangerous, so much so that only four people had the opportunity to release the pigeons, while the others didn't even have time to release them."

Upon hearing Liu Shuyi's words, everyone's hearts grew heavy.

"Someone actually ambushed us on our way back!" Lu Yangyuan clenched his fists. "Who could be so audacious!"

No one answered him.

Even Liu Shuyi wasn't sure who the enemy was, let alone them.

Moreover, this is a meaningless question. Even if we know who the enemy is, so what? The other side has already made their move, and it's clear they intend to kill them without any reason!

This is different from Chu Xiong, who still had to consider the opinions of officials from other prefectures and counties. No matter how sinister Chu Xiong's intentions were, he still had to act according to certain rules.

But the person who ambushed them was different; he chose the most direct way to act, without talking to them about any rules... His danger far exceeded that of Chu Xiong!

Therefore, their most pressing task now is to devise a solution and decide on their next course of action.

Changsun Chong looked at Liu Shuyi and said, "Since Physician Liu has decided to verify the authenticity of the secret letter, he must have a plan for all possible outcomes, right?"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately turned to look at Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi didn't delay and said directly, "Once they find that I'm not among the returning Imperial Guards, they'll realize this was a test, and they'll definitely relay the message to their master as quickly as possible..."

"We must act before their masters receive the message and have a next step in their plan. Time is limited, so I won't waste any more words and will get straight to the point."

He glanced around at everyone and said, "We can't go back the way we came. They didn't find me in the Imperial Guards, so they're likely heading towards Xingzhou City. If we go back the way we came, there's a very high chance we'll run into them."

"So, we have to change our route!"

Upon hearing this, Du Gou immediately took out a map from his bosom.

He spread the map out on the table and asked, "How do you plan to get there?"

Liu Shuyi looked at the map and said, "There are currently three routes to choose from."

He stretched out his finger and gestured on the map: "The first route goes through Yingzhou, Yizhou, and Daizhou, then around Yanzhou back to Chang'an."

“This journey… is far too circuitous,” Du Gou said. “It’s more than twice the original distance.”

Changsun Chong nodded: "This road to the north isn't far from the border. Once the Turks and Liang Shidu find out our whereabouts, they might take action..."

Their team included not only Liu Shuyi, who had ruined the plans of the Turks and Liang Shidu, but also the eldest sons of Changsun Wuji and Du Ruhui, two pillars of the Tang Dynasty... If anything happened to them, it would surely cause a shock in the court, a result that would be enough to tempt the Turks and Liang Shidu.

Liu Shuyi was naturally aware of this, and he said, "So let's put this route aside for now."

He raised his hand and pointed out the second route on the map: "Go through Xiangzhou, Luzhou, and Jinzhou to Chang'an."

"This road..." Du Gou pondered, "It's shorter than our original route, but it's not as easy to travel. Some mountain paths aren't as busy or wide as those in Bingzhou..."

Changsun Chong summarized: "The journey is short, but the time spent may not be short, and some parts are dangerous."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "This route is an option, and the next one is the third one."

He placed his fingertip on Jizhou and said, "Go through Jizhou, Zhengzhou, and Luozhou to Chang'an, alternating between land and water routes."

Looking at the route on the map, Zhao Feng said, "We can get to Zhengzhou via Xiangzhou, and it's even shorter. Why not take the Xiangzhou-Zhengzhou route?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head and said, "If we all go through Xiangzhou, wouldn't that mean that unless we take a detour from the north, we have to take the route from Xingzhou to Xiangzhou?"

"And once our path forward is fixed, which path do you think the thieves would choose if they had time to pursue or ambush us?"

Zhao Feng's expression changed as he understood Liu Shuyi's meaning: "Of course they'll choose the route with the highest probability... So, they'll pursue us along the Xingzhou-Xiangzhou road?"

Liu Shuyi said, "This possibility is slightly higher, but it's not certain."

“In this situation, we can treat the slightly higher probability as a certainty…” Changsun Chong closed his folding fan and looked at Liu Shuyi: “Taking the northern route is no less dangerous than returning the way we came. The second route, from Xingzhou to Xiangzhou, is the fastest and the most popular route. The thieves will definitely choose it as well. So, you mean… we should choose the third route?”

Liu Shuyi didn't waste any words and nodded directly: "The third route is indeed a bit longer, but it's still acceptable compared to the first route. Moreover, we can choose both water and land routes for this route... Even if the enemy also chooses this route, they may not be sure whether we are traveling by water or land. If they choose the wrong route, they will not be able to meet us. This is equivalent to adding another route."

The group looked at the map, pondered for a while, and then nodded in agreement.

"In this light, the third route is indeed the best choice."

"Choosing the third route is equivalent to choosing two routes, and it's also safer."

Seeing that no one objected, Liu Shuyi continued, "Since everyone agrees and time is of the essence, I won't waste any more words..."

"Although we chose the third route, we still have to take the first two routes."

"We can't not go?" Cheng Chumo was confused. "You said we'd take the third route, so how can we take the first two?"

Changsun Chong's eyes flickered: "Doctor Liu means... to create a diversion, making it impossible for the enemy to determine which route we took, thereby diverting their forces and forcing them to pursue us along several routes?"

"The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is wise!"

Liu Shuyi nodded and said, "Since the enemy dares to ambush us, their numbers must far exceed ours. Under these circumstances, we should naturally try our best to reduce their forces. Even if they do catch up with us, the fewer their numbers, the greater our chances of survival."

"That's right!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

Liu Shuyi continued, "However, we can't be too obvious. Even if the other two groups are just a diversion, we must proceed very carefully and secretly so as not to arouse their suspicion and make it impossible for them to determine who is the problem..."

"besides……"

Liu Shuyi looked out at the pitch-black night and said, "Although they think I left beforehand, since you haven't left, they will definitely arrange for people to monitor you..."

"In other words, even if we leave now, they will still know."

Lu Yangyuan's heart tightened: "What should we do? They're in the dark, we're in the light. We don't know where they're hiding, and we have no way to avoid them?"

"Why avoid it?"

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Not only will we not avoid them, but we'll also swagger away, letting them and everyone else know that we've left!"

Lu Yangyuan and Cheng Chumo exchanged a silent glance, then both nodded emphatically.

Thankfully, it's not just me who's stupid.

Neither of the other party understood Liu Shuyi's meaning.

"A crude brute!"

Changsun Chong's eyes darted around, and he said, "You want... them to think we're bait?"

"The one who truly understands me is Changsun, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!"

Time was of the essence, so Liu Shuyi didn't keep them in suspense, saying, "Shortly after we leave, two teams will secretly leave Xingzhou City under the cover of night, heading in two completely different directions..."

He glanced at everyone and said meaningfully, "If you were the enemy, and after the first group left swaggering away, other groups sneaked off, what would you think?"

(End of this chapter)