The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 68 Conferring of a Nobility! Lu Yangyuan Awakens!

Upon hearing Zhao Hong's words, Liu Shuyi's pupils twitched, and he couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

My brother left something for me in this restaurant on the night he disappeared!?
What did he keep for himself?
And if there's something to give you, why not just give it to them directly?

Isn't he afraid that he'll never come to this restaurant again?

If I never come, won't the item never be delivered to me?

Liu Shuyi's expression flickered, his mind racing.

He looked at Zhao Hong and said, "Manager Zhao, do you remember when your brother came to the restaurant that night? What was his expression like then? Was he alright?"

The Liu brothers would come to the restaurant almost every year without fail. Both brothers were government officials, and although their ranks were not high, they were still considered honored guests to ordinary merchants like Zhao Hong.

Therefore, Zhao Hong took Liu Shuzhong's instructions so seriously and remembered them very well.

He said, "I remember it very clearly. A little while after Judge Liu left, I heard the watchman's voice outside. At that time, the watchman was calling out the hour of Hai..."

"So, calculating the time Liu Pingshi spent here, he arrived around 7:45 PM. As for his expression?"

Zhao Hong thought about it carefully for a moment and said, "It seems a bit sad..."

"Sadness?" Liu Shuyi frowned.

Zhao Hong nodded: "It was a bit sad. After Liu Pingshi handed the things to me, he asked me for a pot of wine. Although we were about to close and the kitchen was closed, Liu Pingshi was a distinguished guest of our restaurant, so I still instructed the chef to cook a few dishes for him."

"But Judge Liu refused, saying he only wanted to drink and didn't want to eat anything."

"Then Liu Pingshi sat there by himself, pouring wine cup by cup and drinking it down. In less than a quarter of an hour, he finished the whole pot of wine."

"After that, Judge Liu told me that if I, Master Liu, came, he would give me his things; if I didn't come, he would just leave them there and forbid me from delivering them to the Liu residence on my own initiative..."

"After saying that, he left the restaurant, and I never saw Judge Liu again after that."

As Liu Shuyi listened to Zhao Hong's words, the scene from that night flashed through his mind.

The once bustling restaurant was now empty and desolate as it was about to close.

His own brother sat there alone, looking sad and melancholy as he drank by himself.

With no one by his side and no one knowing why he was so preoccupied, even though the restaurant owner and waiters were around, his brother seemed detached from the world, lonely and desolate.

According to the original owner's memories, on the evening of the fourth day of the fifth lunar month, after returning to the Liu residence, the elder brother took his things and left quickly. It was around 7 PM at that time.

He arrived at the restaurant around 7:45 PM...

In other words, the elder brother arrived here after leaving the Liu residence and before completely disappearing.

From the moment he parted from himself to the moment he entrusted the items to the shopkeeper, only half an hour had passed...

What happened to my brother in that half hour? Why did he suddenly ask the shopkeeper to hand over his things?
He obtained this thing in half an hour?
And since the shopkeeper had already handed it over to me, why did I specifically instruct the shopkeeper not to deliver the items to the Liu residence on his own initiative...?

Does the elder brother want the item to be handed over to him, or not?
And...why did he look so sad?
When he left the Liu residence, he was still full of hope, telling himself with high spirits that the Liu family's glory and title would be restored...

What exactly happened to him in that short half-hour period of time?
Liu Shuyi frowned, countless doubts raining down, constantly creating ripples on the calm lake of his heart.

He possessed all of the original owner's memories, which kept surfacing in his dreams, just as if they were his own experiences in his previous life. Therefore, his brother, who was both a brother and a father, was ultimately different to him.

Knowing that before his brother disappeared, he drank alone in loneliness and sorrow, preferring to have a stranger with whom he had no feelings deliver something important rather than handing it to him personally, and not seeing him one last time...

A multitude of thoughts made him unusually irritable.

Taking a deep breath, he asked the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper Zhao, where is the thing my brother entrusted to me?"

Zhao Hong hurriedly replied, "It's in my room. I'll fetch it for you, Mr. Liu, right away."

"Hard."

"Don't dare."

After Zhao Hong finished speaking, he turned around and quickly left.

As the door closed, the private room fell into a dull silence.

Du Ying, who had been listening quietly, looked at Liu Shuyi. Seeing his furrowed brows, she thought for a moment and said softly, "My brother always likes to go against me..."

Liu Shuyi paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked at Du Ying.

The usually aloof forensic doctor was now showing a rare tenderness.

"When I was little, he liked to snatch food from me, make faces at me, and always had a stern face, lecturing me like an adult..."

"I think I must have done a lot of bad things in my past life to have such a bad older brother..."

“But when my parents decided to let me leave with my mentor to get treatment, I found that the night before I left, my brother was sitting alone outside my room crying. When I found him, he wiped away his tears and gave me all the valuable things he had saved up over the years.”

“He told me that things outside are not like home, and you can’t get anywhere without money. As the eldest son, he has a heavy responsibility to the family. My father will not allow him to go with me, so he can’t take care of me. He feels guilty and thinks he has not fulfilled his responsibilities as an elder brother. He also said that he will miss me very much…”

She looked at Liu Shuyi, her eyes no longer cold, but filled with gentleness: "The reason why an elder brother is an elder brother is because he has many responsibilities and too many things to think about... Many times, it's not that they don't want to treat us well, but that they can't."

“My brother is like that, and I believe your brother is too.”

"But no matter how strange or incomprehensible their behavior may be, it cannot change... his love and care for us."

Hearing Du Ying's unusually gentle voice, Liu Shuyi was stunned for a while before he realized... Du Ying was comforting him.

She knew how devastating her brother's disappearance had been to her.

Therefore, she knew very well how complicated her feelings would be when she suddenly heard the news about her brother's disappearance...

Therefore, despite her aloofness, she used her own experiences and an unprecedentedly gentle tone to comfort herself...

At that moment, Liu Shuyi's heart felt as if it were enveloped by a warm stove.

My heart was pounding violently.

An emotion I had never felt before suddenly arose in my heart.

Looking into Du Ying's concerned eyes, Liu Shuyi felt that he might fall in love with this girl who appeared aloof but was kind at heart.

He took a deep breath, nodded emphatically, and said, "Thank you, Miss Du. I also believe in my brother. No matter how strange his actions may be, he must care about and love me in his heart."

Seeing Liu Shuyi's furrowed brows relax, Du Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

For some reason, the moment she saw Liu Shuyi frowning with worry, she suddenly felt very uncomfortable. This made her, for the first time ever, take the initiative to comfort Liu Shuyi.

However, seeing Liu Shuyi smile again made her feel that it was all worthwhile.

However, Liu Shuyi's gaze was somewhat strange, quite different from his usual expression, which gave her a sense of crisis.

Why would she have this misconception? Du Ying couldn't quite understand it.

dong dong dong.

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

"Master Liu, I'm back."

Upon hearing the shopkeeper's voice, Liu Shuyi immediately said, "Come in."

crunch--

The door was pushed open.

The shopkeeper came in carrying a black wooden box.

He placed the wooden box on the table and said, "Master Liu, this is what Judge Liu left for you."

Liu Shuyi looked toward the black box.

The black box was about a foot long, half a foot wide, and four inches high. It was completely black and made of pine wood, as it had a faint scent of pine resin.

The box lid was locked with a small padlock, and there were no signs of it being pried open.

The shopkeeper said, "After receiving the black box, I carefully placed it in my study and kept it safe. I never let anyone touch it. I even personally cleaned it occasionally. So, Manager Liu, you can rest assured that no one knows what is inside the black box."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly. He knew countless people and could tell that Zhao Hong was not lying.

It seems that his elder brother's choice to entrust this item to Zhao Hong was a well-considered decision. He knew that Zhao Hong held them in awe and dared not easily entertain any improper thoughts.

Looking at the small padlock, Liu Shuyi asked, "Brother, did you leave a key for Manager Zhao?"

Zhao Hong shook his head: "No, Judge Liu only left me the black box, nothing else."

Liu Shuyi was not surprised.

With the key, the black box could be easily opened, and people's curiosity would inevitably drive Zhao Hong to do things he wouldn't dare to do in normal times.

But without the key, opening the black box would inevitably require breaking the lock, and once the lock is pried open, traces will be left behind...

Therefore, Zhao Hong's refusal to open the black box must have been due to this reason.

This should be the elder brother's second layer of insurance.

But my brother didn't give me the key either...

Should we pry it open by force?
After thinking it over, Liu Shuyi finally gave up on the idea.

In any case, this black box was the last thing his brother left him, and even if it was just a lock, he was unwilling to destroy it easily.

Not to mention, he has many other ways to open the lock.

For example... go to the Ministry of Works and find a skilled craftsman there to unlock it.

When he was investigating the case of Li Jiancheng's missing body, he became acquainted with Wang Kun, the Vice Minister of Works. He went to the Ministry of Works to find Wang Kun, believing that Wang Kun would be willing to help with this small matter.

With that in mind, Liu Shuyi temporarily suppressed his curiosity.

Since his elder brother hadn't left him any message or allowed Zhao Hong to deliver the black box to his residence, it meant that this item wasn't something he urgently needed to know about. Therefore, Liu Shuyi was patient enough to wait a few more hours.

Just then, the waiter opened the door and brought over the wine and dishes.

Hearing the sound of swallowing beside him, Liu Shuyi turned his head and saw that Du Ying had returned to her usual aloofness. However, her clear and cold eyes were now fixed on the wine and dishes placed on the table, with a devout expression, as if these were not wine and dishes, but offerings to the gods.

Liu Shuyi smiled and shook his head. He put the black box away and said, "Miss Du, why don't you try it and see if it suits your taste?"

Upon hearing this, Du Ying hesitated for a moment and asked, "The black box your brother gave you?"

She was still as understanding as ever... Liu Shuyi said, "I don't have the key either, and the Ministry of Works is closed for the day. I'll go to the Ministry of Works tomorrow and ask someone to unlock it for me, so we have plenty of time now."

Seeing Liu Shuyi say this, Du Ying no longer hesitated.

He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of goose meat.

As the tender goose meat entered her mouth, and she began to chew, Du Ying's cool eyes suddenly opened, and a glimmer of light appeared in them...

"It's delicious," she couldn't help but say.

Seeing this, the shopkeeper smiled and said, "This is our signature dish, 'Hun Yang Mo Hu'. First, we clean a goose that has been raised for eight months, then stuff its belly with glutinous rice, and then stuff the goose into the belly of a sheep. After that, we roast the sheep until it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and then we discard the sheep and eat the goose... This was originally a royal dish, but it later spread to the common people. We have improved it many times to ensure that the taste is absolutely amazing."

Du Ying originally only knew that goose meat was delicious, but after hearing the shopkeeper's introduction, she suddenly felt that it was even more delicious.

Watching Du Ying's chubby cheeks as she ate, her eyes squinting happily, Liu Shuyi felt that the words "cold and cute" had become a tangible reality before his eyes.

She really is a foodie.

Liu Shuyi smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating.

The meal lasted for more than an hour. In the end, Du Ying could no longer maintain her aloof demeanor and had to touch her bloated belly before it was finally over.

Liu Shuyi asked with a smile, "Are you satisfied?"

Du Ying nodded directly: "I like it very much."

"Then next time... I'll treat you again?" Liu Shuyi looked at the cold and beautiful coroner.

Du Ying thought for a moment and then said, "Your salary has to support your family, and a meal here costs a lot. I'm richer than you, so I'll treat you next time."

These words warmed Liu Shuyi's heart.

The more I interacted with Du Ying, the harder it was to suppress my admiration for her.

After Liu Shuyi paid the bill, he and Du Ying walked out of the restaurant. He said, "Let me take you home."

Du Ying said, "I'll take you there; it's close to your home."

Liu Shuyi refused outright this time: "How can you let a girl go home alone at night? I accepted it when you and your brother escorted me before, but now it's just you and me. If I let you escort me home and ignore you, your brother will probably tell you to stay away from someone as clueless as me."

Liu Shuyi's humor made Du Ying nod with a smile: "You really know my brother; he really is capable of doing such a thing..."

"Ah!"

Du Gou, far away at the Du residence, touched his nose and couldn't help but wonder who was talking about him behind his back.

And so, Liu Shuyi escorted Du Ying back to the Du residence. Seeing that it was already dark, and thinking that Wan'er and Chang Bo might be worried about him since he hadn't been home for a day and a night, he didn't go to the Ministry of Justice and went straight back to the Liu residence.

…………

"Young Master, you're back."

The door opened, and Wan'er poked her little head out to look. When she saw Liu Shuyi, her beautiful eyes lit up, and she exclaimed happily.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "You didn't stay up late waiting for me last night, did you?"

Wan'er shook her head: "The young master asked someone to tell us, so of course we won't wait foolishly anymore."

Liu Shuyi nodded: "That's good."

Wan'er stepped aside to let Liu Shuyi enter the mansion. Looking at the black box that Liu Shuyi was holding, she was about to say something out of curiosity when suddenly her nose twitched.

"Young Master, why do you smell so good?"

"What?" Liu Shuyi was taken aback.

Wan'er brought her delicate nose close to Liu Shuyi, sniffed carefully, and said, "The fragrance of lotus..."

Suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, her eyes widened, and she couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, did you really stay overnight at the Ministry of Justice last night, or did you go there...?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

Liu Shuyi's eyelids twitched; he knew Wan'er had misunderstood.

Perhaps it was because he had spent too much time with Du Ying today, and because the two of them had been in a private room for dinner and were not far apart, that he had picked up some of Du Ying's fragrance.

But the flavor shouldn't be too strong, right?
He sniffed carefully, but couldn't smell anything. How come Wan'er's nose is as sensitive as Du Ying's?

He said, "Perhaps I picked up some women's face powder while investigating the case. Don't overthink it. I've been busy investigating the case these past two days. I don't have time to go to any brothels."

Wan'er looked Liu Shuyi up and down with her clear eyes, making sure that no vixen had left a lip print on the young master, before she said with a smile, "Of course I believe in the young master."

After saying that, she looked back at the black box that Liu Shuyi was holding and asked, "Young Master, what is this?"

"The things my brother left me."

"Things left behind by the young master?"

Wan'er was somewhat surprised and asked curiously, "What did the eldest young master leave for the young master?"

Liu Shuyi shook his head: "I don't have the key, so I can't open the lock. I don't know yet."

"Can't open the lock?"

Wan'er's gaze fell on the lock on the box lid, her bright eyes darting around as she asked, "Young Master, do you need my help?"

"You?" Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and looked at Wan'er.

Wan'er clutched the hem of her clothes with both hands, looking somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I used to do some not-so-good things to survive, so I know some lock-picking techniques."

Liu Shuyi knew that Wan'er had suffered a lot in the past, and had endured all kinds of hardships during her escape, but he did not know the specifics of what Wan'er had experienced.

It was only then that I realized Wan'er also had the skill of picking locks.

It seems Wan'er has done things like sneaking in and picking locks.

He gave Wan'er a deep look, but didn't dwell on it. As long as Wan'er was sincere towards him now, that was enough.

He didn't care what Wan'er had done in the past.

"it is good."

Liu Shuyi nodded directly. If Wan'er could help him unlock the door, he wouldn't have to wait until tomorrow or ask Wang Kun for help.

He asked, "Do you need any tools?"

Wan'er examined the lock on the box carefully, thought for a moment, and said, "Two thin things, like silver needles, will do."

"Does the manor have any?"

"Have."

Wan'er said directly, "Young Master, please go to the study first. I'll go find you right away..."

After saying that, Wan'er ran away as fast as the wind.

Not long after, Wan'er came to the study with two iron nails that had been ground very fine.

Looking at the iron nail, which had been polished to a gleaming shine and was as thin as a silver needle, Liu Shuyi couldn't help but glance at Wan'er again.

"This is something I used before, not something I recently made, young master, don't overthink it..."

Wan'er seemed to know what Liu Shuyi was thinking, and quickly spoke up to explain.

But Wan'er probably didn't know that iron oxidizes over time... so Liu Shuyi could tell at a glance whether it was recently ground or was ground a long time ago.

He didn't say much, only saying, "Open it." Wan'er took the black box, carefully examined the keyhole, then picked up an extremely thin iron nail, inserted it into the keyhole, and shook it back and forth.

While shaking it, I listened carefully to the sound of the lock, and after a moment...

Then there was a click.

The latch popped open.

Wan'er actually opened it with ease.

"opened!"

Wan'er looked at Liu Shuyi with bright, sparkling eyes.

Liu Shuyi laughed and said, "Wan'er helped me a lot. Without you, I wouldn't have had a chance to open it until tomorrow."

Hearing Liu Shuyi's praise, Wan'er's eyes crinkled even more.

"Young master, here you go."

Wan'er removed the lock, but instead of opening the wooden box, she handed it to Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi took the wooden box, took a deep breath, and opened it without any hesitation.

Wan'er subconsciously craned her neck to look inside.

"what?"

She was somewhat surprised: "It looks like some jewelry and a book?"

Liu Shuyi turned the black box upside down, and the contents poured out.

A series of clattering sounds rang out as many jewels fell onto the table, making a continuous noise.

At the same time, an ordinary-looking book also fell to the ground.

Liu Shuyi picked up the jewelry and examined it carefully.

He didn't understand the value of these things. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Wan'er and asked, "Wan'er, do you know how much these jewels are worth? What's so special about them?"

Wan'er also picked up a few pieces of jewelry, examined them carefully, and then said, "These are pearls from the Western Regions, of excellent quality and extremely valuable. These jewels should be enough to buy another one of our mansions."

So valuable?

They are comparable to the jewelry that Ma Fuyuan brought to Chang'an!

Where did my brother get all these precious jewels?
As far as he knew, his elder brother used all his salary to cultivate relationships and support the family, and he didn't even have money for social engagements... so it was impossible for him to obtain these jewels through normal channels.

Who gave it to my brother?
Or did your brother obtain it through special means?

Could it be that... his elder brother left it to him because he knew something might happen to him, so he left it to him to support the Liu family?
If that's the case, why not just hand over the jewelry directly to me? Instead, why did you instruct Zhao Hong not to deliver it to me on his own initiative?

Isn't he afraid that the money he leaves behind will never be his own?

Liu Shuyi frowned, then looked at the only book besides the jewelry.

He opened the book and found it was a copy of the Tao Te Ching.

The paper looks brand new.

It's not much different from the new books I just bought.

I read it carefully for a while...

The book contains the normal content of the Tao Te Ching, and the entire book shows no signs of having been opened.

The page is not creased, and there is no handwriting on it...

No matter how you look at it, it's a book I just bought and haven't had a chance to read yet.

"strangeness……"

Liu Shuyi looked puzzled.

He understood Liu Shuzhong's intention in leaving jewelry for himself.

But he left himself an unread copy of the Tao Te Ching, which he couldn't understand no matter what.

Although the jewelry was valuable, it didn't warrant such special treatment from Liu Shuzhong, who even specifically asked Zhao Hong to deliver it...

Therefore, the source of Liu Shuzhong's bizarre behavior must be this seemingly normal "Tao Te Ching".

But what secrets might a newly purchased copy of the Tao Te Ching hold?
What did his elder brother want to tell him by leaving it behind?
Liu Shuyi stared intently at the book in his hands, his mind racing, but ultimately, he gained nothing.

"I didn't understand my brother's intention..."

"Or perhaps, this black box has been opened? And its contents have been replaced..."

"Or..."

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes: "This is only part of what my brother left me. He also left me something else elsewhere. To unravel the secret, we must find everything."

With so little information, even someone as good at reasoning as him couldn't figure it out for a while.

"call……"

Liu Shuyi let out a long breath. He knew that his brother's disappearance might involve very complicated secrets, so he wasn't particularly disappointed.

To be able to obtain this item is an unexpected delight.

The next step is simply to find a way to verify your guesses.

He believed that sooner or later, he would be able to crack the secret.

Not to mention, now he not only has this item, but also Lu Yangyuan... Once Lu Yangyuan wakes up, perhaps he can take a shortcut and find his brother through the path of the master behind Miaoyin'er.

He has now built two bridges over the abyss that once blocked his way.

He was no longer the bewildered and helpless person he was when he first transmigrated.

…………

The next morning.

dong dong dong.

The familiar knocking sound and the familiar, youthful voice once again woke Liu Shuyi from his sleep.

"Young master, young master, someone from the palace has come with an imperial decree!"

Someone from the palace?

deliver an imperial order……

Liu Shuyi's eyes flashed, and he immediately realized something.

He quickly got up, put on his official robes, and was about to go out.

But after taking just one step, he suddenly paused.

Then he turned around, went to the bedside, opened the black box placed beside his pillow, took out the Tao Te Ching, and put it into his bosom for safekeeping.

Then he quickly walked to the door and opened it.

"Young Master, what have you done now? Why do you have an imperial edict?"

"Didn't they just come to deliver an imperial decree a couple of days ago?"

Wan'er looked at Liu Shuyi with a puzzled expression.

Liu Shuyi chuckled and pinched Wan'er's delicate nose, deliberately keeping her in suspense with a mysterious smile: "Why don't you go and see for yourself?"

Having said that, he strode towards the front yard.

Wan'er touched her slightly sore nose, feeling annoyed by the young master's suspense. She pouted, wanting to say something, but seeing that the young master had already walked away, she quickly chased after him, saying, "Young master, wait for me!"

…………

"Disciple:
I have heard that "ministers of the state, in times of crisis, stabilize the nation," and that in the past, Duke Zhou quelled a rebellion with "wisdom and courage combined, and unwavering loyalty." Now, we have Liu Shuyi, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who is profound and steadfast, and whose judgments are divine, uncovering treachery before it even begins and thwarting rebellious plots before they erupt. His words reveal the truth, and the ancestral temples are restored to peace…

Therefore, Liu Shuyi was granted the title of Viscount of Lantian County...

He bestowed upon them one hundred bolts of silk and one imperial horse, to demonstrate the extraordinary honor bestowed upon them.

The Lord will carry it out.

Listening to the eunuch's lament, Wan'er, who was standing next to Liu Shuyi, had already widened her eyes.

Her beautiful face was full of surprise.

"To confer a title upon a county magistrate?"

"Young Master has actually been granted a title? And he's even become a county magistrate?"

"What exactly has the young master been doing these past two days? How did he suddenly become a nobleman?"

Even Chang Bo's aged face couldn't help but show a look of surprise.

But soon, his eyes reddened.

Tears of joy streamed down his face.

"Master, did you see that?"

"The young master has also been granted a title!"

"Our Liu family has been granted a noble title once again!"

"We're really not far from restoring the Liu family's glory!"

"Young Master really did it!"

Looking at Wan'er and Chang Bo's expressions, Liu Shuyi knew they had many questions, but now was not the time to explain.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. I will work diligently day and night to repay your kindness."

Liu Shuyi accepted the imperial decree and expressed his gratitude.

The eunuch smiled and handed the imperial edict to Liu Shuyi, saying, "Your Excellency is truly favored by the Emperor. There are probably only a handful of people like you who are so highly regarded by His Majesty that an imperial edict was issued by His Majesty so early in the morning, since His Majesty ascended the throne."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi knew that his performance yesterday had indeed pleased Li Shimin greatly.

He said, "I am flattered by Your Majesty's favor and hope to make more contributions in the future to live up to Your Majesty's trust."

The eunuch smiled and nodded: "I will convey the county magistrate's words to His Majesty."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer and led everyone away.

Liu Shuyi and the others went out to see them off. After the eunuchs and others disappeared from sight, Chang Bo and Wan'er both looked intently at Liu Shuyi.

Knowing they must be very curious, Liu Shuyi stopped keeping them in suspense and told them about his appointment to the mission the day before.

Upon hearing this, the surprise on their faces faded, replaced by lingering fear.

"So that's it..."

Wan'er looked at Liu Shuyi with worry: "I was wondering why the young master was suddenly granted a title. It turns out that the young master took such a big risk."

"If the young master doesn't solve the case, wouldn't that mean..."

Liu Shuyi smiled and shook his head: "There are no 'what ifs' in this world. The outcome is that I overcame the difficulties and the Liu family regained its title, and that's enough."

As he spoke, he handed the imperial edict to Chang Bo and said, “Chang Bo, there is an important person in the Ministry of Justice waiting for me. I need to go to the Ministry of Justice as soon as possible... So please deliver this imperial edict to the ancestral hall so that my parents can know that my Liu family has been granted a title again after nine years.”

Upon hearing this, Uncle Chang nodded emphatically.

He had already placed the previous imperial edict in the ancestral hall.

Even if Liu Shuyi hadn't said anything, he would have delivered this copy to the ancestral hall immediately.

Of course, he had to inform his old master of such important good news as soon as possible.

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Then I won't delay any longer."

After saying that, he took a horse and rode away at full speed.

Watching Liu Shuyi's figure disappear quickly into the distance, Wan'er suddenly remembered something: "Young Master, you haven't had breakfast yet..."

Liu Shuyi simply waved his hand.

…………

Ministry of Punishment.

Liu Shuyi strode into the Ministry of Justice and casually handed the reins to the guard at the gate.

He asked, "Has Master Du arrived?"

The guard shook his head: "Not yet."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly and walked towards the courtyard where Lu Yangyuan was.

Along the way, many officials stopped in their tracks upon seeing him and bowed to him with great respect.

"Greetings, County Magistrate!"

"I have met Assistant Minister Liu."

“My lord, several new Hu women have arrived at Zhaoyin Pavilion in the West Market. I would like to take the liberty of hosting a banquet for you to celebrate your conferment of a noble title.”

Orchid?

Liu Shuyi paused slightly as he recalled the bright eyes Du Gou had when talking about Hu Ji during the investigation.

Even a gentleman like Du Gou admired the Hu women, so shouldn't I admire them too?
Just then, a group of people walked out.

The officials, who had been exchanging pleasantries, suddenly stopped talking.

Noticing something amiss, Liu Shuyi turned his head to look.

Then he laughed.

It’s really a narrow road between enemies.

Why do I always run into Qian Wenqing every time I come to the Ministry of Justice?
"Master Qian, are you aware that I have just received an imperial edict?"

"Are you here to congratulate me on being granted a title as well?"

Liu Shuyi said to Qian Wenqing with a smile.

Qian Wenqing's face stiffened.

When he saw Liu Shuyi, he paused, thinking of turning his head and pretending not to see Liu Shuyi.

Or, if you see Liu Shuyi, pretend you don't know what happened to him.

As it turned out, Liu Shuyi was so shameless that he blocked all his own paths.

Originally, he and Liu Shuyi were both sixth-rank officials, neither of them being higher than the other. When he saw Liu Shuyi, he could completely ignore him.

But now...

Liu Shuyi was granted a title, which was a county magistrate of the fifth rank.

In terms of status, he was three ranks higher than me.

He had to follow the rules and greet Liu Shuyi.

Otherwise, if Liu Shuyi informs the Censorate, those censors might accuse him of disrespecting his superiors.

He was at a crucial stage in his competition with Liu Shuyi, so how could he give Liu Shuyi the opportunity to make things difficult for him?
So even though he was unwilling, even though he hated it so much he wanted to grind his teeth to dust, at this moment, facing Liu Shuyi, he had no choice but to bow down and say, "Congratulations, County Magistrate."

"Congratulations! I'm hosting a banquet for all my colleagues in Japan. I hope you'll do me the honor of attending, Mr. Qian..."

Qian Wenqing gritted her teeth so hard they almost broke: "That's natural."

Seeing Qian Wenqing's jealous and resentful expression, Liu Shuyi felt a sense of relief.

Thinking back to how Qian Wenqing used to bully and boss around the original owner of this body, and then looking at Qian Wenqing now, bowing and scraping before him...

It really does echo a line from a novel from my past life.

—Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.

It's just that I didn't take thirty years; I only took three days.

Liu Shuyi laughed heartily, ignored Qian Wenqing, and strode away.

"Master Liu..."

Just then, as Liu Shuyi entered the courtyard, Zhao Feng walked towards him.

He hurriedly said, "This humble official congratulates Assistant Minister Liu on being granted the title of County Viscount."

Liu Shuyi smiled and waved his hand: "We're all family, let's not talk about these things."

He looked at the open door and asked, "How is Lu Yangyuan now?"

Zhao Feng said, "She's already awake."

　I'm not particularly good at writing about daily life, but if I don't write about daily life, the constant stream of cases will get tiring for everyone to read. So I still have to write about daily life to some extent. If you feel that some parts are a bit awkward, I hope you can understand.

　　Then, since it's the end of the month, if anyone has any leftover monthly passes and doesn't know who to give them to, just give them to me!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)