After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

While such methods are certainly despicable, they are undeniably very effective.

"I want to investigate this case myself," Ning Nan said earnestly to Cui Cui's wife, letting out a breath.

This incident is unusual. The body, the murder weapon, the murderer, all kinds of witnesses and physical evidence, all the evidence is complete, the case is almost crystal clear, there is nothing left to investigate, even the murderer Li Erlai has confessed... Of course, this is also something he can't understand at all.

Qian Sijin said that when the two liars confessed, not only were people from the Jiangning County government present, but also some villagers from near Li Baoxin's home.

Qian Sijin examined the unconscious Erlai's body and found no injuries, indicating that Erlai had not been tortured into confessing.

He also investigated and found that the villagers who acted as witnesses did not receive any benefits from anyone. After hearing the noise, the villagers rushed over, arriving almost at the same time as the people from the Jiangning County government.

They saw with their own eyes that Erlai was holding a bloodstained knife, and that Muramasa was lying at Erlai's feet. They heard Erlai say that they had ordered Erlai to kill Muramasa.

With such irrefutable evidence, Li Baoxin's daughter, along with her granddaughter and some relatives, came to the county government office overnight to cry and plead with the magistrate to sentence the two scoundrels and himself to death.

If the Jiangning County government wanted to handle the matter impartially, it should have acted swiftly and decisively, sentencing the two rascals who committed the murder to death and exiling himself, who was suspected of instigating them, three thousand miles away, to appease the people.

Xiuxiu is Xun Gui.

Qin Qianhu was a guard.

The county magistrate and the county constable went up against Xun Gui and the Imperial Guard in order to seek justice for the innocent people who had died unjustly... He really didn't want to risk the lives of Er Lai, half of his own life, and... Li Baoxin's life... to put such a reputation on the officials of Jiangning County.

Cui Cui said, "Even if the Grand Tutor issues a warrant, there's no way he'd let the murderer investigate the case for him."

Seeing that the young doctor was alright and that his complexion gradually returned to normal after the meal, she felt a little relieved.

But when she heard that the young doctor wanted to investigate the case himself, she couldn't help but feel a little worried.

The young doctor… Zhu Cuiwei silently thought of many things, and gritted her teeth slightly… He is indeed very capable.

Letting the young doctor investigate this case himself is definitely a safer approach than having Jiangning County investigate it, or even having the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate it.

But the current situation is different from the situation when Black Tiger Mountain was destroyed... The young doctor has been treated as a murderer and has even been imprisoned.

Whether it's her, the Grand Tutor, or even the Emperor's brother, whoever issues the order to have the murderer of the case brought to justice... such absurd regulations would render the "Great Liang Code" a joke.

Not to mention the Jiangning County government, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate—all three departments would be furious, and even the entire court would vehemently oppose it.

After thinking it over, she felt that it would be more prudent to dismiss the two magistrates and county lieutenants of Jiangning County on the grounds that they had failed to protect the local people, and replace them with new magistrates and lieutenants. This would demonstrate the court's determination to thoroughly investigate the case and appease Li Baoxin's family.

In this way, although the young doctor would suffer for a while, the course of the case and the safety of the other party would still be under his control.

Ning Nan grinned: "Of course, it's not about having Grand Tutor Gu issue such a note."

Ning Nan crossed his hands together, stretched out his arms, and flexed his fingers, producing a crisp cracking sound.

He laughed and said, "I admit defeat this time, but this is just the beginning... If these people who harmed me think they can kill their father like this, then they must be full of filth."

His words had become much rougher, and he had completely forgotten the rigid, formulaic writings he had been practicing these past few days.

"They want to use this crime to keep me in jail, but I can use an even bigger crime to get myself out of jail!" Ning Nan said through gritted teeth, his face fierce.

……

……

At the beginning of Chen hour.

As the sun gradually rises from the east, its brilliant rays bathe the towering Nanjing city wall in a golden glow, making it appear like a magnificent bronze wall that inspires awe.

Da da da, da da da.

Under the gentle sunlight of Jinyang, a fast horse carrying an urgent message banner leaped out from under the golden bronze gate and headed west towards Dingjiang County.

As the sun rises, it gradually ascends, reaches its peak, and then slowly begins to set in the west.

Just as the brilliant light of the golden bronze wall was gradually replaced by a dull orange color.

The same rider galloped back from Dingjiang County in the west, rushed through the city gate, and headed straight for the Jiangning County government office.

……

"County Commandant Lin, we've come to take the man away."

Inside the Jiangning County government office, Shangguan Xiu, dressed in a red flying fish robe, held the embroidered spring knife at his waist and sneered at Lin Tao, the county magistrate of Jiangning County.

Lin Tao, in his thirties, flicked his sleeve and said calmly, "Deputy Commander Shangguan, I told you this morning that the evidence in this case is irrefutable and leaves no room for argument. The magistrate has already decided that the court will hold a hearing within three days to adjudicate the case."

"At that time, Deputy Commander Shangguan may attend the hearing. If this county government has done anything improper, Commander Shangguan may collect evidence and hand it over to the Censorate. I... will be ready to be executed." He said, tilting his head back.

"County Commandant Lin," Shangguan Xiu said in a clear voice, "I'm not here to bring up the perpetrators in the case of Li Baoxin's murder, but rather to bring up the suspects who colluded with the Northern Dynasty."

Lin Tao immediately frowned.

A suspect accused of colluding with the Northern Dynasty?

Is Shangguan Xiu trying to frame Ning Nan by putting a label on himself in order to save Ning Nan?

Using such despicable and foolish means to blackmail oneself?

Lin Tao narrowed his eyes slightly.

He doesn't usually pay much attention to the literary scene.

I only learned about some of these things this morning.

It turns out that Ning Nan, who was instigated to kill Li Baoxin, was the previously famous scholar from the North and South!

This morning, Grand Secretary Yoo Jin-hee even sent someone to inquire about what exactly happened. Given Ning Nan's character, he would never commit murder!

The Grand Secretary also said that he, He Weng, Chen Songxue, and others would be attending the trial.

Come on, come on!

What's there to say when the evidence is irrefutable?

You can know a person's face but not their heart; there are plenty of talented but immoral people.

When he first took office as county magistrate last month, he solved a case of a scholar killing his wife. Wasn't that scholar a famous talent in the area?

He also inquired about some things in Lijia Village today.

Ning Nan and Li Baoxin had a deep-seated grudge and often quarreled. Ning Nan had a strong motive for killing. He also believed that he was now a talented man and was valued by the Grand Secretary of the court. He thought the court might give him a break. With this belief, it was not strange that he sent Li Erlai to kill him.

Lin Tao had heard about it today; it was said that the talented scholar from the North and South was a close friend of Shangguan Xiu, the seventh son of the Marquis of Zhenguo, and that they frequented brothels together.

I don't want to.

Even after becoming a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the seventh son of the Marquis of Zhenguo could not hide his nature as a son of a noble family.

They still disregard the law and act with impunity...

Lin Tao smirked.

He wanted to see if the seventh son of the Marquis of Zhenguo truly regarded the Embroidered Uniform Guard as their Shangguan family's private weapon and intended to use such a charge to arrest him and imprison him.

come!

His eyes widened. If he could use his own head to force out the true face of the Zhenguo Marquis's family and make His Majesty wary of the Zhenguo Marquis and Shangguan Yun, then what did death matter?!

But at that moment, Shangguan Xiu calmly pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to him.

Lin Tao frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then took it to look at it. As soon as he saw the words on it, his expression changed.

This is not a note from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

It was a note from Gu Xichuan, the governor of Yunhu and the Grand Tutor of the court, and it even bore the seal of the governor's office.

"Ning Nan, a native of Lijia Village in Jiangning, is suspected of colluding with the Northern Dynasty during the Battle of Black Tiger Mountain. This is a serious matter, and the Imperial Guard Commandery is hereby ordered to dispatch personnel to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Lin Tao's pupils immediately contracted: "Treason?"

Shangguan Xiu said seriously, "That's right, County Commandant Lin. According to the laws of our dynasty, all cases involving collusion between the Northern Dynasty and the enemy shall be personally supervised by my Imperial Guard Commandery, and there shall be no mistakes."

"This Ningnan is suspected of treason and collusion with the enemy, as determined by Governor Gu. His crimes are heinous and cannot be delayed. I request County Lieutenant Lin... to hand him over as soon as possible!"