I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

All he needs to know is this.

As for how this case should be tried... of course, it should be tried according to the Emperor's will!

"My lord, I obey the order."

Zhao Mengjing immediately stepped forward and respectfully kowtowed.

Seeing this, Zhu Houcong nodded and called out again, "Yan Song."

Yan Song immediately bowed and replied, "This servant is here."

"You, Zhao Mengjing, the Ministry of Justice, and the Court of Judicial Review will jointly try this case."

"The truth must be thoroughly investigated; there must be no errors."

Yan Song solemnly accepted the order: "This servant obeys!"

Prince Yu felt a chill run down his spine, gritted his teeth inwardly, but dared not say another word, and could only retreat back to the ranks.

After the court session ended, Prince Yu quickly caught up with Zhao Mengjing, who was walking ahead.

"Imperial Censor Zhao, wait for me."

Zhao Mengjing stopped upon hearing the sound, and when she turned around, her face was filled with a respectful smile.

He quickly cupped his hands and said, "So it's Your Highness Prince Yu. This humble official greets you."

Prince Yu waved his hand and said in a feignedly friendly manner, "Oh, no need for such formalities."

"Imperial Censor Zhao has been entrusted with an important task by the Emperor. If he can get to the bottom of this case, he will surely rise to a high position!"

Zhao Mengjing couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

Ha, do you really think I'm a fool?

If the truth is truly uncovered, I'm afraid I'll lose my official position!

However, he replied respectfully, "Your Highness is absolutely right. I accept Your Highness's auspicious words."

Seeing Zhao Mengjing's respectful demeanor, Prince Yu was secretly pleased and continued, "Hehe, I have some connections with Minister Qi Min of the Ministry of Justice."

"Go find him and say that I recommended you. He will surely arrange for a master detective to assist you."

Zhao Mengjing nodded repeatedly, her face showing gratitude.

"I am deeply grateful for Prince Yu's consideration for me!"

Prince Yu patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction, directly implying, "We're all doing this for the court. Like my father, I hope you can investigate this case thoroughly and clearly."

"Your Highness's teachings will be kept in mind."

Zhao Mengjing quickly cupped her hands in greeting, her smile becoming even more obsequious.

Seeing this, Prince Yu left satisfied.

However, little did he know that the seemingly respectful Zhao Mengjing was actually a thoroughly selfish and petty person.

He's a master at playing the double game, saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back.

Watching Prince Yu's departing figure, Zhao Mengjing's smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a hint of mockery.

In this Great Liang, there is only one sky, and that is His Majesty!

I'll listen to you?

You're no good!

Just like in the TV series, the concubine most favored by Gao Sheng, the Prefect of the Capital, was actually a spy for the Red Sleeve Pavilion.

Gao Sheng himself was unknowingly being firmly controlled by this Hua tribe strategist.

Under Qin Banruo's secret guidance, Gao Sheng made a decisive move and directly transferred the case file of the Lan Garden corpse case to the Ministry of Justice.

This was originally a crucial step in Prince Yu's plan.

After all, Qi Min, the Minister of Justice, was also his man. If the original plan had been followed, the case could have been handled as a formality at the Ministry of Justice and become an ironclad case, leaving Lou Zhijing with no chance of turning things around.

Unfortunately, Zhu Houcong's interference completely disrupted the plan.

Zhao Mengjing was appointed as the chief judge, with Yan Song, the emperor's personal eunuch, overseeing the proceedings.

Even with all her skills, Qi Min dared not make a rash move at this moment.

Thus, a trial that should have been swiftly concluded was transformed into a formal joint trial by the three judicial authorities.

In the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, Zhao Mengjing sat in the main seat, while Yan Song squinted and supervised the trial from the side. Qi Min and the Dali Temple officials could only cooperate with stiff faces.

On the eve of the joint trial by the three judicial departments, Yan Song had already received an imperial decree to personally hand over the secret report from the Eastern Depot to Zhao Mengjing.

In the candlelit study, Zhao Mengjing unfolded a secret document, his gaze lingering between the lines.

The record abruptly ended when the words "Shi Jun entered the Prince Yu's Mansion" were seen.

A knowing smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

Sure enough!

Zhao Mengjing already understood.

The emperor's intention was to stop this case at Shi Jun's hands.

If that's the case, things will be much easier.

The following day in court, the gavel struck heavily.

"Bring your ID!"

The bailiffs escorted Shi Jun to the court.

The former orchid garden steward was deathly pale, his steps were unsteady, and he seemed to have aged ten years in just a few days.

He trembled and knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles.

"Shi Jun, a criminal, pays his respects to all esteemed officials."

Zhao Mengjing looked down at the dying man, his tone chilling.

"Shi Jun, you've made baseless accusations against officials of the imperial court. Do you plead guilty?"

Shi Jun was stunned. He couldn't help but look up at the presiding judge and saw his inevitable death in those cold eyes.

Qi Min's sinister voice rang out from the side.

"Lord Zhao, aren't you jumping to conclusions a bit too quickly?"

Chapter 34 Joint Trial by Three Judicial Offices

"It was a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue, please forgive me, Lord Qi." Zhao Mengjing quickly bowed and apologized.

Qi Min snorted coldly and slammed the gavel down.

"Shi Jun, hurry up and tell us the truth about what happened at the Orchid Garden!"

Shi Jun knelt on the ground, trembling as he recounted the whole story of the brothel in Lan Garden.

Zhao Mengjing's eyes were sharp, and in an instant she seized upon the flaw in Shi Jun's stammering statement.

He sneered and questioned, "Since you say there is a list, why only mention Lou Zhijing?"

"Could it be that Lou Zhijing is the only one listed on this roster?"

As he spoke, he stood up and stared down at the other person.

"You run a brothel, is Lou Zhijing the only one who patronizes it?"

"If that's the case, then I suspect this is a trap you've deliberately set for Lord Lou!"

"This...this..."

Shi Jun was speechless for a moment, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

He knew, of course, that the list contained the names of many powerful and influential people, but how could he dare to utter those names so easily?

Although Prince Yu promised to save his life, if he were to reveal all those powerful figures, even Prince Yu might not be able to protect him.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze, as if even the air itself had stopped.

Shi Jun's forehead was covered in cold sweat, his eyes flickered, and he stammered, "I...I can't remember, I only remember the name Lou Zhijing."

Zhao Mengjing sneered, "A fine 'I can't remember' indeed. If you can't remember, then bring me the roster so I can see it myself."

Qi Min was prepared and immediately ordered someone to present the physical evidence.

He took it and saw that there was only a thin, yellowed piece of paper in his hand, with no heading or signature, and the handwriting was messy.

Snapped!

He then slammed the gavel down and shouted angrily.

"This is what you call a roster?"

"How can a mere scrap of paper, with no beginning and no end, serve as evidence?"

"this…"

Shi Jun's face turned deathly pale, and he was on the verge of tears. His lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Upon seeing this, Qi Min immediately said, "Lord Zhao, I have already ordered someone to examine it. This paper is indeed old paper from four or five years ago, and the ink is not new ink either. It should be credible."

Zhao Mengjing quickly smiled and said, "I naturally trust what Lord Qi says. However, while paper and ink can be verified, the human heart is unpredictable!"

He then directly stated his thoughts.

"Is it possible that Shi Jun and his group had a long-standing grudge against Lou Zhijing and set up this trap several years ago specifically to frame him?"

"After all, he is the witness, and he provided all the physical evidence. There's only Lou Zhijing inside. Wouldn't it be too hasty to convict him based solely on this?"

"In my humble opinion, the most urgent task is to find a complete list, arrest and interrogate each person according to the records, and compare the two lists to obtain irrefutable evidence!"

Qi Min frowned slightly, about to speak again, when she suddenly heard a soft sound from the side.

Everyone turned to look, only to see Yan Song slowly put down his teacup and leisurely say, "I think Lord Zhao is absolutely right."

"To conclude a case based solely on a prisoner's confession and a scrap of paper—I fear I will find it difficult to explain to His Majesty when I return to the palace to report!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people in the hall varied, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

"this…"

Qi Min's expression changed slightly, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.

He then slammed his hand on the table and shouted sharply, "Shi Jun, hand over the roster right now!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Jun trembled violently, his eyes filled with terror.

How could he dare hand over the roster? Without the roster to protect him, he would surely die without a burial place!

So he looked at Qi Min as if begging for mercy.

"My lord, Prince Yu promised me he only wanted Lou Zhijing's page, not the entire list!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mengjing and Yan Song simultaneously picked up their teacups and pretended to drink.

Both of them kept their eyes down, seemingly lost in thought.

Since what they had just said involved Prince Yu, they pretended not to hear it.

Qi Min's expression changed drastically. She stood up abruptly and shouted angrily, "How dare you spout such nonsense! Guards, slap him!"

Several constables immediately rushed forward and grabbed Shi Jun.

One of them grabbed a piece of bamboo or wood and slapped it hard across Shi Jun's mouth without any mercy!

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!

The crisp sound of slapping echoed in the courtroom.

Blood quickly spilled from the corner of his mouth, mixing with saliva and dripping down his chin, splashing on the ground.

Then, the hall fell into a deathly silence, with only Shi Jun's painful gasps echoing in the air.

He was beaten until he was dizzy and his vision went black. His face was swollen and deformed, and his lips were bloody and mangled, making him almost unrecognizable.

Zhao Mengjing, Qi Min, and the others all watched coldly.