Cai Rong was still in the Zhenzhou Prefecture.
Li You had no intention of stopping, even eating and changing clothes were done in the second hall, with continuous effort to clearly investigate Lin Xu’s case.
Fearing future doubts, Li You also summoned the County Magistrates and clerks from Dingzhou and Zhaozhou to listen to the trial.
The clerks wrote furiously, and the County Magistrates did not dare to slack off in the slightest.
Those kneeling below, including Lin Xu, were even more panicked.
Cai Rong sat beside them, seemingly indifferent, yet he missed nothing from the testimonies of Su Lin and others. If he found any flaw, he would open his mouth to question it. However, from the investigator Qu Chengmei, to the evidence gatherer Song Xian, and the observer Li You, all had prepared in advance, making the entire case seamless.
With a loud "bang," Li You slammed the gavel on the table.
Qu Chengmei felt admiration in his heart. The small piece of wood he used usually, in Mr. Li’s hands, when it landed on the table, not only could it intimidate criminals, it could practically intimidate an army. The only person in this hall who could match Mr. Li was General Song.
Today’s trial was deeply carved into Qu Chengmei’s heart, as if a blacksmith’s shop had forged him into a piece of iron grass; from now on, he could only lean towards General Song, never to reverse.
Lin Xu looked at the lights in the second hall, his vision increasingly blurred. He had been kneeling here for nearly a day and a night, from having high hopes to now feeling worse than death.
The evidence was conclusive, and he, along with Song Min, had conspired to harm Song Xian and ordered the Death Warrior to assassinate their own sister - all charges he could not escape.
Even if the court could spare Cai Rong, they would not let him off.
Lin Xu collapsed on the ground, the County Magistrates from Qi State and Zhenzhou who came to help him did not even need to be tortured before they turned against him, hoping that the court would treat them leniently.
Cai Rong still did not speak. No matter what Li You uncovered, as the court-appointed Military Governor, even if punished, it would be the Emperor to decide; he still had time to make arrangements top and bottom. Check latest chapters at N0veI.Fiɾe.net
He could claim he was momentarily deceived, mistakenly believing Song Xian had truly abused his power for personal gain, which was why he helped Lin Xu.
Cai Rong prepared to get up and leave but saw a government official step forward and say, "Mr. Li, we have caught a spy in Zhenzhou City trying to deliver a message."
Cai Rong’s eyes suddenly twitched. If this case involved the Liao people, he wouldn’t be able to easily extricate himself. Song Xian was seizing his weakness, trying to cripple him in one move.
In the midst of speaking, the two captured spies were brought to the second hall.
The peddler was kicked to his knees by a government official, who then lifted his foot to kick the hollow at another’s leg. That person was more ferocious, in the blink of an eye killing a government official. If it weren’t for Chang Yue’s intervention, he would have continued killing and fleeing.
The government official’s kick was powerful, but that person still gritted his teeth and stood. Even though bound and gagged with a cloth, a sinister smile remained on his face.
The official kept kicking, and that person’s smile didn’t change. His whole being, like a beast, wanted to break free from the official restraining him, pouncing at Li You, who sat in the main seat, letting out a savage howl.
After Wang Jian’s exposure, many Liao spies were caught in Zhenzhou, but the ones captured today were obviously different from those spies.
Song Xian glanced at Chang An, who hurriedly brought a person over.
That person was the shopkeeper of the Wang Family store, the first Liao spy Li You had caught.
The shopkeeper now looked listless, with hands mangled into bloody messes, clearly having suffered harsh torture, shivering in front of Song Xian.
Song Xian raised his eyes to the shopkeeper: "Do I need to teach you how?"
The shopkeeper shook his head quickly, previously harboring a death wish, having tasted living death in the Zhenzhou jail thanks to Song Xian. Now, his whole spirit nearly broken, whatever Song Xian instructed, he did without resistance. Now, General Song telling him to identify people, he could only comply.
Brought to the hall, he nervously looked at the man refusing to kneel. When his eyes landed on that man’s face, just as that man raised his eyes to him, the shopkeeper, facing the ferocious gaze, immediately collapsed with a "thud."
Seeing the Wang Family shopkeeper, the man suddenly broke away from the officials beside him, his rope-bound body lunging directly toward the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper, eyes wide, forgot to dodge, now seeing the man almost upon him. In a flash, he saw Song Xian appear beside the man, reaching out to grab the man’s shoulder.
The man paused, trying to resist by twisting his shoulder, but the pain in his shoulder felt like his bones were being crushed.
Yet the man didn’t yield, ignoring the pain, trying to escape Song Xian’s grip. If he weren’t bound, with his viciousness, he might have struggled with Song Xian, but now, he was like fish on a chopping block.
The man only felt excruciating knee pain, a sharp crack from his shin bone. Even if he could endure the pain, as flesh and blood, the broken bone couldn’t support his body - he fell when his knees gave way, collapsing to the ground.
All this happened in moments.
Besides the Wang Family shopkeeper, everyone else hadn’t had time to worry before the man was again subdued by Song Xian.
But the man’s ferocious nature was clearly visible to all.
The Wang Family shopkeeper barely caught his breath before hearing Song Xian indifferently, "Do you know him?"
Song Xian’s voice snapped the shopkeeper back to reality, quickly responding without delay: "He... he is Xiao Chi, someone from the Empress Dowager’s maternal family, different from us. I only followed Wang Jian’s orders; I didn’t know Xiao Xingzong’s arrangements. Other than the subordinates’ work, I didn’t know how many more eyes Xiao Xingzong had placed here. I recognized Xiao Chi because... two years ago, the men Xiao Xingzong placed in the South were discovered by the court, many were captured. Xiao Chi was severely injured, almost caught, and Wang Jian took us to bring Xiao Chi back to the North.
Xiao Chi had been recuperating in the new city, and this might have been his first return to Daqi post-recovery."
Xiao Chi had just returned to Daqi and unexpectedly got caught. Whether he exposed himself in the South or by sheer bad luck, the shopkeeper could only convey everything he knew.
Li You watched Xiao Chi; Xiao Xingzong had too many spies and eyes. Many had been captured, but nabbing someone close to Xiao Xingzong wasn’t easy.
Xiao Chi’s arrest could stir waves in the Capital City. Whether he truly was Xiao Chi, would naturally be verified through various channels once he reached the Capital.
Fear began to stir in Cai Rong’s heart. If the Emperor suspected him of liaising with Xiao Xingzong through Xiao Chi...
Cai Rong couldn’t help but take a long breath, having someone secretly report Song Qizheng’s collusion would backfire on him.
The Thirteen Grand Protectors. Cai Rong sneered internally, Xiao Xingzong’s trusted, with only such ineffectual means? Captured upon arrival in the North - unknowingly meeting an arch-enemy or sheer misfortune.