Chapter 238 - 236: The Trial
Liu Yunfeng snorted, his tone aggressive and sarcastic. "Stop playing dumb. Liu Ruoyi’s family of four, and that old codger Liu Zongying—aren’t you secretly hiding them in your home?
Liu Yuanzhao committed a heinous murder; his crimes are beyond forgiveness. His wife, children, and sister are all accomplices. Are you telling me they’re not here?"
Chen Li replied calmly, "So, Young Master Liu is referring to Instructor Liu’s relatives. They are indeed staying at my home temporarily, but they are not in hiding. Instructor Liu’s family came to me for shelter, and out of respect for him, I agreed to let them stay.
This is all perfectly reasonable. How can you call it harboring suspects? As for the murder Young Master Liu mentioned, I have heard nothing about it."
"Pah! What a silver tongue!"
Liu Yunfeng spat, his tone sharp and vicious. "Just because you say you don’t know, we’re supposed to believe you? Who knows if you’re in league with them? You put on such a righteous facade, but for all we know, you’re secretly a murderer and a thief. If you ask me, you’re more likely the mastermind!"
Seeing Liu Yunfeng’s accusations grow more outrageous, Zhou Chengkai, the Hundred Households Chief from the Jingwu Bureau, cut in. "Landlord Chen, the entire Liu Gongquan family in Qingshui County has been massacred. According to our preliminary investigation, Liu Yuanzhao is indeed connected to the case.
The five people staying at your residence—Liu Zongying, Liu Ruoyi, and the others—are close relatives of Liu Yuanzhao. According to Jingwu Bureau procedure, we need to bring them to the Government Office to assist with the investigation. We ask for your cooperation, Landlord Chen."
Chen Li glanced at Zhou Chengkai, then at the nervous-looking Feng Zhan, and slowly nodded. "Since the County Magistrate’s Office and the Jingwu Bureau are handling the case, I will naturally cooperate."
But then his tone shifted, and he added, "However, Instructor Liu was hired by my Chen Family, which makes his relatives my guests.
If you take them away now based on a one-sided account, and this later turns out to be a misunderstanding, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to clear my name of the accusation of harboring fugitives.
I wish to accompany them to the County Magistrate’s Office and listen in. That way, I’ll have a clear understanding of the situation, and if anyone tries to tarnish my family’s good name in the future, I can set the record straight."
At this, Feng Zhan looked toward Zhou Chengkai.
Zhou Chengkai, in turn, looked at Liu Yunfeng.
Liu Yunfeng sneered. "Good name? I think you’re just scared you’ll be exposed, so you want to tag along to the Government Office to coordinate your alibis!"
Zhou Chengkai said with a serious expression, "Since Landlord Chen is an involved party, it is within regulations for him to observe."
"In that case, my thanks to you, Lord Zhou and County Captain Feng."
Chen Li ignored Liu Yunfeng, clasping his hands in thanks.
He then turned to a nearby servant and said, "Go and ask Miss Liu and her family to come. Tell them that officials from the County Magistrate’s Office and the Jingwu Bureau have summoned them to assist in clarifying some matters."
A short while later, Liu Zongying, Liu Ruoyi, her sister-in-law, and her son and daughter entered the main hall.
Liu Zongying’s expression was calm, but Liu Ruoyi and the others looked tense and wary.
Chen Li calmly explained the situation to them.
Liu Zongying, whom Chen Li had already briefed, nodded. "If the Government Office has summoned us, this old man shall comply."
Liu Ruoyi glanced at Liu Zongying, then at the placid Chen Li, and gave a slight nod as well.
When Liu Yunfeng saw Liu Zongying, Liu Ruoyi, and the others, the hatred in his eyes intensified.
He refrained from any more vicious words, merely staring at them coldly, a derisive sneer fixed on his lips.
"Since that’s settled, let’s go."
Zhou Chengkai waved his hand.
...
「By evening.」
The group arrived at the Jingshan County Magistrate’s Office.
However, County Captain Feng Zhan did not lead them to the main hall, guiding them instead to a side parlor.
People were already waiting in the parlor.
To the left of the seat of honor sat a middle-aged man in a blue official’s robe—Zhao Yuanhong, the Captain of Liyang County.
To the right sat Sun Hongyi, a Households Commander from the Jingwu Bureau.
Seated below them were two others. One was Luo Pingyuan, the Magistrate of Mirror Mountain County.
The other was a beautiful woman in a deep purple, palace-style brocade dress. She was none other than Liu Yunfeng’s mother and wife of Liu Gongchang, Yun Ya.
Seeing the group enter, Luo Pingyuan was the first to rise. With an apologetic smile, he approached Chen Li. "Landlord Chen, it has been some time. I trust you’ve been well."
Chen Li clasped his hands in return. "Magistrate Luo, thank you for your concern."
"My apologies for troubling you with this trip."
Luo Pingyuan smiled.
He then turned to the two lords seated in the seats of honor. "Captain Zhao, Households Commander Sun, this case occurred in Qingshui and is unrelated to my Mirror Mountain. Now that the individuals are here, I will leave the matter of the interrogation in your capable hands."
Zhao Yuanhong and Sun Hongyi exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing.
Zhao Yuanhong cleared his throat, the first to pass the buck. "Households Commander Sun, this case involves the Jianghu. According to Court regulations, it should be handled by the Jingwu Bureau. Therefore, I must trouble your bureau with the interrogation."
Sun Hongyi’s brow tightened. "I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Captain. I came here to investigate the disappearance of Households Commander Liu. The massacre involving Liu Yuanzhao’s branch of the family occurred in Liyang. According to the principle of territorial jurisdiction, the case should be led by the Commandery Magistrate’s Office."
Having had the responsibility tossed back to him, Zhao Yuanhong’s expression remained neutral, though his smile dimmed. "This case and the disappearance of Households Commander Liu are very likely connected. Wouldn’t investigating them separately just delay the proceedings? In my opinion, it is still most appropriate for the Jingwu Bureau to take the lead."
The two went back and forth, each trying to shift responsibility to the other.
Clearly, neither wanted to handle this hot potato.
The atmosphere in the parlor instantly grew awkward.
Yun Ya, who had been sitting primly to the side, finally erupted in fury as she watched the two men endlessly pass the buck. "Enough!" she snapped. "It’s a simple interrogation! What is all this dithering about?
Liu Ruoyi! I’m asking you: where has Liu Yuanzhao fled? Did you and your brother conspire with outsiders to murder Liu Yuanqi’s family? Spit it out!"
Liu Ruoyi’s face went white, startled by the sudden outburst, and her lips parted instinctively.
Before she could answer, Chen Li interjected, his voice sharp with inquiry. "Trials and interrogations are governed by the laws of the Court. May I ask what your status is that you dare to conduct an interrogation on behalf of the Government Office?"
Luo Pingyuan stepped forward to mediate. "Landlord Chen, this is Lord Yun, Yun Ya, Master of Ceremonies for the Jiangzhou Textile Bureau. She is also the wife of Lord Liu, the Jingwu Bureau’s Households Commander Liu Gongchang."
"Ah, so it is Yun Siyi. My apologies."
Chen Li gave a slight nod. "However, the Textile Bureau doesn’t have the authority to conduct interrogations, does it? For Yun Siyi to overstep her bounds like this is surely a breach of regulations, no?"
Choked by Chen Li’s words, Yun Ya’s face turned a ghastly shade of pale. She shot him a vicious glare but was unable to come up with a retort.
She suppressed her fury and turned to Zhao Yuanhong and Sun Hongyi, snapping, "Well? Are you going to conduct the interrogation or not?"
Prodded by her, both Zhao Yuanhong and Sun Hongyi looked distinctly uncomfortable.
Their gazes fell in unison upon Zhou Chengkai.
Zhao Yuanhong cleared his throat. "Hundred Households Chief Zhou, before Households Commander Liu Gongchang went missing, he ordered you to take charge of capturing Liu Yuanzhao. In my view, that makes you the most suitable person to conduct this interrogation."
Sun Hongyi immediately nodded in agreement. "Captain Zhao is absolutely right. Chengkai, this responsibility is yours and yours alone. You should be the one to question them."
Zhou Chengkai cursed inwardly, knowing he could no longer avoid this duty.
Steeling himself, he stepped into the center of the parlor and asked, "Miss Liu, do you know the current whereabouts of Liu Yuanzhao?"
Following Chen Li’s prior instructions, Liu Ruoyi replied, "To answer you, sir, I do not know. We left Qingshui County long ago and have not seen my eldest brother since."
Zhou Chengkai continued, "After Liu Yuanqi brought you to the Liu Mansion that day, what exactly happened? And how did you manage to get away?"
Liu Ruoyi answered, "That day... after Liu Yuanqi captured us and brought us to the mansion, my eldest brother, appealing to our shared bloodline, asked Liu Yuanqi to let us go. Liu Yuanqi agreed, so we left Qingshui. We don’t know what happened after that. With nowhere else to go, we remembered our Third Grand-uncle was in Mirror Mountain, so we came here to seek shelter with him."
Zhou Chengkai pressed, "Why did Liu Yuanqi capture you?"
At the mention of this, the rims of Liu Ruoyi’s eyes reddened, and her voice caught with a sob of grievance. "Your Lordship must understand... Liu Gongquan’s family has held a grudge against our branch for many years. Ever since the three Liu brothers conspired to destroy my Eldest Branch, they have treated us as a thorn in their side. For years, they have harassed and monitored us, both openly and in secret, resorting to any means necessary, wanting nothing more than to see us dead."
Her voice choked with sobs as tears streamed down her face. "Two years ago, they tried to force me to enter the palace as a candidate for concubine. When I refused, they threatened the lives of my entire family, young and old. If I hadn’t been fortunate enough to earn the title of Scholar, I fear they would have driven me to my death... For them to bully my family in Qingshui was a common occurrence. Why they captured us this specific time... I truly do not know..."
Her tearful indictment, listing the evils of Liu Yuanqi’s family, left Zhao Yuanhong and the other officials in the parlor looking deeply uncomfortable.
This was the Liu Family’s dirty laundry, and it really wasn’t their place to comment.
"Enough!"
Seeing the tide turning, Liu Yunfeng leaped forward and cut her off with a shout. "Liu Ruoyi, stop changing the subject! Just confess! Did you or did you not conspire with outsiders to harm my third uncle’s family? Say it!"
Liu Ruoyi raised her tear-filled eyes and shot back, "In my family, my eldest brother has the highest cultivation, and he is only at Qi Realm Perfection. The Liu Family has countless Spirit Realm Honored Guests, to say nothing of Grandmaster experts. Do you really think we have the power to make a move against the Liu Family?"
Liu Yunfeng sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Who knows if you found some vicious thugs to back you? Conspiring with outsiders, coordinating an attack from both inside and out to land such a fatal blow?"
At his words, a flash of grief and indignation appeared in Liu Ruoyi’s eyes. Her voice was gentle, yet it carried a steely resolve. "Conspiring with outsiders? Heh... Liu Yunfeng... dear cousin, when have your three branches ever treated us of the Eldest Branch as kin?
If you hadn’t colluded with outsiders to viciously attack the Eldest Branch back then, would we be in this situation today? How dare you stand there now and accuse *us* of colluding with outsiders?"
With those words, she had just exposed the Liu Family’s old affairs in public.
"You..."
Liu Yunfeng never imagined Liu Ruoyi would dredge up the past here in the County Magistrate’s Office. He was so furious he trembled, yet he was too choked with anger to form a rebuttal.
"That’s enough! You sharp-tongued little wench!"
Yun Ya knew she couldn’t let the girl continue her diversions.
Her aura shifted abruptly. She raised her right hand, a faint, hazy mist gathering at her fingertip, and gently pointed it toward Liu Ruoyi.
In the Clouds and Mist!
This was a Divine Sense Secret Skill of the Yun Family.
It could disrupt the mind, plunging its target into a muddled and sluggish state where coherent thought was impossible.
Liu Ruoyi felt a BUZZ in her head. Her thoughts instantly slowed, becoming chaotic and confused. Her mind was a complete blank, and she found it nearly impossible to think.