Because of the trouble in the Peiren Training Hall, Xue Rui didn't have time to visit the Xianghe Barter Hall until the next day. It was rare for the young ladies of Taishi Library to come here. The barters and assistants in the Barter Hall all remembered them. It was not difficult for Xue Rui to find out that Xia Jiangying did come here to look for books a few days before the accident.
On the surface, this matter seemed to be unrelated to Xia Jiangying's death, yet Xue Rui smelled something fishy. When he returned at noon on the same day, he made another trip to the Imperial Historian's Library, and this time, he'd specially gone there to look for Ji Xingxuan.
Xue Rui sat in the Flower Hall and waited. He asked the maidservant to summon Ji Xingxuan. Not long after, Ji Xingxuan appeared.
"Lord Xue."
Xue Rui looked at Ji Xingxuan who stopped at the door and bowed to him. His eyes paused on her veiled face. He put down the teacup and stood up. "I'm here to visit Miss Ji. I'm sorry to disturb your lunch."
Ji Xingxuan shook her head. She picked a tea chair that was diagonally opposite Xue Rui and sat down. Only after she finished folding her skirt did she raise her head and ask Xue Rui, "Lord Xue, you're looking for me because of Sister Ying's case, right? If you have anything to ask, I'll definitely tell you everything I know."
Xue Rui smiled brightly. "I'm not here for official business. I'm just here to visit Miss."
"Huh?" Surprise was written all over Ji Xingxuan's eyes. Three months ago, she and Xue Rui almost got engaged, but the groom went back on his word. No matter what, they were not in a mutually visiting relationship.
"After Miss Xia Jiangying's accident, your original room was not convenient. You're still in the Barter Hall. Have you changed your room?"
Xue Rui's concern was just the right amount, and it didn't make others feel that it was rude. Ji Xingxuan suppressed her suspicions and answered, "I'll rest in the Dojo during the day, and I'll return to the mansion at night. I don't stay overnight in the Dojo for now."
Xue Rui said, "That's good too. After all, it's safer to return to the residence after such an incident. But if I remember correctly, the Grand Examination will be held soon. You're going to take the astrology exam, right? Won't it affect you if you don't go to the astrological platform at night? "
He mentioned the subject he specialized in. The expression in Ji Xingxuan's eyes clearly changed. She smiled at him and said confidently, "Chant more scriptures. There's no need to cram at the last minute. "
Xue Rui was a talkative person, and he was experienced and knowledgeable. Intentionally or unintentionally, he picked out topics that Ji Xingxuan was interested in. The two of them chatted like this until the servant came in to change the tea. Only then did they realize that an hour had passed.
Only then did Xue Rui stop the topic. He stood up and bade her farewell, "It's getting late, I still have to return to the Supreme Court. Sorry to disturb you today. I hope you won't think that I'm a chatterbox. "
Ji Xingxuan also stood up. As she walked him to the door, she said, "What do you mean by chatterbox? After today's meeting, I feel that the rumors are not credible."
Xue Rui stopped at the door and turned to ask, "Oh, what rumors?"
Ji Xingxuan's eyes flashed. She lowered her head and said with embarrassment, "Everyone says that Young Master is a playboy. He likes to drink and have fun outside. He doesn't think … doesn't think about business. "
"Haha." Xue Rui laughed heartily. He did not comment on these rumors. He cupped his hands towards Ji Xingxuan and strode away.
Ji Xingxuan leaned against the door and watched him leave. She whispered to herself, "This person's appearance doesn't match his personality. He's also an outstanding talent. I just don't know if he's good or bad for me."
***
As soon as Xue Rui left the female hostel, he restrained his expression. If he was suspicious before, now he was eighty percent sure that there was something wrong with this Ji Xingxuan.
He had previously asked the students of the Imperial Historian's Library about her. He believed that the rumors had already reached her ears. However, when this woman met him today, not only did she not mention anything, she also handled the conversation with ease and did not have the slightest bit of guilt.
It was this kind of calmness that lacked the fear that a good friend with whom she had been with day and night would have died. She revealed a different kind of guilt.
Perhaps before Xia Jiangying's death, she had already discovered that someone wanted to harm her. He just did not know whether she and Xia Jiangying exchanged rooms on purpose or if it was an accident.
At this point in the investigation of this headless case, there was finally a breakthrough, and Xue Rui believed that if he followed along this clue that was Ji Xingxuan and followed the vine to the melon, then he would surely be able to gain something.
Leaving the main gate of the Imperial Historian's Library, Xue Rui planned to go to Autumn Osmanthus Lane in the south of the city to see if he could find Xia Mingming through Yu Shu. However, he was stopped at the door.
"Eldest Young Master, Laoye asked this lowly one to find you."
Xue Rui glanced at the sky that was still early in the morning, and he had a hesitant expression as he asked the servant that led the horse over. "What happened in the clan?"
His grandfather was a strict person and was even more meticulous in his work. At this time, the old man should be in the Minister's study.
"Nothing happened at home. Laoye only asked Eldest Young Master to return to the fu as soon as possible."
Xue Rui had to put aside the matter of looking for Yu Shu. He got on the carriage and asked the coachman to turn around and go home.
The Xue Residence was located on Ningle Street in the north of the city, only half a mile away from the Jade Ditch in the imperial city. The two streets in front and behind the Xue Residence were occupied by the mansions of the nobles, which was enough to show their power.
When Xue Rui returned home, he heard the servant say that Minister Xue was in the study, so he went to find him.
"Grandfather." Xue Rui stopped outside the study and knocked on the door. After two knocks, a steady and deep voice came from inside, "Come in."
Xue Rui closed the door behind him and passed through the curtain into the inner hall. At first glance, he saw an old man whose back was facing him as he stood under the yellow pear wood bookshelf and rummaged through the books. The old man was still wearing his court attire, and the conspicuous purple color was the symbol of a high-ranking official in the imperial court. Even though he was almost sixty years old, his back was already arched, and his sideburns were grizzled, a mere set of clothes was enough to make others feel reverence.
"Grandfather, are you looking for your grandson?"
"Are you investigating the case of Taishi Shu Garden?"
Xue Rui answered, "Yes, grandson and Chu Yufang are handling the case."
"How is the investigation going?"
"According to what I know, there's something fishy about this case. Grandfather, do you still remember the Ji Clan that discussed marriage with me? That Xia Jiang Clan's Young Miss who passed away might have died unjustly in place of the Ji Clan's Fourth Young Miss. I just don't know what kind of enemy the Ji Clan has." Xue Rui didn't conceal anything in front of the old man.
The room was quiet. The old man put the book in his hand back on the bookshelf and said lightly, "That's it. You don't have to deal with this case anymore. I have already informed Zhou He, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and he will assign you something else."
Xue Rui was stunned and raised his head, "Grandfather, this …"
"Go out and visit your mother in the ancestral hall. I heard from the servant that she fell ill yesterday. She will probably want to see you."
Xue Rui's expression was dazed for a moment, and he swallowed the doubts that were at the tip of his tongue. He looked at the old man's back and left.
***
On the nineteenth of the tenth month, ten days had passed since Xia Jiangying was killed. As Xia Mingming waited anxiously, the case finally came to a conclusion. That morning, Yu Shu was preparing to go out with her stall as usual. At the entrance of the alley, she met two officials sent by the prefectural government. She followed them home and opened the door to call Xia Mingming out.
"Are you Miss Xia Jiang?" The official asked impartially.
"Yes, it's me." Xia Mingming was still dressed in men's clothing. When he saw the officials, he perked up.
"Miss Xia Jiang, please come with us to the Supreme Court for a hearing. The murderer of your sister has been arrested."
Faced with this sudden "good news", Xia Mingming grabbed the other party excitedly and asked, "You've caught it? Who is it?! "
The two officials looked at each other, and the one grabbed by Xia Mingming said, "It's a murderer who committed crimes in the south of the city not long ago. This person has killed four people in half a year and is insane. He was arrested in the north of the city the night before."
Xia Mingming gritted his teeth, "Why did this villain want to harm my fourth sister?"
The official shook his head and said, "We don't know the details. Miss Xia Jiang, please come to the court for a hearing."
Xia Mingming clenched his fists and turned to Yu Shu, "Ashu, will you come with me?"
Yu Shu nodded. She also wanted to see what was going on.
Xia Mingming was so anxious that he didn't even change his clothes and left with the officials. Yu Shu told Yu Xiaoxiu to look after the house and went to the Supreme Court with her.
When they arrived at the court, the case had just begun. Yu Shu stood at the door of the court and didn't go in. She originally thought that she would see Xue Rui here, but she didn't expect that the judge in the court was a middle-aged man surnamed Chu. She didn't see Xue Rui.
Because it was a public case, there was no need to file a complaint. As soon as the trial began, the criminal was brought to the court. Yu Shu thought that she would see some ferocious bandit, but she didn't expect that it was a man who was beaten to a pulp and had only one breath left.
The trial of this case was much smoother than when she climbed the court by beating drums. Lord Chu, who was sitting in the court, took the confession of the criminal who was interrogated in the torture room yesterday and a shoe left by the criminal under the east wall of the library. He questioned him in the court. The criminal was half conscious and just answered in a muffled voice. He admitted that he sneaked into the Taishi Library on the night of October 9th and killed Xia Jiangying.
As for why he wanted to kill Xia Jiangying, the official explanation was that it was a coincidence. This person was a murderous person. Because he used to do odd jobs in the Taishi Library, he knew the layout of the inner courtyard. That night, he sneaked into the women's library to commit murder and happened to jump out of Xia Jiangying's back window. When he was discovered by her, he killed her.
At that time, Yu Shu became suspicious and always felt that something was wrong. Why did it seem to be a confession made by torture? However, the evidence was conclusive, and there was no way to doubt it.
Lord Chu sentenced the criminal to death on the spot. At noon tomorrow, he would be beheaded in public on Hexiao Street. With a slap of the gavel, this murder case, which had caused a lot of noise and caused a fight between the north and the south, was over.
Xia Mingming was accompanied by a maid. From beginning to end, she stood at the side of the court and listened to the trial with a stiff expression.
Yu Shu stood outside the court and watched the criminal being dragged away by the officers. Her expression was a bit unpredictable. She turned her head and looked at the crowd at the entrance of the yamen. She was not surprised to see several students in the uniforms of the Taishi Library. Among them, there was Ji Xingxuan, whose face was covered with a green veil but was very eye-catching.
"Strange …" Yu Shu murmured to herself.
"Strange about what?"
Yu Shu suddenly heard a response from behind her. She turned around and saw Xue Rui who was standing behind her without her noticing. Perhaps she was used to him popping his head out from time to time, she did not lose her composure in shock like she did the previous few times. Instead, she asked in a low voice, "Why are you here?"
Wasn't he the judge of this case?
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
