TGCFNM -Chapter 3 Master, Teach Me How to Judge a Case

Chu Ling stole a glance at the Ghost Scholar’s expression. That bluish, deathly pale face was terrifying no matter how many times she looked at it. What was more unsettling was that it was broad daylight, the sun hanging high in the sky, yet this ghost seemed completely unaffected—utterly contradicting everything she had ever been taught.

Chu Ling observed the Ghost Scholar, while the Ghost Scholar also studied the woman before him. He saw a young woman whose eyes darted about, clearly cunning and sharp-witted, yet she deliberately put on the façade of a kind, honest person. It was quite amusing to look at.

Chu Ling dismissed Qi Daxian. “You go back first. Tell them that this official wants to take a closer look at the horse.”

Qi Daxian had no choice but to accept the order and leave.

Once everyone else was gone and no one was around, Chu Ling clasped her hands respectfully toward the Ghost Scholar. “Teacher, please teach me how to judge this case.”

The Ghost Scholar raised his folding fan and lightly blocked the salute. “My lord, I am a wandering soul, not your teacher. I dare not accept such a bow.”

Chu Ling decided to throw caution to the wind. “I am also a wandering soul, mistakenly trapped in this body. And you told me I only have three days left to live. I want you to save me, so naturally I’ll do whatever you instruct.”

The Ghost Scholar smiled, his eerie gaze fixed on her.

Chu Ling returned the look awkwardly.

Gently waving his fan, the Ghost Scholar pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. “My lord, I truly do not know how to judge this case. Even if I know Zhang Dong is innocent, Master Zhang’s influence is immense. It is beyond your ability to overturn. Doing so would affect your official career—and you might even lose your life.”

Chu Ling sighed. Her career meant nothing to her; her life, however, meant everything.

The Ghost Scholar continued, “So if my lord can come up with a solution that satisfies both sides, then this case will be easy to judge.”

Chu Ling looked at the wild horse before her, frowning deeply.

A wild horse… a wild horse…

Her eyes suddenly lit up. “I think I know how to judge it now.”

Chu Ling had been gone for nearly the time it takes a stick of incense to burn. Master Zhang had grown extremely impatient and was about to send someone to inquire at the rear court when Chu Ling slowly walked back in.

“My lord was gone for quite a while,” Master Zhang said unpleasantly.

Chu Ling hummed lightly. She casually flicked her sleeve, sat down upright, and put on an imposing official air. Then she slammed the wooden block.

“Bang—”

“Master Zhang, you claim this horse is yours. Do you have any evidence?” Chu Ling barked sharply.

“This horse has brown hair mixed with snow-white strands in its mane. It’s exactly the fine horse I bought, for which I spent fifty taels of silver!” Master Zhang said confidently, waiting for Chu Ling to pronounce judgment.

“Nonsense!” Chu Ling snorted coldly. “This is clearly Zhui Feng, which I brought from the capital. Its coat is brown mixed with white, it has a mole on its hindquarters, long limbs, and a strong, sturdy build. I bought it at the Eastern Horse Market for five hundred taels of silver! My household servants can testify.”

Master Zhang subconsciously thought he had misheard and froze on the spot.

Could there really be such a shameless corrupt official in this world—one who would even pocket the seized evidence from a case?

Chu Ling cast a haughty glance at the crowd below and spoke slowly. “My Zhui Feng is born loving freedom. After I released it, it failed to return for a long time. I didn’t think much of it at first, but since the horse has now been returned to me intact, I have no choice but to accept it. Zhang Dong, although you saved my horse, you also caused it to be injured. Your time in jail shall count as punishment—consider yourself lucky.”

“Guards, release him.”

“My lord!” Master Zhang stepped forward, his eyes bulging so much they looked ready to pop out. “How can the case be judged like this?”

“I am the county magistrate here. I am the highest authority. What objections could you possibly have to my ruling?” Chu Ling braced her hands on the table and slowly stood up, signaling the constables with her eyes to be ready.

Master Zhang ground his teeth, then laughed in anger. “My lord, you truly are an upright and impartial official. I, Zhang, misjudged you earlier.”

Chu Ling’s lips curled slightly. Her expression was inscrutable as she merely waved her hand indifferently.

“Court dismissed!”

The Rear Residence of the Yamen

The Ghost Scholar wore a faint smile. “My lord judged this case well. Now that the wild horse belongs to you, there’s nothing left for them to fight over.”

Chu Ling propped her chin on her hand, not listening to him at all. Her head throbbed with waves of pain. “Cui Xi, check where the injury on the back of my head is. Use a silver needle to prick it and let some blood out.”

“M-my lord… this servant… this servant dares not!” Cui Xi cried with a mournful face. With a thump, she knelt down, shaking her head desperately.

Helpless, Chu Ling sent Cui Xi out to brew medicine, then looked at the Ghost Scholar with a conflicted expression. “Master, can you help me apply the needle?”

The Ghost Scholar smiled eerily and extended his bluish hand. “My lord, how could I possibly hold a silver needle?”

Chu Ling pinched the slightly thick silver needle and hesitantly looked at him. “Master, don’t tell me you want me to do it myself?”

The Ghost Scholar snapped open his fan, a smile at the corner of his lips. “I’ve already told my lord where the pill was buried. You dug it up by the well yourself. As long as you let blood with the silver needle and supplement it with the pill, your injury will definitely heal within half a month.”

Chu Ling: “……”

Was she really supposed to do it herself?

“The point is three cun above the neck, one cun to the left, then slightly downward by one fen,” the Ghost Scholar urged. “My lord, do it.”

Chu Ling closed her eyes and steeled her resolve.

She only had three days left to live anyway—and perhaps this needle might even send her straight back.

With that thought, Chu Ling felt around for the spot with the needle, then stabbed down without hesitation.

A chilling sensation pierced through her. Chu Ling shuddered uncontrollably, her entire body turning cold. Beads of sweat the size of beans poured from her forehead, the vitality draining from her face in an instant. Her vision blurred, her body went limp, and she fell from the chair.

“So even an amateur dares to act recklessly—truly courting death,” a pleasant female voice said with a hint of mockery.

Chu Ling struggled to lift her head and look.

Her vision was hazy. She only saw a woman dressed in white, ethereal as an immortal, suddenly appear before her. On the simple bun of her hair seemed to be a white flower—plain and dignified, yet resembling mourning clothes.

Then Chu Ling completely lost consciousness.

Bai Su squatted down regretfully, looking at the upright silver needle and sighing. “I’m already a wandering soul now, unable to use acupuncture to save people. This little county magistrate is probably done for… hmm?”

Bai Su paused, then reached out to test again.

Sure enough—she could touch the silver needle. She could even touch Chu Ling!

“What’s going on?” Bai Su asked gravely, looking toward the Ghost Scholar.

The Ghost Scholar was equally shocked. To verify his guess, he also reached out gently… “I can touch it too.”

Bai Su’s eyes trembled slightly. After taking a deep breath, she pulled out the silver needle, steadied her breathing, found the correct acupoint, and stabbed it in.

Chu Ling immediately frowned and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Bai Su then continued applying needles to different acupoints in the same manner. Only when Chu Ling’s brows gradually relaxed did she slowly stop her movements. “This time, she’s been saved.”

The Ghost Scholar slowly stood up and sat down again, looking at Chu Ling lying unconscious on the ground, muttering to himself, “This is… interesting indeed.”

Bai Su also stood up slowly, murmuring softly, “It really is interesting.”