TGCFNM -Chapter 457 Investigate as You Will

Chu Ling poured himself a cup of tea and drank it in one gulp.

“Chu Yue has many pawns in play. They must be moving constantly. Now that Young Master Wan has suddenly made a move, it won’t be long before Chu Yue actively seeks out your eldest brother,” Chu Ling said.

Wan Sanjin chuckled proudly. “That’s certain. But it’s always others who suffer losses—my eldest brother will never be at a disadvantage.”

Chu Ling smiled; there was nothing wrong with that statement.

“By the way, Su He hasn’t returned yet?” Wan Sanjin asked.

Chu Ling shook his head. “Not yet… but he should be back soon… oh, he’s here. Judging by his expression, something doesn’t look right.”

Chu Ling stood and went to meet him, and Wan Sanjin followed.

Su He looked at the two of them, his gaze heavy. “Perfect Fang knew he was certain to die, but before he died, he must have seen the person who sent him to his death.”

Chu Ling was taken aback. “Why are you so sure?”

“Perfect Fang managed to serve as a Perfect in the capital for so long; he was undoubtedly a very shrewd and careful man. Even in death, he would leave behind evidence,” Su He explained, producing a thin thread. “This thread is extremely strong; it was wound around his neck. But in addition, there’s also a belt.”

Chu Ling understood. “You mean Perfect Fang deliberately asked that person to help kill him, and while being strangled, he wrapped an extra belt around him?”

Su He nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean.”

Wan Sanjin looked at Chu Ling. “Then… doesn’t that mean Perfect Fang was murdered?”

Chu Ling nodded. “It was murder.”

Wan Sanjin frowned. “But how can a single thin thread serve as evidence?”

Su He looked dejected. “I checked thoroughly. There’s only this one thread; there’s no other evidence at all—everything else is completely clean.”

Chu Ling’s expression tightened slightly. “This thread is the evidence Perfect Fang fought to leave behind. We must keep it safe—it will surely be useful in the future.”

“Then what about Perfect Fang’s body?” Wan Sanjin lowered his voice. “Can’t we find a way to bury him?”

“I’m familiar with the people at the charitable burial grounds. I paid them to swap him with a condemned prisoner, and then buried Perfect Fang,” Su He explained.

“Is that safe?” Wan Sanjin asked. “Could it be discovered?”

Chu Ling shook his head. “No. Surely someone knows, but no one will speak… otherwise, if the eyes and ears of the court reach that level, it would raise suspicion from above.”

Wan Sanjin nodded and helped Su He carry his tools, seeing him off first.

Chu Ling stayed behind, calculating the time.

Seems like… it’s about time…

—

The next day, the court of Da Zhou suddenly became lively. First, the Xuanyuan family directly took action before the palace, assaulting Nangong Rong. Immediately afterward, remonstrating officials impeached multiple officers and submitted evidence of their embezzlement and bribery.

The evidence was glaring and detailed—impossible to ignore deliberately.

So… everyone, off to prison you go.

Even those officials who intended to report today to prove the Chu family’s innocence were caught up and imprisoned. With no one guarding the Chu household, no one dared step outside.

But this was only the beginning.

Prince Rui, Prince Su, and Prince Qi, along with Prince He, all submitted memorials together, arguing that the royal bloodline should not be confused. Without more concrete evidence, merely relying on Mr. Fu’s word could not be taken seriously.

In response, the Empress Dowager presented more proof: the imperial yellow swaddling cloth embroidered with dragons, the personal jade pendant of the late Crown Prince, and even the blood-written statement of the Crown Princess—all of these could confirm that Fu Qingyu was indeed the son of the late Crown Prince.

At that moment, the emperor, who had long refused to acknowledge Fu Qingyu’s identity, finally relented. In an unprecedented move, he summoned Fu Qingyu in person.

The two of them talked in the study for an unknown length of time. When Fu Qingyu finally came out, Chu Ling received her official appointment.

She had become the Prefect.

Chu Ling was still in shock. It wasn’t until Wan Sanjin and Su He helped her to stand, one on each side, presented her the imperial edict, and Wan Sanjin handed over a substantial package of silver that the eunuch delivering the edict finally showed a smiling face and offered repeated congratulations.

Wan Sanjin personally escorted the eunuch out, while Chu Ling was helped by Su He to sit down.

“I… I’m the Prefect now? But I was a donated official!” Chu Ling’s eyes went wide. “Isn’t this just throwing me into the fire?”

Su He suddenly realized: “Oh, right. I was thinking that now that you’ve been promoted to Prefect, it would be easier for me to act.”

Chu Ling: “…”

Wan Sanjin returned at this moment and asked, “Sir, when you were a county magistrate, there was no salary. Is there one as Prefect?”

Chu Ling: “…”

She glared at the two of them. “I… a daughter of the Chu family, becoming a county magistrate as a donated official was already enough. And now, being promoted to Prefect—by the emperor’s personal order—think carefully, what does this mean?”

“It means the emperor trusts you, and Mr. Fu is grateful for your help in his treatment?” Wan Sanjin guessed wildly.

Chu Ling: “…Su, poison him!”

Wan Sanjin covered his mouth and stepped back.

“Sir, do you suspect Chu Yue had a hand in this?” Su He asked.

Wan Sanjin released his hand. “Chu Yue still cannot appear freely, right? Even though the Chu household’s guards are gone, there’s no imperial edict allowing it… I lean more toward the idea that it really was Mr. Fu who wanted you to be Prefect.”

Su He didn’t understand: “Why?”

Wan Sanjin was puzzled too: “Mr. Fu also knows that you are a woman, so why would he want you to become Prefect… to investigate a case?”

Chu Ling and Su He spoke almost simultaneously: “The case of Empress Hexiao?”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes widened, and he lowered his voice: “By rank, the late Empress Hexiao and the emperor were Fu Qingyu’s true grandparents. Now that his parents are dead—even if his father was guilty, it wouldn’t implicate him too deeply… And to win the emperor’s favor, he wants to reinvestigate the case involving Empress Hexiao. That makes sense…”

“He wants to become the legitimate imperial grandson,” Chu Ling whispered. “He wants to fight for it.”

“And we’ve been forced into this,” Su He said, his expression unchanged, his voice colder. “If we’re investigating, then we’ll investigate, Sir.”

Chu Ling gave a soft hum of agreement. If they were to investigate, then so be it.

As expected, a day later, Fu Qingyu, residing in the Eastern Palace, personally wrote a letter, which a eunuch delivered to the Wan household.

The words were earnest, moving anyone who read them to tears.

At the end, he even used a pleading tone, asking Chu Ling and the others to uncover the truth.

Thus, the case of Empress Hexiao began to be reinvestigated with the tacit approval of both the Empress Dowager and the emperor—and the official in charge was the newly appointed Prefect: Chu Ling.

On the very same day, Prince Rui sent a message:

“Investigate as you will!”

Chu Ling let out a slight sigh of relief, then, accompanied by Wan Sanjin, left the Wan residence and headed straight to Lord Lu’s mansion.

At this point, no one dared to keep an eye on her anymore.