TGCFNM -Chapter 479 The Trial Was Extremely Simple

Chu Ling let out a low laugh. “Lord Xuanwu, I wasn’t wrong, was I? The trial is extremely simple.”

Xuanwu was momentarily stunned. Indeed, just as Master Wan had said, one question was enough to reveal the cause and effect.

Chu Ling then walked back and continued questioning Du Shiye for a few more words. Seeing that nothing more could be extracted, she ordered Du Shiye to be taken back and had someone else brought forward.

This time, the person brought up was Perfect Yang’s close aide, also his brother-in-law and the head of his constables.

This constable probably saw Du Shiye’s miserable state, and before Chu Ling could even ask, he spilled everything cleanly, as if emptying beans with a few swift shakes.

From this, Chu Ling learned where Perfect Yang’s account books were hidden, and thus the amounts of transactions became clear.

Even this brother-in-law revealed Perfect Yang’s secret personal granary, built outside the city, not far from the other four families, and specifically guarded.

Perfect Yang immediately shouted in anger, “I don’t have a granary! You’re lying!”

At this, the moment Xuanwu heard “granary,” he was shocked. Without delay, he bid Chu Ling a hurried farewell and led his men out to capture those involved outside the city.

Chu Ling signaled subtly, letting Su He leave first, and Su He took the opportunity to slip away.

Wan Sanjin also pressed the constable to sign a confession.

After the constable was taken away, Chu Ling interrogated a few more people. Seeing that their confessions were mostly complete, she didn’t waste any more time and led everyone out of the dungeon.

Additionally, accompanying them was Perfect Yang’s ghost.

On the way back, Perfect Yang kept defending himself, insisting that everyone was lying, that they were all ungrateful traitors. He claimed he hadn’t committed suicide but was murdered, that he didn’t have a granary, and that he only accepted silver bribes—he didn’t need the risky burden of food.

Chu Ling ignored him and didn’t return to the official residence immediately. Instead, she deliberately made a detour to meet Fu Qingyu.

Fu Qingyu was delighted to see Chu Ling and the others. Just as he was about to invite them in, Wan Sanjin took out the confession for him to review and quietly said, “You need to look quickly.”

Fu Qingyu’s expression grew serious as he nodded. After carefully reading the confession, he furrowed his brows. “It came out this easily?”

“It was indeed simple and went smoothly,” Wan Sanjin whispered. “Currently, the witness has signed the confession, and as for the physical evidence, Lord Xuanwu has already gone to retrieve it.”

Fu Qingyu returned the confession. “You continue investigating this case. Heir Xiao and I will focus on the traitor investigation.”

Chu Ling cupped her hands in farewell, then got into the carriage with the others, turning next to Heir Xiao’s residence.

At this time, Heir Xiao was fully awake and invited them all in.

Once inside, Heir Xiao gave Chu Ling a wry smile. “Lord Chu, you really are Lord Fu’s friend, aren’t you?”

Chu Ling naturally replied, “Yes. So, holding the confession and thinking it’s on the way, we came over for Lord Fu to see it first. Now that Heir Xiao sees it again, I need to start preparing the trial on my side.”

Heir Xiao was momentarily stunned—he actually admitted it outright?

Meanwhile, Chu Rou had already taken the confession and read it carefully. The more she read, the tighter her brows drew together. “There really is a granary outside the city… now we even have physical evidence…”

Chu Ling was taken aback. “It really exists?”

Young Master Xiao furrowed his brow and coughed lightly, signaling Chu Rou, but she no longer cared about subtlety. She simply shoved the confession back to Wan Sanjin and said firmly, “Yes. Outside the city, there’s a granary belonging to Prefect Yang. He embezzled and took bribes, preying on the people. Even though he’s already dead, this case still needs to be tried.”

Chu Ling frowned slightly, carefully observing Chu Rou’s expression.

Chu Rou turned away, lowering her head slightly, and sat down beside Young Master Xiao.

Young Master Xiao glanced at her, then politely asked Chu Ling and the others to leave.

Once Chu Ling and everyone else had exited, they returned to the carriage and headed back to the prefecture office.

Back at the office, Prefect Yang stamped his foot in anger. “It really wasn’t me! I don’t have a granary! I only have silver! I buried some in the office, some at home, and even some at Madam Chunxiang Lou’s place! I don’t have a granary, I don’t!”

Chu Ling feigned fatigue and looked at Wan Sanjin. “Su He has probably gone to secretly examine the body. Figure out how to coordinate with him. I want to see what’s not right here.”

Wan Sanjin acknowledged and set out again with Zhang Dong.

Xiao Hua looked at Chu Ling worriedly. “Sir, you should rest for a while.”

Chu Ling nodded, letting her rest as well, then returned to her quarters and closed the door.

The Ghost Scholar said, “Something about this doesn’t add up. It’s like a trial that’s been arranged in advance. Granted, Prefect Yang was a corrupt official who preyed on the people, but someone is using this to lure others, locate the granary, find rebels… probably to frame someone else.”

“Master, why would it be a frame?” Chu Ling asked seriously. “Couldn’t it just be that someone knew in advance and wanted to expose it publicly?”

The Ghost Scholar was surprised. “You mean… Chu Yue?”

Chu Ling looked at Prefect Yang’s soul. “Among the few people you trusted closely, in the past few months, even a year ago, or over a year ago, was there ever anything unusual?”

Prefect Yang’s small mustache trembled, his eyes widening. “There really was! Shi Yandu used to only flatter me, but later he actually learned to handle affairs. And my brother-in-law… he was just a useless man of indulgence, gambling and debauchery, but unexpectedly, he learned a bit of skill and got things done efficiently.”

Chu Ling rubbed his forehead. “So the real head of the detectives and Shi Yandu were actually long dead. The ones in the prison now are fake—Shi Yandu wearing a human-skin mask, fake detectives… and they had even arrived at the office long ago.”

This had been a move Chu Yue had arranged well in advance: the granary exists, the account books exist, the witnesses exist, and the involved official has already committed suicide.

If a prefect was driven to death by guilt, it must have been a higher-ranking official—possibly even a member of the royal family… And by coincidence, a “rebel” appeared within the territory of Luozhou.

So Chu Yue’s target… which prince was it?

Chu Ling furrowed her brows and looked at Prefect Yang, beginning a fresh interrogation. “From now on, you answer everything truthfully. Otherwise, even if I bury you, I will dig you up and whip your corpse!”

Prefect Yang trembled all over, his figure appearing weaker than before.

“Think carefully. During your three years in office, did you encounter anyone strange? No matter how many, recall them clearly and tell me how they came, how they left, what they said to you, and what they did…” Chu Ling said coldly.

Prefect Yang shrank his neck and began to recall whether anyone unusual had come… After taking office, he mostly dealt with grain merchants or those bribing him. He really hadn’t met anyone strange…

Wait—there really was someone!

“When I first took office, there was a young master, not very old. When he found out I was the prefect, he told me to take good care of my grain, and not to let the rats steal it…”