Fuyun City, at the entrance of the magistrate’s office, a crowd of citizens had gathered, all eager to see if their magistrate could resolve the case today.
“I wonder what the outcome will be today!” said one onlooker.
“What else could it be? If the case is resolved, everything’s fine. If not, heads will roll,” replied another.
“Can you believe the emperor? Just because a case hasn’t been solved in a year, he issues such a decree. If the case isn’t resolved today, the magistrate’s entire family will be doomed,” added a third.
“Exactly! The magistrate is a good official. He hasn’t resorted to torture to extract confessions, which is why the case has dragged on,” the second onlooker said.
“Why is that?” asked the first onlooker.
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s afraid of wrongful convictions,” the third onlooker explained.
“Sigh! Let’s hope the heavens help the magistrate today. Otherwise, Fuyun City will lose a good official,” the second onlooker lamented.
“Indeed, indeed…” the first and third onlookers echoed.
“Rubing, it seems the magistrate is a good official. I wonder what kind of case is so difficult that it hasn’t been solved for so long,” Meng Xiaoyu said, turning to Han Rubing, who stood behind her.
“Yes, I’m curious too,” Han Rubing replied with a gentle smile.
“What about you, Rushuang?” Meng Xiaoyu asked, turning to Han Rushuang on her left.
“Yes, I’m a bit interested,” Han Rushuang said with a slight smile.
Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, “Look, the magistrate is coming out!” The crowd fell silent and turned their attention to the main hall. Meng Xiaoyu also looked over and saw a middle-aged man in a blue official robe, with a small beard, about forty years old, and another older man in a red official robe, about sixty years old, with a longer beard.
The man in the blue robe bowed to the older man in the red robe and then took the main seat in the hall, while the older man sat to his right.
Meng Xiaoyu guessed that the man in the blue robe was the magistrate of Fuyun City, and the older man in the red robe was the imperial inspector sent to oversee the trial.
With the magistrate’s command of “Court in session,” the bailiffs on both sides shouted “Majesty,” and then brought in two women and one man, who knelt in the hall.
Since the three suspects had their backs to Meng Xiaoyu, she couldn’t see their faces, which made her a bit disappointed.
Just as Meng Xiaoyu was feeling frustrated, she was interrupted by a voice calling, “Boss!” She looked up to see Li Gaosheng pushing through the crowd towards her.
When Meng Xiaoyu recognized him, she blurted out, “Aren’t you that idiot?” Realizing her mistake, she quickly corrected herself, “I mean, aren’t you the magistrate’s eldest son, Li Gaosheng?”
“Yes, it’s me. Boss, are you here to watch my father handle the case?” Li Gaosheng asked, now standing beside her.
“Yes, and you too?” Meng Xiaoyu replied, glancing at the three suspects who were now arguing in the hall.
“Yes, if my father can’t solve the case today, our whole family will be executed,” Li Gaosheng said, his voice dropping.
Hearing the sadness in his voice, Meng Xiaoyu turned to him and saw his despairing face. She tried to comfort him, “Don’t be so down. Maybe the magistrate will solve the case today.”
“It’s impossible. My father has tried countless times and even sought help from other officials, but no one could solve it. And my father refuses to use torture,” Li Gaosheng said, still dejected.
“The magistrate never used torture on the suspects?” Meng Xiaoyu asked.
“Not really. He tried once or twice at the beginning, but it didn’t work, and one suspect almost died. So he stopped using torture,” Li Gaosheng explained.
Hearing this, Meng Xiaoyu looked at Li Gaosheng’s despairing face and said softly, “Oh, I see. Actually… I have an idea that might help identify the culprit.”
Han Rubing and Han Rushuang both looked at Meng Xiaoyu. Li Gaosheng, excited, grabbed her hand and stammered, “B-b-boss, what did you say?”
Seeing Li Gaosheng grab Meng Xiaoyu’s hand, Han Rubing’s face darkened, and Han Rushuang quickly pulled Meng Xiaoyu’s hand away from his.
Seeing Han Rushuang’s icy expression, Meng Xiaoyu swallowed and thought, “How long has it been since I saw Rushuang’s cold face? Since that night, she’s always been gentle and smiling at me.”
She glanced at Han Rubing’s dark face and swallowed again, cursing Li Gaosheng in her mind, “You idiot! How could you grab my hand in front of my partners? You’re going to get us both killed!”
