Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 402 Confusing right and wrong

Neither the Xia family nor the Li family could have any connection with the demonic sect. When Xia Mengxian heard the servants in his household mention this matter, he immediately realized the key point.

Anyone who has the words "demonic sect" written on their forehead will have their future career ruined.

We should take over the case completely before it is fully investigated. Ideally, it should be unrelated to the demonic sect. But if it is indeed related, we must take action to turn the situation around.

Xia Mengxian couldn't help but worry like this. Steward Li frequently visited the He and Xia families and knew too much about the Xia family. If he really confessed, the Xia family would have a hard time getting away with it.

If Steward Li had not joined the demonic sect, he could still control Steward Li with money and family. On the contrary, if Steward Li wholeheartedly served the demonic sect, he would definitely be prepared. The so-called "family" he left behind would certainly be people Steward Li didn't care about, and blackmail would be useless. In that case, he could only let Steward Li know and obey his orders, which might reduce his punishment.

"My lord, I am willing to go."

"This humble official is also willing."

Several officials stepped forward, and in the end, Xia Mengxian selected the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Justice. This man was about the same age as Xu Huaiyi, and they had been rivals in their official careers. Using this man to deal with Xu Huaiyi was the most suitable option.

If something goes wrong along the way, he can shift all the blame onto that person. Being young means he doesn't yet have enough stable connections in the court, so not many people will step forward to help him.

Of course, this excludes the families of high-ranking officials and nobles.

Fortunately, this person comes from an ordinary family, so we can use him with confidence.

Just as Xia Mengxian had made his selection, the Assistant Magistrate of the Ministry of Justice was released from prison. He had been rebuffed and naturally came to Xia Mengxian to complain.

“Your Excellency,” Jiang Chong said indignantly, “that Xu Huaiyi is truly disregarding the rules, punishing the criminal before the case has even been tried.”

Xia Mengxian could tell from Jiang Chong's expression that Wu Lang had probably been beaten.

"We can't force a confession through torture, can we?"

Upon seeing this, Weng Yi, who had just been sent by Xia Mengxian to try the case with Xu Huaiyi, questioned, "If Xu Huaiyi is punished and not allowed to interfere in this case anymore, then I will become the presiding judge of this case. In the end, the outcome of the case will be up to me."
"Your Excellency, we cannot let Xu Huaiyi run rampant any longer."

"Xu Huaiyi became arrogant and conceited because he had solved a few cases. In the end, there are many people who can solve cases. It was only because the court and the Minister that he was given this opportunity."

The officials nodded in agreement and reprimanded Xu Huaiyi.

"Lord Xu is still too young and needs more guidance."

After listening to the crowd's discussion for a long time, and with several officials repeatedly requesting Xia Mengxian to replace Xu Huaiyi, Xia Mengxian finally looked at Weng Yi and said, "Go to the prison and find Xu Huaiyi. Have him report what happened today. If he is found to have done nothing wrong, then allow him to investigate the case with you."

Weng Yi was delighted: "Your subordinate obeys."

"Furthermore," Xia Mengxian said as he watched Weng Yi prepare to leave, "I'll say it again: this case is of utmost importance and must be handled with utmost care. We must not be careless."

"The guilty should not be let off the hook, and the innocent should not be wronged."

Weng Yi's eyes lit up and he immediately understood: "I heard that the Guo family and the Zhou family's fleets had a conflict on the Bian River, but Lord Xu only brought back the Zhou family's boatmen, which is obviously wrong. Since it was a fight between the boatmen of two families, why only detain one side? I will immediately have someone bring all the Guo family's boatmen back to the yamen."

Xia Mengxian didn't say anything more this time, but simply nodded and said, "Go ahead!"

Weng Yi strode away, heading straight for the prison.

Jiang Chong was quite envious. Weng Yi was really lucky. If he handled this case well, he would rise to a high position.

Although everything was arranged perfectly, and Xu Huaiyi's capture was only a matter of time, Xia Mengxian was still furious and wished he could kill Xu Huaiyi immediately. And what about Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan…

……

Guo Xiong walked into the Ministry of Justice prison and looked at the cells filled with people, feeling quite emotional. He had a feeling that as long as Madam stayed in Bianjing, the prison would never be short of people.

"Wait here, the clerk will come to process your documents in a moment."

Upon hearing the jailer's words, Guo Xiong nodded. A moment later, the civil official arrived, and the two sat facing each other. Guo Xiong began to recount how he had encountered Steward Li and his men that day, and how they had surrounded and captured them.

After the clerk finished writing, he handed the document to Guo Xiong for review: "If it's correct, you can sign it and leave."

Just as Guo Xiong was about to put pen to paper, the door was suddenly opened, and Weng Yi pointed at Guo Xiong and said, "Take him down."

Before Guo Xiong could react, he was pinned to the table and his hands were tied.

"Throw him in jail first, and I'll interrogate him together with his brother after we arrest him."

Guo Xiong tried to speak, but a strip of cloth was stuffed into his mouth, and he couldn't make a sound.

The clerk looked at Weng Yi helplessly. The next moment, Weng Yi picked up the document that had not yet been signed and examined it carefully.

"Nonsense." Weng Yi tore the document to shreds and threw it into the charcoal brazier next to him. Soon the paper was reduced to ashes.

Guo Xiong struggled, and was kicked a few times by the jailer, but he could not be subdued. Especially when Weng Yi threw the paper into the charcoal brazier, Guo Xiong almost broke free of his restraints.

Weng Yi looked at the clerk: "It's obvious he's lying, yet you still wrote it down. How could it be such a coincidence that he helped the government arrest members of the heretical sect?"

"I believe their fleet was probably waiting there all along. As for why they arrested Manager Li and targeted the Zhou family's fleet, we need to interrogate them thoroughly and find out the truth."

This is about turning black into white.

The clerk dared not refute, and could only obediently agree, since the outcome of the interrogation was not something he could decide.

"He also has a younger brother, and we need to take down many of the boatmen who attacked the Zhou family's fleet."

"This..." The constable hesitated, "Lord Xu told us..."

Weng Yi said, "The Minister has entrusted this case to me for handling. From now on, all matters related to this case must be handled according to my instructions."

Guo Xiong's eyes were bloodshot, and Weng Yi looked at his face with contempt: "Take it slow. I've met people with even tougher bones than you, and they all eventually confessed. We have plenty of time to wear them down."

As Weng Yi walked out of the house, Xu Huaiyi was being led out of the prison.

Weng Yi smiled and didn't speak to Xu Huaiyi. A defeated general was nothing in his eyes. After sending Xu Huaiyi away, he went to interrogate Steward Li.

Manager Li had just been tied to the rack, and Xu Huaiyi hadn't even had a chance to ask him any questions, which suited Weng Yi's wishes perfectly.

“Speak,” Weng Yi said, “who ordered you to impersonate members of the Demonic Cult?”

Manager Li looked up in surprise. He thought everything had been exposed, but he didn't expect that a different person would interrogate him and give him a different story.

What does it mean?
Should we help him conceal his identity?
Manager Li's eyes suddenly lit up, and a glimmer of hope for survival rose in his heart.