A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 393 Ending (62)

The four prisoners were transported in four prison vans. As they approached the courtroom, the four were dragged off the vans and made to kneel in a row below the platform.

Three of them were wearing prison uniforms, black hoods, shackles around their necks, and their hands and feet were bound with thick iron chains, clearly indicating that they were serious criminals.

Unable to see their faces or know their identities, everyone's attention naturally fell on the physiques of these serious criminals. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the hands and feet of two of them were limp and weak, and they were being dragged along by the constables, clearly indicating that their tendons had been severed.

The remaining person was neither wearing a hood nor a prison uniform, and his face was quite surprising!
As more and more people recognized him, they realized he was Lin Fu, the clerk of the Jingzhao Prefecture!
It turned out to be Lin Fu, the brother of the itinerant doctor Lin Ling, whom Mu Qingcheng had just interrogated!
Amidst a buzz of discussion, Mu Qingcheng's cold, deep eyes swept over the four people one by one, finally settling on Lin Fu's face.

Lu Xun slammed the gavel down, and the bailiffs shouted "Silence!"
Jiang Zhan paid his respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, and then, facing Song Shuyu and Mu Qingcheng on the public trial platform, bowed and said, "This humble servant greets Your Excellency and Master Mu!"

Song Shuyu nodded: "Officer Jiang, what happened at the yamen?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, half an hour ago, Clerk Lin suddenly returned to the yamen and went to the South Prison to meet with the serious criminals in custody. He claimed that he was ordered by Master Mu to have these men sign a supplementary confession document. He also brought four men with him, saying that he had purchased a house in the capital and hired people to move his luggage."

At this point, Jiang Zhan glanced at Mu Qingcheng and subtly hinted, "This subordinate asked Secretary Lin when he had seen Master Mu. Secretary Lin said that he went to the Prince of Zhongshan's residence last night to see Master Mu and explained his absence and absence from duty these past few days. Then Master Mu instructed him to return to the yamen today to carry out his duties. But... but this subordinate thought of what Master Mu said that night and did not completely believe Secretary Lin. So I sent someone to secretly keep an eye on those four men and personally accompanied Secretary Lin to the South Prison."

"Unexpectedly, the four men intended to set fire to the yamen and create chaos, buying time for Clerk Lin, who had gone to the Southern Prison to poison someone!"

Jiang Zhan felt both ashamed and fortunate. "Fortunately, Your Excellency is wise and capable. You had arranged for skilled poison-wielding guards in the death row beforehand, who discovered the clues in time and prevented this disaster! However, after those four were captured, they all took poison and died on the spot! Now, Constable Duan is staying at the yamen, and I have brought all the serious criminals here for Your Excellency to decide!"

After hearing the whole story, everyone looked shocked and confused.

Only now do I realize that Song Shuyu is like a monkey who has lived for five hundred years, his mind full of scheming and cunning. But even such a shrewd person has a traitor in the Jingzhao Prefecture he leads.

But looking at Song Shuyu, his battle-worn handsome face showed no change in emotion whatsoever. He remained calm and indifferent, as if the news brought by Jiang Zhan was utterly insignificant.

Even Mu Qingcheng maintained a calm and composed demeanor.

She asked, "Where were the four bodies of those who committed suicide by poison placed?"

“The morgue at the South Prison,” Jiang Zhan replied. “They had hidden the poison pills under their tongues beforehand, and committed suicide after their actions were discovered. At the time, Constable Duan and a group of constables were present and witnessed it firsthand.”

After a moment's thought, Mu Qingcheng ordered, "Send someone to bring the body over."

"Yes!" Jiang Zhan replied, and immediately dispatched the accompanying constables to return to the yamen to transport the body.

Mu Qingcheng's attention returned to Lin Fu. After exchanging glances for a few moments, she ordered Jiang Zhan to bring Lin Fu to the public trial.

Jiang Zhan did as instructed.

Mu Qingcheng looked at Lin Fu kneeling in front of her, then glanced at Song Shuyu for some reason. Under Song Shuyu's innocent gaze, she cleared her throat and said, "Captain Jiang, make your move."

Jiang Zhan was taken aback, not understanding what Mu Qingcheng meant.

Mu Qingcheng pursed her lips, deciding to be blunt: "This person is in disguise. He's not Lin Shuban, but rather Lin Shuban's elder brother, the itinerant doctor Lin Ling."

Jiang Zhan was completely astonished. "What?"

Not only Jiang Zhan, but this news also shocked countless people!

Jiang Zhan quickly took out the cloth that had been stuffed into the prisoner's mouth and rubbed it vigorously on "Lin Fu's" face. Because there was no water, it was a dry rubbing, and he used a lot of force, which made "Lin Fu's" facial features contort in pain!
After rubbing for half an hour, the disguise cream was finally removed. Although his skin was bruised and red, his true appearance was revealed to be that of an older man who was different from Lin Fu but looked five or six parts like him!

The answer is self-evident.

At this moment, everyone reached a consensus: Mu Qingcheng was just as frighteningly intelligent as Song Shuyu!

But Mu Qingcheng didn't care at all about what others thought of her. She asked Lin Ling, "Is Secretary Lin alive or dead? Where is he now?"

"So you are Master Mu." Lin Ling looked up and stared at Mu Qingcheng, his eyes filled with admiration and suspicion. "This humble one is indeed Lin Ling, but how did Master Mu recognize me? Clearly, until just now, everyone in your Jingzhao Prefecture mistook me for Lin Fu, and no one noticed anything unusual."

Not only Lin Ling, but everyone was curious, and even the emperor, who was usually composed, showed a hint of interest in his eyes.

However, Mu Qingcheng found it difficult to answer.

For the first time, a look of embarrassment appeared on her face, and she even gave Song Shuyu a pleading look.

She guessed that, given Song Shuyu's keen jealousy, she had already discovered Lin Shuban's intentions.