Proud Feather

Chapter 106 Covering up
When Master Lingxu entered the palace, he did not hide it from anyone. Several of the gentlemen had heard about it to some extent, but they did not expect that he had come to deliver a message.

"Yes," Master Lingxu replied. "In July of this year, the Crown Prince asked me to do a favor, asking my disciples to find a mother and child who had been exiled there when they went to the northern lands for a sacrificial ceremony, and to take good care of them. Unfortunately, the mother and child died of illness before they set off, and my disciples could only bring back the letters and tokens."

The emperor had already read the letter, and Chu Ling handed it directly to the ministers.

As they watched, their expressions varied and fascinating, making Lin Wenyu increasingly terrified.

After reading the last one, he handed it to Lin Wenyu with a tone of pity: "You should take a look too!"

Lin Wenyu took it with trembling hands, glanced at it quickly, and then his knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

This letter is the real irrefutable evidence, proving that Zhu Fan and the Crown Prince had made an agreement long ago, that she could not possibly hold a grudge against the Crown Prince, and that the claim of a private affair is completely untenable.

The testimonies of Fang Wu and his maid were also proven false. As a close attendant, Fang Wu could not have been completely unaware of this, and the maid's ambiguous statements were highly misleading.

"Did you all notice the time?" Chu Ling said. "The Zhu mother and son died at the end of August, and the imperial physician said that the elder brother had been poisoned for at least half a month. Therefore, it is inferred that the poisoning occurred around the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is impossible for Zhu Fan to have received news of his mother and younger brother's deaths at that time. The letter mentioned by the maid is very suspicious."

Zhang Ji agreed: "What the princess said is quite right. Either the letter does not exist, or someone forged the letter and gave Zhu Fan false information. But judging from the fact that Zhu Fan entrusted the Crown Prince to take care of his mother and younger brother, even if there was really news of their deaths, Zhu Fan would have asked the Crown Prince about it."

At this point, he turned to Lin Wenyu and said, "The person who forged the confession must not have known about Zhu Fan entrusting the Crown Prince with the matter, which led to the inconsistencies in the confession. Their intentions were malicious!"

Chu Ling then added, "Minister Lin shouldn't doubt that this letter is fake, right? The scholars are still here; we can have them examine the handwriting now."

Lin Wenyu was completely speechless.

What's the point of examining it? Examining it again will only prove that the confession is fake, and this letter is the real one.

Alright, the matter is now mostly cleared. Zhu Fan has been exonerated, and all that's left is to wrap things up.

Zhu Fan's maid is still in prison; she can be re-examined. However, she can no longer be kept in the Ministry of Justice; she must be transferred immediately.

The manager of Xianle Tower must also be arrested immediately; he cannot escape responsibility for the replacement of the paintings and calligraphy in Zhu Fan's room.

If we keep investigating these two points, we might be able to follow the clues and catch the murderer!
Oh, and there's another witness, Fang Wu...

"Where did Fang Wu go?" Zhang Ji asked.

Lu Chan continued, "Minister Zhang, I had Fang Wu taken back to the East Palace and given a beating. He then went back to treat his injuries."

"This..." Zhang Ji frowned deeply, "Is it too late to arrest them now?"

"Your Excellency, please don't be anxious." Chu Ling smiled. "This is something my sister-in-law and I discussed, which is to let Fang Wu regain his freedom."

Zhang Ji was stunned for a moment, and Lin Wenyu suddenly raised his head and stared at her intently.

The Prime Minister remained calm. Zhang Dingyuan said, "In that case, it's good that the princess understands." He turned to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, since the evidence is conclusive, today's farce can end. Lin Wenyu handled the case recklessly, even committing the heinous crime of framing someone for murder. He must be severely punished!"

The emperor nodded, coldly looking down: "Lin Wenyu, why don't you confess honestly? Who killed Zhu Fan? What role did your Ministry of Justice play in this matter?!"

At this point, Lin Wenyu could no longer deny it. He could only kneel on the ground and weep bitterly, tears streaming down his face: "Your Majesty! I was confused for a moment! The princess was in charge of this case, but she only valued Gao Mian and neglected me. I was indignant and vowed to find out the truth before Gao Mian. After my investigation, I concluded that only Zhu Fan had the opportunity to poison the body. Perhaps that's what gave Fang Wu and the maid a hint, leading to the deviation in their testimonies... I really didn't know it would turn out like this..." The emperor laughed angrily: "You mean, Zhu Fan's death has nothing to do with you? The switching of the paintings and calligraphy is none of your business?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I truly do not know. I merely wish to close the case quickly. With the deadline fast approaching, I wish to retain my official position and, more importantly, to defeat Gao Mian..."

Chu Ling looked at him indifferently: "Minister Lin, when you were investigating the case, you treated everyone like fools. Now that you're confessing, do you still treat everyone like fools? Is the Ministry of Justice a place that ordinary people can go to? Zhu Fan not only died, but was also released with a confession. How could you have done that without opening a door for him?"

Zhang Ji was also angered by his attitude: "Lin Wenyu, you really won't shed a tear until you see the coffin! The poison Zhu Fan was poisoned with is the same as the Crown Prince's, which means that the one who killed her is the murderer who harmed the Crown Prince! As a prison official, you actually covered up for the murderer, do you know what crime that is?"

Lin Wenyu continued to plead, "Minister Zhang, I am merely foolish and thus manipulated. I absolutely did not cover up the murderer; I truly do not know who the murderer is..."

Everyone present looked grim; Lin Wenyu's behavior was utterly disgraceful. His father and grandfather were renowned Confucian scholars, still enjoying a good reputation among intellectuals. He had risen to a high position by virtue of his father and grandfather's legacy, yet he had committed such a disgraceful act.

Chu Ling sneered: "Minister Lin, do you think we can't catch the murderer if you don't talk?"

Lin Wenyu repeatedly said he dared not.

Zhang Ji understood the tone of her voice: "What the princess means is..."

"Please wait a little longer, everyone. The results should be forthcoming soon." Chu Ling turned back to inquire, "Father?"

The emperor nodded: "At this point, it doesn't matter if we wait a little longer."

"Thank you, Father Emperor." Chu Ling turned and instructed, "Lord Gao, thank you for your trouble."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave." Gao Mian bowed and calmly withdrew from the main hall.

The ministers, observing this, couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed. Tonight, the princess's every move was calculated, anticipating the enemy's moves, which was truly impressive—was it Gao Mian's doing? Or the Crown Princess? Or perhaps, this was simply her true nature, which she hadn't had the chance to reveal before.

Such a favored princess, so intelligent and capable, is truly a blessing...
-
Fang Wu hid and fled, finally managing to sneak into a mill around midnight.

The mill was located at the end of a secluded alley, and the dilapidated courtyard was littered with beans and bean dregs, making it almost impossible to step inside.

"Old Cai! Old Cai!" Fang Wu called out softly.

The only sound in the yard was the munching of the donkey; there was no response.

He said, "Old Cai, if you don't come back, I'm going to go outside and shout!"

After a while, a voice finally came from inside the donkey shed: "What do I owe you? You come here to harm people at this time!"

Following the sound, a shadow emerged from behind the donkey. Its clothes were tattered and covered in dry grass, making it look no different from a refugee.

The light from the neighbor's lamp hanging on the eaves shone in, and the man wiped his face, revealing a haggard but shrewd face with a pair of bright eyes.

If Gao Mian were here, he would be utterly astonished. He was clearly the shopkeeper from Wenxianju across from Dahuai Temple who had vanished without a trace!