Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 30 Testing
Jia Chuan didn't like the name Jinyiwei. Why? It was probably because of the impression he'd left after watching some TV dramas. He remembered that Jinyiwei were the emperor's trusted confidants, more like a secret service, very overbearing and domineering. Later, they were overpowered by a group of eunuchs from the East and West Factories. That seemed to be the case.

What also made Jia Chuan feel apprehensive was the legendary tortures of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. They were in charge of the Zhaoyu Prison, and it seemed that no one could come out of that place alive, right?

Jia Chuan couldn't help but gasp, wondering why Zhu Zhanji would send the Jinyiwei? Was he going to arrest him and take him back to the capital? That shouldn't be the case, as he hadn't reported anything yet.

It turns out that people who feel guilty don't necessarily mean they are thieves.

Jia Chuan grabbed Cui Youzhi's arm and whispered, "Could you please tell me what exactly this Jinyiwei is...what..."

Cui Youzhi couldn't even stand when he heard this. He grabbed Jia Chuan's arm and said in a very low, trembling voice, "You can't ask like that. The Jinyiwei are used to intimidate officials. Even though the prince looks at you differently and you may have met them before, the Jinyiwei are directly under the emperor and have ranks. What do you have? If you offend them, you will suffer the same fate!"

Jia Chuan's frown deepened. Cui Youzhi's logic was a little confusing to him, so he simply asked directly, "Do they have a lot of power?"

"Nonsense! They have the right to supervise all officials. What do you think? Come in with me quickly. Don't keep Xu Chenshi waiting for too long."

"Assistant?"

"You don't know Xu Chenshi?"

"Do I need to trouble the county magistrate to explain it to me if I want to know it?"

"you……"

Cui Youzhi was a little confused. He always thought that Jia Chuan was the prince's spy planted in Huangluling, which meant he was someone close to the prince. Xu Gong was also the prince's man. How could they not recognize him?
Cui Youzhi's doubtful eyes met Jia Chuan's doubtful eyes...

But the prestige of the Jinyiwei was there, and even though Cui Youzhi had a lot of questions, he could only pull Jia Chuan and run to see Xu Gong.

Xu Gong, dressed in plain clothes, sat in the back hall drinking tea without showing any impatience. Instead, the two centurions standing behind him, dressed in green brocade clothes and carrying embroidered spring swords, seemed a little restless.

Someone muttered in a low voice, "This Jia guy is really hard to please."

Although Xu Gong was a military commander, he had a kind face and a scholarly air. He waved his hand and said, "The magistrate just said that he's gone to help with the investigation. It will take some time to go back and forth."

"Please sympathize with him, my Lord, and he should take care of himself."

The captain next to him looked at his colleague in confusion, wondering why he wanted to put on an eye for the young man surnamed Jia in front of Xu Chenshi, since he had never met the young man surnamed Jia before and had no connection with him.

The man raised his eyebrows at him, and the two of them exchanged glances for a while behind Xu Gong.

Xu Gong sat in the front and drank tea slowly. Servants came forward from time to time to add water and change tea. When Xu Gong got tired of sitting, he stood up and walked around the hall.

Finally, when he sat back down, he heard hurried footsteps, and then he saw Cui Youzhi pulling Jia Chuan into the hall.

This caught Xu Gong off guard. He thought Jia Chuan would be walking in front of the county magistrate, who was over fifty years old, and would be panting and looking anxious, but the Jia Chuan in front of him was breathing steadily and was even looking him up and down.

Jia Chuan actually hasn't realized yet that people often have a strong interest in people or things they have heard of but never seen.

Jia Chuan just wanted to see what the legendary Jinyiwei looked like, but after taking a look, he felt that they were just like that, without any murderous aura, nor majestic, let alone handsome.

Cui Youzhi never raised his head since he entered the hall. He first explained in a flattering manner the reason why Jia Chuan was late, and then asked Xu Chenshi if his servants had been negligent. Then he noticed from the corner of his eye that Jia Chuan was staring at Xu Gong. Cui Youzhi was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat. He hurriedly pulled Jia Chuan's sleeve to remind him to bow his head.

Jia Chuan said "Oh" and then remembered what kind of organization the Jinyiwei was. He quickly bowed his head and waited for questioning.

Xu Gong asked with a smile: "Has the case been solved?"

Cui Youzhi hurriedly said, "The murderer has been brought back."

"Oh? Are there all the witnesses and evidence?"

"The criminal confessed to the crime when he was caught."

Cui Youzhi was very confident when answering. He originally ordered someone to call Jia Chuan, but happened to meet Gao Yuntian who was returning to the yamen with a criminal. He was also stunned at the time. After asking, he straightened his back. Thinking that Jia Chuan was behind him, he went to the gate of the yamen to meet him. Although he was a little anxious, he was confident. He had been waiting for this moment.

"Was there any forced confession?" Xu Gong frowned and asked Jia Chuan.

Jia Chuan was looking down and thinking that this Jinyiwei officer didn't seem to want to arrest him, but then he realized that he had no intention of hiding anything and had not done anything wrong, so what was there to be afraid of?

"I'm asking you!" Cui Youzhi reminded in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Jia Chuan looked up at Xu Gong.

Xu Gong asked again very seriously: "Did you force a confession?"

"The deceased's husband was a businessman, constantly on the road. She had committed adultery with a widower next door. Yesterday, she lied about being unwell, and her husband didn't get up to see her off when she left. He missed her so much when he was outside the city that he turned back. At the time, the deceased and her adulterer, the murderer, had just finished their meal and were making out. In a moment of desperation, the adulterer slipped under the bed with the food, leaving behind rice, vegetable leaves, and broth. After the deceased chased her husband away, the adulterer emerged from under the bed. His reasons for attacking are unknown. He stabbed the deceased to death and then climbed over the wall, carrying the dishes back to his own residence."

Jia Chuan stole a glance at Xu Gong, and seeing that he was listening intently, he continued, "These two prepared two ladders to facilitate their adultery, eliminating the need to go through the main gate. The detectives found evidence in the adulterer's yard, including broken dishes, blood-stained clothing, and the ladders. The adulterer also admitted that he had killed the victim."

"Have you found the murder weapon? It's impossible for an adulterer to carry a weapon." Xu Gong said.

"The detectives will leave someone to search and interrogate the cause of the attack. The results will be known soon."

Xu Gong nodded and looked at Cui Youzhi and said, "The capital is busy right now. The Crown Prince is sad and injured, so he can't take care of this for the time being. The Crown Prince wants County Magistrate Cui to arrange for Jia Chuan and the other two to serve in the county government first."

Cui Youzhi was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "I obey your command."

"Please step back. I have something to say to Jia Chuan."

Cui Youzhi was eager to leave as soon as possible. He quickly bowed and replied "yes", then stepped back, turned around and walked out of the door, not forgetting to close it behind him.

Xu Gong picked up the tea bowl and took a sip, then said, "Please sit down."

Jia Chuan subconsciously looked around, then back, to make sure he was being addressed. He then said, "I'd better stand." Xu Gong seemed very satisfied with Jia Chuan's performance. He smiled and said, "The prince has spoken highly of you. We are all family. Please sit down."

Jia Chuan sighed inwardly. It wasn't out of respect that he refused to sit down. He had a bad habit of crossing his legs. Normally, he sat on benches in Old Zheng's yard and couldn't cross his legs. But if he sat here and chatted, he would forget about it... He was afraid that the rules of the Jinyiwei would bring him trouble in the future.

But now he couldn't refuse anymore, he could only remind himself not to forget who they were.

If Zhu Zhanji saw Jia Chuan's appearance at this time, he would definitely be dissatisfied. In the past, Jia Chuan showed more respect to Kuang Zhong than to him, the prince. Now, facing his personal guards, Jia Chuan also showed full awe. Zhu Zhanji would definitely be suspicious.

Xu Gong watched Jia Chuan sit down at the table, and then asked with a friendly expression, "Huang Luling...did you find anything?"

Jia Chuan took a deep breath and told the whole story about the four groups of people who had been to Huangluling, what each group had done, the differences and similarities between the four groups, his suspicion that there was a traitor in the Inspection Office, and what the Inspection Office had lost. He told the whole story truthfully.

Xu Gong's expression became increasingly ugly. This was completely different from what he had imagined.

Although Zhu Zhanji mentioned to him that more than 40 people from the Inspection Office were all killed, he just thought that this was an act of silence by the King of Han. Xu Gong did not find it surprising what the King of Han did.

But after listening to Jia Chuan's words, Xu Gong realized that he had thought too simply.

"Have you read books? Can you write?" Xu Gong asked seriously.

"Uh... I can write a little, but it's not very legible."

"Well, you tell me and I write!"

Xu Gong ordered Cui Youzhi to serve him with writing materials. Cui Youzhi ordered people to bring in the desk first, then he worked hard for a while and then left with the other yamen runners.

While the yamen runners were busy, Jia Chuan went over the matter again in his mind. This time, he mentioned his suspicion that there was an insider in the Inspection Office upfront. In this way, with the contrast of what happened later, he didn't feel that the matter was so serious. He emphasized how he had deduced it, because there was no other evidence except the waist badge of the Prince of Han's Mansion, so the process of his deduction seemed very important. Finally, he expressed his doubts without hesitation.

Why did they leave one person behind? This person must be part of the third group. Knowing who the third group is would reveal their purpose. And why did the traitor from the Inspection Office remain hidden in this place for three years without revealing his identity? He is also part of the third group, so knowing who the third group is would answer all the questions.

What if Zhu Zhanji can answer it?
This is Jia Chuan's little thought. He naturally knows that excessive display of talent will inevitably bring disaster, but disaster can only be felt by being alive. At this time, the most important thing is to demonstrate one's own value and not let the big boss abandon him.

Xu Gong finished writing, and after the ink dried, he said to a captain, "Li Shun, send it to Beijing 800 miles quickly, for the Crown Prince to personally address!"

Li Shun knew the seriousness of the matter, so he put the letter away and walked out of the hall quickly.

"Sun Rong, please go out first. I have a few words to say to Jia Chuan."

Sun Rong also hurried out of the hall.

Xu Gong was the only one left in the hall. He walked over to Jia Chuan, took his arm, and led him towards the chair, saying as he walked, "I didn't expect this case to be so complicated. I'm really sorry for that."

"The prince gave me instructions before he left, and I'm just doing what I should do."

"Are you hiding anything?"

Xu Gong suddenly stopped. He didn't look at Jia Chuan, but his tone was very low.

"What are you hiding?" Jia Chuan asked Xu Gong with innocent eyes, without hesitation.

"This case involves your Inspection Division..."

"Besides the dead, there's a traitor whose life or death is unknown. There are only three of us left. We've been following the Crown Prince since the incident. Why should I hide it? If I had to hide something, I should have hidden the traitor, but I don't see the need! Your Excellency has been with the Crown Prince longer than I have, right? I know I've only been with him for two days, but my admiration for him is like a surging river. Your Excellency doesn't know that on the most dangerous night, the thief was so close, and I could only muster up my courage to deal with him. Yet, the Crown Prince was able to act swiftly and shoot the thief to death. What kind of decisiveness is that? How dare I be so clever?"

Xu Gong turned his head and looked at Jia Chuan inquiringly, then asked with a gloomy face, "Do you know that if there's a traitor, you three can't escape responsibility?"

"Why? Whoever that person is, he's been lurking in the Inspection Office for over three years. When he first came here, he was sent by the higher-ups. He's been healthy for over three years. No, he's no different from anyone else. You can't tell who he is."

"Who can you imagine?"

"I didn't expect that by the time I discovered there might be a traitor, over forty bodies had already been buried. I buried them myself and even wrote my name in front of the grave. Shunzi and I tried hard to figure out who was responsible, but the bodies were badly decomposed, and many were naked. After they were rotten, we could only identify them by height and feel. But this also suggests one thing: maybe they weren't afraid of us recognizing them, or maybe..."

Jia Chuan suddenly thought of a possibility, and he grabbed Xu Gong's wrist with his backhand:

"When we came back, the Crown Prince ordered ten soldiers to escort us. These ten were very playful and often ran away without a trace. The three of us kept stopping and starting, always worried that they would get lost. This delayed us for a while, and they said they knew a shortcut. For a while, we followed them and did not take the same route as we came."

"You mean..."

"They originally wanted to kill us three too! We only survived because we made a mistake. They probably didn't know what our bodies would look like in two days in this weather, but what about ten days? Half a month?... No, they still have one person alive, and this one won't be around long enough for anyone else to find him."

Jia Chuan let go of Xu Gong's hand and rubbed his face hard.

Xu Gong walked to the main seat and sat down. He frowned and thought for a moment before asking, "Why do you have the ability to be a coroner?"

Jia Chuan had to admire Xu Gong's ability to think in a leaping way.

Jia Chuan has thought of many answers in the past few days. He knows that he will be asked about it sooner or later. After thinking about it, he still feels that the one he told Old Zheng is the most fantastic. Fantasy means that it seems unbelievable, but he unconsciously believes it a little bit, and then he finds various reasons to make this matter seem acceptable to himself.

Jia Chuan shrugged, sighed, and said helplessly, "Even if I tell you, you might not believe me. It's really a bit bizarre."

Xu Gong frowned, a look of caution written on his face.

Jia Chuan understood clearly. He straightened his back and said seriously:
"Whether Xu Chenshi believes it or not, I have to tell you the truth. Someone taught me this in a dream, and it was just like the real thing. The only difference is that the place in the dream was not here, and I can't tell you where it was..."

Jia Chuan looked like he was seriously reminiscing, thinking of the barbecue and beer from his previous life.

(End of this chapter)