My father ordered me to kill the emperor, but His Majesty bestowed a princess upon me instead.

The old prison of the Ministry of Justice was located in the southeast corner of the imperial city.

I've never been here before.

But when I saw that dark door in the distance, I knew this wasn't a good place.

In some places, there is no need to hang a sign that reads "No wronged souls allowed" at the entrance.

It exudes an aura that says, "Once you're in, you're not going to get out safely."

Yan Xiaoyi walked beside me, unusually without yawning.

"You've been here before?"

He nodded.

"I've been here before."

"Investigating a case?"

"Get them out of trouble."

"Have they been fished out?"

"Take half of it out."

I paused in my steps.

"Half?"

"The top half."

Suddenly I didn't want to ask anymore.

Two prison guards stood at the entrance of the old Ministry of Justice prison.

Upon seeing the sign for the Censorate's inspection, they did not make way, but only said they needed to report it.

The announcement was made after a long time.

It went on for so long that I wondered if they were giving Bai Laoxiu a second beating inside.

Finally, Han Jun came out.

It was still that expressionless face.

He didn't seem surprised at all when he saw me.

"Lord Shen arrived very quickly."

I cupped my hands in greeting.

"Lord Han's Ministry of Justice handles cases much faster. The person was barely taken away before he confessed to the crime."

Han Jun said calmly, "Old Bai knew the gravity of his crime and confessed voluntarily."

"The Ministry of Justice really knows how to influence people."

"Lord Shen, please be careful with your words."

"I'm being very careful." I held up the inspection sign. "The Censorate has been ordered to investigate the murder case at the old warehouse in the south of the city. Bai Laoxiu is implicated in the case involving the golden crane pattern. I need to see him."

"Bai Laoxiu is a criminal in an old case handled by the Ministry of Justice."

"He was also a witness in the murder case at the Censorate."

Han Jun looked at me.

"Lord Shen, the Ministry of Justice is not the Ministry of Works, nor the Carriage and Horse Management Office, much less a place you can just barge into."

I smiled.

"Lord Han, you misunderstand. I won't barge in; I'll use the main entrance."

These words made Han Jun's face turn even colder.

Behind him were several constables from the Ministry of Justice, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

I know they are not afraid of me.

What they fear is the oversight badge in my hand, and the still-warm words behind me: "I only trust you."

The emperor's words have really done me a lot of harm.

But sometimes it really comes in handy.

Han Jun remained silent for a moment.

"Only half an incense stick can be seen."

That's enough.

"No one can be taken away, no items can be handed over privately, and no one can be induced to confess."

"Can."

"Guard Yan is not allowed to enter."

Yan Xiaoyi raised an eyebrow.

"I won't go in. If your people get rid of Lord Shen, His Majesty will question me."

Han Jun said coldly, "In the old prison of the Ministry of Justice, no one has ever dared to touch an official appointed by the imperial court."

I really wanted to remind him that there were countless ways in which officials of the imperial court died in the capital.

But after thinking about it, I decided against it.

I said, "He's waiting outside the door."

Yan Xiaoyi looked at me.

I whispered, "Half an incense stick's worth."

He thought about it.

"If you call, I will come in."

"How do I get in?"

"The wall isn't high."

The faces of the Ministry of Justice officers standing nearby turned black.

Han Jun snorted coldly and turned to lead the way.

It was very cold inside the old prison of the Ministry of Justice.

Even though it was daytime, walking in felt like entering the bottom of a well.

The walls were damp, the torches were dim, and the air was filled with the smells of blood, mold, and medicine.

There's also a hint of bitter almond in the medicinal flavor.

I paused slightly in my steps.

Han Jun turned around.

"Is Lord Shen afraid?"

"no."

"Then why did you stop?"

"The smell of medicine is strong here."

Han Jun's eyes flashed.

"The Ministry of Justice always keeps wound medicine on hand during interrogations."

"Almond cream in the wound medicine?"

He didn't answer.

This is enough.

The source of the poison that Liu Laoqi was poisoned by may not be the old prison of the Ministry of Justice, but there are people here who are familiar with the smell of that medicine.

There is at least one path between the six-fingered man in official boots and the old prison of the Ministry of Justice.

We went to the innermost room.

The cell door opened.

An old man was lying inside.

His hair was gray, his body was thin, his clothes were covered in blood and water stains, and his hands were swollen like steamed buns.

Bai Lao embroidery.

Although I've never met him, I recognized him at a glance.

Because his fingers are very special.

Even when the skin is swollen beyond recognition, there are still fine calluses on the fingertips.

These are the hands of an embroiderer.

It's also the kind of hand that can embroider life into cloth.

Han Jun said, "Half an incense stick's worth."

I nodded.

He stood at the door, not leaving.

I don't expect him to leave.

I squatted down in front of Bai Laoxiu.

"Manager Bai."

The old man's eyelids twitched.

Her eyes were closed.

I whispered, "I am Shen An."

This time, he slowly opened his eyes.

It was murky and weary, yet there was still a glimmer of light.

"A seventh-rank...censor?"

"right."

His lips twitched, as if he wanted to smile.

"As expected... he's a young man."

I said, "Xiao Xiu has conveyed your message."

The glimmer in his eyes trembled slightly.

"Is she still alive?"

"Alive, in the Censorate."

"good……"

Bai Laoxiu let out a long breath.

Han Jun said coldly, "Lord Shen, stop talking about irrelevant matters."

I ignored him.

"Where is the crane tent?"

Bai Laoxiu's eyelids drooped slightly.

Han Jun immediately said, "Bai Laoxiu has already confessed that Hewenzhai privately made hidden patterns, and the so-called crane tent was just a forged sales record."

Bai Laoxiu's body trembled slightly.

It's not fear.

It's qi (vital energy).

I looked at him.

"You signed it?"

His lips moved.

"My hand...is not mine."

My heart sank.

The Ministry of Justice made it too easy for them to extract confessions and force fingerprints.

You can press on a person even if they've fainted.

I said, "I don't want to know the confession. I only want to know about the crane tent."

Bai Laoxiu turned her head with difficulty and glanced at Han Jun.

Han Jun remained expressionless.

I understand.

He dared not say it.

At least you can't say it in front of Han Jun.

I rephrased the question.

"The crane is not in the sleeve, but in the curtain. The curtain is not in the embroidery workshop, is it?"

Bai Laoxiu's eyes flickered slightly.

"right."

"The embroidery pattern is burned, but the curtain is still there?"

"exist."

"Who took it?"

Bai Laoxiu shook her head.

"It's not in their hands."

Han Jun's expression changed slightly.

I immediately asked, "Where?"

Bai Laoxiu closed her eyes.

"Old prison... dead man's clothes..."

My heart skipped a beat.

Han Jun shouted sternly, "Old Bai Xiu!"

Bai Laoxiu was startled by the shout, but she still managed to continue speaking.

"The embroidery workshop makes hidden patterns, and the biggest fear is that the curtains will be stolen. When I was young, I learned a method in the palace... The curtains are not written on paper, but embroidered on the lining of the dead person's clothes."

It gave me goosebumps.

"A shroud for the dead?"

"The old prison of the Ministry of Justice... prisoners died every year. Their clothes were sent out to be washed, mended, or burned... no one checked."

I understood instantly.

The most dangerous things are hidden in the most unlucky places.

Who would bother to search the clothes of death row inmates in the old Ministry of Justice prison?

Who would have thought that the secret pattern register of Hewenzhai would be embroidered on the lining of a dead person's clothes?

No wonder Bai Laoxiu could still say "the debt is still there" after being taken to the old prison of the Ministry of Justice.

Because part of the account was originally exchanged through the clothes of the dead in the old prison.

The involvement of the former prison of the Ministry of Justice was not accidental.

This place was originally part of the process of hiding and transferring the cranes.

Han Jun's face had turned cold.

"Lord Shen, half an incense stick has been burned."

I didn't even look at him.

"The incense hasn't been lit yet."

Han Jun: "..."

He probably never expected me to be so shameless.

I continued to ask Bai Laoxiu, "Which corpse's garment?"

Bai Laoxiu's breathing became rapid.

"The character 'Geng'... twenty-seven... old clothes room..."

Han Jun stepped forward.

"That's enough!"

I stood up and stood between Bai Laoxiu and Han Jun.

"Why is Lord Han in such a hurry?"

"Shen An, you have induced confessions from the criminal and disrupted the Ministry of Justice's interrogation!"

"I'm asking for payment, why are you stopping me?"

"Bai Laoxiu is the perpetrator of the embroidery theft case."

"Then how did he know about the old clothing room at the 27th of the Gengzi section of the old prison in the Ministry of Justice?"

Han Jun's eyes were gloomy.

"The internal affairs of the Ministry of Justice are not for outsiders to concern themselves with."

"What a coincidence." I smiled. "The more inconvenient it is for me to ask, the more I want to ask."

Han Jun's face turned ashen.

Footsteps sounded outside the cell.

A constable from the Ministry of Justice approached.

I knew that if I kept asking, they would really "ask" me to leave.

It's even possible that I'll trip and fall a few times during the process.

But Bai Laoxiu suddenly stretched out her swollen hand and grabbed the hem of my clothes.

He is not very strong.

So small that it's almost impossible to catch.

But he still held on tightly.

"Six fingers..."

I immediately lowered my head.

"Who is it?"

Bai Laoxiu's lips trembled.

Han Jun suddenly stepped forward.

I grabbed Bai Laoxiu's hand and quickly said, "Say your name."

Bai Laoxiu made a sound like wind breaking in his throat.

"The Pei residence..."

My heart skipped a beat.

Han Jun grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me away.

With her last breath, Bai Laoxiu uttered two words.

"Ji Qing".

As soon as he finished speaking, he fell backward and lost consciousness.

Han Jun roared, "Guards! Escort Lord Shen out!"

Two constables immediately stepped forward.

I did not resist.

Resisting would truly be considered breaking into prison.

But before I turned around, I glanced at Bai Laoxiu.

His chest was still moving.

still alive.

As long as you're alive, there are still debts to settle.

When I was "sent" out of the old Ministry of Justice prison, my shoulder was sore from being pushed.

Outside the door, Yan Xiaoyi had already stood up, her eyes cold.

I shook my head.

"fine."

Yan Xiaoyi glanced at my shoulder.

"It doesn't seem like nothing's wrong."

"At least not just the top half."

He paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Lord Shen, it's impressive that you can still hold a grudge at a time like this."

Han Jun stood inside the door and said coldly, "Lord Shen, the old prison of the Ministry of Justice does not welcome you back."

I cupped my hands in greeting.

"Rest assured, Lord Han."

His expression softened slightly.

I continued, "Next time I will bring Lord Zhao and His Majesty's oral decree."

Han Jun's face darkened again.

After leaving the Ministry of Justice, the first thing I did was not to go to the Pei residence.

It's not like we're going to a secondhand clothing store.

Instead, he found a corner to sit down.

I really can't take it anymore.

Yan Xiaoyi stood to the side.

"Ji Qing from the Pei family?"

I nodded.

Have you heard of it?

"Pei Shen's personal attendant is named Ji Qing."

really.

I closed my eyes.

Pei Residence.

Ji Qing.

Golden-lined crane.

Six fingers.

Bitter almonds.

Guangchumen.

The threads were finally strung together.

But precisely because they are all connected, I can't be in a hurry.

Because the other end of this line isn't necessarily just Ji Qing.

It's not necessarily just Pei Shen.

Ji Qing is a hand.

Pei Shen might be Xiu.

The person who actually gets this hand moving may not be standing on the cuff.

Yan Xiaoyi suddenly asked, "Where to next?"

I opened my eyes.

"Return to the Censorate."

"Not going to the Pei residence?"

"First, find the clothes of the twenty-seven dead men with the character 'Geng' in their names."

"The Ministry of Justice's used clothing room is located inside the Ministry of Justice."

"Therefore, we must make the Ministry of Justice hand it over themselves."

Yan Xiaoyi raised an eyebrow.

"Will they pay?"

"Won't."

"Then how will you get them to pay?"

I stood up and dusted off the hem of my clothes.

"Write a memorial."

Yan Xiaoyi paused for a moment.

"It's really dirty for you officials to fight."

I smiled.

"It's cleaner than a knife."

Is it clean?

I glanced back at the dark, imposing gate of the old Ministry of Justice prison.

"Not clean."

I whispered:

"But it allows us to write dirty things out into the sunlight."