Chapter 2: Standoff

"Master is trying to buy you some time, Young Master! Please, escape through the back door quickly—it will be too late if you wait any longer!"

Before Wan'er could finish her anxious plea, a sudden "creak" echoed through the room as the tightly shut door was flung open. A tall, slender figure with a youthful and handsome face appeared before them.

"Who is leading them?" a calm, steady voice asked.

"What?" Wan'er was taken aback.

"Who is in command of the men sent to arrest me?" Liu Shuyi asked again.

Only then did Wan'er regain her composure and quickly reply, "It is the Sikong, the Censor-in-Chief, and the Right Deputy Director of the Department of State Affairs."

As she spoke, she realized that the young master before her seemed different from usual. Over the years, he had been constantly bullied and had developed a timid personality. Faced with such high-ranking court officials coming to arrest him, she expected him to be terrified and at a complete loss, perhaps trembling with panic. Yet, here he stood, his back straight, his eyes focused and composed; there was not a trace of nervousness on that handsome face.

Why this sudden change? Wan'er couldn't help but study him closely.

Liu Shuyi felt the maid’s gaze and cast a brief glance at her. She was dressed in green, possessing a delicate beauty that surpassed even the stars of his past life. His brows furrowed. Since the execution of Liu Wenjing, the Liu family had fallen from grace. Their assets had been seized by others, and for years they had been living off their dwindling savings. Now, all that remained was this dilapidated residence. While they weren't exactly starving, they were certainly not wealthy; all other servants had long been dismissed, save for Steward Chang, who had stayed with the family.

This beautiful maid had been saved by his predecessor by sheer coincidence two years ago, after his older brother went missing. She had stayed on, claiming she was homeless and wished to repay the debt of gratitude. Over the past two years, she had been diligent, attentive, and clever, earning his predecessor’s complete trust—so much so that he had long forgotten that she possessed no household registration and no one to vouch for her background.

But that was not the priority now.

The court officials were already here to arrest him. Having no connections or influence in Chang'an, he could not possibly escape. Moreover, fleeing would be tantamount to admitting guilt! He had to find another way to resolve this crisis.

But they were already at his doorstep; there was no time left. How could he break this deadlock?

Liu Shuyi’s eyes darted around, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Seeing his calm, contemplative expression, Wan'er was even more astonished. She knew how much her master feared these high officials; in the past, if he had seen them on the street, he would have turned away or lowered his head, pretending they didn't exist. He had never possessed the courage to even greet them, yet now, upon hearing they had come to arrest him, he stood as immovable as a mountain.

Wan'er reached out a fair, slender hand, intending to check his forehead to see if a fever had burned his brain and caused such a drastic change in character.

"Liu Shuyi, don't you dare run!"

"Seize him! Don't let him get away!"

Just then, dozens of armored soldiers rushed forward, surrounding the room. They held horizontal blades, clad in black armor, each exuding a murderous aura.

Wan'er gasped, turning quickly to shield Liu Shuyi behind her. "Don't you dare hurt the Young Master!" she cried, clutching her lantern, her beautiful face filled with tension, anxiety, and defiance.

Looking at the petite girl before him, Liu Shuyi shook his head. He hadn't expected the first thing he would encounter after transmigrating was to be protected by a girl who appeared to have no strength to truss a chicken. If his colleagues back in his previous life heard of this, they would mock him to death.

Suddenly, the soldiers stepped aside, clearing a path. Three men in scarlet official robes, radiating authority, walked in slowly.

The man in the center, possessing a scholarly air and in his fifties, walked with the vigor of a dragon or a tiger, showing no signs of age. Based on his predecessor’s memories, Liu Shuyi recognized him as the Sikong, Pei Ji, a founding official of the Great Tang and one of the lead investigators in the treason case against his father in the second year of the Wude era.

The man on his right, whose clothing was meticulous—not a single wrinkle even after traveling—had a rigid, stern demeanor. This was the renowned "great critic," Wei Zheng.

The man on the left, in his forties, had a slightly pale, sickly complexion. His features were plain, yet his eyes were incredibly deep, as if they were whirlpools capable of drawing in anyone who looked into them. Liu Shuyi knew this was the legendary Du Ruhui, the "decisive" half of the "Fang’s planning, Du’s decisiveness," serving as the Right Deputy Director of the Department of State Affairs and concurrently as the Minister of Justice.

All three officials appointed by Li Shimin had arrived!

As they reached the front of the soldiers, Liu Shuyi’s eyes flickered, and he finally reacted. He gently patted Wan'er’s soft shoulder and stepped out from behind her.

He bowed and saluted: "I am Liu Shuyi, a clerk in the Ministry of Justice. Greetings to you, Sikong Pei, Deputy Director Du, and Censor Wei. It is not yet dawn; may I ask what brings you here in the middle of the night?"

"Liu Shuyi, were you at the residence of Zhao Ci, a member of the Ministry of Works, at midnight tonight?"

The scholarly-looking Sikong Pei Ji went straight to the point. His voice was commanding, creating an illusion that Liu Shuyi was already standing in a courtroom awaiting judgment, which made his heart skip a beat. He glanced at Wei Zheng and Du Ruhui, only to find them watching him in silence; clearly, they had agreed before arriving that Pei Ji would lead the interrogation.

Thinking quickly, Liu Shuyi did not deny it. He nodded: "I was."

With the money pouch and the night watchman as witnesses, denial was pointless.

"Good! A man who dares to act, dares to admit! You are much better than your father," Pei Ji continued. "Look at these two items. Do you recognize them? Are they yours?"

A soldier stepped forward with a tray. On it lay a jade pendant and a money pouch. Liu Shuyi glanced at them and shook his head. "No need to examine them. They are certainly mine."

"Good!" Pei Ji exclaimed again. His expression shifted from scholarly to cold. "Around midnight, Zhao Ci was murdered in his residence! The night watchman spotted you outside the Zhao estate, and you fled in a panic, leaving behind this money pouch. Furthermore, we found your jade pendant in the study where Zhao Ci was killed. Having just questioned you, you have admitted to everything! Therefore, it is clear: Liu Shuyi, you are the culprit who stole the remains of the Prince of Xi and brutally murdered three Tang officials! Do you confess?"

Hearing Pei Ji’s words, Wei Zheng and Du Ruhui stared intensely at Liu Shuyi. They had been without leads for days as officials were murdered one after another, and their anxiety had been mounting. They had not expected such a breakthrough tonight, finding the killer so suddenly. That was why all three had come in person—this represented a conclusion they could present to the Emperor.

They expected this to be the end of it, especially given Liu Shuyi's cooperation and his historically timid reputation.

"I do not confess!"

Yet, just as they were thinking the case was closed, Liu Shuyi’s firm, resonant voice echoed through the silent night.

The three men were startled, instinctively looking at him.

"The money pouch is indeed mine, and I was indeed near the Zhao estate tonight. But that does not mean I was there to kill. On the contrary..." He looked at them, saying something that shocked everyone present: "I was there to save lives, to stop the murderer, to investigate the case, and to bring the culprit to justice!"