Chapter 4: Du Ruhui—What Harm Is There in Letting Him Try Again?

Du Ruhui’s voice fell heavy and low, and the gazes of everyone present seemed to take on a life of their own, uncontrollably shifting toward Liu Shuyi.

“It’s true!”

“They really are all in the same case file!”

“Doesn’t this mean… Liu Shuyi was right?”

“Could it be that the deaths of Officer Zhao and the others truly have nothing to do with Prince Xi?”

The cacophony of murmurs buzzed like a swarm of flies, making Pei Ji’s head spin with the noise.

His expression darkened severely. “How could this be?”

Du Ruhui’s deep eyes narrowed slightly as he echoed, “Yes, how could this be?”

“As Deputy Du has observed…”

Seizing the moment, Liu Shuyi spoke up, “The names of Han Du and the other three appear in the very same file concerning the accusation against Zhao Zhuo, the Ministry of Revenue’s assistant minister, for corruption.”

“I had not initially suspected any connection between these four, since Han Du was originally ruled a suicide by hanging, not murder; and then Zhao Wenyi, the warehouse supervisor at the Ministry of Revenue, was killed under circumstances blamed on the ghost of Prince Xi. So, I had not linked their deaths.”

“It was only after the third, Wang Lucheng, the ministry official, was also murdered that it struck me—they all appear in the same file—and because of this…”

Meeting everyone’s eyes, Liu Shuyi declared, “I began to suspect that this was not the work of Prince Xi’s ghost at all, but rather a series of murders targeting those connected to Zhao Zhuo’s corruption case!”

“That is why I secretly went to Officer Zhao’s residence that night, hoping to intercept the killer and save Officer Zhao.”

“But unfortunately…”

Liu Shuyi shook his head with a sigh. “In the end, I failed to save him and almost ended up being mistaken for the murderer myself.”

Seeing Liu Shuyi’s face full of regret and frustration for not being able to save the man, the crowd couldn’t help but nod in sympathy.

“So that’s how it is.”

“In that case, Liu Shuyi’s presence outside Officer Zhao’s home tonight makes sense.”

“Yes, indeed!”

Some soldiers whispered quietly among themselves.

Listening to the noisy murmurs, Wan’er’s delicate, beautiful face shone with an unmistakable glow of joy. “The young master truly succeeded!”

“If what you say is true, and you have uncovered the truth behind Han Du and the others’ murders, then why didn’t you speak up?”

At that moment, a discordant voice rang out, challenging the sentiment.

Pei Ji’s eyes sharpened as he stared intently at Liu Shuyi, his tone commanding and accusatory. “Had you spoken, Officer Zhao would not have met such a tragic end tonight! Ultimately, his death happened because you knew but did not report it, deliberately withholding the truth!”

The crowd blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing Pei Ji’s words carried weight.

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If Liu Shuyi had discovered this secret, why keep silent instead of revealing it?

You old dog, are you deliberately opposing the Liu family?

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes slightly but maintained a calm and rational demeanor. In response to Pei Ji’s interrogation, he said quietly, “Until just half an hour ago, when the case files were delivered, you all firmly believed this was the work of Prince Xi’s loyalists. If I had spoken then, would you have believed me?”

“Not to mention, I have no proof to back my suspicions. What if Han Du’s death really had nothing to do with Zhao Wenyi and the others? What if all of this were mere coincidence—that the first two targets chosen by Prince Xi’s faction just happened to be the two men named in the file?”

“If I had spoken prematurely and misled your investigation, could I bear responsibility for that?”

“Besides…”

Liu Shuyi gave a self-deprecating smile. “Even if I wanted to speak, to whom could I say it? I am but a lowly ninth-rank official in the Ministry of Justice, a powerless clerk trampled upon without chance to rise. I do not even have the status to meet with great men like you. How could I speak?”

Hearing Liu Shuyi’s bitter explanation, the soldiers looked at him with newfound pity.

They had heard bits and pieces about Liu Shuyi’s plight—after all, he was the son of a former prime minister who had rebelled, a unique case in the Tang dynasty. They well understood how difficult his life had been.

Because of this, no one doubted Liu Shuyi’s words.

“Though humble in rank, one must strive with confidence,” Wei Zheng, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

Though he did not explicitly comment on Liu Shuyi’s explanation, his words of encouragement revealed his stance.

He believed him!

Facing such a perilous situation yet remaining calm, clear, and logical—how could this be a sign of doubt? Du Ruhui suspected something was off in Wei Zheng’s gaze.

Still…

He could not deny that Liu Shuyi’s reasoning was impeccable.

“Interesting.”

Du Ruhui’s eyes fixed intently on Liu Shuyi. The man once rumored to be timid and cowardly now displayed such composure, intelligence, and calm. Had Liu Shuyi been hiding his true strength all along? Why conceal it? What other secrets might he be keeping?

Du Ruhui felt like he had discovered a fascinating object, eager to examine Liu Shuyi inside and out.

“Even if your reasoning holds, your suspicion cannot be dismissed!”

Seeing that others were swayed by Liu Shuyi’s argument, Pei Ji’s face darkened further.

This calm and intelligent Liu Shuyi reminded him so much of Liu Wenjing, fueling his growing suspicion and dislike.

He feared Liu Shuyi might become a second Liu Wenjing.

“After all, how do we know you’re not saying these things to deflect suspicion, deliberately revealing your motive to cover your tracks?”

Pei Ji said, “Consider this—so many people handled the Zhao Zhuo corruption case, yet only you discovered this? Moreover, your jade pendant was found in Officer Zhao’s death chamber! You claim to have been outside the Zhao household trying to stop the killer—then how did your pendant end up inside the residence?”

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“Why only I discovered it… I think that question should be asked of the others, why they didn’t find it,” Liu Shuyi answered calmly, having anticipated the question about the pendant.

“As for the pendant, it’s obvious—the killer planted it to frame me.”

“Frame you?”

Pei Ji scrutinized Liu Shuyi with a cold sneer. “You, a mere low-ranking Ministry of Justice official, worth framing? The Tang government has countless officials; why would the killer single you out and not others? Liu Shuyi, do you really think we’d believe that?”

It was like a child getting beaten and then being asked by others, “There are so many kids, why did you get beaten?”

How could he know why the killer chose to target the original host?

Perhaps the killer thought him weak, without background or connections, an easy scapegoat.

Liu Shuyi shook his head, refusing to fall into Pei Ji’s trap of self-incrimination. Instead, he looked to his direct superior, Du Ruhui, and said, “Deputy Du, I know I have no proof about the pendant, and I am not saying this to prove I was framed by the killer.”

“Then what are you saying?” Du Ruhui asked, his interest deepening.

“I’m asking for a chance!”

At last, Liu Shuyi revealed the only way he had thought of to survive in that split second.

He met Du Ruhui’s gaze without evasion. “Deputy Du, you have seen I have some investigative skills. So… give me seven days. Allow me to investigate! Within seven days, I will personally capture the murderer who’s been posing as Prince Xi’s ghost!”

“If after seven days I fail to find the killer, then arrest me without hesitation! I will not claim innocence or resist. I’ll accept whatever punishment you decide.”

“Impossible!”

No sooner had Liu Shuyi spoken than Pei Ji flatly rejected him. “You’re a suspect! How can such an important investigation be entrusted to you? Stop dreaming!”

Liu Shuyi furrowed his brow but ignored Pei Ji, still looking straight at Du Ruhui.

He knew his only chance lay with Du Ruhui.

Du Ruhui was Minister of Justice, and by all rights, Liu Shuyi was under his command. Du Ruhui had shown curiosity and interest just now; Wei Zheng was too rigid in rules—only Du Ruhui might agree to give him a chance.

“Deputy Du, don’t be fooled by Liu Shuyi’s smooth talk!” Pei Ji warned, seeing Du Ruhui show signs of consideration.

At that moment, Du Ruhui gave Liu Shuyi a long, penetrating look, then turned to Pei Ji with a faint smile. “It seems we have nothing to lose by letting him try, do we?”

“Deputy Du!” Pei Ji’s eyes widened.

“Three days.”

Du Ruhui dismissed Pei Ji and held up three fingers. “Seven days is too long. I’ll give you three days. Bring me the killer within three days, and I promise you’ll never be a lowly voice again. But if you fail…”

“Then the killer can only be you.”