There is a god in the sky

Chapter 175 The Dance Competition Scandal 10

Minister Tong was very disappointed in his second son.

“I don’t care what method you use, you must get that ledger back, otherwise… you’ll be the one pushed out next. Don’t say I can’t protect you, not even your grandfather can protect you.”

Tong Juntao was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Father, I...I'll go find it right away!"

"And another thing, if you hang out with any shady characters again, you're getting out of this house!"

Tong Juntao muttered, "They didn't play anything special, just things the Crown Prince had already played."

"He is the ruler and you are the subject. It's not wrong for you to flatter him, but don't get too close."

"Why?" Tong Juntao asked, puzzled.

The Tong family father and son were extremely troubled, but there were some things they couldn't say to him directly.

Their family is a staunch princeling faction, making them a prime target for attacks from other factions. If no flaws are found, someone as clueless as Tong Juntao could easily be framed.

In the inner palace, a young eunuch walked hurriedly into the Imperial Garden with his head down, placed a booklet under a potted plant next to the artificial hill, and left immediately.

Not long after, a gardener came to replace the flowers, taking the potted plant and the things underneath it with him.

Late at night, after taking a bath, Li Ge came out and there was that booklet on the table.

He approached with a candle in hand, flipping through the account books night after night, a sinister smile on his face.

"Sir, is this thing useful?"

"It worked. It's a wonder that girl waited several years to finally get the chance to succeed."

"She's currently imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail, should we..."

After reading the last page, Li Ge closed the ledger and glanced at the eunuch who had spoken. "What are you afraid of? She doesn't even know who her master is."

"No, this servant wants to rescue her."

"She didn't kill anyone. The Chief Justice will release her after questioning her. Don't worry about it."

The young eunuch nodded. "The manager is wise."

"Stop talking nonsense. Send this thing out of the palace and into Chen's hands. Remember, don't let it pass through a second person's hands."

"This servant has noted it down."

Li Ge waited for him to leave, blew out the candle, and sat alone in the darkness.

"The best way to bring down a big tree is not to cut it down, but to plant another tree next to it and nurture it carefully. One day, this tree will overshadow the original tree, and then it will slowly wither away on its own."

Unfortunately, it still took too long.

His longevity forced him to do something.

The next day, the Ministry of Justice presented the case file of Vice Minister Lai's murder to the court, claiming that the murderer had been caught.

Everyone speculated whether the matter was truly related to the Marquis of Pingyang. Although the rumors outside were unreliable, the Marquis of Pingyang was known for his eccentric behavior, and it wasn't impossible for him to commit murder.

When the case file was handed to the emperor, no one noticed that the Minister of Justice's legs were bent and he was almost kneeling.

The emperor opened the file, glanced at the conclusion, closed it, and said to the court officials, "The position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War will be filled by the Marquis of Pingyang, effective immediately. Lai Qing's case is closed and must not be mentioned again. The Lai family will be given one thousand taels of silver as compensation, and any members of the Lai family who are studying may enter the Imperial Academy!"

The Emperor's grace is boundless.

The courtiers had been arguing for days over who should succeed him.

Now that the emperor has made the final decision, they can do nothing even if they are dissatisfied.

However, after years of recuperation, Marquis Pingyang has become a toothless tiger. Is his return to the court a good thing or a bad thing?

"A banquet will be held in the palace tomorrow. All my beloved ministers are invited to attend with their families. It has been a long time since the palace has been so lively."

The ministers all bowed in gratitude for the emperor's favor.

"Minister Xiao, remember to bring your son Xiao Ji with you. I haven't seen him for three years. He handled this case well."

Xiao Zhengyang stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, my son has been unable to rest since his injury. He has been busy solving cases day after day, and his body is really unable to bear it. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and let him rest for a few days."

The emperor asked in confusion, "What cases have occurred recently?"

Minister Zhao hurriedly recounted the case of Bixiao Tower.

The emperor grew impatient upon hearing this.

"Is there no one left in the Criminal Investigation Department to handle such a minor case? Must Xiao Ji solve the case despite his injuries?"

Minister Zhao explained, "Her Highness the Princess attaches great importance to this case and ordered us to solve it within three days, which is why Judge Xiao was appointed to preside over the trial."

The emperor did not buy it.

"I heard that Xiao Ji is Zhao Qing's son-in-law. It seems he doesn't care enough about his own family."

Before he returned to the capital, did the Provincial Judicial Commissioner and the Ministry of Justice cease investigating cases?

Minister Zhao kowtowed and admitted his mistake, saying, "It is my incompetence, Your Majesty, please forgive me."

The emperor waved his hand, "Get up. Let someone else investigate, lest Minister Xiao complain to me."

"Yes, I obey your order."

After the court assembly ended, Minister Zhao caught up with his in-laws.

"Brother Xiao, please wait!"

Xiao Zhengyang turned around to wait for him, only to hear the other party say, "I've had someone calculate that there are several auspicious days next March. Why don't our two families hold the wedding?"

The Xiao family was naturally anxious as well.

Xiao Ji will be twenty after the New Year, and his elders are still waiting to hold their grandchildren.

Xiao Zhengyang smiled and said, "Okay, let's sit down and talk about this later."

"Alright, I understand that Brother Xiao is worried about his son, but he has just returned to the capital, so it's always a good thing for him to show his face more often."

"With this case resolved, the Princess will approve, and who can compete with Xiao Ji in the Judicial Commission then? A promotion is only a matter of time."

Xiao Zhengyang glanced at him with a half-smile, "Brother Zhao is truly concerned about my son, even more so than I am as his father."

However, one only has one life. If one's lifespan is shortened due to improper treatment of injuries, then even the highest official position is useless. Your daughter wouldn't want to be a widow after marrying into the family, would she?

Having said all that, Minister Zhao could only apologize.

He thought Xiao Zhengyang was too fussy. The eldest son should be tempered and trained. What future could he have if he was lying at home recuperating from injuries instead of taking advantage of such a good opportunity?

However, since the emperor has spoken, the presiding judge must be replaced whether or not.

Shen Lan re-examined the body that day and discovered a suspicious point.

At first, she judged that Qingman had been strangled to death, and that the murderer was much taller than the victim.

However, after conducting a second autopsy, she carefully examined the direction of the wounds and felt that they were unlikely to be caused by strangulation.

There is a difference between homicide and suicide.

When a normal person kills someone with a rope, a mark will be left on the back of the victim's neck when the person is strangled. However, this mark will not be left on the neck of someone who commits suicide or hangs themselves.

She had just concluded that Qingman's death might not have been a murder when she heard that the case had been transferred out.

Magistrate Xu arrived with his officers to take over the duties, and Shen Lan was also present.

There were no verbal conflicts, and both sides were satisfied with the outcome.

Shen Lan was Xiao Ji's coroner, not from the Criminal Investigation Department, so Xiao Ji no longer needed to conduct trials, and therefore she no longer needed to perform autopsies.

But since she had some doubts, she couldn't pretend it hadn't happened.

She explained the doubts to Judge Xu and offered her hypotheses, but he did not adopt them.

They had barely left when Qiaoyu was released.

As soon as Magistrate Xu took over the case, he released Qiaoyu. As for the statement that Xiao Ji had recorded earlier, he didn't pay any attention to it after reading it.

This case has been investigated to this point, and no matter who the murderer is found, it will be difficult to resolve.