The late-night farce ended quickly with Gao Zhen's compromise. In the end, Gao Zhen returned to his dormitory in the corner.
After closing the door, Gao Zhen said seriously: "First, I am not the Ah Zhen you say. Second, if you do this again, even if it offends Si Ye, I will change my bed."
Seeing Gao Zhen's determination, Zhou Jin reluctantly nodded and said, "Okay."
On the second day, Luo Qingzhi came to the Ministry of Punishment and prepared to meet Xia Ji.
The people from the Criminal Department had received the order early and had prepared an interrogation room. When Luo Qingzhi stepped in with her left foot, the strong smell of blood could be heard.
Luo Qingzhi blocked it with her fingers, thinking that she had never heard that the Ministry of Punishment had tortured Xia Ji.
Xia Ji was tied by an iron chain and leaned on the chair with his head lowered.
"Xia Ji, you are still not polite when you see Princess An Ning." Li Shen, the head of the Criminal Department, scolded.
Xia Ji raised his head, his face was covered with blood, his eyes were blurred, and Luo Qingzhi couldn't see his face clearly.
"Master Li, why don't you report it to the Ministry of Punishment that your punishment department has already used torture on Master Xia?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
Master Li cupped his hands in salute, "To tell you the story, Princess, you haven't been in Jinling all year round. I'm afraid you don't know. Now that you enter the punishment department, there will be no one who doesn't need to be punished. This, Master Xia, is already considered a light one."
Luo Qingzhi grinned, "Master Li, are you saying that I don't understand?"
"I don't dare, but since Lord Shangshu is out to investigate the case, the Ministry of Punishment has the final say for the time being. I also ask the princess not to interfere with my trial," Master Li said.
"You said so," Luo Qingzhi approached Xia Ji and confirmed that they were all minor injuries, not fatal. She turned around and continued: "If I say anything else, wouldn't it be that I am overstepping my bounds?"
Li Shen thought Luo Qingzhi was about to compromise and leave, and was about to say goodbye when he heard Luo Qingzhi's voice again.
"However, His Majesty has ordered me to investigate this case. I don't know if the Ministry of Punishment has no one in charge, so it is a little slow to know the news. Why don't you go and check it out."
Li Shen naturally knew about the edict a long time ago. He smiled and said, "If the princess said that, the edict was naturally obtained. Then, I don't know what the princess has ordered."
Luo Qingzhi said: "Find a doctor to treat Mr. Xia's injuries. No torture is allowed in the future."
"Princess Princess," Li Shen immediately retorted, "What does this mean?"
Luo Qingzhi raised her voice, "Now, do I still need to explain to you, a sixth-grade official, what I am doing? Hmm?"
"I don't dare, I will give you the order now." Li Shen said, bowed and left the interrogation room.
During the quarrel between the two, Xia Ji sobered up a lot and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Princess."
Luo Qingzhi turned around, squatted down, and said, "Don't thank me, I'm here to interrogate you, but I don't like to be beaten into submission."
"No, I, I really..." Before Xia Ji could finish his words, Luo Qingzhi interrupted him, "I know what Mr. Xia is going to say. You should heal your injuries first and regain your strength."
Let’s talk about it later.”
Xia Ji nodded.
Without getting any effective information from the Ministry of Punishment, Luo Qingzhi had no choice but to go to the Yushitai.
She met Bailihan head-on, but she could only pretend to be discordant. She simply greeted, "Sir Bailihan."
Bailihan passed her, walked a few steps, and gave instructions to the people around him, saying: "Ajie, go and keep an eye on her. Don't let her wander around on the Yushitai."
"Yes, sir."
With Bai Lihan's order, Ajie naturally stayed with Luo Qingzhi. When the two of them turned the corner, Ajie said: "Princess, my lord asked me to help you, but I don't know, where do you want to go now?
"
"Go to the place where Mr. Xia usually handles official business."
"yes."
Ajie and Luo Qingzhi walked around Yushitai for a long time, and finally arrived at Lantai, where the imperial court stored books.
"Master Xia is diligent and often leaves late at night." Ajie said.
"Leaved late at night?" Luo Qingzhi was confused and asked: "Then where does he live?"
Ajie replied: "The Western Courtyard of Yushitai was originally a small abandoned courtyard. Later, it was specially allocated to Lord Xia as a residence."
"Is this where Mr. Xia teaches the supervisors?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
"Yes," Ajie replied, and added, "Master Xia always teaches late at night when no one is around, so it took three months for him to be discovered."
Luo Qingzhi asked: "You just said that Mr. Xia has classes late at night. At that time, there should be no one except the guards at the Yushitai. How was he discovered?"
"A night guard heard the noise in the west courtyard, so he came over to take a look." Ajie said.
Luo Qingzhi nodded, "It's the same as what the file said."
Ajie used the key to open the locked door and gently pushed the door open. A three-story bookshelf with three shelves on the left, middle and right stood in front of him. The bookshelf was filled with books.
"Princess, come with me."
Ajie was pointing the way in front, and Luo Qingzhi was walking behind him. As he shuttled through the sea of books, he realized that what he just saw was just the tip of the iceberg. There were actually ten bookshelves in each direction, with different books placed according to categories.
Walking to the corner, where there was a sandalwood table and chairs, Ajie said, "This is where Mr. Xia often stays."
Luo Qingzhi stepped forward, picked up the manuscript at the top that had not yet been edited into a volume, looked at it a few times, and said, "Master Xia is editing the book?"
"Yes." Ajie nodded, "Master Xia often said that it is not always scholars who can read. Common people should also read more."
"Compiling a book is not an easy task, and whether it can be published or distributed requires His Majesty's consent," Luo Qingzhi said.
"Yes." Ajie sighed and continued: "Actually, we all think Mr. Xia is very good. Usually if we have words that we don't understand, he will teach us. In fact, teaching a few prison students is not a big crime."
"...It seems that Mr. Baili usually indulges you too much. In this case, I will pretend that I didn't hear you." Luo Qingzhi's tone was serious, and Ajie pursed his lips, realizing that his words were inappropriate.
Luo Qingzhi sighed slightly, explained, and said: "Supervisors will most likely take part in the imperial examination and become officials in the court. If there are adults in the court giving private lessons now, then in the future, when those people become officials in the court, they must also remember the original time.
If you don't have the kindness to teach, then you will be partial to others."
"But Mr. Xia is not that kind of person." Ajie continued.
Luo Qingzhi nodded slightly, "I believe Mr. Xia is not, but in the future, after this gap is opened, other adults will be able to do it without any selfishness. Then in the future, will the adults in the court be able to use the excuse of teaching?
Make friends with the supervisors to form cliques for personal gain and control the court."
Ajie lowered his head and whispered: "I didn't think about it that much."
Luo Qingzhi said in a gentle tone: "If everyone was like you and didn't think too much, then this matter would not exist."
"Take me to see the crime scene." Luo Qingzhi said.
When the two came to the west courtyard, they found it to be desolate, with fallen leaves all over the ground. Only the room in the corner looked inhabited.
"Is that there?" Luo Qingzhi pointed to the room in the corner.
"um, yes."
It seems that the child was in a bad mood after being scolded by Luo Qingzhi just now.
Luo Qingzhi couldn't help but think of Gao Zhen. It seemed that he had such an expression sometimes.
"Do you want to help Mr. Xia?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
"...Think..." Ajie nodded affirmatively.
Luo Qingzhi smiled and said, "Then cheer up. Nothing is final yet. Think hard and see if there are any other strange things."
Ajie shook his head, and Luo Qingzhi immediately said: "Don't rush to a conclusion, think about it slowly."
Luo Qingzhi opened the door and walked in. The room was small, but it smelled of books. The scene was still the same as that night, with scattered manuscripts, spilled ink, and hurried footprints.
"How did these students get in?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
"There is a dog hole in the corner." Ajie answered.
Luo Qingzhi carefully crossed the footprints and walked towards the desk. The area around the desk was very clean, without any traces.
"That night, Mr. Xia showed no resistance at all?"
Ajie scratched his head and said, "I don't know, I won't be there that night."
Luo Qingzhi observed carefully again. There were messy footprints all over the room, except for those near the desk. Xia Ji didn't hide at all at that time. She thought, "This Master Xia is too calm."
"That's right." Ajie said, "I remember there is an anomaly, but I don't know if it is an anomaly."
"Say." Luo Qingzhi nodded.
Ajie said: "The guard who reported the report was not the first time he was on duty at that hour, but he noticed Master Xia's abnormality on the night of the Lantern Festival. Logically speaking, it is not a coincidence."
"Why can't we report it during the Lantern Festival?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
Ajie replied: "There is a lantern festival during the Lantern Festival, and there is a convention at Yushitai. In order to prevent water leakage, not only will adults of fifth grade or above be on duty overnight that night, but other guards will also focus on guarding Lantai. But why is he there?
Did the Xiyuan discover this? The two places are obviously far apart."
"Then who is the adult who is also on duty?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
Ajie replied: "This year's Lantern Festival happens to be our turn, but you seem to be writing notes all night long, so this year it's your turn to do it for you, Sir Xia."
"Write a book?" Luo Qingzhi thought to herself, it should be about Gao Zhen, and suddenly she had an idea.
"How is the relationship between Master Xia and Master Baili?"
Ajie said: "It's just a normal relationship. It can't be said to be great, but it's not bad either."
Luo Qingzhi frowned and suppressed that thought again, thinking that she could only ask Xia Ji.
"Where is the guard who made the first complaint now?" Luo Qingzhi asked.
Ajie said: "I was called by people from the Criminal Department this morning and asked for some details. What's the matter? The princess was not seen at the Criminal Department?"
Luo Qingzhi shook her head, "I didn't see it, maybe I missed it."
"It's still early." Luo Qingzhi said, "Then I will look around here. When the guard comes back, you can ask someone to bring him over to see me."
"Yes, Princess, the younger one will leave first."
Luo Qingzhi observed the situation in the courtyard. From the outside, it was actually hidden. No candlesticks were found in the room. She thought, "Perhaps Xia Ji was also worried about being discovered, so the students could not light the lamps, so the chaotic footprints in the room were also
can explain."
While Luo Qingzhi was thinking, Ajie hurried over, took a deep breath, and said in a panic: "Princess, that, that guard was killed, and the body is at the gate."
"Take me to see it."
Luo Qingzhi ran with Ajie, always feeling that the incident was not as simple as it seemed... This chapter has been completed!