Butler Wang's gaze shifted downwards to the ledgers scattered before him, his eyes instantly turning ashen.
"I... I..."
"No one come closer!" Butler Wang's lips trembled, attempting to speak further in his defense, when a man's desperate voice simultaneously rang out from the hall.
Everyone quickly turned their attention to the source of the sound.
At some unknown time, Qiao Fu had drawn a dagger from his robes. He wrapped an arm around Zhong Li's body, and with a flash of silver, the dagger was pressed firmly against her throat.
"How dare you!" Lin Jin was the first to react. He tightened his grip on the sword in his hand and shouted at Qiao Fu. Simultaneously, bailiffs, poised and ready, had already surrounded the hall from the outside.
Qiao Fu shot Lin Jin a sideways glance. He tightened his arm, pulling Zhong Li closer into his embrace, then shrunk behind her. "Since things have been exposed, I have nothing more to say, but..."
As he spoke, his sly gaze swept over Lu Wu Xie, who remained seated in his original position with an impassive expression. "Now that your person is in my hands, if you want her to live, give me a carriage and send me out of the city. Quickly!"
Lu Wu Xie cast a languid glance at the 'fake Qiao Fu' before waving his hand. "Who told you she was this prince's person? Her life or death has nothing to do with this prince. Kill her, gut her, do as you please."
What?
The fake Qiao Fu was taken aback by Lu Wu Xie's casual and dismissive words, his heart beginning to race and his guard to falter.
Just as he was contemplating his next move, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen. Before he could fully react, Zhong Li, who had been held captive by him, had somehow escaped his grasp. She had seized his thumb's tiger's mouth with one hand, and with a kick aimed at his abdomen, delivered a knee strike.
Before the 'fake Qiao Fu' could fully cry out in pain, Zhong Li swiftly snatched his dagger with her other hand. The blade reversed, and its tip was now pressed against his throat.
"You..." The fake Qiao Fu was completely stunned, looking at Zhong Li with disbelief. In the blink of an eye, the situation had been turned around by this seemingly frail woman before him.
Zhong Li glanced at him indifferently. "Did you think I was the weakest here, the easiest to control, and a sure catch?"
The fake Qiao Fu swallowed several times, his gaze darting around the hall. Lu Wu Xie's reaction confirmed that Zhong Li was no pushover. With that understanding, his eyes sharpened, and he turned to make a run for it. Little did he know, a searing pain suddenly erupted from his abdomen, and he slumped to the ground like a sack of flour.
"You..." He knew it was the result of Zhong Li's kick, but he truly hadn't expected this seemingly defenseless young girl to possess such skill.
"No need to be surprised," Zhong Li said, sheathing her dagger. Her gaze swept coldly over the disheveled man on the ground. "I merely struck your Jueque acupoint. It won't be fatal."
"Why are you all standing there? Arrest him!" Lin Jin reacted with extreme speed, commanding the bailiffs outside who had been watching the spectacle.
At the same time, the fake Qiao Fu and Butler Wang were dragged to their feet and escorted out of the Jia mansion.
"My Lord Prince." Magistrate Zhang, who had been kneeling on the ground watching the entire affair, slowly rose with the assistance of Advisor Diao. He bowed obsequiously as he approached Lu Wu Xie. "So, this Qiao Fu was a fake. This humble official truly..."
"Magistrate Zhang," Lu Wu Xie said, standing up and brushing off his clothes. He placed a hand on Magistrate Zhang's shoulder. "Don't take responsibility for everything, or you'll end up shouldering burdens you shouldn't, and getting stained by those you shouldn't."
"Uh..." Magistrate Zhang blinked, his expression one of vague understanding.
Lu Wu Xie's smile widened. He continued, "It's fine if you don't understand. Let's go back quickly. Those two who were captured are waiting for you to interrogate them, Magistrate Zhang."
With that, Lu Wu Xie walked past Magistrate Zhang, grabbed Zhong Li, who was still standing by, and led her outside.
-------------------------------------
Clang!
The sound of a gavel striking a wooden block echoed through the hall of the An Ding County yamen.
As the bailiffs standing in two rows within the hall uttered solemn phrases, two figures, dragging long iron chains, appeared in everyone's sight.
Zhong Li stood near the spectator's area, casting a cool glance at Lu Wu Xie, who was seated in front, cracking melon seeds. She then shifted her gaze to Qiao Fu and Butler Wang.
"Who is the person in the audience? State your name." Magistrate Zhang, as the chief judge, began questioning the two kneeling before him, as was customary, even though the surrounding onlookers were already familiar with them.
Butler Wang bit his dry lips and stammered for a long time before finally kneeling on the ground in dejection. "This old servant is Wang Gui, the butler of Jia Kun of the Jia family."
"And you?" Magistrate Zhang glanced at the 'fake Qiao Fu'.
The fake Qiao Fu exchanged a look with the person opposite him, a cold, unreadable smile curving his lips.
Magistrate Zhang furrowed his brow and quickly reprimanded, "Qiao Fu, this official advises you to confess and be dealt with leniently, otherwise..."
Qiao Fu straightened his back, enduring the lingering ache in his abdomen. "Yes, I am not the Jia family's collateral relative Qiao Fu. My name is Ma Su, a hero of Linshan who roams near Jincheng and An Ding County."
Hero?
Upon hearing these two words, Zhong Li couldn't help but frown. The so-called heroes were meant to rob the rich to help the poor and benefit the people. Based on the evidence they had gathered, this Ma Su was a complete scoundrel, with no connection to being a hero.
Indeed, as this thought crossed her mind, the usually idle Lu Wu Xie seemed to have gained interest. He snorted and chuckled, "You slept with another man's wife, occupied their property, and this is your so-called 'hero'?"
He couldn't help but emphasize the last word.
Ma Su glared up angrily at Lu Wu Xie's words. He seemed to dislike Lu Wu Xie immensely, and even as a prisoner, he still looked at him with a contemptuous gaze. He retorted,
"Yes, even if I violated the so-called chivalry, I am still better than you, the number one dandy of Jincheng, who only knows how to squander family wealth, indulge in romance, and exploit the common people, you lecher."
"What did you say?" As soon as Ma Su finished speaking, Lin Jin, standing behind Lu Wu Xie, roared angrily.
Lu Wu Xie looked up, lazily reaching out to press back the half-drawn long sword in Lin Jin's hand. He spoke unhurriedly, "Tell me, how did you gain Jia Kun's trust, making him obedient and compliant to your every word, and finally forcing him to kill Xie Xiaoyun?"
Upon hearing his words, everyone in the hall, except for Zhong Li, revealed expressions of surprise. What did this young prince mean? Jia Kun was obedient to Qiao Fu? How was that possible? No matter how incompetent Jia Kun was, he was still the richest man in the area. He shouldn't have had to bow down to some so-called fake collateral relative.
Ma Su's face also showed a hint of surprise at Lu Wu Xie's words, but he quickly composed himself and smirked. "That's right. Even if Jia Kun hadn't hanged himself, he would only be a puppet fool if he were still alive."