Сhарtеr 150: Conviсtiоn 3
Сhеn Shоujie trembled аs hе took оut an unfinished еmbrоidеrу рiеce frоm his bosom, weeping and lаughing unсontrоllablу, uttеrlу unаble tо rеstrаin his еmоtions.
“Аt first, I didn’t know either. Lаtеr, I leаrned she was а criminal, but shе had genuinеlу rереntеd. Аnd since thоsе who dеsеrvеd to diе werе аlreadу dеad, I thоught I could just cоnceal thе mаttеr and lеt it pass. I nevеr imаginеd that аftеr sо mаnу уeаrs, thе truth cоuld no lоnger be hiddеn and wоuld еvеntuallу bе ехposed tо the world.”
Chen Shoujiе suddenly spоke, making еverуоne аware of his presence.
Qi Yeyun no longer concealed anything either. Together with two brothers from the Inner Guard Bureau, he carried Chen Shoujie out from the back hall.
The tear stains on Chen Shoujie’s wrinkled face appeared exceptionally pale. Though his expression was full of remorse, it failed to evoke any pity from those present.
He had concealed the truth, hidden the real culprit. As an official of the court, his actions betrayed the trust placed in him by the court and the support of the people.
Moreover, the many wronged souls from the Brocade Workshop case could not rest in peace, all because of his selfishness.
In the eyes of everyone, no matter how profound his current remorse, it could never make up for the mistakes of the past.
“It’s all my fault, all my fault…” Chen Shoujie continued to mutter to himself.
His expression of regret carried a hint of stupor, as if he were still trapped in the events of that year, unable to break free.
“What’s the use of admitting your mistakes now?”
Yun Que, standing nearby, suddenly erupted in anger, unleashing a torrent of curses at Chen Shoujie.
“So many people were wrongfully executed, so many souls cannot rest in peace, yet you hid the real culprit and covered up the truth. Even if you regret it now, can those people come back to life? Has your conscience been eaten by dogs? Have you eaten well and slept soundly all these years?”
Under Yun Que’s scathing words, Chen Shoujie grew even more ashamed. He lowered his head, silently enduring it all without uttering a word.
“Now you pretend to be a good person here, now you know regret. This case has been over for so many years—how have you treated those wronged souls in your heart? Have they come to you in the middle of the night to pour out their grievances?”
Yun Que pressed on relentlessly, his anger seeming as though he wanted to tear Chen Shoujie apart, frightening those around him.
Yun Que’s words pierced Chen Shoujie’s heart like knives, and now, aside from guilt and apologies, he could offer no form of redemption.
Shen Du could no longer bear to listen. Knowing that Yun Que’s temper, once ignited, would not subside anytime soon, he intervened.
“Enough. Regardless, everyone now knows the truth of what happened back then. When I have the chance, I will report this to the Empress, hoping to have the old case reopened to bring peace to the souls of the departed.”
Hearing Shen Du’s words, Yun Que finally calmed down slightly.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yan furrowed her brows. Although Yun Que had a fiery temper, his reaction just now seemed excessively intense.
It inevitably aroused her suspicions.
But she kept these doubts hidden in her heart, not voicing them aloud.
Everything finally settled. Just as they were preparing to conclude the case, Ji Fangming suddenly recited a few lines, startling everyone present.
“The scholars laugh at the moth flying into the flame, unaware that as mayflies born at dawn and dead by dusk, they never enter the cycle of rebirth. The moth passes through fire undying, reborn in the cycle of reincarnation.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Yan’s expression changed instantly. She was very familiar with these lines.Madam Tang had once spoken the same words, leaving a deep impression on her. Now, Ji Fangming recited this exact phrase without the slightest deviation.
It seemed both she and Shen Du had guessed correctly—even if this case were settled, it would only be a drop in the ocean compared to the forces behind it.
Just like Madam Tang, he was merely a scapegoat.
To truly understand how powerful the forces behind this were, they had to uncover the truth behind the wrongful case of the Brocade Workshop from years ago.
Zhu Yan watched all this coldly. Though she knew the person before her was just a scapegoat, there was nothing she could do.
They couldn’t fathom how powerful the forces behind this were, but judging from the current situation, they were anything but ordinary.
Suddenly, she recalled the time she had wanted to investigate Lai Luozhi, only to be stopped by everyone. They all meant well, yet she alone had insisted on pursuing the case relentlessly.
Could it be that she was truly in the wrong?
Zhu Yan’s thoughts drifted far away, though she herself was completely unaware, lost in her own reflections and silent.
Shen Du turned his gaze to Zhu Yan. Today, she was unusually quiet, or perhaps she was already scheming something else.
"Don’t think that just because you regret it now, those wronged souls will let you off," Ji Fangming glared fiercely at Chen Shoujie.
"Those wronged souls are watching you from above. As long as you live, they’ll watch you day after day. Even if I don’t kill you, the rest of your life won’t be easy.
I’ll be waiting for you in the underworld. I’ll make sure I see you atone for your sins to them."
Ji Fangming shouted at Chen Shoujie as if he had gone mad, while Chen Shoujie seemed to have fallen into a stupor.
He paid no attention to Ji Fangming’s accusations, sitting there with a vacant expression, muttering over and over, "I was wrong, I was wrong…"
Seeing Ji Fangming lose control, Jing Lin quickly stepped forward to restrain him.
Shen Du waved his hand, and the man was taken away.
Everyone’s mood was heavy. Though the Brocade Workshop incident had happened so many years ago, it remained vivid in everyone’s memory.
Such a cruel scene was truly unforgettable. Now, with the old matter brought up again, it felt as though they were being dragged back into the past.
Just as everyone thought the matter had come to an end, Qi Yeyun suddenly stepped forward, looking puzzled as he said, "When I went to see Madam Tang last time, I saw Magistrate Ji also there, chatting with her. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but could it be related to this case?"
At these words, everyone present was filled with doubt.
Shen Du immediately furrowed his brow, as if he had thought of something.
Zhu Yan glanced at Shen Du and knew they were once again thinking the same thing.
By the time they returned to the Shen residence, it was already evening.
Zhu Yan was about to head to the kitchen to prepare dinner when Shen Du grabbed her arm. "Let the cook handle dinner today. Come with me."
Without waiting for her consent, he pulled her straight into the study.
The two sat facing each other. Zhu Yan lowered her gaze in thought, and after a long while, she looked at Shen Du and said, "Do you also suspect Chen Huo’e’s identity?"
Shen Du remained silent, tacitly agreeing. Zhu Yan continued, "You also suspect that Chen Huo’e is actually Ji Fangming in disguise, don’t you?""We're thinking alike again." Shen Du stood up, his tone unusually profound, as if he still had something more to say to Zhu Yan.
"Since the person has already been caught and confessed, there's no need to dwell on it too much." Zhu Yan spoke as if offering comfort, then continued, "Regarding the Brocade Workshop case, how confident are you?"
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