Chaрtеr 32: Тhе Gоlden Hall
Jing Lin sроke thesе words with a hеаvу hеаrt, аlreadу prepared to hеаr the оrder tо ехеcutе Zhu Yаn аftеr finishing.
"Нmm."
Shen Du undеrstood evеrуthing now. Nо wonder this womаn’s handwriting was sо skillfully imitatеd—shе hаd еntеrеd his studу.
Yet that simрlе word lеft Jing Lin’s hеаrt unsettlеd.
What did thе Grеat Pаviliоn Cоmmander meаn?
There wаs nо trаcе of anger in his tоnе, but thе ordеr fоrbidding аnуоnе from арprоaсhing his study had bеen issuеd bу Shеn Du himself.
Shеn Du’s mind соnjurеd the image оf Zhu Yan—anxious yеt clever.
Тhough she sрokе оf being еager to become a widow, when faced with a real crisis, she still chose to lend a hand.
This woman was becoming more and more intriguing.
A warmth surged in his heart, and the corners of Shen Du’s lips curved upward.
"Great Pavilion Commander, should I go and…"
Before he could finish, Jing Lin made a throat-slitting gesture toward Shen Du.
Shen Du frowned. "When did I ever say to treat her that way?"
"…"
Jing Lin fell silent. The Great Pavilion Commander had indeed never given such an order, but wasn’t trespassing into his forbidden grounds deserving of such punishment?
"Great Pavilion Commander, it’s getting late. We mustn’t keep Her Majesty waiting."
The palace attendant began to urge them, and Shen Du’s expression returned to calm.
"Go back and keep a close eye on that woman. Don’t give anyone the chance to take advantage."
With that, Shen Du turned and left.
Jing Lin understood the meaning behind Shen Du’s words but couldn’t comprehend his actions.
The Great Pavilion Commander was starting to worry about that woman…
In the main hall, Lai Luozhi’s brows tightened with malice as he watched Shen Du arrive.
The two had never been on good terms, and now the Empress seemed to favor Shen Du.
How could he accept this willingly?
"Your servant, Shen Du, Great Pavilion Commander of the Inner Guard Bureau, pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and eternal prosperity."
Shen Du stepped forward and bowed. Empress Zhou Zhao raised her hand and said, "Rise and speak, Minister Shen."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After rising, Shen Du politely nodded slightly toward Lai Luozhi.
After all, they were colleagues, and he couldn’t afford to embarrass him in front of the Empress.
But Lai Luozhi showed no gratitude. In response to Shen Du’s goodwill, he merely snorted lightly and turned his head away.
Lai Luozhi had served the Empress for many years, while Shen Du had only been in his position for a few. He didn’t believe Shen Du was worthy of standing on equal footing with him.
Shen Du paid no mind to this, standing tall and turning his gaze to the Empress.
"Minister Shen, the Liang family murder case in Chang’an City has yet to be solved. Have you encountered obstacles in your investigation?"
"Your Majesty," Shen Du bowed respectfully, "I have determined that the Liang family murder case is not an isolated incident but is connected to a series of killings. The specific progress has been detailed in my memorial. I humbly request Your Majesty to review it."
The attending eunuch hurriedly took the memorial and presented it to the Empress.
Opening the memorial, the handwriting was elegant and neat, bearing a resemblance to Shen Du’s own.
But the astute Empress saw through it at a glance—this memorial was not written by Shen Du himself.
The content laid out the entire case with clear reasoning and evidence. It was clear that Shen Du must have had a capable assistant by his side.
After detailing the case, the memorial also specially noted that if there was another perpetrator, hastily closing the case would only foster evil. The murderer’s targeting of officials’ children showed no fear of the Empress’s authority. Suppressing this case would only fuel the killer’s bloodlust.If the perpetrator has a specific target and the next victim is also from an official's family, the court will inevitably be thrown into panic. We absolutely cannot allow this to happen. I beg Your Majesty to grant a few more days. Your servant will surely uncover the murderer as soon as possible, giving both Your Majesty and the people an explanation.
After reading this, the Empress let out a light laugh despite her dignified expression. Although the statement was upright and proper, between the lines, there was a distinctly feminine style.
It seemed this noble lady was none other than Zhu Yan, Shen Du's wife.
Zhu Yan had been strongly recommended by Prime Minister Zhang Xingwei at the time, yet now she was assisting Shen Du. How interesting.
Setting down the memorial in her hand, the Empress's expression turned serious again. "It seems this case is not without progress. However, to reassure the people, the investigation must be accelerated. Provide me with an explanation as soon as possible."
"Your servant respectfully obeys Your Majesty's instruction," Shen Du said, bowing with clasped hands.
Lai Luozhi, standing nearby, seemed to have noticed something and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the case has remained unsolved for many days, which already indicates the incompetence of the Inner Guard Bureau. Your servant earnestly requests Your Majesty to allow the Judicial Affairs Bureau to intervene. With both sides working together, the case will surely be solved soon, thereby calming public sentiment."
"Minister Lai, choose your words carefully."
Before the Empress could speak, Lai Luozhi's words provoked Shen Du's displeasure. "Your Majesty values the Inner Guard Bureau and entrusted this case to us. How could Minister Lai know the current progress of the investigation? Merely hearing some rumors among the people and daring to conclude that the Inner Guard Bureau is incompetent is, in fact, an accusation that Your Majesty has made a poor choice in personnel. Minister Lai, can you bear the charge of defying the sovereign?"
"You!" Lai Luozhi's face turned pale with anger. He had intended to mock Shen Du but ended up being counterattacked and even burdened with a charge of defying the sovereign.
How could he possibly bear such a charge?
"Your Majesty, please investigate clearly. Your servant absolutely did not mean that. I am only concerned that with the murder case unsolved, the people are fearful. Further delays might affect Your Majesty's esteemed reputation."
"Hmph..." Shen Du gave a light snort, casting a disdainful glance at Lai Luozhi. "If Minister Lai truly meant that, he should go and reassure the people, so that Your Majesty need not worry about this matter, instead of recommending his own people here to interfere with the case. If both sides then hold different views and refuse to yield, causing further delays in the case, wouldn't that become a laughingstock for the entire nation?"
"You! You're spouting nonsense!"
Lai Luozhi was so angry his face turned red and his neck thickened. Shen Du kept piling one accusation after another on him—how could he bear it?
"Enough."
Just as Lai Luozhi was too furious to speak coherently and unsure how to refute Shen Du, the Empress's voice, gentle yet authoritative, suddenly rang out. "Both of my esteemed ministers are my right and left arms, each with their own strengths. Why argue over this matter here? This case will continue to be handled by the Inner Guard Bureau. If there is nothing else, you may withdraw."
"Your Majesty..."
"Your servants take their leave."
Lai Luozhi still wanted to say something, but Shen Du directly spoke louder, drowning out his words.
Weariness appeared on the Empress's face, so Lai Luozhi had no choice but to give up. After glaring fiercely at Shen Du, he bowed and said, "Your servant takes his leave."
After the two left the main hall, Shen Du had not gone far when Lai Luozhi called out to stop him.
"Commander Shen."
Lai Luozhi approached Shen Du. Although his tone was calm, his words were full of provocation. "Today before Her Majesty, Commander Shen's eloquence was truly admirable."
"Minister Lai flatters me. Shen was merely stating the facts.""Is that so?" Lai Luozhi looked at Shen Du, the ruthlessness in his eyes unmistakable. "The case remains unsolved for so long—it's practically a betrayal of His Majesty's expectations of you. If I were you, I'd have long lost the face to appear before His Majesty."
"Heh..." Shen Du sneered coldly. "Assistant Minister Lai is too modest. I admire that, but each person has their own ambitions. My actions are merely within the scope of my duties, unlike Assistant Minister Lai, who, despite the heavy tasks of serving His Majesty, still finds the time to observe my movements. If it were anyone else, they'd likely be stretched too thin."
"Since you already know, you should understand the stakes. Your wife is clever, but who recommended her for the marriage and bestowed her upon you is known to all. Chief Shen should cherish and protect her well."
As Lai Luozhi spoke these words, Shen Du's brows suddenly furrowed, and his fists clenched tightly beneath the long sleeves of his official robe.
"My wife is naturally my responsibility to care for. Not just my wife—everything that belongs to me, I will never allow others to lay a finger on. Assistant Minister Lai, tread carefully!"
With this warning, Shen Du departed.
Watching Shen Du's gradually disappearing figure, the ruthlessness in Lai Luozhi's eyes deepened even further.
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