"I don't know when this was placed on the table either. It was there when I woke up this morning... It must have been left by Brother Jing."
Xiao Jin Yu flipped through a couple of pages and nodded, "Hmm... He recorded yesterday's conversation between me and Grand Tutor Xue." Unrolling the scroll, it turned out to be that forged calligraphy of Master Jing, "And he even stole this piece of writing..."
Chu Chu furrowed her brows, "He's already confessed so much himself. Isn't that enough to convict him?"
Xiao Jin Yu gave a faint bitter smile and shook his head, "For others, yes... but not for him."
"Just because he's the Grand Tutor?"
Xiao Jin Yu continued shaking his head, "Because I need him to confess personally in court and sign the confession with his own hand to overturn all the wrongful cases... Besides, there are still innocent people in his grasp."
Having spent the whole night worrying about Xiao Jin Yu, Chu Chu had completely forgotten about Shi Niang's matter. Only when Xiao Jin Yu mentioned it did she remember, and she couldn't help but tighten her frown, "He's too heartless, even harming his own wife!"
"Not just his wife, but also his son..." Xiao Jin Yu smiled bitterly faintly, putting the stack of papers by his pillow, then looked at Chu Chu sitting by the bedside. "Do you still remember As Returning Pavilion?"
Chu Chu's first time serving as Xiao Jin Yu's coroner was because of the As Returning Pavilion case, something she would never forget in her lifetime. So she nodded, "Wasn't one of Grand Tutor Xue's sons killed there? And by that Manager Xu."
Xiao Jin Yu nodded gently, "Later, Xu Ru Gui was killed in prison. I've been investigating this matter all along and could never understand why Xu Ru Gui would use Gu Yao to kill those unrelated officials... I only found out a couple of days ago that the Pavilion Master of As Returning Pavilion is Shi Niang, but the one who invested in creating As Returning Pavilion was Grand Tutor Xue... Mu Yao told me that those officials went to As Returning Pavilion using Grand Tutor Xue's invitation cards. Xu Ru Gui was acting under Grand Tutor Xue's instructions, using Gu Yao to eliminate those who had worked for Grand Tutor Xue... Xue Yue just happened to stumble in by accident, and Grand Tutor Xue still allowed Xu Ru Gui to kill him... Mu Yao said Shi Niang had been kept in the dark all along. It was only when he accidentally discovered this matter that Grand Tutor Xue sent people to hunt him down."
Chu Chu felt a chill run down her spine and suddenly understood what Xue Rucheng meant by "sweeping the courtyard clean." No wonder everyone in the capital said Xue Rucheng was good - it turned out anyone who helped him do bad things would be cleaned up afterwards. No wonder once the As Returning Pavilion case was solved, that most expensive restaurant in the capital immediately closed down, and even Mu Yao, whose martial arts skills were comparable to Wu Jiang's, was hunted down with nowhere to hide.
As she thought about it, Chu Chu suddenly realized something and looked in astonishment at Xiao Jin Yu, who had completely regained his usual composure. "Wang Ye, did you already know he wasn't a good person before you went to the Xue residence yesterday?"
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Xiao Jin Yu smiled somewhat coldly, "Besides this matter, I didn't know the rest... Mu Yao originally wanted me to help him sneak into the Xue residence to take Shi Niang away when the opportunity arose. I told him that even if he could really take Shi Niang away, they would inevitably live in constant fear afterwards. It would be better for me to arrest Grand Tutor Xue and let Shi Niang know the truth, which would be better for both him and Shi Niang... So Mu Yao gave me that dagger and told me to carry it with me at all costs. I never thought I'd actually end up using it..."Chu Chu gritted her teeth and grasped Xiao Jin Yu's ice-cold hand after his fever had subsided. "Wang Ye, that cut of yours was perfect! Let's see how he'll write recklessly from now on!"
Xiao Jin Yu frowned slightly. "It's just hard on Shi Niang..."
Chu Chu also sighed, muttering with a tone that seemed both sympathetic and reproachful. "With so many good people in this world, why did she have to fancy Grand Tutor Xue, of all people..."
Xiao Jin Yu looked at her sorrowful expression with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "With so many good people in this world, why do you choose to follow me..."
Chu Chu lifted her chin, glaring at him with almond-shaped eyes. "They all run faster than you. I'm small and can't keep up."
Xiao Jin Yu choked on her words and started coughing violently. Chu Chu flusteredly patted his chest while coaxing him, "Even if they ran slowly, I wouldn't follow them. I only want to follow you... Look at Xiao Jue - he doesn't run either, and he's good-looking too, but I'm not following him around..."
It took Xiao Jin Yu a long while to recover from his coughing fit. He nearly rolled his eyes at her, staring weakly at the still-grinning woman who was patting his chest. "Between Xiao Jue and me... who's better looking?"
Chu Chu thought seriously for a moment before answering earnestly, "Xiao Jue used to practice martial arts, so his bone structure is sturdy and well-proportioned. Even lying down, he looks particularly handsome... Well... you have handsome features."
Xiao Jin Yu closed his eyes and ignored her.
Chu Chu giggled and tugged at his sleeve. "There's definitely one thing you're better at than Xiao Jue."
Xiao Jin Yu still didn't open his eyes. Chu Chu took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. "Xiao Jue doesn't have children yet... but you already have two."
Seeing Xiao Jin Yu open his eyes in stunned silence, Chu Chu smiled triumphantly. "Master Ye confirmed it for me this morning - just one month along. Now even if the Emperor orders you to divorce me, I'm not afraid. If they want to kill all your children, they'll have to kill me too."
"Don't talk nonsense..." Xiao Jin Yu couldn't contain his joy, pulling her into his embrace while watching her nervously. "Are you feeling any discomfort?"
Her previous pregnancy had tormented her terribly, and Xiao Jin Yu thought she would never want to have children again. But looking at her now, she seemed even happier than he was.
Chu Chu shook her head vigorously, planting a kiss on Xiao Jin Yu's forehead. "Wang Ye, why are you so anxious? It's only been a month - it can't cause trouble yet!"
Xiao Jin Yu smiled wryly, stroking Chu Chu's still-flat stomach while gazing tenderly at the little one who had just settled in her womb. "If you're willing to be good to your mother, when you come out, your father will reward you handsomely..."
Before Chu Chu could ask what the reward would be for the little one in her belly, Steward Zhao suddenly appeared at the door with a grim expression, requesting an audience.
"Wang Ye... that woodcutter you arranged to bring in two days ago died suddenly last night."
Chu Chu froze, still processing the news, when Xiao Jin Yu squeezed her hand tightly. She saw him frown slightly and ask, "What was the cause?"
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