Xiao Jinyu forced a bitter smile and raised his other hand to gently pat the back of hers. "I'm sorry for making you suffer this grievance..."
Chu Chu pursed her lips. "Wang Ye, I can help you take revenge."
Xiao Jinyu froze, momentarily unable to process her words. "Revenge?"
Chu Chu nodded. "If Prince of Wu Commandery killed those hundred-plus people, or had someone kill them for him, you could execute him like you did Magistrate Ji in Shangyuan County, right?"
Xiao Jinyu was slightly startled.
This wasn't the first time she'd spoken of killing, but previously when she said such things, she'd always worn an expression of righteous indignation against evil—clearly just venting anger casually. This time, however, she spoke calmly and with genuine seriousness.
Xiao Jinyu sat up halfway, his brow furrowing slightly. "Chu Chu... what have you discovered?"
Chu Chu blinked. "First tell me—will you kill him or not?"
"Imperial relatives who break the law face enhanced punishment... If he truly committed these crimes, I would never show leniency."
Only then did Chu Chu relax and explain, "When that woman was holding him earlier, I could tell his lumbar vertebra is fractured—specifically between the first and second segments. Exactly like the fractures on those corpses. Quite a coincidence, don't you think?"
Xiao Jinyu's brow tightened further.
He knew Xiao Jue's back had been broken—that happened three years ago when he was convicted of rebellion and sentenced to spine beating. Somehow the executioners, following someone's orders, had concentrated several brutal strikes on one spot of Xiao Jue's lower back, shattering the vertebrae and paralyzing half his body.
At that time, Xiao Jinyu happened to be in a coma from cadaveric poison poisoning. By the time he regained consciousness, Xiao Jue had already been lying in the Heavenly Prison for over half a month, with only days left before execution.
The Emperor had been so troubled by the case that he forbade anyone from pleading for Xiao Jue. But when Xiao Jinyu rushed to the palace, he was still so weak he could barely form complete sentences, frightening the Emperor who immediately agreed to let him reinvestigate.
The case had been handled by Grand Tutor Xue jointly with the Three Law Divisions, with ironclad evidence and rigorous procedures. It took Xiao Jinyu nearly a year to find flaws and overturn the verdict. During that period, he never met Xiao Jue face-to-face, and Xiao Jue left the capital immediately after the case was overturned. Thus, Xiao Jinyu genuinely hadn't known exactly which vertebrae Xiao Jue had injured.
"Chu Chu, go home first for now... Jing Yi has returned. I need to go to the office to discuss matters with him."
"I'll accompany you."
"No need... I'll return right after we talk."
"Then... come back early."
"Mmm..."
On the second day of the new year, following Xiao Jinyu's arrangements, most yamen staff were still on holiday. When Xiao Jinyu arrived, aside from a few gatekeepers and cleaning servants, the only person present was Jing Yi who had returned from the capital early that morning.
Jing Yi led Xiao Jinyu to a guest room in the rear office, pointing proudly at a chest beside the desk with a slight curl of his lips. "All case files related to Prince of Wu Commandery's case are here. Guaranteed complete if not more."
Xiao Jinyu went over and opened the chest, nodding slightly at the neatly stacked piles of documents before selecting a bundle to examine carefully.
Jing Yi stood nearby with crossed arms, studying Xiao Jinyu's profile for a while before frowning. "Why do you look so terrible? Are you sick or angry?"
"Angry," Xiao Jinyu sighed softly without looking up. "Almost got myself killed by Xiao Jue's temper..."Jing Yi was taken aback. "Xiao Jue is angry with you? Don't joke... He practically grew up clinging to you! Anyone who dared upset you would face his wrath!"
Xiao Jin Yu remained silent.
What Jing Yi said was true, yet what he had just overheard at the Prince of Wu's Estate was equally real.
Jing Yi gazed at the chest of documents with a bitter smile. "Just look at three years ago when you first got into trouble—he abandoned twenty thousand troops in Lingnan and rushed back to see you. Even when the Emperor demoted him three ranks consecutively, he refused to return. I thought he'd eventually snatch Wu Jiang's job..."
It was precisely because he hurried back to see Xiao Jin Yu that Xiao Jue left his post without authorization. In his haste, he gave schemers the perfect opportunity, silently stumbling into a meticulous and cunning trap that nearly cost him his life.
Xiao Jin Yu sighed imperceptibly and waved the case file in his hand at Jing Yi. "That's why I need to figure out why he's angry with me..."
"Alright, take your time reviewing. I need to find a place with some human warmth to sleep."
"Wait..." Xiao Jin Yu stopped Jing Yi, pulling a thin memorial booklet from his robe. "Deliver this to the capital immediately. You must present it to the Emperor in person."
Jing Yi started at the sight of the memorial's cover. Such styled memorials appeared only a handful of times each year—officials below the second rank risked execution merely for writing a character on them. "What's happened now?"
"Major trouble... Go quickly and return soon. I'll investigate the case here, but I'll need you to preside over the court session."
"Rest assured."
Outside, a fine cold rain fell, the sky as gloomy as a scorched pot bottom. Xiao Jin Yu lit a lamp and sat behind his desk, page by page reviewing the chest of case files.
He had read these files three years ago and remembered them clearly, yet he still jotted down notes as he read, continuing from noon deep into the night.
The room was already chilly, and with the overcast rainy weather of the first lunar month outside, sitting rigidly for too long aggravated Xiao Jin Yu's rheumatism severely. He had to lean back in his chair, holding the documents up to read. His eyes scanned a line of text, and he strained to straighten his spine, reaching for the brush to write it down. His hand had just grasped the brush, the tip not yet touching the paper, when a sharp pain shot through his wrist. His fingers loosened, and the brush fell, leaving a continuous ink streak across the paper, his hand, and his robe, before clattering to the floor.
Xiao Jin Yu smiled wryly silently. Even at his worst three years ago, it had been barely this bad...
He bent to pick up the brush, but as soon as he curved forward slightly, an intense pain shot through his entire spine. His body trembled, and the case files in his hand scattered across the floor. His vision darkened, and he pitched forward.
"Wang Ye!"
Just as Xiao Jin Yu began to fall forward, a gentle force caught him, half-supporting and half-carrying him back to lean against the chair.
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