The Rebirth of the Deposed Empress

"Sir Xu, I was ordered by the Emperor to go north to investigate a case. I happened to find someone selling illegal salt when I passed by Longcheng, so I'd like to borrow your government office. Sir Xu, do you mind?"

Xu Shangming didn't dare to say anything, and forced a smile:

"Don't mind, don't mind. This is what I should cooperate with."

Xiao Liqiu looked at Hua Jingqian who was standing beside him again:

"I didn't expect Minister Hua to be here too."

Hua Jingqian smiled and said that he happened to pass by Longcheng on official business, and saw Lord Xiao judging a case again, so he came to wait and see.

Xiao Liqiu nodded, and then he was not vague, treating it as his own territory, and even asked someone to prepare seats for Xu Shangming and Hua Jingqian.

"Snapped!"

Xiao Liqiu threw the private account book that Lin Hai made himself in front of Lin Hai.

"Lin Hai, did you make this account book?"

The thing was found in his study, and the evidence was conclusive so Lin Hai had to admit it.

"Your Excellency, it belongs to me."

"Then tell me, what's the matter with the salt transaction recorded in this account book that took place last month?"

Lin Hai started to act confused.

"This is the normal way of selling salt to those merchants. As the salt official, it is my job to record this transaction!"

Xiao Liqiu snorted coldly and took out the account book that was given to the court.

"Then tell me, why is there no entry in this account book?"

"The two account books are for reconciliation. This one... this one... I forgot to write it."

Seeing that Lin Hai was unrepentant and still talking nonsense, Xiao Liqiu handed out the booklet recording the court's salt transportation and took it out.

"If that's the case, then tell me why this amount of salt is not recorded in the court's books? Did the court forget about it?"

Seeing that his lies were exposed by Xiao Liqiu in just a few words, Lin Hai dared not speak nonsense anymore. He knelt on the ground and said tremblingly:

"My Lord, my Lord, I was confused and deceived you just now. I know I was wrong!"

"That private account book records the private sale of salt! But none of it was sold by me! I just gave a source for this salt of unknown origin..."

Xiao Liqiu slammed the gavel hard, and Lin Hai was so scared that he immediately shut his mouth to excuse himself.

"Even if you are not the mastermind, you are an accomplice. Selling private salt is a serious crime. When the court investigates, you will not be able to escape responsibility!"

Seeing that he could not escape the court's accountability, Lin Hai was as scared as a quail. Even while kneeling on the ground, one could faintly see him trembling.

"Sir Xiao, I really know I was wrong! I have elderly parents and children at home, please be magnanimous and save me!"

Xiao Liqiu restrained his momentum and said in a slow voice:

"If you can tell the truth and tell me who is the mastermind behind this, I am willing to plead for you in front of the emperor."

Lin Hai immediately looked in the direction of Xu Shangming and Hua Jingqian. When he saw a small golden lock in Xu Shangming's hand and the threatening looks in their eyes, Lin Hai dared not say a word.

He made that little golden lock for his newborn son.

The Xu family has a complex network of branches and roots in Longcheng. Even if Xu Shangming falls, he still has relatives behind him.

If these clansmen took revenge on his youngest son because of Xu Shangming's incident, how could he, a minor official who had committed a crime, resist?

Lin Hai was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to do.

"Master Lin, what's the matter? Don't you want to make amends for your crime?"

Lin Hai thought about it and decided to just buy time for the moment.

"It's been a month since the incident happened, and I can't quite remember it. Can I tell Lord Xiao when I have thought it through?"

Xiao Liqiu doesn't have that much time to spend in Longcheng.

"I will give you one day at most. I will report it to the court tomorrow. Lord Lin, please think about it carefully."

Lin Hai was thrown into jail, awaiting retrial tomorrow.

Xu Shangming and Hua Jingqian looked at each other, then said to Xiao Liqiu with a wry smile:

"Sir Xiao, you've been really tired today. How about you go to my house and have a good rest?"

On the way here, Xu Shangming and Hua Jingqian had already discussed that if Lin Hai was arrested, it would be easy to trace the case back to them.

Now they have no choice but to kill both Lin Hai and Xiao Liqiu once and for all, so that they can be free from worries.

I thought Xiao Liqiu would choose to stay at the post station, and I would have to persuade him to go to Xu's house, but I didn't expect Xiao Liqiu to agree without saying a word.

This saves Xu Shangming from having to talk too much.

That night, Xu Shangming prepared a good meal again.

During dinner, Xu Shangming praised Xiao Liqiu:

"Lord Xiao is really observant. He solved such a big case when he first came to Longcheng!"

Xiao Liqiu shook his head and laughed:

"Master Xu, you are too kind. We have only made a start and caught a few small soldiers and generals. The real mastermind behind the scenes has not yet surfaced, so naturally we can't say that we have solved the case."

When Xu Shangming heard this, his heart skipped a beat, and then he and Hua Jingqian looked at each other secretly.

There was a hint of ferocity in the eyes of both of them.

Seeing that Xiao Liqiu's cup was empty, Hua Jingqian called the maid to fill it up for him, then picked up his own cup and said with a smile:

"Sir, you have made a good start. It will not be a problem to catch the mastermind later. I wish you success in catching the mastermind."

Xiao Liqiu accepted the compliment and drank the wine in the glass.

After that, Hua Jingqian and Xu Shangming said a lot of compliments to him.

The other minor officials from Longcheng present at the banquet were also unwilling to miss this rare opportunity to get close to the high-ranking official from the capital, and they all came to Xiao Liqiu with wine glasses in hand.

Everyone was talking about congratulations, as if Lord Xiao had really solved the case.

Xiao Liqiu accepted all the flattering words and laughed from time to time. The wine glass in his hand was refilled again and again by the maid.

In Hua Jingqian's eyes, he was just a mediocre person who was flattered to the point of not knowing his own limitations.

Hua Jingqian smiled awkwardly as he watched Xiao Liqiu drink one cup after another, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

By the time the banquet was almost over, Xiao Liqiu was already drunk and unconscious.

He slumped in his chair, unable to hold the cup, and it rolled from his hands to the ground.

Xu Shangming tentatively stepped forward and called a few times, but seeing that Xiao Liqiu had no response, he quickly called the servants to send Xiao Liqiu back to the room.

Then he ordered:

"Master Xiao needs to have a good rest. He doesn't need you to serve him. Go back to your own residence and rest."

Seeing this, the servants who were waiting in the yard all dispersed.

After Xu Shangming and Hua Jingqian left, Xiao Liqiu was the only one left in the guest house, and even his guards were placed elsewhere by Xu Shangming.

It was late at night, and when it was time to rest, Xu Shangming was still not going to bed.