Farewell Flower Festival

After Captain Yu took his men away, Mu Tianling didn't waste any more words with Zhao Huan. He grabbed his collar and dragged him to the edge of the large pit. He loosened his grip and the man rolled into the pit.

"Buried." Mu Tianling said lightly.

Qianfeng and Feiyu picked up shovels and filled the pit with soil. The soil fell on Zhao Huan. He was so scared that his face turned pale and his voice trembled. He asked Mu Tianling if he was crazy and wanted to bury him alive? !

"For a scum like you, being buried alive is considered a bargain for you." Mu Tianling sneered.

In order to survive, Zhao Huan dug his hands into the soil and crawled desperately at night, like a cockroach trying to escape from a frying pan. When he was about to climb up, a foot stepped on his hand. He grimaced in pain, and then became angry and swore at Mu Tianling.

"I'll ask again, did you kill that person?"

The hand sank a little deeper into the soil, and Zhao Huan screamed even louder.

The two officers peeked inside curiously, and Captain Yu told them not to look around and to mind their mouths.

"I haven't settled the previous score with you yet." Mu Tianling looked down at Zhao Huan with a slight smile on his lips, but his eyes were so calm and indifferent that it made people shudder, as if he was stepping on nothing but an insignificant ant.

A young man like Zhao Ce, who is used to bullying others by taking advantage of his power, would not take long to change from being tough to compromising if he met someone who was even more ruthless than himself.

"what on earth do you want?"

Mu Tianling took out a confession and asked Zhao Huan to sign it.

A quarter of an hour later, Mu Tianling came out and said that the man had confessed his guilt, and asked Captain Yu to go in and arrest him.

After arriving at the Jiuxing Division, Mu Tianling had Zhao Huan thrown into the cell and let him know the torture instruments used against prisoners in advance. Captain Yu not only gave him a detailed introduction, but also took him to see the scene of the prisoners being tortured.

When everyone returned to the cell again, Zhao Huan's eyes were filled with nothing but horror and fear.

……

Mu Tianling returned to the palace after dark. Chao Yan saw that he looked tired, so she made him a cup of soothing scented tea. After he drank the tea and rested for a while, she asked him about the will-o'-the-wisp.

Mu Tianling said that the person had been imprisoned in the Jiuxing Division and would be convicted at the trial tomorrow.

So the next day, after Mu Tianling went out, Chao Yan asked Eunuch Wu to go watch the trial together. Fortunately, Eunuch Wu had nothing to do, so the two of them went together.

Before the court session began, many onlookers gathered outside the yamen, discussing the scandal of Zhao Huan abducting a woman and killing her to silence her.

When Chaoyan heard from the people around her that more than a dozen skeletons had been dug up, she cursed Zhao Huan and said he was a scumbag and deserved to be boiled in oil!

The people around expressed their agreement and were outraged.

The next moment, soldiers suddenly pushed the crowd to both sides, leaving a path in the middle, as if an important figure was about to appear.

Prince Rui Mu Tianqi arrived, followed by Zhao Zhong.

Although the person was caught by the Jiuxingsi, the presiding judge was Lord Fan from the Hanlin Garden, who was appointed by Emperor Mu. Mu Tianling attended the trial like everyone else.

After the two officers escorted Zhao Huan out, the discussion in the crowd became even more lively.

The gavel rang out, and the courtroom fell into complete silence.

The lawyer first presented Zhao Huan's confession and the coroner's autopsy report. After reading it, Lord Fan ordered a witness to be called.

First, there were the two concubines. They did not become Zhao Huan's concubines voluntarily, but were bought by him. Both of them were daughters of respectable families, and their parents did not want them to be concubines. However, Zhao Huan was powerful and he brought people to intimidate and threaten their parents, saying that if they did not agree, neither family would be able to stay in the capital.

Then there was the servant who opened the door, who confessed that he was instructed by Zhao Huan to bury the bodies of the girls under the flowers in the garden.

Then the maids and servants confessed that Zhao Huan had poisoned and beaten the victim.

Faced with overwhelming evidence, Zhao Huan suddenly changed his confession, saying that Mu Tianling had tortured him into confessing, and that he would bury him alive if he did not sign the confession.

As soon as these words were spoken, there was another uproar outside the court.

Suddenly, something was thrown out from the crowd and hit Zhao Huan's back accurately with a snap.

Everyone was shocked. It was the first time in their lives that they had seen such an incredible scene. Someone actually dared to throw rotten eggs into the court.

Zhao Huan was also a little confused by this sudden attack.

After the shock, the crowd applauded and cheered, saying that it was a good smash.

Such scum who regards human life as nothing should be paraded through the streets. Chao Yan will definitely prepare a basket of rotten eggs to smash these scums so that they will doubt their lives.

Lord Fan slammed the gavel again and shouted for silence, and the noise outside the courtroom subsided.

In order to prevent another sneak attack that could disrupt the court, two officers were responsible for monitoring suspicious elements in the crowd.

Lord Fan asked Mu Tianling a routine question: whether he had been forced to confess.

Mu Tianling denied it and said that Zhao Huan pleaded guilty voluntarily.

However, Zhao Zhong said that there were witnesses who could prove that the confession was obtained under torture, and then the housekeeper behind him came out to testify.

"At that time, the Fourth Prince brought people to the mansion and arrested the Second Young Master without saying a word. The Marquis was worried and asked me to go and see what was going on. I saw the Fourth Prince took the Second Young Master into a house and had people guarding the door to prevent anyone from entering. I heard the Second Young Master's screams from outside. He must have been tortured into confessing."

Lord Fan looked at Mu Tianling again and said calmly, "There are witnesses and evidences. Lord Marquis still wants to confuse right and wrong and cover up the deaths of more than a dozen people. Aren't you afraid that the wronged ghosts will come to claim your life at night?"

Zhao Zhong said: "I have never done anything wrong in my life."

Mu Tianling sneered.

"I know that Your Highness is dissatisfied with me because of the matter of the King's Uncle. If Your Highness wants to avenge the King's Uncle, just come after me. Why target my son?" Zhao Zhong said.

Mu Tianling clenched his palms, knowing that the other party was deliberately provoking him. He picked up the teacup on the table and scraped it, saying, "My Lord, there is no need to get involved in such a far-reaching matter. I will handle the case impartially and will never condone a murderer to continue to stay out there and harm the people. Even if it is you, My Lord, I will still arrest you."

Chao Yan took the lead in clapping, Eunuch Wu also clapped, and the others followed suit, praising the Fourth Prince Mu Tianling for his impartiality.

Lord Fan slammed the gavel again, and after everyone was silent, he asked Zhao Huan whether he pleaded guilty. Zhao Huan looked at Zhao Zhong for protection. Zhao Zhong looked to the side, and seeing that Mu Tianqi had no intention of speaking, he stood up, said goodbye, and left with the butler.

"Dad, please save me, Dad, I don't want to die, Dad..."

Zhao Zhong stopped and looked back at Zhao Huan who was pinned down by two officers. He said coldly, "I don't have a son as shameful as you." Then he left.

Lord Fan made the verdict in court and imprisoned Zhao Huan according to the law and executed him in the autumn.

When the verdict came out, Zhao Huan looked as pale as death. He couldn't even stand up and was dragged away by two officers.

After the crowd dispersed, Chao Yan and Eunuch Wu stayed outside the yamen waiting for Mu Tianling to come out.

Mu Tianqi and Mu Tianling said a few words and left first. When they came out, they glanced at Chao Yan and Eunuch Wu, then got on the carriage and left.

After Mu Tianling came out, Chao Yan gave him a thumbs up and praised him for being so handsome just now. She said she would cook a delicious meal for him to celebrate his success. Eunuch Wu said he was going to buy groceries and left first, as if he deliberately created an opportunity for the two to be alone together.

On the way back in the carriage, Chao Yan said that Zhao Zhong would definitely not give up, and told Mu Tianling to be careful when going out these days, so as not to be kidnapped. Mu Tianling asked her what delicious food she was going to make, and Chao Yan told him to wait for a big meal, looking very confident.

As soon as Eunuch Wu returned home, he was stopped by Feicui and went towards the kitchen.

When a table of delicious food was placed in front of Mu Tianling, he looked at Chao Yan with a slightly suspicious look and asked casually, "Did you make all this?"

Chao Yan replied tactfully: "Uncle also helped a little."

Mu Tianling asked directly which dish she made. Chaoyan said that soup was still stewing in the kitchen, and then she slipped away.

……