The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1143 - 1143 558 Confession (first update)

Chapter 1143: 558 Confession (first update) Chapter 1143: 558 Confession (first update) The Secretary Xing entered the palace for an audience with the Emperor.

The Emperor was in the Imperial Study Room examining memorials when he heard the report from Eunuch Wei and ordered that Secretary Xing be brought in.

“Your humble servant, pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

Secretary Xing performed a respectful ritual.

Seated behind his desk, the Emperor put down one memorial he had reviewed and picked up another, asking, “Secretary Xing, what brings you to the palace so urgently?”

Secretary Xing hesitated for a moment before saying, “Your servant…has a matter to report.”

The Emperor opened the memorial, “What matter cannot wait until the morning court?”

In his heart, Secretary Xing thought it could wait, but he feared mentioning it in front of the civil and military officials would displease you.

Thinking back, he had encountered the old Sacrificial Official and Prime Minister Yuan on the way; surely the Sacrificial Official hadn’t seen the contents of the document, right?

He had only glimpsed it; by all accounts, he shouldn’t have been able to see clearly.

Even if he had seen clearly, as an old official, he wouldn’t spread the news.

With this in mind, Secretary Xing silently eased his worries.

Secretary Xing said respectfully with his hands clasped, “It’s a case that I am unsure whether to mention at court.”

The Emperor inquired, “What case?”

Secretary Xing replied truthfully, “The case at Xianle Inn.”

“Xianle Inn?” the Emperor frowned, “Is that not the most famous brothel in the Capital City?”

“Even Your Majesty is aware of it,” Secretary Xing said, surprised.

No wonder he was so surprised; despite Xianle Inn’s fame, after all, it was just a brothel. In the social hierarchy of the Imperial City, crossing class barriers was harder than ascending to the heavens.

If the Emperor had no interest in brothels, then he wouldn’t pay attention to it.

“I have heard of it,” the Emperor said indifferently, “A case involving a brothel needs to be brought up at court?”

Secretary Xing’s expression was complex as he said, “This case is widely implicated and involves the royal family.”

The Emperor said coolly, “Which prince got himself into trouble by visiting a brothel?”

If it were just a prince, perhaps you wouldn’t feel so troubled in your heart.

Knowing today he faced a dilemma whether he spoke up or not, Secretary Xing braced himself, “The courtesan of Xianle Inn died, it happened on Lunar New Year.”

Lunar New Year, the Emperor recalled. That was the day the army had returned triumphantly and the day he had seen Ning An again.

How could something have gone wrong on such a good day?

The Emperor furrowed his brows deeply.

At first, Secretary Xing thought it was just a civilian murder case not worth alarming Your Majesty, so he did not bring it up at court.

Secretary Xing continued, “But after an investigation, I shockingly discovered the courtesan of Xianle Inn didn’t die at all. She feigned her death, used a body double to pull a vanishing act, and her true objective was to get close to Doctor Gu from the Medical Hall.”

The Emperor, uninterested in the affairs of a courtesan, listened until he suddenly paused, “Which Medical Hall’s Doctor Gu?”

“It is the one next to the female institute, called Marvelous Hands Hall,” Secretary Xing explained, not entirely aware of the relationship between the Emperor and Gu Jiao. To make the matter sufficiently pressing for the Emperor, he quickly added, “Doctor Gu is the wife of Xiao Liulang.”

Xiao Liulang was the newly appointed top scholar personally selected by Your Majesty; the Emperor surely had some regard for him.

In fact, Gu Jiao was also the daughter of the Marquis Residence, though she herself never acknowledged it.

Coldness flickered in the Emperor’s eyes, “What business does a courtesan from a brothel have with a doctor from the Medical Hall?”

Secretary of Justice, “Assassinate.”

“Assassinate…” the renowned young doctor?!

The Emperor’s expression turned puzzled and grave, “You just mentioned that the case at Xianle Inn involves the royal family, could it be… that someone from the royal family instigated the courtesan to harm Doctor Gu?”

Secretary Xing did not answer directly but instead took out the confession and the case file he had sewn into his wide sleeve on the road.

The Emperor took the confession and case file, recognizing the handwriting as Xiao Liulang’s.

Xiao Liulang also served as the Secretary of Justice, and in Gu Jiao’s words, was Secretary Xing’s secretary and spokesperson, and if well-done, could become the Chief Secretary of Justice in the future.

It was only natural for him to draft the case files and confessions.

Of course, not all confessions were written by officials from the Justice Department; some were written by the criminals themselves.

The confession clearly stated that Bai Kun had limited literacy, hence it was transcribed by Xiao Liulang, the Secretary of Justice.

After reading the confession, the Emperor slammed it on the desk, “Preposterous! Who interrogated the criminal?”

To avoid complications, Secretary Xing addressed the Emperor directly, “It was I who personally interrogated, with Xiao Liulang temporarily assuming the role of scribe.”

The scribes for the Justice Department were usually filled by litigation masters from the Yamen, but in their absence, the Secretary of Justice could designate someone else to take their place.

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