The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 627 - 627 302 Jiaojiao Beats People (First Update)_2

Chapter 627: 302 Jiaojiao Beats People (First Update)_2 Chapter 627: 302 Jiaojiao Beats People (First Update)_2 “Oh.” Xiao Liulang responded perfunctorily, showing no interest.

“Hmph—” Ning Zhiyuan took a sharp intake of breath, “You should at least show some curiosity about the merits of your competitor. You are the top scholar, and he is the runner-up. Naturally, you ought to outrank him, but if he surpasses you… well, it’s normal for him to surpass you. After all, you can’t beat him in terms of family connections.”

The plain truth was that a student from a poor family could struggle for decades, yet might never catch up to their starting line.

Some people were born at the endpoint of others.

However, Ning Zhiyuan still wanted to say, “A murder has occurred on Beifang Street. The crime was reported in the middle of the night, and the culprit was captured this morning.”

“Captured by Prince An?” wondered Xiao Liulang.

Ning Zhiyuan answered, “Yes, he was on duty and happened to pass by the Ministry of Punishments where he ran into his uncle, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Punishments. After hearing about the case from his uncle, he followed the trail of blood at the crime scene with his men and quickly captured the real murderer! He’s currently occupied at the Ministry of Punishments and has asked the Hanlin Academy for leave, saying he would return in the afternoon. Can you believe how impressive he is?”

On top of being from a good family, he was also more exceptional and diligent than ordinary people. How could ordinary people ever compete!

The news of Prince An’s crime-solving ability had stirred up the whole Hanlin Academy when suddenly, a commotion arose from outside the gates.

“You’ve arrested the wrong person! My dad is not the perpetrator! It wasn’t him!”

It was a child’s voice.

Xiao Liulang looked towards the source of the sound.

Ning Zhiyuan suggested, “Let’s go and take a look!”

He thought Xiao Liulang would refuse, given that he was not one to enjoy watching spectacles.

Yet unexpectedly, Xiao Liulang followed him.

Outside, there was a hullabaloo.

A child, dressed in simple clothes, no more than ten years old, small and skinny, with his clothes in disarray. Perhaps it was because of his frantic running, but he was drenched in sweat and had lost one of his shoes.

He was trying to push his way in but was blocked by Kong Mu, the gatekeeper of the Hanlin Academy.

With red eyes, he fought back tears, “The Hanlin Academy has arrested the wrong person! My dad is not the murderer! He didn’t kill anyone!”

Being just a child, he had heard that an official from the Hanlin Academy had helped solve the case, and had assumed that his father had been brought to the Hanlin Academy.

He screamed in desperation, but no one present believed him.

Kong Mu was growing impatient, “How would we know if your father is the murderer or not? If you want to cause a fuss, go to the Ministry of Punishments, this is the Hanlin Academy, we don’t handle criminal cases here!”

“But, but where is the Ministry of Punishments… I finally found my way here to the Hanlin Academy…” The child finally burst into tears of despair, visibly exhausted, his feet were blistered from walking.

The son of a murderer.

Few genuinely sympathized with him.

Just as he was crying uncontrollably, a tall, elegant figure stepped in front of him. “I’ll take you to the Ministry of Punishments.”

His crying ceased abruptly. Raising his tear-streaked eyes, he looked incredulously at the celestial-like handsome face, “Really…really?”

Everyone stared at Xiao Liulang as if he were a fool.

Helping a murderer’s child, had he gone mad?

“I need to ask for leave.” Xiao Liulang said to Kong Mu.

It seemed that Kong Mu was so stunned by Xiao Liulang’s actions that he couldn’t utter a word.

Xiao Liulang hired a carriage and took the child to the Ministry of Punishments.

From the child’s clear recount, Xiao Liulang learned that the child had suffered a severe stomachache in the middle of the night, and his father had gone out to fetch a doctor but hadn’t returned all night. The next day, he heard that his father had been arrested as the murderer.

His mother had fainted from the news.

Xiao Liulang asked, “Is there anyone else in your family?”

The boy shook his head, “No, there’s no one else. Sir, my dad would never kill someone! He really wouldn’t! Do you believe me?”

Xiao Liulang only trusted evidence.

If his father was indeed the murderer, then the child needed to understand that the imperial court did not wrongfully accuse anyone.

If his father was innocent, then the imperial court would surely ensure justice for his father.

Xiao Liulang took the boy to the Ministry of Punishments.

Since a Hanlin official had arrived, the guards at the Ministry of Punishments were very polite. They led Xiao Liulang to a side hall, where Prince An and his uncle, the Assistant Minister Qin, were discussing the details of the case.

Because the suspect refused to plead guilty, they had to find more evidence to convict him.

“Master Qin, someone from the Hanlin Academy is here.” The guard reported from outside the door.

Assistant Minister Qin was puzzled, “Why would someone from the Hanlin Academy come?”

Prince An shook his head, “I don’t know.”

He was puzzled too.

“Let them in.” Assistant Minister Qin ordered.

Xiao Liulang entered with the child.