Chapter 46.

The case of Sun Miao was quickly transferred to the Ministry of Justice.

When the Minister of Justice, Cheng Baichuan, heard that the Crown Prince was personally overseeing the case, he knew he couldn't afford to be careless. He promptly summoned Gao Yuan and Xue Shu to the court.

Old Master Sun, a man hardened by life, appeared at court, holding his grandson's coffin. His family, friends, and scholars who had benefited from the Sun family's kindness stood outside, eagerly waiting for any news.

Though Old Master Sun’s wounds had been treated, thanks to Xue Shu's instructions to the executioners to hold back, he had suffered only superficial injuries and was not permanently harmed. In fact, he was in surprisingly good spirits, perhaps due to the hope that justice might finally be served.

Considering Old Master Sun’s age, Cheng Baichuan allowed him not to kneel and had a small stool brought for him to sit on. But the old man refused and insisted on kneeling, handing over the written complaint that accused Gao Yuan, the head of the Eastern Bureau, of abusing his power, violating the law, and causing unnecessary bloodshed.

Cheng Baichuan took the complaint, read it, and let out a sharp breath.

The document from the Sun family detailed everything clearly, from the beginning to the end, even outlining the tortures Sun Miao endured in the interrogation prison. It was all laid bare—details ordinary people would never know. As he read about the disfigured body that had been returned, Cheng Baichuan subtly glanced at Xue Shu.

While this seemed to be a personal dispute between the Sun family and Gao Yuan, it was hard to ignore the shadow of the Western Bureau’s influence.

The rivalry between the Eastern and Western Bureau had been constant ever since the latter was established. It was a never-ending cycle—one side gaining power only for the other to strike back. The ones who always suffered were the ordinary officials caught in the middle.

After the current Emperor ascended the throne and the Western Bureau was abandoned, things had calmed down for a while. But now, with the Western Bureau reactivated and with Xue Shu at its helm, it seemed the old power struggles were about to return.

Cheng Baichuan was no fool. He had risen to his position because of his sharp mind and unwillingness to get caught in the endless conflicts between the two factions. So, he played the role of the impartial official, maintaining a polite distance from both sides.

“Superintendent Gao, is everything in this complaint true?” he asked.

“Of course, it’s all lies!” Gao Yuan sneered, sitting on the side. “The Eastern Bureau has always acted under the Emperor’s orders, we never arrest people without reason. A while back, we received a secret report claiming that some students from Dongchuan Academy had ties to the remnants of the Xianzong reign, so we brought them in for questioning. As for how they ended up dead…”

Gao Yuan’s cold, triangular eyes shifted to Xue Shu as he added with a mocking tone, “Perhaps Minister Cheng would like to ask Supervisor Xue. After all, there is a head and a body for every debt. As for this, I can assure you, we didn’t kill him!”

Cheng Baichuan turned to Xue Shu, asking, “Supervisor Xue, is Superintendent Gao’s account accurate?”

Sitting across from Gao Yuan, Xue Shu gave no sign of being affected by his words. He nodded slowly, speaking in a calm, almost measured tone, “Yes, the person was killed by us. But it was out of mercy. We couldn’t bear to see Sun Miao suffer any longer, so we gave him a quick end.”

Gao Yuan opened his mouth to protest, but Xue Shu didn’t give him the chance. He continued, “The day Gao Yuan and I ran into each other, he claimed to have caught a group of thieves but couldn’t get anything out of them. He insisted I come to the interrogation prison to help, saying it would relieve the Emperor’s worries. I’ve always been soft-hearted, so I agreed. But when we got there, I found that these so-called thieves were just a bunch of weak scholars. They had been tortured for days, with Sun Miao the worst—bloody and unrecognizable, his eyes gouged out. And still, Gao Yuan had someone play the 'Pipa' on him…”

“You wouldn’t believe what it was like to see. Anyone with a conscience would have nightmares for days after witnessing it,” Xue Shu sighed, shaking his head. “Sun Miao was a man of dignity, even when he was near death, he still shouted for justice. Gao Yuan couldn’t get him to confess, so he had me interrogate him. But I’m not like Gao Yuan—I don’t believe in forced confessions. I saw Sun Miao was barely breathing, and I knew if he broke down and falsely confessed, his family would suffer. So, I ended it quickly. If anyone owes an apology, it’s me to the Sun family.”

He quickly summarized the events in the imperial prison. His words weren't openly accusatory, but every sentence dripped with implications—insinuating that Gao Yuan had forced confessions and trampled on lives without a second thought.

Gao Yuan, seething with fury, shot to his feet, finger trembling as he shouted, "That's absolute nonsense!"

Xue Shu remained silent, eyes burning with challenge.

Cheng Baichuan, observing the rising tension, slammed the gavel with a sharp crack, "Silence!"

Reluctantly, Gao Yuan sank back into his seat, teeth clenched as he snarled, "This is all one-sided, and I demand that Master Cheng deal with it fairly."

He laid extra emphasis on "fairly," his voice laced with a veiled threat.

Normally, Cheng Baichuan would have let things slide, smoothing things over with a few words, turning a major issue into something trivial. But the case of the Sun family now tangled with the powerful Western Bureau and had stirred up the fury of the scholars. It had even made its way into the Crown Prince's ears.

If Cheng Baichuan dared show any bias now, the Western Bureau would be the least of his problems—those imperial censors would tear him to pieces.

For once, Cheng Baichuan stood firm, a sardonic smile twisting his lips. "Rest assured, Master Gao. I will handle this matter fairly."

With that, he called for the coroner to examine the body right then and there.

The process dragged on for an hour, and when the coroner finally finished and covered the body with a white cloth again, Cheng Baichuan turned sharply to ask, "Well?"

"The deceased was tortured before death," the coroner reported. "Both limbs and torso are severely injured, and the internal organs are damaged beyond repair."

"Could it have been treated?" Cheng pressed urgently.

The coroner shook his head. "Though the fatal blow was a beheading, the deceased had multiple broken bones, and several organs were ruptured. Even if there had been no beheading, he wouldn't have lasted more than three days."

In other words, even if Xue Shu hadn't intervened, Sun Miao still wouldn't have survived.

Cheng Baichuan turned to Gao Yuan, voice sharp, "The coroner's testimony confirms what Officer Xue said. Do you have anything to add, Master Gao?"

Gao Yuan's expression darkened the moment the coroner entered. With a scowl, he grumbled, "The Sun family's theater was involved in the remnants of the Xianzong era, and Sun Miao publicly mocked His Majesty with his poetry. If he died during the interrogation, then he got what he deserved!"

The implication was clear: Gao Yuan had already admitted it.

Cheng Baichuan nodded noncommittally, then turned to Patriarch Sun. "Sun Xing, what do you have to say about the theater incident?"

Up until now, Patriarch Sun had kept silent while Gao Yuan and Xue Shu exchanged barbs. Now, with the question directed at him, he burst into tears, pleading, "Your Excellency, please see reason! Yes, the theater had issues years ago, but that was decades ago! The ownership has changed hands four or five times. My family only took over recently—how can you blame us for things that happened so long ago? As for my grandson's poetry, it was based on the work of ancient scholars. He didn't fully grasp their meaning. Even if there's a mistake, it's not a capital offense!"

Xue Shu added fuel to the fire, agreeing, "We've seen the poems Sun Miao and the others wrote. They simply played around with old poems for fun. If those poems are still celebrated today, how can their small changes be considered a mockery? Could it be that Master Gao has too much time on his hands and is seeing shadows everywhere, accusing anyone who doesn't fit his image of being a traitor?"

By now, the truth was clear.

Cheng Baichuan, accustomed to dealing with the Eastern Bureau, had seen this tactic before: capturing someone and forcing a confession, only to claim credit for it later. But this time, Gao Yuan had overplayed his hand.

Cheng Baichuan already had a sense of the situation and wasn't rushing to pass judgment. He used the excuse that he needed to verify the theater's background and investigate Sun Xing's claims, adjourning the session and postponing the decision for another day. He still needed to report to his superiors and gauge their stance before making a final call.

High-ranking Gao Yuan is a trusted confidant of the Emperor, and until things are officially settled, he can't be detained. As for Old Master Sun, he'll still be thrown into the dungeons of the Ministry of Justice.

As Xue Shu passed by him, he murmured softly, “Take care of your health, Old Master. This case will be resolved soon.”

Old Master Sun watched him for a long moment, before letting out a heavy sigh.

He knew all too well that he was nothing more than a pawn in the power struggle between two forces. The Sun family was small and insignificant, no match for the mighty Eastern Bureau. All he could do was trust Xue Shu.

After exiting the courtroom, Xue Shu was just approaching the palace gates when a young, unfamiliar eunuch stepped into his path.

The eunuch had clearly been waiting for him. As soon as he saw Xue Shu, he hurried up and whispered, “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sent me with a message. Please go to Hongren Hall at the hour of You tonight.”

It was the 16th day of the 7th month, just before dusk.

Xue Shu's eyes hardened, his icy demeanor melting into a sly smirk. "Understood."

*

Xue Shu arrived at Ciqing Palace at the early of the You hour.

Having changed into fresh robes at the West Bureau, he found himself with nothing to do. Anticipating that His Highness would be waiting for him in Hongren Hall, he couldn't resist going there early.

However, when he arrived, he found Yin Chengyu still buried in paperwork.

Rather than barging in, he found a discreet spot outside to wait, and it wasn't until exactly the end You hour that he entered.

Apparently, specific orders had been given, as there were no guards around Hongren Hall today, nor any serving maids. Even Zheng Duobao was absent.

Stepping into the inner chamber, Xue Shu saw Yin Chengyu just putting down his brush. Turning to look at him, he replied, "You're here?"

Xue Shu nodded, striding forward, his eyes and heart focused solely on the other man. "Your Highness..."

His eyes held an undisguised eagerness.

Yin Chengyu's lips curved into a smile as he gestured to a small, ornate box on the nearby table. "I've placed the thing there. Take it and go."

Xue Shu walked over and picked up the box, just as he was about to open it, Yin Chengyu said, "Save it for later."

Obediently, he paused, but didn't retreat. Instead, his gaze burned into Yin Chengyu as he pressed, "Is that all?"

He was certainly growing bolder.

Yin Chengyu chuckled, "What else do you want?"

Xue Shu stared at him intently, his Adam's apple bobbing. After a long moment, he murmured, "Your Highness."

He wanted him. He'd been craving it for far too long, like a starved beast.

The smile faded from Yin Chengyu's face as he returned the gaze.

He knew Xue Shu's desires all too well. Precisely because he knew them so intimately, he wanted to deny him.

He enjoyed watching Xue Shu struggle to suppress his desires, to see him trapped in the vortex he'd created. It was far more pleasurable than any physical act.

Although Xue Shu seemed more interested in the physical.

But for now, he held the cards.

Yin Chengyu shifted his position, leaning forward slightly. His rosy lips curled into a wicked smile. "Come closer."

Xue Shu obeyed, moving closer, inhaling the scent of snow plum blossoms.

The fragrance was unusually strong today, swirling around Xue Shu's head and making him feel dizzy.

His dark eyes locked onto Yin Chengyu's, and Xue Shu called out his name again, his voice hoarse. He watched as Yin Chengyu reached out a hand, its delicate fingers as white as porcelain, yet tipped with a hint of pink, invitingly.

Unable to resist, Xue Shu grasped his hand, his grip tight but gentle, afraid of hurting him.

Yin Chengyu observed the strength in Xue Shu's hand and glanced at him, his tone cold. "Let go."

Xue Shu met his gaze, his eyes dark with desire. Slowly, he released his grip.

His eyes, however, remained fixed on Yin Chengyu, unguarded and greedy.

"Don't move," Yin Chengyu commanded, a playful glint in his eyes.

Now, they were only a breath apart. He pulled at the collar of Xue Shu's robe, forcing him to bend. With the deftness of a craftsman, he slipped his fingers under the fabric, revealing a patch of smooth skin.

But that was as far as he went.

Gazing at the exposed skin, Yin Chengyu wore the expression of a hunter.

He tapped Xue Shu's lips and repeated, "Don't move, understand?"

Without waiting for Xue Shu to react, Yin Chengyu sank his teeth into his skin. Xue Shu’s brow furrowed briefly, then slowly relaxed. His blood surged, and the hum in his ears made him shiver uncontrollably. He had to force every muscle in his body to suppress the violent surge of desire. Weak, gasping for breath, he fought to maintain control.

Yin Chengyu tasted the iron tang of blood before pulling back slowly. He watched Xue Shu’s neck wound, his fingers brushing lightly over the raw mark, collecting a drop of blood. “Does it hurt?”

Xue Shu clenched his teeth, his voice trembling slightly as he forced out the words, “No.”

It wasn’t the wound that hurt, but his chest felt ready to explode from the pressure. Yin Chengyu chuckled softly, his fingers closing as he wiped away the blood. “But I’m the one in pain.”

Xue Shu, confused, realized he’d been the one bitten. With a muddled mind, he hesitated, then said carefully, “You pity me, Your Highness?”

Yin Chengyu’s smile deepened, his gaze holding Xue Shu’s. He waved a dismissive hand. “I’ve been kind enough to you, don’t get greedy. Leave, now.”

Xue Shu bit his lip, locking eyes with him. Realizing there was no more room for negotiation, he grabbed his birthday gift and left. From behind him, Yin Chengyu’s voice drifted lazily, his tone almost teasing. “Don’t forget to pull your collar up.”

———Author’s Note: The dog: Your Highness has also marked me, I am in love.

Your Highness:?