Chapter 591: with translation of chapter title

Gu Kang could get to this position today because he has some skill. Bai Xiaosheng pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Sir Gu, this... surely there must be at least some clue?"

Gu Kang bowed even lower: "Your Highness, I really have no clue; please forgive me, Your Highness."

Bai Xiaosheng's face turned cold.

For a moment, the Hall of Nurturing Heart fell into deadly silence, and Bai Xiaosheng felt a surge of resentment.

This brat won't give him face; even if he made up some comforting words, he should have made them up, yet he keeps saying he doesn't know, speaking with such righteous confidence.

But his own sister is the Princess Consort of Rui; he can't just drag this fellow out and behead him.

"Really? Sir Gu, you're pushing the blame cleanly! But to be able, in front of so many people, to beat the Chen family's many guards to a pulp and still retreat unscathed while carrying Chen Sir's corpse—there can't be many like that in the world, can there?"

"Sir Gu, guess who this person might be?"

Gu Kang's brow twitched imperceptibly, he was about to reply when suddenly a hurried footsteps came from outside; a young eunuch's sharp voice said: "Report to the Crown Prince! The Five City Military Command has found Sir Chen's remains, placed them in the square outside the Eastern Cavalry Gate, and now more and more civilians are gathering outside the Eastern Cavalry Gate."

"What?" Bai Xiaosheng hastily stood up, a hint of gravity flashing in his eyes, he turned his face away and coldly looked at Gu Kang before him.

He couldn't help but laugh angrily: "Is this Sir Gu's complete lack of any clue?"

Gu Kang had already lowered his eyes to his nose, his nose to his heart, saying nothing at all.

Bai Xiaosheng had heard before that Gu Kang was a formidable figure, but seeing him now, he's nothing special—just a mute gourd.

He hastily ordered a horse to be readied, then also brought Gu Kang toward the Eastern Cavalry Gate; even before arriving, the place was already buzzing with voices.

"The Crown Prince approaches!" the Chief Eunuch of Rituals shouted loudly; the Golden Warrior Guard drew their swords, driving the surging civilians back to clear an official path for Bai Xiaosheng.

Bai Xiaosheng fixed his gaze and saw, from afar, a nanmu coffin surrounded by the crowd.

The lid of the nanmu coffin was missing, the entire corpse exposed to the onlookers' gaze.

The corpse showed no signs of decay; the nanmu coffin was filled with ice blocks, and the appearance had been tidied very cleanly.

What is surprising is how this corpse ended up here, and right in front of the Peace Drum.

What is ironic is that when General An's descendant, Miss Jinzhi, was striking the Peace Drum, Sir Chen stopped her.

Sir Chen even died by crashing into a pillar over this; this time his corpse has returned once more to the Peace Drum, as if arranged by fate.

Upon seeing the Regent Prince arrive, everyone knelt down.

A palace eunuch behind him brought a chair, and Bai Xiaosheng slowly sat down.

The commander of the Five City Military Command, Zhou, hurried over to Bai Xiaosheng's front and knelt: "Report to the Crown Prince, I led a patrol here and discovered a coffin; I never expected it to be Sir Chen's corpse, so I sent someone to report to the palace."

Bai Xiaosheng nodded: "Have the Chen family arrived?"

Soon after, Lin Jingyuan led the Chen family members toward the corpse; upon seeing Chen Zhuo in the coffin, the Chen family women behind Lin Jingyuan fell to their knees with a thud, wailing loudly, and for a moment the surrounding chatter never ceased.

Lin Jingyuan's face flushed red as he stepped forward and knelt before Bai Xiaosheng: "Please, Crown Prince, uphold justice."

"Although Mr. Chen's corpse has been returned, death is of utmost importance; having suffered this humiliation, how could we just let it go?"

Bai Xiaosheng nodded; this matter indeed gave him a headache.

The lost corpse had strangely circled back; he always felt something big would happen today.

Bai Xiaosheng coughed and slowly said: "What Master Lin says is absolutely right; for such matters, I, the Crown Prince, will certainly restore justice to Mr. Chen."

"Sir Gu, you oversee the Ministry of Justice; I hope you can solve this case."

Gu Kang's eyes flickered slightly; the corpse has been found, but solving this case will still be difficult.

After all, to take the corpse from the Chen family in a short time, then silently, under the noses of the Five City Military Command, place it back before the Peace Drum.

He actually already suspected who it was; he wants to see what that person intends to do.

However, to give the Regent Prince face, Gu Kang bowed and said: "I will certainly investigate this case thoroughly!"

Bai Xiaosheng nodded; anyway he has no fondness for these pedantic scholars, he will just do his duty, as for the outcome, he cannot control it.

Now it looks like everyone is satisfied: the Regent Prince upholds justice for the Chen family, and will investigate this case thoroughly.

Chen Zhuo's corpse has returned; the Chen family can simply take it back for burial.

Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, Lin Jingyuan stepped forward and loudly said: "That villain openly seized Mr. Chen's corpse in the Chen household."

"But during the scuffle in the mourning hall, he left this behind."

Bai Xiaosheng's heart gave a slight jump; it seems the students led by Lin Jingyuan from the Imperial Academy will not give up easily.

After all, he is merely a pawn in Xiao Yin's hands; he might as well watch the show.

Since these officials insist on making a fuss, he wants to see what kind of trouble they can stir up.

"Oh, what is it? Someone! Present it."

The onlookers all curiously looked toward Lin Jingyuan; the past few days, the Chen family's missing corpse has been the talk of the town in Shang Jing.

Now that Lin Jingyuan has already provided new evidence, let's see what they have discovered.

Lin Jingyuan slowly drew from his bosom a small bundle wrapped in silk.

Carefully unfolded, it revealed a sword tassel.

The onlookers saw it was just an ordinary sword tassel, something common everywhere.

However, nobles use silk threads; ordinary folk cannot afford such.

Bai Xiaosheng looked at the tax token in his hand, feeling Lin Jingyuan was just playing with them.

Bai Xiaosheng raised his eyebrows: "What does this mean?"

Lin Jingyuan said, word by word: "This is what the evildoer accidentally dropped when committing the deed."

Bai Xiaosheng turned it over and over, examined the water token, and aside from its exquisite craftsmanship, found nothing else unusual.

Bai Xiaosheng lifted the sword tassel and smiled faintly: "I know Lin Jingyuan has been running about for the Chen family's sake; he truly values loyalty and righteousness."

"But having said that, the quality of beads on a string naturally differs."

These beads have several names engraved; wealthy young masters love to play with them, and never tire of it.

Bai Xiaosheng's face bore a hint of smile, he idly pinched a bead and stared intently; suddenly his expression changed drastically.