Chapter 23: The Greatest Detective of the Great Xia

As Six Uncle's voice sounded.

Gu Jin Nian could not help but rise from the bed.

He pushed open the door.

Gu Ning Ya's smiling face appeared before his eyes.

"Six Uncle?"

"How did you come?"

Gu Jin Nian was curious.

"I'm going home for a visit, and I'll stop by to see you."

"Jin Nian, you're really fierce, actually able to overturn the Minister of Rites, you have about three-tenths of your uncle's demeanor from back then."

Gu Ning Ya walked into the room with a grin, and praised him generously.

"Uncle, to be frank, the Minister of Rites being overturned has nothing to do with me; it's because His Highness the Grandson was brave."

Gu Jin Nian shook his head, he refused to take the blame, it had nothing to do with him.

"Alright."

"What are you pretending in front of your uncle?"

"However, the Grandson is truly stupid, to even get himself into this situation."

"News has spread in the palace; do you know what fate befell the Grandson?"

After entering the room, Gu Ning Ya casually poured himself a cup of tea and started talking about this matter.

"What fate?"

Gu Jin Nian became curious.

He was hung from a tree by the Crown Prince and whipped, his skin split open; later His Majesty arrived and whipped him for another half hour.

According to palace attendants, even the Empress, who had always doted on the Grandson, fainted from anger this time.

Moreover, it's said that outside the imperial palace, one can hear the Grandson's wails.

Jin Nian, from now on, if there's nothing else, stay far away from the Grandson; this guy surely bears you a deadly grudge.

Gu Ning Ya said calmly.

"He was beaten that badly?"

Gu Jin Nian clicked his tongue, frankly speaking, this isn't really a big deal; at most it's just childish foolishness.

Is it necessary to be so harsh? "This is not nonsense."

However, His Majesty's whipping of the Grandson wasn't because he injured the Minister of Rites; according to palace maids, the Grandson is so foolish that he'd dare do such a thing when provoked, which is why His Majesty personally administered the punishment.

Gu Ning Ya added a sentence, making Gu Jin Nian feel somewhat inexplicably embarrassed.

"Then I won't be in trouble, right?"

Gu Jin Nian looked at Gu Ning Ya and asked cautiously.

"Nothing."

It also has nothing to do with you; it's just the Grandson's own stupidity. Put bluntly, you merely egged him on a bit; put simply, it's just you lot of brats squabbling—who knows if the Grandson really meant it.

Alright, you don't need to worry too much about this; with the old master around, nothing big will happen. Six Uncle came mainly to ask you something.

Gu Ning Ya was completely unfazed.

The younger generation's squabbles, they disdain them, just as the old master also disdains their squabbles.

"Who dares to let the kids make a fuss?"

"What's up, Six Uncle?"

Gu Jin Nian showed a bit of curiosity.

"Regarding your drowning incident."

Jin Nian, you still need to think carefully about what happened before and after your drowning.

But don't dig too deep, or you'll get a headache, and I'll get whipped again.

Gu Ning Ya spoke up, but added an extra sentence, seeming somewhat fearful.

"Drowning?"

Gu Jin Nian furrowed his brows, he remained somewhat silent, and after a moment he slowly spoke.

"I have some memories, but not many; all I know is that Yang Han Rou pushed me into the water."

"Moreover, I didn't insult them."

Gu Jin Nian spoke, answering truthfully.

"I know that."

"Too bad there's no evidence; otherwise Six Uncle would have already gone to arrest them."

Gu Ning Ya nodded; he knew this, he'd said it before, but without evidence they couldn't be arrested.

Fortunately, your mother has some abilities; His Majesty sent people to the Lamp-hanging Bureau to give orders, and they'll also arrest a bunch of people recently, so these rumors will be tightened up.

Jin Nian, you need to remember this; fortunes change, and someday Six Uncle will help you deal with these people.

Gu Ning Ya continued speaking.

Gu Jin Nian nodded; he was quite clear-minded, before his transmigration his reputation had already been damaged, and he also had some amnesia; by the time he remembered, it was already a foregone conclusion.

To clear his name, he could only rely on other means; just talking wouldn't help.

After all, they insist it was you who first spoke rudely; what can you do? Thinking about it, it's only reasonable.

A daughter of the Minister of Rites, graceful and gentle.

Another is a spoiled rich kid, idle and loafing about all day.

The common folk naturally tend to favor one side.

The Gu Family indeed has the capability to cause a ruckus, but what would be the result of such a ruckus? A fight? Would that work?

"Sixth Uncle, I will handle this matter myself; you need not worry."

"By the way, Grandfather came by earlier and said someone would come to help me."

"Who is it?"

Gu Jin Nian gave an answer, and at the same time he was also curious about who Grandfather was referring to.

Upon mentioning this, Gu Ningya became somewhat gloomy.

He took a sip of tea and looked at Gu Jin Nian as he spoke.

"Don't mention this; your grandfather is just coming up with one idea after another."

Seeing Gu Ningya's gloom, Gu Jin Nian became even more interested.

"Who on earth is it? How did they make it so mysterious?"

Gu Jin Nian grew increasingly curious.

"He was once acclaimed as the greatest detective of Da Xia."

"The Huainan private salt case was solved by him."

"Too bad he has a bit of a mental issue."

Gu Ningya replied, seeming to have some reservations about this person.

"The Huainan private salt case?"

"The greatest detective?"

Gu Jin Nian pondered briefly, then recalled that it was a major case.

"Isn't that pretty good? Sixth Uncle, why do you feel as if you have a grudge against him?"

Gu Jin Nian was somewhat puzzled.

"No grudge, I just think this person is unreliable. Do you know where he is now?"

Gu Ningya spoke up.

"Where?"

Gu Jin Nian was curious.

"Inside the Ministry of Justice's great prison, and moreover he is a serious criminal."

Gu Ningya's answer left Gu Jin Nian stunned. The person who solved such a major case is actually detained in the Ministry of Justice's great prison? That's no joke. Looking at his disbelieving expression, Gu Ningya took another sip of tea.

"I'm not lying to you."

"This guy has a mental problem, but you say his detective ability is indeed strong."

"Yet his investigative methods are extremely bizarre; after the Huainan private salt case, he was rewarded by His Majesty, and logically he should do nothing else and at least become a junior official in the Ministry of Justice."

"As a result, this guy started investigating the Jian De remnants case; do you know what he did?"

Gu Ningya indeed got a bit fired up when mentioning this.

"What?"

Gu Jin Nian asked curiously.

"He secretly released the Jian De remnants that the Ministry of Justice had painstakingly captured."

Gu Ningya's expression was not good.

"Released?"

"Is he mentally ill?"

Gu Jin Nian hadn't expected that, if we were to say what the current emperor's greatest concern is, it would certainly be the Jian De emperor.

No one knows whether the Jian De emperor is dead or alive.

But for imperial authority, as long as no corpse is seen, he is considered not dead.

And as long as the Jian De emperor remains alive for a day, my uncle cannot have peace for a day.

Having captured the Jian De remnants, standard procedure would be to process them thoroughly and then interrogate them for the whereabouts of other remnants.

Privately releasing them is no small matter; lightly it could lead to beheading, severely to the execution of the entire clan.

His mind truly is ill.

"More than just having a sick mind."

"He privately released the Jian De remnants, and the Ministry of Justice arrested him; do you know what he said?"

"He said, the Jian De remnants are stubborn; trying to force them to reveal the whereabouts of other remnants is unrealistic, so it's better to appeal to emotion and reason, let them go, and perhaps they will be moved, understand the vast imperial grace, and turn themselves in."

"At worst, releasing them allows us to track and investigate, netting them all."

"These are his exact words."

When Gu Ningya said this, Gu Jin Nian fell completely silent.

"Good."

"Good."

Who would have thought that a small Da Xia Capital could produce a hidden dragon.

One must be quite clever to devise such a plan.

Redefine the Vast Imperial Grace.

"And the result?"

Gu Jin Nian continued to ask.

"Result? The result was that he was beaten eighty times with heavy rods and then detained in the Ministry of Justice's great prison."

"If it weren't thoroughly investigated clear, this guy would have no relation to the Jian De remnants at all, and with the merit from the Huainan private salt case, his entire clan would be exterminated."

"That's why I think the old man keeps coming up with one idea after another; this guy's mind is just abnormal, insisting on picking him when the Patrol Division isn't lacking talent, and the Ministry of Justice also has several capable people—why bother?"

Gu Ning Ya grew increasingly gloomy as he spoke.

And Gu Jin Nian also gradually fell silent.

Originally he was full of curiosity about this person, but as Liu Shu said that, Gu Jin Nian also developed a strange feeling.

"Forget it, you don't need to worry about these matters."

"Anyway, the old man arranges things as he pleases; Jin Nian, remember what Liu Shu said—your grandfather is no ordinary person; even all of us in the Gu Family combined aren't as smart as he is alone."

"However, in your future actions you must always seize the moral high ground; once you have the right on your side, you can step aside and watch the show."

Gu Ning Ya said seriously.

Having said that, he patted Gu Jin Nian on the shoulder.

"All right, Liu Shu has left; you should rest well, go to the Da Xia Academy and study hard—although our Gu Family may not produce a scholar, passing the licentiate exam is no problem."

"Just don't lose face—your uncle Liu Shu almost passed the licentiate exam back in the day."

"All right, if there's nothing else, come find your uncle Liu Shu at the Office of Suspended Lamps; he's been idle lately."

Gu Ning Ya finished his long-winded remarks, then turned and left.

Gazing at the moon high in the sky.

Gu Jin Nian gave a bitter laugh.

Afterwards he continued to lie flat, setting those matters aside for now; he would sleep a few hours before saying more.

About half an hour later.

Da Xia Capital.

Ministry of Justice Prison.

Dim, damp, reeking with a foul stench, it made one feel uncomfortable.

"Su Huai Yu."

"You may come out now."

Accompanied by the sound of a chain clanking.

Deep inside the prison.

A man slowly opened his eyes.

The man wore prison garb, his hair was disheveled, he gave off a faint foul odor, and bore some wounds.

But in the candlelight, his grimy face nonetheless looked somewhat handsome.

Immediately afterward, a voice sounded as well.

"These days there are indeed many good people—did he turn himself in?"

The voice rang out.

But he received no reply; instead, a figure appeared before him.

"Investigate the drowning of my nephew."

"Once the matter is cleared up, I will restore your freedom."

"Otherwise, even if a remnant of the Jian De rebels surrenders, I have a thousand ways to keep you locked up here forever."

It was Gu Ning Ya's silhouette; he stood before Su Huai Yu, his expression grim and cold.

Feeling Gu Ning Ya's coldness.

On Su Huai Yu's handsome face, a hint of disappointment instantly appeared.

After a moment.

He exhaled and then spoke slowly.

"Fine."

"However, I have my own way of investigating cases; as long as I don't harm your nephew, don't restrict me."

This was his demand.

Gu Ning Ya did not refuse; instead, he threw out a token and handed it to Su Huai Yu.

He took the token.

Su Huai Yu pondered briefly, then looked at Gu Ning Ya and asked a crucial question.

"This job."

"Does it include meals?"

Su Huai Yu spoke, his expression especially serious.

This left Gu Ning Ya outside the door stunned for a moment.

(End of chapter)