Chapter 1520: This wine is actually a trap

Chen Guanlou had Chen Quan arrange for a few veteran gamblers to test Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin had some schemes, but due to his background, knowledge, and perception, he wasn't deep or calculating. He was easily tested.

Once the results were in, Chen Quan reported to Chen Guanlou.

"Reporting to my lord, Xiao Jin knows how to gamble, but he isn't skilled at it. With his level, entering a gambling den would be like a rabbit walking into a trap—he'd be slaughtered."

He couldn't even beat the prison guards; going to a gambling den would just make him a walking wallet.

"Gambling style reflects character. Does he look like the type who would kill for robbery while blinded by gambling?"

"Doesn't look like it! I observed that he doesn't have much of an addiction. He's the type who stops as soon as he loses a little."

Chen Guanlou sneered upon hearing this. "He claims he was blinded by gambling and went to rob and kill, yet not a single word is true. Leave him to stew for two days and let him taste some physical suffering. Tell Medical Official Mu not to let him die, but don't bother too much with his wounds. It's best to use inferior medicine so he's in agony."

Chen Quan acknowledged the order. "I will handle it immediately."

Taking advantage of his free time, he had to handle the matter entrusted to him by Wang Shi.

Zhang Wang had already found out that there was indeed a prisoner named Wang Qijun in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison. He was a hunter who came to the capital every month to sell game, and through this, he had become acquainted with a purchasing steward from a wealthy household.

He was imprisoned this time because that wealthy household accused him of poisoning the game he sold, causing their young master to suffer from severe diarrhea.

Wang Qijun refused to confess, was tortured, and then thrown into prison.

Chen Guanlou asked, "Is there solid evidence for the poisoning?"

Zhang Wang took a sip of water and wiped his mouth. "I had to ask many people to find out the truth; there is absolutely no evidence. They just relied on the steward's word to arrest and convict him. I spent money to find a servant to ask around, and it's true that doctors were visiting the noble's mansion those two days. Someone did have a bad stomach and diarrhea. Fortunately, no one died, otherwise, Wang Qijun would have already been executed."

"Who judged the case? Arresting someone without evidence!" Chen Guanlou thought the Jingzhao Prefecture's handling of cases was chaotic. The word of a steward from a noble's mansion could be treated like an imperial decree.

Absurd!

"It was Zhou Tongpan who judged the case." Zhang Wang had found that out too.

Chen Guanlou found the name Zhou Tongpan quite familiar. After Zhang Wang's reminder, he suddenly realized.

He remembered that there was once a mountain bandit whose sworn brother seemed to be Zhou Tongpan. Another criminal had also mentioned him, expressing great admiration.

He had concluded back then that Zhou Tongpan was a hypocrite seeking fame, but due to a lack of opportunity, he had never come into contact with him.

"What is Zhou Tongpan's reputation?"

"Some say he is slick and sophisticated, well-versed in human affairs. Some say he hates evil, and his bad reputation is just him smearing himself. Others say he is greedy for money, hypocritical, and treacherous. I don't know which is true."

"Perhaps they are all true."

Chen Guanlou sneered.

Zhou Tongpan, huh!

Interesting.

"Did you ask how much money it would take to save Wang Qijun?"

"I asked, but they said the noble's mansion won't let go, so he can't be saved."

"Which noble's mansion?"

"Zhao Wang Fu!"

What a coincidence.

Last time he met Eunuch Wang Hai, the latter mentioned that a Ninth Rank retainer in Zhao Wang Fu was a serial killer who specialized in murdering young and beautiful maids with cruel methods.

He had been busy with the Dou family case and hadn't had time to verify the truth, almost forgetting about it.

Eh, he ran into it again.

"Help me invite this Zhou Tongpan out. Tell him I'm inviting him to drink—to drink flower wine."

"What if he doesn't show up? I hear this man thinks very highly of himself."

Chen Guanlou smiled. "He will show up! With my reputation, him suddenly being invited to drink by me will definitely make him curious about my purpose. As long as he's curious, he'll definitely come."

"I'll go send the invitation and invite him to drink tonight."

"Go!"

As for Zhao Wang Fu, after the drinking, he would go take a look himself to see how deep the waters were.

Zhou Tongpan agreed to the invitation.

Chen Guanlou was the host, and the location was set at a high-end brothel they often frequented. He ordered the most expensive courtesans in the house. He didn't order the top courtesan; he looked down on her a bit. She was very pretty, but her features were a bit petty, belonging to the 'little white flower' type.

He didn't like that!

He didn't like that type of girl; they were bland, like stars, moons, and suns. They looked well-read and smart, but in reality, their minds were the least enlightened. They were boring.

Moreover, that type of woman seemed to have too many tears and was particularly good at crying!

He hated it most when people cried, whether they were men or women.

Zhou Tongpan arrived on time.

Although they hadn't introduced themselves yet, Chen Guanlou recognized him at a glance.

"Brother Zhou, a pleasure! I've long heard of your great name, and seeing you today, it truly lives up to its reputation. You don't mind me calling you that, do you?"

"For Brother Chen to treat me as a brother is my honor; how could I mind?"

"Don't call me 'Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen'. If you don't mind, let's call each other brothers." Chen Guanlou draped his arm over the other's shoulder and sat down. Courtesans were already waiting to serve them.

"I shall obey your command. Brother Chen, please!"

"Brother Zhou, please! We are both in the business of criminal justice. I've long heard that your case-solving is divine, and I am deeply impressed. I am lazy, don't like reading, and am not familiar with the law, so I can't do the work of a Tongpan. Otherwise, I would have tried solving cases myself."

"Brother Chen, you jest! With the Hou Fu as your backing, you were born to enjoy life. Unlike us, born with no one to rely on, we can only fight for our lives. Speaking of which, I should be the one envying you, Brother Chen!"

"Hahaha... Brother Zhou, you are too polite. You mustn't continue to flatter me. I am vain; if you flatter me like this, won't I be floating on air? Once the wine goes to my head, I won't even be able to find my way home."

"Brother Chen, you really know how to joke. With so many beautiful girls surrounding you, how could you bear to go home?"

"That's right, Lord Chen, why don't you stay here tonight? My sister and I will serve you together!"

The courtesans in the brothel were all skilled at setting the mood.

For a time, the wine table was filled with toasts and embraces, and everyone was having a great time.

After several rounds of drinks and food.

Chen Guanlou toyed with his wine cup. "Brother Zhou, I have a question and hope you can enlighten me."

"Brother Chen, please speak freely. As long as I know the answer, I will tell you everything."

"One person accuses another of selling poisonous food, but cannot produce physical evidence. The only evidence is that someone in their house had diarrhea. How should this case be judged? Can it be judged?"

"Is there a purchase receipt?"

"There should be!" Chen Guanlou responded with a smile.

"If there is a purchase receipt, plus the leftovers in the kitchen, whether it's poisonous or not can be verified with a test."

"In other words, there must be physical evidence?"

"Under normal circumstances, of course, there must be physical evidence. We cannot just judge a case recklessly because anyone comes to accuse. That would be creating a miscarriage of justice. Cases involving human life cannot be treated as child's play."

"Well said! Since that's the case, why is Wang Qijun, who sold the game, guilty?"