Chapter 465

The Chief Justice of the Imperial Court of Justice gestured for the two to go look at the prison ahead.

Two rows ahead were all cells holding female prisoners.

Those normally detained in the Imperial Court of Justice are usually officials' children or imperial relatives who have committed offenses, so the cells are usually sparsely populated, unless it is like this case where the emperor directly ordered arrests.

Therefore, the situation of the female prison being overcrowded in the Imperial Court of Justice is truly rare.

"Injustice, sir! We are all innocent!"

"Waa waa waa, I really didn't commit any crime, Oh Great and Just Heaven!"

"I merely sell my art virtuously, not my body, and have never done anything bad!"

A group of lovely maidens, upon seeing someone in court robes approach, immediately began loudly crying injustice, chirping and sobbing.

The accompanying jailer immediately shouted a warning: "Don't make noise! If you keep it up, we'll use torture!"

Those noisy girls clamoring for justice were frightened into reluctantly shutting their mouths.

Among them, the madam, being worldly, could still force a smile and say: "Sirs, we truly are innocent! We really don't know any Miss Fanghua! Please, sirs, discern the finest details!"

Qi Shian silently scanned the surroundings.

Gu Rongjin looked left and right, leaned in for a closer look, but still didn't see Fanghua.

"Chief Justice, are you sure everyone is here?" Gu Rongjin asked.

The Chief Justice of the Imperial Court of Justice nodded: "Correct, everyone is here, of course. They were all surrounded by the palace guards; before I brought my men here, if one or two had escaped, that would not be within my responsibility."

The madam's expression flickered unnaturally for a moment, but she quickly restored a beaming smile, mixed with anxiety and helplessness.

"Everyone is here! There really is no Miss Fanghua, sirs!"

"Don't spout nonsense here, madam; isn't your Miss Fanghua actually the secret boss behind your establishment?" Gu Rongjin said with a laugh.

The madam, looking bewildered, blinked and said, "Prince Jin, you really know how to joke—how could that be? The boss of Wanfang Pavilion is naturally a commoner like me!"

"Exactly, it's Mother!"

"Mm-hmm! We truly don't know any Miss Fanghua!"

Those girls began chirping again, echoing the madam's words.

Whether these women know of Fanghua's existence, Gu Rongjin isn't sure, but this madam certainly does, and she's spouting nonsense here.

He had already guessed before arriving that Fanghua might have escaped.

"Chief Justice, have you checked their faces? Is anyone wearing a human-skin mask?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Chief Justice of the Imperial Court of Justice: "Although I have never seen such a thing as a human-skin mask, His Majesty specially instructed me to do so, so I have verified each one, and they are all genuine."

"If that's the case, then she has escaped; let's continue interrogating this madam." Gu Rongjin lost interest and turned to leave.

"Injustice, Prince! We commoners are truly innocent!" the madam shouted at the top of her lungs.

Gu Rongjin approached the now-composed Qi Shihuai, smiling and asked: "How about it, Old Qi, knowing Miss Fanghua isn't here and has fled, do you feel a sense of relief?"

"Have you guessed enough? Then hurry up and go catch her." Qi Shihuai also returned a smile.

"I realize you're really treating me like a fool; your mood is obviously much better now, Shihuai—don't take the wrong path." As he said this, Gu Rongjin restrained his playful smile and spoke solemnly.

Qi Shihuai also turned serious: "I have always known what I am doing, Rongjin; you need not keep probing."

"I probe only because I still regard you as a brother; otherwise, I would have already taken you down."

"Taken down? Just by you?" Qi Shihuai chuckled.

"How about it, want to spar?" Gu Rongjin flexed his finger joints, "Sure, we haven't exchanged blows in a long time."

"If you want to fight, come on."

The Pacifying Rebellion General and the Prince of Pingnan Wang started fighting over a disagreement in the Imperial Court of Justice; it's unknown what this will become if it spreads, but the Chief Justice of the Imperial Court of Justice immediately intervened: "Gentlemen, take it outside—whether you fight on the street or elsewhere, just don't fight in the Imperial Court of Justice."

"Tch, boring!"

Fighting is a hot-blooded impulse; after calming down and picking a place, why still fart around?

Gu Rongjin said boredly: "I'm leaving; you take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself, wife's treasure man."

"What's wrong with 'wife's treasure man'? That's a good man! Much better than you, a cut-sleeve!" Gu Rongjin snorted loudly and left.

Leaving the Imperial Court of Justice, Gu Rongjin looked back at Qi Shihuai disappearing down the street's end, sighing and shaking his head.

That guy!

Gu Rongjin then ran to Xuanwu Lake, walking along its shore, occasionally glancing at Wanfang Pavilion, pondering where Fanghua had fled to.

That woman dares to appear openly in Jingcheng; she must be very bold, and he isn't afraid she won't show herself.

But he doesn't want to wait for her to reveal herself voluntarily, for that would signal she's planning something.

"Rongjin!"

Hearing the familiar voice call him, Gu Rongjin leapt up joyfully, turned around: "My dear, how did you know I'm here?!"

"Heart-to-heart." Mu Yuanzhi smiled, "You've come here, so presumably Miss Fanghua isn't in the Imperial Court of Justice?"

"She escaped; I don't know where she went." Gu Rongjin sighed.

Mu Yuanzhi: "So I guessed you'd come here."

"I also have no clue." Gu Rongjin said, "The worst part is I discovered Old Qi has an unusual relationship with Fanghua; he denies it, and I have no recourse."

"You say General Qi knows Fanghua?" Mu Yuanzhi asked in surprise.

"It's not acquaintance, it's an unusual relationship." Gu Rongjin corrected, "You didn't see it; when we went to the Imperial Court of Justice, his face was like a corpse's, chillingly cold, so I asked him if he was your old flame, and he even scolded me; knowing Fanghua wasn't in the Imperial Court of Justice, he only then returned to normal."

Mu Yuanzhi furrowed her brows, "Listening to you, that really is strange."

"Right." Gu Rongjin bit his lower lip, "I've known him for so long, yet I've never seen him so devoted to any woman; I never expected he'd fall for a bad woman."

"How do you just conclude he likes her? Couldn't it be something else?"

"What else could it be? A red-powdered confidante? Tch, have you ever seen women loitering around him? He's famous for keeping away from women."

"If that's the case, then it's even less likely."

If he won't say anything, then I'll just guess like this.

Or we could ask Qi Shi'an? Mu Yuanzhi suggested.

Gu Rongjin: "I'm not familiar with her."

I'm not familiar with her either.

But you're both girls, talking is always more convenient for me as a guy.

Alright, I'll go look for her. Mu Yuanzhi nodded.

Mm, I'll keep looking here.