Chapter 479

Ragged and emaciated, Pan Yue blocked Xue Shao's path with Pan Yu and asked him: "What are you trying to achieve by doing this?"

After the Emperor flew into a rage, the Three Departments moved with exceptional speed and issued a report the same day, compiling the case details and confirming that both the Yue and He cases were wrongful convictions.

At the same time, Chen Fulin, the Embroidered Uniform Guard officer in the Yue wife's husband-murder case, was arrested.

Wang Shan, the Embroidered Uniform Guard officer in the He wife's husband-murder case, was temporarily absent due to official duties abroad, but his concubine, Hao Shi, was also arrested.

Chen Fulin, experienced in such matters, endured interrogation even after being thrown into prison, but Hao Shi, inexperienced, confessed everything the same day.

Moreover, she not only confessed to her own and Wang Shan's crimes, but also to Chen Fulin's.

She wept: "At the time, my lord and I were merely angry, so we spoke rashly—that my lord had been murdered by the mistress—but we never intended to frame her. Later, Chen Fulin came to my lord, gave him advice, and urged him to make the accusation stick, which triggered all the events that followed."

Yang Pu asked coldly: "Who are you? What is your relationship with He Shi? Who are your lords? Name them clearly and recount everything again!"

Hao Shi wiped her tears and said: "I am Hao Shi, the concubine of the late Embroidered Uniform Guard Commandant Zhang. He Shi is my mistress."

She lowered her head: "After Commandant Zhang died of illness, Wang Shan took interest in me and wished to take me as his concubine, but my mistress, He Shi, refused, claiming that since our household was newly in mourning, I must observe three years of mourning."

To help me escape, Wang Shan then falsely accused He Shi of poisoning Commandant Zhang.

"But our intention was never to kill He Shi," Hao Shi quickly raised her head to defend herself: "We only wanted to scare her, to make her let go and allow me to leave—but, but…"

She pointed to Chen Fulin, kneeling beside them, and shouted: "But Chen Fulin came—he told Wang Shan that if you don't cut the roots, future troubles will be endless. He said that Commandant Zhang's eldest son, Zhang Qingfang, would assume his father's position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard after his mourning period, and if Wang Shan's forced concubinage became known within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it would ruin Wang Shan's and Wang Zhangyin's reputations—so, so Wang Shan continued, determined to make He Shi's poisoning of her husband appear real."

Chen Fulin immediately cried foul: "My lord, she lies! She didn't willingly marry Wang Shan—this is revenge. She knows I have close ties with Wang Shan, so she's framing me too."

"You lie! Wang Shan and I were deeply in love—otherwise, how could I have been with him during my late husband's mourning period?"

"If you truly loved Wang Shan, why would you confess and drag him into disgrace? Clearly, you don't mean it—you're just seeking revenge, my lord! Her words cannot be trusted!"

Yang Pu slammed his gavel hard and demanded: "Chen Fulin, you reported that Yue Shi poisoned her husband—do you have evidence?"

Chen Fulin hurriedly replied: "Yes, I personally overheard Yue Shi's neighbor, Hao Shi, conspiring with Fang Rong…"

Yang Pu sneered and pulled out the case files, refuting Chen Fulin point by point.

This case had been re-examined by Pan Hong, who recorded everything in meticulous detail—we needn't exert ourselves; just follow his path, re-ask his questions, and we'll find the answers.

Back then, Yue Shi was still alive, and Qiu Yong, Hao Shi, and Fang Rong, who had been wrongly arrested, were also alive.

After Pan Hong cleared the case, all four were released from prison and returned home.

Although it was confirmed as a wrongful case—that Yue Shi's husband, Yang An, had indeed died of illness—Chen Fulin could not be charged with false accusation.

He was too cunning: in the end, Pan Hong's investigation led him to say, "I overheard Hao Shi and Fang Rong whispering in the alley—I misheard, it was a misunderstanding."

The matter was buried.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was powerful; the Censorate's chief, Wang Wen, groveled before Wang Zhen and, alongside Embroidered Uniform Guard Commandant Ma Shun, formed Wang Zhen's left and right arms, favoring the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

At the time, Pan Hong, a mere imperial censor, had no power over Chen Fulin—he could only submit a memorial, resulting in Chen Fulin losing a few months' salary.

Now, Yue Shi was dead, and Qiu Yong, Hao Shi, and Fang Rong—all connected to this case—were dead too; this could no longer be dismissed as "misheard, misunderstanding."

Especially now, with Hao Shi's testimony proving Chen Fulin's involvement in the He case—that charge of false accusation could no longer be avoided.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang punished false accusation with extreme severity. This emperor was a man of strong emotion, despising those who falsely accused others, and had long established strict laws.

The punishment for false accusation equals the punishment of the crime falsely accused.

The difficulty has never been lack of law—but how to prove the guilt.

Was Chen Fulin truly guilty of false accusation?

If so, were the charges against Xue Xuan and Pan Hong also his false accusations?

The Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Northern Garrison had already marched south to arrest Wang Shan, but the case was stalled at proving the charge of false accusation.

But these are all subsequent matters; a criminal case, if swift—as this one—ends in under three days after the Emperor's fury;

if slow, it may drag on for three or five years.

The Emperor seemed eager to give closure to the families of Yue Shi and He Shi: even before Wang Shan was captured and Chen Fulin sentenced, notices of the wrongful convictions were posted.

He dispatched people to post them on notice boards outside Shuntian Prefecture, at city gates, and at major market entrances.

On this day, families deeply affected specially donned new clothes to collect the notices from Shuntian Prefecture—outside the prefecture, wails erupted like thunder.

Xue Shao came too.

Yang Chenghao and Zhang Qingfang, with their families, stepped forward to bow and thank him—only then did Pan Yue, hidden among the crowd, confirm he was the key figure behind the case's reversal.

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So when the crowd dispersed, he blocked Xue Shao's path with Pan Yu.

Pan Yue was baffled: "Why rush to close this case? Keeping it open would tie into Xue Xuan's case and help clear Lord Xue and my father—wouldn't that be better?"

"Closing it early puts Lord Xue and my father in greater danger—they lose their leverage. What are you gaining?"

Xue Shao, seeing them, first froze, then smiled: "You're Pan Yun's brothers, aren't you?"

Pan Yue froze.

Pan Yu's eyes lit up: "You know my little sister?"

Xue Shao: "This was decided together after I consulted with her."

Hearing this, Pan Yue's emotions calmed.

Xue Shao invited them home to talk.

After passing the imperial examination, Xue Shao rented a house in Jingcheng—small, only one courtyard—but more than enough for him and his servant.

Xue Shao invited them home: "You weren't detained?"

Pan Yue: "We didn't commit any crime—as long as we paid enough, we got out."

Xue Shao studied their clothing, fell silent for a moment: "So this is…"

Pan Yue casually tugged at his clothes: "Money ran out—we sold everything we could. The journey back was dusty, so we look shabby—but don't worry, we'll have money soon."

He said: "Young Master Xue, since you can overturn wrongful convictions and now hold office, you must be able to bribe your way into the Zhao Yu to see someone?"

Pan Yue feared he'd refuse: "Don't worry—we'll pay ourselves, we just lack connections."

(End of Chapter)