Minister of Dali Temple

 Chapter 1

The early spring in Shengjing is rainy,  drizzling and continuous.

Like a veil sweeping across the sky, it completely covered the empty courtyard of the main hall of Jingzhao Prefecture.

On the stone staircase in front of the main hall, Liang Weiping, the chief secretary of Jingzhao Prefecture, walked back and forth anxiously, making the silent spring rain that moistened everything a little agitated.

"Master Liang," the servant of Jingzhao Prefecture asked from behind him, "Master Su's carriage has stopped at the door of the mansion..."

"I know." Liang Weiping's heart tightened, and he pulled up his sleeves to wipe off the thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

Today is the day when Dali Temple was ordered to take over the serial rape and murder case from Jingzhao Prefecture before the New Year.

Liang Weiping had already known that this case was serious, but he never expected that the emperor would order his own nephew, Su Moyi, the minister of Dali Temple, to personally go to Jingzhao Prefecture to handle over the case.

Now that the big Buddha has arrived at the door, Lin Wanqing, the clerk who has been responsible for recording the case, has not yet appeared.

A higher-ranking official can crush a person to death.

Even if it is an ordinary case, there is no reason for the chief judge to wait for the recorder, let alone that the person sitting in this room today is Su Moyi, the most ruthless official in the Southern Dynasty, who is famous in the capital and fearless of gods and ghosts...

He is dripping with sweat. He rubbed his palms on his wide sleeves, stretched his neck, and looked down the stone steps.

"Liang, Mr. Liang!"

In the midst of the drizzle, a thin figure rushed towards him from a distance.

Her light gray yamen robe was stained with rainwater and was mottled in patches. There were two muddy stains on his knees, which made him look miserable and downcast.

"Master Liang!"

"Where have you been?!"

Before Lin Wanqing could explain, Liang Weiping's suppressed anger sprayed all over his head and face.

As if she had foreseen it, she skillfully stepped aside and then secretly raised her eyelids to look at Liang Weiping, looking a little guilty.

"I encountered something on the way, so I was delayed for a while."

Only then did Liang Weiping have time to look at Lin Wanqing.

The originally cold and pale face was drenched in the rain, and her hairs were covered with a layer of small water droplets, making it even paler. The long and dense eyelashes were slightly upturned, with two crystal raindrops hanging on them, about to fall. The pair of bright and black almond eyes under the eyelashes flickered slightly, revealing a little apology and a playful smile.

It makes people lose all their temper at first sight.

 He has lived for almost thirty years, and this is the first time he saw a man who looked so encahnting. If it weren't for the Adam's apple on the front of her neck, Liang Weiping would have really wanted to check it out himself.

His thoughts were interrupted, and the anger he wanted to express disappeared.

"Wipe your face!" Liang Weiping took out a handkerchief from his waist angrily and slapped it on Lin Wanqing's face.

Lin Wanqing knew that she was wrong, but was not upset. She took the handkerchief with a smile, wiped her face randomly twice, and then bent down to wipe the muddy water on her knees.

"Were you hit by a horse or a carriage?" Liang Weiping asked angrily.

"No," Lin Wanqing buried her head in a muffled voice, "I saw a little white dog fell into the drainage ditch and couldn't climb out, so I pulled it."

"You!!! Cough cough cough..." Liang Weiping was shocked by the answer, and was so anxious that he couldn't even take a breath. It was stuck in his throat and suppressed a string of coughs.

"Master Liang," the servant urged again from behind the two of them, "Master Su is about to arrive at the meeting room."

Liang Weiping calmed down, patted his chest, and took away the handkerchief that had been used by Lin Wanqing had became a mud-colored handkerchief. He snorted coldly, and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Lin Wanqing, who knew she was in the wrong, suppressed her laughter and followed obediently.

"Is there anything to eat?" She turned sideways and asked in Liang Weiping's ear.

Liang Weiping was startled, then turned sideways and asked, "Where are the snacks I asked you to bring back yesterday?"

Lin Wanqing shrank her neck and said in a low voice, "I fed it to the stray dog."

"You!!! Cough cough cough..." "

Seeing that Liang Weiping was about to have another attack, Lin Wanqing was quick this time and took the first step to support him, patting him on the back to calm him down.

"As the saying goes, help people to the end, and send Buddha to the West. I have rescued this dog, and I can't let him starve, so I..."

"You just meddle in other people's business. Not only did you dirty the official uniform, but You almost missed the point!" Liang Weiping's body trembled with excitement, and he finally managed to suppress his voice and said, "Do you know that the person who came today is Lord Su, the Minister of Dali Temple? If he punishes you for being untidy, disrupting justice, dereliction of duty, and insulting official authority..."

"Okay, okay," Lin Wanqing laughed, and ​​skillfully patting Liang Weiping on the back and saying with a smile: "Brother Liang, calm down, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I won't do it again... ...But..." She paused, then changed the subject and continued: "Do you have anything to eat?"

"..." Liang Weiping gave him a sharp look and took out two rice dumpling candies from his arms, "Here. This is what you gave me yesterday. Fill your stomach first.”

“Oh!” Lin Wanqing took it with a smile, quickly peeled one, and threw it into her mouth.

The gray eaves are covered with raindrops, like a crystal bead curtain.

The two walked along the corridor and arrived at the side meeting room. The yamen runners were already in place, creating a solemn scene.

Liang Weiping couldn't help but feel weak in his legs, swallowed subconsciously, stretched out his hand to hold Lin Wanqing and said: "You are responsible for recording. Don't talk too much if the daren didn't ask. This is not like our usual discussion of the case, so don't show off that little cleverness."

Lin Wanqing nodded without hesitation.

Liang Weiping finally calmed down his breathing, patted his front, took a deep breath, stepped across the threshold, pressed against the wall of the conference hall, and sat down at the small table behind the main seat.

Handing over and discussing the case is no different than a court hearing. Naturally, there are no instruments of torture, and there is no need to summon suspects and witnesses.

Lin Wanqing skillfully spread the rice paper on the table and dipped his pen in ink.

Slow but steady footsteps came from the back of the meeting hall from far to near, accompanied by the soft sound of friction of silk and satin, and the occasional knocking of rings.

Behind the Suzhou embroidered screen of ancient pines under the blue sky and white sun, two figures, one purple and one scarlet, walked up.

Lin Wanqing stared blankly at the figure behind the screen before remembering that she had heard of Su Moyi's name.

Since ancient times, all talents have been young.

Lord Su became famous at a young age and was good at writing articles. His uncle, the emperor, originally wanted to arrange a leisurely official position for him, but unexpectedly he was obsessed with prison. Since he passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen, he has worked his way from Dali Temple to the rank of Minister of Dali Temple.

Because of his strong background and the support of the emperor, he didn't have to look at people's faces when handling cases, and he naturally made great achievements.

His promotion to this position was not entirely dependent on the royal family's protection.

But perhaps because of this, Su Moyi was decisive in doing things and used very aggressive methods, leaving a reputation in the official circles of the entire Southern Dynasty as "the most ruthless official who is not afraid of gods and ghosts".

It is said that his condemned prisoners were often tortured before being executed. Some people even plead guilty in the hope of death in order to avoid living sin.

Lin Wanqing was thinking to herself, that the two figures had already bypassed the screen.

The person walking in front must be Su Moyi, the third-rank minister of Dali Temple.

The hand holding the pen shook involuntarily.

Lin Wanqing felt a little uneasy out of nowhere and quietly raised her eyebrows.

What comes into view is a face as bright as a moonlit sky and a handsome face. Perhaps the purple official robe gave him a bit of coldness, and the thirteen-piece gold and jade belt was tied around his waist, making his shoulders wide and waist narrow, and his posture upright.

Lin Wanqing couldn't help but take a breath.

Looking up, there is a face outline carved by a sword. Deep eyebrows, a high bridge of nose, thin lips that are pale and slightly cool, and a pair of deep black eyes like a bottomless cliff.

If you accidentally fall down, you will be shattered into pieces.

This appearance seems to be particularly inconsistent with his fierce reputation...

A drop of ink from the tip of the pen fell onto the spread rice paper with a "pop" sound, leaving an ink dot that quickly smudged away.

Lin Wanqing lowered her head, just in time to avoid the piercing gaze from her superiors. Naturally, she did not notice the pair of sword-shaped eyebrows and frowned imperceptibly.

"Master Su," Li Jingzhao, who was sitting under Su Moyi, said, "this case statement..."

"Let's get started." The man above him looked away, his voice indifferent to emotion and anger.

Li Jingzhao smiled flatteringly, took the case handed over by Liang Weiping, and began to state the case loudly.

Those were several rape and murder cases that occurred years ago.

The victims were concubines kept outside by a government official or businessman. All young women in their twenties.

Because it is a concubine outside, the sponsor who supports them does not come often. Although the folk customs in the Southern Dynasties were open, the outside Mistress were still low-status slaves, so there were not many people around to serve them, usually only one or two confidants, maids, and nannies.

This actually gave the perpetrators an opportunity.

The bodies of the victims were all found in their bedrooms, lying on their backs, naked, with their eyes covered, and their hands and feet bound.

The injury examination showed that the fatal injury was caused by a sharp weapon left on the chest.

However, what made everyone's hair stand on end was that the female corpse not only had traces of abuse on her breasts but also had wounds on her genital that had been stabbed repeatedly with sharp knives.

The identities of the victims are similar and the modus operandi is the same.

Therefore, Jingzhao Mansion roughly inferred that these cases were committed by the same criminal.

Lin Wanqing has been responsible for the records of this case. Li Jingzhao must have specially appointed him to come here because he was afraid of causing any trouble when Su Moyi asked.

Listening to Li Jingzhao's precise explanation of the case, Lin Wanqing started writing quickly until there was a brief silence.

She looked up and saw Li Jingzhao's shiny face with a few smile lines that could kill a fly.

He cleared his throat, deliberately slowed down his tone, raised his head, and bowed to Su Moyi: "I already caught the murderer of this serial rape and murder case yesterday."

————

PS: The heroine is disguised as a Man.

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