Before leaving, she added something else to the air, then walked out with an air of confidence.
"Mo Xiang Hall, a murder has occurred," a voice came from who knows where. Everyone was startled and their gazes involuntarily shifted towards Mo Xiang Hall.
Wu Caiwei, not far away, saw the bustling crowd in the hall and knew her internal energy transmission had worked. Satisfied, she changed back to her original attire in a small alley, then silently scaled the courtyard wall and entered her room through the window.
The innkeeper naturally heard the mysterious person's words. Fearing that something truly untoward would happen in his establishment, he quickly led his men, with trembling hands, to open the door under everyone's watchful eyes. The scene inside made everyone's eyes widen. It was a bizarre sight, both bloody and sensual.
The innkeeper's heart sank. He immediately ordered a runner to report to the yamen. The commotion and noise outside startled the two inside, bringing them back to their senses. Seeing their disheveled state, Mu Fei shrieked, while Xu Minghui couldn't help but frown.
Especially upon seeing Xi Zhu's corpse on the ground, his heart skipped a beat. He had no idea what had just happened.
Mu Fei trembled all over, desperate to leave this place of misfortune. However, she was blocked by the crowd as soon as she reached the door. The innkeeper had a ready excuse: only the three of them were inside, and with one dead, the remaining two were prime suspects. To ascertain the truth and clear the inn's name, the innkeeper insisted on waiting for the yamen officials.
Fortunately, the yamen was not far, and they arrived quickly. After understanding the events that had transpired, they ordered the two to be taken to prison.
Mu Fei resisted, looking at Xu Minghui with pleading eyes. She couldn't go to the yamen, let alone prison. Even if she were later cleared, her reputation would be ruined. Who would want to marry a woman accused of murder who had spent a night in jail? Moreover, her ambition was to become the empress, and her reputation could not bear any stain.
Xu Minghui knew they had fallen into a trap. However, seeing Mu Fei's tear-filled eyes, he couldn't help but soften. Even though he knew his reputation would be tarnished forever, he stepped forward to shield her from disaster.
"How dare you! Do you know who I am? I am the eldest son of the Xu family. Have you heard of the Xu family? They are the Empress's maternal family. I don't care about you constables, not even the county magistrate. Let's see who dares to arrest us!" Xu Minghui glared at them sternly. In truth, he hadn't intended to step forward today. If he had quietly gone to the yamen with them and then sent word to the Xu family, the matter could have been resolved discreetly. This was Mu Fei's first time asking for his help, and he couldn't bear to disappoint her, so he had to bear the consequences himself. He knew he would definitely be punished upon returning to the Xu family.
The constables exchanged glances. The capital was full of high officials, and nobles were not people they could afford to offend. Judging by their attire and demeanor, what he said might be true. However, they dared not release the suspects in front of so many civilians, as it would diminish their county magistrate's authority.
"Young Master Xu, what a big statement. They are merely commoners acting in accordance with the law," Li Chenyang emerged from the crowd, looking at him meaningfully.
Seeing that he was wearing the county magistrate's official uniform, Xu Minghui's heart sank. He had never imagined that the county magistrate of the capital would be him. This was troublesome. The Li family, to which Li Chenyang belonged, was the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Their family background was superior to his. He had always disliked Xu Minghui and opposed him at every turn. The reason he hadn't thought of him today was that he had heard that Li Chenyang was not continuing the Li family's glory and had taken a wrong path, becoming a county magistrate.
He had assumed that a county magistrate's post would be far from the capital. He never expected him to be in the capital. Now that he had fallen into his hands, he knew he would lose a good portion of his skin. He chuckled awkwardly.
"Long time no see, Brother Li. I hope you've been well. We truly didn't kill him today. I believe Brother Li will surely clear my name. The woman beside me is unrelated to this matter. Having been out for too long, it affects her reputation. In this world, it's already difficult for women to survive. I believe Brother Li will show compassion and spare her. How about this: I will fully cooperate with your investigation and let her go back first."
Xu Minghui crossed his arms, standing with a nonchalant air. Every word he spoke put Li Chenyang in a difficult position, as if he were a heartless individual if he didn't meet his demands.
The other party let out a cold laugh, his eyes narrowing involuntarily. He clapped his hands and said with a hearty laugh, "Brother Xu, what a brilliant plan. In your words, I, who am enforcing the law impartially, have become the villain, as if I would be harming her if I don't make an exception today. But have you considered that if I let him go, and he escapes, everyone will accuse me of favoritism and dereliction of duty? What if he really is the killer, and we let him get away?"
"Are you refusing?" Xu Minghui became angry, not expecting that such a simple request could not be met.
"Yes. If you have any grievances, you can plead your case at the yamen," he said, and without regard for their protests, he ordered his men to escort them to the yamen.
The moment she stepped through the gates of the county yamen, Mu Fei collapsed on the ground, feeling utterly ruined. She looked at Li Chenyang with fierce eyes, believing the Crown Prince would avenge her.
Li Chenyang met her gaze calmly. In truth, he had recognized her identity from the moment he first saw her, as she was too distinctive to forget after one encounter. However, he was not inflexible. Xi Zhu was a child born into the household, and such matters could be handled quietly within the manor without anyone noticing or commenting. The law stated that if no one reported it, the officials wouldn't pursue it. But at that moment, everyone outside had witnessed the indecent scene, and he couldn't let people gossip behind his back. If he let the suspected killer go, he would be accused of corruption.
Before the two could confess anything, that night, the Xu family patriarch and the Empress sent people to inquire. Li Chenyang could disregard the Xu family, but he could not disregard the Empress. Although the current Crown Prince was not his biological son, regardless of who became Crown Prince, the Empress Dowager held an unshakeable position. Offending her would be a significant problem for the Li family as well. Thus, he had to handle the matter with leniency.
Xu Minghui watched as Li Chenyang personally opened the prison cell door and politely escorted the two out. He snorted coldly and gritted his teeth, "We've made an enemy today. We'll see."
Outside the county yamen, carriages from the Xu and Mu families were already waiting. Mu Fei quickly boarded, not having spoken a single word to Xu Minghui from beginning to end.
Upon returning to the manor, she was brought before Master Mu. Looking at his daughter kneeling on the ground, filled with fear and trepidation, Master Mu was extremely disappointed. He had invested a great deal of effort in her, hoping she would lead the Mu family to greater heights. He never expected her to have done something like this. Even if she hadn't committed the act, her reputation was ruined. She would never be able to marry into the royal family in this lifetime.