Chapter 153: The Banners on the City Walls Shift Hands

Whether in a county magistrate's office or a prefecture's yamen, according to the legal code, night trials were never permitted by custom or rule.

Yet, while the clear statutes forbade it, the practice had never truly vanished in secret. Even under the very feet of the Son of Heaven in Chang'an, the capital of the Jingzhao Prefecture, such extrajudicial methods were sometimes carried out with abandon. Take, for instance, the Judicial Adjutant Cen Qi, who sat right now in the Rosary Hall. With one hand, he tapped a rhythmic beat against the armrest beside him; with the other, he thoughtfully stroked the sparse whiskers on his chin.

If Cui Taizhi were still serving as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Chancellery, Cen Qi certainly would not have dared to show such blatant partiality. But now, Cui Taizhi had returned to the Eastern Capital to observe the customary mourning period for his parent, and his younger brother, Cui Ezhi, the Duke of Zhaoguo, had also passed away. It went without saying that the Cui family was on the decline. By contrast, the Northern Gate Forbidden Army enjoyed the profound favor of the Emperor, with a great many of their ranks acclaimed as founding heroes of the Tang Dynasty. Cen Qi was thus forced to weigh his options accordingly. Yet, he never could have imagined that after repeatedly interrogating the Cui retainers day and night, cross-referencing their testimonies back and forth, he wouldn't be able to find a single flaw! If this dragged on any longer, the ones pressuring him would no longer be just the minor figures who had been incessantly visiting him as Judicial Adjutant over the past two days!

"Adjutant, this is terrible! Because the Duke of Jingzhao granted permission, Du the Nineteenth has gone to visit the Cui retainers. He hasn't left yet, and what's more, he says he's staying!"

Hearing this news, Cen Qi froze for a moment before slamming his seat in anger, his expression shifting uncertainly. After a long while, he narrowed his eyes and said, "I never expected this Du the Nineteenth to lower his noble self and mingle with servants and slaves. What on earth did he discuss with them? No doubt he was asking how the Jingzhao yamen interrogated them, planning to pick bones in an egg! It is a pity for him that I neither used torture nor mistreated them. I've provided them with fine meals, and even their quarters are kept in perfect order!"

"Du the Nineteenth didn't ask a single thing about any of that," the bailiff said cautiously. Seeing that Cen Qi was indeed greatly surprised, the bailiff lowered his voice to explain, "Du the Nineteenth simply said he was grateful for their hard work in escorting him all the way and their loyal, courageous rescue. Therefore, he now wishes to share their trials and hardships, staying behind to wait for the outcome together. He also said..."

"Also said what? Stop stammering at a time like this!"

"He also said that after submitting his test papers and leaving the third session of the Jingzhao Prefecture examination today, he will head straight to Fuxing Lane's Yuzhen Taoist Abbey to plead with Princess Yuzhen for mercy. He is certain to get them out of trouble very soon!"

The news that Yuan Qianyao had received earlier arrived a full hour late to Cen Qi's ears, startling him so much he nearly jumped to his feet. Following his initial shock and distraction, he quickly pulled himself together. Remembering that this carefully prepared night trial could not be abandoned halfway through, he hardened his heart and declared, "This case is no trivial matter. Even a imperial princess would not brazenly intervene this quickly. Pay him no mind. Since Du the Nineteenth wants to stay, that could not be better! Gather all the personnel for me immediately and commence the trial at once. Bring Du the Nineteenth in first, and fetch the transcripts recorded over the past two days!"

Seeing that Cen Qi had made up his mind with absolute determination, and having already accepted generous bribes from unknown benefactors, the bailiff dared not utter another word. He immediately turned to make the arrangements. In a short while, the Rosary Hall—normally used for daytime hearings—was brilliantly illuminated. Bailiffs lined up in two ranks, exuding an imposing and formidable aura. When Du Shiyi stepped into the official hall, he merely glanced sideways at the two rows, then walked straight ahead without straying his gaze.

Did they really think such a display could frighten him?

Despite being orphaned of both parents, his ancestors had served as officials for generations. Whether as a scion of a prominent Guanzhong clan or a member of the gentry, Du Shiyi had no need to kneel before the officials of Jingzhao Prefecture. After making a deep ceremonial bow and rising, he faced Cen Qi's rapid-fire barrage of questions with calm composure, answering them one by one without a single flaw or loophole. Yet, just as Cen Qi's questioning faltered slightly, Du Shiyi suddenly turned the tables and asked:

"May I ask, Judicial Adjutant Cen, on the night three days ago, the ones who were attacked were myself and five retainers of the Cui family. Through our wits and bravery, we managed not only to escape alive but even to capture the villains. Why is it that Adjutant Cen's repeated questioning treats me almost as if I were the criminal?"

Seeing Du Shiyi's momentum suddenly surge, Cen Qi lost a bit of his bluster. But recalling the promises and instructions whispered by the figures behind him, he forced himself to straighten up and retort, "The nighttime brawl three days ago had neither witnesses nor corroborating evidence. It is merely your word against none that you were ambushed! Furthermore..." Realizing the true identities of those individuals could not be completely covered up anyway, he spoke out bluntly, "Furthermore, the villains you pointed out are actually officers of the Yulin Imperial Guard—the Emperor's personal troops. Why would they attack the likes of you without cause? And who is to say who burned that abandoned earth god temple? There were no corpses or physical evidence inside. It makes no sense!"

"Is that so? Then what Adjutant Cen means is that I, riding hard day and night across the long road from the Eastern Capital of Luoyang back to Chang'an to take the Jingzhao Prefecture examinations, deliberately plotted against these Yulin guards for no reason at all? What a joke! They outnumbered us, possessed superior archery equipment, and carried incendiary oils. We were in a rush to return home, and the swords we carried were strictly for self-defense. Who would be so foolish as to strike a stone with an egg? As for the earth god temple, must we have suffered casualties inside for it to count as proof? Retainers like Chibi once followed the Duke of Zhaoguo to suppress the rebellion of Wei Jiao under His Majesty's current command, which is why they naturally maintain their guard. If they hadn't made prior arrangements inside that temple, the major murder case within Jingzhao Prefecture today would have been the slaughter of me, a son of the Jingzhao Du clan, and these brave men who have braved countless dangers! Or does Adjutant Cen consider that to be the only reasonable outcome?"

Cen Qi was choked silent by Du Shiyi's relentless counter-questions. Yet, right at that moment, a cold laugh echoed from outside the Rosary Hall.

"Well said! The sons of the Jingzhao Du clan only know loyalty, righteousness, and integrity; we never engage in illegal and criminal acts! Instead of questioning the criminals, you interrogate the victims. The Judicial Adjutant of Jingzhao Prefecture grows more and more nonsensical by the day!"

Cen Qi, already feeling aggrieved, was struck by these words and grew even more furious. He instantly barked harshly, "Who dares to disrupt an official court trial?"

"An official court trial? I have only ever heard of trials by day, never by night—unless one has a guilty conscience and thus dares not face people in the broad daylight!"

Along with this unyielding, elderly voice, a burly, broad-shouldered man was seen supporting a white-bearded old man as they stepped into the main hall. Before Cen Qi could recognize the visitor in the dim light, a sharp-eyed bailiff nearby cried out in astonishment:

"It's the Elder of Zhupo, the former Lord of Jingzhao!"

"It's Prefect Du, the Elder of Jingzhao!"

These two nearly simultaneous exclamations struck Cen Qi like a sudden blow to the head. Meanwhile, seeing the old man who had once guided and helped him smiling benignly at him, while Du Shihuan, who was supporting the elder, winked at him, Du Shiyi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying:

"Greetings, Old Uncle. Greetings, Thirteenth Brother."

"Rise, rise." Du Siwen smiled genially and reached out personally to help Du Shiyi up. Then, casting his gaze around the room, he gave a cold, dry chuckle and said, "This is the first time I have ever heard of the sons of the Jingzhao Du clan being ambushed first, only to be interrogated like criminals afterward! When I managed Jingzhao Prefecture in the past, there was never such an unprecedented absurdity! Who was it just now that accused me of disrupting a court trial? I am quite curious—which article of the *Tang Code of Yonghui* permits a night trial?"

If it were merely Du Shiyi's questioning, Cen Qi reckoned his official rank and seniority would be enough to suppress it. However, the person who had just emerged was Du Siwen, a former Mayor of Jingzhao Prefecture deeply respected and venerated within the yamen, and his sharp questioning allowed no room to catch one's breath. Cen Qi's face instantly turned pale and ashen. He could neither casually brush this aside nor remain entirely silent. In the end, he could only stand up, bow awkwardly, and stammered in explanation:

"Forgive me, Lord Du. The night trial was held simply because the case is urgent, forcing us to use both day and night..."

"Both day and night? Then how is it that I heard those subjected to this round-the-clock interrogation for two straight days were entirely the victims, without a single suspect among them?" Abandoning the peaceful amiability he had shown Du Shiyi, Du Siwen turned aggressively sharp, pressing forward relentlessly. "Could it be that the Yulin guards are entirely in the right, while the sons of the Jingzhao Du clan are completely in the wrong? If that is the case, this trial need not be conducted within the Jingzhao yamen. We shall take it straight to the imperial presence and ask the Son of Heaven to render a clear judgment!"

Seeing Cen Qi's face turn pale and ashen, as if his soul had literally fled his body, Du Shiyi felt a profound admiration for Du Siwen. As expected of someone who had served as the Mayor of Jingzhao and was revered as the Lord of Jingzhao—not only had he arrived silently, but every single question he asked struck precisely at the vital point. More importantly, only someone with Du Siwen's stature as a former mayor could achieve such an effect with these inquiries! Just look at Cen Qi right now; didn't he look as though he desperately wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl straight into it? If Du Shiyi were in his shoes, he would simply fake a faint and collapse on the spot!

However, Cen Qi had not served long in Jingzhao Prefecture and lacked a thorough understanding of Du Siwen, clearly holding onto a shred of wishful thinking. Swallowing hard to steady himself, he forced out a weak defense:

"Lord Du once presided over the Jingzhao yamen with illustrious prestige. However, Du the Nineteenth is not your direct descendant, and his character and temperament may not be fully known to you. I beg you not to blindly shield and condone him..."

"I am shielding and condoning him right now! What of it!" Du Siwen burst into sudden rage, shaking off Du Shihuan's support. He brought his walking staff down heavily onto the floor, producing a sound like striking metal. Standing bolt upright, he seemed to shed his frail old age in an instant, declaring with resounding force, "Of course I know! Du the Nineteenth, who captured top honors in the County Examinations and delivered flawless essays across all three sessions of the Prefecture Examinations, has no need to fabricate lies or smear others! Both his parents passed away, and I watched him grow up, taking him into the noble households of high ministers. If I do not understand him, which other elder of the Jingzhao Du clan would dare claim to know him completely?"

Cen Qi was choked and oppressed in his chest by this barrage of words. Yet, casting his gaze around the bailiffs and minor clerks, he saw that under the weight of Du Siwen's fury, everyone had buried their heads deep, fearing that this Elder of Zhupo might single them out for trouble. Cen Qi could not find a single person to step forward and shield him or politely escort the old man out. Just as he was panicking, another abrupt voice rang out from the doorway.

"It has been many years since we last met, Lord Prefect Du, yet your imposing style and fiery temper remain unchanged!"

Accompanied by this somewhat frivolous voice, a middle-aged man stepped across the threshold, followed by two retainers. He appeared to be in his early forties, with a fair complexion and a breeze-like, pleasant smile, though his cheeks flushed with an unusual, vibrant red. This welcoming expression was directed solely at Du Siwen as they exchanged bows and as the man nodded slightly to Du Shiyi. But the moment he turned his gaze toward the presiding Judicial Adjutant Cen Qi, that smile melted away as cleanly as ice and snow.

While Cen Qi did not recognize Du Siwen, he had seen this famously influential noble of Chang'an from afar on several occasions. Who else could it be if not the Duke of Chuguo, Jiang Jia?