Chen Ji dragged the iron shackles between his hands, filled with countless doubts, following behind Wu Xiu as they passed through the long, dark passageway.

He watched the straight figure ahead in the black python robe, adorned with a golden python resembling a dragon with four claws. The sea waves at the feet of the golden python were rolling over mountain stones and treasures, symbolizing a figure of high rank.

In that story from the Lantern Festival thirty-one years ago, Wu Xiu was the most useless fifth child, the one who would wet his pants when caught by the Imperial Guards.

And now, that child who would wet his pants had grown up.

Before leaving the Ministry of Justice prison, Wu Xiu suddenly stopped and turned his head back.

Chen Ji saw the Prison Chief pushing open the cell door, light streaming through the door crack onto Wu Xiu's back, casting his expression into shadows: "Young man, be careful."

Chen Ji was puzzled.

But Wu Xiu just smiled, turned around, and stepped out of the cell door.

Outside was the backyard of the Ministry of Justice Yamen. After crossing the backyard and bypassing a shadow wall, the noise suddenly hit like a wave.

Countless voices buzzed like a boiling pot of water, bubbling and rolling over.

Mixed in with the sounds were spitting, stomping, coughing, children crying, adults scolding—nothing could be clearly heard, everything was jumbled together.

Chen Ji paused for a moment.

Without turning his head, Wu Xiu said, "The joint trial of the Three Judicial Departments is always this lively, you'll get used to it."

Chen Ji did not respond.

After bypassing the shadow wall, the view suddenly opened up.

In the courtyard in front of the Ministry of Justice Hall, it was packed with people. From the gate of the courtyard all the way to the steps of the main hall, there were at least three or four hundred people.

There were footmen in short brown robes, scholars in long gowns, young wives with baskets, and peddlers with shoulder poles. Some tiptoed to look forward, some leaned on the shoulders of those in front.

"He's out, he's out!"

"Is that Wu Xiu in the python robe?"

"The Chief Eunuch of the Rites, leader of the Eunuch Party!"

"Why is he wearing a python robe? Shouldn't he be in prison clothes?"

"What do you know? He hasn't been convicted yet."

"Then why was he arrested?"

The voices surged in from all directions, like a tide. Some people pushed forward to see more clearly. Some pointed and whispered, while others yelled curses.

Wu Xiu walked on, unperturbed, as if he hadn't heard anything.

After Wu Xiu passed by, the crowd's gaze fell on Chen Ji.

"Is that Chen Ji?"

"Yes, he's the one who bought Princess Bai Li from the Imperial Music Bureau."

"Where is Princess Bai Li?"

"I heard she ran off with the Cao Guild."

"It's hilarious, spending so much silver and she ran away!"

The Ministry of Justice deliberately arranged for the two to pass through the commoners, to be insulted, no different from a public shaming. The crowd separated in front of them and closed again after they crossed the threshold of the Ministry of Justice Hall.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice struck the gavel: "Silence!"

Two rows of officials slammed their water and fire sticks on the ground, and the commoners outside the threshold immediately fell silent.

Only Wu Xiu and Chen Ji stood side by side, with Wu Xiu whispering to Chen Ji: "The board used by the Emperor is called 'Zhen Shanhe', the one by the Prince is 'Zhen Miaotang', officials use the 'Jingtang Mu', military generals use the 'Jing Hudan', and storytellers use the 'Xing Mu', understood?"

Chen Ji was surprised that at this moment, the other still had the mind for small talk.

For some reason, he saw the shadow of an old acquaintance in Wu Xiu, but for a moment couldn't recall exactly who.

Wu Xiu coughed, reminding him: "The court is in session."

Chen Ji looked up to see three public desks arranged in front, with the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the Minister of the Ministry of Dali Temple, and the Right Imperial Censor respectively seated, while Chen Lizun had to stand to the side like an official, without even a chair.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice loudly asked: "Who stands in the hall?"

Wu Xiu raised his head and said: "Chief Eunuch of the Ritual Supervision, Wu Xiu."

Chen Ji calmly said: "Marquis Wu Xiang, Chen Ji."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice focused his gaze on Wu Xiu, asking sternly: "Wu Xiu, are you aware of your crime?"

Wu Xiu clasped his hands behind his back, arrogantly saying: "What crime have I committed?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice announced loudly: "The suspect Wu Xiu, do you recognize the spy Lin Chaoqing of the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department?"

Wu Xiu nonchalantly said: "I recognize him. This person was castrated early and entered the Imperial Stables, later transferred to the Jiefan Guard in Jinling, and promoted from a small flag to a thousand households."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice asked again: "How did this person become the Commander of the Jiefan Guard in the Imperial Capital?"

Wu Xiu calmly replied: "I transferred this person from Luocheng to the Imperial Capital, promoted him to the Commander of the Jiefan Guard, managing the Inner Court. All promotion documents and approvals are sealed in the Jiefan Building."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Minister of the Ministry of Dali Temple exchanged a glance, initially expecting Wu Xiu to evade responsibility vigorously after Lin Chaoqing's incident, but they didn't expect such an easy admission.

They were even unable to execute their backup plans.

The Minister of the Ministry of Dali Temple pondered for a moment: "Let me ask you, when you transferred this person, did you know he was a Jing Dynasty spy?"

The Ministry of Justice Hall fell silent.

There were many listeners gathered outside the hall. Today, in order to convict Wu Xiu, despite having testimonies and witnesses at hand, the Three Judicial Departments must proceed with caution. The Minister's question directly pointed to Wu Xiu's collusion with the Jing Dynasty.

When Wu Xiu denied it, they planned to reveal one card after another to nail Wu Xiu.

Everyone looked at Wu Xiu, including Chen Ji, who knew very well that Wu Xiu and Lin Chaoqing were not connected; otherwise, how could the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department fail to obtain the Ning Dynasty firearms formula?

However, at that moment, Wu Xiu paused and said, "Yes, I know."

The people outside the hall erupted in an uproar: "Eunuch dog!"

"Eunuch Party ruining the country!"

"Dog thief!"

"You won't die a good death!"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had prepared various false accusations and had not anticipated that Wu Xiu would plead guilty, leaving them unsure of what to ask next.

Wu Xiu suddenly laughed and said, "Gentlemen, are you not going to continue asking?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice hastily leaned forward, asking urgently, "When did you know his identity?"

Wu Xiu spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully: "In the spring of the 13th Year of Jaining, I encountered Lin Chaoqing while accompanying His Majesty on a southern tour; at that time, he was just a Common Household in the Jiefan Guard."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice frowned, asking, "How did you know his identity as a Jing Dynasty spy?"

Wu Xiu grinned and said, "He offered one thousand taels of gold, hoping I could bribe Chief Eunuch Wang Bao of the Ritual Supervision."

The voice of the Minister of the Ministry of Justice paused, feeling the situation had gotten out of control; it was supposed to be just framing Wu Xiu, but now it's involving Wang Bao: "Bribe Wang Bao for what?"

Wu Xiu thought for a moment, "To bribe Wang Bao, framing General Qing Wentao of the Guyuan Border Army."

Chen Ji suddenly looked at Wu Xiu.

Now, with Si Cao Ding Lin Chaoqing having escaped, there is no possibility of clearing Qing Wentao's injustice, and even the Heavenly Strategy Army had stopped their efforts.

Yet today, Wu Xiu brought up old matters, intending to use his life to clear Qing Wentao's name?

Wait, was this the trade between Ritual Supervision and the Heavenly Strategy Army? What did the Ritual Supervision want from the Heavenly Strategy Army after paying such a great price?

No, it's not just the Heavenly Strategy Army seeking to clear Qing Wentao's name; it's also the Guyuan Border Army.

The people outside the hall fell abruptly silent and then erupted in fierce curses: "I knew General Wentao was framed, he was a thorn in the side of the Jing Dynasty's Heavenly Strategy Army; the court's claim he colluded with the Jing Dynasty was suspicious throughout!"

"Dog thief, how dare you frame General Wentao!"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice struck the gavel: "Quiet! Wu Xiu, do you know what you're saying? I asked you about your own matters; why are you bringing Qing Wentao into this?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice remembered the Qing Wentao case.

That year, he was already a Secondary Fifth-Rank landlord in the Ministry, and it was a Three Judicial Departments trial that sentenced Qing Wentao, who knelt where Wu Xiu now stood.

The key is, evidence collection, official correspondences organization, and case documentation for Qing Wentao's case were all handled by him; if Qing Wentao's case were overturned, the first to be implicated would be him.

Wu Xiu seemed puzzled: "Sir, do you not want to clear General Wentao's name?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice's thoughts sunk deeply, unable to speak for a long while.

Moments later, Zheng Zhixian, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, asked sharply, "How did you people frame Qing Wentao?"

Wu Xiu thought for a moment: "We forged documents showing Qing Wentao's collusion with Jing Dynasty spies; the first was leaking Guyuan Border Army defenses, and the second leaked the arrival time of provisions, allowing Jing Dynasty spies to ambush early in Tianshui County, burning twelve hundred stones of grain amidst chaos."

Upon saying this, he laughed self-deprecatingly: "Clearly, neither letter had a single character written by Qing Wentao, yet some used these forged letters to convict him... Oh, I found copies of these letters at the Capital City Posthouse, originally intended to destroy them, but they turned out useful."

Wu Xiu pulled out a thin envelope from his sleeve and tossed it on the table.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice slumped backward: "Why… why would you admit to this? When Qing Wentao's incident happened, you should've been just a small official in the palace, completely unqualified to be involved in such a major matter, and no chance to interact with Wang Bao."

Wu Xiu dismissed with a sound: "Why is sir so unwilling to clear General Wentao's name, could it be you're also a colleague from the Military Intelligence Department?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice was at a loss: "You..."

At this point, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice quietly reminded from the side: "Sir, the big picture is important; since Wu Xiu admits to this publicly, it's better to convict him and imprison him to avoid complications. The rest regarding your merits and faults, we will report to the Official later."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice thought for a moment and immediately picked up the gavel: "The defendant Wu Xiu has confessed..."

"Wait," Wu Xiu, hands behind his back, smiled broadly, "I haven't finished speaking yet. Colluding with Jing Dynasty for so many years and only doing this would be underutilizing my talent."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice halted his hand raised with the gavel in the air, furrowing his brow: "What else?"

Wu Xiu recalled: "Last winter, the Liu family plotted a rebellion, and I instigated Jiefan Guard Lin Chaoqing to frame Concubine Wen Yunmo of Prince Jing Mansion, thus framing Prince Jing for rebellion."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice and Right Imperial Censor's faces changed; the Prince Jing rebellion case lacked evidence and Consort Yun's testimony, which they patched together some inconclusive evidence to convict Prince Jing.

Chen Ji stared blankly at Wu Xiu beside him.

This was the opponent's aim.

Now, the Prince Jing's memorial day is close; someone cannot bear their elder brother who taught them to read and write be wronged and dishonored, nor can they stand the one who exchanged hairpins for lamb buns having neither a grave nor a tombstone, and even more cannot tolerate the person being recorded in history as a traitor.

They want, in front of the Three Judicial Departments' trial, to clear Prince Jing's name.

And Prince Jing, using his own death, dragged down the Three Judicial Departments that hindered Emperor Ning for years.

Chen Ji looked at Wu Xiu, who turned to him, winking with a smile in his eyes.

Suddenly Chen Ji recalled who the other reminded him of; partly Prince Jing, partly Feng Wenzheng.

For some reason, he felt the other was standing under the myriad lanterns of that night during the Lantern Festival, rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, carp lanterns, spinning lanterns, one hanging after another from one end of the street to the other.

Standing amidst the fireworks, a firecracker was shot up, and with a bang, it exploded into a flower, red, green, and gold, lighting up the sky.

Several stilt walkers passed above them, wearing opera costumes, painted faces, walking steadily. Following behind were the lion dancers, with the lion's head shaking and its eyes blinking.

But this time, the other was no longer the child who would wet his pants out of fear.