Lose My Heart to the Lovely Kitten Princess - Chapter 38

Chapter 38 The minister of revenue, He Deyong
“Sir He, how much longer are you going to keep acting? This man has already confessed,” said Xiaowu as he threw the man in black in front of He Yuanbai, “Why don’t you greet your master?”

“I’m sorry, Sir!” said the man in black as he knelt before He Yuanbai with a thud.

“Get away from me!” said He Yuanbai as he took a large step back. Then he turned to say coldly to the man in black, “Who instigated you to frame me?”

“I’m sorry for failing you! I didn’t finish the mission you tasked me with! Prince Jing has already obtained evidence that you hired an assassin to kill Deputy Minister Gu’s daughter! We’re done for!”

The man in black kowtowed He Yuanbai. Then he suddenly stood up to hurl his head towards a wall nearby as he said, “I can only atone myself with death!”

“You can’t die just yet!” said Xiaowu as he swiftly grabbed the man by his shirt collar, “You are an important witness.”

Then Xiaowu shoved the man in black to a jailor at the door and said, “Keep a close eye on him!”

“Yes, Sir!’ replied the jailor before escorting the man in black back to his jail cell.

He Yuanbai suddenly pulled the sword from the hilt of a jailor next to him when the man in black was about to get escorted out of his prison cell. He suddenly hacked straight for the man in black as he yelled, “How dare you frame me! Go and die!”

“Sir He,” said Xiaowu as he unsheathed his sword and hit He Yuanbai’s blade from his hand, “Are you trying to murder the witness?”

“If he seeks to frame me, there are plenty of accusations he can make. This man slandered me, so he deserves to die a painful death!” retorted He Yuanbai. He picked up his sword and lunged towards the man in black once more.

PAH!

Xiaowu hit He Yuanbai’s sword from his hand again. He kicked He Yuanbai in the chest. Then He Yuanbai knocked into the wall behind him with a thud and went, “OHHH!”

Blood dripped from He Yuanbai’s mouth.

He Yuanbai half-knelt on the ground as he raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.

Everything happened so suddenly that he didn’t have the time to wrap his mind around it.

Perhaps they had no evidence to begin with?

At the thought, He Yuanbai looked up at Chu Yunshen and said, “Since you are so afraid I’ll kill him, it means you don’t have evidence that I hired an assassin to kill her.”

Chu Yunshen looked at him calmly and said, “You did a clean job and didn’t leave any evidence behind.”

“So…” said He Yuanbai as he enunciated each word clearly and gnashed his teeth angrily, “So the news about the assassin’s confession and Di Yushu’s innocence was fake?”

“Yes, Sir! His Highness told me to spread the news that the mastermind left behind some evidence at Shanshen Temple when he contracted the assassin. And that the assassin had hidden it in the temple!” explained Xiaowu smugly to He Yuanbai, “So whoever comes to the Shanshen Temple to find the evidence out of guilt is the true mastermind. Right, Sir He?”

He Yuanbai punched the ground hard. Then he slumped backward and leaned against the wall, and stayed silent for a long time.

Chu Yunshen got up and walked over to He Yuanbai. He towered over He Yuanbai as he asked, “Who told you to set the eight-trigram formation to harm me?”

He Yuanbai hung his head for a long time before he finally raised it. He looked at Chu Yunshen cunningly and replied, “Your Highness, I don’t know what you mean? I admit to hiring an assassin to kill someone, but I didn’t set up any formation to get Your Highness, so I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Chu Yunshen narrowed his dark eyes and stared into He Yuanbai’s eyes for a long time.

Neither of them spoke.

Xiaowu lost his cool. He Yuanbai was a complete animal!

He couldn’t help shouting at He Yuanbai, “You have no vendetta with Deputy Minister Gu’s daughter, so why did you get her killed?”

He Yuanbai turned to look at Xiaowu. Then his lips curved up into an evil smile as he replied, “Her father pissed me off, so I took it out on her!”

“You monster!” shouted Xiaowu instantly. He had already unsheathed his sword and placed it by He Yuanbai’s throat.

“Kill me! Just cut my throat!” said He Yuanbai as he tilted his head and pressed his throat against Xiaowu’s blade. He pointed at the side of his neck and continued, “What are you waiting for? Go on, and just do it!”

“You’re shameless!” scolded Xiaowu.

Xiaowu suddenly realized. Compared to an uneducated man losing all shame, it was surprisingly more terrifying when a scholarly man did!

Xiaowu now found Di Yushu, locked up in the adjacent jail cell, far more adorable.

He Yuanbai watched as Chu Yunshen headed out of the jail cell. He suddenly said airily, “Prince Jing, do you think you can convict me based on the words of just one kamikaze warrior?”

Prince Jing?

Chu Yunshen turned to look at He Yuanbai as he sat on the ground and leaned against the wall. Then he smiled and asked slowly, “Aren’t you tired of pretending to be someone else for over 20 years?”

He Yuanbai glanced at Chu Yunshen before his eyes turned dark. He slumped his shoulders gently and replied, “Yes, it’s tiring! I can finally rest in peace tonight.”

Chu Yunshen left his prison cell and glanced at Di Yushu’s cell next door and said coldly, “Release Di Yushu!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” replied the jailor instantly as he bowed.

Now the justice department supervisor could finally have peace of mind.

Xiaowu immediately followed behind Prince Jing when he saw him leaving. Before Xiaowu left, he glared at He Yuanbai furiously and instructed the jailors nearby, “Keep a close eye on him!”

“Yes, Sir!” replied the jailors as they paid obeisance to him.

“Master, what should we do about He Yuanbai?” asked Xiaowu quizzically after he caught up with Chu Yunshen.

He Yuanbai was already arrested. Why didn’t Prince Jing ask He Yuanbai about his motives?

Chu Yunshen suddenly halted. He turned around to tell Xiaowu, “Send some to investigate the He residence tomorrow!”

“Yes, Master!” replied Xiaowu. He was caught by surprise but instantly bowed and acknowledged him.

Chu Yunshen kept thinking about the eight-trigram formation as he rode back to the residence on Yueying. He Yuanbai couldn’t have possibly come up with the eight-trigram formation, and the man behind him was…

Chu Yunshen suddenly tightened his legs around the horse’s abdomen as he pulled the reigns and went, “Hyah!”

Yueying instantly sped up as it headed towards Prince Jing’s residence.

Xiaowu followed behind Chu Yunshen on horseback. Although they had cracked Deputy Minister Gu’s daughter’s case, Prince Jing seemed unhappy!

The next day, Chu Yunshen didn’t go to the justice department. Instead, he rested at home.

Xiaowu’s man suddenly came back to report that the minister of revenue, He Deyong, kept refusing to allow them to enter and search the residence.

Also, Minister He brought some men to the justice department to threaten the justice department supervisor and demanded the release of his son, He Yuanbai.

“Bring the horse carriage over!” said Chu Yunshen. He stood up and gently tapped the lion cat, who was fast asleep next to the pillow.

Although Cheng Xiaoxiao felt a weight on her head, she didn’t open her eyes. She raised her paws and hit those irritating hands of Chu Yunshen instead.

“Meow!”

Who was disturbing her rest?

The moment she opened her eyes, Chu Yunshen’s striking face suddenly came into sight.

“Meow.”

What are you up to?

Then her meow went soft as she whined to Chu Yunshen.

“Taking you out for some entertainment,” said Chu Yunshen as he patted the lion cat’s little round head. Then he scooped her up into his arms.

Chu Yunshen brought Cheng Xiaoxiao up the horse carriage while she was in a daze.

The moment they boarded the horse carriage, she darted out of Chu Yunshen’s arms and leaned against the window to lift the blinds with her paws and looked out.

It seemed like they were heading to the justice department.

What was going on at the justice department?

Inside Di Yangze’s office at the justice department

He Deyong sat in the chair with a cup of tea in his hand as he asked loftily, “Sir Di, what crime did my son commit? Why did he get dragged out of the residence and thrown into prison in the middle of the night?”

“Minister He, calm down. I only found out this morning that your son got jailed. I already sent someone to find out what happened,” replied Di Yangze after he walked up in front of He Deyong and bowed.

He Deyong glanced at Di Yangze frostily. After He Deyong’s son got imprisoned at the justice department, the old geezer’s son got released right away.

But here Di Yangzi was claiming he knew nothing about it!

Who would believe his bullshit?

But He Deyong kept up a cold appearance as he continued, “What is there to check? Release him this instant!”

“One moment, please, Minister He. After I figure out what happened, I can release your son,” replied Di Yangze calmly.

“Sir Di!”

He Deyong suddenly slammed the teacup on the table hard. Then a crack appeared at the bottom of the cup crisply.

“Release him!”

“We really can’t…”

Before Di Yangze finished his sentence, a silhouette suddenly appeared before them. His eyes suddenly lit up as his savior had finally arrived.

“Your Highness!”

He Deyong froze. He swallowed his fury and put on a calm expression. Then he walked up in front of Chu Yunshen and bowed to greet him, “Your Highness!”

“Master!” greeted Xiaowu after he hurried back from the He residence. Then he leaned towards Chu Yunshen and spoke softly into his ear.

Chu Yunshen’s dark eyes narrowed. Chu Yunshen strode into the room with the cat in his arms before he glanced at He Deyong with the corner of his eyes.

An official cap with pearls and rubies adorned He Deyong’s head while he wore an official green robe with a crane embroidered on his chest. He bowed as Chu Yunshen walked past him.

Chu Yunshen walked up to Di Yangze and lifted his robe to sit down on the main seat. Then he stroked the little fellow in his arms as he looked at He Deyong coldly and said, “Minister He, are you doubting my judgment?”

He Deyong stepped forward immediately. He bowed and replied Chu Yunshen, “Of course not, Your Highness! But are you convicting my son based on a single man’s words? I suspect someone is framing my boy! I demand justice for my son!”

He Deyong turned to glance at the supervisor of the justice department, Di Yangze, and continued, “All evidence points to Sir Di’s son, Di Yushu, as the culprit! Also, my son has always been gentle and kindhearted. Everyone in the capital can attest to this! Your Highness, you released Young Master Di and want to convict my son for murder. Aren’t you worried that the public might find your actions unjust?”

“How dare you!” said Xiaowu as he swiftly lunged towards He Deyong and scolded him, “Sir He, who do you think you are? How can you speak so rudely to His Highness?”

Chu Yunshen glanced at Xiaowu. Then Xiaowu indignantly went behind Chu Yunshen.

He Deyong that old geezer! His son was clearly the mastermind, but here he was threatening Prince Jing!

“My apologies, Your Highness!” said He Deyong. He looked down as a coldness swept across his eyes. How dare a little personal guard raise his voice at a court official?

But He Yuanbai was imprisoned, so he couldn’t bungle things up because of a little guard.

Regardless of how little the Emperor loved Prince Jing, he was still his son, so He Deyong couldn’t bluntly give attitude.

At the thought, He Deyong bowed and paid obeisance to Chu Yunshen and said, “Your Highness, if you insist on convicting my son for this crime, I’ll appeal to His Majesty.”

Chu Yunshen lowered his head as he stroked the fur of the little fellow in his arms. Then a coldness swept across his eyes.