Da Li Temple - Chapter 7.2

Chapter 7.2
Fear Of Punishment

Official Li was shocked. He choked and forgot to reply. He could only point his finger at Lin Wanqing with his trembling hand and said, “You, you …… first, you overstepped your authority. Then, dereliction of duty — you interfered in the case and harmed the suspect! You even ……”
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“The important thing is not that I harmed Wang Hu but that he died. Who killed him? Why was he killed? You don’t go over these things but seize those subtleties. Are you trying to cover the murderer?!”
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“Audacious!” Official Li glared with his sleepy green eyes, his voice exploding, but his body unconsciously leaned back.
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“The murderer followed you to find the death cell! You utilized your position to make the guards relax their vigilance, which led to the disaster. How dare you distort the facts to insult this official ……”
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“Can’t you understand?” Lin Wanqing tugged at her blood-soaked wide sleeve, lifted the thin blanket, and rose boldly, “Wang Hu would have died no matter what! The person who killed him came prepared with a swift and sharp hand! Apart from assassins and the death soldiers (*), who else could have managed to sneak into the prison in just a moment and kill several guards with sharp blades one after the other?!”
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T/N : (*) a soldier willing to die for a task assigned.

Lin Wanqing questioned resoundingly, marching to Official Li in three or two steps. She was covered in blood stains, both dried and undried. Mixed with the smell of lamp oil, it was so foul that it made people dizzy. Unsure whether it was because of the smell of blood or Lin Wanqing’s threat, Official Li moved backward panickly and almost fell from the chair. He hurriedly grabbed the corner of the table and ordered the guards to stop Lin Wanqing. Only then did he sigh with relief, sat upright with a strong spirit, and vainly held the official hat on his head with his hand.
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“The point is that Wang Hu died because of you ……”
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“The point is that you are wrong!” Lin Wanqing glared at Official Li boldly, and the veins rising from the corners of her pale forehead were faintly visible.
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“Wang Hu was not the murderer of the rape and murder case. He didn’t kill concubine Zhao! However, you scum have done nothing except condescending and greedy from beginning to end. If we find out earlier that we wronged Wang Hu, then wouldn’t he not have to be locked up in the prison? Wouldn’t he be dead?!”
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“You …… you ……” Official Li couldn’t argue. His aura weakened by a few degrees after being roared at by her so much. He could only ineffectively yet furiously say, “You defied the public court and insulted the court official. You will receive 30 flogs according to the law! Come, people! Be–” Before Official Li said that ‘beat’ word, a cold ‘wait’ sounded in time to cool down the atmosphere in the hall.
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Only then did Official Li remember about Su Moyi, who had been sitting quietly on the side, watching the play for half a day. The latter raised his moon-white sleeve and waved his bony hand. The guards, who previously listened to the order, suddenly became wilted cabbages, nodded, and retreated.
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“Lord Su ……” Official Li still wanted to say something but was stopped by Su Moyi.
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The hall was so quiet for a moment. Under the firelight leaping, Su Moyi frowned while looking at the little recorder covered in blood. One side of her bun was messy and scattered on her shoulders. On her cheek, a sharp blade abrasion with solidified blood hanging like a string of red coral. Light gray official clothes were muddy and bloody —

So wretched —
But —
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A part of his heart suddenly and inexorably moved, and he couldn’t say for what.

For her recklessness, which knew no bounds?
For her keen insight?
Or for her stubbornness of not turning back even after hitting the south wall?
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Su Moyi suddenly smiled. But it was only a hint of an arc at the corner of his mouth. At this moment, he felt that this little recorder was interesting.
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“Lord Su?” This time, Official Li changed his prying tone. He noticed Su Moyi’s perversity and didn’t dare to move.
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Su Moyi ignored him, still looking at Lin Wanqing, and asked without hesitation, “You said that Wang Hu didn’t kill Concubine Zhao?”
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The person below was stunned as if she didn’t expect him to ask this question before firmly saying, “Yes.”
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Official Li bared his smile at his words, a look of disdain on his face, “How do you know he didn’t?”
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“Because he has no motive.”
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Official Li wanted to speak again. When he was about to open his mouth, Su Moyi swept him with cold eyes.
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Su Moyi continued to ask: “Then what was he doing sneaking into a woman’s boudoir in the middle of the night?”
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Lin Wanqing was silent, gently biting the tender flesh in the skin of her mouth with her teeth, and said weakly: “If I say that Wang Hu told me that Concubine Zhao was his childhood friend, and she handed him a note asking Wang Hu to help her runaway, would Lord believe me?”
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Su Moyi confirmed his doubts. He did not say anything. Under the swaying firelight, his shadow fell on the square of ground at his feet. He twisted his index finger and thumb repeatedly, making a rustling sound, and his eyes fell distantly to nowhere.
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“Lord Su?” Official Li hardened his heart and weakly asked, “Does Lord Su have any instructions?”
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He was stunned for a split second, pulling up a detached smile, “Nothing.”
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“Then …… this little recorder matters……” Official Li was used to looking at people’s faces due to his years of experience. Since Su Moyi has stepped in to stop, he must ask him about what to do next.
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Su Moyi seemed to react, following Official Li’s gaze to Lin Wanqing below. Without hesitation, he repeatedly rubbed his hands, gently placed them on the knee, and said: “She is the people of the Capital Government Office. Naturally, it is not the turn of my Da Li Temple to make the decision.”
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“Official Li can decide.”
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Su Straight Man: It’s not my business. Her temper is so big. Let her suffer a bit.