"Sister, Sister!"
A Man came running, out of breath. Li Ying moved aside to let her sit down. A Man was so anxious that she didn't even have the time to take a sip of hot tea. Her face was full of panic and haste.
"Sister, what on earth happened in the village? Those well-behaved guests, why did they all suddenly leave overnight?"
"And Qing Liu, did she do something secretly again, ruining our reputation?"
A Man was in a flurry, but Li Ying was calm. She simply said lightly, "Those guests just went back to the capital. As for Qing Liu, I'm afraid she won't be back for a while."
She spoke calmly, but A Man was quite puzzled. She noticed sharply that Li Ying was packing her usual clothes and hairpins neatly into a trunk. Clearly, she was also about to set off.
"Sister, what's going on?"
Li Ying gave a charming smile, raised her eyes, and looked into the distant sky.
"A Man, everything is ready. I'll go back to the capital for two days and return as soon as the matter is settled. I'll leave the management of the village to you."
Su Buchi had informed her in advance about the news that the imperial inspector was going to conduct a strict investigation into the pirates who had sabotaged the ships.
Most of the pirates in the service of Inspector Lin were secretly spared from Lian Ji back then.
She had fought against these bandits several times, so she was the most suitable person to identify them.
This time, the emperor was extremely angry and ordered a thorough investigation into the old case. Naturally, she wanted to see this corrupt official punished and the Lu family's unjust case redressed with her own eyes.
A Man saw the solemn look on her face. When she asked what Li Ying was going to do in the capital and when she would return, Li Ying was evasive. A Man immediately felt worried.
"Sister, will you encounter any danger on this trip? Anyway, Qing Liu, that spy, is not in the village. She won't be able to cause any big trouble. Sister, please take me with you!"
But Li Ying just shook her head.
Although Inspector Lin had lost his power for the time being, he was still a formidable opponent. He had served the emperor for many years and remained in a stable position, so he must not be underestimated.
Moreover, the plan she and the little princess from the South Seas had set up, although seemingly flawless and successful, was ultimately a big lie and a serious crime of deceiving the emperor.
If they made a single mistake and the truth came out...
She must not implicate A Man.
Li Ying refused to say more and just gave a faint smile. A Man held her breath, knowing that no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be able to get any answers. So she had no choice but to give up, full of worry.
When Li Ying returned to the capital, the streets were filled with people chatting and discussing animatedly in groups.
Ruyi had received the news early and personally drove a carriage to meet her outside the city.
In a few words, Ruyi explained the situation in the capital clearly.
Since Inspector Lin was imprisoned, he had been crying out for injustice every day. He firmly claimed that he had been diligent, selfless, and had never disobeyed the emperor's orders. He insisted that he must have been framed by villains.
He readily admitted his connection with Li Ying, but claimed that the so-called conch pearls were a gift from her. If the crime of deceiving the emperor was to be counted, it should be counted on her head.
As for the charges of "stealing from one's own guard" and "sabotaging the ship carrying the pearls", they were completely unfounded. It was clearly someone's deliberate attempt to harm this pillar of the country!
The Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice had already sent people to arrest this "Mrs. Li" and bring her to justice. But thanks to Su Buchi's mediation, the officials had not rushed to the fishing village to arrest her yet.
Li Ying had received a secret letter from Su Buchi and rushed back in a hurry.
The fishing village was a paradise for tourists. It must not be associated with any crime, otherwise, its future operation would be extremely difficult.
She told Ruyi to drive the carriage directly to the gate of the prison of the Ministry of Justice. She straightened her clothes, got out of the carriage gracefully, and calmly went to ask for an audience.
Everyone in the capital knew that the officials of the Supreme Court were on good terms with her. But now, she bypassed Su Buchi and voluntarily surrendered to the Ministry of Justice. Her sense of propriety, ability to avoid suspicion, and understanding of right and wrong immediately won the admiration of the Minister of Justice.
"Mrs. Li, you keep saying that you were coerced and have evidence to present. I will enforce the law impartially. If you have any grievances, just speak up!"
Li Ying looked panicked. She immediately knelt on the ground with a thud, and tears welled up in her helpless eyes.
"Please, my lord, uphold justice for this humble woman!"
She looked like an ignorant woman. Trembling, she took out a letter from her bosom. Her hands were shaking like a sieve as she respectfully presented it.
This humble posture was something she had learned from Qing Liu back then. Now, she used it quite skillfully. Her innocent and gentle appearance made it extremely difficult to associate her with any conspiracy.
The letter she brought was the one in which Inspector Lin had told her not to meddle in other people's affairs and to send all the villagers and guests away from the fishing village.
However, she had subtly added a line about "intercepting the pearls on the tribute ship".
Sure enough, when the Minister of Justice saw the words, his face immediately changed.
Li Ying sneered coldly in her heart.
Her ability to imitate other people's handwriting was not very good, and she disdained to use such a skill to harm others.
But this Inspector Lin had schemed and plotted. If the enemy was him, it was justifiable to use any means necessary.
She should really thank Granny Ling, who was good at imitating handwriting. She had left behind a thick booklet that recorded in detail the unique writing styles of the important officials in the capital. Only then was Li Ying able to copy Inspector Lin's handwriting.
"My lord, when this humble woman received this secret letter, I was so scared that my soul almost left my body! This is a crime that could lead to the execution of the entire family. How could I dare? But Inspector Lin threatened me with my child and told me not to say a word. He even locked me in a dark and damp prison."
"This humble woman entrusted the conch pearls to the ship fleet. After many twists and turns, they were finally sent to the capital. I managed to escape with great difficulty. After much thought, I rushed here to surrender. Please, my lord, uphold justice for this humble woman!"
She shed tears secretly. A section of her arm slipped out from her wide sleeve. It was covered with shocking bloodstains, both new and old, which were unbearable to look at.
The Minister of Justice was shocked. He silently recited "it is improper to look", and averted his eyes. Li Ying also seemed to realize that she had lost her composure. She quickly covered her arm, but sneered secretly in her heart.
These so - called wounds were just carefully painted by her before she set off. From a distance, they were almost indistinguishable from real ones. They could just prove that she had indeed been "imprisoned" for many days and had suffered many beatings.
"Mrs. Li, I will investigate whether what you said is true!"
Although the Minister of Justice said so, he already believed her a little. His expression was cold and stern.
Li Ying kowtowed and thanked him, "My lord is wise!"