By the time Song Jia finished writing the final question on the investigation sheet, the receiving hall had been cleared of unnecessary people.
Only seven remained.
Emperor Ding Shun sat at the head of the room.
Ding Wu stood to his right.
Song Jia and Sun Xun sat opposite them.
Eunuch Hu remained beside the Emperor.
The Chief Imperial Investigator stood near the evidence table.
And the northern service gate guard—the man who had seen Ming Yue alive before dawn—waited several steps away.
The two servants from Yimu's chamber had already been dismissed after giving their statements.
The residence guards were outside.
No one else needed to hear what came next.
Song Jia tapped the final line she had written.
Identify the Internal Palace messenger present when Ming Yue named Song Jia.
She looked toward the gate guard.
"Start with him."
The man's face paled.
Ding Shun's voice was cold.
"You will answer carefully."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
