Li Jun quickly helped Shen Yuqing dress, and together they hurried outside to see the commotion.
On the third floor, a mustached man lay dead in his room, a knife buried in his chest. Li Jun recognized him. He was the same man who had dared to touch the innkeeper's face earlier.
The dead man's companions began shouting, pointing at the innkeeper. "It's her! She quarreled with him several times!" one of them cried.
"She must have held a grudge!" another shouted angrily. Others joined in: "We saw her here before he died!"
The accusations grew louder and louder, all aimed at the terrified woman. "No! It wasn't me! I never touched him, I swear!" she cried, but her words were drowned out by the crowd's angry voices.
When the officers seized her arms, she screamed in panic, struggling to break free. "I didn't kill him! I did nothing wrong!" Her cries echoed through the inn as she was dragged away, her desperate protests ignored.
Li Jun stepped closer, her eyes lingering on the body before the officers could take it away. She crouched briefly, noting the stillness of the man's face, then straightened as two guards lifted the corpse onto a stretcher.
Before they left, she caught one officer's sleeve. "Wait, how will the investigation be handled?"
The officer glanced around, then lowered his voice. "There is no real investigation. He is Prefect Zhang's son. Someone must be arrested quickly, anyone who looks suspicious, to show accountability. The court will only be for show."
She released his arm, and the officer hurried to catch up with the others. Li Jun made a move to follow, but Wang Wuyue stepped in her way. "Where will you go?"
Li Jun's eyes narrowed. "Didn't you hear? That woman will suffer punishment in vain."
"The life or death of that woman, it is not my business. Whatever you wish to do, I remind you, do not reveal your identity. Your Majesty, if too many people learn who you are, it will put your safety at risk," Wang Wuyue said with a flat tone.
Li Jun raised an eyebrow. Her hand slid boldly to Wuyue's waist as she leaned closer, her face just inches from the other's. "You're truly beautiful… but such a pity... you don't have a heart."
Wang Wuyue felt warm breath brush against her skin, her face flushing red. Flustered, she tried to pull away, but Li Jun's arms were wrapped tightly. A faint chuckle escaped Li Jun's lips.
"Jun…" Shen Yuqing's soft voice broke the tension, as if trying to ease the storm between them, but her eyes dared not meet Wang Wuyue's.
Li Jun released her hold, knowing Shen Yuqing would be annoyed if she continued teasing her master.
Shen Yuqing tugged gently at her sleeve. "Jun… let's wait until tomorrow morning. Trials usually begin after sunrise, around the hour of the dragon."
"Hmm… okay Qing'er. Then go back and rest for now."
She turned toward the door, but as she stepped forward, her eyes caught faint smears on the wall. Li Jun paused, lowering her gaze. There, scattered across the wooden surface, were small greasy stains, shining faintly in the lamplight.
Near the threshold, muddy prints trailed in from outside, as if someone had moved in haste.
Shen Yuqing noticed her sudden stillness and followed her gaze. She crouched slightly, fingertips hovering above the marks without touching. "These oil and mud marks like traces left behind carelessly."
"Qing'er is right," she said, then pecked her lips.
.---
The next morning, the small county court was already crowded. Villagers gathered in front of the hall, whispering and pointing, eager to witness the trial. News had spread quickly—someone had been killed at the inn, and the victim was no ordinary man.
Inside, the local magistrate sat on his bench, gavel in hand. The officers dragged the innkeeper forward, forcing her to kneel on the cold floor. Her hair was messy, her face pale, yet she kept crying out, insisting on her innocence.
"Silence!" the magistrate shouted, striking the desk. "This court will hear the case of the murder of Fang Wen. The suspect, the innkeeper, is accused of bearing a grudge and taking his life."
Li Jun stood at the edge of the crowd, Shen Yuqing and Wang Wuyue beside her, hidden under their veils. She watched the scene quietly; the poor woman would be condemned unless the truth was revealed.
At the magistrate's signal, two officers entered carrying the body, placed on a rough wooden board and covered with a white cloth. Gasps rose from the crowd as the cloth was pulled back, revealing the lifeless face of the young man. His lips were pale, and the wound on his chest still dark with dried blood.
The magistrate leaned forward. "This is Fang Wen, the son of Prefect Zhang. Show respect."
The dead man's companions fell to their knees, wailing loudly. Their cries echoed through the hall, mixing with the whispers of the villagers. The innkeeper bowed her head, trembling.
Li Jun's gaze swept over the body. Her eyes caught the faint traces, the strange smear of oil on the victim's sleeve. Quietly, she exchanged a glance with Shen Yuqing.
The magistrate struck the desk again. "Shu Hua, innkeeper of the Red Lantern Inn."
"Your honor, I swear on my life, I did not kill him!"
The magistrate's cold gaze bore down on her. "Then how do you explain the quarrel witnessed by so many?"
"I… yes, we argued," Shu Hua admitted. "But I would never harm a guest. I am a widow trying to earn my living. Please, I am innocent."
The dead man's companions kept shouting from the side. The magistrate nodded slowly, pretending to weigh their words. "Many witnesses against you. Shu Hua, if you confess now, perhaps the court will show mercy."
Shu Hua's tears streamed down her face, but this time her voice rose in anger. "No! I did not kill him! You call this a trial? You don't investigate, you only want to throw blame on me!"
The crowd stirred, startled by her sudden defiance. Shu Hua's chest heaved as she went on.
"I went to the third floor that night to bring food to the guest because the servants were busy. Then we argued because he tried to harass me repeatedly. When I left, he was still alive! After that, I returned to Nian Yu village to check on my children. People there can testify for me!"
Her voice cracked, but she forced herself to keep shouting. "Ask them! I have many witnesses!"
The magistrate's expression darkened, his sleeve flicking in disdain. "Enough. Witnesses from your neighbors? Their words cannot be trusted."
He slammed his gavel on the desk. "This court does not accept such weak excuses. Stop resisting, and confess your crime. As you claimed, you stabbed Fang Wen out of revenge, and that he tried to harass you? That is only your one-sided statement."
Shu Hua's face went pale. She shook her head violently, tears falling again. "This is injustice!!"
The tense silence in the court was broken by the heavy sound of footsteps. A man in a grand robe entered, his beard neatly combed, his posture full of self-importance. The magistrate's eyes widened at once.
"Lord Wei!" he exclaimed, rising from his seat. "Bring a chair for our honored guest."
Li Jun murmured, "Who is this man?"
The villager beside her whispered, "Young Master, you're not from around here, are you? That is Lord Wei, the wealthy headman of Nian Yu Village. He owns the prosperous Lotus Inn, right across from Shu Hua's Red Lantern."
Li Jun's eyes narrowed, a trace of coldness flashing through them.
Lord Wei settled onto the chair with a smug expression. His voice boomed across the hall, dripping with scorn, "What are you waiting for, Magistrate? Why is this fox-woman still here? End her lies and punish her, so our village may have peace again."
Shu Hua's body shook with fury. She lifted her head, her eyes blazing. "You! You've coveted my inn for years, haven't you? You frame me with this crime, but Heaven sees all! Curse you, Wei, you'll never find peace!"
The magistrate's face hardened. "Insolence! Such words prove your wicked nature."
He raised his hand sharply. "Give her one hundred strokes of the rod at once!"
The crowd gasped. Some looked away, others whispered nervously, but no one dared step forward to stop it. Officers moved toward Shu Hua, holding their rods tightly.
The villagers murmured, some nodding, some frowning, but no one dared speak against the magistrate.
---
The officers raised their rods, ready to strike. Shu Hua clenched her eyes shut, her whole body trembling in despair.
"Stop."
The word rang out, calm yet commanding. The crowd turned, murmurs spreading like wildfire. A tall figure in scholar's robes stepped forward from the spectators. The handsome face, unfamiliar to the villagers, drew curious gazes.
Li Jun walked to the center of the hall, carrying a quiet authority that silenced the room. Even the magistrate shifted uneasily in his seat, sensing the weight of her gaze.
"Is this how justice is done in Nian Yu?" she said, her voice calm but razor-sharp, cutting through the murmurs. "Beating a woman into confession without a shred of evidence? You are paid with the people's taxes to deliver justice and protect them, not to sow fear and oppression!"
The crowd fell utterly silent. Villagers exchanged wide-eyed glances, while the magistrate's hand tightened around his gavel. Li Jun's words left no room for argument.
Even Lord Wei's smug expression faltered. Whispers ran through the spectators: Who is this stranger who dares to speak truth so boldly?
The magistrate stiffened. "Who are you? How dare you speak in front of an official like this, and you didn't even bow?"
"I don't bow to anyone," Li Jun said, her voice calm but teasing, "except my parents… and beautiful women."
Her eyes flicked toward Wang Wuyue, lips curling into a sly, knowing smile. Then, she winked at Shen Yuqing.
Wang Wuyue, standing among the crowd, cursed her silently. She couldn't understand why her disciple's lover kept teasing her. Her gaze fell on Shen Yuqing beside her, and for a moment, both of them froze awkwardly.