My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare! Chapter 13 - 13 Butterfly [Please Bookmark]

Chang'an County Governnt, Rear Hall.

A constable strode into the room, joyfully saying, "Sir, Cui Ze has confessed everything. Assistant Minister Zheng was killed by him and Zhang Xiaoyun together. They have been in an illicit relationship for a long ti. According to his confession, all of this was instigated by Zhang Xiaoyun, and he was rely bewitched at the mont... After Cui Ze confessed, Zhang Xiaoyun also admitted to the cri without any denial."

None of this was beyond the expectations of the Chang'an County Magistrate.

He glanced at Li Nuo, who was flipping through the "Daxia Law" across from him, feeling deeply that the apple does not fall far from the tree. How could the son of Li Xuanjing be a fool? On the contrary, he was not only extrely intelligent, his observation was ticulous, and his insight and control over human nature were exquisite.

Li Nuo had rely tried casually, and he did not expect that the other would confess so quickly.

He had just been thinking, if trickery didn't work, he would directly use the Great mory Restoration Technique. In the certainty of identifying the murderer, even if they were tortured, it would not be unjust.

The Chang'an County Magistrate looked at him with a peculiar gaze, but Li Nuo did not care at all. What he cared more about was how many more days this case could add to his life. He imdiately asked, "Can these two be sentenced to death?"

Pei Zhe nodded, flipping through the "Daxia Law" and pointing to a page, he said to Li Nuo, "According to Daxia Law, if one commits adultery and the adulterer kills their spouse, the spouse, though unaware, shall share the sa guilt... these two conspired to kill Assistant Minister Zheng, both deserve execution. However, since Cui Ze is an accessory and has confessed of his own accord, a lighter sentence can be rendered, a hundred strokes of the cane, three years of imprisonnt, and exile for three thousand li."

Li Nuo looked at the legal provisions on this page. Compared to later generations, Daxia's laws in this regard were quite different.

In Daxia, if an adulterous man kills the husband, the wife or concubine, whether aware or not, will be tried for the sa cri. Depending on the specific circumstances, they may be sentenced to decapitation or strangulation. For Cui Ze and Zhang Xiaoyun's preditated murder of Assistant Minister Zheng, the law would require execution.

However, when sentencing, officials had so discretion in punishnt. Considering that Cui Ze was an accessory and had made a frank confession, the penalty could be suitably reduced. But it was only a temporary reprieve from the death penalty. Not to ntion exile for three thousand li, that itself was almost a death sentence, and the hundred lashes alone could be fatal. Whether he lived or died would depend on his luck.

The Chang'an County Magistrate wrote down the sentence, just waiting for the two to sign and press their fingerprints. Li Nuo was idly flipping through the "Daxia Law" when he suddenly noticed another legal article.

"Servants, slaves who conspire to kill their masters, shall all be executed. Those who conspire to kill the master's relatives shall be strangled; those who injure shall all be executed."

The ancients valued leaving intact bodies. Although both were death sentences, beheading was considered more severe than strangulation. The law stated that household servants or subordinates, just for having the behavior of conspiring to kill the master's relatives, whether or not they hard the master's relatives, would be sentenced to death.

And anyone who conspired against the master, whether or not the master was injured, would also be sentenced to beheading.

According to the Daxia Law, that female assassin, as a servant of Li Mansion, had acted disrespectfully by conspiring against her master and had already caused harm. By law, she should be subjected to execution.

And yet, the Chang'an County Magistrate, had rely sentenced her to two years of imprisonnt for intentional injury.

Li Nuo glanced at the Chang'an County Magistrate, with his understanding of the "Daxia Law," it was unlikely that he would make such a mistake. After all, he had been able to identify the correct articles and flip to the right pages with ease, equivalent to an experienced judge not distinguishing between attempted murder and intentional injury – which in this case was an impossible mix-up.

But Li Nuo did not point it out.

After all, he had been enlightened by modern law. Under contemporary penal laws, she might be sentenced to three or five years, but certainly not to the death penalty. The equality of all in the 21st century had long abolished the labels of servant and slave, and thereby also the cri of acting against one's station.

And the "Law Code" acknowledged this sentence.

If she were sentenced to two years of imprisonnt, Li Nuo could live for two more days. If sentenced to the death penalty, he could not live even a day longer.

This said, the "Law Code" did not judge solely by the current laws. For how to sentence, it seed to have its own logic and ideas.

Noticing that Li Nuo's gaze lingered on a certain part of the "Daxia Law" for quite so ti, the Chang'an County Magistrate glanced over, saw which part he was looking at, and began to sweat coldly.

Could it be that he understood that article of law, all simple and common characters? Could it an he knew that in the previous case, there had been an intentional light sentence?

Pei Zhe felt uneasy in his heart. Not until he saw Li Nuo finally turn to a new page and say nothing, did he wipe the fine sweat from his brow and continue writing the verdict, head down.

anwhile.

Deep within Chang'an Street, within the gates of a high-walled residence.

The scorching sun was directly overhead, shadows rged with the ground, the yard was filled with the sound of cicadas, silent of any human voice.

In the deep and quiet chamber, the incense burning in the censer curled up, filling the air with a heart-soothing and mind-calming fragrance.

A figure hurried through the shade of the trees, breaking the tranquility, stepping into the room. After taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, he began, "Sir, the butterfly has been caught in the net..."

In the serene room, seated cross-legged on a ditation cushion with his eyes closed, the figure slowly opened his eyes and said, "Continue."

The man spoke slowly, "Zheng Tianxing is dead, and early this morning, all those from Zheng Mansion were taken to Chang'an County Governnt. Not long ago, except for the butterfly and Cui Ze, everyone was released. Their fate is more likely grim than not..."

He paused, then added, "As for Cui Ze, if he's dead, he's dead, but the butterfly, we have carefully cultivated for over a decade. We could still use her in the future. Sir, should we send soone..."

The man addressed as 'Sir' glanced at him and said coldly, "Fool, if we could afford to escalate the issue, what would have been the point of going to great lengths to arrange for her to get close to Zheng Tianxing in the first place?"

The man's lips quivered, but he ultimately remained silent.

After a mont of silence, the Sir queried, "Given the butterfly's cunning, killing a rchant who couldn't even truss a chicken, even with a liability, she wouldn't leave behind any trace or flaw. How could she have been discovered so quickly?"

At this point, the man spoke angrily, "She shouldn't have been discovered at all. Last night, Zheng Mansion had many people, and no matter how much Chang'an County Magistrate suspected, he could not have pinned it on the butterfly. This case would most likely end up unresolved like before, but soone interfered, helping the County Magistrate solve the case..."

The Sir took a sip of his tea and said, "It doesn't matter; we only lost a pawn. As long as the grand sche is not affected, that's all that matters."

Still not able to swallow his frustration, the man clenched his teeth and said, "But the butterfly was one of the best among them. It takes more than a decade to cultivate one like her. She was supposed to be useful in the future. I can't believe she was wasted on the Zheng Tianxing case. I really can't swallow this anger. Unless I tear that person to pieces, I won't be able to quell the hatred in my heart!"

The Sir didn't want to complicate matters further, but seeing his subordinate's obvious fury, he decided to appease him. After pondering for a while, he finally promised, "Go, but rember to be discreet and not arouse suspicion."

The man was imdiately overjoyed, bowed with his fist in the palm, and said, "Thank you, Sir!"

The Sir waved his hand dismissively and casually inquired, "By the way, who is this person?"

As the man walked away, he replied, "Li Nuo, the son of Li Xuanjing, the Minister of Justice..."

"Co back!"

Upon hearing the sharp rebuke from behind, the man turned his head, bewildered, "Sir, what's the matter?"

The Sir's eyelids twitched, and he berated, "You idiot, if we ought to avoid Li Xuanjing at all costs, why would you think of provoking him voluntarily? Are you tired of living?"

The man was taken aback, uncertain, "Sir, is that Li Xuanjing truly that fearso?"

The Sir took a deep breath, steadying his emotions, and said, "You're not at court, so you don't understand how formidable he is. Let's drop this matter, and do not speak of it again. Also, you are not to seek trouble with his son!"

The man could only lower his head, replying softly, "Yes..."

At that mont, the Sir stood up from his ditation cushion, pacing around the room, occasionally rubbing his temples, muttering, "Li Xuanjing... has he unearthed sothing? No, it can't be. Such a secret matter, it must be a coincidence…"

After an indeterminate amount of ti, he turned to the man behind him and asked, "Can we rely on the butterfly?"

The man nodded, "Rest assured, Sir, even in death, she would not reveal anything about us."

"I am not sure if Li Xuanjing's involvent is accidental, but we absolutely cannot let the butterfly fall into his hands. Otherwise, Chang'an will run rivers of blood, and even you and I will not escape death..." The Sir pondered for a mont, then made a subtle gesture across his neck, "Just in case... you understand what I an, right?"

"Understood."

The man nodded, then asked, "What about Cui Ze, should we also..."

The Sir waved his hand dismissively, "There's no need for that. He knows nothing, and if anything happens to him, it will only raise suspicions. Now that Li Xuanjing is involved, we must be extrely careful and not show a trace of evidence..."