"Mr. Lin, I am here on behalf of Shang Yougen from Yanliu Street. He dared not come to see you himself..." As the clinic hours approached, a young man ran to the consultation point to see Lin Miao.

"What is your relationship with Mr. Shang?"

"I’m a neighbor. My surname is Liu. I have a good relationship with the Shang Family and visited them often before," the young man explained, but there was a noticeable evasiveness in his eyes.

"Oh, I see. You should go back first." Lin Miao nodded. Tang had been missing for two days and nights and then suddenly returned.

There must be something fishy about this.

Judging by Mr. Zheng’s aggressive stance, he was absolutely confident in getting a conviction; therefore, Tang and his wife must have been taken away and detained by the governmental constables from the South City District.

They are not constables from the Arresting Department.

These people are like local police officers, whereas the Arresting Department is like the city’s criminal investigation team. Although both are constables, their responsibilities and affiliations are different.

The Arresting Department can handle cases throughout Dongshan City, while the South City District can only manage local security and resolve some disputes within their area.

These people fall directly under the jurisdiction of the South City District’s governmental constables.

Moreover, this South City District Commander’s office possesses investigatory, prosecutorial, and judicial powers all in one, making it a real power office equivalent to a County Magistrate under Dongshan Prefecture.

The County Magistrate in such a position is basically like a local emperor. While the commander isn’t entirely a local emperor, within his domain, who dares not to show respect?

According to the Da Li Dynasty’s laws, once a case is adjudicated, it needs to be reviewed before taking effect. The review authority lies with the higher governmental office, namely Dongshan Prefecture.

The review and death penalty approval for major and criminal cases fall under the Ministry of Justice and the emperor himself.

For ordinary cases, after investigation by each district commander, they directly impose penalties and close the case. The case files are submitted to the prefecture for review, after which they take effect.

For criminal and major cases, the Arresting Department investigates, handles, and closes the case, which is then judged by the state’s prefectural court and submitted to the Ministry of Justice for review. If it’s a death penalty, it requires the emperor’s red endorsement, followed by execution in autumn.

Shortly after Shang Youwei’s sudden death, people from the South City District’s governmental office came, claiming that Tang himself had reported that his son had been poisoned to death by the medicine he had administered.

In fact, Tang and his wife never left their home after their son’s death, let alone went to the South City District’s governmental office to report the case.

How did the South City District know that Tang’s son died, and that he died from poison in medicine prepared by his father? Does the commander possess the gift of foresight?

Such an obvious loophole.

However, no one cared or even mentioned it, because the South City District moved Tang and his wife away for "protection."

You can’t even see Tang and his wife, no matter how reasonable your analysis is, it’s useless, and they must have fabricated the evidence chain thoroughly.

Tang himself didn’t report the case, but couldn’t he ask a neighbor to do it on his behalf?

As long as one such person exists, everything makes sense. How hard is it for a governmental office to find someone to provide false testimony?

As long as Tang and his wife acknowledge this false testimony, you’re left without any recourse.

If Tang wanted to explain something to him, why would he find a stranger to deliver a message? If he really feared the people behind the scenes targeting him, he wouldn’t have sent someone over.

If he really wanted to tell him something, he could have come directly to find him himself.

He thought that if he quietly went to Tang’s house to find him, no one would know. That was just self-deception.

Such an obvious trap.

Lin Miao is not a child; he’s not that easy to fool.

If they could poison Shang Youwei to frame him, then killing Tang or both him and his wife together wouldn’t pose any psychological obstacle, would it?

Tang’s home must be a trap.

"Xia Zhu, go to the Arresting Department’s office immediately and invite Han Chunyang, Mr. Han, over for me." Contemplating the situation, Lin Miao called Xia Zhu over for instructions, "Tell him I’m waiting for him at the flower shop near Yanliu Lane and ask him to be careful not to be followed."

"Yes, Mr. Lin." Xia Zhu nodded, agreed, and then changed into a different outfit and left.

"Senior Sister, I’ll escort you home first." Lin Miao decided to take Sun Youwei home first. He definitely had to go to Tang’s home. He wanted to see what tricks they were playing, but he wouldn’t go alone.

"Junior Brother, do you need me to notify Miaoxue?" Sun Youwei realized there was potential danger in Lin Miao’s trip to Tang’s home. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have called upon Han Chunyang from the Arresting Department.

"Sure, better safe than sorry." Lin Miao thought for a moment and then nodded.

It’s better to add a layer of security, in case these people act irrationally. He might not be able to handle it alone.

...

After escorting Sun Youwei home, Lin Miao changed into ordinary clothes, put on a velvet hat to cover half of his face, but as soon as he stepped outside, he noticed someone staking out the back door.

Judging by his instincts, they were likely from the Green Blade Sect.

This further convinced him that Tang’s invitation tonight was indeed a trap.

The other side was sure that he would want to know why Tang and his wife reported the case, accusing the officials falsely, and would be unable to resist going.

At least that’s what a normal person would instinctively think.

Unfortunately, Lin Miao is someone who has been fed with all sorts of "suspense, intrigue" drama for two lifetimes, not to mention growing up under the influence of ancestral wisdom.

In terms of understanding human nature and strategies, he doesn’t feel he’ll lose to many people.

Just being watched, not followed, gave Lin Miao a sigh of relief. If the Green Blade Sect was following him, that would be troublesome.

He’s meeting with Han Chunyang shortly, and it will surely be seen. It seems they also know that if they follow him, they might be discovered, hence their plot would fail.

Being watched wouldn’t trigger too much backlash.

Lin Miao was not walking fast, considering the time. If Xia Zhu could see Han Chunyang in time to give him the message...

He and Han Chunyang should arrive at that floral shop at almost the same time.

The floral shop closes slightly later than other shops. Considering the New Year, there are still many young people out for a stroll at night, especially in a place like Xiuyue Square, known for its debauchery.

So, many shops catering to women are still doing business in the evening, plus tomorrow is the Lantern Festival.

Many people will pre-order a lantern, and the floral shop is where lanterns are made and sold.

At this time, there are still quite a few people choosing lanterns inside the shop. Adults might not be very interested in lanterns, but kids certainly love them.

Even in Lin Miao’s home, Yun had Mr. Xie buy a bunch of lanterns to take back. Whether for decoration or for the ten or so kids in the yard, who wouldn’t like them?

"Mr. Lin."

"Captain Han." Lin Miao quickly met Mr. Han Chunyang in plain clothes, exchanged some pleasantries first upon meeting.

"Mr. Lin, Lady Xia Zhu suddenly came to find me, tasked me with so many things, it really startled me, what’s going on?" Han Chunyang still didn’t understand why Lin Miao suddenly asked him to come out.

"In the evening, before heading home after a consultation, Tang suddenly sent someone to find me, saying it was his neighbor and invited me to meet at his home at night, he had something to tell me."

"Does he have something to report to South City District, accusing you of causing his son’s death?"

"I don’t know, Captain Han, don’t you find this matter suspicious?" Lin Miao asked, "Tang’s son died, and in his grief, if he really thought I caused his son’s death, what would his first reaction be?"

"That would definitely be to come to Mr. Lin and argue with you!"

"And then?"

"If you didn’t admit it, then he would report it to the authorities to have them arrest you."

"But after Tang’s son died, besides notifying their neighbors, his wife and he never left the house. Then how did South City District receive the report, and with no governmental constables on duty, how did Mr. Gong bring a team of constables to swiftly arrive at Tang’s house, who reported the case?"

"For this kind of case, generally, only the victim’s family goes to the authorities for them to accept it..." Han Chunyang wasn’t a fool, having been in the arresting department for years, he’s well aware of the rules.

"From Shang Youwei’s death by poisoning to Mr. Gong leading people over, it took the time of an incense stick. From Yanliu Lane to South City District Office and back to Tang’s house in Yanliu Lane, even if they rushed the moment they received the report, how long would it take for such a round trip?"

"At least half an hour, and that’s if the report was made immediately after Shang Youwei’s death, and only possible with the pace of a young person. Tang is over fifty, that’s clearly impossible..." Han Chunyang also realized there was a huge problem here.

"The South City District’s Mr. Gong and these people predicted in advance that Shang Youwei would die of poisoning, and predicted that Tang would report it, then they waited there for him to do so, appearing at Tang’s house at the first moment, sealing the door, taking away Mr. Tang and his wife, and the body, and importantly, they destroyed the scene."

Han Chunyang immediately felt a cold sweat on his back. If this was a man-made framing against Lin Miao, using a life to do this, it was truly cold-blooded and terrifying.

"Because I haven’t been to the scene, their testimonies are far-fetched, and the only thing that could get me imprisoned would be proving the prescription I gave was problematic. Anning Hall’s Song Yunzhong appeared, accusing my prescription of being poisonous, ultimately causing Shang Youwei’s death. But they never expected that someone could prove my prescription was fine, so now, Shang Youwei’s death has nothing to do with me, they must reestablish my connection with the Shang family..."

"You mean, this meeting tonight is actually a trap?"

"If I went alone, found Tang dead, and then was trapped inside, Captain Han, what do you think would happen?"

"No, it can’t be..." Han Chunyang was scared stiff by Lin Miao’s analysis, with the hair on the back of his neck standing on end, this was too frightening.

Lin Miao chuckled: "That’s why I called you over, you’re the captain of the arresting department, you go in with me, you’ll be a witness for me. If it’s just a false alarm, great, but if not, it also clears me from suspicion."

"Mr. Lin, are you sure, if they really have people arranged outside, can you and I handle it?" Han Chunyang asked, if they really set such a trap, what if they directly resort to murder.

It’s not impossible.

Lin Miao smiled slightly: "Captain Han, how do you know I don’t have a backup plan?"

"Mr. Lin has a backup plan?"

"I hope it won’t be needed." Lin Miao didn’t answer directly, but it indeed showed that he was not unprepared.

"Let’s go, I truly hope these people haven’t become so morally bankrupt!" Lin Miao said slowly.

"Wait, I didn’t bring a weapon..."

"Neither did I."

Han Chunyang was dumbfounded. You can fight without a weapon, but my fighting power is halved without one. Now that we’re here, he could only bite the bullet and follow.

"By the way, Mr. Lin, last time you mentioned fingerprint comparison, we did find another person’s fingerprint on the bowl Shang Youwei drank from, besides the three members of the Shang family, but we’ve compared it with all suspects related to the Shang family’s case and found no matches."

"Understood, it seems someone did secretly sneak into the Shang family and committed this heinous act." Lin Miao nodded.