At the beginning of the next day’s Mao hour—around five in the morning by modern reckoning—Xu Ke got up with a yawn. It was still dark outside; a lamp burned inside, its dim yellow light making one drowsy.

Siqi stood by the bed attending to him. Seeing he was awake, she handed him a warm cloth to wash his face. The girl was tall and sturdily built, quick and efficient, never dragging her feet. Xu Ke took the cloth, a thought passing through his mind.

If she hadn’t come here as part of the dowry, then in a year or two she would have had an affair with Pan You’an, been exposed and driven out, and finally ended her life by smashing into a wall.

At this moment, Siqi was lowering her head to straighten his clothes, unaware how close she had once come to such a fate.

Xu Ke clicked his tongue inwardly, thinking the five thousand taels had been well spent—he had saved more than just Yingchun.

Once dressed and washed, Yingchun came in from the back hall with Xiuju, carrying a tray with several small dishes and two bowls of hot porridge.

Xu Ke glanced up. Today Yingchun looked different again: her hair was pinned up in a married woman’s style. Under the lamplight, her gentle face carried an indescribable charm. She didn’t dare meet his eyes—each glance darted away, the tips of her ears flushed red.

Amused, Xu Ke called, “Come, sit and eat with me.”

Yingchun froze for a moment, then answered softly, “Yes.”

She stepped forward as told and perched lightly on the edge of the stool, her posture still proper, though her ears were faintly red.

Xu Ke took a sip of porridge and picked up a piece of pickled radish, placing it in her bowl.

Yingchun paused, lowering her gaze to the food, not moving for a moment.

“Not to your taste?”

“No,” she hurriedly replied, “it’s just… you trouble yourself too much, my lord. I can serve myself.”

Xu Ke smiled and said no more, continuing his meal.

Only the soft clink of bowls and chopsticks filled the room. Yingchun ate in small, careful bites; when she reached the radish, the corner of her lips curved ever so slightly.

Seeing this, Xu Ke casually asked, “Are you getting used to living here?”

Yingchun nodded gently. “I am.”

“If you lack anything, just tell me. Don’t keep it to yourself.” He placed another bite of food into her bowl.

She didn’t refuse this time. After a long pause, she said quietly, “My lord treats me… very well.”

Her voice grew softer toward the end, almost inaudible.

Xu Ke smiled faintly. “As I should. You are my wife—if I don’t treat you well, who should I treat well?”

Yingchun said nothing more, though the tips of her ears reddened again.

After the meal, Xu Ke stood and headed out. At the doorway, he turned back for a glance. Yingchun was still standing by the table, watching him leave; when she saw him look back, she quickly lowered her head.

“I’ll be interrogating Zhou Shun today,” Xu Ke said. “Don’t wait for me at noon—I’ll likely be tied up until the afternoon.”

Yingchun responded softly, “Take care, my lord.”

Xu Ke waved a hand and lifted the curtain as he left.

As soon as he was gone, the room relaxed.

Siqi was the first to break. She leaned toward Yingchun and whispered with a grin, “Miss—no, Madam—did you hear what the master just said?”

Yingchun, her face still flushed, kept eating as if she hadn’t heard.

Xiuju covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

“What did he say?” Yingchun asked, feigning ignorance.

“You are my wife—if I don’t treat you well, who should I treat well!” Siqi mimicked Xu Ke’s tone, exaggerating the cadence until Xiuju burst out laughing.

Yingchun blushed deeper and scolded, “You wretched girl, have some decorum.”

Unafraid, Siqi grinned. “Don’t be cross, Madam—I’m happy for you. Last night Xiuju and I were saying, we didn’t know what kind of man this new husband would be. What if he turned out like those young masters in the household…”

She trailed off; the meaning was clear enough.

Xiuju added from the side, “Who would have thought the master is quite a good man.”

“More than quite,” Siqi raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you see just now? He served Madam at the table, asked if she was comfortable, told her to speak up if she needed anything. It’s only the first day after the wedding—there aren’t many husbands this considerate.”

Listening, Yingchun’s lips slowly curved into a smile, though she said nothing.

Siqi went on, “Though the master’s rank isn’t high—just a seventh-rank official—the magistrate of the capital county is a real post, right in the imperial region. Plenty of people want it and can’t get it. Besides, rank aside, what matters is that he cares. Don’t you agree, Madam?”

Yingchun finally spoke, her voice soft: “I do.”

Xu Ke entered the main hall just as the sky began to lighten.

He ordered the bailiffs to strike the cloud board—three heavy knocks echoed through the county yamen courtyard. Before long, doors opened one after another, clerks, runners, and various officials hurrying toward the hall.

Roll call was at the middle of the Mao hour—six o’clock by modern time. Xu Ke stood under the eaves watching; everyone had arrived, not a single person missing.

The county magistrate, Zhou Fengchun, was the last to come, stepping into the courtyard right on time. Seeing Xu Ke, he cupped his hands. “The magistrate is early.”

Xu Ke smiled. “County Magistrate Zhou is not late either.”

Their gazes met briefly, then shifted away.

Registrar Sun Moxuan stood to one side, half-closing his eyes, expression unreadable. Several squad leaders whispered among themselves, but fell silent as soon as Xu Ke glanced their way.

After roll call, Xu Ke walked straight to the bench and sat at the center. He struck the gavel—its sound wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to every ear:

“Bring in Zhou Shun.”

When Zhou Shun was brought in, he was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. With the cangue fastened around his neck, he seemed half-deflated. Kneeling in the hall, he kept his head lowered, not looking at anyone.

Xu Ke wasted no time and went straight to the point. “Zhou Shun, in yesterday’s case of seizing another man’s wife and framing an innocent, I exposed you on the spot. Do you admit your guilt?”

Zhou Shun looked up, his face full of grievance. “My lord, I’ve been wronged! I was deceived by that woman Cui Niang. She said the mute man was harassing her and begged me to stand up for her. That’s why I…”

“Oh?” Xu Ke cut him off. “So you’re saying you’re a victim too?”

Zhou Shun nodded repeatedly. “Exactly, exactly! I was bewitched by that woman for a moment and made a foolish mistake. I beg you, my lord, see clearly!”

Xu Ke did not respond. Instead, he turned to the side. “What does the Assistant Magistrate think?”

Zhou Fengchun, standing nearby, stroked his beard and spoke unhurriedly. “Your judgment yesterday was admirable, my lord. However, what Zhou Shun says is not without reason. If he was truly misled by Cui Niang, then he would be an accomplice rather than the principal offender.”

He paused, then looked at Xu Ke. “According to the laws of Great Yan, in cases of fraud, an accomplice is punished with a fine at most, while the principal offender is the one to be imprisoned. Wouldn’t you agree, my lord?”

Xu Ke sneered inwardly.

What a clever reversal—casting Cui Niang as the mastermind and turning Zhou Shun into a duped fool, letting him off with just a fine.

Keeping his expression neutral, Xu Ke said calmly, “Assistant Magistrate Zhou makes a fair point. In that case, I happen to have a witness who can make Zhou Shun confess honestly.”

He struck the gavel. “Bring in the witness!”

Soon, an old man in his fifties was led into the hall. His back was hunched, his eyes red and swollen, his steps unsteady. The moment he saw Xu Ke, he dropped to his knees with a thud, crying out:

“My lord! Please uphold justice for this humble man!”

Behind him stood a middle-aged man in a scholar’s robe and headscarf.

The moment the old man appeared, Zhou Shun’s expression changed.

So did Zhou Fengchun’s.

He stepped forward. “My lord, why is someone unrelated to this case being brought into court?”

Xu Ke glanced at him. “And how do you know he’s unrelated?”

Zhou Fengchun was left speechless.

Ignoring him, Xu Ke addressed the old man. “Who are you? What grievance do you have? Speak freely.”

The middle-aged man stepped forward and bowed. “My lord, I am Qin Lang. My ancestors once attained the xiucai degree; now I make a living writing legal petitions in the county. Today I accompany this man, Li Gui, to accuse Zhou Shun of abducting an innocent woman, abusing her, and causing her death—crimes most heinous!”

Xu Ke asked, “Do you have a written complaint?”

Qin Lang took a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. Xu Ke glanced over it briefly and handed it to the clerk.

The clerk read it aloud in court.

When the reading ended, the hall fell so silent a pin could be heard dropping.

Li Gui was a villager from West Hamlet. His only son had died years ago of illness, leaving behind a widowed daughter-in-law, Madam Zou, and a young grandson. Zhou Shun had somehow set his sights on Madam Zou and harassed her several times without success.

Half a month ago, one night, he led men into Li Gui’s home and abducted her. Li Gui searched everywhere and found no way to bring a complaint.

Ten days later, Madam Zou’s naked corpse was thrown back at the Li family’s doorstep. There wasn’t a patch of uninjured skin on her body—it was a horrifying sight.

After the reading, the courtroom remained deathly quiet.

Xu Ke was silent for a moment, then looked at Li Gui. “Li Gui, is this true?”

Tears streamed down Li Gui’s face as he knocked his head against the ground. “My lord! If I speak even half a false word, may heaven strike me down! My daughter-in-law… she died so miserably!”

Zhou Shun panicked and struggled as he shouted, “My lord! I’ve been wronged! I don’t even know this man, nor have I ever seen his daughter-in-law! This is a false accusation!”

Xu Ke ignored him and turned to Qin Lang. “Attorney Qin, do you have evidence?”

Qin Lang bowed. “My lord, Madam Zou’s body has not yet been buried. When it was returned, Li Gui discovered bits of flesh beneath her fingernails and deep blood marks—signs of her struggle before death. If we examine Zhou Shun for scratch marks, the truth will be clear!”

Zhou Shun’s face turned deathly pale, yet he still tried to argue.

Xu Ke had already struck the gavel. “Guards, strip off his upper garments!”

Several bailiffs stepped forward and quickly tore open Zhou Shun’s clothing.

Under his arms and across his chest were several scratch marks. Though they had begun to scab over, the wounds were still visible—clearly the result of someone clawing at him in desperate resistance.

Xu Ke turned to the coroner. “Take an imprint of Madam Zou’s hand and bring it here for comparison.”

The coroner acknowledged and left. Before long, he returned with a sheet bearing the imprint of her hand.

They held it against Zhou Shun’s chest.

A perfect match.

The entire hall erupted in shock.

Zhou Shun collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a single word.

Only after the noise subsided did Xu Ke speak slowly:

“Zhou Shun, I had not yet pursued yesterday’s case in depth. Now another life has been added. What do you have to say?”

Zhou Shun’s lips trembled as he desperately twisted his head to look toward Zhou Fengchun.

Zhou Fengchun’s face was ashen, and he said nothing.

Xu Ke gave him no further chance. He struck the gavel heavily:

“Zhou Shun abducted a civilian woman, abused her, and caused her death. The evidence is conclusive! Guards, shackle him with heavy irons and throw him into the death row cells under strict watch! Once I have fully investigated yesterday’s case, judgment will be passed!”

The bailiffs dragged Zhou Shun away. He struggled and cried out, “My lord, spare me!” and “My lord, I’m innocent!” His voice grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared beyond the courtyard walls.

Xu Ke rose to his feet and swept his gaze across those present.

Zhou Fengchun lowered his eyes in silence. The squad leaders kept their heads down, not daring to speak. Registrar Sun Moxuan still wore that same lifeless expression.

“Court dismissed.”

With that, Xu Ke turned and headed straight for the rear hall.

Behind him, Zhou Fengchun’s gaze followed him all the way until his figure vanished beyond the doorway.