As the accompanying constables were about to break down the door, Magistrate Gong, filled with anxiety, asked, "Your Excellency, could there be some misunderstanding?"
"This is my residence, sir!"
"This is your residence?" Gong Yi's expression changed drastically.
If a death-exemption token was indeed found in Gong Ping's house.
Even he would be beheaded.
After all, the theft of a death-exemption token was a capital offense punishable by the extermination of one's nine generations.
And they were within the five degrees of kinship.
Even he would be implicated.
Without further thought, he quickly turned to Bi Cang and nervously inquired, "Your Excellency, is there a misunderstanding in this matter?"
Bi Cang, with a stern face, declared, "This compass was personally handed to me by the Great Emperor. I do not believe this compass can be wrong."
"Guards, break down the door."
"Yes!"
The accompanying personnel resorted to brute force and broke down the door.
*Boom!*
The door collapsed.
At the same time, the house guards of the Gong family rushed out, brandishing their staffs, "Who dares to break in? Do you know this is Magistrate Gong's residence..."
Before they could finish their sentence.
They saw the trembling Gong Ping.
And Yuan Zun.
They were so terrified that they dared not utter another word.
Bi Cang ignored them and, following the compass's direction, arrived at the Gong family's ancestral hall.
Then.
His gaze fell upon the incense burner in the center of the hall.
He walked forward and plunged his hand into the incense burner.
Immediately, to the incredulous eyes of everyone present, he retrieved a golden death-exemption token.
*Boom!*
Magistrate Gong and Gong Yi were struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.
Although gold was alluring.
Everyone knew what this death-exemption token meant to them.
It signified that the Gong family was about to face utter destruction.
Bi Cang let out a heavy snort, "Magistrate Gong, the evidence is conclusive, yet you tell this imperial inspector it's a misunderstanding? Do you take this imperial inspector for a fool?"
*Swish, swish, swish!*
The sound of swords being drawn filled the air.
Sharp blades were placed at the necks of Gong Yi and Magistrate Gong.
Gong Yi's eyes blazed with fury, he roared, "Gong Ping, why the hell are you dragging this official down with you? Why did you steal the Liu family's death-exemption token?"
Magistrate Gong, utterly terrified, lost control of his bowels. He exclaimed in horror, "No, I did not steal the Liu family's death-exemption token, I swear to the heavens."
He had no idea how the Liu family's death-exemption token ended up in the Gong family's ancestral hall's incense burner.
"Lord Bi, there are still many doubts in this case," Gong Yi's mind raced. He suppressed his inner unease and said, "Gong Ping is about to retire in a few days. I don't believe he would steal the Liu family's death-exemption token."
"Because even if he stole it, it would be worthless to an ordinary person."
"Secondly, even if he did steal the Liu family's death-exemption token, why would he hide it in his own home?"
"I implore Your Excellency to investigate thoroughly and bring justice to the Gong family."
Despite his panic.
He was still quite capable.
Otherwise, the Great Emperor would not have dispatched him and Bi Cang to investigate the theft of the death-exemption token.
It was just that.
Being embroiled in such a matter was quite unexpected.
Bi Cang's expression remained impassive, "Are you implying that someone deliberately framed the Gong family?"
Gong Yi lowered his head nervously, "This possibility cannot be ruled out."
Bi Cang coldly snorted, "Then I would like to know who harbors such deep animosity towards the Gong family that they could steal a death-exemption token from the heavily guarded Liu family and hide it in the Gong family's incense burner?"
Gong Yi glared at Magistrate Gong, "Speak! Who did you offend? Who wants to exterminate your nine generations?"
Magistrate Gong's face was ashen, he could not utter a word.
"Useless! You are utterly useless!" Gong Yi cursed him.
Bi Cang's gaze was complex, he said, "Lord Gong, the Great Emperor has decreed that anyone involved in the theft of the death-exemption token, regardless of who they are, will have their nine generations implicated."
"Although you are an imperial inspector, according to the law, you will have to be inconvenienced for now."
"I hope you do not resist..."
Before he could finish the word "resist."
A powerful aura erupted from within Gong Yi.
He sent the sword at his neck flying and transformed into a swift eagle, soaring into the sky.
He knew.
The outcome of this case was already sealed.
No one could alter the final result.
Rather than be escorted back to Fengdu City, it was better to escape.
Otherwise, death awaited him.
"Do you think you can escape before me?"
A cold glint flashed in Bi Cang's eyes.
He turned his finger into a sword.
*Pfft!*
A streak of sword light pierced through the roof, like a fleeting glimpse of a swan, soaring into the heavens.
Gong Yi, transformed into an eagle, felt a powerful force approaching and instinctively lowered his head.
The sword energy then grazed the eagle's neck.
Splattering a mist of blood.
The next moment.
The eagle reverted to Gong Yi's true form.
A bloody head and a headless corpse plummeted from the sky.
Landing with a dull thud.
"Why... did it end up like this..." Gong Yi's eyes widened, filled with an endless sense of unwillingness.
He had initially believed.
That after investigating the death-exemption token case and returning to Fengdu City, he would surely soar to great heights and be promoted.
After all, that was the benefit of being an imperial inspector.
Alas, the death-exemption token was found in the Gong family's possession.
"Chen Nan, it was you! You framed our Gong family!" Magistrate Gong, as if realizing something, looked at him with rage.
"That day, you used a trick, a 'cat for a prince,' in front of Lord Wen, causing them to present a fake token, and used this ploy to trick the Liu family."
"Then you hid the real death-exemption token in our Gong family's incense burner."
"The reason you did this was to retaliate against me because I had previously made things difficult for you."
Besides Chen Nan.
He couldn't recall anyone else he had offended.
Therefore, Chen Nan was highly suspected.
Chen Nan looked at him with a surprised expression.
Damn it!
So clever.
He had actually seen through his scheme.
However.
Someone so clever, why did they offend him just before their retirement?
"Magistrate Gong, you are spewing slander," Yuan Zun shouted angrily. "Chen Nan did indeed come into contact with the death-exemption token that day. Although he was also accused by Liu Qingfeng, Lord Wen cleared Chen Nan of suspicion."
"Lord Wen himself stated before his death that Chen Nan could not have used a trick in front of him."
"How can you, an outsider, be so sure that Chen Nan replaced the real death-exemption token?"
"Do you think your words are more persuasive than Lord Wen's?"
Magistrate Gong cried, "But, our Gong family is truly wronged! This subordinate really did not steal Lord Wen's death-exemption token!"
Bi Cang said indifferently, "Perhaps your Gong family did not steal the death-exemption token, but that is not important."
"What is important is that the Great Emperor wants an answer."
"He only wants the death-exemption token back."
"Nothing more."
"Guards, arrest all members of the Gong family and escort them back to Fengdu City to be judged by the Great Emperor!"
Hearing this.
Magistrate Gong's eyes rolled back, his heart shattered by fear, and he died on the spot.
Before he died, he saw with horror.
Chen Nan silently gave him a middle finger of contempt.
Suddenly.
Song Ziwei's anxious voice was heard from outside the Gong family residence, "Young Master, Young Master, are you there?"
Chen Nan immediately ran out. Song Ziwei finding him here must mean something big had happened.
Without a second thought, he quickly asked, "What's wrong?"