As the accompanying constables were about to break down the door, Magistrate Gong, filled with panic, exclaimed, "Your Excellency, could there be some misunderstanding?"
"This is my residence!"
"This is indeed your residence?" Gong Yi's face changed abruptly.
If a golden exemption token from execution was indeed found in Gong Ping's home.
Even he would face execution.
After all, the theft of such a token was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's clan.
And they were relatives within the five degrees of mourning.
Even he would be implicated.
Without further thought, he quickly turned to Bi Cang and asked nervously, "Your Excellency, is there some misunderstanding in this matter?"
Bi Cang's face was stern. "This compass was personally handed to me by the Great Emperor. I do not believe this compass would be mistaken."
"Men, break down the door."
"Yes!"
The accompanying personnel resorted to brute force to break down the door.
*Boom!*
The gate fell with a resounding crash.
At the same time, the Gong family's retainers, wielding staffs, swarmed out. "Who dares to break in? Do you know this is Magistrate Gong's residence..."
Before he could finish speaking.
They saw Gong Ping, trembling, and Yuan Zun.
Instantly, they were too frightened to speak.
Bi Cang ignored them and, following the compass's direction, arrived at the Gong family's ancestral hall.
Then.
His gaze locked onto the incense burner in the center of the hall.
He stepped forward and plunged his hand into the incense burner.
Then, to everyone's disbelief, he retrieved a golden exemption token from execution.
*Boom!*
Magistrate Gong and Gong Yi were struck as if by thunder, stunned on the spot.
Although gold was enticing.
Everyone knew what this exemption token meant for them.
It meant 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 envoy it's a misunderstanding? Do you take this imperial envoy for a blind man?"
*Swish, swish, swish!*
The sound of swords being drawn filled the air.
Sharp swords were placed at the necks of Gong Yi and Magistrate Gong.
Gong Yi's eyes blazed with fury, roaring, "Gong Ping, why are you dragging this official down with you to die? Why did you steal the Liu family's exemption token?"
Magistrate Gong was so terrified that he lost control of his bowels. He exclaimed in horror, "No, I did not steal the Liu family's exemption token. I can swear to heaven!"
He had no idea why the Liu family's exemption token was in the Gong family's ancestral hall incense burner.
"Lord Bi, there are still many doubts in this case," Gong Yi's mind raced. Enduring his inner unease, he said, "Gong Ping is to retire in a few days. I don't believe he would steal the Liu family's exemption token."
"Because even if he stole it, it would be worthless to an ordinary person."
"Secondly, even if he truly stole the Liu family's exemption token, why would he hide it in his own home?"
"I implore Your Excellency to investigate thoroughly and deliver justice to the Gong family."
Though he was in a state of panic.
He was still quite capable.
Otherwise, the Great Emperor would not have sent him and Bi Cang to investigate the stolen exemption token case.
It was just.
That the case had affected him directly was rather unexpected.
Bi Cang's expression was impassive. "Are you suggesting that someone deliberately framed the Gong family?"
Gong Yi lowered his head nervously. "We cannot rule out that possibility."
Bi Cang snorted. "Then I would like to know, who has such a deep enmity with the Gong family that they could steal an 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 of kin?"
Magistrate Gong's face was sallow, and he couldn't utter a word.
"Useless! You are utterly useless!" Gong Yi cursed vehemently.
Bi Cang's gaze was complex. "Lord Gong, the Great Emperor has decreed that anyone involved in the case of the stolen exemption token, regardless of their identity, will have their nine generations of kin exterminated."
"Although you are an imperial envoy, according to the law, I can only inconvenience you for now."
"I hope you do not resist—"
Before he could finish the word "resist."
A powerful aura erupted from within Gong Yi.
He flung the sword at his neck away, transforming into a falcon and soaring into the sky.
He knew.
The case was already decided.
No one could change the final outcome.
Rather than be escorted back to Fengdu City, it was better to escape.
Otherwise, death awaited him.
"How can I let you escape before my very eyes?"
A cold glint flashed in Bi Cang's eyes.
He formed his finger into a sword.
*Poof!*
A streak of sword light pierced the roof and soared into the sky like a fleeting gleam.
Gong Yi, transformed into a falcon, felt a powerful aura approaching and instinctively lowered his head.
Immediately, the sword energy grazed the falcon's neck.
Splattering a mist of blood.
The next moment.
The falcon revealed Gong Yi's true form.
A bloody head and a headless corpse plummeted from the sky.
They landed with a dull thud.
"Why... did it turn out this way..." Gong Yi's eyes widened, filled with boundless unwillingness.
He had thought.
After investigating the case of the stolen exemption token and returning to Fengdu City, he would surely rise through the ranks and be promoted.
After all, that was the benefit of being an imperial envoy.
Alas, the exemption token was found in the Gong family's possession.
"Chen Nan, it was you! You framed our Gong family!" Magistrate Gong, realizing something, stared at him angrily.
"That day, you swapped the genuine for the fake, replacing the real token with a fake one before Marquis Wen, thus causing them to present a fake token and trick the Liu family."
"Then you hid the real exemption token in our Gong family's incense burner."
"You did this to take revenge on me because I had previously made things difficult for you."
Aside from Chen Nan.
He couldn't recall having offended anyone else.
Therefore, Chen Nan was highly suspected.
Chen Nan looked at him with surprise.
Holy cow!
So clever.
He had actually seen through his scheme.
However.
Such an intelligent person, why did he offend himself just before retirement?
"Magistrate Gong, you are slandering me," Yuan Zun roared. "Chen Nan did indeed come into contact with the exemption token that day. Although Liu Qingfeng also accused him, Marquis Wen cleared Chen Nan's name."
"Before he died, Marquis Wen explicitly stated that Chen Nan could not have swapped the tokens before his eyes."
"As an outsider, how can you be certain that Chen Nan replaced the genuine exemption token?"
"Do you believe your words are more convincing than Marquis Wen's?"
Magistrate Gong wept. "But our Gong family is truly wronged! This subordinate truly did not steal Marquis Wen's exemption token!"
Bi Cang said faintly, "Perhaps your Gong family did not steal the exemption token, but that is no longer important."
"What is important is that the Great Emperor wants only one answer."
"He only wants the exemption token back."
"That's all."
"Men, arrest all members of the Gong family and escort them back to Fengdu City for the Great Emperor to decide their fate!"
Upon hearing this.
Magistrate Gong's eyes rolled back, and he was so terrified that his liver and gallbladder burst, and he died on the spot.
Before dying, he saw with terror that Chen Nan silently gave him a middle finger of contempt.
Suddenly.
Outside the Gong family's residence, Song Ziwei's anxious voice rang out, "Young Master, Young Master, are you there?"
Chen Nan immediately ran out. If Song Ziwei had found him, something significant must have happened.
Without further thought, he quickly asked, "What happened?"