Fan Xian took a deep breath, allowing the domineering zhenqi within him to circulate slowly, his clothes gently fluttering, the jade ornament given by the Empress swaying at his waist. He coldly glanced at the Thirteen Offices constables pressing in from all around, knowing that today's events had deviated greatly from his plan. Since the other side dared to disregard the face of the Prime Minister and his father, and were truly resorting to violence, it certainly wouldn't be as simple as just meting out punishment!

He took two steps forward, kicking aside the fire poker broken in two at his feet, and looked coldly at the two officials on the stand who were feigning composure, realizing he had made a major mistake: he had forgotten about that crazy woman in the Xinyang fiefdom far away. He just didn't know if Han Zhiwei's involvement was due to the Crown Prince's anger at his actions, or if the Empress knew something terrible.

The Niulan Street murders had been over for quite some time. In the minds of the people of the capital, Fan Xian was just a civil official with an astonishing talent for poetry, and they seemed to have forgotten that he was also a master of martial arts.

Everyone was shocked, and all that could be heard was the sound of waist sabers being drawn, chillingly loud, as countless sharp blades were pointed at Fan Xian, standing proudly in the hall.

The punitive sticks used by the Thirteenth Offices of the Ministry of Justice were specially made. Even a seventh-rank expert would only be able to wail in agony under such a stick. But who knew that the domineering zhenqi within Fan Xian was so fierce that he actually didn't dodge or avoid, but instead took two blows head-on, shattering the sticks!

This scene frightened all the Ministry of Justice constables. Only then did they remember that this seemingly weak and handsome civil official was the same man who had once disemboweled the Northern Qi eighth-rank Cheng Ju-shu.

More than a dozen waist sabers had already been drawn, emitting a cold light in the frigid hall of the Ministry of Justice, surrounding Fan Xian in the center. Fan Xian took two steps forward, and the dozen or so waist sabers retreated two steps in fear.

Fan Xian frowned, looking at Han Zhiwei and Guo Zheng on the stand, and said softly, "Are you sure you've considered the consequences of acting so recklessly?"

Han Zhiwei and Guo Zheng felt a chill in their hearts. They felt that the words of this handsome young man below the stand, although calm, were actually incredibly sinister. Although Prime Minister Lin Ruofu's power in the court had been greatly reduced because of Wu Bo'an, he was still the head of all officials in Qing, plus the Minister of Revenue who had grown up with His Majesty since childhood. Han Zhiwei suddenly regretted that he shouldn't have acted according to the instructions of that noble.

Guo Zheng, enraged by the downfall of Guo Youzhi, and relying on the support of the Eldest Princess behind him, knew that since things had already started, it was naturally impossible for them to end peacefully. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "This official is acting on His Majesty's orders to investigate the case. What consequences could there be?"

Han Zhiwei thought that since things had come to this, there was no room for regret. He hardened his heart and said coldly, "That's right, Little Fan, if you are willing to admit to being involved in the imperial examination fraud case, then naturally there will be no need to use torture. If you are not willing to confess, then according to Qing law, this Ministry can naturally use torture."

Fan Xian pursed his thin lips, looking at him with a non-smiling expression, "Fifteen major crimes, fifteen major crimes..." He shook his head and sighed, "There will be an opportunity to amend the Qing laws in the future."

Who could amend the law? Of course, only the Emperor. Fortunately, his words were extremely soft, otherwise, if they had fallen into the ears of others, just with these words, his entire Fan family could have been executed.

Han Zhiwei frowned and said, "Take this criminal down!" As soon as his voice fell, the Thirteenth Offices constables, already holding waist sabers, surrounded him. The wind of the blades rose in chaos, and two of the blades were already about to rest on Fan Xian's neck, forcing him to submit.

Fan Xian snorted coldly. His hands, which had been hidden in his sleeves all along, shot out like bullets, opening gently but incredibly quickly, turning into two wisps of smoke, hitting the wrists of the two constables closest to him. Immediately afterwards, he retracted his fists incredibly quickly, gently pushing them on their chests and abdomens.

This series of actions was too fast, so fast that no one could see it clearly at all. After a moment, two cracking sounds were heard, followed by two 'poof' sounds, and two muffled groans of pain!

The cracking sounds were the sound of the two constables' wrists breaking. The 'poof' sounds were the sound of the two waist sabers being sent flying by the zhenqi, slanting upwards, and deeply inserted into the two corners of the "Upright and Honorable" plaque of the Ministry of Justice. The two sabers were inserted above the red sun, as if the sun had grown two devil horns!

And the two constables, who had been gently pushed by Fan Xian on their chests and abdomens, flew backwards miserably, smashing into two chairs, smashing the chairs to pieces, and emitting two muffled groans.

Everyone was horrified, not expecting Fan Xian's strength to be so powerful. They subconsciously took half a step back.

...

...

Guo Zheng wasn't anxious or agitated, smiling as he looked at Fan Xian below the stand, and said softly, "Assaulting constables in court is an additional offense."

Han Zhiwei understood what he meant. Whether or not torture could be used was a minor matter, as long as charges could be added to Fan Xian - the more Fan Xian refused to submit, the more violently he resisted, the better.

Guo Zheng smiled at Fan Xian and said, "Little Fan, it's best to be honest. I know that you are both a scholar and a martial artist, and it wouldn't be difficult for you to escape from this hall of the Ministry of Justice. But... do you want to be branded as a rebel, without loyalty or filial piety?" He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, very satisfied with the current situation, and said softly, "If Little Fan resists at this time, it means you have ulterior motives. If you don't resist, then obediently accept the punishment."

He added one last sentence, "If Little Fan wants to fight his way out of the Ministry of Justice, please do so. It's just a pity... a pity that a dignified generation of poets, an idol in the hearts of scholars, will have to suffer such a great crime, causing unrest in his entire household and ruining his reputation."

Fan Xian looked at him calmly, and suddenly said, "This young master was actually frightened into growing up."

He was talking about his experience of seeing corpses every day when he was a child. He thought of the words of Censor Guo just now, which really had some of the style of Stephen Chow in Hail the Judge. The cold light in his eyes flashed and then disappeared. He knew that he couldn't fight his way out of the Ministry of Justice, but he wasn't willing to be tortured either, so he could only stall, stall until the people behind him reacted. He said coldly, "Fighting out of the Ministry of Justice is naturally a major crime. Very well, I'll just chat with you two gentlemen here, it's also good."

After saying these words, he went to the side and sat down on a chair, his eyelids slightly lowered, and said softly, "If you want to use torture, I will naturally resist. If you don't use torture, I don't mind sitting here for a while longer. You two gentlemen, when you're done with the trial, please notify this official so I can go home and have some porridge."

"What an audacious madman!" Han Zhiwei shouted, "Take him down for this official!"

This was already the third time he had shouted this during today's trial. There wasn't a trace of expression on Fan Xian's face. He gently slapped the tea table beside him, and the domineering zhenqi in his palm was released like clouds, instantly smashing the wooden tea table into countless pieces!

Then he raised his eyes and glanced at the constables around him. Swept by this gentle gaze, and thinking of the terrifying strength that this Little Fan had displayed, none of the Thirteenth Offices constables, who were usually fearless of ghosts and gods, dared to take a step forward!

Since the founding of the country, such an absurd scene had never appeared in the hall of the Ministry of Justice. It didn't seem like something that could happen in reality, but rather like an incomprehensible play that Fan Xian had occasionally glanced at in his previous life - the accused was sitting leisurely in a grand armchair, the constables around him dared not step forward, but this criminal was unwilling to fight his way out of the Ministry of Justice, and yet others had no way to deal with him.

...

...

In Fan Xian's life in this world, the chair he sat on always seemed to express his attitude at certain wonderful moments - whether it was anger or preparation for retaliation. In Danzhou, at the age of twelve, he had once stood on a small stool and beaten the second butler until his face was covered in peach blossoms. On the day he first entered the capital, he had sat in a grand armchair under the side gate, suppressing the anger in his heart, preparing to welcome the gentle words of the Second Concubine.

Today, in the hall of the Ministry of Justice, he was still sitting comfortably in a grand armchair, looking calmly at these two high-ranking officials who wanted to educate him with sticks, and calculating who else was behind the scenes besides the Eldest Princess.

The Ministry of Justice once again fell into a stalemate and confrontation. Watching Fan Xian, who was surrounded by the Thirteenth Offices constables with their swords, Censor Guo wasn't in a hurry. He knew that today, Minister of Revenue Fan Jian and Prime Minister Lin Ruofu were both being held up by other matters. He had plenty of time to wait for Yang Wanli and the other witnesses to enter the hall. He said with a smile:

"Tomorrow I will report today's events to His Majesty and see if you can still be so arrogant relying on the power of your fathers. Don't think that I can't convict you. In a while, when Yang Wanli and the other witnesses arrive, Minister Han will still take you down. If you dare to resist at that time, don't blame the Three Divisions for requesting an imperial edict to convict you of treason."

Fan Xian said softly, "Lord Guo, since both sides have already torn apart their faces today, then I will also be frank. If there is anything wrong with Yang Wanli and the others, then prepare for your funeral."

This was a blatant threat. Since the founding of Qing, Fan Xian was the first person to dare to threaten the current Minister of Justice and the Censor-in-Chief of the Court of Supervision in the hall of the Ministry of Justice, relying on his fifth-rank official status!

Feeling the killing intent in Fan Xian's calm words, Han Zhiwei felt a chill in his heart for no reason, and the corner of his eye twitched unluckily. He said coldly, "Fan Xian, you must know that you are an official of the court, not a strongman who establishes his authority with swords. Today you are making a scene in the Ministry of Justice, and I want to see how you will end this."

Fan Xian said softly, "The Ministry of Justice is trying to extract a confession by torture. The dignified Censor is dissatisfied with Minister Guo's dismissal due to the fraud case and is trying to retaliate. I don't know what kind of official pretense you have. Tomorrow, this official will make a big rhapsody about today's events and spread it to all corners of the world, so that all the people will know what the officials of today's Qing are like, and so that the Emperor will know what kind of ministers in today's court are listening to."

"Say whatever you want." Guo Zheng knew that with Fan Xian's current reputation, it wasn't impossible to do this. He said gloomily, "Little Fan knows the details of the fraud case, why didn't you report it to your superiors and let the court investigate, but instead acted through the Overwatch Council? In short, you are guilty of disregarding the court, and I want to see how Minister Fan will explain this to the court tomorrow!"

These words were aggressive. A hint of killing intent suddenly flashed across Fan Xian's delicate face. He stood up and stared coldly at the two high-ranking officials on the stand. The surrounding constables tensed up and aimed their sharp blades at Fan Xian's vital points.

Just when a crisis was about to break out, Yan Ruohai's cold voice came from outside the Ministry of Justice, "When does the Overwatch Council need to report to the Censorate when it is acting on imperial orders?"

Fan Xian smiled, sighed, and shook his head, somewhat regretting that the people from the Council had arrived a little early.