Chapter 42

Yet she persisted, clinging to life.

She waited for justice, and for a chance to express her gratitude to the one who had shown her mercy.

The woman before him was nothing but skin and bones, her voice barely audible, like the faint buzzing of a mosquito.

When Gu Changjin read about the case of this mother and daughter in the Ministry of Justice, Jin Shi's life was summarized in just a few brief lines: where and when she was born, who her parents were, whom she married, when she gave birth to her daughter, and when she lost her husband.

Back then, Jin Shi was merely a name on a file.

As Gu Changjin buried himself in paperwork, he never imagined the person behind that name. While drafting memorandums with his pen dancing across the paper, he never considered the injustice inflicted upon this individual.

But now, as Jin Shi knelt before him, he finally comprehended the meaning behind those two characters: "Jin Shi." A woman, a mother, an innocent forced to confess to a crime.

Gu Changjin's heart sank into the endless darkness, yet his limbs seemed to be engulfed in a wildfire.

This feeling was not unfamiliar.

Chapter 20

This sensation was not unfamiliar.

Many years ago, Shandong's Yanzhou experienced a severe drought. The scorching sun blazed overhead, turning fertile fields into cracked earth. Starving and thirsty, good citizens were reduced to wandering refugees, scavenging for food wherever they could.

In the worst-hit areas, there were reports of people resorting to cannibalism to survive.

Xu Fu stuffed a bag of steamed buns into his arms and cast him into that throng of refugees.

"Yan'er, go. Only then will you understand why one cannot afford to be soft-hearted or merciful."

Smiling, her expression gentle yet compassionate, she pushed him out of the carriage without any hesitation.

With a thud—

Dry earth kicked up a cloud of dust as he hit the ground. Instantly, a swarm of destitute refugees, clad in tattered clothes, surrounded him. The clear sky that had just greeted his eyes was now obscured by scores of bony, blackened hands.

Back then, he was only seven years old, surrounded by a mob of starving refugees whose eyes glowed with desperation. Not only was the steamed bun in his arms sustenance, but so was he.

He had lost track of how long he had been running.

The shoes embroidered with golden cloud patterns had long since worn out, leaving his bare feet bloodied from the scorching ground, blistered with each step.

He dashed into the dense forest, the rustling wind rushing past him, the air he sucked into his lungs feeling like searing blades, slicing his throat with a metallic tang.

A large number of trees near the forest's edge had fallen, their leaves and roots devoured by the desperate refugees.

There was no choice but to run deeper into the forest, where fierce beasts lurked.

Gu Changjin had an innate sense of belonging in such wilderness.

As a child, his father would carry him up the mountains for hunting expeditions, teaching him diligently how to hunt in the woods and conceal his tracks.

"Suiguan, tread softly, hold steady, and never let your heart race," his father had said.

"Remember, never reveal your vulnerabilities."

"Once discovered, you'll no longer be the hunter. Instead, those fierce beasts will turn on you, making you their prey, tearing you apart."

The trees in the heart of the dense forest stood closely together, guiding him through their labyrinth as his father's words echoed in his mind. Swiftly, he climbed up a branch and leaped onto the tree. He ascended rapidly, concealing himself within a cluster of shadows.

That night, the moon shone like molten silver. Deep within the woods, howls of wolves resonated, while outside, the forest was filled with men's roars, women's sobs, and even the sounds of fabric tearing.

Perched high in the tree, he dared not close his eyes for a moment.

Three days later, Xu Fu came to retrieve him in her carriage, asking, "Yan'er, Aunt is asking again, do you still wish to spare that mastiff's life?"

The young boy, covered in blood, had cracked lips and feet blistered with blood, leaving a trail of crimson footprints behind him with each step.

Looking up at Xu Fu, he replied expressionlessly, "Not anymore."

Xu Fu's smile widened gently. She tenderly wiped the scratches on his face caused by twigs and gravel, saying with relief, "Good. When we return, you'll kill it yourself."

That mastiff was named Ah Chai, a companion who had grown up alongside Gu Changjin.

Gu Changjin's lips pressed tightly together, his heart sinking straight down, as if plunging into an icy abyss.

Yet, his body burned with an intense heat as if the scorching sun above had pierced through his mangled flesh to ignite a raging fire within his limbs.

In the Ministry of Justice's prison at this moment, that familiar searing sensation returned.

It was not without pain, he realized.

Gu Changjin bent down and carefully lifted Jin Shi, speaking in a gentle tone, "There is no need to thank this official. I am merely fulfilling my duty in handling this case. Your gratitude is more than I can bear. You, just wait a little longer."

Though he didn't specify what she was waiting for, Jin Shi understood.

The woman opened her mouth, and tears welled up in her parched eyes.

"I, I, this... peasant woman... will wait," she stammered, as if recalling something, then added, "This peasant woman—"

Each word that left her lips was a struggle, but Jin Shi persisted, slowly pushing the rest of her words from her tongue, "Has... never... admitted... guilt."

She had never admitted her guilt.

Not once.

Admitting guilt would mean her death, and Li'er would be forever trapped under that person's control.

She withstood immense suffering rather than confess, for it was those very individuals who forced her to sign a confession with her broken and bony thumb.

Her savior had fought for her justice; she couldn't let him believe she had once admitted guilt.

She wanted him to know that the person he saved never confessed, not even until her dying breath!

Jinshi's tearful gaze never left Gu Changjin.

Gu Changjin nodded slowly, solemnly assuring, "I know, you never admitted guilt."

...

The narrow corridor of the prison seemed endless as Gu Changjin emerged from within. As the main gate swung open, a thin stream of dawn light poured in like water.

Inside and outside the prison were two entirely different worlds.

Tan Siyuan turned back to look at him and said, "Since you insist on fulfilling your duty, come with this official to review Xu Li'er and Jinshi's case. The evidence that overturned their conviction was obtained through your covert investigation in Changping. No one in the entire Ministry of Justice knows these evidences better than you."

Gu Changjin was occupied with affairs at the Ministry of Punishment for five consecutive days, during which Chang Ji dutifully delivered soup and meals to him every day.