Huo Qizhou looked at the grand gate of the Supreme Court of Judicature and then at the petite figure beside him. He never thought he would actually accompany her here.
After leaving the mansion, Shi Muyuan first sent Twelve to deliver a message to Huo Qizhou, hoping that he could accompany her. Only then would she go to the Shi family to look for the clues he wanted.
The national teacher, who had just looked up from his official duties, naturally refused flatly. He told Twelve to ask Yan Mo, who was nearby, to lead the way. However, upon hearing this, Yan Mo simply said that he had official business outside the city and then disappeared.
The national teacher buried his head in the official documents for a while, rubbed his temples with his long fingers, clicked his tongue, and finally put down the writing brush in his hand, stood up, and walked out.
Sun Ru was a bit dumbfounded looking at the national teacher's departing back. What was wrong with his master? He had never seen him like this before.
As for the Supreme Court of Judicature, not to mention that she might not be able to get in. Even if she could, how could she dare to bring two young girls in?
Moreover, one of them was the daughter of the General of Huaihua. Was she just looking for trouble because she thought life was too peaceful?
The serious guards at the gate, seeing Huo Qizhou, respectfully opened the gate and let them in.
The pitch - black gate exuded a chilling aura. Maybe it was because Xiao Xiao's description of the Supreme Court of Judicature was too vivid. Shi Muyuan felt as if she could already hear the screams and smell the blood inside.
As someone who had been exposed to a lot of junk information in the internet era, how could Shi Muyuan be afraid! She had seen videos of terrorist organizations beheading people, mysterious campus violence, and real - life surveillance of people falling from high - rise buildings with their brains splattering everywhere! She had seen it all. Shi Muyuan tried to comfort herself.
However, the reality still made her a bit timid.
She swallowed hard, which was noticed by Huo Qizhou. The man gave a soft laugh. "If you're scared, you can just turn back now."
Shi Muyuan pursed her lips and glanced at him. "I'm not scared." Then she stepped forward and walked in.
The long corridor exuded a solemn atmosphere. Only the deep and shallow footsteps of a few people echoed on the ground.
"Why is there no one? Where are the officials?"
"Maybe they're busy with their own cases or interrogating prisoners," Xiao Xiao replied.
"All of them? How many cases could there be?" Shi Muyuan was greatly surprised.
"The population of Changjing City is large. There are hundreds of small and big things every day. The number of people in the Supreme Court of Judicature is limited. Half of the clerks are working inside, so it's natural that we can't see them."
"Aren't they afraid that someone will break in?"
"Heh, do you think this is just any place that anyone can break into?" Huo Qizhou, who was walking in front, turned around to look at her.
The man was against the light. The already dark and solemn Supreme Court of Judicature had dyed his snow - white and holy robe black.
Suddenly, Shi Muyuan thought that black might suit him better.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
They then walked into a main hall. People in the hall were busy with their own work. Even if they were curious about them, they just took a glance and then lowered their heads to continue what they were doing.
All kinds of files and case records were placed in front of them.
But this was completely different from what Shi Muyuan had imagined in her mind.
She thought it should be a bloody mess, with everyone having a fierce look on their faces while interrogating prisoners. Instead, the atmosphere was so calm. She could only hear many people complaining and joking about the troublesome cases in their hands. It was orderly and solemn, and there was also a nice smell of sandalwood.
"Greetings to the national teacher." Someone bowed when they saw Huo Qizhou.
"I'm Shang Wen. I serve under Lord Yan. I hold the position of a judge in the Supreme Court of Judicature. I'm here to lead the way for the national teacher by Lord Yan's order." Shang Wen looked very kind - faced.
"Okay."
"Who is this?" Shang Wen looked at Shi Muyuan beside him.
Before coming, Huo Qizhou had told her that too many people would easily arouse suspicion, so only the two of them should go.
Shi Muyuan's plan was thwarted. She had to ask Xiao to take Yaokun to buy some things to repair the dilapidated mansion first. The rest was left to Huo Qizhou. After all, she couldn't find the deed of the mansion now. And since so much time had passed, the government had automatically taken back the land. It was only because of the bad rumors that people were afraid to go there, so it had remained until now.
"She's my little attendant."
Shi Muyuan lowered her head and bowed to Shang Wen. "Lord Shang."
"In that case, let's go inside." Shang Wen stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation.
The deeper they went, the stronger the damp smell of blood became. Shi Muyuan felt nauseous and quietly covered her nose and mouth.
"It seems that the national teacher's little attendant is not quite used to it," Shang Wen said with a smile to Huo Qizhou after noticing.
Only then did the man turn around and look at Shi Muyuan, who was half a step behind him. He frowned slightly and took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and handed it to her.
"Just a newly - picked kid. Don't laugh at her, Lord Shang."
"I see. The national teacher is cultivating another good talent."
Shi Muyuan held the handkerchief to cover the lower half of her face. Her fair skin under the handkerchief was blushing. She looked at the cold - faced man in front and never thought he would actually care about her.
Shi Muyuan admitted that she was still too naive.
It turned out that what she had seen outside was just a "false appearance" of calm.
After entering the dungeon, the wet smell of blood in the air became even stronger, mixed with a nauseating odor. The sound of whips and terrifying screams drilled into her ears.
It was ear - piercing!
Shang Wen led them past a row of empty cells. Immediately afterwards, what came into view were rows of blood - stained tools and some red - hot branding irons.
"These are used to scare the newly - arrived prisoners. If they're scared out of their wits and tell the truth without interrogation, that's of course good. But there are also some who are stubborn, so these are inevitable," Shang Wen kindly explained to her.
"Thank you."
"It's okay. You're about the same age as my younger brother. I just love you as I love him."
Shi Muyuan couldn't imagine that Yan Mo would have such terrifying things. She became more and more determined that she could offend anyone except Yan Mo and Huo Qizhou in the future.
The screams still echoed in her ears. There were no prisoners being tortured in sight, but Shi Muyuan still saw some objects that looked like broken flesh and bones. She retched. It seemed that the execution area was not here. Shi Muyuan let out a sigh of relief.
She thought she had been "battle - hardened" and "invincible" in the virtual world of the internet. It turned out that she still had to experience these things in person to know how terrifying they were.
She was a new - era youth educated in the era of the rule of law. Shi Muyuan silently recited the twelve core socialist values in her heart and followed the two people in front.
It was not strange that Huo Qizhou looked calm as usual. But it was just that the white - robed him seemed to have been soaked in a black pool.