Gu Qingyan hurriedly took out a detoxification pill, trying to place it into Madam Hua Zhao’s mouth.

But the deeply poisoned Madam Hua Zhao forcefully grabbed his hand, using her last strength to refuse: “Child, I’ve already lived too long. It’s time I go and join them.”

“Madam…” Gu Qingyan felt an unspeakable sorrow. His fingers trembled, but in the end, he didn’t force the medicine on her.

Hua Zhao coughed up two mouthfuls of blood. The poison had entered her heart and lungs, and her eyes dimmed with shadow.

Amid the crowd, she held onto her hatred with all her might and stared fiercely at Dean Lu: “The Lu family… none of you will die a good death.”

With a sharp and vicious curse, she expelled her final breath of resentment.

The jarring curse seemed to root itself into the very marrow of those who heard it.

Dean Lu’s heart skipped. He shouted harshly, “Your Honor, this woman poisoned others and then committed suicide to escape punishment. She should be judged guilty on all charges as a warning to others.”

Gu Qingyan frowned deeply. “She didn’t take her own life out of fear.”

Dean Lu sneered, “If she isn’t the murderer, are you? I noticed earlier how well she treated you. Could it be that you colluded with her—brought this old woman to spout nonsense and tarnish the reputation of Hongshan Academy just to clear your own name?”

Even at this moment, Dean Lu showed not the slightest remorse.

He simply tried to distance himself, attempting to wash his hands clean of everything Hua Zhao had said.

But Hua Zhao had taken poison and died, cursing with her life. In this era, such an act carried great impact. Everyone’s gaze toward Dean Lu was now full of suspicion and judgment.

Gu Qingyan ignored Lu’s desperate accusations and calmly said, “Madam Hua believed that back then, when she reported the case, the authorities were colluding with bandits. No one sought justice for the Hua family.”

“Twenty-five years later, she took revenge by poisoning—not out of evil, but to avenge her family. Even if what she did was a crime, it is not for us present here to judge her.”

“She chose to take her own life so she could go to the Underworld to argue her case before the King of Hell.”

These words silenced the courtroom.

Governor Ding frowned deeply, knowing this matter would reflect poorly on the imperial court.

He cleared his throat. “The criminal is dead. First, detain the body. Once the coroner completes the autopsy, we will decide how to proceed.”

“Dean Lu, I will investigate this case to the end. No injustice will be overlooked. Court dismissed.”

As soon as Governor Ding left, someone moved to take away Hua Zhao’s body.

Gu Qingyan blocked them. The bailiff said awkwardly, “Investigator Gu, please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Gu Qingyan asked, “What will be done with her body?”

“After the autopsy, it’ll depend on the Governor. But since Madam Hua has no relatives, if no one comes to claim her, she’ll be temporarily kept at the charity mortuary.”

If no one claimed her after some time, she would be buried at the pauper’s graveyard.

Gu Qingyan quickly said, “Once the case is closed, if no one comes to collect her remains, please inform me.”

As he spoke, he slipped the bailiff a piece of silver.

The bailiff looked at him, then nodded in agreement.

Only then did Gu Qingyan leave with Zhang Nian and Hongdou. But just as they stepped out of the courtroom, they saw the Lu family’s carriage.

Inside the carriage sat Dean Lu, his face gloomy.

“Gu Qingyan, I’ll remember you,” Dean Lu said coldly.

Gu Qingyan frowned.

This case was twenty-five years old. Every trace had long been erased. Even if everyone believed Hua Zhao’s words, Dean Lu would likely escape punishment.

At that moment, a thought rose in Gu Qingyan’s heart—only one son died. That was far too kind a fate for this old man.

He quickly shook off the thought. Dean Lu was guilty, but Lu Yanjun and Lu Yanchi weren’t even born back then.

“Dean Lu, heaven sees all. Good and evil will be repaid.”

Dean Lu sneered, “I only know that truth and justice lie with the people.”

“I am the Dean of Hongshan Academy, the literary leader of Qingzhou Prefecture. A few words from a mad woman can’t slander me.”

“As for you, so young and reckless—you will pay for this one day.”

Without waiting for a reply, Dean Lu drove off.

Behind him, Zhang Nian growled, “That old bastard isn’t a good person. He murdered and burned down homes back then, and now he even dares to threaten Brother Gu.”

Hongdou was worried. “Young Master, will he try to harm you?”

“I believe what that auntie said was all true,” Zhang Nian said. “Does that mean the laws of Great Zhou can’t touch him?”

Gu Qingyan sighed lightly. “It’s been twenty-five years. Any evidence has long since disappeared. Trying to find proof and bring him to justice is nearly impossible.”

More importantly, from the look on Governor Ding’s face earlier, he didn’t seem willing to investigate an old case.

Too many people were involved—possibly even the governor of Qingzhou at the time. If the investigation went deep, it could spiral out of control.

“So he gets off easy,” Zhang Nian cursed.

Just as Gu Qingyan suspected, the Qingzhou Pavilion poisoning case made a lot of noise… but little came of it.

Soon, Governor Ding issued his ruling.

Madam Hua Zhao, due to long-standing resentment with the Lu family, harbored hatred and lived in hiding at Qingzhou Pavilion for years. She took the opportunity of the Lu family’s banquet to poison their sons; the other scholars were accidental victims.

Madam Hua confessed in court and committed suicide.

The Qingzhou Pavilion was blamed for negligence. The innkeeper was sentenced to 100 strokes; the waiters, 20 strokes. The host family was ordered to pay 100 taels of silver to each deceased’s family. The pavilion was to shut down for three months of internal rectification.

As for what grievance Hua Zhao had with the Lu family, or why she waited twenty-five years for revenge—none of it was mentioned in the official notice.

Gu Qingyan read the proclamation in silence.

Zhang Nian fumed, “The Lu family really is powerful. They dared to kill and burn back then, and now they get off without a scratch. The officials all cover for each other.”

Hongdou tugged at his sleeve. “Don’t say any more.”

Zhang Nian looked at Gu Qingyan and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Brother Gu, I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know.”

Gu Qingyan sighed. “Let’s go to the yamen and see if we can take her body.”

Hua Zhao’s corpse had been placed at the public mortuary, and the authorities were troubled about how to deal with it.

The moment Gu Qingyan arrived, the staff there acted as if they had been granted amnesty.

Before letting them take the body away, they still reminded him, “Investigator Gu, it’s very kind of you to give her a proper burial, but I must warn you—the Lu family has made it clear that anyone who dares to bury Hua Zhao is going against them.”

“You know Hua Zhao poisoned four people. Everyone hates her to the bone. If they find out about this, they might turn their hatred on you.”

Gu Qingyan was unfazed. “It doesn’t matter. Even if I don’t bury her, they’ll still hate me.”

Dean Lu probably wished he could eat him alive.

After buying a coffin and placing Hua Zhao in it, Gu Qingyan hit a snag—where should he bury her?

Suddenly, he remembered something. “Let’s go to the mass grave.”

“What for?” Zhang Nian asked curiously.

Gu Qingyan explained, “Hua Zhao once said that after the Hua family was wiped out, no one collected their bodies. They were just discarded in the mass grave outside the city.”

“She went there later to look for her family’s remains. Even if she found them, there was no way she could have properly buried all thirty-two members of the Hua family by herself. She probably just buried them wherever she could.”

Zhang Nian understood. “You’re saying that the rest of the Hua family is likely buried in the mass grave?”

“Before, you mentioned you encountered her on her way back from the mass grave. She was likely going there to pay respects, feeling that her revenge had finally been fulfilled,” Gu Qingyan deduced.

“Because her family was buried there, she must’ve gone often to mourn them—and that’s probably how she knew there was so much heartbreak grass growing there.”

Hongdou suddenly spoke up, “Young Master, I just remembered. The day the Liu family threw me into the mass grave, someone dragged me into a thatched hut. Maybe it was her.”

Gu Qingyan also thought it was very likely.

But Hua Zhao had never mentioned it. Now that she was dead, no one could confirm it.

With tears streaming down her face, Hongdou said, “She saved me. That shows she still had compassion in her heart. She must not have poisoned people out of malice. The world forced her into it.”

Then she remembered that their young master had been poisoned too. For a moment, she felt both grateful and resentful—a storm of mixed emotions.

Finally, she just said, “Let’s burn her more spirit money later, so she can be reborn into a better life.”

Gu Qingyan sighed. This life had ended—who knew if there was another? Her words were just a comfort to themselves.

“If we can find the Hua family’s graves and bury them together, I’m sure she would be happy.”

But when they arrived at the mass grave, the three of them were stunned.

The place was full of solitary graves. Few had tombstones—most were just small mounds of earth.

“Let’s split up and see if we can find anything,” Gu Qingyan said.

He felt deep sympathy for the Hua family’s fate—aggrieved and unable to seek justice. The fact that the villains still lived filled him with anger.

Unconsciously, Gu Qingyan rubbed the name card left behind by Pei Xuan.

At this moment, he truly realized that his survival until now wasn’t just due to the system and his own efforts.

Without that card, would Prefect Ding have treated him so kindly? Protected him?

No.

Gu Qingyan now had the answer in his heart. As a poor scholar without power or influence, the Lu family had a hundred ways to deal with him.

They didn’t even need the Lu family. When the Xu mother and son falsely accused him, he would’ve taken a beating before he could even explain.

Prefect Ding appeared fair, but he was really an old hand in the bureaucracy. His handling of the poisoning case—making a big show only to let it slide—was telling enough.

For the first time, Gu Qingyan understood how important power was. If he were Pei Xuan, if he had the kind of influence that could make a prefect turn pale with just a name card—couldn’t he have helped Hua Zhao get justice?

Instead of her having to resort to poisoning, harming the innocent, and causing an irreparable tragedy?

Gu Qingyan’s expression slowly hardened. In the past, he had seen the imperial exams merely as a career option, a way to fulfill Scholar Gu’s dying wish.

But now, he wanted more. Since he had the system, how could he walk through this world and do nothing for it?

The three of them split up. Gu Qingyan stepped on a check-in spot, hoping the system would give him a clue.

[You have successfully checked in at the Mass Grave in Qingzhou Prefecture and obtained a set of ritual offerings.]

Gu Qingyan looked—perfect. Just what they needed.

[You have successfully checked in at an ancient tombstone at the mass grave and obtained an ancient book.]

It was Records of Qingzhou, worn and yellowed. Definitely an old book—useless for now, but worth keeping.

Gu Qingyan then turned his eyes to the last check-in spot at the mass grave.

[You have successfully checked in at the thatched hut in the mass grave and obtained the Hua family genealogy.]

Gu Qingyan’s eyebrows jumped—the Hua family genealogy.

His gaze landed on the simple thatched hut. This place was definitely connected to the Hua family. Otherwise, there was no way such an item would appear.

Suddenly, Gu Qingyan realized something.

“Come here and help!”

He reached out and dismantled the simple thatched hut. Sure enough, after taking it down, a tombstone hidden beneath the straw was revealed.

Gu Qingyan glanced at the Hua family genealogy. Matching it up, the names corresponded perfectly.

Zhang Nian took the tombstone and wiped it clean. “No wonder someone built a thatched hut on the mass grave hill—it was to cover up this tombstone.”

But it wasn’t just to conceal the tombstone; it was also to occupy the space, preventing overgrowth from burying the Hua family’s purpose there.

Gu Qingyan let out a slight sigh.

One could imagine that over the past twenty-five years, every time Hua Zhaoshi came to pay respects and saw her family’s humble graves, her hatred must have grown stronger.

She didn’t even dare to bury them properly, fearing the Lu family would discover their trail.

After burying Hua Zhaoshi together with her family, they burned all the sacrificial paper offerings provided by the system, and Gu Qingyan rebuilt the thatched hut.

On the way down the mountain, Hongdou kept glancing back, saying, “If no one comes to worship, their graves will disappear in just a few years.”

“That’s just how it is,” Zhang Nian sighed. “The Hua family has no descendants left.”

Gu Qingyan, however, looked more philosophical. “When people die, it’s like a candle going out. Tombstones and graves are for the living to remember. They’re already reunited underground; whether anyone worships them or not doesn’t matter.”

Those words were rather unconventional, leaving Zhang Nian and Hongdou speechless.

Gu Qingyan cleared his throat. “Let’s go back to the city. We should start packing up and head home.”

They had actually planned to return earlier, but the poisoning case had delayed them so long.

Zhang Nian brightened immediately. “The news about the prefecture exam must have reached home by now. They’re probably anxious—better to return sooner.”

Hongdou, however, hesitated.

Only after returning to the city and beginning to pack did Hongdou finally speak.

“Young master, I may not be able to follow you back to Lingchuan County.”

Gu Qingyan was surprised and quickly asked, “Why? Your indenture contract has been canceled—you’re free to go wherever you want.”

“I know. At first, I also wanted to leave Qingzhou Prefecture with you.”

Hongdou hesitated for a long time, conflicted, but eventually made a decision.

“Young master, please hear me out.”

“I know you’re good to me. If I went with you to Lingchuan County, you’d surely take good care of me.”

“But Lu Yan is dead. His sisters and younger siblings at home have been scattered. Some can return home, but others are homeless and must survive here in Qingzhou Prefecture.”

“When I was with the Lu family, it was thanks to these sisters that I survived. If you hadn’t come to rescue me, without them, I probably would have been beaten to death within three days of arriving.”

“So, I want to stay and be with them.”

Gu Qingyan was silent, feeling worried.

No wonder Hongdou had been coming and going these days—his mind had been on Hua Zhaoshi, so he hadn’t paid attention. Now he understood.

“After all, Qingzhou Prefecture is the Lu family’s territory. If you stay here, and the Lu family seeks revenge, life will be difficult.”

He suggested, “Why not come back to Lingchuan County with me? It’s a small place but peaceful.”

Hongdou knew these words were sincere and meant for her well-being.

She believed that if she brought the sisters there, the young master would surely arrange everything for them.

But the young master had already done so much for her, even offending the Lu family. His future was uncertain, and she couldn’t bear to add more burdens to him.

Hongdou smiled. “The sisters have agreed—we want to open a small eatery here in Qingzhou Prefecture, run a little business. Some can cook, some can do the bookkeeping. Together, we can take care of each other and support ourselves.”

Seeing that they had decided, Gu Qingyan could not stop her.

He couldn’t force Hongdou to follow his wishes; that would be no different from holding her by an indenture contract.

“If that’s the case, I’ll stay a few more days to help you out,” Gu Qingyan said.

Hongdou shook her head repeatedly. “No, since we’re starting a business, we have to rely on ourselves.”

“Young master, when you come back in August for the academy exam, please come to our eatery. I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Gu Qingyan finally agreed.

But worried, before leaving, he left some money with Hongdou for emergencies.

He also said, “This house is usually empty. You can stay here for now. I don’t come by much anyway.”

On the day of departure, Gu Qingyan didn’t let Hongdou see him off, promising to visit their eatery next time.

Hongdou was reluctant but held back tears as she sent him away.

On the way back, her eyes were still red and swollen.

The sisters at the eatery saw this and felt sorry. “That Gu young master is a good man. Why don’t you just go with him?”

Hongdou shook her head. “He is good, but he’s already done so much for me. I can’t cause him more trouble.”

“Now that Lu Ershao is dead, the Lu family won’t let it go easily. If I stay in Qingzhou Prefecture, they’ll come looking for me when they want. At least then they won’t target the young master anymore.”

The sisters sighed deeply when they heard this: “You’re overthinking it. This matter has caused such a big stir; if anything happens to you, everyone will know it’s the Lu family behind it.”

“Besides, you’re no longer a servant of the Lu family—they won’t dare to act.”

Hongdou smiled but didn’t say anything more.

In her heart, she thought: Director Lu dares to kill and burn without hesitation, so what could a mere woman like her possibly fear?

She only hoped that this matter would end with her, and would never implicate the Young Master again; otherwise, how could she have peace of mind?

Inside the Lu family’s old mansion, Madam Lu was crying herself hoarse.

“Yanhe died so tragically, and he was so young—he hadn’t even married or had children yet. Master, how can you be so heartless?”

“How could that wretched woman poison and kill, yet still leave him with a complete corpse? My son died young and still has to bear the blame.”

“Do you know how people are talking about my son outside? They say he was a tyrant, bullying men and women alike, and that’s why disaster came to him.”

“Master, will you just let those who killed Yanhe go unpunished?”

Director Lu closed his eyes and let Madam Lu vent her hysterical rage.

Seeing this, Madam Lu grabbed him, “Lu Mingxuan, you turtle bastard! After all these years of supporting you and raising the children, after all I’ve done for you and the Lu family, now that Yanhe is dead, you can’t even avenge him as a father.”

“Fine, fine, if you won’t avenge him, I will—I will never let Yanhe’s death be in vain.”

Director Lu suddenly pushed her away, “Enough of this noise.”

“The Lu family isn’t chaotic enough? Your second son has ended up like this because of your indulgence and spoiling—you’re the one who caused his death.”

Madam Lu sneered bitterly, “Lu Mingxuan, do you even have a conscience?”

“Remember what happened with the Hua family? Should I remind you who bullied men and women, who killed and burned? You caused those sins, but you want my son to pay the price? Where is the justice in the world?”

“Shut up!”

Director Lu gave a cold shout, suddenly standing and slapping Madam Lu hard.

She fell to the ground, looking at him in disbelief.

His eyes were icy cold: “If you dare to mention those past events again, I’ll divorce you.”

His fierce gaze scared Madam Lu into silence.

After a long moment, Director Lu sighed deeply and helped her up.

“Madam, the second son is already dead. No matter how much you make a fuss, it’s useless. This is the critical moment; whatever the Lu family does now will be wrong.”

“If you continue making trouble, it will only drag down the eldest son. Yan Jun is also your son, and his fate will soon be decided. Can you bear to ruin his future?”

Madam Lu covered her bruised cheek, silent.

Director Lu continued to soothe her, “Yanhe was my own son too. I only have two sons. Now that he’s dead, how could I not be heartbroken and grieved?”

“Madam, rest assured. Once things calm down, I have plenty of ways to avenge him and wash away his shame.”

“Gu Qingyan, Hongdou, and that group of concubines of Yanhe’s—they will all have to pay with him.”

Madam Lu pressed her lips and finally relented.

“Master, this is what you said. You must remember it.”

“Naturally.”

After seeing Madam Lu away, Director Lu’s eyelids drooped, and his face looked ten years older.

Yanhe was dead. After the sorrow, Director Lu felt a strange relief.

What he could not accept was that the Lu family’s once-flourishing reputation now had a blemish.

Though he was still the director of Hongshan Academy, every time he went out, people’s gazes seemed to pierce through him and rest on that 25-year-old unsolved case.

Director Lu knew everyone deep down believed he was indeed involved in that case.

Over time, the Lu family’s reputation became overshadowed.

He pondered for a long time, then turned toward his study.

He opened a secret compartment and his heart jumped—the box hidden inside was gone.

“Are you looking for this?” A cold voice came from behind.

Director Lu turned around in disbelief and instinctively wanted to shout.

“Shh.” The man emerged slowly from the shadows. “Making a fuss won’t do anyone any good.”

Director Lu was terrified, “Who are you?”

The man leisurely opened the box and took out an account book, flipping through it.

His pale fingers skimmed over the writing, and the man sneered, “After all these years, the Lu family’s habits still haven’t improved.”

“Who exactly are you?” Director Lu asked sharply.

The man raised his eyelids and looked coldly at Director Lu, “You can’t even handle this little matter of Hongshan Academy. What value is your life?”

“I’m taking the account book with me, so it won’t fall into anyone else’s hands like before.”

“As for you…”

Director Lu’s eyelids twitched as he realized something, growing even more fearful inside.

The man smiled slightly, “Ding Haoran has outwardly promised the Lu family he’ll smooth over the case, but he’s already sent the case files to the capital for re-examination. Within a few days, the imperial envoy will arrive in Qingzhou Prefecture.”

“Director Lu, you’d better take care of yourself.”

The man appeared mysteriously and vanished just as mysteriously.

Director Lu sat in his study, the oil lamp having gone out at some unknown time, quietly sitting in the darkness.

He thought back to his youth, when he was full of ambition.

When he first took over Hongshan Academy, he wanted to make a difference wholeheartedly.

But at some point, he had followed the path of his forebears, becoming someone else’s pawn.

Finally, this day had come.

The next day, the steward had urgent news but could not find Director Lu anywhere.

Knocking lightly on the study door met no response, so the steward had to open the door.

The next moment, the steward screamed: “Master has hanged himself!”