"What about the Ministry of Justice?" Centurion Song and Pei Muwan were both a bit confused, completely clueless.
Lu Zhenghai slowly said, "The Ministry of Justice is good. There are plenty of prisoners locked up in the Ministry of Justice's prison. As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, it wouldn't be difficult to secretly release a prisoner to commit a crime, would it?"
No matter how powerful Centurion Song and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were, they wouldn't specifically investigate prisoners locked up in jail.
After all, from a normal perspective, prisoners in jail couldn't possibly get out or have time to commit crimes.
There are two main prisons in the Imperial City: one in the Jinyiwei Garrison and one belonging to the Ministry of Justice.
The Jinyiwei Garrison's prison primarily holds criminals from the Imperial City and Jianghu figures.
The Ministry of Justice's prison mainly holds criminals from the provinces, especially corrupt officials, whose crimes are often significant and far-reaching, leading to their transfer to the Ministry of Justice's prison in the Imperial City.
After hearing Lu Zhenghai's words, Pei Muwan's gaze towards Lu Zhenghai turned to one of shock and admiration.
Centurion Song exclaimed, "What an ingenious method of murder! Who would ever imagine that a prisoner locked up in jail could run out and kill someone?"
Especially since, before the case was fully investigated to Sui Mingxin, it would be impossible to ever think the killer came from the Ministry of Justice's prison.
Centurion Song was already impatient: "I'll go find the Commander now and ask him to help me figure out how to investigate the Ministry of Justice's prison."
Under normal circumstances, without an Imperial order, no matter how powerful the Embroidered Uniform Guard was, their reach couldn't extend into the Ministry of Justice's prison.
But this case involves the Grand Tutors Residence, and the Commander will surely try every means to curry favor with the Grand Tutors Residence.
"Boss, I… I'll also accompany Centurion Song to investigate the case." Zhou Hu stood up and followed Centurion Song away.
"Aren't you coming along?" Pei Muwan looked at Lu Zhenghai curiously.
"Centurion Sir is enough."
Pei Muwan felt inexplicably… a little uncomfortable.
Mainly, at this moment, Lu Zhenghai's gaze was very unrestrained.
She was very beautiful, she knew it, and she admitted it.
So, young men, when they saw her, always couldn't help but sneak glances.
She could understand.
Everyone appreciates beauty.
But Lu Zhenghai's gaze wasn't secretive at all; he looked openly and with burning eyes.
Pei Muwan thought: This Lu Zhenghai is indeed a brilliant detective, very clever, but also very thick-skinned.
"Is there anything else you need?" Pei Muwan urged him to leave.
"Yes."
Lu Zhenghai nodded unceremoniously.
A hint of annoyance rose in Pei Muwan's heart. Does this person not understand what I mean?
Although Pei Muwan was aloof, she was ultimately thin-skinned, so she asked softly, "What is it?"
"Miss Pei, I helped you find the killer of Nanny Yi. Will there be any reward?"
Good heavens.
Demanding a reward for a favor.
Pei Muwan was shocked.
Firstly, when a case occurs, even if the deceased is just a Nanny, if it involves the Grand Tutors Residence, it is the Embroidered Uniform Guard's duty to investigate.
And you still want a reward?
But thinking about it carefully, this case was so intricate and without any clues.
If Lu Zhenghai hadn't helped, it likely wouldn't have been solved and would have probably become a cold case.
Now that a resolution is in sight, Lu Zhenghai deserves the primary credit, and he should be rewarded.
It's just that Pei Muwan was a little displeased.
Over the years, countless young talents, eager to please her, had proactively done anything for her, asking for no reward.
Although she found their attempts to curry favor annoying.
But suddenly encountering someone who demanded a reward for a favor made her a little unaccustomed.
Pei Muwan: "What reward do you want?"
Evidently, there was a slight change in Pei Muwan's tone.
Hmm, she was already aloof, and now she was even more so.
Lu Zhenghai noticed the change in Pei Muwan's attitude, but he didn't mind.
Tsk.
Lickspittles come to no good end.
No matter how beautiful you are, Pei Muwan, as beautiful as a Fairy from the Guanghan Palace, I can't have you right now.
Why would I lick your ass?
Better to gain benefits and improve my strength.
For a man, nothing is as real as strength and power.
Lu Zhenghai didn't even think: "I am very poor and lack money."
Instantly, Pei Muwan's exquisite face flushed slightly, from anger.
Demanding a reward for a favor was one thing, but the so-called reward was money?
Too worldly, too realistic!
Originally, Lu Zhenghai had the image of a brilliant detective in her eyes, very distinguished, but now, that illusion was somewhat shattered.
"How much does Young Master Lu want?" Pei Muwan's voice grew even colder.
"Miss Pei can decide, and it's not for now, but after the results of this case are out," Lu Zhenghai said with a smile.
Of course, he wouldn't state how much money he wanted himself.
For a top noblewoman like Pei Muwan, money probably meant nothing.
The Grand Tutors Residence would certainly not lack money.
If he didn't name a price, according to her own understanding, she might give a very large sum, who knows?
Anyway, he thought in his heart that anything over ten thousand taels would be satisfying, as the silver in the Great Yu Dynasty was very valuable.
As for the outcome, it's highly probable that only a certain jailer from the Ministry of Justice's prison will be brought to justice.
As for Sui Zhenliang or Sui Mingxin, it would be difficult to directly apprehend them.
On one hand, the existing evidence makes it very difficult to definitively incriminate them.
Sui Zhenliang, after all, is a high-ranking official.
As for the prisoner who could mysteriously walk out of the Ministry of Justice's prison to commit murder, it's possible he was already a death row inmate and might have already been executed, so there's no question of him being brought to justice.
But it doesn't matter. As long as the truth is uncovered, with the power of the Grand Tutors Residence, if they wished, they could slowly eliminate Sui Zhenliang and Sui Mingxin, without needing either of them to be brought to justice.
"Then we'll talk after the results are out. I have other matters, Young Master Lu, please make yourself at home." Pei Muwan directly and clearly dismissed him.
Of course, Lu Zhenghai wouldn't linger. His objective achieved, he left.
He had just left the Grand Tutors Residence.
"Intelligence updated."
"Ding, a Persian cat has gone missing in the alley behind Hongyan Workshop on Vermilion Bird Street."
Lu Zhenghai was a bit confused.
The intelligence provided by the System should be very powerful, right? At least they should all be Opportunities, only then would they count as intelligence, right?
How many kittens and puppies go missing in the Imperial City every day? Does this count as intelligence?
"Unless, the owner of this Persian cat is unusual?" Lu Zhenghai thought.
After a moment of hesitation, he immediately went to Hongyan Workshop on Vermilion Bird Street.
No matter what, he couldn't miss this intelligence; he believed the System would definitely not disappoint him.
Moreover, for every 10 pieces of intelligence, which means every 10 Opportunity missions, if completed, he would receive a reward from the System.
Even if this intelligence about a lost kitten was just to make up the numbers, it was still good.
Two incense sticks later, Lu Zhenghai arrived at Hongyan Workshop.
This Hongyan Workshop was the largest shop selling rouge and powder in the Imperial City, with a full seven floors, incredibly luxurious.
It is said that the cheapest rouge and powder in Hongyan Workshop, a small box, was worth dozens of taels of silver—truly an exorbitant price.
"In any place, women's money is the easiest to earn."
Lu Zhenghai sighed, then walked towards the alley behind Hongyan Workshop.
The alley was a bit long and narrow. Lu Zhenghai searched carefully and patiently.
After a full two or three hours, expending a lot of effort, he finally found a Persian cat in an underground well in the alley.
"Quite beautiful." Lu Zhenghai held the kitten in his arms.
This Persian cat was a little female cat, with especially beautiful eyes, like blue gems, and a very cute nose, small and pink. Its fur, however, was stained and dirty.
The kitten seemed a little afraid of Lu Zhenghai and struggled to get free when he held her.
Lu Zhenghai cursed, "If you keep making a fuss, I won't bother with you. Your originally white fur is all black and dirty. Do you think I want to hold you?"
Don't tell me, the kitten was quite clever. It seemed to understand Lu Zhenghai's words and truly dared not struggle anymore.
Lu Zhenghai carried the kitten back to the Lu family.
He asked a Maidservant to give the kitten a bath.
After the kitten had its bath, the Maidservant brought the kitten over, and Lu Zhenghai's eyes lit up; this kitten had such high Appearance.
"Meow meow meow…" The kitten meowed at Lu Zhenghai.
"Hungry?" Lu Zhenghai instantly understood.
He asked the Maidservant to find some dried fish.
He threw it to her.
To Lu Zhenghai's surprise, the kitten sniffed the dried fish, then turned its head and continued meowing at him.
"What the heck, so picky? Eat it or not, as a kitten, what do you eat if not dried fish? Cat food?"
Lu Zhenghai snorted, not indulging it, and went to Cultivate.
He walked into the Cultivation room.
Casting aside all distracting thoughts, he circulated the Supreme Primordial Cycle Technique, cycle after cycle.
It felt great.
His True Qi accumulated visibly.
"Even without consuming any Heaven And Earth Treasure, if I keep Cultivating like this, I will Breakthrough in at most a month."
Earth Grade High Rank Internal Skill is just that awesome.
He Cultivated until the next morning.
Lu Zhenghai emerged from the Cultivation room, and after washing up, he originally intended to go directly to the Grand Tutors Residence, but then he remembered the little white cat, so he returned to his own room.
"Meow meow meow…" The little white cat saw Lu Zhenghai and immediately ran over, asking for a hug.
Its meows were full of grievance.
Lu Zhenghai glanced at the dried fish in the cat bowl. Hmm, good, not much left.
"So, all that pickiness was just because you hadn't been hungry before. Didn't you eat the dried fish with great relish?"
Lu Zhenghai was satisfied. He casually picked up the little white cat and stroked her. It was quite enjoyable, he had to admit.
Lu Zhenghai thought for a moment and said, "From today on, you'll be called Snowball."
A white kitten, what else would it be called but Snowball? Besides, a simple name is easier to raise.
"Alright, I don't have time to play with you. You stay home. If you're really bored, go catch mice. Your dad has to go out and work to support the family; otherwise, where would the money come from to buy you dried fish?"
Lu Zhenghai's face was full of teasing.
Hahaha, from today on, I, Lu Zhenghai, also have a cat daughter.
As for Snowball's original owner, he couldn't be bothered to look for them; he'd leave it to fate.
— — —
Grand Tutors Residence.
Inside Pei Muwan's bedroom.
Pei Muwan was chatting with Princess Mingzhu.
Pei Muwan, naturally, was breathtakingly beautiful.
In terms of appearance alone, Pei Muwan would get a perfect score.
However, Princess Mingzhu was no less stunning. Sitting beside Pei Muwan, she was not overshadowed at all.
She was equally luminous, with exquisitely delicate features, and equally breathtakingly beautiful.
Moreover, her beauty was completely different from Pei Muwan's.
Although she was only 20 years old, her elegant and noble demeanor made people dare not look her directly in the eye.
Even when she deliberately restrained herself, the grace and nobility in her every gesture still exuded from within.
Truly full of charisma!
But looking closely, there were traces of fatigue and worry in her exquisite eyes.
"Sister Mingzhu, Snowball will be fine," Pei Muwan comforted her.
The Snowball she referred to was a white, adorable Persian cat.
This cat was a birthday gift from the current Emperor two years ago, on Princess Mingzhu's 18th birthday.
Princess Mingzhu adored Snowball and took her everywhere.
As Princess Mingzhu's only best friend, Pei Muwan had also seen Snowball many times.
Upon hearing that Snowball was lost, Pei Muwan also felt a bit worried.