Qingdong City.

The Prefect's Residence.

Before the courtroom, Xiao Ming, Xiao Luomu, and Xiao Luoyan knelt obediently. Xiao Luofeng, who held the title of general and was classified by Huang Zhen as assisting in the investigation, was not required to kneel in court.

Huang Zhen sat behind his desk, listening intently as Xiao Ming and the other two recounted their experiences, his expression serious.

Nine minor officials stood on each side of the courtroom, holding their stern rods upright, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and authority.

Snap!

Huang Zhen slammed the gavel down heavily. Xiao Luomu and Xiao Luoyan were fine, but Xiao Ming was so startled that he trembled backward.

"So, you're saying that Xiao Tian's poisoning has nothing to do with you?"

Xiao Luomu said calmly, "I only regret that I was not the one who was poisoned, and that I was unable to protect my father from the disaster. This is unfilial."

Xiao Luoyan kowtowed to Huang Zhen and bowed, saying, "My uncle is the person I respect most, and I would never harm him!"

After both juniors expressed their opinions, Xiao Ming sighed and said insincerely, "I really don't understand why Xu Fu would poison my elder brother, who is so good to his servants."

Huang Zhen said, "Xu Fu has not yet been brought to justice, so it's not certain whether he was the one who poisoned the body."

Xiao Ming said, "When Xu Fu was in such a hurry to leave, none of us thought of this, but after Prefect Huang reminded us, we realized that something was definitely wrong. Xu Fu had served my elder brother for over ten years. Even if he was heartbroken and wanted to leave, he should have waited until after the funeral. The more anxious he was, the more it proved that he was guilty."

"In my opinion, it must be him." Xiao Mingxu clenched his fist.

At this point, Xiao Ming had no choice but to shift the blame onto Xu Fu.

After all, in his mind, Xu Fu was already a dead man.

The dead cannot argue, and can even be accused of committing suicide out of fear of punishment.

However, Xiao Ming was still a little uneasy. After all, when he was on the mountain, he saw Zhao Cheng instruct his subordinates to leave, presumably to go find Xu Fu.

But, I guess we can't catch up now?

Thinking of this, Xiao Ming glanced at Xiao Luoyan sideways, feeling extremely frustrated.

When Xu Fu left, Xiao Luoyan, out of consideration for Xu Fu being an elder of the Xiao family, insisted on sending someone to escort his family to Hai Nei City.

In fact, Xiao Ming knew very well that his son wasn't concerned about Xu Fu at all; he was simply taking extra care of his daughter.

Otherwise, how could Xu Fu have been allowed to return to Hai Nei City?

They would have killed him long ago and dumped his body in the wilderness!

My son, if Xu Fu hadn't died, you would have really put your father in a difficult position!

Huang Zhen said, "Boss Xiao, there's no need to jump to conclusions. Let's wait until Xu Fu arrives before making any decisions."

Xiao Ming asked, "So, what do we do now?"

Huang Zhen said, "Go home and stay here. I will arrange for people to temporarily seal off the Xiao family. I'll trouble you all to stay home for a few days."

"Not at all! Not at all!" Xiao Ming replied with great cooperation, "Prefect Huang is handling official business strictly, and we will certainly cooperate fully."

Huang Zhen shook his hand and was about to get up.

Just then, a voice came from outside the courtroom: "No need to feel aggrieved, the person has been brought!"

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Wu and Heng Wenhao led a group of people in, including Xu Fu's family and several disheveled assassins covered in dust.

Zhao Cheng, Xu An, Yuan Fei, and others followed behind and stopped at the back of the courtroom.

Huang Zhen stood up and said, "Please offer seats to the Prince Consort and the Young Marquis!"

Zhao Cheng waved his hand and said, "Lord Huang, you don't need to worry about us. Xu Fu has arrived. Let's get to the case quickly!"

Huang Zhen clasped his hands in greeting to Zhao Cheng, then sat down and slammed the gavel down hard.

Snap!

"Who is standing below?!"

Xu Fu immediately knelt down and shouted, "I am Xu Fu, the cook of the Xiao family!"

Xiao Ming's body was about to give way, and when he saw Xu Fu enter, his body went limp. Seeing the assassins, he suddenly found it difficult to even breathe.

Huang Zhen took in Xiao Ming's changes but ignored him, continuing the investigation: "Xu Fu, I heard you were in charge of Xiao Tian's meals?"

Teacher Xu Fu nodded obsequiously and said, "Yes, I have been in charge of your meals for over ten years."

"Is Xiao Tian good to you?"

"Very good! Not only is he good to me, but he also takes great care of my wife and daughters!"

"Why did you leave immediately after Xiao Tian died, without even waiting until the funeral to see him off?"

"That's because...because..." Xu Fu's chest heaved violently as he lowered his head and said, "I suspected that your death was suspicious, and I was afraid of getting myself into trouble and harming my wife and daughters, so I had no choice but to flee!"

Huang Zhen raised an eyebrow and said, "You call leaving the Xiao family escaping?"

"yes!"

Why do you say that?

"I suspect that the master's death is related to his diet!"

Huang Zhen leaned back. Xu Fu's attitude made the interrogation easy. He deliberately slowed down, giving Xu Fu time to catch his breath, and said, "Your suspicion is correct. We performed an autopsy on Xiao Tian, ​​and the conclusion was that Xiao Tian suffered from chronic poisoning leading to a pancreatic attack. The problem lies in the diet you arranged for Xiao Tian. Either the diet conflicted with the medication Xiao Tian usually took, or the food was poisoned!"

Xu Fu immediately kowtowed and said, "Even if you gave me a hundred or ten thousand lives, I would never dare to poison you, sir!"

Huang Zhen immediately picked up the pace and asked quickly, "So you deliberately chose ingredients that conflict with the medicine, causing toxins to accumulate in Xiao Tian's body over time!"

Xu Fu protested, "I'm just a cook, how would I know anything about these things?! I've served you, sir, for over ten years. As long as you don't specify what you want to eat, I've arranged the dishes every day, and I've eaten like this for years without any problems. But..."

As he spoke, Xu Fu glanced at Xiao Ming and continued, "Three years ago, the Second Master gave me a menu and asked me to choose a few dishes from the menu every other day to cook for the Master. He said these were the Master's favorite dishes since he was a child. I thought the Second Master was trying to take care of me and make me please the Master, so I didn't think much of it."

Snap!

Huang Zhen slammed his gavel again and questioned, "Nonsense! If you didn't think much of it, why would you suspect that Xiao Tian's death was related to food?"

"It was...it was Young Master Luo Yan who reminded me."

Xiao Luoyan was a little confused, and pointed to himself, asking, "Me? Did I say that?"

Xu Fu nodded to Xiao Luoyan and said, "It wasn't you who told me this yourself, Young Master Luoyan. It was when you were eating that you were talking to someone about the incompatibility between ingredients and medicines, and I happened to overhear it. And coincidentally, the example you gave included an ingredient from the Second Master's menu."

Huang Zhen asked, "Xiao Luoyan, why do you know these things?"

Xiao Luoyan said frankly, "My mother understands. She often tells my father and me not to eat random things while taking medicine, and not to mix different foods together... I've learned it by listening to her..."

Huang Zhen said, "So, your father knew about it too, right?"

Xiao Luoyan was stunned and looked at Xiao Ming in astonishment.

"Father, is that you?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? Are you trying to kill your father?!" Xiao Ming suddenly flew into a rage.

"Stop pretending, Boss Xiao," Zhao Cheng, who had been observing, said. "The assassins you hired haven't even spoken yet, what's the rush?"