Chapter 268 The Xin Family Case, I've Taken It

Xiang Meng felt a cold sweat pour down his back. He immediately cried out to Xin Huailin for help: "General Xin, help me! You can't let them treat human life like this! I'm innocent! How can they use such torture on me without my consent? I don't want to die, General Xin!"

Xin Huailin looked at Lü Qiying: "Lord Lü, he has already been tortured. If we cut off his facial bones again, he might not be able to withstand it. Why don't we make an incision first and see what's inside before making a decision? You promised me you would save his life. My family's remains haven't been found yet. If anything happens to him..."

Lu Qiying hesitated: "This..."

Gu Qianhan coldly said, "It's just bone shaving, not beheading. The imperial physician is here, he won't die. Lord Lü, just do it."

He survived countless tortures in his past life, and he knew the skills of these imperial physicians better than anyone else.

Xiang Meng hated him to death; this man was so cold-blooded it was outrageous! No, that's not right, he wasn't even human!

"Lord Lü, General Xin, don't listen to him! If you cut off my facial bones, I'll definitely die, and even the imperial physicians can't save me! You just want to see what's inside, right? Come on, cut it open and take a look, hurry up and cut it open!"

The fact that the prisoner suddenly became so cooperative and proactive was unprecedented.

Lu Qiying couldn't help but look at Gu Qianhan. His sharp features showed no softening under the light. He was so handsome and dashing, yet he had an extremely cold aura that made him unapproachable.

Even with Lu Qiying's years of experience in judging people, he couldn't tell whether Gu Qianhan was deliberately scaring Xiang Meng to force him to submit, or whether she was truly so cold-blooded and ruthless that she wanted to cut off Xiang Meng's bones.

Even he couldn't tell the difference, so Xiang Meng was even less likely to be able to distinguish them. That's why he was so frightened by Gu Qianhan that he broke down his psychological defenses and took the initiative to ask her to cut open his face.

Lu Qiying secretly admired him. As expected of a child prodigy, he was indeed amazing. His psychological tactics were unmatched. If only such a talent could be admitted to the Ministry of Justice!

However, he could only think about it. How could the second son of the Duke's family, born of the main wife, go into the Ministry of Justice and deal with criminals?

Lü Qiying didn't actually have someone cut Xiang Meng's bones, otherwise he wouldn't be able to explain himself if the man died.

"Someone, cut open his face! Cut slowly, don't damage what's inside!"

Two henchmen responded and came over. One held Xiang Meng down, while the other picked up a sharp willow-leaf knife and began slashing at Xiang Meng's face.

Screams rang out, but no one paid any attention.

All eyes were focused on the bruise that had been cut open.

After a while, a rusty piece of material was removed.

The subordinate wiped away the bloodstains and handed it to Lü Qiying: "Sir, there is only this inside, nothing else. This thing was almost embedded in his bone, and it took me quite a bit of effort to pull it out."

Lu Qiying frowned deeply: "What is this thing?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"General Xin, look at this, is this yours?"

Xin Huailin shook his head: "It's so rusted, I can't even recognize what it is."

Lu Qiying went up and kicked Xiang Meng, who was groaning, saying, "Speak! What's this stuff on your face? What does it have to do with the Xin family's case?"

Xiang Meng was kicked so hard he almost lost his breath, but of course he wouldn't admit it. He kept saying, "I don't know, I don't know anything!"

"You won't talk, huh? Fine, I'll let you experience the Ministry of Justice's real interrogation methods in a bit!"

As Lü Qiying spoke, he kicked him twice more.

A cold voice rang out: "Lord Lü, this should be half a needle."

Lu Qiying paused, "A needle?"

He examined the rusty object closely for a while, recalling what his subordinate had just said—that it was embedded in Xiang Meng's bone—and suddenly realized that Gu Qianhan's words made a lot of sense.

"It does look like half a needle, but we don't know how it got stuck in his face, or how we can convict him based on it."

Xiang Meng was terrified when he heard Gu Qianhan reveal the true nature of this thing.

He cried out, "Lord Lü, I accidentally bumped my face and this half needle broke off. Only half of it is left on my face! Who doesn't get bumps and bruises every day?"

"My injury and the needles have absolutely nothing to do with the Xin family's case. If you're going to convict me based on this, that's absurd!"

"General Xin, please persuade Lord Lü! I really didn't kill your family! You've arrested the wrong people! I swear!"

Xin Huailin ignored him this time. He walked up to Gu Qianhan, bowed deeply to him, and said, "I have long heard of your exceptional talent and wisdom, and seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved. I beg you to lend a hand and help the Xin family to seek justice for the thirteen lives lost!"

The last time he saw Gu Qianhan, he couldn't hear Gu Qianhan's analysis of the Xin family case because Xiao Qingyuan was there. But today, seeing that Gu Qianhan could tell at a glance that it was a broken needle, he knew that the Xin family case couldn't rely on Xiao Qingyuan.

Xiao Qingyuan can't solve the case; only Gu Qianhan can.

After speaking, Xin Huailin knelt down, prostrating himself on the ground, his voice filled with endless pain: "I beg you, Second Young Master, to help me! Thirteen members of my Xin family died unjustly, and now even our remains cannot be found. I have failed my family and my ancestors. If you can help me solve this case, I, Xin, am willing to follow you for the rest of my life!"

Gu Qianhan looked at the humble and pained Xin Huailin, a complex emotion flashing across her eyes.

Both morally and logically, he had to take the case, and he could only accept the credit that didn't belong to him.

In her previous life, Shen Wantang used this case to send Liao Youhe to the Dali Temple as an official, giving him real power, fame, and the unwavering loyalty of Xin Huailin.

In this life, Shen Wantang gave him everything.

At that moment, he had a strong intuition that Shen Wantang had also been reborn.

She knew that the Gu family had been wiped out in the past, and she did not want the Gu family to repeat the same mistake in this life. She knew that Xin Huailin was chivalrous and righteous, and she wanted Xin Huailin to be his ally, to help him add a bit of strength to his path of resisting imperial power.

Therefore, she specially brought Gu Qianning with her to the Shen family today, pointed out the suspicious points about Xiang Meng, and then attributed the credit to him.

She even revealed only one clue, leaving the other one for him to uncover himself.

What merit or ability did he possess to receive such immense kindness from her in both his lifetimes?

Gu Qianhan felt a heavy weight in her heart, but a warm feeling inexplicably welled up throughout her body.

He bent down and helped Xin Huailin up: "General Xin is a brave warrior who fought fiercely on the battlefield and is one of the most respected soldiers by the people of Dafeng. You don't need to kneel before me. I will take on the Xin family's case and solve it within three days."