Chapter 76 What did you do to her?

The moment the cell door was kicked open, Lu Yuan swiftly grabbed a cloak and draped it over Jiang Zhi's disheveled head, shielding her behind him.

Then, his sinister gaze turned coldly to the doorway, "You have trespassed into the imperial prison. Do you know your crime?"

The Imperial Guards who caught up from outside repeatedly apologized, "Boss, Prince Xie injured several of our brothers and forced his way in. We really couldn't stop him."

Lu Yuan stared at Xie Qi, "Take your men and leave first, I'll handle this."

The Imperial Guards who had rushed forward retreated like the tide.

Upon seeing Jiang Zhi, who was wrapped in a cloak behind Lu Yuan, Xie Qi immediately raised his hand and closed the door.

“I was also away from the banquet when the Crown Princess was poisoned, so I am also a suspect. If Lord Lu is going to interrogate someone, he should interrogate me.”

Lu Yuan's dark, stormy eyes were like a dark cloud pressing down on a city. "Don't rush, it will be Xie Shizi's turn in time."

Xie Qi wanted to go forward to check on Jiang Zhi, but Lu Yuan avoided him, saying, "Miss Jiang is a suspect. What does Young Master Xie want to do?"

"As I just said, it was I who forced Miss Jiang; it has nothing to do with her. Please, Lord Lu, release her so I can see how she is."

Xie Qi was extremely anxious.

After Jiang Zhi left, he soaked in Yao Guang Pool for a long time to temporarily suppress the passion in his body. He then went to the dressing room to change his clothes. When he returned to his seat, he found that Jiang Zhi had been taken back to the Imperial Prison by Lu Yuan as a suspect.

Fearing that Jiang Zhi might be tortured, he rushed over immediately.

"Thank you, Your Highness, I'm alright." Jiang Zhi took off her cloak, revealing a face that was still pale.

She had already covered her clothes under the cloak, but due to the time constraints, her clothes still looked somewhat disheveled.

Xie Qi noticed it immediately.

"Lu Yuan, what did you do to her?" His brows furrowed sharply, his usual clear and youthful air was suppressed, and he transformed into a sharp blade, its edge fully revealed.

"Shouldn't I be asking Prince Xie that?" Lu Yuan's eyes were cold and sinister. "Dare to commit such filthy acts in the harem? His Majesty might spare your life because of your meritorious service, but as for Miss Jiang..."

He asked sarcastically, "Whether you choose to be paraded through the streets or drowned in the pond, which would you prefer?"

Xie Qi's surging anger was instantly extinguished as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over it.

Lu Yuan is an inhuman madman. For Miss Jiang's sake, we cannot turn against him now.

Xie Qi calmed down and said, "Lord Lu, I am willing to accept any punishment without question. But Miss Jiang is the victim, so please do not publicize this matter, lest it damage her reputation."

"You mean, Miss Jiang was forced by you, and not acting voluntarily?"

Xie Qi nodded. "That's exactly right."

"You accept any punishment willingly and without hesitation?"

"yes."

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly. "Good, Young Master Xie, you dare to take responsibility for your actions. I admire you."

"According to the laws of our dynasty, anyone who rapes or seizes the wives and daughters of respectable families shall be sentenced to hanging or beheading. Does Prince Xie have any objections?"

Xie Qi stared at him in disbelief, "Lu Yuan, how dare you take revenge on my behalf?"

Although he had made a mistake and deserved no amount of physical punishment, he was not irredeemably wicked. Why would Lu Yuan want to take his life?

"Your Highness is joking. I have no grudge against you, so how can you say I am settling a personal score? Since you have confessed to your crimes, I am only acting in accordance with the law."

Before Xie Qi could speak, Jiang Zhi suddenly said, "I think Lord Lu has misunderstood."

Lu Yuan turned to look at her. "Miss Jiang, do you mean you weren't forced?"

The voice also had a hint of gritted teeth.

Jiang Zhi shook her head. "Although these marks on my body were caused by Prince Xie, I wasn't actually harmed. Prince Xie..."

Even though Jiang Zhi had already experienced adulthood in her previous life, she still found it somewhat difficult to say such things in front of two men.

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and then whispered, "I have never had any physical intimacy with Prince Xie. Our relationship is completely innocent."

Lu Yuan finally showed a look of surprise.

When he saw the marks on Jiang Zhi's body, he subconsciously assumed that she had already been with Xie Qi...

I never imagined that he really misunderstood?

Xie Qi finally realized what was happening.

"Lu Yuan, how could you possibly think I would do something so beastly to Miss Jiang? What kind of person do you take me for, Xie Qi?"

Jiang Zhi continued, "Lord Lu, Young Master Xie was also drugged by the villain, and he was unable to control himself, which is why he is like this. If you don't believe me, you can take Young Master Xie's pulse."

Last time, when I was taking medicine at the Jiang residence, Lu Yuan easily detected it.

Lu Yuan glanced at Xie Qi with an inscrutable expression before placing three fingers on Xie Qi's wrist, touching it briefly and then pulling away, as if afraid of getting something on it.

"The effects of the medicine have only been suppressed; they haven't been completely neutralized yet," Lu Yuan quickly concluded.

Only then did the chilling pressure surrounding him dissipate, restoring his usual calm and composure.

"Even so, he may be spared the death penalty, but he cannot escape punishment. Prince Xie must be given thirty lashes as a warning to others."

"Okay." Xie Qi agreed without the slightest hesitation.

He unbuttoned his shirt, and soon two Imperial Guards entered and tied him to the rack.

Xie Qi was tall and broad-shouldered, with the sharp lines unique to a young man. The muscles from his arms to his shoulder blades were taut, and the clearly defined muscle lines could be seen disappearing into his waistband along his lower abdomen.

Jiang Zhi glanced at it once and then looked away.

The sound of whips cutting through the air rang in his ears; it was the Imperial Guards wielding whips, striking Xie Qi repeatedly.

Apart from a muffled groan, Xie Qi didn't utter a single sound.

"Miss Jiang, are you feeling sorry for her?" Lu Yuan suddenly asked her.

Jiang Zhi shook her head. "Lord Lu's rewards and punishments are fair and just, which is convincing."

“Very good.” A rare smile appeared on Lu Yuan’s face.

At this moment, Yu Jun came in and whispered a few words to Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, "That cat really is suspicious?"

Yu Jun said, "That's right. It looks like it's been given a drug that can drive it crazy, which is why it was so agitated at the banquet."

"Bring in the palace maids and eunuchs who served that beast for interrogation as well."

*

"Today's events were still too risky." Inside the East Palace, Xiao Xuanyou sat and took a sip of tea served by a palace servant, frowning as he spoke.

Despite being dressed in elaborate palace attire, Li Jinyan's expression remained cold. "It doesn't matter. As long as we can find the murderer who killed my sister, any risk is worth taking."

“If I hadn’t been on guard, you might have actually drunk that poisoned tea.”

Li Jinyan said, "Yu Rong took advantage of the chaos to poison my tea, so she must have been prepared beforehand. But now that she's dead, we can't find out who ordered her. Does Your Highness think this matter is related to Consort Chen or the Third Prince?"

Xiao Xuanyou pondered, "Consort Chen and my third brother wouldn't be so blatant. Someone must be trying to frame me and my third brother, making us fight like the snipe and the clam."

“That’s what I think too,” Li Jinyan said, taking out a light brown pill from her sleeve. “Even if it weren’t for the Prince of Xiang today, I would have woken up. This precious medicine should be returned to the Prince of Xiang after everything is cleared up.”

“You can decide for yourself,” Xiao Xuanyou said. “I will have Lu Yuan continue to investigate the matter of Yu Rong and find out who is behind it.”

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."

Xiao Xuanyou then asked, "You have seen it today. The people in this harem are unpredictable and full of dangers. If you regret it now, it's not too late. I will ask the Empress Dowager to cancel this marriage."

Li Jinyan simply smiled and said, "Since I agreed, I left myself no way out. Today, that person couldn't hold back and made a move, so he will leave some clues. Then our goal will be achieved."

"Then you must be extra careful in everything you do."

“Alright,” Li Jinyan bowed to Xiao Xuanyou, “I cannot stay in the East Palace any longer, so I will take my leave now. If there is any progress, please send someone to inform the Li residence.”

Watching her departing figure, Xiao Xuanyou summoned his trusted aides, "Go and find out for me why the eldest daughter of the Jiang family fell into the water today."