Zhang Xianzhi was too weak to ride back on horseback, so Jiang Lun ordered Zhang Rui to return to the Jiang residence quickly and call for a carriage to pick him up.
Xue Zhongfu carefully supported Zhang Xianzhi and slowly sat down on a flat ground nearby.
Looking out from the hill at this time, the sky was already faintly showing the glow of the rising sun. I didn't expect that after all the twists and turns of this night, the dawn had quietly arrived.
The rising sun on the horizon is like the prelude to the rebirth of all things in the world, full of hope and vitality.
"When Pingting passed away from colic, I've always had doubts in my heart. Colic, even if it occurs, is not an emergency. How could it kill someone so suddenly?"
"She passed away on the day of the Qiqiao Festival. I even went to the Liu family to visit her and made an appointment with her to go to Ping'an Bridge to release lanterns that evening. She looked completely normal at the time, as if everything was normal."
"Furthermore, this disease is often caused by unclean food, but Pingting ate with her parents at home, and no one else in the family was infected with the disease. At that time, I vaguely felt that someone had secretly poisoned her."
When Xue Zhongfu heard this, he couldn't help but think of what his father had mentioned before. The most taboo things in the military camp are those malignant diseases that are easy to spread, such as colic and scarlet fever. The precursors of these diseases are often cold hands and feet and red spots on the skin. Once discovered, they must be isolated and treated immediately to prevent accidents.
"Was a coroner performed an autopsy at that time?" he asked.
"Yes, because Li Yunting asked for permission to marry me at that time, in order to stop others from gossiping, His Majesty specially ordered the Ministry of Justice to intervene and conduct a detailed investigation." Zhang Xianzhi replied.
When Xue Zhongfu heard about the Ministry of Justice, his gaze involuntarily turned to Jiang Lun, "Is this matter personally supervised by the old master of the Qiao family?"
He knew very well that Jiang Lun's grandfather and uncle both held important positions in the Ministry of Justice, and all matters related to the coroner's investigation had to be strictly reviewed by Old Master Qiao Sanhe.
Therefore, if there was something fishy going on, the Qiao family should have been able to notice some clues.
Jiang Lun pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly. "I've never known much about my grandfather and uncle's official duties. But given my grandfather's rigorous character, if he found the slightest doubt, he would definitely get to the bottom of it and would never give up."
What he said was not false. Everyone knew that Chief Justice Qiao Sanhe was upright and incorruptible. The case of Yang murdering her husband's family that shocked the court and the country twenty years ago was a clear proof of this.
At that time, from the county, state, and prefecture to the capital, the evidence and confessions presented by government officials at all levels were clear and solid, and there seemed to be no doubt.
However, Qiao Sanhe, who had just been transferred to the capital, keenly noticed the doubts. He resolutely knelt in front of the Qianqing Palace and begged for the coffin to be opened for an autopsy in order to re-examine the case. He even swore a solemn oath that if there was still no doubt after the re-examination, he would commit suicide to atone for his crime.
The late emperor agreed to his request, bearing in mind his many successes in solving strange cases. At that time, everyone thought that Qiao Sanhe's move was futile and might even cost him his life.
However, Qiao Sanhe relied on his keen insight and unyielding perseverance and eventually discovered a red mulberry tree that grew abundantly in the area where the crime occurred.
This tree is normal under normal circumstances, but once mixed with alcohol, it becomes highly toxic and can be fatal.
Both Yang's father and son were addicted to alcohol. After they opened the jar and drank, they used the fallen leaves from the red mulberry tree in front of the door to cover the jar.
Unexpectedly, this action accidentally mixed poison into the wine, leading to the tragedy.
Qiao Sanhe not only brought an end to this unjust case, but also let the people of Da Zhou know in the past few decades that as long as the unsolved case is handed over to Qiao Sanhe of the Ministry of Justice for trial, no matter how confusing the case is, he will be able to unravel it and get to the bottom of it, making the truth known to the world.
Zhang Xianzhi stood up tremblingly.
"The coroner returned the body after the autopsy. I secretly buried Pingting in a place only I knew. And here..." He pointed at the coffin, which had been burned beyond recognition, "I colluded with the cemetery manager and buried it here with the broken bones of a dead cow."
"No wonder Li Yunting destroyed the coffin so unscrupulously. It turns out she doesn't know the real secret." Xue Zhongfu sighed.
Zhang Xianzhi nodded, a trace of sadness flashing in his eyes: "She really doesn't know, but even if she knew, I'm afraid she wouldn't have any scruples. She hates me to the core, and she's willing to do anything to make me suffer."
"Given the current situation, I think you shouldn't go back to the Princess's Mansion for the time being. How about going back to the Zhang family's residence in the capital to avoid the limelight for a while?" Jiang Lun suggested.
Zhang Xianzhi replied calmly, "Two years ago, I arranged for my parents and my uncle and aunt from the Liu family to leave the capital and return to our hometown in Guanzhong."
After hearing this, Xue Zhongfu felt a little uneasy: "What exactly do you want to do?"
"Yeah, but don't joke with your life." Jiang Lun said worriedly.
Zhang Xianzhi turned to look at the two close friends who had unhesitatingly offered their help. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and he slowly said, "Perhaps it really is God's will. There is help in the dark..."
…
At this time, Jingzhao Yin Li Zhengxuan was escorting Princess Xianning and her entourage slowly into the city. Dawn was beginning to appear in the sky. Although it was not a deliberate arrangement, their route happened to pass through the bustling morning market in the east of the city.
In the dim light of morning, the hustle and bustle of the market has quietly risen.
"Hey, look over there, it's the Jingzhao Yin's team!" A vendor who was busy setting up his stall looked up and whispered to his companion next to him, curiosity and awe flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, isn't that the guard from the Princess's Mansion? How come he became a prisoner today?" Another stall owner responded, continuing with his work but his eyes involuntarily following the movement of the group.
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