Upon hearing this, Dong Zhanqing showed an expression of disbelief on his face, while Mrs. Dong looked even more bewildered.
"What Chang'anfang? We didn't know anything about it, and we haven't harmed anyone..." Dong Zhanqing explained hurriedly.
Upon seeing this, Chen Jin immediately stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Old Madam, please be patient. As for the other missing girls, I have already ordered the Imperial Guards to search for them on various waterways and official roads..."
Hong Yingrong nodded slightly and handed over the subsequent matters to Chen Jin.
Chen Jin walked calmly towards Dong Zhanqing and sternly questioned, "Since the deceased wasn't your daughter, why do you insist she was murdered by the Western Rong envoys? What are your real intentions? If you don't tell the truth, none of the nine members of the Dong family will be spared."
Dong Zhanqing's lips were cracked and his face was gloomy. Finally, under pressure, he revealed the truth.
It turns out that Dong Xinhui, the eldest daughter of the Dong family, has suffered from heart disease since childhood. Countless famous doctors have asserted that she would not live past the age of 20. However, in recent years, the Dong family has discovered a folk remedy, and her health has miraculously improved.
This should have been a happy event for the Dong family, but unexpectedly, Dong Xinhui eloped with the teacher in the mansion and her whereabouts are unknown.
Naturally, the Dong family did not dare to make such a scandal public, for fear of losing face.
Just three days ago, Dong Zhanqing received a secret letter stating that a female corpse had been found west of the city's Liquan Mountain. The letter also suggested that if they recognized the corpse as Dong Xinhui, they could use it to cover up the scandal of their daughter's elopement.
At that time, Dong Zhanqing did not think much about it, because the palace was about to hold a banquet and his wife and daughter had been invited to attend. In order to avoid arousing suspicion, he hastily recognized the female corpse.
But the development of the situation was beyond his expectations.
Rumors began to circulate in the court that the Dong family's daughter was killed by the Western Rong delegation. Dong Zhanqing then realized that he had been used, but he was in a dilemma and could not back down.
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