Chapter 161 Release from Prison
"How is the family in the Prince Qingping's Mansion doing now?"
Zhang Daming was overwhelmed after hearing this. The only consolation was that under the control of his master, these people had not been lynched. At least the road was not completely blocked.
"They're locked up in the prison, but they're being provided with three meals a day, and everyone seems to be in a relatively stable mood."
Hearing Zhang Daming's question, the lawyer knew that he had made the right move. Although the whole family had been imprisoned when he discovered the situation, he had already instructed the jailer in advance not to embarrass the Qingping Palace in order to remedy the situation.
Zhang Daming breathed a sigh of relief and was about to pick up the teacup and take a sip to calm his nerves.
The jailer hurried into the room and said, "Master, something terrible has happened... The master is here too. Something's happened to that little bastard from the Prince Qingping's mansion!"
With a crisp sound, the teacup fell to the ground.
Zhang Daming and his lawyer hurried to the prison, while Wen Chengming was lying on Wen Chengyun's knees, laughing happily. Those jailers were so easy to fool that their faces changed after he cried out "ouch" a few times.
"Wei Yao, you too, didn't even give us a heads up and scared us into a cold sweat."
After learning that it was Cheng Weiyao who came up with the idea, the Imperial Concubine tucked the tears from her eyes and softly complained. God knows when Wen Chengming cried out in pain, her heart was in a knot.
"I didn't think it through. I'll definitely do it next time."
Cheng Weiyao laughed and joked that Wen Chengming's acting skills were limited, and the cooperation of the people around him was also very important.
It is definitely impossible for a man like Wen Chengyun to shed tears, but it is reasonable for the female members to express their emotions outwardly.
"Someone's coming."
Wen Chengyun had been keeping his ears open, paying attention to the movements in the cell. When he heard the footsteps approaching quickly, he informed everyone in advance. When Zhang Daming and the master arrived, they saw the deathly silent cell.
Everyone in the Prince Qingping's Mansion lowered their heads and stopped crying or making a fuss. As for Wen Chengming, he lay there motionless.
The light in the cell was dim, and the situation inside was hard to see. Zhang Daming's face changed. Could it be that this little guy had some sudden illness and died without even being able to breathe?
"Everyone else, get out! Not a fly is allowed in without my order!"
When Zhang Daming gave the order, his lips trembled a little. This was the blood of the emperor, the biological son of the current emperor. He couldn't be fooled.
The fewer people who knew about this, the better. Because of special care, Cheng Weiyao and the others were held in a cell at the back, which was a little quieter. Occasionally, there were people in the nearby cells, and they were also death row prisoners.
When the time comes and he is beheaded, even if you know something about the inside story, you can only take him to the underworld and tell it to the King of Hell.
"Master, open the prison door! Open it, open it all!"
After confirming that the jailers had left, Zhang Daming finally let out a word and opened the door. The master was a trusted confidant, unlike ordinary jailers. The two of them shared prosperity and adversity.
The master's face looked very ugly, and he hurriedly began to open the prison door. However, the moment they entered the prison door, the two men lost their personal freedom. Wen Chengyun tapped their acupoints twice and froze them in place.
"Sister-in-law, let me open the door for you!"
Wen Chengming got up, took the key from his master's hand, ran to the cell where Cheng Weiyao and the others were imprisoned, and opened the cell door.
Zhang Daming and his lawyer felt both relieved and angry. Fortunately, Wen Chengming was fine, but they felt particularly helpless to be under such control.
"Relax, County Magistrate. We have no ill intentions. We are just worried that you, the elder, will be too busy to listen to us, so we resorted to this desperate measure."
Cheng Wei Yao slowly walked to Zhang Daming and sat down in front of the wooden bed.
The murder method is clear: poisoning. The Qingping Palace family ate flatbread for breakfast, and since it was a family member's testimony, it's understandable that they didn't believe it. However, when the stall was set up, the flatbread was cooked in a large pot. The death of one person was strange, as the other diners were fine.
The biggest doubt is that Dr. Wang was at the scene, but he was unable to provide rescue and the patient was already dead.
This suggests the poison took effect very quickly. However, the bowl of flat meat wasn't just served by Cheng Weiyao; the old customer had already finished half of it when he suddenly collapsed. The best explanation is that the murderer had just administered the poison.
From this, it can be seen that the suspect should be among the people who approached the old diner at that time.
"No matter how you look at it, the charges against this murder suspect cannot be placed on me. Besides, the facts of the case are still unclear. I should cooperate with the county government's investigation, but it doesn't mean I should be imprisoned, let alone implicate my entire family."
Cheng Weiyao spoke clearly and at a moderate pace, sounding more like a judge than Zhang Daming, the official.
Zhang Daming pursed his lips, obviously taking these remarks to heart.
He vaguely knew that Cheng Weiyao was definitely innocent, but the murder-for-life situation was a major issue and needed an explanation. Even if he couldn't catch the real culprit, he had to find a scapegoat. Cheng Weiyao's actions undoubtedly helped him narrow down the search for the culprit...
"Your bailiffs didn't even bring an arrest warrant, yet you invited my entire family here. This goes against the rules. I wonder if this was your idea or your son's?"
Cheng Weiyao noticed the expressions of Zhang Daming and his master, and her last sentence hit the nail on the head.
Although she could stay in this prison, whether she was a concubine or a royal concubine, and bringing along a younger Wen Chengming... the prison was damp and dark, with rats running around from time to time at night. It was not suitable.
Seeing that Cheng Weiyao's defense was nearing its end, Wen Chengyun untied Zhang Daming and his master's fists with a flick of his fingers.
"In this case, I was indeed too impatient to solve the case and acted rashly. Therefore, I will let you go. However, until the case is solved, please do not leave Qingshi Town. Be prepared to be summoned by the government at any time and cooperate with the investigation. How do you do that?"
Zhang Daming felt bitter. Zhang Haiyu hadn't even passed the imperial examination, so how could he have the authority to order the yamen runners around? If he admitted this, his only son would surely be held accountable by the law. He could only honestly take the blame.
"Your Excellency is wise. We have a family with us and it is inconvenient to bother you. So, we will take our leave."
Wen Chengyun's expression was calm, lacking the aggressive aura of Cheng Weiyao, and his words were respectful to Zhang Daming. However, Zhang Daming had already been deeply impressed by Wen Chengyun's fighting prowess.
Seeing Wen Chengyun walking by with Wen Chengming, Zhang Daming quickly took two steps back in fear and pressed his back against the wall. He didn't want to be poked by fingers again and be unable to move and be at the mercy of others.
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