Chapter 48 Her parents' deaths might not have been an accident...
If He Kai hadn't been handcuffed to the chair, he would have knelt down and begged for mercy.
"I was wrong! I... I shouldn't have taken that thing for Ninghai..."
"I've been sentenced to life imprisonment, with no possibility of probation... and no possibility of a reduced sentence. My life is over!"
In China, criminals sentenced to life imprisonment can often have their sentences reduced if they behave well during their imprisonment.
This would change the indefinite term to a fixed term.
The fact that He Kai's sentence cannot be reduced means that he will truly be imprisoned until he dies.
Looking at his tearful appearance, Ning Jinli calmly said, "Do you remember what I told you?"
He Kai asked blankly, "What did you say?"
"Don't you remember? Let me help you recall," Ning Jinli calmly reminded her, "The day Ning Yao injured her foot and was hospitalized, at Xinghan Hospital, in the corridor of the inpatient department..."
He Kai froze. "I... I remember now."
The scene from that day flashed through He Kai's mind.
He was so proud of himself at the time, showing off to Ning Jinli how capable he was and how perfectly he helped Ning Hai trick her.
He even threatened Ning Jinli, saying that if she dared to insult his fiancée's family again, he could kill her in no time.
When Ning Jinli said he would definitely get his comeuppance, he mocked her for being too bookish and then arrogantly "educated" her with a bunch of fallacies and heresies.
He Kai, who committed all sorts of evil deeds, never believed in retribution, but he never expected that retribution would actually come.
And they came so quickly and so fiercely.
This caused him, a high-ranking individual who considered himself intelligent and an elite, to fall into an abyss with no hope of ever rising again.
"Ning Jinli... Miss Ning... I... I know I was wrong! Please help me!" He Kai continued to plead.
Ning Jinli frowned slightly. "Two questions. First, how can I help you? Second, why should I help you?"
He Kai said with trembling lips, "I only found out after I was arrested that the jade disc was actually... the national treasure Canglan Jade Disc! It was the one you were supposed to hand over to the country!"
"Yeah, who told you to insist on taking it? We couldn't stop you." Ning Jinli's eyes were filled with sarcasm. "You brought this on yourself, there's no use regretting it now."
He Kai then said, "Since you handed it over to the country, then... then you have done a great service to the country. As long as you are willing to plead for me, the police will definitely reduce my sentence. Please!"
Ning Jinli said with a serious expression, "I don't think I've done anything extraordinary. It was just what I was supposed to do. I don't have that much influence to help you get a reduced sentence."
A hint of despair flashed in He Kai's eyes, "Miss Ning..."
“Moreover,” Ning Jinli’s expression became even more serious, “even if I really had that kind of influence, I would never help you, neither publicly nor privately. Don’t even dream about it.”
From a public perspective, He Kai's act of forcibly seizing top-tier national treasures was already extremely heinous. The fact that he wasn't sentenced to death is already a testament to the rule of law in our society.
If this happened in ancient times, it would be considered a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
On his own, this scumbag was an accomplice to evil. In order to please his future father-in-law, he did not hesitate to destroy the old man's will and used tricks to make Ning Jinli inherit the factory that was on the verge of bankruptcy and had tens of millions of yuan in debt.
Ning Jinli hates him to death!
Help? Help my ass!
The fact that Ning Jinli didn't slap him right now shows that she's a college graduate and has good manners.
“Miss Ning…I…” He Kai’s sallow face turned pale. “I know you are a kind and innocent person. Please…please do me a favor. I am the only son in my family. If I go to jail until I die, my parents will be finished. Can you bear to see two elderly people lonely and helpless? Where is your kindness? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”
"Thank you for the compliment," Ning Jinli smiled slightly. "I am kind and naive, and even Aunt Su often says that I am too simple-minded. However, I can still see things clearly. Your parents are ruined because of you, so don't try to morally blackmail me."
After saying that, Ning Jinli got up to leave.
"Miss Ning!" He Kai said through gritted teeth, "I can tell you a secret!"
"Secret? What secret?" Ning Jinli stopped in her tracks.
He Kai said, "It's about the secret of your parents' accidental death. As long as... as long as you're willing to plead for me, even if it's just to change my life sentence to a fixed term, I can tell you."
Upon hearing that it concerned her parents, Ning Jinli's expression changed slightly.
Ten years ago, her parents died suddenly in an accident. Ning Hai handled all the funeral arrangements, and she didn't even get to see her parents' bodies.
She was only twelve years old at the time, and then Ning Hai kicked her out of the family. The series of major changes dealt her a huge blow. After being picked up by Aunt Su from the roadside and taken back to be cared for, it took her two or three years to recover.
Later, as she grew up, she vaguely sensed that something was amiss about the accident.
But too much time had passed, and she no longer had the ability to pursue the matter.
Unexpectedly, He Kai is now revealing a secret about that matter!
Ning Jinli unconsciously clenched her fists, trying to remain calm. "Go ahead and say it, I'm listening."
Seeing that there was hope, He Kai started to negotiate, "You have to help me get a reduced sentence first before I can tell you."
Ning Jinli's pretty face instantly turned frosty. "He Kai, do you think you have the right to negotiate with me now?"
“I…” He Kai’s face trembled.
"Fine, don't tell me then. I never really believed you knew any secret about my parents' accidental death," Ning Jinli said with an indifferent expression. "Ten years ago, you were only fifteen or sixteen, right? Back then, you were still in high school and had no connection to the Ning family whatsoever. What makes you think you know any so-called secret?"
He Kai's face was pale, and his eyes were filled with complex emotions, as if he was going through a fierce internal struggle.
Ning Jinli thought for a moment, then decisively turned and left.
As her hand landed on the doorknob of the interrogation room, He Kai squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, "Okay, I'll go first."
Ning Jinli stood still, her back to him.
He Kai looked up at the ceiling. "You're right. Ten years ago, I was only fifteen or sixteen years old. I had never even heard of the Ning family. But... later I saw on the news that the Ning Group's head and his wife had a car accident that plunged into the water, and I even saw photos of the car that was salvaged... that's when I remembered..."
Ning Jinli's shoulders trembled. "Remembered what?"
He Kai said quietly, "I saw with my own eyes that the car was knocked off the road by another car."
Ning Jinli's pupils contracted instantly.
My parents were actually... hit by a car and fell into the river?!
Their deaths weren't accidents?!
Was it... murder?
She immediately turned around, rushed to He Kai, and grabbed his collar, demanding, "What else? What else did you see?!"
He Kai said, "That's all. I only remember that the car that hit your parents was an old-fashioned Jeep. I couldn't see the license plate number clearly because it was too late."
"Then why didn't you tell the police after the incident?" Ning Jinli shouted.
The place where her parents had the accident was very remote. There were no surveillance cameras there ten years ago. At that time, Ninghai told her that after investigation, it was determined to be an accident.
Unexpectedly, He Kai had witnessed the whole thing!
He was the only eyewitness!
He Kai showed a disdainful expression, "It's obvious from that situation that they're chasing us. I don't want to cause trouble for myself, so I'll just pretend I don't know anything."
"You..." Ning Jinli was furious and swung her arm to slap him hard across the face!
Snap!
He Kai's head lolled to the side after being hit, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Miss Ning, I've told you the secret," he said, forcing a fawning smile despite being hit, "You should at least help me—"
"You're dreaming!" Ning Jinli was angry, but she was still rational.
First, she couldn't confirm whether He Kai was telling the truth.
Since he was already out of options, it wasn't impossible for him to come up with a story and try to get her to help reduce his sentence.
Secondly, even if what he said is true, it cannot be used as a reason to plead for him. Moreover, this content alone is not enough to convince the police to reopen an investigation into a case that was closed as an accident ten years ago.
Finally, Ning Jinli didn't think she had that much ability.
“Ning Jinli! You…” He Kai’s eyes flashed with anger.
Ning Jinli rubbed her sore hand, "You'd better spend the rest of your life reflecting on your actions in jail!"
After saying that, he turned and left the interrogation room.
Behind her came He Kai's desperate roar, "I'm telling the truth! I've told you everything I know! Don't go... don't go!"
Ning Jinli rushed to the bathroom and washed her face with cold water to calm herself down.
She did not completely disregard what He Kai said.
If what people are saying is true, then... who would have done it?
Ninghai was the first place she thought of.
According to the original circumstances of the Ning family, the eldest son, who was her father, should have inherited the family business.
Moreover, more than ten years ago, when her grandfather's health began to decline, he had already handed over the family business to her father to manage, and publicly declared that her father was the head of the family business.
Only after her father passes away will Ning Hai, as the second son, have a chance...
In addition, there were Ning Hai's later actions, and the fact that he did indeed obtain everything from the Ning family.
But……
Could he really do something as heinous as murdering his own elder brother and sister-in-law?
Can the human heart be this dark?
Ning Jinli stared at her pale face in the mirror, and various scenes from her childhood kept flashing through her mind.
She remembers that when she was very young, her uncle treated her very well.
He will take care of her when her parents are busy, take her out to play, and buy her clothes and food.
Why……
Why did my uncle gradually change into the way he became when it came to material interests...?
Can people really be blinded by profit and have their character changed by wealth?
Because her uncle treated her very well when she was a child, even after her parents died when she was twelve and she was kicked out of the house by her uncle, she still held a trace of affection and hope for him.
So much so that even ten years later, when her grandfather passed away and her uncle suddenly offered to give her a factory to inherit, she didn't suspect a thing. She still thought that even if her uncle had changed, he still had some blood ties deep down...
Ning Jinli's mind raced with a whole host of thoughts.
Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.
"Miss Ning, are you alright?" A policewoman walked in and asked with concern.
Ning Jinli lowered her head and splashed cold water on her face again, then casually wiped it off. "I'm fine."
"By the way," she asked casually, "why was He Kai sentenced, but Ning Hai not?"
The policewoman said, "Because there is no evidence to prove that Ning Hai wanted to steal the Canglan Jade."
Ning Jinli was incredulous. "He Kai came to my factory with Ning Hai that day! I'm a witness! I told the police everything that happened. Isn't that evidence?"
The policewoman looked helpless. "Considering all the circumstances, Ning Hai didn't know it was the Azure Jade, and he didn't directly participate in the robbery. Even from what you've said, there's no evidence that he instigated He Kai."
“We have thoroughly interrogated Ning Hai’s entire family. His wife and daughter were completely unaware of the situation, and he insisted that he had no intention of asking He Kai to do so, and that He Kai had misunderstood him because of his performance.”
"Furthermore... Ning Hai has spent a fortune hiring top-notch lawyers to defend him. Without direct evidence, even if we know Ning Hai is involved in something shady, we can't convict him..."
Hearing these words, Ning Jinli was stunned.
Now she finally understood why Ning Hai was released unharmed after being detained and interrogated for several days.
What a cunning old fox!
They used He Kai as a pawn, then shifted all the blame onto He Kai, and escaped unscathed!
No wonder Ning Yao said that no matter what he did, he refused to try to get He Kai out.
Whether he can actually retrieve it is another matter, but at least he won't do it. Someone has to take the blame for the crime of robbing national treasures!
Ning Jinli took a few deep breaths to calm herself and asked, "Where is the Azure Jade now?"
The policewoman told her, "Ms. Ning, don't worry. On the day He Kai was arrested, experts from the relevant departments took him away. The news will be released at the appropriate time."
Ning Jinli nodded. The matter of the Azure Jade was now over, and it would have nothing to do with her anymore. At most, she could go to the museum to take a look when the national treasure was revealed.
As for whether she would be mentioned in the news and praised extensively for handing over the Azure Jade, she didn't care.
On the contrary, they'd rather not mention it.
Otherwise, in this information-rich society, she wouldn't have any peace and quiet.
For her, who seeks neither fame nor fortune, it's best to remain out of the spotlight.
After leaving the police station, Ning Jinli immediately returned to the factory.
However, the time portal at the back door of the small warehouse still did not appear.
"What on earth is going on...?"
"Xiao Qidi, you left without saying goodbye, where did you go? Please don't let anything happen to you..."
Ning Jinli stood at the doorway, gazing at the setting sun, feeling lost and forlorn.
...
Right now.
Xiao Qidi suddenly felt a slight twitch in his heart.
Ning Jinli's image involuntarily appeared in his mind.
He rubbed his temples to dispel the inexplicable thoughts, spurred his horse, and quickened his pace towards the southwest.
Behind him followed closely three thousand Xuanjia soldiers, their horses galloping and kicking up clouds of dust.
They continued their hasty march until nearly midnight, when scouts reported that they had entered the southwestern border region. Only then did he lead his three thousand Xuanjia soldiers into hiding.
This time he was going to take a huge risk, which was an important decision he had previously wanted to discuss with Ning Jinli.
If successful, it will not only resolve the crisis of Xitun Pass facing the advance of 170,000 elite troops from the Yu Kingdom, but also stabilize the southwestern border of the Xuan Kingdom.
It could even severely damage the Yu Kingdom.
So even though it was dangerous, he thought it was worth a try.
"Your Majesty, someone is coming this way!" the scout reported in a low voice.
Xiao Qidi took the drone remote control from the scout and saw on the screen a dozen or so ragged civilians fleeing in panic, as if something terrible was chasing them...
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