Chapter 83
When Su Shuxian, Xue Yaozu and Meng Xinyue came to the front hall together, they all looked cramped.
Wen Li and Manager Wang were also invited and were now standing in the hall waiting.
Jiang Lingyao invited the three to take a seat, and finally Duan Nanqi came in person with Master Lekong.
Although Jiang Lingyao had accompanied her mother in worshipping Buddha before, she was not very proficient in this practice. However, she had seen Master Kong Yuanyuan once or twice, and when she saw him again, she suddenly felt that he had some Buddha nature.
Master Liaokong was very thin, with an empty look on his body. Although he was over forty years old, he looked as if he had just passed thirty, with only tranquility and peace between his brows.
Jiang Lingyao stood up to greet them. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that the Xue family, mother and son, were a little nervous, especially the most pious Su Shuxian, whose face turned pale when she saw Master Chen appear here.
Perhaps she felt that something was wrong with such a terrible incident happening in her home, and was ashamed to see the wizard she revered.
Jiang Lingyao's gaze did not fall on each person's face in particular, she was observing everyone in the room silently.
After everyone was seated, Duan Nanqi finally spoke, saying solemnly, "I asked you all to come here because of the death of the Marquis of Zhengyang. The Jinyiwei Beizhen Fusi and Shuntianfu are investigating this case together. Because it involves the nobles, Your Majesty strictly orders that the case be solved as soon as possible to serve as a warning to others."
"So after questioning each of you individually, I think it's best to question you all together."
"What do you think, ma'am?"
The person with the highest status among those present was the wife of the Marquis of Zhengyang, so Duan Nanqi naturally asked her.
Su Shuxian's face turned pale. She was even more panicked than when she heard about Xue Dingshan's death. When Duan Nanqi asked her a question, she was even more panicked. She accidentally knocked over the teacup in her hand, and the tea spilled all over the floor.
Duan Nanqi only raised an eyebrow and gave Jiang Lingyao a look without making any expression. Jiang Lingyao then said gently, "Madam, don't panic. The master is just asking a routine question."
She even asked Meng Xinyue to help Su Shuxian wipe the water stains off her dress. Meng Xinyue was a little scared of the Jinyiwei in the room, so she was quite obedient.
In the main room, there were only the Jinyiwei and the yamen runners, but no other servants from the Xue family, which made everyone a little nervous.
Duan Nanqi coughed lightly and said, "Regarding Master Yu's death, do you have any clues to add?"
"If the truth about the hidden murderer is finally discovered by the Royal Guard, then..."
Duan Nanqi gently placed the cup on the table, making a slight sound.
"Then you'll have to pray for the best."
Everyone's faces turned paler. Meng Xinyue and Xue Yaozu really had no idea what was going on here. They also didn't know the secrets at home, so they were the calmest ones and didn't panic at all.
Manager Wang probably didn't know much, so he just sat there in a daze.
Of all the people in the room, the most frightened were Su Shuxian and Wen Li.
Both of them looked extremely pale and bloodless.
Duan Nanqi and Jiang Lingyao exchanged a glance, and Jiang Lingyao began to speak: "Based on today's investigation, we can roughly conclude that Lord Zhengyang died yesterday evening, before Master Lekong gave his sermon. Where were all of them?"
Wen Li remained silent, obviously relieved.
Su Shuxian, however, clutched her dress tightly, crumpling the lotus leaf embroidery on it into a ball.
When interrogating individually, they cannot confirm the exact time of death of the deceased, but can only ask about each person's relationship and hatred with the deceased.
But now, once the time of death is known, every person can be interrogated accurately.
Before the sermon, Xue Yaozu and Meng Xinyue took a walk in the garden. Steward Wang and Wen Li were having dinner in the servants' room. Only Su Shuxian was left there, keeping her head down and not saying a word.
Duan Nanqi glanced at Wen Li, who was still pale, and finally turned his gaze to Su Shuxian.
"Ma'am, it's your turn."
Su Shuxian shuddered all over. She finally couldn't bear it anymore and cried with her hands covering her face: "I killed him. I killed him."
Xue Yaozu, who was sitting next to her, shuddered at her crying. He had been closer to his mother since childhood. He quickly supported her back and said, "Mom, mom...you...don't talk nonsense."
Xue Yaozu was about to cry too.
At this moment, the hall was in chaos. Meng Xinyue wanted to step forward to comfort them, but was stopped by Jiang Lingyao.
Meng Xinyue was stunned. She said to Jiang Lingyao, "My mother-in-law is not that kind of person, Yaoyao, she really is not."
The hall was in chaos, with people crying and shouting. Duan Nanqi said calmly, "Be quiet."
Although he looked very approachable on weekdays, he was an officer of the Jinyiwei after all. Even if he was not wearing the flying fish uniform today, his gloomy face and cold tone of admonishment were still very attractive.
It was because of his words that the hall gradually became quiet, and in the end only the sound of Xue Yaozu's crying was left.
"My mother couldn't have killed anyone."
He kept repeating this: "She would never kill my father."
Duan Nanqi realized that it was not appropriate to interrogate them in court, so he ordered the imperial guards to keep everyone away for now. Of course, they had to pay special attention to keeping an eye on Steward Wang and Wen Li. They were not allowed to talk to other people in the Zhengyang Marquis' Mansion and could only be temporarily detained in the room.
Xue Yaozu and Meng Xinyue were also persuaded to leave by Jiang Lingyao.
At this time, the only people left in the hall were Su Shuxian and Master Lekong, who was sitting quietly with his eyes lowered.
Jiang Lingyao and Duan Nanqi looked at Liao Liaokong at the same time. Liao Kong also raised his head calmly and chanted the Buddha's name: "Amitabha."
Su Shuxian shuddered. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Master Kong sigh, "Amitabha, why should Su, the donor, plead guilty for others?"
Su Shuxian couldn't hold back her tears when she heard this: "Master, I was the one who killed the man, how can I take the blame? I know that I have committed serious sins and cannot serve the Buddha. I only hope that in my next life I can purify my six senses and that the Buddha can save me from the sea of suffering."
Duan Nanqi and Jiang Lingyao said nothing, but just watched them talk quietly.
Master Liaokong's eyes were still full of compassion. He looked at Su Shuxian very lovingly, as if she was some kind of naughty child with a bad temper. There was an inexplicable patience and concern in the depths of his eyes.
That was not the look a monk should have.
At this time, it was not a big deal for him, he just felt empty.
Returning to the study, they found out that the deceased may have died before preaching, so they came up with two guesses.
First, the murderer had already prepared the plan and was just waiting to find an excuse to perform a flawless play to get rid of his suspicion. Second, he had to act yesterday because only yesterday would he be in the Zhengyang Marquis's mansion and arrange the next lecture.
If it is the first case, then the suspect is everyone in the Xue family. If it is the second case... then there is only one person.
Master Liaokong was highly respected and had been famous for many years. He had countless followers in Yanjing. He was compassionate and cared about the world. He often gave porridge to help others and was well-known for his kindness in Yanjing.
If you say he would plot murder, no one would believe it.
But the fact is in front of everyone. The only person who was determined to kill Uncle Zhengyang yesterday was Luokong, who was in his uncle's arms yesterday and today.
But why did he kill people?
Originally, Jiang Lingyao and Duan Nanqi had no solution. After all, they were both highly respected masters. The Jinyiwei did not conduct an in-depth investigation into Kong's life experience and had not yet submitted the files.
But at this moment, Su Shuxian's voluntary confession made Jiang Lingyao suddenly enlightened.
Jiang Lingyao looked at the calm Lekong with a complicated expression, and then looked at Su Shuxian who was crying: "Madam, it turns out that Master Lekong is your former cousin."
One day their fate changed, one married someone else and the other became a monk.
But those who married someone else were not happy, and those who became monks could never forget their childhood concerns. As a result, the wife of the Marquis of Zhengyang became known for her firm belief in Buddhism and her devout dedication to Buddha.
Su Shuxian burst into tears after hearing what Jiang Lingyao said: "No, I killed him. I killed him."
Liaokong sighed and suddenly said, "Cousin, don't talk nonsense."
Su Shuxian suddenly became quiet. She stopped talking and the only sound in the room was her sad crying.
Master Liaokong chanted some Buddhist sutras again before saying to Jiang Lingyao and the others, "My two lords, Xue Dingshan was killed by the poor monk. When the poor monk was invited by the lady to the mansion of the Earl of Zhengyang, he had already thought of how to kill him."
"It seems that the two adults have cracked the mechanism in the study room so quickly. They are truly the pillars of the country."
There was no fear on Lu Kong's face, he didn't even have any remorse after killing someone. He remained calm and composed, still the respected master.
He recounted the entire process of his murder in detail, and the process was exactly the same as what Jiang Lingyao and the others had guessed, and he even described it in more detail.
After all the details of the case were explained, he said, "So Madam is not the murderer. Madam is just too pious and does not want to damage the reputation of the poor monk."
Liaokong smiled faintly and said, "I have already violated the precept of killing, so why would I care about my reputation? Madam, you are too biased."
Su Shuxian was shocked, but she gradually calmed down with his comfort.
Jiang Lingyao and Duan Nanqi barely questioned him, and Liaokong confessed everything, detail by detail, except why he wanted to kill Xue Dingshan.
Duan Nanqi asked: "Master, why do you want to kill him?"
Luo Kong paused, and finally he could no longer maintain his calm monk's face, and said calmly: "My cousin married the wrong person, I am just jealous."
If he was really jealous, why would he wait for so many years?
Su Shuxian spoke up at this time: "You did it for me, just for me. It's all my fault, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have told you."
Liao Kong's expression changed: "Cousin!"
He wanted to stop Su Shuxian from saying the next words, but Su Shuxian had already collapsed. She cried and said, "When Xue Dingshan came back from his hometown, his temperament changed drastically. He didn't sleep with me, but bullied me in various ways."
"I couldn't bear the humiliation, so I used the excuse of worshipping Buddha to hide in the temple."
Su Shuxian cried bitterly: "Over the years, Yaozu has grown up, and Xue Dingshan no longer dares to provoke me. I feel relieved and can't help but tell my cousin."
"Cousin, why are you so stupid? What should I do in the future?"
Now that she had said it, Lekong no longer hid anything and just sighed.
He raised his head and looked tenderly at the woman he had loved all his life.
He has Buddha, heaven and earth, and her in his heart.
More than 20 years of unwavering commitment.
Liaokong said: "I just want to get rid of the evil spirit in your heart. Once the evil spirit is removed, you will have a smooth road ahead. You will have a son and daughter-in-law, and you will have happiness in the future."
"As for me, I will probably go and debate with the Buddha," Liaokong laughed, "I will pray to the Buddha that we can finally become a loving couple in the next life."
Liaokong was taken away with a smile on his face.
Su Shuxian was left alone, sitting in the deserted mansion of Marquis Zhengyang and crying.
Jiang Lingyao suddenly asked, "Why is Xue Dingshan like this?"
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