By this time, Jiang Lingyao's mind was in a mess.
She asked in disbelief, "Old Master, this poison was named by my master?"
Zhao Zhe nodded, with a somewhat relieved look on his face: "Yes, your master is a criminal genius. He is sharp and careful, and can see what ordinary people cannot. This poison was an accident. After the horse was poisoned and died suddenly, the corpse looked no different from ordinary deaths. The farm worker thought it was a waste, so he secretly cooked one of the foals, and that's why the horse was poisoned and died."
"Qiao Sheng was able to attribute this case to poisoning because of his extraordinary talent. The poison he eventually found proved that he was right. However, since then, the safflower poison has been banned by law because of its high toxicity. Your master has also made a great contribution."
Jiang Lingyao just felt a little dizzy. She just answered Zhao Zhe's words blankly and couldn't concentrate for a moment.
As it happened, the carriage had already arrived, and the group quickly mounted their horses. Jiang Lingyao followed the team back to the county government office in a daze.
Although she was elegant, calm, intelligent and decent when she was the judge, she was not taciturn. She didn't say a word on the way back, which made Duan Nanqi look at her several times. Seeing that she looked depressed, he thought for a moment and still did not disturb her.
When they returned to the county government office, Shen Suning, who had received the message from Jiang Lingyao, had also arrived. She gave Shen Suning careful instructions and asked her to go through the files of the seventh year of Tianyou with Zhao Zhe. After drinking a sip of tea, she followed Duan Nanqi out the door.
This time, the two of them were going to the Baihe Ferry Fishing Village in the northern suburbs.
On the way there, Jiang Lingyao still had a gloomy face. When there was no one else around, Duan Nanqi asked, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Lingyao replied subconsciously: "What?"
Duan Nanqi turned his head and looked at her with a serious look in his eyes, and asked again: "Did Lord Zhao say anything just now? Why are you so worried?"
Jiang Lingyao withdrew her gaze and lowered it to look at the horse's soft mane.
Duan Nanqi did not wait for her answer, but retracted his gaze and looked up at the unknown road ahead.
"If you really can't tell it, just make up a story and tell it to me."
Jiang Lingyao was slightly stunned, and the gloomy look on her face eased a little. She didn't expect Duan Nanqi to be so considerate.
She hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's not that I can't tell you, but since it concerns Master, I don't know if my judgment is correct."
As the saying goes, caring brings confusion. Jiang Lingyao's mind was in a mess. She was obviously not familiar with Duan Nanxi at all, and he did not completely trust her, but she just wanted to tell him now.
Deep down in her heart, she probably thought Duan Nanqi would tell her the answer.
Jiang Lingyao took a deep breath and asked, "Has Lord Duan checked my identity before?"
Duan Nanqi's eyes sparkled, and a gentle smile appeared on his face. He said nonchalantly, "How could that be? Not everyone in the Jinyiwei will check."
It would be strange if he didn't check himself.
Jiang Lingyao didn't believe what he said, and continued, "Your Excellency should know that I am a disciple of Qiao Sheng and learned the art of criminal law from him."
This is known, and many people in Shuntian Prefecture also know it. It is precisely because of the presence of Master Qiao Sheng that it is natural for Jiang Lingyao to become the Qiao Tui official.
Duan Nanqi understood as soon as she heard it that this matter must involve her master Qiao Sheng.
He said, "I know a little bit, but I don't know more."
Jiang Lingyao nodded and said, "My master is a famous criminal justice expert. He solved many strange cases during his tenure. Even His Majesty praised him. However, two years ago, my master made a mistake in a case and let the murderer go. As a result, the murderer changed his name and fled from Yanjing. The family of the deceased found the Jinyiwei and asked for an autopsy, and only then did they find new evidence."
In other words, Qiao Sheng let the murderer go due to a miscarriage of justice, and the family of the deceased knew Jin Yiwei, so Jin Yiwei intervened to re-determine the case. Therefore, Qiao Sheng was found guilty of miscarriage of justice and dereliction of duty, and naturally he could not stay in his original position.
Two years ago, Duan Nanxi was not the head of the East Office. He had only heard of this case but did not know the details.
In this way, he could only listen to Jiang Lingyao's narration.
Jiang Lingyao continued, "At that time, the husband of a commoner in Beijing died suddenly. My master and the coroner went to investigate. The deceased had no external injuries. The deceased's wife also said that she was not at home at the time and took the child back to her parents' home. There were witnesses to prove it. The cause of death was not clear. After my master asked the deceased's family, he closed the case as excessive drinking and sudden death."
"The confessions at the time were very detailed. Neighbors and family members all said that the couple had a harmonious relationship. Even though the wife was in poor health and could not do chores, the husband still cared for her and worked diligently to support the family. They were a well-known harmonious couple in the neighborhood. Under such circumstances, it was indeed impossible for the wife to kill her husband."
When the case was recounted to this point, Duan Nanqi suddenly recalled the files he had read. He said, "I have a vague impression that it seems that after the case was closed, the deceased's brother found out that his sister-in-law and the child were missing, and all the property in the deceased's home was missing. That's why he used his connections to find the Jinyiwei."
"The deceased had already been buried. The Royal Guards intervened and re-opened the coffin for an autopsy. They found that the deceased had died of safflower poisoning. The poison must have been in the wine, so the deceased's face looked like he had died of alcoholism. Therefore, he was not convicted of poisoning. However, the deceased's wife was nowhere to be found. This case can only be judged as your master's dereliction of duty."
Jiang Lingyao nodded and sighed, "That's right."
Duan Nanqi thought for a moment and said, "But do you think your master couldn't have made a wrong judgment?"
Jiang Lingyao pursed her lips, holding the reins tightly, and said, "I also thought that Master had really misjudged this before. Perhaps the Imperial Guards had their hand in this. Because of Master's ability, Shuntian Prefecture has won a lot of credit and has been repeatedly praised by His Majesty. The Imperial Guards would have framed him for this."
It was quite bold to say in front of the Jinyiwei garrison commander that the Jinyiwei would frame you.
But Duan Nanqi was not angry. He just narrowed his eyes and looked up at the white clouds in the distance.
The clouds are as soft as cotton, floating in the blue sky. The bright golden morning sun penetrates the clouds and shines on the earth.
There was light between heaven and earth.
Duan Nanqi said: "Your master is not a threat to the Jinyiwei. The Jinyiwei will not be in trouble. Master Qiao, if I tell the truth, your master is not worthy of the Jinyiwei to take action."
"He is not a son of an official, nor is he a favorite of His Majesty. He is just a sixth-rank prosecutor. Even if the Jinyiwei were crazy, they would never cause trouble for him."
Duan Nanqi said calmly: "This is the truth."
Jiang Lingyao was silent for a long time before she spoke again: "I know, but Master was dismissed and demoted, and my sister and I are very angry. We can only comfort ourselves in this way."
"Master Duan, I was comforting my junior sister a while ago that we would definitely be able to overturn the verdict on our master's behalf, but today I was hit hard."
Duan Nanqi turned his head to look at her: "What did Lord Zhao say?"
Duan Nanqi directly grasped the key point. Jiang Lingyao was so entangled, it must be that Zhao Zhe said something to her.
Jiang Lingyao bit her lower lip unconsciously, leaving a tiny mark on her moist pink lips.
She said, "But Lord Zhao just told me that my master was the one who discovered and named the safflower poison, so..."
Then how could he fail to recognize her when they met, and even make a big mistake because of this case, ruining his bright future?
Duan Nanqi said thoughtfully, "Master Qiao, has your master ever told you the details of this case?"
Jiang Lingyao shook her head and sighed, "No, he never told me and my junior sister, but after the sentencing order came down, he told me not to overturn his conviction. He knew what was going on and had already made plans. Although he will be exiled to Ganzhou this time, if he behaves well, he may be promoted and return to Beijing."
Duan Nanqi's heart was moved, and he asked calmly: "Your master was exiled to Ganzhou? The journey is very long and the weather is bitter and cold."
"That's why Junior Sister is thinking about you all day long and feels unwilling in her heart."
Jiang Lingyao said so, but wasn't she really like that?
The two of them were silent for a long time. When they gradually reached the fishing village, Duan Nanqi whispered, "I'll retrieve the files when we get back and see what your master's case is about."
Jiang Lingyao was actually just upset, and since he was the only one around her, she couldn't help but pour out her heart. However, she didn't expect that Duan Nanqi took the matter to heart and was willing to help her check the files.
Such tenderness came unexpectedly, and Jiang Lingyao didn't know how to respond for a moment. After a long while, she asked back, "What do you want?"
While saying this, Jiang Lingyao turned her head to the other side, as if pretending to appreciate the scenery, and she refused to turn around to look at Duan Nanqi.
Duan Nanqi had already guessed that she would answer like this.
Jiang Lingyao acts recklessly, vainly and eccentrically in front of outsiders, but in fact she is very defensive and will not easily open up to someone she does not trust.
She also didn't seem to believe that there were good things that came for free, or that there were unpaid help, or that there were "friends" she wasn't very familiar with who would put in a lot of effort for her.
Duan Nanqi looked at her round and red earrings, and the corners of his lips curled up. He coughed lightly and said nonchalantly, "To be honest, in order to save face for my wife, I sent a lot of horses to my wife's family when I returned home. Now my horse farm is empty, and I feel really bad."
"If you feel bad, Master Qiao, why don't you give me a few horses?" His voice was glib, but there was a hint of smile in his eyes. "Or maybe you can talk to my wife and ask her to give me some more money so I can run the horse farm business."
Jiang Lingyao was originally feeling awkward and a little embarrassed. She didn't know how to face Duan Nanqi, but then she heard his nonsensical words.
For some reason, the embarrassment in her heart disappeared in an instant. A warm current flowed through her heart. Jiang Lingyao pursed her lips and felt her face as if it was burning.
She did not immediately agree to Duan Nanqi's request, but asked, "How can I persuade the master's wife? I don't even know Lingzheng."
Duan Nanzhu rode the horse and trotted with her on the pipeline. The hot afternoon sun caressed their heads and warmed everyone's hearts.
"Heh." Jiang Lingyao heard Duan Nanqi's chuckle.
In early summer, the weather is pleasant and not too hot to make people feel uneasy.
But Jiang Lingyao immediately felt her cheeks burning. She bit her lower lip again, turning her pink lips scarlet.
Jiang Lingyao was rarely angry: "What are you laughing at?"
Duan Nanqi's eyes were full of smiles. He said, "Where am I smiling? Lord Qiao is really a rogue. He just ordered me to do the work but didn't pay me."
"Master Qiao said he didn't know my wife, but if Master Qiao wants to, he can definitely do it," Duan Nanqi said with a smile, "How can Master Qiao make mistakes when doing things?"
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