Chapter 41 Interrogation (Part 1)
Shen Zhilan had been listening quietly. Now, feeling Xuan Ying's gaze, he pursed his lips and looked up at Ling Wei. Ling Wei, however, was still gazing at the sky, seemingly unconcerned about the details.
"After Lord Shen lost his voice, the matter was left unresolved." Xuan Ying took a deep breath and continued, "But somehow the news reached the palace, saying that Lord Shen was grieving for the deceased Crown Princess and that this was the cause of his injury. His Majesty, upon hearing this, probably... felt some pity."
Xuan Ying's narration paused briefly here, with only the soft rustling of the morning breeze through the grass remaining.
"Later, His Majesty issued an edict, betrothing the young master to you, making him a concubine."
So that's how it is.
Many fragmented pieces were pieced together in front of Ling Wei, which explained why her second sister, Ling Yao, spoke so bitterly and sarcastically to their mother after the imperial decree of marriage was issued.
No wonder Mother scolded Ling Yao with a stern face, saying, "Aren't those in the backyard enough for your amusement?" It seems that Ling Yao, this promiscuous woman, had asked Mother for Shen Zhilan's hand in marriage but was rejected, so she took her anger out on her.
A self-destructive rebellion, a series of unfortunate rumors, and an imperial decree bound two people, each with their own secrets and burdened with shackles, together.
Xuan Ying continued, "Relying solely on covert investigations is probably not enough to protect oneself, so Lord Shen decided to make a big fuss and attract real external forces to intervene."
Initially, we tried to alert Commander Zhao Ying, but she... was extremely cautious, and after sensing something amiss, she distanced herself even further.
"Fortunately, the banditry in Xishan has reached the imperial court, and His Majesty has sent you here."
Xuan Ying's tone carried a hint of relief, "We then discussed how to guide His Highness to notice these anomalies..."
“Guide…” Ling Wei finally spoke, interrupting Xuan Ying’s words, slowly savoring the two words, her voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
Xuan Ying's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately explained, "Your Highness, please forgive me! I did not mean to deceive you!"
The real reason is that Xishan is the hometown and old territory of Grand Secretary Cai, where power is deeply entrenched. Your Highness, your reputation in the capital... we are unsure whether you are willing to delve into such murky waters, or whether you might alert the enemy, hence this desperate measure.
"We had no idea Your Highness was so unassuming; it seems we...were too naive."
To put it nicely, the core idea was that Ling Wei at that time was known as a good-for-nothing, and they didn't dare to gamble that Ling Wei would be willing to take action after knowing about it, nor did they think that she could really stand up to Cai's party. So they took advantage of her influence to carry out their own investigation.
After listening, Ling Wei simply replied indifferently, "I can understand, they're all pretending."
The last "pretend" refers not only to her own disguise, but also to someone's long-term concealment and his assessment and calculation of her abilities behind the scenes.
Xuan Ying understood the implication and felt a chill run down his spine. He was about to say more when he said, "Fifth Prince, Lord Shen, he actually..."
"That's enough," Ling Wei interrupted her again. "I understand."
She finally turned her gaze away from the sky and resumed her businesslike demeanor: "You still have the rescued miners there, right?"
"yes."
"Arrange reliable personnel to inquire in detail about their detention locations, cooperate with Commander Zhao's men, and rescue all the victims as soon as possible, properly resettle them, and record their testimonies."
Ling Wei spoke calmly and clearly, “Those captured bandits were interrogated separately, with a focus on who instructed them, the source of the gunpowder, and their dealings with Sun Man and the mining supervisor.”
"Yes, I understand!" Xuan Ying accepted the order.
Ling Wei then turned her gaze directly to Shen Zhilan for the first time. Her eyes were calm, almost distant.
“My dear Mr. Shen,” Ling Wei used the most formal form of address, “...I wish to follow in his footsteps and comfort my old friend.”
"Your reasons for volunteering were not unfounded. You shouldered such a heavy responsibility alone and have lived up to your elder sister's expectations. Thank you for your hard work. Please handle the follow-up matters together with Xuan Ying."
Shen Zhilan's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, and her fingers unconsciously lifted up, as if she wanted to gesture.
Ling Wei turned around abruptly, leaving only her back view: "I don't understand. If Lord Shen has anything to say, just write it down and give it to Qing Shu. I have other important matters to attend to."
Shen Zhilan stood there, stunned, watching her departing figure. Her outstretched hand slowly fell to her sides, her fingertips icy cold.
......
Six hours later, at dusk, in the main hall of the Fuling Prefectural Governor's Mansion.
As dusk approached, the setting sun, like blood, slanted in through the open gate, casting long shadows on the blue brick floor.
The main hall, which once symbolized the power of the prefecture, was now silent and solemn. Guards stood on both sides, holding halberds and swords, the cold gleam of their armor replacing the warm and gentle inscription on the plaque above the hall that should have been there.
Ling Wei changed into a purple prince's casual robe, without a crown, and only tied her hair with a plain silver hairpin. She sat in the main seat that originally belonged to the prefect.
She still looked tired, but her back was straight and her eyes were clear. Zhao Ying sat with her hand on her sword at the lower left, her back straight, her gaze sweeping back and forth between the people below and Ling Wei.
Sun Man and Du Wen were "invited" in by two bodyguards, one on each side, with considerable force, causing them to stagger.
Du Wen's face was ashen, a few strands of hair fell across her sweat-dampened forehead, and the hem of her official robe was stained with dust. Her eyes swept frantically across the grim hall, her lips trembled, and she could barely stand. She was only able to stay upright because her personal guards were supporting her.
Sun Man had lost her usual composure and dignity. Although her hair was not completely disheveled, the hairpin was askew, and a strand of hair fell to her ear.
But when she was forced to kneel, her back straightened subconsciously, her gaze quickly sweeping over Ling Wei, who was sitting upright in the hall, and Zhao Ying, whose expression was tense, before quickly lowering again.
A brief silence fell, broken only by Du Wen's heavy, trembling breaths coming from inside the hall.
Sun Man turned his head to Du Wen, who was slumped on the ground, and said in his usual tone, "Prefect Du, etiquette cannot be disregarded. You and I are, after all, officials of the imperial court. Even if an imperial envoy is questioning a case, according to the 'Great Chen Law,' we should stand up and answer properly before a conviction is made."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it drowned out Du Wen's heavy breathing and reached everyone's ears clearly.
These words were like a shot in the arm.
Du Wen's unfocused gaze sharpened for a moment as she looked at Sun Man, whose face was expressionless, exuding an almost cold composure.
It was this composure that temporarily blocked Du Wen's overflowing panic. She bit her tongue hard, and the sharp pain cleared her confused mind for a moment. She imitated Sun Man, straightened her weak back, broke free from the restraints of the guards behind her, and was about to get up.
Zhao Ying, watching from the sidelines, saw it all clearly: This Sun Man! Even in this dire situation, barely able to protect himself, he still managed to calm his terrified accomplice with just a few words.
I used to think she was just a smooth-talking, smiling tiger, but now it seems that this older sister has a tough streak that won't shed a tear until she sees the coffin.
Zhao Ying became even more cautious and quietly turned her gaze to the person in the main seat.
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