Chapter 28: Twenty-Eight Cuts - "I'm the Number One Pot-Pusher"...
Upon hearing this, Shui Qingnian panicked and stood frozen in place for a long time.
After a long while, when she came to her senses, she fell back into her wheelchair and said with great indignation, "I was so angry at your distorted facts that I stood up. Consort Gao, Consort Mei, what a terrible thing you have done!"
Upon hearing this, the female official was taken aback. In fact, after the diagnosis, they knew that the cool physician was not seriously injured. The search for the murderer who harmed the cool physician was just an opportunity to advance the exploration of the scene.
Whether she was seriously injured or not is not important; what is important is to use this incident to issue them tasks, thereby bypassing the bug that Xie Changming forcibly exploited.
However, the fact that the cool imperial physician was not seriously injured is also part of the truth, so the female official nodded and said, "Alright, the fact that the cool imperial physician was not seriously injured can also be considered a new clue. Please, Your Highnesses and Lords, continue to deduce the truth based on the information you have so far."
Xie Changming's revelation that the ruthless physician was not injured actually added another possibility to the truth of the matter: that he was "faking injury to frame someone else." As a result, Shui Qingnian's face was very sour. She did not expect that her accusations in her excitement would expose her.
When Luo Mingshu heard the cruel imperial physician accuse her of wrongdoing, she simply shook her head and said helplessly, "Please, cruel imperial physician, I've already said that there were disguise pills left at the scene. Are you sure that what you saw of us was the real us?"
Shui Qingnian only then realized the problem. She was stunned. The light was dim that night. If there really was a disguise pill, it was possible that she had made a mistake.
She still hasn't grasped the key point of this step. In this step, it doesn't matter who the murderer is; what matters is clearing one's own name and identifying others. Meanwhile, Shui Qingnian has been led astray by Luo Mingshu's words and has begun to suspect that someone used a disguise pill to deceive her.
When the evidence of the disguise pill was presented, the owner of the pill, Guard Bao, panicked. She was certain that she had transformed into Consort Ya by using the disguise pill, so Luo Mingshu and Xie Changming were lying.
However, she currently has no evidence to prove that she has transformed into Consort Ya and not someone else. The only person who can vouch for her is her teammate Consort Neng. They belong to the same camp, and no one believes them even if they corroborate each other's claims. Acknowledging ownership of the disguise pill would only make them more suspicious.
Guard Bao opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, but Luo Mingshu had already become shameless and began to press her advantage.
“Then someone must have impersonated us to attack Doctor Ku.” Luo Mingshu’s tone was sorrowful. “We are so miserable, to be framed like this.”
Seeing Luo Mingshu's shamelessness, Consort Neng, who was always outspoken, could no longer sit still. He stood up and was about to reveal the truth about the disguise pill, but was pulled back by Guard Bao, who knew the key to it.
“We can’t explain the purpose of the disguise pill; let’s see who she points to,” Guard Bao whispered a reminder.
At this moment, Luo Mingshu still couldn't confirm the ownership of the Disguise Pill, but she was certain that no one would dare to step forward and claim it because the decision-making power did not belong to these few people, but to the people in Yingtian Palace who were watching their performance.
Strictly speaking, the object of their persuasion is this Misty Star Sea.
At this moment, Lu Yaoyao, who had been silent for a long time, immediately brightened up when she heard the words "disguise pill." This disguise pill didn't belong to Luo Mingshu and the others, because they had no need to change themselves, and she herself didn't have the money to buy such a good pill. Therefore, the disguise pill must belong to Guard Bao and Consort Neng.
She found it very strange yesterday. They were clearly rivals, so why would Consort Neng and Guard Bao come over late at night to invite her to play cards with them under the pretext of needing one more player?
While it's true she won a lot of money last night, their actions were highly suspicious.
What she did hasn't been uncovered yet, so in order to clear her name, she has no choice but to relentlessly attack the other side.
So, Lu Yaoyao bit her lip and said softly, "I found footprints on the windowsill in the library. According to my calculations, these footprints should belong to Consort Neng. Consort Neng, Guard Bao, you were indeed acting very strangely for a period of time last night when you were playing cards with me—your card-playing skills suddenly became much worse, your moves were sluggish, and you didn't cooperate with each other when you were playing as peasants, just like robots..."
“I suspect that you temporarily left during that time, leaving behind an avatar while I wasn’t paying attention—this basic spell is something that ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators can master. It was during the time you were gone that I won a lot of spirit stones because of your mechanical operation.” Lu Yaoyao’s questioning was reasonable and well-founded.
Guard Bao and Consort Neng: "???" You've won so much money and you're still acting innocent? If we hadn't secretly left, how could you have won so much?
Knowing she couldn't refuse, Guard Bao explained, "I'm going to the outhouse, is that not allowed?"
Lu Yaoyao was shocked: "You're already a Nascent Soul cultivator, and you still need to go to the outhouse?"
"Even fairies need to use the toilet!!!" Guard Bao's words were perfectly plausible.
But Luo Mingshu seized the opportunity to interject: "I saw half a steamed bun that was missing in the library. Guard Bao, you and steamed bun both have the character 'bao' in your name, so this steamed bun should be yours, right? Are you going to eat this in the outhouse?"
"How can you prove that this bun is mine?" Guard Bao denied.
At this moment, a palace maid presented the female official with a list of daily dishes supplied by Yingtian Palace. The female official glanced through it and said, "Guard Bao eats ten buns in one meal. You are the only one in the palace who likes buns so much. Your enthusiasm for them is no less than that of Consort Gao who likes fish head tofu stew."
Luo Mingshu thought of the fish head tofu stew again and couldn't help but feel a little heart-wrenching.
The female official's testimony clearly proves that Guard Bao was also present at the scene.
At this moment, Lu Yaoyao seemed to be possessed by a famous detective, and immediately stated her conclusion: "We also found a black robe on the ceiling - it should be used for night travel. Consort Neng, Guard Bao, you used the disguise pill to impersonate Consort Gao and Consort Mei, right?"
Seeing that the matter had been brought to the forefront, Guard Bao could only deny it outright: "The disguise pills are ours, but we did not disguise ourselves as Consort Gao or Consort Mei. We have never even seen the face of Imperial Physician Ku."
"Can you prove what you're saying is true based solely on your own words?" Luo Mingshu spoke rapidly. "Is there anyone who can vouch for you?"
Because of the cruel imperial physician's testimony, she could only shift the blame onto Guard Bao and Consort Neng to avenge their smear campaign against her on the palace website.
In fact, as long as she successfully brainwashed herself, everyone present would be seen as a murderer, and Luo Mingshu would not show favoritism. She immediately turned her attention to Lu Yaoyao: "Consort Ya, you said you discovered that Guard Bao and Consort Neng had both left. Didn't you have any ulterior motives and want to take the opportunity to go to the library to take a look?"
“Guard Bao, Consort Neng, tell us what happened to Consort Ya last night. This is your only chance to exonerate yourself,” Luo Mingshu urged.
They had actually noticed last night that Lu Yaoyao was acting strangely in the latter part of the night, which was why such a fierce argument broke out at the Imperial Hospital not long ago. Now that they couldn't defend themselves, they could only turn their anger towards Consort Ya and the ruthless Imperial Physician's team.
"Even as the game of Dou Dizhu progressed, you seemed distracted, Your Highness. We know how to use the spell of leaving behind an avatar, Your Highness, you should know it too, right?" Guard Bao asked loudly. "May I ask, Your Highness, what brings you here so suddenly?"
Lu Yaoyao was speechless for a moment. She didn't know how to explain it, because she had left a white handkerchief at the scene with a lotus pattern on it, which was a style she often used. This was undeniable.
"I...I..." Lu Yaoyao stammered, unable to speak. She didn't want her secret to be exposed.
"The blood-stained white handkerchief left at the scene, is that yours?" Luo Mingshu pressed her advantage and asked directly.
Lu Yaoyao and Guard Bao were shocked. They hadn't expected Luo Mingshu to reveal evidence one by one. Just how many clues had she and Consort Gao found in the library that allowed them to gain such a dominant position?
It's important to understand that while this stage seems to test their critical thinking skills to find the culprit, passing through the checkpoints and restrictions is also a test of their abilities. Bao Shiwei and his team thought that obtaining six clues was already quite remarkable, but it seems that Luo Mingshu and her team... obtained even more.
Luo Mingshu was certain that when Consort Gao knocked out the cruel imperial physician, she was not covered in blood. Consort Gao acted swiftly and decisively, and would not have been so hesitant.
So, this blood... must have been added later, and as for who did it, it seems we already have the answer.
Upon hearing this, Shui Qingnian, who had been sitting in a wheelchair, couldn't help but raise her arm. She had assumed that the injury was inflicted by Gao Fei, but now it seemed... that wasn't the case.
Shui Qingnian has a long scratch on her arm. It's not a serious injury, and it has already scabbed over, but it doesn't look very nice. Actually, Shui Qingnian is even angrier about the wound on her arm.
"You scratched me?!" Shui Qingnian exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Your Highness, how could you do this?"
Helpless, Lu Yaoyao could only lower her head and admit, "It was...it was my fault...but when I saw you, you were already unconscious."
"You didn't even help me when I was unconscious? Consort, how could I have a teammate like you?" Shui Qingnian was furious. Because her protective silver silk armor had been damaged by Consort Gao, she had no defense and was injured by Lu Yaoyao.
Luo Mingshu listened from the side. She herself did not expect things to be so dramatic. It turned out that everyone had been to the library. Among them, Lu Yaoyao did the most outrageous thing. She actually took advantage of someone's vulnerability and beat the unconscious imperial physician.
Now, all she needs to do is forcefully throw the pot away.
Then, Luo Mingshu revealed another clue: "At the scene, we also found a material for armor—silver thread. This... I'll have to trouble Doctor Ku to explain. The reason you weren't seriously injured is because the armor made of this silver thread protected you, right?"
"Hmph, so what? It's a fact that someone hit me," Shui Qingnian said, tilting her head back. She was straightforward and actually admitted it.
“When cultivators meet, occasional bumps and bruises are inevitable, especially in the competitive Misty Star Sea. You used this incident to fake an injury and frame us. Aren’t you the biggest culprit in this matter?” Luo Mingshu retorted. “In the lower-level Misty Star Sea, there are protective mechanisms, and you have soft armor to protect you. There is no way your life could be threatened. If you can’t attack competing teams in the Misty Star Sea, you might as well just call the Misty Star Sea a retirement home.”
"You were wrong from the start to use the rules of Yingtian Palace to call people to uphold justice for you. What's the point of wasting Yingtian Palace's resources and making everyone watch a farce?" Luo Mingshu had already decided on the murderer she believed to be and began to explain the truth she had fabricated.
"Guard Bao and Consort Neng disguised themselves as Consort Gao and me, and together they knocked you unconscious. You were later mistakenly injured by your own teammates, and in the end you even turned around and accused Consort Gao and me?" Luo Mingshu said indignantly. "I believe there will be justice in Yingtian Palace, and Consort Gao and I will be exonerated."
In fact, Luo Mingshu didn't want things to be like this either, because she initially admitted it, but once this matter entered the mission issued by Misty Star Sea, it had become a kind of game, and to win this game, one had to point fingers at others and exonerate oneself.
"Guard Bao and Consort Neng injured Imperial Physician Ku, they are the murderers. Imperial Physician Ku feigned serious injury to frame others, he is also a murderer. Consort Ya took advantage of the situation to scratch Imperial Physician Ku to vent her emotions, she is even more of a murderer." Luo Mingshu fired off a barrage of accusations, with no intention of letting anyone off the hook.
Lu Yaoyao couldn't help but raise her head and say loudly, "I... I tripped and fell because it was too dark in the library last night, and my fingernail scratched the cool doctor. I even helped her clean it up... How can you say I'm the murderer?"
“Perhaps Guard Bao and Consort Neng didn’t actually use their full strength back then, and it was you who finished them off.” Luo Mingshu began to praise Da Lu Yaoyao’s crimes.
Meanwhile, Guard Bao and Consort Neng were frantically explaining that they had only transformed into other people's appearances and had not actually impersonated Consort Gao and Consort Mei to carry out their attacks.
After a heated discussion, the female official stepped forward and gestured for them to quiet down: "Alright, Your Highnesses and Your Excellencies, there is no point in arguing about this any further. We already know who the murderer is, and he will be punished by having his monthly salary deducted afterward. However, we must reach a conclusion on the matter of identifying the murderer."
"Now, let the palace servants vote," the lady-in-waiting nodded and said. "The winning team will have the opportunity to go to the treasury of Yingtian Palace."
Luo Mingshu's throat was dry from talking so much, so she picked up the tea on the table and moistened her throat.
Xie Changming was almost asleep listening to their argument. Actually, when Lu Yaoyao told him what she had done, he had roughly guessed what had happened. Guard Bao and Consort Neng were the first to arrive at the library. Because Guard Bao had used a disguise pill, he had roughly transformed into Consort Ya's appearance—because they denied that they had transformed into him and Consort Mei. When Consort Neng saw "Consort Ya," she was terrified and attacked, leaving traces of the fight behind the bookshelf.
After that, the ruthless imperial physician came to the library and was bumped into by them. He was knocked unconscious, and he and the beautiful concubine were "forced" to leave some traces at the scene. Then, out of curiosity, the concubine followed the trail of the guard and the concubine to the library. Because the luminous pearl had fallen into a corner, the library was dimly lit, so she accidentally tripped and fell on the fallen imperial physician. Or perhaps it was intentional. She scratched the imperial physician with her fingernail. In a panic, she wiped the blood with a white handkerchief and threw it into the library before leaving in a hurry.
This must be the truth about what happened in the library last night. Everyone who came here had ulterior motives, and they were just seeing who had the power to exonerate themselves.
Sitting next to Xie Changming, Luo Mingshu was also fully aware of one thing: the reason they were able to be so proactive, countering every move and even seizing clues to launch their own attacks was entirely because they had enough information and enough time to come up with a defense for themselves. And all of this was based on Xie Changming's ability to shatter a barrier with a single punch.
This unexpected mission was, to be said, very cleverly designed, testing the cultivators' abilities in various ways. Otherwise, even fools like the Cool Physician would have lost their primordial spirits if they had ventured into the depths of the Misty Star Sea.
Soon after, the voting results were presented. As expected, the cool imperial physician who pretended to be seriously injured received the most emotional votes from the palace servants—they had gone to such lengths just to help her find the murderer, even though she was not injured.
Secondly, Consort Ya, who revealed that she had injured the Imperial Physician in a fall, won second place in the vote. Guard Bao and Consort Neng tied for third place. Luo Mingshu and Xie Changming received almost no votes because their explanations were perfect. They used the existence of the disguise pill to shift the blame directly onto the other two.
In the end, the murderer naturally escaped, and Luo Mingshu happily accepted the map of the Yingtian Palace Treasury that the female official had marked.
"Although you have successfully escaped, you still need to be fined this month. You will be fined for six months, and Consort Gao will be fined for a year," the female official said sternly.
Luo Mingshu naturally didn't care about such a small amount of money, but it did cause Xie Changming some dissatisfaction.
Fortunately, Luo Mingshu nudged her with her arm in time: "There are so many things in the treasure vault, why would we care about this little bit of money?"
Because Xie Changming performed well in finding clues, Luo Mingshu now treats him well.
Xie Changming failed to extend the exploration time; instead, he inadvertently accelerated the progress, so he had no choice but to reluctantly accept the map.
Amidst the angry yet envious gazes of the others, Luo Mingshu and the other two left the Imperial Hospital, intending to find a secluded place to study the map.
And this place was naturally chosen to be...
Beside the white jade fishpond in the Imperial Garden.
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