Chapter 41
The night was deep. The night watch drum had been beaten three times, and the waning moon above the eaves had long since been obscured by drifting clouds. Only a few stars remained, blinking wearily in the sky.
Zhao Tinglan listened to the steady snoring of the maid outside and had just closed her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching. She opened her eyes suddenly and reached for the silver hairpin under her pillow.
"Auntie, go outside and call someone!" she shouted.
There are runners posted by Lord He outside the courtyard. They will arrive in an instant with just a shout.
"I let them sleep soundly."
A familiar voice sounded.
Zhao Tinglan was about to stand up when he suddenly stopped.
"Mr. Song?"
"It's me."
The shadow approached, and moonlight slanted through the window, illuminating the youth's handsome silhouette. Her tense neck relaxed, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why did Master Song come here so late at night? And he's wearing night clothes..."
Song Qianzhao sat down at the table: "It's too conspicuous in the daytime. What are your plans now?"
Zhao Tinglan poured him a cup of tea and said, "I expected him to respond, but I didn't expect him to be so defensive, leaving no evidence at all. Now... we can only act according to circumstances."
But she doesn't regret it at all.
From the very beginning, she didn't expect to be sure of success - she was just risking everything and taking a gamble.
Even if it is difficult to win this game, she will risk her life to make him pay with blood.
Every time she thought about how the beast's evil deeds were lightly covered up and he could continue to live a comfortable and glorious life, resentment and resentment grew like weeds in her heart, almost driving her crazy.
"I came here tonight to ask Miss Zhao two things."
"Mr. Song, please speak."
"Today I went to see Miss Wang. She asked me to bring you a message. Due to various reasons, she cannot testify on your behalf."
"It's okay." Zhao Tinglan said calmly, "Mingfu is also a victim. Whatever choice she makes is beyond reproach."
Not everyone in this world has the courage to take a gamble like her.
What's more, even if Wang Mingfu stood up regardless of everything, it would only make the matter worse, and ultimately it would not shake Li Lin'an's foundation. These charges would still be pushed onto Lu Zhong's head.
Song Qianzhao was just delivering the message and had no intention of saying more about the matter.
"The second thing I want to discuss with Miss Zhao is that this situation is not completely hopeless."
Zhao Tinglan was stunned for a moment.
Young Master Song had done enough for her, rescuing her from the mansion and sending someone to escort her to the capital. How could the Li family not have noticed such an action? I'm afraid they are investigating now.
Logically speaking, Mr. Song should have drawn a clear line between himself and her, why did he still...
"Because we've already helped to this extent, if we stop now, wouldn't it be a waste of help?"
Zhao Tinglan's heart warmed, and just as he was about to speak, he heard him continue, "Besides, this matter is not just about you. The Li family is powerful, and if we can prove that their son has abducted a woman, it will also weaken their edge. Our ancestor, Song Jian, has always been at odds with Li Shufeng. You should just think of it as working with me."
It turns out that after Song Qianzhao rescued Wang Mingfu, he had already informed his son, Song Jian, of this incident. His grandfather, a man of integrity, detested such bullying of men and women. Upon hearing this, he slammed the table in anger, denouncing Li Lin'an as worse than a beast, and instructing his grandson not to worry about the Li family's power but to help Miss Zhao obtain justice.
Zhao Tinglan's eyes were slightly hot.
Although Song Jian holds an official position, he still lags far behind the Li family in power. If he were discovered...
He said this just to make her feel at ease to receive his help.
Zhao Tinglan took a deep breath and suppressed his tears.
"I know very little about Li Lin'an. I hope you can tell me everything in detail." Song Qianzhao brought the conversation back to the main topic.
Only when you know yourself and your enemy can you prescribe the right medicine.
Zhao Tinglan then told her everything he knew, including the story of his sister Zhao Wuyou. Song Qianzhao was quite surprised after hearing this - it turned out that Miss Zhao's abduction was not accidental, but was related to her sister who disappeared four years ago.
"My sister was once harassed by a bully while out and about, but she was fortunately saved by Master Zhang and Li Lin'an. She often told me that Master Zhang was a man of good character and shared similar interests, and that they gradually developed feelings for each other. As for Li Lin'an..." Zhao Tinglan paused, "She always said that he had a mean look in his eyes, which made her feel uncomfortable."
Because of this, when her sister disappeared, the first person she suspected was Li Linan, but she had no way to verify it.
A few days ago, while working at Jin Man Tang, she happened to see Li Lin'an and his wife ordering jewelry, so she took the opportunity to test her. Unexpectedly, half a month later, while out on business, she was knocked unconscious and abducted.
When he woke up, he was already in an iron cage.
When I saw Mr. Li again, he was completely different from before.
Only then did she realize that he had seen through her intentions when they met that time, and he even admitted in person that his sister's disappearance was indeed his fault.
From the few words she uttered when she angered him, she learned that her sister was no longer alive...
He strangled her to death with his own hands.
I don't know how much torture he suffered before his death...
"Miss Zhao, I'm so sorry," Song Qianzhao said. "Could you please elaborate on the matter between your sister and Li Lin'an?"
Zhao Tinglan continued, "Whenever Li Lin'an mentions my sister, he loses control of his emotions."
When you lose control, you talk a lot. And those words often contain clues.
For example, he once said that Wuyou was the first woman he fell in love with, and also the first woman who rejected him.
"He said that he became what he is now completely carefree." Zhao Tinglan said sarcastically.
When Song Qianzhao heard this, he just found it ridiculous.
In her opinion, people who commit crimes because of rejection simply have bad natures and lack an excuse to do evil.
For such people, any dissatisfaction can be used as an excuse to harm others.
"He also said that Wuyou cannot be reincarnated after death, and his soul will have to accompany him forever." Zhao Tinglan said hatefully.
Although she didn't believe these crazy words, such vicious thoughts were disgusting just by listening to them.
Song Qianzhao frowned slightly: "Miss Zhao, do you know where your sister's body is buried?"
Li Linan was so obsessed with Zhao Wuyou that he said something like "locking the soul". So the whereabouts of the corpse must be something else.
Zhao Tinglan shook his head: "I tried to find out, but I couldn't get anything out of it."
She had thought about seeking justice for her sister in court, but there was no evidence at all.
"But... the second young lady of the Li family should know something."
Zhao Tinglan recounted in detail how he had tested the Wei family today, including the other party's reaction.
"So, Li Lin'an still has things related to your sister with him." Song Qianzhao seemed to be thinking about something.
Zhao Tinglan nodded.
Young Master Song was so smart that he shouldn't have gotten involved in such a mess. But precisely because of this, it was even more rare.
She changed the subject: "By the way, Mr. Song, I've been missing for these days, and my husband's family must be very worried. Could you please give me a message saying that I'm fine?"
Song Qianzhao's heart tightened, but he couldn't hide the truth. He hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, "Li Lin'an is ruthless and insane. They... have all been murdered."
Zhao Tinglan's body shook violently, and tears burst out.
Song Qianzhao stayed in the room for about half an hour, and only got up and said goodbye after Miss Zhao calmed down a little.
On this day, Song Qianzhao went to the Zhanshi Mansion to report for duty. As soon as he arrived at the yamen, he was summoned by the prince.
Xuan Shu was drinking tea in the Viewing Pavilion when he heard brisk footsteps on the stairs. He looked up and saw a young man in an indigo robe approaching.
The young man has clear features, walks lightly, and exudes an indescribable freshness and vitality.
Song Qianzhao bowed and sat down in front of him.
"Has Mr. Song made any progress in the past two days?" Xuan Shu put down the teacup and asked directly.
Fan Zhiyu had told him in detail about Li Lin'an's kidnapping of a woman a few days ago, so he asked this question.
"I talked with Miss Zhao last night, and heard from her some of Li Lin'an's weaknesses. There is also one thing worth investigating further." Song Qianzhao picked out a few parts of yesterday's conversation and told Xuan Shu.
Xuan Shu concentrated on thinking carefully and was about to speak when he saw a figure appearing from the stairs.
Suifeng stepped forward and greeted them, then reported, "The Li family's second young mistress, Wei, was acting suspiciously this morning. Her carriage was headed toward her family's home, the Wei family, but halfway through, it suddenly turned and headed straight out of the city toward the Sanbai Mountain Taoist temple."
"Sanbai Mountain Taoist Temple?" Xuan Shu raised his eyebrows slightly.
The behavior of heading towards Wei Mansion and then turning back to leave the city was clearly an attempt to cover up the trip to the Taoist temple under the pretext of returning to her mother's home.
"What's even more bizarre," Suifeng continued, "is that the carriage stopped at the back door of the Taoist temple. Wei didn't show up, but a maid wearing a veiled hat got out."
Xuan Shu exchanged glances with Song Qianzhao and immediately ordered, "Send more people to keep a close eye on the situation. Make sure to find out the purpose of Wei's trip. Report any news immediately."
Follow the wind and go.
"Wei just met Miss Zhao yesterday. Today's actions should be related to Zhao Wuyou's matter." Song Qianzhao's voice was soft but with some certainty.
Xuan Shu nodded slightly, "There should be news soon." Suddenly, he changed the subject, "Ruyue, immediately have someone draft a memorial impeaching Li Shufeng, and at the same time, spread the news that I intend to establish a customs office and reform the salt permit system."
Ruyue looked surprised: "Your Highness, what is this?"
Song Qianzhao also looked puzzled.
"Song Qing once said that merchants are shifting the tax burden due to the court's inadequate oversight," Xuan Shu said calmly. "If we establish a customs office to strictly monitor prices and standardize salt permits, why should we worry about the national treasury being full? The soldiers at the border have been in arrears for so long, and they're hungry. How can they defend our country?"
He paused, "Because the former queen was jealous and cruel to her children, my mother was worried and didn't let me return to the palace for many years. It was not until this year that I was able to return to the throne after the queen was overthrown. Li Shufeng is not familiar with me, so he didn't know that I dislike him."
"This impeachment is to make him understand my position. I am the only son of my father, the emperor, and the country will be handed over to me sooner or later."
"Li Shufeng has a son, and what he fears most is a reckoning with the new ruler. Now that he knows I'm dissatisfied with him, how can he sit still?" Xuan Shu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Given his personality, he'll definitely try to find out what I like and be eager to show his loyalty."
"It just so happens that I want to set up a customs office, which will require new offices and more officials. I will also need to reform the salt permits and redistribute them, so silver will be needed everywhere."
Xuan Shu curled his lips into a cold smile: "He has been embezzling money for many years, and the thing he lacks the most is money."
Song Qianzhao raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of admiration in his eyes, "Your Highness, are you trying to hit Li Shufeng with a bamboo pole..."
Xuan Shu's eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly, "That's right."
Ruyue's tone was a bit confused. "I have one question. Your Highness can directly use the national treasury. Why does he need to ask the minister for it?"
Xuan Shu's eyes glared. "Of course the court can allocate funds, but on what basis? Those vested interests have bulging pockets, and they keep saying they work for the country and the people, but when it comes to paying, they cry poor! That money originally belonged to the court! I will extort it from them one by one, and Li Shufeng is just the first one."
A hint of sarcasm played at the corner of his lips. "If we follow the imperial process, with cabinet deliberations and approvals at every level, it would not only be inefficient but also face numerous obstacles. It would be better to let him 'voluntarily' pay, which would save trouble."
Song Qianzhao's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and smiled, "Your Highness is wise! These parasites usually suck the blood of the court and the people, and now it's time to make them spit it out."
…….
At the same time, a figure wearing a veiled hat quietly slipped out from the back door of the Sanbai Mountain Taoist Temple.
The man looked around several times, making sure there was no one around, and then quickly got into the carriage parked nearby.
"How? What did you find out?"
Seeing the maid come back, Wei, who had been waiting anxiously, couldn't wait to ask.
"Miss……."
The maid's voice trembled. After taking off the veil, she took out the small box from her sleeve and hurriedly threw it into the corner of the car as if she was holding a hot potato.
Wei frowned.
This was her maid who came with her dowry. She had always behaved in a steady manner, but today she acted out of character. Not only did she call her by the same name as she did in the boudoir, but her behavior was also flustered and inappropriate.
She bent down to pick up the box and carefully adjusted it, fearing any scratches would cause her husband to notice. Then she asked, "What did the Taoist priest say?"
"Madam! This...this thing really can't be touched!"
The maid's voice trembled with fear as she quickly explained, "The abbot refused to speak at first, but I forced twenty taels into his mouth before he finally opened his mouth... This puppet is very evil, it must have been cursed!"
Wei scolded coldly, "Even if you're cursed, you're just a puppet. Where has your usual composure gone?"
Although witchcraft had always been strictly prohibited by the imperial court, she had seen it before. As a child, she had seen her mother and her dowry maid secretly pricking a small rag doll with silver needles while mumbling a series of incantations.
But what happened? The aunt who had been cursed for several years is still alive and well.
So, these so-called evil arts are probably just tricks to scare people.
In fact, when she saw the puppet for the first time, she had guessed it roughly - there was a piece of red paper under the puppet, on which was the birth date and name written in cinnabar. It was obviously a shady technique used to harm people.
But if my husband really loves Zhao Wuyou, why would he curse her?
Could it be that... Zhao Wuyou is still alive?
Where would a person who has been missing for many years be hidden?
Is Zhao Wuyou’s disappearance related to her husband?
Today she used the excuse of returning to her parents' home, and while her husband went to the Hanlin Academy, she brought the puppet to the Taoist temple, just to find an answer.
"Madam... this isn't just any sorcery... this is a sorcery for the dead!"
"What did you say? Evil magic for dealing with the dead!" Wei's face suddenly changed.
"Madam, you are pregnant now. I am afraid of scaring you, but I dare not hide it from you... You just need to know that this is the case... The rest..." The maid's voice trembled, her eyes were red, and she was about to cry.
Wei said in a deep voice: "Tell me everything clearly!"
Now that things have come to this, she can pretend to be ignorant on the surface, but she must not really remain in the dark.
Now that the clue is right in front of her, how can she not get to the bottom of it?
What's more, she is not the kind of woman who is as timid as a bird, so how could she be scared away by the mere witchcraft.
Seeing that her master was determined to get to the bottom of it, the maid had no choice but to continue, "The temple master said that he only had a superficial understanding of this evil magic. He only knew that it was called 'Soul Binding Technique', an extremely difficult evil method that could trap the soul of the deceased in a puppet, preventing them from ever being reborn..."
When she heard that, she immediately realized that what she was holding in her arms was not a wooden box at all, but a bloody female ghost! She was so frightened that her soul almost flew away. How could she remain calm?
Wei's face turned pale in an instant.
At this moment, she didn't know whether she should be jealous of her husband's deep love for Zhao Wuyou, or should she be afraid of her husband's terrible obsession?
The more the maid spoke, the more horrified she felt, but she continued as if her tongue was out of control: "That Taoist... he also said that the reason this puppet is dark red is because when performing the spell, the hot blood of the heart is taken from the person while they are still alive, and the wooden figure is soaked in it for a whole day..."
This is not sorcery at all, it's murder!
Who in their right mind would do such a mad thing...
Wei felt a chill running up her back, and her whole body froze.
It seems that Zhao Wuyou's disappearance was indeed caused by her husband.
Her husband not only killed Zhao Wuyou, but also used such vicious means to imprison her soul.
Wei stared at the wooden box, imagining the puppet lying inside, and her hands couldn't stop shaking.
Now she finally understood why the usually steady maid was so frightened that she threw the wooden box directly into the corner.
If she could, she wanted to open the car window immediately and throw this thing as far away as possible!
But... no.
Because what made her feel the coldest was not the contents of the box.
The carriage swayed and gradually drove away, carrying two uneasy people.
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