Chapter 401 Murder
Case Xixi thought about it and remembered what she had heard from her eldest brother before.
Zhao Shuoer had threatened Qin Qixuan with an imperial edict. If Zhao Shuoer didn't have an imperial edict, she wouldn't have dared to say it so boldly.
This imperial edict should at least force Qin Qixuan to marry Zhao Shuoer.
Xixi knew in her heart that the imperial edict was undoubtedly the most powerful weapon in Zhao Shuoer's hand, enough to make Qin Qixuan unable to refuse. However, Zhao Shuoer had not used this weapon for a long time. There must be her considerations. Obviously, she also left room for maneuver and didn't want to push Qin Qixuan too hard, lest Qin Qixuan resent the Zhao family after they got married in the future.
This is the escape route Zhao Shuoer left for Qin Qixuan, and it is also her last trump card.
Xixi pondered and had a plan in mind.
At dinner time, the family sat together, but the atmosphere was a little heavy.
Not only because of what happened to Qin Qixuan, but also because the Lantern Festival was coming, and Xiaosi and Xiaowu were about to leave home.
This is also what Qin Shu meant. Although life in the capital is comfortable, it is difficult to show one's fists, and there is a possibility of being in trouble by the emperor.
She knows that although the capital is prosperous, for her sons, it is like a cage that restrains their wings. She hopes that they can soar to the wider sky and pursue their dreams. However, whenever Qin Shu thought about her children leaving her, her heart was filled with reluctance and worry.
The third son had already said that he was going to do business with Yang Chong. Although he didn't want to attend the wedding of Qin Shu and Fang Qinghong at that time, it was true.
The third son was about to travel far away with Yang Chong.
Qin Shu listened to her sons' words. Although she was reluctant, she knew they had to go. She nodded silently, with tears flashing in her eyes.
Xixi was sensitive to her mother's emotional changes. She hurried to Qin Shu's side and held Qin Shu's hand tightly with her tender little hand. She babbled to comfort her mother. Although her words were simple, her innocence and understanding were touching.
[Mom, my brothers are all going to experience themselves and become more powerful people. We should be proud of them. Moreover, they will come back to accompany us from time to time, right?]
Qin Shu felt a little relieved when she heard this. She looked at Xixi's sensible face and listened to her babbling words, and couldn't help laughing again.
She patted Xixi's hand gently and nodded.
"Xixi is right. We should be proud of our brothers."
After dinner, Qin Shu personally packed the bags for her sons and reminded them to be safe and take care of themselves. Xixi also helped on the side and cheered up the brothers from time to time.
Before leaving, Qin Shu sent her sons to the door and watched their backs gradually going away, her heart filled with reluctance and worry.
Xixi looked at her mother's lonely back and felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She knew that although her mother seemed strong on the surface, she was very fragile on the inside.
The three children left the Qin Mansion. Although the entire Qin Mansion did not seem to have changed much, everyone felt that the mansion seemed to be much quieter.
These days, Qin Qixuan seemed to be caught in a busy vortex, but it is gratifying that the difficult case in his hands finally revealed some clues.
This murder case involves a wide range of issues, like a huge mystery, which made Qin Qixuan invest a lot of time and energy to explore the truth.
In Qin Qixuan's study, the lights were on and the case files were piled up like a mountain. When it was late at night, he was alone, facing these silent testimonies, trying to piece together the broken clues.
On this day, Qin Qixuan's men rushed into the study, holding a file in their hands, their faces filled with excitement that could not be concealed.
"Sir, there is a clue!" The words of the men were like a spring breeze, and a long-lost smile appeared on Qin Qixuan's face. The hard work and efforts during this period seemed to have received the best reward at this moment.
"Quick, prepare the horses! I'm going to the Dali Temple!" Qin Qixuan's voice was full of eagerness and expectation, and he couldn't wait to transform this clue into substantive progress.
Qin Qixuan only had time to say goodbye to Qin Shu and others before he hurriedly left the mansion. The sound of horse hooves echoed in the night, gradually fading away, leaving the house full of silence and expectation.
Xixi stood in front of the window, watching Qin Qixuan's receding back, but she felt inexplicably worried.
She couldn't help but feel an ominous premonition in her heart, and she turned to look at Qin Shu.
[Xixi remembered that this matter was originally handed over to another capable official to investigate, but for some reason, it was replaced by the eldest brother this time... and that official, he unfortunately died in the process of handling the case, and all the clues disappeared. From then on, this case became an unsolved case that no one could solve. 】
Qin Shu was originally enjoying the afternoon leisurely, holding a bowl of exquisite sweet soup in her hand, ready to savor it carefully. However, when she heard Xixi mention this past event, the spoon in her hand instantly lost control and fell to the ground with a snap. The crisp sound echoed in the silent room.
Xixi was startled by the sudden sound. She turned around and saw Qin Shu's loss of composure. Puzzlement and worry appeared on her little face. Qin Shu hurriedly concealed her loss of composure, took a deep breath, and tried to calm her inner fluctuations. But her eyes still revealed the worry and uneasiness that were difficult to conceal.
"Qixuan... won't follow the fate of that official and encounter an accident while handling the case?" Qin Shu worried secretly in her heart.
She knew the dangers of the officialdom, which was full of intrigues and struggles. If she was not careful, she would fall into an irretrievable situation. As an official of the Dali Temple, Qin Qixuan often dealt with desperate criminals, and the dangers were imaginable.
Although Qin Shu was full of worries, she also knew that she could not panic at this time.
She tried her best to calm herself down and think about how to help Qin Qixuan overcome this difficulty.
She believed in Qin Qixuan's ability and wisdom. He would be more cautious than the official who was in trouble and would not put himself in danger.
However, the worry and uneasiness still shrouded Qin Shu's heart like a shadow.
Just when the two were thinking about their own things, the servant suddenly reported to the mansion that Zhao Shuoer came to visit.
Qin Shu and Xiao Xixi looked at each other, both of them were surprised.
Why did Zhao Shuoer suddenly come to the Qin Mansion to visit?
Although her purpose was unclear, Qin Shu certainly couldn't just block Zhao Shuoer outside the door and not let her in. Wouldn't that be a slap in the face of the Jinnan Palace.
Qin Shu took a deep breath and decided to fight back.
"Let Princess Zhao come in."