Lu Xingzhou certainly didn't believe Shen Hong's words and said coldly, "You're still not being honest. Come, torture me!"
Crimson's eyes widened in fear as two guards came forward, grabbed her from the ground, and tied her to a pillar.
Shenhong's hands and feet were hung, and she watched helplessly as Lu Xingzhou walked up to her with a red-hot iron.
"If you don't tell me, the branding iron will fall on your hands. If you don't behave, it will fall on your face." Lu Xingzhou said.
"No, Your Highness, no..." Shenhong shook her head desperately, a pool of water seeping out from under her body.
Lu Xingzhou glanced at Shen Hong with disgust, "If you don't even have this kind of courage, how dare you poison the princess?"
Crimson cried, "I didn't, I didn't... It's not me, this servant was wronged!"
Lu Xingzhou frowned and without saying anything else, he directly put the hot iron on Shenhong's arm. The quiet dungeon was suddenly filled with the sizzling sound of skin being burned and Shenhong's crying.
"Shut her mouth!" Lu Xingzhou ordered, reaching out and bringing the branding iron close to the deep red cheek.
Shenhong was tied up very tightly and couldn't break free. She felt a hot breath coming towards her face. Shenhong shouted quickly: "No! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"
When Lu Xingzhou heard this, he threw the branding iron in his hand into the charcoal basin. He knew very well that people like Shenhong could not hold on for long.
"Go ahead." Lu Xingzhou sat at the table. The guard in charge of recording was already waiting beside him. He took a pen and was about to write down the deep red confession.
Shen Hong knew that she had no other choice and cried, "I hate the princess. Is that strange? She hurt me like this. Can't I hate her?"
Lu Xingzhou's voice was emotionless as he said coldly, "But the princess kept you in the palace and allowed you to be a maid. She never tried to kill you."
Hatred smoldered in her crimson eyes as she stared at Lu Xingzhou, "Should I even thank her? If it weren't for her, how could I have been reduced in salary and become just a servant? Your Highness, do you know how those people tortured me? Your Highness, do you know what kind of life I've been living these days? I'm worse than the lowest servant. The only one in the entire palace who's willing to talk to me is Achang. Does Your Highness know Achang? Achang is the servant who empties the night-incense barrels in the palace every day. Your Highness, have you ever heard of him?"
Lu Xingzhou frowned. There were so many servants in the palace, not to mention the boy who emptied the night-scented incense barrel. There were too many things he didn't know, and this was not his job.
Shenhong cried again, "Your Highness, you know Qianhong, right? Qianhong and I have been together since we were little. We entered the palace together and were both given to Prince Yi's Mansion by the Empress. We have never been apart, but when Chen Liyue came, she separated me and Qianhong! Now I can't even see my own sister. Isn't this all Chen Liyue's fault?"
Lu Xingzhou frowned and winked, and the guard standing next to Shenhong stepped forward and slapped Shenhong hard.
"How can you call the princess by her name?"
Shenhong was caught off guard, but there was nowhere to hide. He took the slap head-on. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth and his cheek swelled up instantly.
Lu Xingzhou said, "I know about Qianhong. The princess gave you the opportunity to choose whether to go out to work or stay in the palace as a maid. Qianhong chose to go out, but you chose to stay in the palace as a maid."
Shenhong knew she was in the wrong, but she still refused to give up. "Then, Your Majesty, do you know why I would rather stay in the palace and be a servant than leave?"
Lu Xingzhou ignored her, and Shenhong continued to speak to herself: "Because I love the prince deeply!"
Lu Xingzhou stood up, his tall body cast a shadow in front of Shenhong, and Shenhong had no choice but to look up at him.
All I heard was Lu Xingzhou saying word by word: "You really make me sick."
Shenhong felt as if struck by lightning. She couldn't believe that the prince would say such words to her. The breath of courage that had been holding on her heart all this time suddenly disappeared at this moment.
Shenhong collapsed completely, but because her hands and feet were tied, she couldn't sit down on the ground.
Crimson felt unprecedentedly cold and tired.
Lu Xingzhou turned around and said to the guards, "Continue the interrogation. Find out how she got the Shenxi Powder and who was behind it. Submit the confession after the interrogation."
The guard clasped his fists in response, and Lu Xingzhou left without looking at Shenhong again.
————
Lu Xingzhou told Chen Wangqiu about the interrogation of Shen Hong. Chen Wangqiu said, "Where is that person now? I want to see her."
Chen Wangqiu's eyes were also red with anger at this time. He wanted to know who had harmed her daughter to this state.
Just as Lu Xingzhou was about to explain, he heard a guard outside the door come to report that Shenhong had confessed.
Lu Xingzhou walked quickly outside, took the offering paper from the guard, glanced at it, and ordered, "Keep her locked up, and keep her alive."
"Yes." The guard took the order and turned to go to the dungeon.
Lu Xingzhou returned to the room with Shen Hong's confession and whispered in Shen Liyue's ear, "You can get up now. Shen Hong has confessed."
Shen Liyue’s eyelids moved slightly, but she didn’t dare to get up.
If her mother suddenly jumped out of bed after crying like this, wouldn’t Jiang be scared to death?
Lu Xingzhou had no choice but to say, "Hurry up, my father-in-law and mother-in-law are watching."
Shen Liyue opened her eyes helplessly and sat up from the bed.
Jiang's mouth suddenly opened wide, tears still hanging on her cheeks, and she pointed at Shen Liyue and said, "You...you are not poisoned?"
Shen Liyue smiled awkwardly: "No, it was just a play."
Jiang was so angry that he punched Shen Liyue directly. Of course, this punch could not have been very strong, and it was just like being hit by cotton when it landed on Shen Liyue.
"You really scared us to death!" Jiang said, tears streaming down her face again.
She was too scared. If something really happened to Shen Liyue, it would cost her half her life.
Chen Wangqiu's tolerance was better than Jiang's, but he also had a dark face at this time. The news of Chen Liyue's poisoning spread like wildfire. He and Jiang rushed to Prince Yi's mansion as soon as they heard about it. Who knew that this was actually a play between them.
But seeing that Shen Liyue was safe and sound at the moment, Shen Wangqiu could only sigh.
It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay.
Looking at the three members of Chen Liyue's family crying and laughing, Lu Xingzhou felt guilty and forgot to inform his father-in-law and mother-in-law in advance.
But their presence would make it more credible, and no one would doubt that Shen Liyue was really poisoned.
Lu Xingzhou interrupted them with the confession in hand: "Father-in-law, may I have a moment to talk?"
Shen Wangqiu nodded. At this time, Jiang's mood had not yet calmed down, so it would be good for her to stay with Shen Liyue for a while longer, so she followed Lu Xingzhou to the study.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
