That night.
Qingying sat on the edge of the bed, holding a book in her hands, unable to turn a single page for a long time, her thoughts already wandering far away.
The candlelight beside her illuminated half of her face, while the other half remained hidden in darkness.
When Wei Huaixu returned from his bath, he saw her staring intently at a book, so he walked over to her side and casually snatched the book from her hands. She was startled but quickly came to her senses.
"Your Majesty... Ah Xu, you've arrived."
"Hmm." He put the book down, sat down next to her, looked at her, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Qingying pursed her lips, hesitant and uncertain. Her hands unconsciously tightened around the brocade quilt. After a moment, she whispered, "I...can I go see Lu Jingyan?"
Wei Huaixu frowned slightly and asked, "What do you want to see him for?"
He knew that Lu Jingyan had once admired her, and he also knew the absurd things Lu Jingyan had done for her.
Seeing that he seemed displeased, Qingying said, "I just wanted to ask some questions about Yu Yue. If you mind, I won't see him."
Wei Huaixu chuckled lightly, "What's there to mind? It makes me seem petty. Do you think I'm that kind of person? I'll have Yu Ze take you there tomorrow."
He didn't realize that he only referred to himself as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Imperial Censor") in front of her when he was saying things against his conscience.
Qingying naturally wouldn't expose him. A smile immediately appeared on her face as she hooked her arm around his. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
...
The next day.
Qingying arrived at the Heavenly Prison under Yu Ze's guidance.
Yu Ze showed great resistance to the filth and stench of the prison. He frowned deeply as he stood outside the door, bowed to her, and said, "This servant will not go in. I will wait outside and let Xiao Xizi accompany you. Please do not hesitate to give any instructions if Your Majesty needs anything."
"Okay, thank you for your trouble, sir."
Qingying hadn't wanted him to come along in the first place, and she had been worried about how to get him away, but now she couldn't help but feel relieved.
The jailer led the way, and she went in with Tongxia and Xiaoxizi beside her.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the jailer stopped, took out his key, and prepared to open the door. "Your Majesty, this is it."
The cell was dimly lit, and Qingying could only vaguely make out the outline of a human figure crouching in the corner from outside.
The jailer opened the door, and Qingying stepped inside.
Lu Jingyan seemed a little slow to react when he heard the noise. He shook his head for a moment before slowly raising his head. Against the light, he squinted and it took him a while to recognize the person in front of him. He shuddered for a moment.
"You, you, how did you get here..." He quickly lowered his head, shrinking his body to hide inside, wishing he could be embedded in the wall.
Qingying saw that his body was covered with wounds of all sizes, his hair was unkempt, and his beard was unshaven, making him look like a down-on-his-luck beggar. There was no trace of his former refined demeanor.
She lowered her eyes, looking down at him, and slowly said, "I've come here today only to ask one question: Did you kill my Yu Yue?"
He hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, I killed him. I'm sorry, I know I was wrong..."
Qingying's eyes turned cold, and she said again, "I will ask you one more time, did you kill Yu Yue?"
"It was me, I killed him, Your Highness, I have confessed and accepted my punishment. Please, spare me, let me die a quick death." He knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Qingying, his head hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Qingying watched his movements but did not stop him.
After a moment, he stopped moving and lay on the ground like a dog on the verge of death.
She gestured to Tong Xia beside her.
Tong Xia immediately stepped forward, grabbed Lu Jingyan's hair, and forced him to lift his face, causing him to twitch in pain.
Qingying slowly squatted down in front of him, a cold smile curving her lips. "Don't pretend to be unconscious. Even if you really are, I have plenty of ways to wake you up."
The person in front of him, who had been keeping their eyes closed, opened their eyes a crack, and their eyes met for a moment. He was so frightened that he closed his eyes again.
Qingying held his chin, her nailed fingers pressing against his neck with slight force.
"Lu Jingyan, I was too lenient with you in the past, which is why you dared to treat me so perfunctorily. Since I was able to destroy Lu Xingli quietly, I can naturally destroy the entire Duke of Lu's mansion with ease."
A chill ran through Lu Jingyan's body and he immediately looked at Qingying with fear. He dared not close his eyes any longer.
"So it was you who killed Ali?"
"You can't say that. If she hadn't done those evil things, I naturally wouldn't have been able to find an opportunity so easily."
"What...what exactly do you want?"
"I only ask you to tell the truth."
"Every word I said is the truth."
"Is that so?" Qingying sneered and said, "You committed the crime of selling smuggled salt. Smuggling is a complex operation that you couldn't have accomplished alone. But since you were imprisoned, you haven't been able to find your accomplices. Do you think I would believe there's nothing fishy going on behind the scenes?"
Lu Jingyan lowered his eyes to avoid her gaze, and said in a choked voice, "Don't force me..."
“Actually, even if you don’t say it, I can guess. I just need a definite answer.” Qingying released his hand and whispered, “Do you think that you can save the entire Duke of Lu’s mansion by dying? You’re too naive. He’s never been a soft-hearted person. Believe me, once your head is on the ground, your whole family will be reunited in the underworld very soon.”
Lu Jingyan hesitated.
Qingying looked at him and said, "Don't forget, he got to where he is today by stepping over the corpses of his own flesh and blood."
Lu Jingyan suddenly looked up, opened his mouth, looked at Qingying, but couldn't say anything for a moment.
After a long silence, she finally managed to say with difficulty, "But what can a woman like you do?"
"I dare not say I can protect the lives of everyone in your Lu family, but at least I can protect your wife and children."
He froze for a moment, “…Wife and children?!”
"You're in jail, and you don't even know it? Your wife just found out she's three months pregnant."
"Are you kidding me?"
Qingying took out a piece of paper from her sleeve, handed it to him, and said, "You should recognize your wife's handwriting, right?"
Lu Jingyan quickly took it and examined it carefully.
The few words on the paper brought tears to his eyes.
With trembling hands, he carefully folded the paper, held it in his palm, and looked at Qingying expectantly.
"Can you do what you say?"
"nature."
"But……"
"You can only, and must, trust me," Qingying interrupted him impatiently.
Lu Jingyan bit his lip, as if he had made up his mind.
He said, "I did not kill Yu Yue!"
Despite having anticipated it, Qingying still couldn't help but catch her breath.
“I did see her that day, but it was just a fleeting glance.” He paused.
"Continue," Qingying said coldly.
“At the entrance of the music hall, I saw her get into a carriage. There was a person who came to pick her up. He was dressed in black and wearing a mask. I really don’t know what he looked like.”
"What are the characteristics of this person?"
Lu Jingyan recalled for a moment and said, "I remember he was tall and slender, and had a scar on the back of his right hand."
"Apart from that, there really isn't anything else."
Qingying nodded. "Mm."
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