Chapter 15 Waiting for a Price
"Really? Did the county lady really promise the Jin and Yu families to thoroughly investigate this case?"
The Yu family came to the palace to cause trouble, which naturally could not be hidden from everyone, especially the other six people in the backyard, who soon heard the news.
"I think the county lady might actually be able to find out." It was time for the once-every-three-days palace training, and everyone gathered in the hall. Shang Luo held his chin, his eyes sparkling. "Back then, when Lady Qi was killed in the manor, it was the county lady who thoroughly investigated the case in just a few days and uncovered the true culprit!"
He didn't need to say it, as everyone still remembered the farewell banquet at the farm that day, when the Princess of Lingling County unraveled the case and captured the real culprit.
Xue Xiyang smiled, his fingers slowly plucking the music sheet, and whispered, "But, Shangluo, have you ever thought that if the murderer who killed Yu Guangling that day wasn't Jin Tang, the remaining suspects would be among us..."
Shangluo took a deep breath and said immediately: "It's not me, it's not me. I was accompanying the county lady that day!"
Xue Xiyang dragged out his voice and said, "Of course it wasn't you. It's just that some people dragged me into this for no reason. I just changed my clothes, but I didn't expect to get into such trouble..."
Meng Lanxi heard the hidden meaning in his words and slowly turned a page with an expressionless face: "A person of integrity has nothing to fear from his own shadow. Could it be that the county lady would wrongly accuse an innocent person?"
Shangluo immediately said, "Yes, I believe the county lady will definitely find out the truth and clear Brother Jin and us of all charges!"
The people in the palace are willing to rely on the county lord, but the situation is different for the common people outside the palace.
The entrance of Shengfa Casino was packed with people. Most people were lamenting and holding their heads in their hands, while some people tried to storm the casino to get their capital back.
There was a commotion inside, and the guards rushed out with sticks in their hands, pushing the surging crowd out.
The gambling house owner walked out and shouted at the gamblers who were blocking the door: "What are you yelling about? You want to get your bets back? Why don't you eat your shit?"
Someone outside was dissatisfied and shouted, "Why can't we take it back? The person is dead, not the county lady choosing a husband!"
"Oh! When you were placing your bets, didn't you know that the county lady's relatives were not destined to marry her? Any misfortune that bettors had is fate! When Su Yunzhong died, who was complaining about losing money? Nan Yu was exiled, so whoever placed their bets on him didn't just consider themselves unlucky? Ultimately, the county lady's choice of husband depends on who has the strongest life to withstand it! If you can get your money back if one person dies, what about the next few deaths? Be willing to accept the loss and never regret your bet, because if the person you placed your bet on dies, then you can't regret it!"
Seeing that the guards of the gambling house were as fierce as wolves and tigers, some timid people thought they were unlucky and left in shame.
But there was still a small group of people who obviously couldn't stand losing. They blocked the door and made a lot of noise. They were pushed out by the security guards and fell to the street.
Shangluo was passing by with a bag of peanuts and sunflower seeds. He was caught off guard and was almost knocked down by someone who fell out.
He hurriedly protected the food in his arms, and when he saw the person stumbling and falling in front of him, he was immediately shocked: "Brother Junshan, what's wrong with you?"
The gambler, his face flushed with rage, was none other than his classmate Zheng Junshan. He angrily patted the mud off his body and climbed to his feet, cursing bitterly, "Outrageous! These scoundrels are bastards! This is blatant robbery!"
Shangluo heard the curses from the people around him and immediately understood the whole story: "Brother Junshan, did you bet on Brother Guangling?"
"I've staked everything I have! This is all I need for this year. What should I do now? If I go home and ask for it back, my parents will definitely scold me!"
Shangluo wanted to laugh at him, but when he thought of Yu Guangling and Jintang, he felt uncomfortable. He pursed his lips and said, "What should I do? Who could have thought that something like this would happen? Now all the people who bet on Brother Guangling and Brother Jintang are finished..."
"Jin Tang is not finished yet. He was wronged." Zheng Junshan lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "If I had another sum of money, I would bet on Jin Tang."
"You've lost everything, why are you still betting!" Shangluo blurted out. When he came to his senses, he exclaimed "Ah" and asked, "How do you know that cousin Jin is not the murderer?"
"I can't tell you that. The palace is powerful, the Jin family is wealthy, and now I have a clue. Whether I can live a comfortable life depends on it!" Zheng Junshan winked at him, as if to signal him, "I just don't know what conditions the county lady and the Jin family will offer. What do you think?"
The Shangluo native was a shrewd child, so he naturally knew what he meant. He stared at him with wide eyes and asked, "Do you know who the real murderer is, but you want to sell it to him in exchange for some benefits?"
"Oh, don't put it so harshly. I did discover something. Someone in the Imperial College that day had both a reason and time to commit the crime. I even accidentally discovered his method... I just didn't know what he was doing at the time."
Shangluo was extremely excited and immediately grabbed him and said, "Come on, I'll take you to see the county lady!"
"No, I'm actually more concerned about the Jin family's money. After all, I'm truly broke. Remember not to alert anyone. Quietly inform them that I'm in my own dormitory at the Imperial College, awaiting your arrival."
Zheng Junshan turned and left. Shangluo stared at his back, muttering to himself, "Brother Junshan always talks nonsense. Can I trust him...?"
"What's all this nonsense?" someone asked from behind.
Shangluo looked back and saw that it was a few students from the Imperial College who had come out with him to stroll around the West Market.
Shangluo was about to speak when he suddenly shuddered.
——These familiar people, they were all in the Imperial College that day, all suspected of killing Brother Guangling, and all could be the ones who left him lying in a pool of blood...
He woke up suddenly, not daring to say anything else. He just said and ran away: "Nothing, I have something else to do, I'm leaving first!"
Seeing him like this, laughter came from behind him: "You're already a candidate for the county lady's husband, why are you still acting like a child?"
"Shangluo, if you keep doing this, I'll return my bet on you!"
Shangluo didn't care about them. He was anxious and ran straight back to the palace to find Qiandeng.
"Holding the clues and waiting for the price?" After hearing Shangluo's explanation of the whole story, Qiandeng immediately ordered Aunt Xuanji to prepare the horses and sent someone to notify the Jin family.
After thinking for a moment, she said to Shangluo, "Also, Yu Guangling has already encountered an accident. You must be careful and cautious. Don't be alone. If you really can't help it, you can go home and live there."
Shangluo shook his head like a rattle when he thought about what happened at home. "Don't worry, I'm staying at Brother Jingning's place these days. I can teach his younger siblings how to read and even eat some delicious snacks. It's much better than being at home!"
After hearing what he said, Qian Deng nodded and said, "Okay, just be careful."
As Shangluo was about to leave, he carefully observed her expression and asked hesitantly, "County Lady, are you suspicious of Brother Lanxi?"
Qian Deng raised his eyebrows slightly: "Why do you think so?"
Shangluo stammered, "Because... because Junshan said that there was a reason and time, and he also discovered the method of committing the crime... I remember that no students were late that day, and Junshan had never been late before."
Therefore, Xue Xiyang, who was late, was cleared of suspicion because Zheng Junshan did not have time to meet him.
Therefore, the only ones who had the motivation and time that day were Jin Tang and Meng Lanxi.
And since he wanted to provide clues to the real murderer, it definitely couldn't be Jin Tang.
Qiandeng didn't say anything, just waved his hand to signal him to leave first.
After Shangluo left, she saw Aunt Xuanji still standing by and refusing to help her prepare for the trip. She was about to ask, but she saw Aunt Xuanji turned away angrily, tears almost falling: "A dignified princess of a prince's mansion is going to show up in a place like the Imperial College where all the good and bad are mixed. How can this be allowed? Where is the dignity of the prince's mansion..."
Qian Deng was somewhat helpless: "Aunt, I just went to take a look, and this time I just asked questions to the students..."
"But that's where something happened recently, and people died! County Lady, how could you be so disregarding of your status and your own safety, and set foot in those places?"
"Safety?" Ji Linyou's voice came from the side. He was still wearing a narrow shirt with arrow sleeves, obviously rushing back from the training ground. He caught the two most sensitive words in Aunt Xuanji's words and immediately strode over and asked, "Didn't they say something happened to Yu Guangling? I rushed back as soon as I heard the news. What happened? How does it affect the safety of the county lady?"
Qian Deng was delighted when he saw her coming over. She said, "It just so happens that Aunt Xuanji is worried that the attendants can't take care of my safety. Since Young Master Ji is the recorder of the Imperial Guards, if he accompanies me, Aunt Xuanji shouldn't worry anymore, right?"
Aunt Xuanji was angry and anxious, but helpless. She could only present the veil hat with a bitter face and watch her put on the veil hat, climb onto the horse, and gallop towards the Imperial College with Ji Linyou.
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