Chapter 200: Entering the prison to check the pulse, making a feint to the east and attacking in the west
After receiving the testimonies from all the merchants and landlords, Cheng Xunzhi looked at the file in his hand and frowned.
We have the accounts, the confessions, and the witnesses. The land deed incident points to the Crown Prince as the perpetrator, but Peiyun and Xiaoli...say that the Crown Prince abducted the young girl. But with only their two oral confessions and no actual evidence, it's hard to jump to conclusions.
The people we sent out haven't reported back yet. Let's interrogate them again later to see if we can find some new clues to follow.
The poison in them is extremely serious. If it were to be easily announced, it would damage the reputation of the royal family. It would be better to consult the emperor first.
"Sir, someone is coming from Prince Qi's Mansion."
When Cheng Xunzhi heard this, he hurried forward to greet the person.
The people who came were Ji Suxian and Lu Heying. They got the news from Twelve early this morning and hurried to the Dali Temple.
"What brings you two here?"
Ji Suxian asked, "Sir, have you gathered enough witnesses, evidence, and confessions? Is His Highness Prince Qi still a suspect?"
Cheng Xunzhi pondered for a moment and said, "This matter still needs to be discussed."
Ji Suxian continued, "Your Excellency knows that our prince is not in good health. Can you please allow us to take him back and take good care of him?"
Cheng Xunzhi glanced at her and said, "This is against the rules."
"In that case..." Ji Suxian patted the medicine box, "Can we go in and check His Highness's health? If he is accidentally sick, it will be difficult to deal with."
They have news to bring to Xiao Qingxu.
Previously, Cheng Xunzhi had not allowed outsiders to visit, but now all the witnesses, evidence, and confessions pointed to Xiao Qingji, and Cheng Xunzhi did not want to embarrass Xiao Qingxu. After pretending to think for a moment, he agreed.
Xiao Qingxu was lying peacefully in the cell at this time when he heard footsteps coming - these footsteps sounded familiar?
He had just opened his eyes halfway when he heard a series of clanging and banging noises.
"?" Why did the jailer unlock his cell?
Xiao Qingxu looked closely and saw Ji Suxian and Lu Heying.
"Brother Xiao!" Ji Suxian grinned at him and stepped forward to help him up.
Xiao Qingxu was a little confused and looked at Lu Heying.
Lu Heying winked at him, then turned around and went to chat with the jailer.
Xiao Qingji sat in the cell next door, took a look, and immediately closed his eyes.
As the eldest brother, he has always been the center of attention. Even though he is the crown prince, he still lives in the shadow of Xiao Qingxu. Even his aunt has praised Xiao Qingxu.
It would be a lie to say that he wasn't jealous, but Xiao Qingji knew what to do now, so he said nothing and stayed quietly in the cell.
Xiao Qingji concluded that he would not die.
Because his father needs him to be Xiao Qinggu's whetstone.
It is a whetstone more important than Shang Yuwan and others.
Because the jailer was also here, although Lu Heying was covering for him, Ji Suxian could only lip-sync when taking Xiao Qingxu's pulse.
Everything went according to plan at first, but after those chasing Peiyun and Xiaoli started to act strangely, Emperor Chengming was forced to take action against Xiao Qingji himself.
Xiao Qingxu frowned.
[Don't disbelieve me, this is news from my sister-in-law. Some of the informants inside and outside Prince Qi's residence have been blocked, so they're not as well-informed as the Princess's residence.]
Xiao Qingxu raised his eyebrows.
[Their movements were perfectly coordinated, as if they were being completely controlled. The wounds were all standard cuts, slashes, and cleaves, absolutely perfect, without a single deviation.]
Xiao Qingxu's brows sank slightly.
[The specific poison hasn't been found yet. Twelve has sent a letter to Lang Jiang, and we should have news soon.]
Xiao Qingxu lowered his eyes slightly, then nodded.
"Okay. I'm glad you're okay." Ji Suxian breathed a sigh of relief. She not only came to deliver the message, but was also genuinely worried about Xiao Qingxu's health.
Even though he seems fine now, the symptoms of internal organ failure have not eased at all, and the speed of failure is not much slower than before.
Xiao Qingxu seems to be in good spirits now, because he has something on his mind and has not paid attention to himself at all. If he were to unload all the burdens on him, I am afraid...
Ji Suxian pursed her lips and suppressed the worst possible outcome in her mind.
As she took the tonic out of the medicine box, she mouthed: [Shang Mingqi found it, and Yue Zhu sent it back.]
Xiao Qingxu was stunned and his heart sank.
[Don't worry, nothing has leaked.]
Xiao Qingxu pursed his lips and glanced at Xiao Qingji.
Ji Suxian understood what she meant. After putting down the tonic and giving a few instructions, she took Lu Heying away.
"Your Highness, over there..."
In the Princess's Mansion, Mo Ran stood beside Xiao Tong, wanting to say something but stopping himself.
The outside was about to become a mess, but Xiao Tong was still lazily lying on the recliner, humming softly.
"Didn't he do this voluntarily? Since he's so determined, I can't force him."
Xiao Tong tilted his head and asked, "How's the investigation going over there?"
Mo Ran was silent for a moment, then said, "I haven't found out yet."
"Hmph... Fifty thousand private soldiers vanished without a trace. He's really grown up. He even hid it from me. Are there any unusual movements in the cities near Kyoto?"
"No." Mo Ran pursed his lips, but still couldn't help asking her, "Your Highness, Mantis Girl and the others have appeared in Kyoto. His Majesty must be aware of this. How should we respond?"
Xiao Tong's eyes changed slightly, and he remained silent.
She had been sent to Langjiang as a hostage the same year the previous Langjiang King had used the secret technique of the Gu Beast. That year, Dayu was defeated, losing nearly 200,000 soldiers. How could Xiao Ling not hate that secret technique?
Xiao Tong had a very good relationship with Xiao Ling when he was young. Although they had different mothers, they were the rare prince and princess in the palace who truly treated each other as brother and sister.
But everything changed since she was held hostage in Langjiang.
Xiao Ling had become incredibly hypocritical, saying one thing to her face and another behind her back. His possessiveness had grown incredibly strong, and he'd always want to take anything he liked, destroying it if he couldn't get it. The Shang family was a living example of this, but Lu Xu's influence on him was extraordinary; otherwise, Shang Yuwan wouldn't have survived to this day.
And she also changed from initially wanting to fight for an equal opportunity for the women of Dayu to the evil woman who is willing to use those innocent women to raise her son in order to gain the throne.
But Xiao Tong knew what he was doing from beginning to end.
From the moment she took the opportunity to deceive the young patriarch of the alien race into handing over the secret method of the Gu beast, from the moment she raised the mother Gu, she could no longer turn back.
The Empress's biological mother suffered humiliation in the palace, ultimately ending her tragic life with a three-foot-long white silk scarf. The poor woman's body was taken by the previous Prince of Langjiang to feed the Mother Gu, a poisonous insect that could not rest in peace even in death. Her flesh and blood were devoured by the poisonous insect, and by the time the Empress found her, only a white skeleton remained.
The Empress hated her biological father to death and hated the secret method of Gu Beast. How could she not be angry when Xiao Tong took advantage of her trust and stole the secret method of Gu Beast?
But Xiao Tong felt she had no choice. If she wanted to seize the throne from Xiao Ling, she could only choose a more sinister and brutal method.
In the face of absolute power, any tricks are useless.
Close to the mountain, the mountains will fall; close to the sea, the sea will recede.
Only by holding the power in your own hands can you have the confidence to compete with it.
Xiao Tong let out a breath and waved his hand.
"Don't worry, he won't be able to find them. Once the Gu beasts are developed, unless my life is in danger, the offspring won't easily show up, and no one will notice anything."
As long as Xiao Tong didn't give the order, the sub-Gu wouldn't appear under the skin of the Mantis Women's necks. On the surface, they would just eat, drink and have fun like normal people.
Mo Ran looked at Xiao Tong worriedly.
Most of the Dali Temple guards died before they were able to chop off the head of a Mantis Girl, which is enough to show how powerful this secret technique is.
The method of raising a son Gu is so cruel, what kind of torture must the eldest princess who carries the mother Gu have to endure?
If it weren't for Emperor Chengming... His Highness wouldn't have become what he is now.
Xiao Tong stared into the void, her eyelashes trembling. "Have there been a few new people entering the palace recently?"
Mo Ran said, "Yes."
Mo Ran was suddenly stunned.
Isn't it the case for the new palace maids recruited into the palace?
Xiao Tong smiled faintly.
"He has really grown up."
They all try to make a feint to the east and attack in the west, playing with the dark under the lamp.
Suddenly, Xiao Qinggu's face appeared in Xiao Tong's mind.
Her daughter...what a good child.
Gradually, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Tong's lips.
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