Chapter 363 Human Favor
Meng Lingge understood Princess Qiongxiao's unspoken meaning; she was clearly complaining that Meng Lingge was meddling in other people's business and that the women of the harem were interfering in the murder case, which hindered her escape.
Princess Qiongxiao showed no remorse or regret for the victims, nor any fear or trepidation about imprisonment; she was only furious that her plan had been ruined and her disguise exposed.
Meng Lingge met her gaze and replied without giving an inch.
"Although the six palaces are currently idle, I have just taken over and the arrangement of servants and the reconciliation of accounts in each palace will take time. However, it doesn't matter if these matters are dealt with a day or two later, but as long as Princess Qiongxiao is not captured, there is a possibility that new victims will suffer the pain of being skinned alive and die a violent death. Therefore, no matter how busy I am, I must take time out of my busy schedule to assist the officials in capturing Princess Qiongxiao and bringing her to justice."
Princess Qiongxiao listened to her confident words and recalled that she herself had been just as righteous and awe-inspiring in her youth, so she couldn't help but say with a hint of sarcasm.
"So, you're here to avenge those innocent people I killed? What a righteous and righteous Empress! Tell me, how did you know I was here?"
She had even found a scapegoat; logically, she shouldn't have been found so quickly.
"This morning I captured Guan Yi'an alive and learned from him that you own several villas in the countryside. Following the clues, I and Lord Liu from the Censorate discovered that your wet nurse had purchased four villas in her early years. Lord Liu led his men to search each of the villas according to their addresses, while I led my men to wait for Princess Qiongxiao to walk into our trap near the locations he was searching."
Nowadays, the capital city is under strict scrutiny, and young women are questioned and checked whenever they go out. Princess Qiongxiao and Fu Laozong have changed their faces, but their identities cannot withstand scrutiny, so they certainly dare not move around freely or risk leaving the city.
Princess Qiongxiao knew that the authorities would eventually find her private residence, so it was not safe for her to continue living there.
Meng Lingge guessed that Princess Qiongxiao would rent another house at a high price near the villa in the countryside. This way, she would not be investigated by the Ministry of Revenue, and she could hide safely before the government found her. Once the government found her, she could leave in time.
So she let Lord Liu conduct a normal search, while she led her guards to check the vicinity to see if anyone was in a hurry to leave.
As it turned out, she was right.
With a few casual words of explanation, Princess Qiongxiao understood that if it weren't for Meng Lingge, those officials would never have guessed that she would continue to hide near this villa after leaving behind a scapegoat.
Those useless officials, unable to catch her in time, would treat the two women she left behind as Princess Qiongxiao and Old Master Fu, thus closing the case in a muddled manner.
She can then use this new identity and persona to start a new life.
What a pity, what a pity, of all people, Meng Lingge had to come along.
It's like a dog trying to catch a mouse—meddling in other people's business.
Princess Qiongxiao said with regret, "It was my oversight. If I had known you would come, I would not have retreated immediately after seeing the government officials. Instead, I should have continued to hide and waited for the soldiers to leave before making my escape."
After learning of Princess Qiongxiao's crimes, Wen Zhiming stripped her of her title.
However, Princess Qiongxiao still unconsciously uses the phrase "this palace" when she speaks, a habit formed over many years. Now that she is about to become a prisoner, she has to change this self-reference, otherwise she will suffer endless torment.
Princess Qiongxiao understood this well, and when she said this, she not only stopped mentioning "this palace" but also toned down the arrogance in her tone.
“Even if you do not show yourself now, I will have my soldiers thoroughly search every household in the nearby villages. Once they find anyone of unknown identity, they will still be arrested and questioned. The net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it. You have committed heinous and unforgivable crimes, and you cannot escape them.”
Meng Lingge's concern for the murder case at Princess Qiongxiao's residence was indeed partly due to Lu Shui, but it stemmed even more from her disgust for the skinning and face-changing technique, her pity and heartache for the innocent victims, and her anger at the cold-bloodedness of Elder Fu and Princess Qiongxiao.
Let alone her current status as the mother of the nation, in her view, no one, no matter how noble, could tolerate such a bloody and cruel crime.
Princess Qiongxiao smiled bitterly, "So, I really have no way to escape. The Empress may not know, but Guan Yi'an once asked me to help deal with the Meng family. At that time, Wen Zhiming and you were far away in the northern frontier, and the capital was still under the control of the former emperor. If I had agreed to Guan Yi'an's request and reported to the former emperor that you and Wen Zhiming had rekindled your old relationship and that you were pregnant, I'm afraid the Meng family would have been in grave danger. The Empress is now enjoying a happy family reunion, and I have played a part in that."
Although I know it is extremely shameful to bring up past favors at this time.
But the soldiers had not yet arrived, and only she and Meng Lingge were there. If she could exchange shame for her freedom, she would be more than willing.
Anyway, this isn't the only shameful thing she's done.
Even ants try to survive, let alone someone as beautiful as a flower and with immense wealth.
Meng Lingge knew that what Princess Qiongxiao said was true. If Princess Qiongxiao had colluded with Guan Yi'an at that time, the Meng family members might indeed have been killed by the former emperor.
But that's not how you calculate it.
"I am aware of this matter. The princess not only rejected Guan Yi'an at the time, but also personally wrote to my father to inform him, thwarting Guan Yi'an's plan. But the princess seems to have forgotten one thing: Guan Yi'an was convicted of a serious crime and was supposed to be exiled thousands of miles away or imprisoned for life. It was you who rescued Guan Yi'an from prison and gave him a new face, allowing him to approach me under the identity of Zheng Qingshan. He not only maliciously inquired about my pregnancy, but also caused the death of one of my maids. If it weren't for the cause planted by the princess at that time, how could Guan Yi'an have committed such evil deeds? I haven't even settled accounts with the princess for this matter yet, but the princess has already mentioned her kindness to me."
Princess Qiongxiao did not do anything immoral or heinous, so she can remember this kindness.
However, Princess Qiongxiao's crimes are heinous and extremely dangerous. If she were released back into the wild, it would be a great calamity.
Since the princess wants to discuss gratitude and repayment with her, then she might as well settle things properly from beginning to end.
Princess Qiongxiao's face darkened. She had guessed that Meng Lingge would refuse, but she hadn't expected Meng Lingge to be so sharp-tongued. After such an explanation, she couldn't refute her.
Before she could speak, Meng Lingge continued in a cold voice.
"Furthermore, let alone the fact that I don't owe the princess a favor, even if there were great gratitude, no one can forgive you today on behalf of those dozen or so wronged souls. The debt of lives you and Elder Fu owe each other must be repaid."
"In the end, the Empress just won't let me off the hook."
Princess Qiongxiao's face was cold and stern. She waved her hand and said, "Since that's the case, let's see whether the guards brought by the Empress are more powerful or my four assassins are more powerful."
As soon as she finished speaking, four ugly men in black, carrying weapons, appeared from behind.
"Hold them off."
After giving her orders, Princess Qiongxiao grabbed Old Master Fu and ran off.
The guards Meng Lingge brought were definitely not ordinary people, and there were also soldiers nearby who could arrive at any time. Her four bodyguards could not hold out for long, but she was unwilling to surrender.
So we have no choice but to give it a shot.
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