Chapter 357 Despair
Guan Yi'an was terrified. If the guards hadn't been holding him tightly, he would have rushed over and grabbed Meng Lingge by the neck.
"How could this be? You were clearly bitten by the Soul-Severing Silk, and you didn't take the antidote, so how come you're alright..."
At this moment, a maidservant brought over a basin of water, wrung out a towel, carefully lifted Meng Lingge's wrist, and gently wiped it. The clear bite mark was wiped away just like that.
"It's fake. How could it be? I saw it pounce on your hand with my own eyes..." Guan Yi'an could hardly believe his eyes. Just then, he saw the maid's face and was even more shocked. "Green Water, how could it be you?"
Lu Shui washed the towel in clean water, then looked up at Guan Yi'an. The bright and clear eyes that used to call him "elder brother" were now devoid of warmth.
"Why can't it be me? When you stole my brother's face, you should have thought that this day would come. What you owe my brother, I will help him collect."
"So you never believed me. You set me up and tricked me into coming here." Guan Yi'an suddenly realized, then roared helplessly, "Given my current status and position, killing or arresting me would be a piece of cake for you. Why did you toy with me? Why did you deceive me?"
Why give him hope first and then let him despair?
This hurt him more than killing him.
Meng Lingge smiled faintly.
“It is easy to capture and kill you, but to get the truth out of you will require a lot of effort. If you hadn’t seen that I was about to die, you would have denied Guan Yi’an’s identity, let alone confessed about Dong Qing and Princess Qiongxiao’s residence.”
Guan Yi'an knew that Meng Lingge was right.
That's why he was even more furious at this moment.
He had nothing left to fight against Meng Lingge. He had used all his trump cards, but his opponent was unharmed. He suffered a crushing defeat.
No, not just this game, but this lifetime.
Lu Shui took a small brocade pouch from her waist and waved it at Guan Yi'an.
"Do you know why there happened to be someone selling poisonous snakes when you went to the market to buy a knife? It's because the Empress sent someone there specifically to wait for you. The snake they sold you wasn't the Soul-Severing Silk Snake at all, but a pet snake of the same color. It's not only non-venomous, but it won't bite at all. Even that sharp knife you bought looks sharp, but it's actually difficult to even cut wood. You have absolutely no chance of succeeding."
“You took my brother’s face and caused his tragic death. I cannot let this go unpunished, but the Soul-Severing Silk Poison works too quickly. You don’t deserve to die so easily. This is a real venomous snake, called the Decaying Serpent. If bitten by it, your skin will slowly corrode, mold and maggots will grow, and the poison will slowly seep into your internal organs, causing unbearable pain. This is more suitable for you.”
After saying that, Lu Shui loosened the small brocade bag a little, and a small green snake quickly slithered out. After the snake's head was exposed, Lu Shui immediately pinched it and brought the snake's head towards Guan Yi'an's arm.
Guan Yi'an screamed in fright and struggled incessantly.
"No, you can't do this to me! It was Elder Fu who cut off your brother's face. Elder Fu is under the command of Princess Qiongxiao. If you want revenge, go find them. I am the witness who reported this. You can't abuse my power against me... Meng Lingge! Your people are taking revenge for personal reasons. Are you blind? Stop her now!"
Guan Yi'an is not afraid of pain or death, but only if he succeeds in avenging himself. Now, all his efforts have been in vain, and he is the only one who has been hurt. How can he not be angry, resentful, or furious?
But aside from roaring and screaming, he couldn't change the outcome.
The serpent bit him on each of his arms.
Meng Lingge calmly looked at him, "The prisoner used a poisonous snake to injure others, but accidentally injured himself. It's truly karmic retribution. Master Zhang, don't you think so?"
The young imperial physician beside him nodded and said, "Your Majesty is right. Such a criminal is extremely vicious. I will definitely remind Lord Liu to keep a close watch on him and deal with him according to the law as soon as possible."
"Master Zhang?" Guan Yi'an looked him up and down. "Aren't you a royal physician?"
Meng Lingge smiled faintly.
"Let me reintroduce you. This is Master Zhang from the Censorate, who is in charge of the case of Princess Qiongxiao's residence. If the information you provide is accurate and you can capture Princess Qiongxiao and the other major criminals sooner, Master Zhang should ask Lord Liu to spare your body in consideration of your meritorious report."
"You even brought your advisor. Meng Lingge, you've really got some nerve." Guan Yi'an gritted her teeth in hatred. "But I clearly saw the snake bite you, and your face just now showed signs of poisoning. Why is all of this fake..."
“Master Zhang is not a royal physician, but I am a real doctor.”
Green Water said coldly, "It's not difficult for me to obtain some harmless drugs to create the illusion of poisoning, and to fake a snake bite. From the moment I revealed the Empress's whereabouts to you, you fell into a trap. Guan Yi'an, you've lost, and you will pay the price for the evil you've sown."
"I didn't lose! I won't lose... Meng Lingge, you liar, if you have the guts, kill me now. If you don't kill me, I will kill you and the child in your womb one day..."
Guan Yi'an screamed hysterically, trying to provoke Meng Lingge.
His face was gone, and he really didn't want his skin to fester and ulcerate, nor did he want to live such a painful and sorrowful life anymore.
Meng Lingge stood two steps away from Guan Yi'an and calmly said, "Don't rush. Once you have repaid for the sins you have committed, I will make you die."
Now that they've obtained all the information they wanted from Guan Yi'an, Guan Yi'an is indeed of little value anymore.
This person is cunning and treacherous; killing him directly would be a permanent solution.
However, Guan Yi'an was too cruel to Dong Qing and Zheng Qingshan. Meng Lingge did not want him to die too easily. At least he had to experience the venom of the decaying snake before he could atone for his sins with his death.
This time, the Ministry of Justice prison was heavily guarded, and there was no way a second Princess Qiongxiao could save her. She didn't believe Guan Yi'an could escape alive.
"take away!"
After Meng Lingge gave the order, the guards tied up Guan Yi'an and escorted him down the mountain from the temple.
Lushu walked to Meng Lingge's side, knelt down and said, "This servant thanks Your Majesty for capturing the murderer and upholding justice for my elder brother. From now on, Lushu's life belongs to Your Majesty. I will go through fire and water for you, even at the cost of my life!"
"Get up quickly." Meng Lingge helped Lushui to her feet. "I captured Guan Yi'an not just for your elder brother. Besides, if it weren't for your medicine, I wouldn't have been able to deceive Guan Yi'an so easily today."
Wiping away the tears from the corners of Green Water's eyes, Meng Lingge saw that she was still holding onto the poisonous snake, so she quickly ordered the guards to take it away.
"From now on, let professional snake breeders handle these kinds of things. What if you, a young woman, get bitten?"
A smile bloomed on Lu Shui's lips.
"I took the antidote beforehand. I must take revenge myself."
As long as she could avenge her brother, she would gladly face anything, even danger, let alone subdue a venomous snake with her bare hands.
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