Chapter 361 Substitute
She had made up her mind that she would rather die than betray Princess Qiongxiao.
Han Cui knew how heinous the murders the princess had committed were, and she also knew that the princess had harmed many innocent people. Once captured, she would have no chance of survival.
Princess Qiongxiao has wronged many people, but she has never wronged her.
If it weren't for her, Princess Qiongxiao wouldn't have allowed Master Fu to change Guan Yi'an's face, and then her and Master Fu's evil deeds wouldn't have been discovered by the Empress. Perhaps they could have truly gotten away with it and been given a second chance at life.
The princess's face has changed. As long as she keeps her mouth shut and doesn't reveal the princess's whereabouts, the princess still has a chance to survive.
But the official in front of her had just helped her, and she couldn't bear to disappoint him.
Judging from her expression, Master Zhang knew that she was mindful of their past relationship and unwilling to betray Princess Qiongxiao.
“Miss Han Cui, I only gave you a chance to earn merit because I saw that your conscience wasn’t completely gone. To be honest, Guan Yi’an has been captured and he has confessed to many things, including the whereabouts of Princess Qiongxiao. Perhaps Lord Liu has already arrested Princess Qiongxiao. Since you are so stubborn, then you can wait to meet your princess in the Dali Temple prison again.”
Han Cui was shocked to hear this.
Since this official knew about Guan Yi'an, what he said was probably true.
During the months Guan Yi'an spent at Princess Qiongxiao's residence, she fell deeply in love with Guan Yi'an and had almost no secrets from her. Princess Qiongxiao trusted her implicitly and had no secrets from her either.
She couldn't remember if she had told Guan Yi'an about that courtyard in the countryside, but since Guan Yi'an had revealed Princess Qiongxiao's whereabouts, he must know the location.
Princess Qiongxiao can't escape now.
Han Cui couldn't help but plead, "If I confess voluntarily, can this merit be attributed to the princess and she be treated leniently? If someone has to pay with their life, I am willing to die in place of the princess to atone for my sins."
She had repaid her parents' kindness in raising her. She had also repaid Guan Yi'an's kindness in providing her with food. If she could repay the princess's kindness as well, she would owe no one anything...
Upon hearing this, Master Zhang laughed and said, "I have only ever heard of someone apologizing on behalf of another, but this is the first time I have ever heard of someone dying on behalf of another. If anyone could commit a crime and have someone else die in their place, then the powerful and wealthy would be even more tyrannical and cold-blooded, and ordinary people like you with no power or influence would have no way to survive. Although you are loyal, you are still a common woman and should not have such thoughts."
“Princess Qiongxiao’s crimes are heinous, involving more than a dozen lives. Even if you confess voluntarily, or even if she surrenders herself to the authorities, she will not be spared the death penalty. However, since you have provided information, I can report this to Lord Liu and have his subordinates strictly disciplined so that Princess Qiongxiao can suffer less before she dies.”
Princess Qiongxiao murdered so many innocent people. If there were no strict regulations to restrain her after she was imprisoned, it would be perfectly normal for the officers and soldiers to take advantage of this former noblewoman, secretly take advantage of her, and make her suffer.
Although Master Zhang spoke tactfully, Han Cui felt a chill run down her spine instantly.
For Princess Qiongxiao, this was like a nightmare returning, causing her unbearable pain.
She didn't want the princess to go through those things again.
The official in front of her had not deceived her, nor had he tortured her; he was the only person she could trust and rely on at the moment.
"Alright, I'll do as you say, sir. I'll provide the princess's whereabouts, and you guarantee that no one will be allowed to bully her."
Since Guan Yi'an had already revealed the princess's hiding place in advance, she wouldn't be considered a traitor. The princess couldn't escape anyway, so by cooperating, she could at least reduce the princess's humiliation.
Han Cui revealed the location of the courtyard where Princess Qiongxiao had taken her to hide.
Knowing the urgency of the matter, Master Zhang dared not delay. He ordered his men to take Han Cui back, while he led his men immediately to their destination.
The place Han Cui provided was more than ten miles away. When Master Zhang and his men arrived, they happened to run into Lord Liu.
After obtaining intelligence from Guan Yi'an, they split into two groups: Zhang Shiye led men to capture Han Cui, while Lord Liu personally led troops to the Ministry of Revenue to investigate the residences of Princess Qiongxiao's relatives.
Princess Qiongxiao's relatives were all members of the imperial family, and none of them had purchased private residences in remote rural areas. However, Princess Qiongxiao's former wet nurse had purchased four houses in the countryside many years ago. When Lord Liu discovered this anomaly, he immediately led his men to search these four places.
This is the third residence they've investigated; the previous two were uninhabited. Now that both groups have met in front of the residence, Lord Liu immediately understands what's going on.
"Has the advisor caught Han Cui? Was it she who gave away this address?"
Master Zhang nodded and said, "Yes, sir. Han Cui said that she hid here with the princess and Master Fu three days ago, but now that three days have passed, we don't know if the prisoner has left."
Upon hearing this, Lord Liu immediately ordered, "Search! Search thoroughly, don't miss any place."
The soldiers surrounded the courtyard, and Lord Liu and his advisor Zhang led a small group of men to rush in first.
Two young women stood at the door, looking at everyone with alarmed expressions.
When Lord Liu and Master Zhang saw each other's faces clearly, they both gasped in shock.
They had been following the murder case at Princess Qiongxiao's residence recently. They had looked at the portraits of the victims and suspects no less than a hundred times. They could recognize the two people in front of them at a glance; they were the two victims.
Cold Dew, Cold Mist.
Even though it was broad daylight, the sight of two long-dead girls standing alive in front of him was still chilling.
The two had long known that Master Fu's face-swapping skills were superb, but witnessing it firsthand only made them feel eerie and horrified.
Lord Liu and Master Zhang, having investigated numerous murder cases and weathered many storms, quickly regained their composure after a brief moment of fear.
"Princess Qiongxiao, Elder Fu, don't think that just because you've changed your faces, I won't recognize you. How can you sleep at night with dead faces?"
The two young women looked bewildered upon hearing this, then knelt down in panic: "Sir, we were bought, we don't know what you mean? We don't know any princess or Master Fu..."
"Sir, what do you mean by a dead person's face? That girl clearly said it was fake skin, not a human face..."
The panic and helplessness on their faces seemed genuine, which aroused suspicion in Lord Liu and Master Zhang. They asked loudly, "Who are you? What are you doing here? Tell us the truth now, or we will not let you off easily!"
The girl with the cold dew on her face said, "Sir, this sister and I are both daughters of poor families. A few days ago, we sold ourselves in the East Market to earn some money for our families. A young girl with a hoarse voice and a slow gait bought us. After we arrived here, the girl said that our owner did not like our appearance and that we needed to be replaced with fake skin."
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