Chapter 58 Three People "If they don't recognize it, then I won't recognize it either."...
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Yan Siqing has always been able to judge the situation and make choices. She knows that she cannot refuse God's will.
Yes, in this world, the emperor’s heart is God’s will.
But when Zhou Li brought her back to the White Horse Temple and they were walking along the plank road again, he mentioned this to her - she knew that the content of the imperial edict was not for her to hear, but for those people in the White Horse Temple.
But she refused at that time.
She actually dared to refuse, although she was very tactful, saying: I am not capable of doing it, and I am not an official in the court, so it is difficult for me to take on such a big responsibility.
Zhou Li was looking at the person in front of him who was being questioned for the second time, which was actually equivalent to interrogation. He suddenly recalled the scenes on the road not long ago.
At that time he replied: Do you think you can refuse?
Yan Siqing also replied: Are there any advantages or disadvantages to either outcome?
Zhou Li actually had a premonition that whether she accepted the job or not, it would be difficult for her to survive.
The Xie family couldn't accommodate her.
The Prince Qi’s Palace can’t accommodate them, so what about the Prince Yan’s Palace?
Do you want to stay at Prince Yan's Mansion?
That's even more troublesome.
The emperor watched the chaos of the court's factional struggles, but he did not show any signs of alarm. He just watched coldly - and he was well aware of the changes in the White Horse Temple.
This shows that he is not ignorant or indifferent, but is observing, judging, and making the final decision.
She's certainly not the source of trouble, but she could be.
The emperor does not need to distinguish right from wrong, he only needs the art of weighing pros and cons.
Therefore, Zhou Li vaguely guessed that the emperor had murderous intentions towards this originally insignificant merchant wife, just like slaughtering a chess piece to intimidate both sides of the chess game.
This is the smallest price.
After all, he couldn't just attack his son and grandson directly.
Not yet.
Then why not just kill?
Because it's not worth it for her to bear the flaw of starting out in obscurity.
Zhou Li's reasoning stemmed from a reverse logic: were these cases so important that she was the only one who could handle them? The court was teeming with talented individuals. Even Jian Wuliang and I were lucky enough not to have joined a certain prince, and our families were relatively clean. We had some ability, but we weren't particularly gifted.
There are many old foxes in the cabinet who are as cunning as ghosts.
As long as you are willing to offend people, there is no case that cannot be solved.
So, it’s not necessary to have her, but it’s still her.
That is to put the coals of fire into her hands.
If the culprit cannot be found, he will be killed with a name.
Found out.
Then her situation becomes even more delicate.
How could a woman like this be just a merchant?
——————
The above are all Zhou Li’s speculations, and he still thinks so at this moment.
It’s no surprise that Yan Siqing realized his situation.
She is smart, insightful, and knows how to advance and retreat between life and death.
So he wasn't surprised that she had rejected his reminder before, looking as if she had seen through the dead end and was too lazy to struggle.
But he was sent by the emperor and remained loyal as before. When Zhou Li arrived at the White Horse Temple, he did not walk fast because the Jinwu Guards had their own "flying birds" who would go ahead to scout and report back if there was any movement. Naturally, he could walk faster, but he could not leave Yan Siqing.
His role today is just to "announce the decree" and "watch over" Yan Siqing.
So he was by her side all the way.
The woman walked slowly, and she had no martial arts skills. When she was almost at the dining hall, she heard movement above.
He touched the imperial edict hidden in his chest, lost in thought. Yan Siqing suddenly asked, "Your Majesty has suddenly allowed an outsider like me to take charge of this case. Is it because the conflict between the two royal palaces must end with casualties? Is this why Lord Zhou has come here?"
Her tone was curious, indifferent and not aggressive, as if she was just asking casually.
Zhou Li, however, looked back at her in awe. She lowered her head, lightly lifted the hem of her skirt, and walked on the gently sloping steps of the plank road, whispering something.
"It turns out that birds aren't guaranteed to fly."
She was so smart that she knew that Fei Niao must have known what was going on up there, but she didn't come back to report it. That was because - Zhou Li was not willing to arrive in time and get involved in the dispute up there. He wanted to wait until the dust settled before going up. As for who was trapped in the two major royal palaces and became a prisoner, he didn't care.
However, this matter cannot be known to others. He cannot see it and not stop it, otherwise he will be suspected of taking sides.
She said just two words, and Zhou Li glanced at her with murderous intent in his eyes, "Madam, you talk too much."
But he had to step down and fly upwards quickly, and he also saw the hidden bird.
Feiniao had actually returned, but he was a confidant and knew Zhou Li's thoughts, so he did not show up. Unexpectedly... the two of them sped up and went up, which led to Zhou Li's timely appearance.
Then.....
Yan Siqing was asked a second time.
This time, Yan Siqing withdrew his gaze from the square in front of the dining hall, as if he had not focused on anyone, nor avoided anyone.
She answered Zhou Li's question just now.
To obey or not to obey.
"Shall we start investigating now?"
She agreed, and agreed very readily.
Zhou Li was distracted for a moment, and suddenly realized: She refused to take this job on the way, not because she really wanted to refuse, but for the purpose of agreeing next time.
——Did she have a premonition that Jiang Hui might be in danger in the White Horse Temple, so she refused first, and then used her desire to complete the task successfully to get herself involved in time, so that Jiang Hui would not be assassinated by Prince Qi.
She is indeed very good at using situations to her advantage and to get what she wants.
Zhou Li, who was originally a proud and arrogant person, felt very uncomfortable being controlled by her like this. Perhaps only Jian Wuliang before him could understand his unwillingness, but he had no choice but to reply in a cold tone: "Of course, everything is up to Master Yan."
He only asked her to take charge of the case and did not hold any official position, so naturally he did not have the respect for her that was common in official circles.
Yan Siqing didn't care about Major General Zhou's cold and sharp expression. "It's raining outside, I don't want to go out. Carry the body into the dining hall. All the people and evidence will be placed here."
"The two great palaces are requested to avoid suspicion. All relevant personnel are requested to avoid the body and all clues. The Dali Temple is to be assigned to the main task. The remaining armed forces are requested to continue to seal off the mountain. The Jinwu Guards are to guard the Zhai Hall."
Once she wanted to do something, she would be extremely serious and would no longer consider any trivial grudges or hatreds. She would just walk past Huai Xuan and the others, her sleeves fluttering as she raised her hand to lightly lift the curtain hanging at the entrance of the dining hall.
When people go in, their backs are facing the wind and rain, they are as elegant as bamboo, but their words are like snow falling in a clear pond.
Xie Juanshu heard the words clearly, in a gentle and ordinary tone.
"Anyone who violates this will be regarded as defying the Emperor's orders and will be killed on his behalf."
Everyone was silent.
In the rain, Jiang Hui, holding the hilt of his sword that was about to be unsheathed, adjusted his hot breathing in the cold rain. His eyes seemed to be entangled with the slender figure walking into the dining hall. When others hesitated between them, he lowered his eyes in time.
Press your palms down.
The gun returns to its sheath with a clang.
——————
There are five corpses in the hall, and now there is another corpse of the recently deceased Marquis of Dongling, making it six.
The powerful and influential people had been forced by the two royal palaces to cooperate with the investigation and were no longer as arrogant and unruly as before.
Now that the Jinwu Guards, who represent the emperor's face, are here, they have to cooperate even more. After all, even the two major royal palaces have been "avoided".
They are all like this, let alone the others. Liu Wuzheng seems to be uneasy and is being guarded in a corner, waiting to be investigated at any time. Master Jingye is also a suspect. The two of them plus the prince, these three people are undoubtedly people who are "suspected" and have to sit aside. The others have their own places to stay.
Liu Wuzheng was uneasy, but he was at peace on a quiet night and could even drink tea. Jiang Hui was cold and indifferent, like a seated statue of Yama, with a hint of ruthlessness in his hair, but he was also quiet, as if waiting to be interrogated at any time.
The abbot of the White Horse Temple was also very capable and as calm as ever. He even sent monks to bring drinks and snacks.
But who can eat it now?
The body is right in front!
There's still a stench, and...are those bugs still there?
Everyone was trembling with fear, as if something was stuck in their throats. Xie Rong changed his posture several times in a few breaths. Xie Juanshu was in a bad mood, simply because of confusion and uneasiness - was this Yan a man or a woman? If it was a woman, could he be a match? If it was a man...
She turned around and looked at Xie Rong, "Can you be quiet? Otherwise, you'll be like maggots in the rotting flesh of a corpse."
Xie Rong: “…”
He is my biological child, so why do you have to do this, sister?
——————
Prince Qi was very dissatisfied with the fact that Yan Siqing, a lowly figure like a chess piece, suddenly became the mastermind of the case and even dared to say such words shamelessly. Because the Jinwu Guards were investigating the case on behalf of the emperor, he could only sit down without even touching the tea. As soon as he opened his mouth, he glared coldly at Yan Siqing who was examining the body of Marquis Dongling not far away.
"Mr. Yan, you've been watching for a while now. Can you find any evidence to prove the innocence of Prince Chilin, who is so familiar to you?"
Prince Qi is a hypocritical person, and he is good at expressing his true feelings. He is just short of saying that Yan Siqing and Jiang Hui have a complicated relationship, and that she is partial to him.
While waiting for the body to be moved to the dining hall, Yan Siqing had already read many contents of the Dali Temple's previous investigation and interrogation, just as she had read Jian Wuliang's booklet last night.
Everyone's confession and the results of the inspection of the various courtyards are all above, and there are also oral statements from the investigators on the side.
After looking at all this, the bodies were brought in. She began to examine the body of Dongling Hou, which was bleeding from all seven orifices. She used tweezers to examine it, from clothes to skin and flesh, and also looked at the throat. Jian Wuliang was there too. The two had similar autopsy habits. The Dali Temple had cooperated with Yan Siqing once before and admired her very much. As soon as she raised her hand, the coroner next to her knew what instruments to take.
They were busy with their own things. King Qi's criticism was very abrupt. Yan Siqing didn't look at him, but responded.
He is a prince after all.
"After all, the prince is the Crown Prince's uncle. Since the Crown Prince is now guilty of murder, do you want me to be partial to him?"
Can an uncle still hope that his nephew will be convicted?
But they are descendants of the royal family, so naturally they hope for it.
But even if it is, I can't admit it.
Prince Qi suffered a loss and snorted coldly. He said nothing more and just drank tea to cover up his feeling.
Jian Wuliang was not surprised. His eyes swept across Yan Siqing's cheek and saw that the man was looking at the scar on Dongling Hou's arm from under his sleeve which was lifted up with tweezers.
"Any questions?"
"It seems to be an old injury, but there are also new scars. I fought fiercely with His Royal Highness before, and I exerted too much force, so my tendons and veins are damaged."
Jian Wuliang was worried that Yan Siqing had never practiced martial arts and wouldn't be able to see the trick, but then he remembered that Yan Siqing was good at medicine and had a family tradition, so he should have dabbled in it. There was no need for him to show off his skills in front of an expert. He felt embarrassed for a moment.
At this time, Yan Siqing had put down the tweezers and taken off his thin gloves.
Prince Qi: "It seems that it is over. Tell me the result. I am busy and need to return to Chang'an to see the emperor today."
"After all, this concerns the country. Anyone who breaks the law will be punished equally."
Besides, with the imperial edict, Prince Qi, who could kill her at any time, was not so scary anymore. Yan Siqing looked at Liu Wuzheng and Jing Ye.
One of them had no alibi and confessed his guilt.
Liu Wuzheng still pleaded guilty, but added another explanation: "I killed him. I am the murderer. It was not Master Jingye or anyone else. This Dongling Marquis has found the wrong murderer. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not a suspect."
He actually wanted to help Jiang Hui.
The people in Prince Yan's Mansion were surprised, but Jiang Hui didn't react much. He glanced at him, then quickly observed Yan Siqing, and saw her... staring at Liu Wuzheng for a while.
them!
Jiang Hui lowered the corners of his mouth, bit his lower lip, hummed softly, glanced at Yan Siqing repeatedly, and then looked away.
Another suspect...Master Jingye also glanced at Jiang Hui beside him, as if thinking about something, and then looked at Yan Siqing.
Jian Wuliang saw all the little movements and expressions of the three suspects, and felt a little uncomfortable in his heart: No, none of these three people seemed to be worried about being charged with such a heinous crime, they just kept looking at Yan Siqing.
Oh!
"Master Jingye, do you have anything to say?"
Quietly looking into Shang Yan Siqing's eyes, the man looked even more handsome than Xie Rong, with a rare appearance of a man and a woman at the same time. If it weren't for his pair of phoenix eyes that were affectionate yet ruthless, his whole body would have looked like a Buddha's son, without a trace of worldly affairs. There were ashes on his sleeves from the fallen lamp, and there were some holes burned there.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "Although I haven't actually discussed Buddhist scriptures with this donor Liu, I have indeed met him. He has been to my villa."
"Although it was only a brief encounter, he was able to rush to my villa at that time. To say that he went to the Zen room to commit another crime, even if he has the skill of Qinggong, it would be difficult."
Okay, one of them wants to protect the prince.
One is to protect the prince and the students.
King Qi laughed in anger: "This is truly eye-opening! Monks don't lie. Master Jingye, do you dare to swear to the Buddha?"
Jingye: "But, if you tell a lie, you will be sent to the eighteen levels of Yama Hell. You will either be reduced to ashes or be reborn as an animal in your next reincarnation. And all my blood relatives, except for my female relatives, will share the same sin as me."
"The reason why I avoid women is because it's already difficult for women to come into this world. If it's like going through a tribulation, there's really no need for them to be implicated because of me."
He started swearing on the spot, speaking righteously and seriously.
King Qi: “?”
Everyone: “???”
Liu Wuzheng: "! Master Jingye, you..."
It can't be that cruel.
Monks...their exit is a thunderous purgatory that will annihilate their entire family.
Yan Siqing paused and was speechless about this world-famous master.
The Liao family's grandmother was shocked and said, "Master, you must not do that."
Host: "Amitabha, why are you here on such a quiet night?"
Prince Qi interrupted their quarrel and looked at Jiang Hui coldly, "What about you, Chi Lin? They are all protecting you. Do you admit your guilt?"
Jiang Hui ignored him and looked at Yan Siqing, "Master, I'm here. Is there anything you want to ask me?"
Yan Siqing didn't look at him at first, but when this person called her on purpose, she turned around to look at him.
"Your Highness, will you plead guilty?"
Jiang Hui took action first, but when he saw her looking back, he picked up the Dali Temple's investigation booklet again. When their eyes met, he retreated in embarrassment.
Yan Siqing also turned away.
They all remembered what happened before.
It would be fine if we never met again in this life, so we just let it go. We fell into the water without a trace, but in less than three hours, we met again.
How embarrassing.
Jiang Hui's ears were red. The fingers that were originally hitting the table calmly moved away silently, using the interrogation table to block, and silently pulled up his sleeves.
She must be angry.
Xiaoyun and the other person not far away were embarrassed for their own prince - he had used their mouths to say some cool, decisive and cruel words.
He also said that he had already received all the compensation he wanted...and didn't care about her.
What's the result now?
Your Highness, why do you feel uneasy as if you have committed a heinous crime?
"If they don't recognize it, then I won't recognize it either."
His words were a bit guilty, yet also contained a hint of arrogance that came from a temper.
People are like this; the more guilty they feel, the more timid they appear to be.
Prince Qi became even more furious. This was a great situation that he had carefully created with his inspiration, but how could it be treated like child's play to these people!
It made him look ridiculous.
Yan Siqing was also angry, but she didn't want to show her romantic ambiguity in front of others, so she lowered her head to read the booklet. Before Prince Qi could interrupt again, she looked at Liu Wuzheng.
"When the Dali Temple officials inspected your residence, they mentioned that an ash basin stove had been lit last night, and the firewood was completely burned, indicating that you have been using fire."
"You plead guilty and admit to being the murderer, but assuming you attacked the Zen room in the back mountains, then you must have escaped through the back mountains. From there, you had to circumvent the guards at various points, taking only a long, winding, and remote path. Then, you had to go up the slope of the mountain to reach your residence. You had to change all your clothes, shoes, and socks, as well as your Tianjiying crossbow, and hide your belongings. Even if you had qinggong skills, planned ahead, and calculated carefully, it would still take a considerable amount of time—there wouldn't be time to light a fire and dry your hair."
Liu Wu Zheng was stunned and subconsciously touched his hair.
His hair did dry, and he did dry his hair.
He was indeed not the murderer and he lied.
Yan Siqing: "But suppose you went to the Dharma Hall, and then went to see Master Jingye. You went there, but didn't go into the other courtyard to meet him. But you refused to admit it, and quickly ran back to your own residence to dry your hair. Not only that, but you were also upset and read a lot of books - so that your bookshelf is a mess."
"You saw something you shouldn't have seen, but you didn't dare to speak out and would rather admit that you were the murderer."
"This is a capital crime. The fact that it's causing you this much panic only means that if you tell the truth, you'll anger someone you can't afford to offend, and it'll also bring trouble to those you care about—like your teachers."
"Master Jingye is not that scary. It's the people that Master Jingye will meet that scare you."
When the whole audience was silent.
Most people realized it: So Liu Wuzheng is not the murderer, but Jingye is not the murderer either, because they can testify against each other, but there is a third person, and this person's confession is very important.
As long as the three testify against each other and are all related to the murderer in the case, then the so-called arrest of the murderer by the Duke of Dongling would be ridiculous, and he himself would become suspicious. Correspondingly, the action of the prince would be logical and there would be no question of any crime.
Yan Siqing looked at Master Jingye again. "Similarly, Master Jingye refused to mention the person he met or what happened last night. He also admitted that he had not lied, but he did not mention this matter at all. You said that you met Liu Juzi last night, so it should not be considered a lie. You knew he came, and you knew that he saw the truth that night and ran away in fear."
"You didn't want to harm him, but you also didn't want to drag another person into this. Perhaps you had the same concerns as Liu Juzi, which led to the above confession."
"The man who came to your place that night is here now."
"As long as the two of you don't let go, the other party will never be involved in this life."
"You two can also testify against each other."
"It's just that the evidence is a little incomplete. If Your Majesty asks..."
"I don't need to wait for Father to ask. Can't I just admit it?"
At the end, the sudden female voice startled many people because it was not Yan Siqing's voice.
Everyone looked at this person in unison. Even Prince Qi and Jiang Hui had not expected this and were all stunned.
Prince Qi frowned, "Huai Xuan? What are you doing?"
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