Chapter 311 Sun Zhi (3)
Sun Zhi's face showed panic, and he quickly said, "I dare not spread rumors in front of the prince! Mr. Lu told me this himself. Mr. Lu said that the woman pretending to be the princess gave him a large sum of money to silence him, and also promised to give him food and cloth every month so that he would have no worries about food and clothing. He thought that his daughter was gone, and if he didn't agree, he would have nothing in the future. So, blinded by greed, he actually agreed. As for his recognition of the woman in the portrait, it must have been because of the money that forced him to do it against his will."
"Then why did he change his mind now? Doesn't he want the money anymore?" Sima Jun asked.
"Of course he wouldn't go against the money, but the princess has always had people watching him and forbids outsiders from approaching his house. No matter where he goes, there are always people following him. Mr. Lu feels that his life is like being imprisoned and very uncomfortable. Last August, when the prince went to Lingnan and didn't meet him, I happened to hear Mr. Lu talk about it. He said that at that time, the princess's people suddenly said that they wanted to take him out for a trip, and even though he didn't want to, he had to go. After thinking it over, he felt that such a life was better off."
He then kowtowed again, "Your Highness, please understand! Why do you think Mr. Lu happened to be out at that time? In fact, there are no coincidences in the world. Everything was just arranged by the princess."
Sima Jun pondered for a moment and said, "But I heard earlier that Mr. Lu has become unconscious due to his addiction to alcohol. Master Sun, do you think his words are credible?"
Sun Zhi hurriedly said, "Your Highness, you may not know that Mr. Lu's condition is sometimes better and sometimes worse. When he's not well, he's really crazy, but when he spoke to me, he wasn't sick and spoke like a normal person. I think if we just let Mr. Lu and the princess face to face, we'll know the truth."
"It's not difficult to confront him, but unfortunately Mr. Lu is in Lingnan. It will take some time to bring him over."
"Mr. Lu is not in Lingnan," Sun Zhi said. "He has come to the capital with me and is now being placed in a village outside Yuzhou."
"Oh?" Sima Jun said leisurely, "I didn't expect Master Sun to be so considerate. But why is he stationed outside Yuzhou City?"
Sun Zhi quickly said, "Because Mr. Lu suddenly fell ill, it is inconvenient for him to travel. I had no choice but to hire a doctor to look after him."
"Is he ill? Is he seriously ill?"
"It's his madness. It's serious. When he's sick, he won't recognize his family. He's so bold that he even dares to jump into the river. I was worried he might jump off the boat, so I didn't dare take him with me. But it's also not serious. He cleared up after taking the medicine. He had the medicine prescribed earlier run out, and then this sudden attack happened. I asked him to get new medicine for him and let him rest for a few days. I'll go back and pick him up now. He should be better now."
Sima Jun pondered for a moment, then said, "There's still one thing I don't understand."
"Please speak, my lord."
Sima Jun looked at him and asked, "Since you insist that the princess is a fake, then do you know who she is?"
"This..." Sun Zhi said, "I just arrived in the capital, and I can't wait to tell the prince this news. I haven't checked it out yet. I think that as long as the princess's identity is exposed, it will not be difficult to find out her true identity."
Sima Jun took a sip of tea and said, "You traveled thousands of miles to tell me this news in person. If it's true, you've done a great deed. What do you want?"
Sun Zhi's heart moved, but he still pretended to be humble. He bowed again and said, "I just can't bear to see the Crown Prince being deceived and the reputation of the Yuzhang Palace being damaged. I dare not take credit for it! I only ask for an opportunity to serve the Crown Prince at his service!"
Sima Jun asked slowly, "Do you want to work under me?"
"That's right!" Sun Zhi said, "Please grant me your blessing, my Lord!"
Sima Jun didn't say anything.
He looked at Sun Zhi, who was kneeling on the ground, for a moment, and said, "This is not difficult. Later, you can follow my people to bring Mr. Lu here. Then, go to my mansion to find Cao Changshi and ask him to find a job for you."
Sun Zhi was surprised and happy.
Unexpectedly, my wish came true.
Everyone who worked at the Prince of Yuzhang's mansion was well-known in Jiankang City. From now on, he could hold his head high, not only in front of his peers but even at home. If his father knew about this, he would immediately ask him to return home, and that evil woman would have no choice but to bow before him.
Just thinking about it made him feel like he was floating.
Sun Zhi responded while kowtowing his head to express his gratitude like pounding garlic.
Sima Jun immediately ordered Yin Wen to follow Sun Zhi to pick up Lu Ming.
Listening to the gurgling sound of water in the pavilion, Sima Jun watched the two people leave and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
After all, the truth will come out.
It is not easy to keep such a huge secret hidden for two years.
Lu Ming was a greedy man, but all he wanted was money. Material goods were the easiest for him to obtain.
But Sun Zhi is not.
His ambitions would probably never be satisfied. Sun Wei was well aware of his nature, so he dealt with him early and drove him out of the capital.
It is always inappropriate to let a villain hold such a life-threatening secret in his hands.
As he thought about it, he crushed the fish food in his hand into pieces.
Sun Wei's identity would eventually be exposed, but the longer it could be kept secret, the better. Until then, Sun Zhi would have to disappear temporarily.
"Where did the Sun family arrange for Sun Zhi to practice before?" he asked.
Deng Lian said, "If I remember correctly, it's a Zen temple on Mount Kuaiji."
Sima Jun said, "Since the Sun family has asked him to practice cultivation, then let him go back and practice. If he still wants to stay alive, he must not leave."
"Yes." Deng Lian agreed.
After he made the arrangements, he planned to return home, but Yin Wen came back alone.
Yin Wen was in a hurry with a serious expression. Sima Jun knew something was wrong when he saw him.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Liang Huang, the chief officer of the Seventh Lieutenant Department, suddenly appeared on the road and said that Sun Zhi was related to Lu Qiuyan's case, so he was taken away for questioning."
"Liang Huang?" Sima Jun couldn't help but frown. "What else did he say?"
"Liang Huang said that this case was investigated on the orders of the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince has any concerns, he should go see the Crown Prince."
Sima Jun's face darkened.
Everyone knew the Crown Prince's wedding was imminent and he was very busy. Why would he bother with someone as insignificant as Sun Zhi? It was just that someone was using him as an excuse.
"Where did he take Sun Zhi? Did he let him follow?" Sima Jun asked.
"I followed him. I have just entered the official residence of the Seventh Lieutenant's Department, waiting for the Crown Prince's instructions."
——
There was only a small lamp in the dim room, and the torture instruments hanging on the wall were emitting a faint light.
After Sun Zhi was arrested, he was brought to this room.
He couldn't figure it out. What was his connection with Lu Qiuyan?
From Cangwu to Jiankang, he accompanied Lu Ming all the way, being cautious and keeping silent as much as possible, never saying anything unnecessary to others, fearing that others would know the Lu family's secret. It wasn't that he was afraid of the secret being exposed, but that someone would step on him and report it first, and get promoted first.
He is so cautious, why would he help Lu Qiuyan escape?
Footsteps were heard outside the door. Sun Zhi hurried forward and shouted, "Unjust! I am wronged!"
The man seemed to hear his call, his footsteps stopped outside the door, and the door lock opened.
Sun Zhi subconsciously knelt down and begged for mercy, but the man said, "Mr. Sun, long time no see."
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