Chuangfu
Xiao Liao was overjoyed and immediately ordered Wu Da to search for the place where the sachet had been left behind.
The group rushed to the side room and found a large pile of women's school uniforms inside, but nothing else.
Wu Da guessed, "Your Highness, this might have been left behind by a young lady when she changed her clothes."
Xiao Liao was greatly disappointed and tore open the sachet.
The sachet contains various crushed herbs, which gives it a medicinal fragrance.
Xiao Liao was certain that the ever-changing young man did not possess this medicinal fragrance, but he still ordered the imperial physician to conduct an examination and identify the herbs within.
Several imperial physicians worked together to compile a prescription, informing Xiao Liao that the medicines in his bag were mostly for injuries and bruises, and for promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, mixed with floral fragrances.
The dog picked it up because the scent of medicine left on the clothing was similar to the herbs in the medicine bag. However, both are common herbs and have nothing special about them.
Wearing ornaments such as sachets and medicine pouches is common from the old to the young, and they are all very similar, so there is not much to pay attention to. However, Xiao Liao was too cautious.
He discovered that the brocade used to make the medicine pouch was a special supply from the palace. Following the trail, he found that a similar piece of fabric from the palace had been bestowed upon the Marquis of Wu'an's residence earlier. Ultimately, he discovered that the medicine pouch was made by Quan Zijin.
Xiao Liao asked Quan Zijin to leave.
Quan Zijin was young and usually stayed at the mansion and the academy, with no other social interactions. Now, she was suddenly "invited" into the Prince of Qin's mansion by a guard with a knife, and she was completely terrified.
She was afraid of Xiao Liao, terrified from the bottom of her heart, and her legs went weak as she stepped into the main hall.
A painting of a fierce tiger hangs high in the main hall. Its gaping maw and sharp fangs seem ready to devour someone.
Xiao Liao sat in the main seat below him, his sinister eyes staring intently in the direction of the newcomer, even more terrifying than a tiger's eyes.
Quan Zijing knelt down, her head bowed low, her hands folded on her knees, and her voice trembled as she said, "Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Qin."
Xiao Liao leaned closer to her and asked in a tone similar to that towards a child, "Are you afraid of me?"
Quan Zijin hurriedly shook her head, almost burying her head in her stomach, and whispered, "I'm just afraid of tigers."
Xiao Liao chuckled, "Do you know why I invited you here?"
Quan Zijin shook her head again.
Xiao Liao tossed out the sachet. "Is this yours?"
The sachet struck Quan Zijing's hand and rolled onto the black ceramic tile floor. The fleeting glimpse of the begonia pattern and the pink brocade fabric revealed it to be the very medicine sachet she had given to Gu Jinning.
Quan Zijing raised her head slightly and carefully examined the document, saying, "It's mine."
Xiao Liao asked a series of questions: "Why make a medicine pouch? Who is it for?"
Quan Zijin clenched her hands and replied, "I made this medicine pouch for my brother because he loves cockfighting and inevitably gets hurt while playing. I was planning to give it to him after the academy exam that day, but I don't know where I lost it, so I decided to make another one."
Xiao Liao chuckled, leaned back in his chair, and looked at her with a sinister gaze. "Raise your head."
Quan Zijing struggled to lift her head, and when she met Xiao Liao's sinister eyes, her pupils trembled. Her delicate, oval face was now deathly pale.
Xiao Liao shook his head and pointed, saying, "You're lying. Why did you choose pink fabric and a begonia flower pattern for the medicine pouch you gave Quan Zichu?"
Quan Zijin suppressed her fear and replied, "Because my brother often says that the young men he plays with all have admirers who give them tokens of affection, and they like to tease my brother that no one is trying to win his favor. That's why I made it pink, so that he can look dashing when he wears it every day."
Quan Zijing's answer was extremely sincere and reasonable, leaving no room for doubt.
However, this was not the result Xiao Liao wanted.
Xiao Liao scrutinized her silently, his sharp gaze turning into a blade, slowly tearing apart her small face.
Quan Zijing felt the silent pain, her body trembled uncontrollably, and her mind went blank and empty. She didn't know how long she could hold on, so she could only grit her teeth and try her best to persevere.
Xiao Liao noticed her perseverance and stubbornness, and thought to himself that this little girl was quite remarkable for being able to speak clearly and logically under pressure.
Often, the biggest vulnerability is the absence of any vulnerability.
Just how stubborn can the people of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion be?
Xiao Liao regained his haughty demeanor, "I'll give you one more chance. Tell the truth. This medicine pouch isn't for Quan Zichu."
Quan Zijin insisted, "It's for my brother."
Xiao Liao patiently persuaded him, "Quan Zichu was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and will be a future hereditary marquis. He can have whatever he wants in this life. You are just a maid born to a concubine, born inferior and unknown. But in terms of talent and courage, you are far better than him. Aren't you jealous and angry?"
How could Quan Zijing not hear such blatant provocation? She had only heard of the King of Qin's ruthlessness and viciousness before, but seeing him today, she was indeed as black as ink.
Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting a slanted glow on the black, shiny floor tiles that reflected Xiao Liao's despicable face.
Quan Zijin nodded and calmly replied, "My father and mother treat me like their own daughter, and my brother and I have a deep and abiding affection for each other. I have no complaints."
She was satisfied, but Xiao Liao was not; he only wanted the answer he desired.
The Quan family only gained their hereditary marquisate because Gu Wenxiu and his wife died saving the emperor. The Marquis of Wu'an, on the other hand, has become outwardly strong but inwardly weak in recent years, long since losing the prowess he once possessed on the battlefield.
But that old scoundrel, relying on his high achievements and advanced age, opposes him at every turn. How can he feel at ease if he doesn't bring down the Quan family?
“Ms. Quan, you may not know how cruel the criminal law is. If you insist on not telling the truth, you will be subjected to severe torture to extract a confession.”
Xiao Liao was determined to use Quan Zijin to gain leverage over the Quan family.
If there's no problem, create one; coercing a confession through torture has always been the best method.
"cousin!"
Quan Zichu rushed into Wangning Pavilion like a cheetah, pushed open the door with a bang, and shouted urgently, "Cousin, where are you?"
Gu Jinning, who was playing with cicadas by the window, was startled and asked, "What are you doing, like a monkey?"
Qinghe rushed into the house apologetically, "Princess, Young Master Quan ran too fast, this servant couldn't catch up."
Gu Jinning waved her hand, signaling her to leave, and put away the black jade cicada cup, asking, "What is it?"
Quan Zichu stamped his feet anxiously, "Cousin, Zijing has been captured by the King of Qin."
Gu Jinning's brows furrowed slightly. "When did this happen?"
Quan Zichu said, "It's been half an hour. Take her directly from the academy to the Prince of Qin's residence. Who is that Prince of Qin? I'm so worried, I came to find you right away. What should I do? What should I do? Zijing is timid, she'll be scared and cry."
Quan Zichu was about to cry.
Looking at his pathetic appearance, Gu Jinning was slightly disgusted. "I think you're the one who got scared and cried first. Come on, let's go get the person."
Gu Jinning patted Quan Zichu on the shoulder, strode out of the house, gathered a dozen or so guards, and headed towards the Prince of Qin's residence in a grand procession.
The midday sun beat down on people's heads, scorching and intense.
A dozen or so horses galloped across the street, kicking up millions of clouds of dust, unrestrained and free.
"Whoa~"
The herd of horses stopped in front of the Qin Prince's Mansion, and the black and gold "Qin Prince's Mansion" signboard suddenly turned gray.
The guards at the gate were startled by the scene. Before they could even react, Gu Jinning dismounted, strode up the jade steps, and kicked open the vermilion gate.
"Open the door for this princess!"
After saying that, before the guards could make a move, Gu Jinning kicked the door open again.
"It's terrible, it's terrible!" The steward of the Prince of Qin's mansion rushed over to report to Xiao Liao, "Your Highness, it's terrible, the Princess has arrived with her people."
As Xiao Liao left the palace, he saw Gu Jinning rushing towards him menacingly, followed by more than a dozen guards.
"Cousin, what do you mean by this?" Xiao Liao asked knowingly.
Gu Jinning retorted, "Your Highness, what do you mean?"
Xiao Liao laughed and said, "It's just a routine interrogation. Once it's over, we'll release them back to their residence. Why make such a fuss, cousin, and ruin our harmony?"
"Is the trial over? I'm here to pick her up and take her home."
Gu Jinning looked determined to take the person away today.
Xiao Liao tolerated Gu Jin Ning's status many times, but she became increasingly defiant and went against him, which was truly infuriating.
“Cousin, there’s a procedure to interrogation, it can’t be rushed. Besides, it involves a case of thieves, I can’t afford to be negligent.”
Gu Jinning sneered.
"Thief? You're saying she's a naive girl, barely ten years old, who can't even lift a finger, and she's involved with thieves? Are you kidding me? Taking someone's money and then using a little girl as a scapegoat, that's shameless."
Gu Jinning forced her way into the hall, swept her gaze around, picked up a chair and sat down, declaring, "Today, if you don't hand over the person, I'm not leaving."
"If you want to investigate, I'll go with you."
Gu Jinning's banditry enraged Xiao Liao. He warned, "Do you know that just the fact that you brought men with knives into the Prince's mansion is enough to convict you?"
Gu Jinning said indifferently, "So what? Let my uncle, the emperor, beat me again and send me to jail to reflect on my actions. Or will you also slap a charge against me for having an affair with a traitor and make me take the blame?"
Who is she? A fearless little tyrant, she protects everyone in and around the capital.
"Your Highness, I don't want to fight. Let's just reason things out. You can finish the interrogation, I'll pick up the person, and everyone will be happy. But your refusal to release him is a bit unreasonable. What do you say?"
"My cousin is young and timid, and her skin is delicate and she's easily embarrassed, but she's been honest since she was little. If you ask her carefully, she'll tell you everything. She might even provide some useful clues and earn you some credit, so why not? But..."
"If His Highness the Prince of Qin were to use torture to extract a confession, that would be troublesome. After all, my maternal grandfather is extremely protective of his own."
Xiao Liao was indeed planning to extract a confession through torture to bring down the Quan family. Gu Jinning arrived too quickly and ruined his plans.
If Quan Zijing refuses to sign before things escalate, everything will become very difficult to handle.
Quan Zichu chimed in, "That's right. My grandfather can't stand seeing the younger generation suffer. Your Highness, Prince Qin, please release them immediately."
Xiao Liao turned his attention to Quan Zichu.
“Young Master Quan, it’s not that I’m trying to make things difficult for you, but your sister is trying to have an affair with someone and refuses to name him. At this time, thieves are rampant, and I’m worried that she will be deceived by them.”
Quan Zichu shouted, "Nonsense! My sister is very well-behaved. Don't talk nonsense without evidence."
Xiao Liao tossed him the medicine pouch, "This is the evidence."
Quan Zichu retorted, "What kind of evidence is that? She made this medicine pouch for me, how is that a secret exchange? We have the same father, don't talk nonsense."
Xiao Liao pressed further, "Are you sure it's for you?"
Quan Zichu replied without hesitation, "Of course."
His lips trembled, and he was so remorseful that he was about to cry.
"It's all my fault for nagging her all the time, saying that other young masters have gifts, but I don't. She said she would make one for me and asked what kind I wanted. I said anything that would show it was for a girl. She took it to heart and actually made one for me. She even thoughtfully made it into a medicine pouch for me, perhaps because the cockfighting incident last time frightened her."
"It's all my fault. I'm the one who caused her to be wrongly accused."
Quan Zichu sobbed as she tried to wipe away her tears, and casually tugged at Gu Jinning's gauze sleeve to do so.
“Cousin, I always knew Zijing was well-behaved and wouldn’t do anything wrong. It’s so pitiful that His Highness the Prince of Qin wronged her because of a medicine pouch.”
Gu Jinning pulled out her sleeve and comforted her warmly, "Alright, it's all settled now. His Highness Prince Qin is reasonable and would never wrong an innocent person. You rushed to find me earlier, and I thought it was something serious, so I quickly brought people over, which almost caused me to offend His Highness Prince Qin."
She smiled apologetically at Xiao Liao, "It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. His Highness Prince Qin is magnanimous and won't hold it against me."
Gu Jinning's combination of soft and hard tactics was well-reasoned and accurately grasped Xiao Liao's psychology.
She bet he wouldn't dare make a big fuss.
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