Chapter 741 Contradiction
Luo Qinghan summoned Xiao Lingfeng and Fang Wujiu and asked them about the details of what happened.
Neither of them was involved in the incident and can only relay what others said.
Xiao Lingfeng: "The two female assassins are from Liao, and Liao has a grudge against our country. I suspect that this assassination may have been intentional by Liao."
Luo Qinghan: "If the Liao Kingdom wants revenge, it should be against me. The imperial concubine is the princess of Nanyue, what's the point of killing her?"
Xiao Lingfeng had been pondering it for a long time and immediately expressed his guess.
"Killing the imperial concubine will not only make the emperor lose his beloved, but also stir up a dispute between Dasheng and Nanyue. It's like killing two birds with one stone!"
Luo Qinghan remained silent, as if he was thinking.
Fang Wujiu: "General Xiao's words are not without reason, but I am confused about one thing."
Luo Qinghan: "You say."
Fang Wujiu: "The arrow that shot the imperial concubine was coated with poison, but that poison would only cause a person to be temporarily unconscious, not to be fatal. If the Liao people were determined to kill the imperial concubine, why didn't they use a deadly poison that would kill her instantly?"
Xiao Lingfeng couldn't answer.
If the arrowhead could be coated with poison, the chances of a successful assassination would definitely be higher. The assassin could not have been unaware of this.
This matter is indeed a bit strange.
Fang Wujiu: "The assassins didn't use poison, which means they may not really want to kill the imperial concubine. The assassination was just a pretense, and they actually have other intentions."
Luo Qinghan thought about it and decided to call Concubine Jing, Concubine Li, Concubine Su, and Shao Liangren over. They were all people who had personally experienced the assassination, and if they asked them, they would definitely understand the whole story better.
The four concubines were a little surprised. They didn't expect that the emperor would return to the palace early.
Both sides greeted each other.
Concubine Jing's beautiful eyes were filled with tears and her tone was mournful.
"Your Majesty, I almost didn't see you again."
Shao Liangren also wiped the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief and said in a trembling voice.
"Those two female assassins were so vicious. I have never encountered such a thing before. Fortunately, Your Majesty returned early, otherwise I would not be able to rest in peace for a day."
Concubine Li was actually very scared, but she just glanced at the emperor and knew that the emperor didn't care at all whether she was scared or not, so she simply said nothing.
Su Cairen kept his head down and said nothing.
Luo Qinghan ignored the crying of Concubine Jing and Shao Liangren, but looked at Xiao Lingfeng beside him, motioning him to come and ask questions.
Xiao Lingfeng took a step forward and bowed to the four concubines.
"I have been ordered to thoroughly investigate the assassination. I have some questions that require the help of the four ladies. I hope you can answer them truthfully."
Concubine Jing nodded and said, "This kind of thing has suddenly happened in the palace. I hope to find out the truth as soon as possible, otherwise I will not be able to calm down. General Xiao, please feel free to ask anything you want to ask. I will definitely answer everything I know."
Xiao Lingfeng: "May I ask why you summoned the dancer?"
Concubine Jing frowned: "Are you doubting me?"
Xiao Lingfeng: "Your Majesty, you are overthinking. I am just following the routine."
Concubine Jing glanced at the emperor and saw that his face had no expression at all and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry, so she could only explain angrily.
"I heard that Lady Su was going to play the pipa for the Imperial Concubine, and I thought that just listening to the pipa was too monotonous, so I asked someone to call two dancers to help liven up the atmosphere. I didn't know that the dancers I called were actually assassins. Please understand, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Lingfeng took the opportunity to look at Shao Liangren.
"May I ask why you and Princess Jing went to see the Imperial Concubine together?"
Shao Liangren: "I had nothing to do so I went to chat with Concubine Jing, and we happened to talk about Concubine Gui's illness, so we agreed to go visit Concubine Gui together."
Xiao Lingfeng asked, "You have a close relationship with Concubine Jing?"
Shao Liangren lowered his eyes and said, "Empress Jing is kind and tolerant, and she takes good care of me."
When Concubine Li heard this, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Hypocrisy!
Xiao Lingfeng happened to catch her rolling eyes.
Xiao Lingfeng looked at her: "What do you want to say?"
Concubine Li’s expression froze.
She quickly restrained her expression and said, "I have nothing to say."
Xiao Lingfeng finally looked at Su Cairen and asked her what she knew.
Su Cairen had her head down from beginning to end. Upon hearing this, she slowly raised her head, revealing a stunningly beautiful face.
She bit her lower lip, as if she had made up her mind, with determination in her eyes.
"I don't know how the assassin came here, but I have something to say."
Xiao Lingfeng immediately said, "Please speak."
Su Cairen first glanced at Shao Liangren, and then said.
"When the assassin attacked the Imperial Concubine just now, I saw... I saw Shao Liangren deliberately push over the vase, which happened to block the Imperial Concubine's path and almost killed her!"
Shao Liangren's face changed drastically when he heard this.
She denied it without a second thought: "No! I didn't push over the vase. I am innocent. Please investigate, Your Majesty!"
Su Cairen: "Empress Jing was beside Shao Liangren at the time, so she should have seen it too."
Concubine Jing shook her head: "No, I was so frightened at the time that I was only concerned with escaping and didn't notice anything."
Su Cairen looked at her in disbelief: "Why won't your Majesty tell the truth?"
Concubine Jing was helpless: "I was telling the truth. I really didn't notice who knocked over the vase."
Su Cairen was anxious: "You were so close to Shao Liangren at the time, it's impossible that you didn't see it!"
Shao Liangren looked at her with tears in his eyes: "What Concubine Jing said is obviously the truth, why don't you believe it? Do you really want Concubine Jing to recognize that I am the one who murdered Concubine Gui?!"
Su Cairen: "That's not true, you are lying, Concubine Jing must be protecting you!"
Concubine Jing frowned: "Su Cairen, you not only slandered Shao Liangren, but also wanted to slander me. What on earth are you thinking? Are you the one who really wanted to overthrow the vase and murder the imperial concubine? You deliberately slandered me and Shao Liangren just to confuse people!"
Su Cairen was so anxious that her face turned red: "I didn't! Everything I said is true. I can swear that if I say even a single word is false, I will be struck by lightning!"
Just as the three of them were about to start arguing, Luo Qinghan interrupted them coldly.
“That’s enough!”
The three of them shut up at the same time and dared not say another word.
Xiao Lingfeng looked at Concubine Li, the only one who stayed out of the matter, and asked respectfully.
"Did you see who knocked over the vase, Madam?"
Concubine Li's gaze swept across Concubine Jing, Concubine Su, and Concubine Shao one by one, and finally stopped on Concubine Su.
Su Cairen felt very uneasy when being looked at.
It was a long time before Concubine Li spoke.
"When the assassin attacked, Su Cairen was the first to react. She knocked the assassin unconscious with the pipa in her arms. Later, she sacrificed herself to protect the imperial concubine. To be honest, if she really wanted to harm the imperial concubine, why would she do these things? Isn't it contradictory?"
(End of this chapter)
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