pdf-ebookys Chapter 905 Suspicion Cleared
Chapter 905 Suspicion Cleared
The warlock hung his head, motionless, his eyes closed as if he were dead.
The boy snorted: "You think playing dead will work?"
He clapped his hands, and another round of punishment was inflicted upon him.
The warlock let out a groan of extreme pain, large beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead, and his facial features became ferocious and distorted.
Even so, he still showed no intention of explaining.
"How much did that person give you that you'd rather die of pain than expose him?" Pei Shijiu said in a deep voice.
"Does he have some kind of leverage over you, or is your family being controlled by him?"
The warlock's expression shifted slightly, as if he had been told the truth, but he quickly adopted a death-defying attitude.
Pei Shijiu realized that the person had a tight grip on the families of these sorcerers, and would slaughter the entire family as soon as they confessed.
Family is always a person's greatest weakness.
If that's the case, there's no way you can get anything out of this person.
Pei Shijiu wasn't particularly interested in torturing people, so he made a gesture, giving the sorcerer a quick death.
He stepped out of the prison with a very gloomy expression.
Who exactly is this person, so carefully guarded and hidden so deeply?
"Investigate Prince Jin and Prince Su," the young man ordered, hoping to find out something through these two individuals.
In particular, Prince Jin has always disliked Lian'er, and he took this opportunity to act even more recklessly.
Moreover, the people who caused trouble in front of Qiao's shop were suddenly silenced, which is also worth investigating.
Pei Shijiu stepped into Zhao Si's house.
Zhao Si was an only child. He was murdered, and his elderly mother cried until she went blind, while his father fell seriously ill.
“He was flogged by the Jingzhao Yin yamen and finally recovered from his injuries. He went out to find work in the morning, but didn’t come back for lunch as usual. Although we were a little uneasy, we didn’t think too much about it. In the afternoon—” Zhao Si’s old mother said, tears streaming down her face again, and she choked up as she said, “he was carried back.”
Zhao Si's elderly father propped himself up on the bed, coughing with difficulty: "We went to the yamen to report it to the authorities, but they said there was nowhere to investigate, it was a cold case, and they told us to come back."
"Alas, a life was lost just like that, without any explanation."
A flash of hatred suddenly appeared in the old woman's eyes: "Zhao Si once felt unwell after eating snacks from Qiao's Shop. He went to Qiao's Shop to demand justice, but the Princess Zhenguo had him sent to the Jingzhao Yin's office and given dozens of lashes. Could it be that the Princess Zhenguo holds a grudge and is therefore taking his life—"
"Nonsense!" Before the old woman could finish speaking, Pei Shijiu coldly rebuked her, making her tremble.
“What kind of person is Princess Zhenguo? She would never resort to such despicable means.”
"Moreover, Zhao Si was bribed to smear Qiao's shop, and he deserved to be flogged by the Jingzhao Yin's yamen."
"Do you really think your son is pure and innocent?"
The two were caught off guard by this sudden turn of events and were filled with trepidation.
"I came here only to ask you if you know who killed your son, so that I could give you justice. I never expected that you would slander the Princess Zhenguo without any basis."
Pei Shijiu pursed his lips, his aura turning cold as he left. If it weren't for the fact that the two were old and frail, he would have made them pay the price for their wrong words.
"That person did every step perfectly," Qingsong said from the side.
It's so thick that you can't even insert a needle.
A murderous intent surged in Pei Shijiu's eyes.
"Keep investigating, and one day he'll have no choice but to show his face."
"I want to see which true god it is."
The day after the emperor summoned Qiao Lian'er, Prince Jin, with a head full of bumps, made a couple of remarks in the court and was kicked out, forbidden from participating in any further discussions.
So for the next few days, no one dared to associate the emperor's illness with Qiao Lian'er.
Following the emperor's instructions, Eunuch Qi ground all the snacks into powder, mixed them into desserts, and sent them to the Crown Prince and the four imperial concubines.
This matter was carried out quietly, without even the Crown Prince and several imperial concubines knowing about it.
After several days of observation, they did not exhibit symptoms like those of an emperor.
The emperor summoned Qiao Lian'er again.
This time, the emperor let Qiao Lian'er into the study.
Qiao Lian'er was about to bow when the emperor waved his hand and said, "Sit."
Seats had been arranged in advance, and Qiao Lian'er thanked them and took her seat.
The emperor still looked unwell, his face pale, and he rubbed his temples from time to time, coughing occasionally with great effort.
Whether it was Qiao Lian'er's imagination or not, she felt that the emperor's condition seemed to have worsened.
Although he forced himself to come out of the inner palace to meet her, his breathing was even weaker than it had been a few days before.
"The imperial concubines and the crown prince are all fine. I almost wronged Lian'er," the emperor said.
Qiao Lian'er said, "There are witnesses, and the symptoms match. No one would think that I am innocent. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven and must be even more cautious. It is only right for me to prove my innocence."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction when he saw how sensible she was.
"Lian'er has never made things difficult for me. I haven't been feeling well lately, but thankfully I have Lian'er, so that some important matters haven't been delayed. However, as the ruler of the Great Swamp Kingdom, I should be in charge of the affairs of the world. This situation is not a long-term solution. The cause of the illness is unknown, so we cannot prescribe the right medicine. I am very worried."
Qiao Lian'er could tell that the emperor meant for her to find a way to cure his illness.
For Qiao Lian'er, the entire Imperial Medical Academy was helpless, which presented her with an excellent opportunity to make a name for herself.
Unfortunately, it's not something she can cure at will; what used to be a simple matter is now quite troublesome.
"His Majesty is unwell, and the people are worried. I am also searching for a good remedy for His Majesty, hoping for a good outcome."
The emperor was somewhat disappointed. He thought that Qiao Lian'er could handle many things, but in the end, he was too optimistic.
Although she was exceptionally intelligent, she was still just a mortal, and there were always things she couldn't do.
Pei Shijiu sent out several more sorcerers to find Huo Xiu. As long as Huo Xiu was forced to make a move, Qiao Lian'er's space would immediately recover.
As for Prince Jin and Prince Su, after several days of investigation, no close contact between them and others was found.
Moreover, the two princes are of noble status. By birth, they are above the emperor. Who could motivate them to work for that person in the open?
After much thought, Qiao Lian'er came to a conclusion: perhaps the two of them had unintentionally become someone's pawns.
That person deliberately created the current situation by taking advantage of various coincidences.
Even now, not even a glimpse of his clothing has been revealed.
Qiao Lian'er instructed: "Spread the word that my suspicion has been cleared."
She wanted to see if that person would lose their composure if this plan failed.