Chapter 350 - 350: Interrogation
A eunuch came in and reported, “Your Majesty, General Tang requests an audience.”
The Emperor secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He didn’t have to face it alone. That was great. “Hurry up and bring him in.”
Tang Jinghong was led into imperial study by the eunuch. He bowed. “Your Majesty.”
Princess Changle was delighted to see Tang Jinghong. Tang Jinghong must have lied to her. How could he suddenly have a fiancee? He must have come to explain to her. Thinking of this, she became happy. “Jinghong.”
Tang Jinghong bowed to the princess and said to the emperor, “Your Majesty, I’m here to tell you something.”
The Emperor’s gaze swept across Princess Changle before landing on Tang Jinghong. “What is it?”
Tang Jinghong said, “Your Majesty, during this period of time when 1 returned to my hometown to recuperate, my family arranged a marriage for me. Now, 1 already have a fiancee. It wasn’t easy for me to have a fiancee and I cherish her very much. 1 hope to receive Your Majesty’s blessing.”
The Emperor didn’t know what to say.
Back then, all the girls in the Capital were attracted to Tang Jinghong. However, Tang Jinghong didn’t like any of them. Even the princess couldn’t win his heart. However, he actually said it was not easy for him to have a fiancee.
The Emperor really wanted to ask Tang Jinghong if he was doing this on purpose!
Although he thought so, he was also curious about what kind of girl was Tang Jinghong’s fiancee.
When Princess Changle heard these words, she went mad with jealousy. Her beautiful face twisted slightly as she said, “It’s just a fiancee. It’s not like you are married. It doesn’t matter.”
“But in my heart, she’s already my wife, my only wife.” Tang Jinghong’s tone was firm.
Princess Changle slowly fell to the ground, unwilling to believe it. She roared, “Jinghong, in this world, only 1 am worthy of you. She’s just a country girl who can’t give you anything. Why are you marrying her?”
Chu Qingzhi’s figure appeared in Tang Jinghong’s mind. It was not that Qingzhi could not give him anything, but that he could give her anything.
He bowed to the princess. “Princess, thank you for liking me, but please don’t come looking for me in the future.”
Seeing Changle’s disappointed look, the Emperor sighed. “Jinghong, you’ve already decided to marry only one woman?”
Tang Jinghong asked, “Your Majesty, aren’t you the same?”
The Emperor smiled. He only loved the Empress, so he understood Tang Jinghong. “Changle, there are many young talents in the capital. Pick another one.”
Princess Changle looked at the Emperor in disappointment, then at Tang Jinghong. Tears streamed down her face as she ran out.
Her heart was filled with hatred. Tang Jinghong, you can only be mine. Even if 1 destroy you, 1 won’t let anyone else get you!!!
Shuiyun County.
Chu Qingzhi and Wu Yaqing chatted as they arrived at the county office.
There were two guards at the entrance of the county office. When they saw Chu Qingzhi, they bowed to her. “Miss Chu.”
Chu Qingzhi glanced at the two of them and asked, “Where’s Xujin?”
The guard immediately said, “He’s interrogating the prisoner in the prison.”
When Chu Xujin came to the county office, he told the guards that Chu Qingzhi would come to help investigate the case.
Chu Qingzhi nodded. “Please bring me there.”
The guard said politely, “Miss Chu, this way please.”
In the prison, the old man from the Tao residence was tied to a human rack. Chu Xujin and the head constable were interrogating him. There were some constables and jailers around, but Ge Lihua was not among them.
The old man had lived a good life with Tao Pengnan and had never suffered like this. Now that he had been tortured in the prison, he had lost a lot of weight. Even his hair had turned white. There were bloodstains on his body from the whip. He looked very pitiful.
“Xujin, head constable.” Chu Qingzhi came in and greeted.
When Chu Xujin saw Chu Qingzhi, he was delighted and smiled. “Fifth Sister.” Then, he saw Wu Yaqing. “Yaqing, you’re here too?”
Wu Yaqing was a little uncomfortable looking at the scene. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just here to watch the show.” After saying that, she retreated to the side.
The head constable glanced at Wu Yaqing and cupped his hands at Chu Qingzhi. “Miss Chu.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled and said, “What did you find out?”
Chu Xujin said seriously, “1 found out that before the merchant came to look for the girl in the brothel, another man came to look for her.”
“Another man?” Chu Qingzhi asked. “Did she say why he was looking for her?”
“Yes.” Chu Xujin said, “She said that the man brought her into the room and did nothing, but he drugged her.”
Chu Qingzhi thought for a moment and asked, “Where’s Lihua?”
Chu Xujin said, “She is investigating in the brothel, trying to find out who that man was. My guess is that that man was probably the one who injured the other two merchants and pushed them into the river.”
Why would a man drug a woman in a brothel…
What role did the brothel girl play in this?
Chu Qingzhi said, “Third Brother, where is that brothel girl now?”
Chu Xujin said, “Still at the brothel.”
Chu Qingzhi felt like an answer was forming in her mind, but she still needed to connect the dots. “1’11 go over and take a look.”
“Wait a minute, Fifth Sister,” Chu Xujin said. “Fifth Sister, your interrogation technique is brilliant. Help us interrogate this old man first. 1 don’t know what drug Tao Pengnan gave him. He’s beaten up so badly, but he still refuses to speak.”
Chu Qingzhi turned to look at the old man. The old man was unconscious and his face was covered in blood. “Wake him up.”
The jailer immediately poured a bucket of water on the old man’s face.
The old man immediately woke up.
Chu Qingzhi crossed her arms and sized up the old man. “What’s your relationship with Tao Pengnan?”
The old man looked at Chu Qingzhi with his turbid eyes, then at the others. He said in a hoarse voice, “I’m his father.”
Everyone was dumbfounded.
So, the Tao family was in such a mess because Tao Pengnan was a bastard…
Chu Qingzhi asked, “Do you know about Tao Pengnan’s fake death?”
The old man’s breathing was a little hurried as he said, “1 know, that servant girl knows too. But that servant girl’s eyes were filled with killing intent when she looked at Tao Pengnan. 1 don’t believe her.”
Chu Qingzhi continued to ask, “Only the two of you know about this?”
The old man said, “Yes.”
Hearing this, Chu Qingzhi had a plan in her mind.
Now that the servant girl was dead and the old man was under their control, they could choose to tell him that Tao Pengnan was dead or choose not to. Now that Tao Pengnan was the breakthrough point in the entire case, it was necessary to use him to dig out as many clues as possible..