vrcanaries Chapter 154: Furious Beating of Eunuch and Concubine
Chapter 154: Furious Beating of Eunuch and Concubine
"This is the government office. Is this a place where you can use silver to redeem someone? Send that man away quickly!"
When Liang Hongkai heard this, he almost laughed out of anger. When did this government office become so ridiculous?
He turned to look at Qin Miaoxi and said in a deep voice, "If you keep asking, you will be severely punished if you don't tell me."
Lu Yuande met Qin Miaoxi's scrutinizing gaze, his heart skipped a beat, and he panicked for a moment. He quickly retorted, "I didn't kill anyone, why can't you redeem me?"
"The deceased was holding a piece of fabric from your clothes." Qin Miaoxi said calmly, "If you can't produce evidence to prove your innocence, we will close this case."
Lu Yuande's brows knitted into a knot, his face full of disbelief: "What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm the murderer?"
Qin Miaoxi did not respond, but her silence was better than a thousand words, and the answer she conveyed was self-evident - without evidence to prove her innocence, she could not escape suspicion.
"I have been in the room the whole time. It is impossible for me to kill anyone!" Lu Yuande was extremely anxious at this moment, and a layer of fine sweat broke out on his forehead.
Thinking back to how he had been so arrogant just now, yet now he was reduced to humbleness, he knew in his heart that murder was an unforgivable sin. He hadn't even gotten his wish of being made a marquis or a prime minister yet, so how could he willingly bear such a false accusation?
"Who can testify for you?"
Lu Yuande's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurriedly said: "My concubine Meng, I have always been with her!"
Qin Miaoxi and Liang Hongkai exchanged glances. It seemed that they had to go find this concubine Meng and ask her clearly.
But at this moment, a sharp quarrel suddenly came from outside the door.
Liang Hongkai immediately ordered the yamen runners: "Bring in the noisy people outside."
When they saw who was coming, they were all stunned. It was Lu Qingchen and a woman, who was Lu Yuande's favorite concubine - Zhao.
Qin Miaoxi raised her eyebrows slightly and thought to herself, could it be that this person just came back from worshiping Buddha in the temple?
As soon as Zhao saw Lu Yuande, she rushed forward, tears streaming down her face, and sobbed, "Master, I finally see you. You don't know, the young marquis has gone too far, accusing you of murder. How could he be so disobedient and curse you with such words!"
Lu Qingchen watched coldly, sneering inwardly at her affected performance.
Lu Yuande looked embarrassed and speechless for a moment. He could only pat Zhao's shoulders and comfort her softly.
"I didn't expect that Mr. Lu is such a kind person." Lu Qingchen sneered and made sarcastic remarks without any concealment.
These words were like a sharp blade, instantly igniting Lu Yuande's anger, "You evil son..."
"Master Lu!"
Before Lu Yuande could finish his words, Qin Miaoxi raised her eyebrows and interrupted him sharply, "Until the authorities verify the truth of your story, you remain the prime suspect in this case. Come, take him away, and no one is allowed to visit him."
Her voice was cold as ice, revealing unquestionable majesty.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yuande suddenly became like a deflated ball. His neck shrank and the ferocious look he had just had disappeared without a trace. At this moment, he was like a frightened quail, huddled together and dared not make any sound.
Seeing this scene, Lu Qingchen was secretly happy and couldn't help but cheer for Qin Miaoxi in his heart.
[Woohoo! My wife is the one who has a way. After all these years, this is the first time someone has protected me like this. I'm so touched. I must have accumulated blessings for several lifetimes to marry such a wonderful wife!]
Qin Miaoxi raised the corners of her mouth slightly, with a gentle smile on her face, but a trace of heartache flashed across her eyes.
Abandoned since childhood, she seemed to have faced a harsh fate, but fortunately, she received the meticulous guidance of her master and the caring attention of her fellow disciples. Under their care, the shadow of abandonment gradually dissipated, and she never truly felt the bitterness of loneliness.
In contrast, Lu Qingchen, despite living in a wealthy family and enjoying material prosperity, suffered from spiritual deprivation. He nominally had a father, but received no paternal love, a fatherless existence that was practically meaningless. Even his father and uncles tried to kill him and seize the property left by his mother. Growing up in such an environment, Qin Miaoxi found his childhood experiences all the more heartbreaking.
Here, Zhao was instantly panicked when she saw Lu Yuande being taken away. She no longer cared about pretending to be weak and rushed towards Qin Miaoxi like a tyrant, shouting: "Why did you arrest my master? You are wrongly accusing a good man!"
Qin Miaoxi's eyes suddenly turned cold, as if a cold light flashed, and then she turned around and slapped him with a fierce slap.
There was a crisp "pop" sound, and Zhao was thrown off balance by the force. She staggered backwards and fell heavily to the ground.
A glaring red slap mark suddenly appeared on her originally delicate face. The five finger marks were clearly visible and looked particularly eye-catching against her fair skin.
She was hit hard on the cheek and stood there in a daze.
After several seconds of rest, she covered her burning cheeks with her trembling hands and let out a low growl of disbelief: "You dare to hit me?"
"It was you who hit."
Qin Miaoxi's expression was icy, and her voice was devoid of warmth. "You openly attacked the officials handling the case. Your behavior is despicable. Now, I have every reason to suspect that you are shielding Lu Yuande and are his accomplice."
Hearing this, the arrogance on Zhao's face disappeared instantly, replaced by deep fear and anxiety.
She knew that if she was identified as an accomplice, she would be thrown into a dark prison. The thought of that gloomy cell made her legs go weak.
"Throw the man out." Qin Miaoxi gave the order without hesitation.
As soon as she finished speaking, several yamen runners immediately stepped forward and lifted Zhao up with quick and decisive movements.
Zhao struggled in panic and kept shouting, but the bailiffs did not hesitate at all and quickly dragged her out of the door.
Zhao couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief, but she was still struggling, glaring at Lu Qingchen with vicious eyes, "It's all because of you, this unfilial and unbrotherly thing. If it weren't for you, how could the master have suffered such a disaster!"
Lu Qingchen was too lazy to pay attention to her nonsense. His eyes always followed Qin Miaoxi's figure, and his cold heart was warmed.
After arranging Lu Yuande's detention, Qin Miaoxi began to direct her subordinates to continue investigating the case in an orderly manner.
She frowned slightly, fell into a brief moment of contemplation, and then asked, "Sir, who has Lu Yuande met before?"
Recalling Lu Yuande's arrogant look when he first entered the yamen, she had a hunch that this man must have experienced something special.
Liang Hongkai shook his head slightly and answered truthfully, "We found him in the teahouse. Do you want to check who he met there?"
"Investigate, there must be something fishy here, you must investigate it thoroughly. Someone died at home, yet he still had the leisure to relax in a teahouse. This behavior is really too abnormal." She spoke with a firm tone, and her eyes revealed an unquestionable decisiveness.
After saying that, she turned to look at the yamen runner beside her, "Go to the teahouse quickly and ask the waiter carefully who Lu Yuande talked to at that time. Don't let even a single word go unnoticed."
After receiving the order, the bailiff left in a hurry.
Liang Hongkai watched Qin Miaoxi arrange everything in an orderly manner, and couldn't help but feel a trace of admiration in his heart, "Mr. Qin, you are really observant!"
Qin Miaoxi smiled indifferently, sat on the chair with a serious expression, turned her head to look at Lu Qingchen, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Should she ask him what he had found out?
Lu Qingchen blinked blankly, [Could it be that I'm being particularly charming and dashing today, and she's been charmed by me again?]
Qin Miaoxi: "..."
Not long after, the yamen runners who went to the teahouse to investigate hurried back, looking panicked.
"Coroner Qin, something terrible has happened! The waiter at the teahouse said that Lu Yuande was meeting with a mysterious man who was wearing a bamboo hat, so his face couldn't be seen clearly. The two talked for a short time before Lu Yuande hurried away. Moreover, just before we went to investigate, the teahouse suddenly caught fire, and all the evidence was burned!"
Qin Miaoxi's expression changed suddenly when she heard this. "It seems the other party has been prepared for this. They want to cut off all the clues."
Liang Hongkai clenched his fists. "What secret is there that requires setting fire to the store?"
"The more times like this, the more we must not panic."
Qin Miaoxi took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Although the clues in the teahouse are gone, isn't there still a living person? Let's start with Lu Yuande. Also, investigate who he has had contact with recently, especially those with whom he has a conflict of interest."
A cold light flashed in Liang Hongkai's eyes, and he nodded immediately and said, "Okay, I'll do it right away, and I will make Lu Yuande confess everything honestly."