Chapter 248: Chapter 247 TrickHe Hongzhao vaguely guessed that Qi Wuya was covertly inquiring about Sang Yan.


    She pretended not to know and only spoke about the poisoning incident in Quanzhou.


    "Time was tight, the poison wasn’t entirely successful, but it was enough to create chaos in Quanzhou for a while."


    "Mhm."


    Having not heard what he wanted, Qi Wuya asked, "Anything else? How did Emperor Da He respond?"


    Seeing his keen interest, He Hongzhao thought for a moment and then revealed, "I thought he would abandon the city and flee, but unexpectedly, he stayed to face the disaster with Quanzhou, and it actually earned him a good reputation."


    Listening, Qi Wuya put aside He Ying and thought of Sang Yan.


    It must have been her who insisted on staying to face the calamity with Quanzhou.


    That woman was always kind-hearted.


    Yet she was harsh to him.


    Thinking of her, his mood darkened.


    He Hongzhao noticed his displeasure and knew for whom he was upset, her heart ached with both bitterness and pain, "Cough cough cough—They are very much in love..."


    "Of course. They are very much in love."


    While Qi Wuya displayed a smile on his face, his heart turned ruthless: Such a loving couple, it would be a pity not to tear them apart.


    "You should rest well."


    His expression turned cold, he stood up, and ignoring her pleading eyes, he strode out of the side hall.


    Outside the side hall


    Marquis Han Mo waited at the door, and when he saw him coming out, he simply greeted, "Mr. Jiu—"


    Qi Wuya directly walked past him, "Come, join me for a drink."


    The two embarked on a carriage and left the Imperial Palace.


    Unexpectedly, at the gate of the Imperial Palace, they ran into Huo Dingyuan.


    Huo Dingyuan hadn’t attended the court for two days.


    Probably devastated by his son’s affair again.


    Without having to think, Qi Wuya knew the result of the autopsy—there was no escape from the Eldest Princess’s plot to murder her own husband.


    Now, the question was how Huo Dingyuan would deal with the Eldest Princess.


    Under the temptation of benefits, would it be turning against each other or enduring humiliation?


    "Thud! Thud!"


    Huo Dingyuan struck the large drum beside Meridian Gate.


    This act of beating the drum to declare injustice at Meridian Gate was somewhat shocking to him.


    Qi Wuya dismounted from the carriage for a clearer view—Huo Dingyuan kneeled the Eldest Princess at his feet while he continued to bang the drum.


    "Father, your daughter-in-law is wronged! Your daughter-in-law is wronged!"


    "Father, I was sincere to Ah Yue, how could you believe the slander of villains?"


    "I didn’t do it. I am innocent."


    ...


    At this moment, the Eldest Princess did not resemble a princess.


    Her hair was disheveled, her eyes red, her cheeks swollen, with blood on the corners of her mouth, and her plain white mourning attire was stained with dust; evidently, she had suffered a violent assault.


    Qi Wuya found it intriguing and stepped forward, "What’s the matter with General Huo? Is beating the drum at Meridian Gate to declare the Eldest Princess’s innocence? Her current state... did she encounter some misfortune?"


    He feigned shock and concern and purposely misinterpreted the Eldest Princess’s distressed state as having been abused by villains!


    Qi Bingshuang glared at Qi Wuya with disgust filling her eyes, venting her rage unrestrainedly, "Stop your hypocrisy! Qi Wuya, you despicable wretch! I am pure! Don’t you dare slander me!"


    Qi Wuya spread his hands with a smile, "The words of the Eldest Princess are golden; naturally, whatever you say goes."


    He had already cast the mud.


    Now, he only waited for Huo Dingyuan to deliver her final fate.


    "Ninth Prince—"


    Huo Dingyuan suddenly knelt on one knee, "Your servant accuses the Eldest Princess of murdering her husband."


    The murder of a spouse by the Eldest Princess was a major case.


    A triple court hearing would take too much time.


    He only wanted to uncover the truth as soon as possible.


    Yet no matter how he asked, even resorting to corporal punishment, Qi Bingshuang continued to claim innocence.


    He could only ask Qi Wuya for help.


    He didn’t know why, but he just trusted that Qi Wuya could find out the truth.


    Qi Wuya didn’t expect Huo Dingyuan to have such an attitude.


    It seemed that the child really was the apple of his eye.


    Even though he had been dead for three years, he still couldn’t bear to see him suffer any injustice.


    "Does General Huo have any evidence?"


    He needed an excuse to detain Qi Bingshuang.


    Huo Dingyuan nodded, holding back tears, "I, your humble servant, exhumed the body and upon examination, found that Huo Yu’s bones had turned black. The forensic doctor also said... he died of poisoning."


    "Ah, what a pity, General Huo. Do try to remain calm in your mourning."


    Qi Wuya offered a perfunctory word of comfort, then loomed over Qi Bingshuang, projecting an air of solemn integrity, "Eldest Princess, the prince by law bears the same guilt as the common people—"


    "I’m innocent! All of this is your scheme! Qi Wuya, to impose a crime upon me is but to find a pretext!"


    Qi Bingshuang cut him off sharply, disheveled and hoarse, "The late Emperor is dead, the Crown Prince is comatose. Qi Wuya, you harm the imperial family’s blood, and now you even won’t spare a mere woman like me!"


    She cried out these words, then grabbed at Huo Dingyuan’s robe, "Father, Daddy, I’m Ah Yue’s wife, I truly loved Ah Yue, you can’t treat me like this! Ah Yue, Ah Yue—"


    Crying until she was weak, she collapsed backward, looking at the ashen sky, curled on the ground, sobbing pitifully, "Just as well, just as well, Ah Yue, your wife will come to find you. Don’t blame Daddy, Daddy was just deceived by villains—"


    Even Qi Wuya’s heart softened upon hearing these last few lines.


    What about Huo Dingyuan?


    Watching the desperate and sorrowful Qi Bingshuang, Huo Dingyuan wavered: Had he really been deceived by Qi Wuya? That was his child’s most beloved woman, how could he treat her so harshly?


    Seeing that Huo Dingyuan was about to soften, Qi Wuya quickly said, "The Eldest Princess is truly eloquent and persuasive, and was it not by these means that you beguiled the Young Master into complete obedience? Even when you climbed into bed with the Lei brothers, he chose to forgive you."


    He didn’t actually know when the Eldest Princess became involved with the Lei brothers.


    According to his conjecture, Qi Bingshuang wouldn’t have been so reckless as to betray him while the Young Master was alive.


    But what did it matter?


    He simply wanted to say it, just to stir Huo Dingyuan’s hatred.


    "What?"


    Upon hearing that Qi Bingshuang cuckolded his son, Huo Dingyuan’s moment of soft-heartedness instantly turned into towering rage, "Qi Bingshuang! What exactly have you done to my son?"


    Questioning was futile.


    How could Qi Bingshuang possibly confess?


    At an opportune moment, Qi Wuya spoke up, expressing his stance, "General Huo, don’t worry. Since you appeal for justice, I will see it done and uncover the truth of the Young Master’s death. You will soon learn what the Eldest Princess has done to him."


    Huo Dingyuan was too angry.


    Holding his head, his mind throbbing, he gasped for breath and couldn’t speak.


    Seeing this, Qi Wuya waved his hand, summoning two teams of soldiers, and ordered, "The Eldest Princess is suspected of murdering her husband. Escort the Eldest Princess into Jin Platform."


    The Jin Platform is a palace used to detain guilty members of the Royal Family.


    The punishments there are not as brutal and bloodthirsty as in other prisons, but behind the refined methods lies greater mental torture.


    A nightmarish existence.


    How could Qi Bingshuang wish to go there?


    "Don’t touch me! I am the Eldest Princess, how dare you!"


    She pushed away the advancing soldiers, kneeled in front of Huo Dingyuan, and cried, "Daddy, if you want to kill me, then kill me—don’t humiliate me like this!"


    Huo Dingyuan looked at her tear-filled eyes, pulled her up, his gaze full of sorrow and tenderness, "Shuangshuang, I don’t want to kill you. I just want the truth. I can’t let my Ah Yue die wrongly."


    Ah Yue was born by his wife when she was of high age.


    She traded her life for his.


    "Qi Bingshuang, you shouldn’t have harmed him!"


    He dropped this sentence, let go of her, and turned his back.


    "Father, Daddy—"


    Qi Bingshuang was dragged farther and farther away by the soldiers.


    Even her shoes and socks were dragged off.


    The cold wind was biting.


    Her clothes were thin, her face turned blue, and she seemed about to die from the cold.


    Perhaps she was already dead. sea??h thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Otherwise, how could she have gone from the lofty Eldest Princess to a criminal accused of murdering her husband?


    Qi Wuya looked at her foolish, dazed face, and laughed heartily, "Tomorrow summon the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and Imperial Supervision Bureau for a trial."