bookrebus Chapter 168 Qiao Nu Died
Chapter 168 Qiao Nu Died
nightfall.
Inside the Ministry of Justice's prison.
The narrow corridor, the dim flames, the pungent smell of blood, and at the end of a row of cells was a sunken torture chamber filled with various instruments of torture.
In the center of the torture chamber was a rack, on which hung Qiao Lixue. Her face was slightly obscured by her messy black hair, and only her pale complexion could be vaguely seen.
The clothes on Qiao Lixue's body were so worn that it was impossible to tell whether they were red or black, which made even the jailer feel a pang of pity.
She lowered her head, breathing slowly, pondering everything that had just happened at the Qionghua Banquet.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review came and interrogated her, saying that her maid had already confessed.
But when did her maid hide poison in her sleeve? Why didn't she know anything about it?
However, when she brought hot water and scalded Jiang Zhi, Jiang Zhi did not blame her at that time. Instead, he kindly helped her up and told her to be careful next time.
Could it be that the poison in Jia Fanghua was put into her sleeve at that time, and when was the poison on the arrow contaminated?
Therefore, it seems that everything Jiang Zhi did during her match was a feint.
She could shoot arrows, and her archery skills were even superior to hers. She deliberately shot two arrows and missed, just to let everyone present know that her hand was injured and that she was incapable of killing.
She gave a bitter smile, "Jiang Zhi, Jiang Zhi."
"What a clever scheme."
Late at night.
"Who goes there? Halt!"
A man dressed in a black cloak walked straight into the torture chamber, causing the jailers to draw their weapons.
The man simply smiled calmly and casually tossed a letter bearing the seal of the Ministry of Justice to the jailers, who immediately sheathed their knives and bowed.
Hearing the sound, Qiao Lixue slowly opened her eyes.
She saw a man slowly walking towards her, and then she could see his face clearly.
"It's you?"
Her voice trembled, "Why did you come?"
"Miss Qiao, I know the truth. You are not the murderer," the other party said.
When she heard the other person's trust in her, Qiao Lixue's eyes lit up. "You believe me, right? I didn't poison you."
"She deliberately sprinkled Jia Fanghua on my maid."
"So what?" The man's lips curled into a sneer. "The evidence is overwhelming; no one can save you."
"Then can you save me?" Her throat was dry, and she wanted to explain something, but then she saw the man take out a blood-written letter from his sleeve.
Above is her handwriting.
"Just admit it," the man said coldly.
"Pei Shangdao, why should I acknowledge him?" Qiao Lixue asked in confusion, "Are you really that heartless?"
The man reached out and touched a whip mark on Qiao Lixue's upper body. He pinched the bleeding flesh with two fingers like eagle hooks and twisted it sharply. This twist was obviously very forceful.
Hmm...
She pressed her lips tightly together, trying her best to suppress the dizziness that was hitting her. It took her a while to recover.
But then he suddenly laughed, "Hmph, Jiang Zhi is right."
"There are many fools in Yanjing, and I am the best of them all. I loved Gu Liang, I liked you, and I trusted Gu Yuan."
"You royals are really hard to please."
The man's face darkened. "You shouldn't have lived in the first place."
"Well--"
Blood dripped down, staining her fingers red, and she pressed her fingerprint onto the blood-written letter.
He turned and left the cell.
The next day.
News of Qiao Lixue's suicide quickly reached the Liang Prince's residence.
Jiang Zhi, dressed in a light blue dress, sat by the window, looking at the chessboard in front of her.
He placed a chess piece in the center of the chessboard and pushed open the door at noon.
She walked to Jiang Zhi's side and said, "Your Highness, I just received news that Miss Qiao has died in the Ministry of Justice prison."
Her hand holding the black piece paused for a moment, and she looked up at noon. "Dead?"
At noon, he nodded. "I heard that she wrote a letter in blood and committed suicide."
"It seems a man went to see her once, and then she committed suicide."
"A man?" she asked.
He nodded again at noon.
How many men have been involved with Qiao Lixue?
"What does this have to do with him?" Jiang Zhi gently put down the chess piece in his hand and stood up. "Or is this the outcome he wanted to see?"
She walked towards the dressing table.
Jiang Zhi took the peach blossom glass hairpin out from her hair, twisted it open, and shook out all the poison.
She instructed Wu Shi, "Go and bring the candles."
He nodded at noon and turned to get the candle.
After Jiang Zhi lit Jia Fanghua with fire, he then ordered the doors and windows to be opened, and Jia Fanghua then dissipated.
She said calmly, "Now that Qiao Lixue is dead, His Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort must be extremely worried."
News of Prince Jing's poisoning quickly spread throughout Yanjing.
Although the Prince of Yanjing was poisoned, he still had the Emperor and the Prince of Liang, so the foundation of the country was not lost.
Qiao Lixue died in prison, and with just a letter written in blood, the Dali Temple hastily closed the matter.
Noon.
The civil and military officials inside the Hezheng Hall held their breath and dared not utter a sound.
After all, it was the current prince who was shot.
Although Prince Jing had no military power, he was ultimately the only candidate for crown prince of Great Yan besides Prince Liang.
The Emperor asked, "What are your thoughts on the assassination of Zilan, my beloved ministers?"
At this moment, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a confession here. Please take a look."
"Yesterday, it was discovered that the Miss Wen was not actually Miss Wen, but Qiao Lixue, the daughter of Marquis Zhongjing. However, she had already committed suicide. This is the blood-written letter found next to her body."
The emperor waved his hand, and Eunuch Zhang stepped forward to present the blood-written letter.
The blood-written letter essentially stated that the assassination of Prince Jing was solely the work of Qiao Lixue, and that Jiang Zhi also had a motive to participate.
The emperor narrowed his eyes, put down the letter, and looked at the crowd below. "Why is she still alive? And why did she assassinate Zilan? What was her motive for killing her?"
"Besides, how could she possibly possess such skill and such poison?"
"The letter also mentions the Princess of Liang."
"Your Majesty," said the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, "the Princess Consort of Liang had no motive to kill."
"I investigated that day and found that Princess Liang's right hand was injured by hot water brought by Qiao Lixue's maid. I'm afraid Qiao Lixue wanted to take someone down with her before she died."
The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review spoke at length, but the emperor's furrowed brows never relaxed.
"Now that Qiao Lixue is dead, that's fine. The most important thing now is to wake Zilan up."
"Those useless people in the Imperial Hospital know they've been poisoned by Jia Fanghua, yet they still can't cure it."
"Minister of Rites"
“Your Majesty, I am here,” said Minister Huang of the Ministry of Rites. “Your Majesty, please give your orders.”
The Emperor said, "After the morning court session, the Ministry of Rites will issue an imperial edict to announce to the world the search for renowned physicians to treat Zilan. If Zilan can be awakened, I will reward him handsomely."