Chapter 141: Interrogation

Hearing this, Shen Qiming nodded lightly and said:

"I was just about to tell Your Highness about this matter."

Saying this, he immediately took out a lead-sealed letter from his bosom and, with both hands, presented it to Li Zhi through the iron bars.

Li Zhi took the envelope, glanced at it indifferently, then opened it and quickly scanned its contents under the dim light of an oil lamp on the stone wall.

Very soon, his brows furrowed involuntarily, and the expression on his face showed clear surprise.

"The Hidden Assassination Order is actually on his person."

Li Zhi's heart sank; his gaze swept over the letter's contents once more to confirm.

Only after confirming he had not misread it did Li Zhi suddenly reveal a cold sneer and say softly:

"Truly ignorant and fearless."

Hearing this, Shen Qiming outside the prison door raised his head slightly, but he kept to his duty and asked nothing more.

At this moment, Li Zhi turned and sat back down on the straw mat in the cell, quickly wrote a letter with a brush on the small table, then placed it in an envelope and handed it again to Shen Qiming outside the cell, saying:

"After you return, the person you met last time will come to take this letter; during this period, you need do nothing."

Hearing this, Shen Qiming nodded lightly, carefully stored the letter Li Zhi had entrusted to him, then looked at Li Zhi and asked:

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess has inquired many times when Your Highness can be released from the Heavenly Prison; I wonder how I should reply?"

Li Zhi waved his hand lightly, squinted his eyes toward the outside of the iron door, and said calmly:

"Tell my elder sister not to worry; it should not be too long."

At the same time, the Right Prime Minister, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, and the Second Imperial Prince, Li Que, surrounded by a group of martial arts experts, arrived at the Third Imperial Prince's residence from the Tianjin Guard's General Headquarters with gloomy expressions.

Originally, they had surrounded the Tianjin Guard's General Headquarters, intending to force Fu Qiwen to come out, but they did not expect that the guards of the Tianjin Guard's General Headquarters in the imperial capital were now so lax; with almost no effort, the people they led had occupied the entire Tianjin Guard's General Headquarters.

However, what surprised them even more next was that, just like Li Musheng, Fu Qiwen was not in the Tianjin Guard's General Headquarters at this moment and had already disappeared without a trace.

"Could Fu Qiwen have fled out of fear of punishment?"

The Second Imperial Prince, Li Que, had an extremely ugly expression, while the Right Prime Minister Ji Song, whose face was full of sorrow, slowly closed his eyes and said hoarsely:

"The Tianjin Guard should have had a major operation recently; this point I actually foresaw long ago, but the fact that this matter involves Fu Qiwen himself was not within my expectations."

Saying this, he slowly opened his eyes again and said:

"But I am certain that the matter of Zhu must be related to Fu Qiwen and that Eighth Imperial Prince; since we cannot capture him in the court for now, letting them die outside is the same."

Upon hearing these words, the Second Imperial Prince, Li Que, glanced at the aged and withered Ji Song, but his brows furrowed, and he hesitated, saying:

"It is not that I do not agree with the Right Prime Minister's thoughts, but Fu Qiwen's martial arts cultivation is unfathomably deep; attempting to assassinate him is truly too difficult."

Hearing this, Ji Song raised his eyes slightly, looked at Li Que, and said:

"Your Highness need not worry; matters involving the Commander Fu Qiwen personally taking action are absolutely no small affair; I guess he himself is probably deeply trapped in mud at this moment."

"Perhaps in the past we indeed had no way to deal with him, but this is an opportunity; as long as we can find him, there is a complete chance to take his life."

Saying this, Ji Song slowly stood up, then bowed solemnly to Li Que and said:

"As long as Your Highness helps me avenge Zhu, from now on I will follow Your Highness's lead without a second thought."

Upon hearing these words, Li Que's expression suddenly shifted; he quickly reached out to help Ji Song up, the hesitation that had appeared in his eyes flashed away, and he said in a deep voice:

"Right Prime Minister, your words are too heavy; the Third Brother's matter is my matter; I will certainly do my utmost to avenge the Third Brother."

"Moreover, my residence possesses many martial arts experts from the Jianghu; capturing Fu Qiwen is absolutely no problem."

Hearing this, Ji Song coughed lightly, lowered his head, and said:

"With Your Highness's words, I am reassured; I will seek the help of Mr. Youshan and have the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion act to help me avenge Zhu."

Li Que felt slightly relieved; in fact, he was only half-convinced by Ji Song's words, but if the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion from the Jianghu assisted, then this matter might indeed have a chance of success.

At this moment, Ji Song looked up at Li Que and asked:

"Your Highness, is there any news regarding that Eighth Imperial Prince?"

Li Que frowned slightly, but shook his head and said:

"Previously, subordinates reported back that the carriage seemed to have traveled far all the way after leaving the imperial capital; now it is likely already beyond the borders of Jingzhou."

Saying this, he changed the subject and quickly added:

"However, please rest assured, Right Prime Minister; the martial arts expert I dispatched should catch up with them very soon."

Ji Song nodded and clasped his hands in a bow:

"Your Highness has done me a great service; I have not slept for several days, and my body is quite weary; I will temporarily retire to rest for a while; please make yourself at home, Your Highness."

Having said this, Ji Song ordered servants to support him and left the memorial hall where Li Zhu's body lay.

Seeing this, Li Que watched the other's departure quietly with a gentle gaze.

Only after Ji Song's figure disappeared did he glance at Li Zhu's corpse lying in the center of the memorial hall; however, at this moment, his eyes were entirely indifferent.

Then, without waiting even a moment, he returned to his own residence under the protection of numerous martial arts experts.

On the other side, upon returning to his study, Ji Song ordered servants to brew a pot of hot tea, then sat quietly and waited.

Not long after, the figure of a middle-aged man wearing a scholar's robe and a square cap appeared silently in the study as a gust of wind blew through the doorway.

"Mr. Ji, please accept my condolences."

Mr. Youshan sighed softly.

Looking at the hunched, sorrowful old man before him, his eyes were full of pity.

Hearing this, Ji Song slowly raised his head, looked at the middle-aged man before him, and asked in a hoarse voice:

"Does Mr. Youshan have any clues regarding the murderer of my daughter?"

Mr. Youshan nodded slightly, then sat down opposite Ji Song.

Seeing this, a trace of life finally appeared on Ji Song's previously expressionless face; he poured a cup of hot tea for the other and said:

"Please tell me, Mr. Youshan."

Hearing this, Mr. Youshan lifted his teacup, took a sip, pondered for a moment, then spoke:

"Mr. Ji, although the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has made some achievements in gathering intelligence, it is not omnipotent. If there are any errors, please forgive them, Mr."

Ji Song waved his hand and said:

"It is no matter. Please, Mr. Youshan, speak plainly."

Hearing this, Mr. Youshan finally spoke:

"The reason Consort Ji was murdered is related to the case of the Hou Fu of Cangyuan. According to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's investigation, the one person who cannot be avoided in this matter is Cang Yin Yue, the daughter of the Marquis of Cangyuan."

"Many things have happened to this woman recently, and the root of it all is related to another person: the Eighth Imperial Prince of Great Li."

Hearing this, Ji Song's expression shifted slightly, and he said:

"Please continue."

Mr. Youshan's eyes flickered, and he shook his head, saying:

"That Eighth Imperial Prince is far from simple; there are great mysteries surrounding him."

(End of this chapter)