Chapter 52: Seeing Gu Yun Again (7)

Her hand was being dragged by her, but Gu Yun didn't struggle, only smiled maliciously: "You are a bit too concerned about Qian Jing."

Here we go again. What was she doing all day, teasing her? Too lazy to look at Gu Yun, Zhuo Qing replied coldly: "He is my life-saving benefactor, nothing more!"

"Hmm, this sentence is the truth." Gu Yun nodded slowly and smiled: "Then, what about Lou Xiyan?"

Still not looking at her, Zhuo Qing replied somewhat impatiently: "He is just an ordinary friend." Speaking of this, she was also a bit irritable. She didn't know what kind of relationship she and Lou Xiyan had! Boyfriend and girlfriend?! He hadn't confessed, maybe it was her own wishful thinking! But he kissed her last night! Hey...

"A lie." Gu Yun exposed her lie mercilessly.

Releasing Gu Yun's hand, Zhuo Qing was also a bit annoyed: "You'd better stop, stop showing off your observation skills here."

Angry?! Spreading her hands, Gu Yun smiled innocently: "Please, Miss Zhuo, please find a mirror and look at your shy expression, it doesn't need observation skills at all!"

She still dared to say that!

"Gu Yun, you're asking for a beating!" Clenching her fist, Zhuo Qing hammered at her shoulder. Unfortunately, the agile Gu Yun easily dodged to the side. The two teased each other all the way and soon arrived at Li Zhi's residence.

Li Zhi lived in a small courtyard near the city gate, a dilapidated tile-roofed house, a small doorway, looking a bit deserted.

From afar, Gu Yun and Zhuo Qing saw several yamen runners guarding the front gate, and chaotic sounds came from the house from time to time. The two looked at each other, thinking that the situation might have changed. Walking to the door, Zhuo Qing stepped forward and chatted with a yamen runner who looked somewhat familiar: "What's going on?"

The yamen runner looked at Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun, recognized that they were the women who followed Prime Minister Lou and General Su to the Ministry of Justice prison last night, thought for a moment, and replied obscurely: "Official Dan ordered us to bring Li Zhi back to the government office for questioning."

They should have also gone to the Yang family, but didn't take Madam Yang away. Now they wanted to take Li Zhi away. Could it be that they found some clues?

Zhuo Qing was still considering whether to continue asking, when a man's roaring voice came from the house: "I didn't kill Yang Lu, I didn't kill anyone, that knife isn't mine!"

Knife? Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun were shocked. Did they find the murder weapon?

Just as Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun were exchanging their guesses with their eyes, two tall and strong yamen runners had already pushed a thin, tall man out.

The man kept struggling, shouting loudly: "Let go, don't try to frame me, that knife isn't mine."

The yamen runner walking in the front should be their leader. Ignoring Li Zhi's howling, he said coldly: "If you have anything to say, say it when you get to the government office! Take him away."

The group of people escorted Li Zhi and walked toward the Ministry of Justice.

"What now?" Zhuo Qing had just seen that the leading yamen runner was holding something wrapped in cloth in his hand. If she wasn't mistaken, it should be the murder weapon.

Gu Yun smiled lightly, revealing an excited expression, and replied: "Li Zhi didn't lie, that knife shouldn't be his. It seems the murderer is losing patience. After framing Qian Jing, he framed Li Zhi. If the murderer isn't playing tricks, he's already a bit flustered!"

Winking at Zhuo Qing, Gu Yun smiled excitedly: "Let's follow, there will be a big breakthrough in the gold case." Gu Yun was full of excitement, and Zhuo Qing guessed that the good show should be about to begin.

The two followed behind a group of yamen runners toward the Ministry of Justice. The place was empty, so naturally, no one would discover that in the shadow of the corner of the dilapidated house, a pair of gloomy eyes were coldly staring at the backs of the two leaving.

What an interesting game, cat chasing mouse, who is the cat and who is the mouse~

The low laughter was dark and cold, lingering for a long time.

Yingtian Government Office

In the center of the spacious and bright main hall, behind the huge case table was Dan Yulan, dressed in official uniform and looking serious. Under the plaque with the four characters "Justice and Fairness" hanging above his head, the dazzling gilded characters made him look even more majestic. Two rows of yamen runners in deep red strong clothing were divided into left and right, holding long staves, and the posture was very pressing.

Zhuo Qing held the autopsy record in one hand and the murder weapon just found in the other, comparing them. The size, texture, and pattern basically matched. This flying dagger was indeed consistent with the wound on the deceased's chest, but could this confirm that the man kneeling in the middle of the hall was the murderer? Zhuo Qing doubted it, but Dan Yulan and Gu Yun were in the hall, so she didn't need to worry about judging the case, just observe the changes.

From this position, she could clearly see the expressions of Li Zhi and Dan Yulan. Gu Yun leaned against the pillar at the very side of the main hall, with a lazy posture, and her petite figure didn't attract attention. However, if you met those eyes that were too sharp, you would immediately feel a sense of having nowhere to hide.

"I didn't kill Yang Lu, this is a frame-up! He was my good friend, I had absolutely no reason to kill him." Li Zhi, who was kneeling in the middle, seemed to have finally calmed down at this time, and his face was no longer so panicked.

"Because of gambling, you owed a large amount of silver. Three days ago, you owed another fifty taels to the Wan Hao Gambling House. You went to the Yang family just to borrow money, right?"

Majestic voice, steady tone, making people feel a slight tremor unconsciously. Zhuo Qing raised her eyebrows lightly. Dan Yulan in the public hall had more sharp edges than usual.

Li Zhi shrank his nose slightly, but his tone was still tough: "So what? We are good buddies, and it's not the first time I've borrowed money from him. Just because of this, you say I killed someone?"

Facing Li Zhi's resistance, Dan Yulan appeared very calm, still in that steady tone, and continued: "According to Madam Yang's testimony, this time Yang Lu didn't intend to lend you any more money, and even wanted to demand the repayment of the debt. So you were angry, and in the fight between Yang Lu and Qian Jing, you deliberately shot Yang Lu with a flying dagger, pushing the blame onto Qian Jing."

Did Madam Yang say that? It wasn't in the interrogation record she read. Gu Yun looked up at Dan Yulan, who was serious, and raised a faint smile. Sure enough, the interrogation methods of police in ancient and modern times were much the same. Appropriate "deception" would receive good results.

Sure enough, Li Zhi was startled first, and then immediately cursed loudly: "That woman knows nothing! Yang Lu just advised me not to gamble anymore. If I gambled again, he wouldn't lend me money next time. I already promised him I wouldn't gamble anymore, and he also prepared silver for me. Why would I kill him?!"

This move was obviously effective. Dan Yulan shouted coldly: "This is just your one-sided statement. Even if you don't gamble anymore, you still owe Yang Lu three hundred taels. Such a large sum of money, you couldn't pay it back even if you didn't eat or drink for seven or eight years. And he never asked you to write an IOU. If you kill him, you don't have to pay it back!"

"I don't need to kill him at all, Yang Lu couldn't force me to pay it back!"

Chest puffed out, chin raised, tone slightly raised, he was proud! Gu Yun's eyes flashed slightly. Li Zhi really knew some inside information, at least enough to threaten Yang Lu.

"Debts must be repaid, it's only right and proper. Why didn't he let you pay it back? What kind of agreement did you have?! Or did you hold something against him to threaten him?!" Dan Yulan's voice was very loud, appearing somewhat excited. Zhuo Qing secretly guessed, how much did Dan Yulan know about the gold case? He would ask such a question, at least proving that he had already guessed the hidden situation that might be involved behind this case.

After listening to Dan Yulan's words, Li Zhi subconsciously pursed his lips again, and hurriedly replied: "No, we are iron buddies, I have difficulties and he helps me, that's all."

Li Zhi refused to admit it, and everything seemed to have returned to the starting point.

Zhuo Qing looked at Gu Yun not far away, and Gu Yun was also looking at her, pointing to herself, Gu Yun made a lip-reading of "I'll ask." Zhuo Qing nodded knowingly and walked to Dan Yulan's side, asking in a low voice: "What is your official rank?"

Dan Yulan was stunned. In the public hall, why did she ask this? Originally, he could have turned a blind eye to her, but there was an incomparably serious light in her bright eyes, so Dan Yulan replied: "Second rank."

Second rank was already the same rank as the Minister of Justice, which could be considered a high official. If the gold case relied only on her and Gu Yun, it would be impossible to succeed. They must find someone who could be trusted and had the ability to lead the investigation of this case. Dan Yulan was indeed a good candidate.

Leaning down slightly, Zhuo Qing whispered in Dan Yulan's ear: "If you withdraw the yamen runners, I have a way to make him tell the truth."

She had a way?! Dan Yulan looked at Zhuo Qing in surprise, seeing the confident light in her eyes. After thinking for a moment, Dan Yulan still said loudly: "All withdraw."

"Yes." The yamen runners all withdrew, and a trace of fear and doubt flashed in Li Zhi's eyes.

Dan Yulan waited to see Zhuo Qing's so-called method, but she stood on the side without moving, completely without the intention of speaking. Instead, the little girl who had been leaning against the corner of the wall moved, stretched, and walked over slowly.

Taking the flying dagger from Zhuo Qing's hand, Gu Yun walked to Li Zhi, shaking the flying dagger in her hand, and smiled: "Li Zhi, after comparison, this knife is indeed the murder weapon that pierced the deceased's chest and caused his death. You were at the scene when Qian Jing and Yang Lu were fighting, so you had the opportunity to strike, and you also approached the body after the deceased died, so you had the opportunity to hide the murder weapon. Such a coincidence, and you still owe Yang Lu a large sum of money. You had the opportunity to kill, and you had the motive to kill, and even the murder weapon happened to appear in your house. Do you think, in this situation, tell me, are you dead for sure?"

Every word seemed to be casual laughter, but the analysis was already thorough enough. Li Zhi had originally looked down on the little girl before him, but now his face darkened, and he said anxiously: "I didn't kill Yang Lu, this knife really isn't mine."

Gu Yun nodded and replied knowingly: "I believe you, but all the evidence now points to you. Obviously, the murderer wants you to be the scapegoat!"

With his head lowered, Li Zhi's eyes wandered left and right, and only a muffled voice came: "I... I am wronged!"

With a trace of helpless smile, Gu Yun pointed at Dan Yulan, stared at Li Zhi, who was already somewhat panicked, and said: "It's useless for me to believe you are wronged. Criminal Justice Official Dan doesn't believe it, unless you tell the secret between you and Yang Lu, proving that you had no reason to kill him."

Li Zhi finally raised his head, but didn't dare to look at Gu Yun. His eyelids twitched slightly, and Li Zhi still said stubbornly: "I... we are just good friends, there is no secret."

Walking around Li Zhi, Gu Yun smiled feignedly casually: "Then you must also not know, Yang Lu is just a small Protector General in the General's Mansion, how could he have so much silver to lend to you?!"

Li Zhi trembled, and hurriedly replied: "I don't know."

"You're lying!" Standing still in front of Li Zhi, Gu Yun suddenly bent down, almost approaching his eyes. The face that had always been smiling suddenly sank, and she said coldly: "You not only know, but also think that you should have a share of this money, so you unscrupulously kept asking him for it!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 53 =====