Chapter 427

Tsk, tsk, tsk!

The script matches.

"Heh, innocent? Bring in the evidence!" Su Qiao said with a cold snort.

Sun Youxu carried the box containing the opium paste over from the side.

281, Interrogation!

Su Qiao had someone open the box, revealing the dark opium paste inside.

Pointing at the opium paste, he asked Wu Zheng, "Look, do you recognize this thing?"

When Wu Zheng saw the dark opium paste, his face was utterly blank.

I just smoked this myself; how does that make me guilty?

He really felt dizzy!

"My lord, this is opium; I am clear on that, but if you say I broke some law, I am truly confused!"

Wu Zheng cried out his innocence with a bitter face.

Su Qiao chuckled, "Very well, since you are unclear, then this official will explain to you: this opium is a poison, and a highly dangerous one at that. Smoking it yourself does not actually violate the Great Ming laws, but dragging others to smoke it with you counts as poisoning others, which is a charge of murder. Do you understand what this official means?"

As soon as Su Qiao finished speaking, Wu Zheng's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat on his forehead flowed like a small stream down his temples into his neck.

"M-my lord, I am wronged! I truly did not know this thing had such harm..."

28 Wu Zheng took a long while to react, his heart half-frozen, and immediately threw himself to the ground to cry out his innocence again.

This time Su Qiao had no interest in listening to his weeping complaints; he snorted coldly and said, "Enough, stop crying out your innocence here. To say you were wronged at the start is true, but when you became addicted, could not quit, and dragged others into this fire pit, then you are not wronged!"

"M-my lord..."

"Silence! This official asks you: how long have you been smoking opium?"

"Replying to my lord, I have smoked it for over a year."

Wu Zheng shivered in fright and immediately answered the question obediently.

Then Su Qiao continued to inquire, "Good, then who else did you drag to smoke opium? State all the names immediately. Let me tell you, if you answer honestly and actively cooperate with the government in investigating opium, your sentencing will be reviewed with leniency. But if you start spouting nonsense in between, then what punishments this official need not list one by one for you, right?"

Frightened like this, and knowing that voluntary confession could bring a "reduced sentence" treatment.

How could he possibly hide anything? He immediately became as active as pouring beans, clearly confessing everyone he knew who smoked opium.

Su Qiao immediately ordered Sun Youxu, "Sun Youxu, take men and bring all these people back immediately; do not let a single one escape!"

"Yes!"

As the saying goes, speed is precious in war.

When Leicester and Wu Zheng were arrested earlier, some people were already alerted.

Who knows if it might reach the ears of those others who also smoke opium?

If they feel something is wrong and run away directly, then it won't be perfect.

Sun Youxu understood the urgency of the matter and immediately took men to scatter and arrest people.

Fortunately, their actions were swift, and all twenty-odd merchants were caught and brought back.

Among them, some had dragged others to smoke opium, while others were pure victims dragged into the fire pit.

Some were dragged into the pit by Wu Zheng.

This whole long string of people was all brought before the yamen hall.

Actually, on the road, many commoners recognized their identities and were quite curious.

Truly, these wealthy merchants are quality products.

They are equivalent to the famous rich and wealthy people here in Fuzhou City.

Their reputation is still quite high.

Suddenly being strung together by the government's Yamen Runners and taken away in a long line was truly unexpected by everyone, and they did not quite understand what exactly had happened.

"My lord, everyone has been brought here!"

"Hmm, good work."

Some of these wealthy merchants were quite alert; as soon as Leicester and Wu Zheng were arrested, they felt danger approaching.

It was just that packing things took time, and they also did not expect the government officials to arrive so quickly.

They were caught directly in their own homes.

It can be said that not a single one escaped.

And there were some merchants who were very close to the officials of Fuzhou Prefecture.

For example, the Prefect Liu Minghe, the Vice Prefect, the Assistant Prefect, and others sitting below the hall now, participating in the trial.

They were all interconnected with each other.

Before coming, they were puzzled in their hearts.

They had given plenty of money before, and they had not broken any laws; they were considered friendly citizens.

How could they be arrested without a single bit of news?

During previous banquets, you drank plenty of wine and took plenty of banknotes; now you suddenly turn your back and refuse to recognize us; this is truly despicable!

Although they did not show anything on the surface, the expression in their eyes was extremely complex.

Grievance, fear, anger, helplessness, and so on were all mixed together; it was too complex!

Even two wealthy merchants looked straight up at the three people sitting on the chairs.

But when they saw Su Qiao and Zhu Di sitting high above, their hearts suddenly jumped in surprise.

It seems the person in charge today is not an official of Fuzhou Prefecture; they heard the court sent an Imperial Envoy named Su Qiao.

Could the young official sitting above be Su Qiao?

The people below instantly grew even more tense.

With so many people, Su Qiao had no interest in discerning whose side they were on.

He bluntly and decisively recounted the entire opium matter.

At this moment, even if they were fools, they knew they had been deceived by the Frankish man, Lester.

They glared angrily; had it not been for the Yamen Runners and the Embroidered Uniform Guard holding them back, they would likely have rushed forward and torn Lester apart alive!

At this moment, Lester finally showed a trace of fear.

"Very well, some of you lured others into a fire pit, so punishment is certainly required for the 700; similarly, there are victims among you. When the time comes, I, this official, will make the judgment. For now, the most important thing is that the addiction in your bodies must be forcibly broken, or else, I estimate none of you will live many more years!"

Although they all knew how agonizing it was when the addiction struck.

But thinking that if they did not break the addiction, they would be utterly ruined, they could only agree.

Su Qiao continued to ask, "Besides buying opium from Lester, did you purchase it from anywhere else?"

The wealthy merchants below mostly shook their heads.

They had all been deceived by Lester and had trusted Lester and the friends around him too much.

They never expected to fall into a fire pit.

Seeing no one speak, Su Qiao felt slightly disappointed.

However, just at that moment, a young Squire raised his hand. "My lord, this humble one once bought it from the hands of a priest."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Su Qiao's eyes lit up; he did not expect to actually make a discovery.

"First, take them away; let him stay!"

Su Qiao pointed at the young Squire and said.

"Yes!"

The other wealthy merchants were immediately escorted down by the Yamen Runners; even if unwilling, they were dragged away.

"What is your name again?"

Su Qiao asked the young Squire, who appeared to be only in his thirties.

The young Squire dared not conceal it and quickly replied, "Replying to my lord, this humble one is Li Fu."

282, what is hidden!

"Very well, Li Fu, is it? I, this official, ask you: when did you buy the opium previously, and how well do you know that priest who sold you the opium?"

"This humble one bought it from him half a month ago..."

Li Fu was among those who had been deceived and had been pulled in by others.