Chapter 1152

"I didn't think that way!"

"You never thought about avenging Xiao Jin?" Chen Guanlou didn't believe it.

Eliminate all possibilities, and whatever remains, no matter how incredible, is the truth.

"I..."

"Do you think it's useful to lie in front of me? Calling you in for talks several times in a row is giving you a chance. It's also telling you that this official doesn't believe you! Is it worth it to be so stubborn now?"

Chen Guanlou pressed step by step.

"Tell this official, what exactly did you see that night? What exactly do you want to do? What about the so-called sneaking in and everyone being drugged? Chen Quan, this is the last time I'm giving you a chance. Confess to me, and this matter will be treated as if it never happened. If you don't confess, I can't keep you. Have you thought it through?"

"My lord!"

With a thud, Chen Quan knelt on the ground, crying, repenting, and feeling conflicted and uneasy.

Chen Guanlou looked at the other party coldly, saying nothing. He was waiting for the other party to confess.

"That night... that night..." Chen Quan stammered, seemingly not knowing where to start, "I was dazed and seemed to see two Xiao Changshengs!"

Just as expected!

Chen Guanlou nodded knowingly.

"I was startled and subconsciously wanted to call for help, but the drug took effect, and I could only helplessly fall to the ground. In my stupor, I managed to glance at it and seemed to see the fake Xiao Changsheng changing his disguise. I didn't see who he turned into before I completely lost consciousness."

"Why didn't you say anything after you woke up?"

"I had selfish motives at the time."

"Why did you say you seemed to see the Minister?"

"I said that because I wanted to take a gamble. If this matter blew up to the Ministry of Justice and reached the Minister, the Six Sects would definitely intervene in the investigation. I thought that no matter what relationship the two Xiao Changshengs had or what schemes they were involved in, once the Six Sects intervened, Xiao Changsheng definitely wouldn't be able to escape. Maybe he would even lose his head." At this moment, Chen Quan did not hide his selfish murderous intent.

"You wanted Xiao Changsheng's life, so you withheld information. You knew the real Xiao Changsheng was hidden in the cell, unconscious?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Quan took a deep breath, his heart still filled with fear and unease.

He said softly, "I only knew he should still be in the cell, but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. I had never encountered such a situation before. It must have been the work of an expert! I was afraid, so I didn't dare to speak out. Deep down, I also had a secret thought: if the real Xiao Changsheng died just like that, it would be quite good."

Chen Guanlou nodded knowingly.

"During the body inspection that day, were you worried that the imposter would be discovered, which is why you acted so nervous?"

"I was worried that the real Xiao Changsheng hadn't died yet, and if the fake one was discovered, everything would fall through. I wasn't reconciled; I just wanted the real Xiao Changsheng to die!"

Chen Quan gritted his teeth.

It was clear that he truly hated Xiao Changsheng and sincerely wanted to avenge Xiao Jin.

Back then, he and Xiao Jin had clearly fallen out to the point of becoming enemies, wishing for each other's death. Now that Xiao Jin was dead, he was single-mindedly wanting to avenge him.

People are truly too complicated.

Chen Guanlou rubbed his brow, "Privately, have you taken any action against Xiao Changsheng? Like poisoning?"

"Never! I know you are very concerned about the situation of the two brothers-in-law, and Medical Official Mu also comes to the prison every day or two to check on them. I don't know much about poison, and that little bit of poison would be exposed in front of Medical Official Mu, so I never took action."

"So, when you saw two Xiao Changshengs, even though you didn't understand the situation inside, you intended to fish in troubled waters and kill with a borrowed knife."

Chen Quan did not deny it, "It would be best if I could kill him. If I couldn't kill him, it would still be good to cause some trouble for the one surnamed Xiao."

Chen Guanlou sighed, "Your situation is troublesome! The two brothers-in-law still need to be kept in the Heavenly Prison. You harbor murderous thoughts; if I let you continue to look after them, that would be dereliction of duty. I have repeatedly emphasized that the Heavenly Prison is only responsible for guarding prisoners, not for investigating cases, let alone passing judgment. Take a vacation! Go home and rest for a while. When Xiao Changsheng is released from prison, you can come back to work."

"My lord!"

Chen Quan felt wronged and unreconciled.

"My lord, I understand the rules! Although I have always wanted to kill Xiao Changsheng, I have always adhered to my duties and haven't taken action."

"If it weren't for my constant reminders and strict precautions, you would have taken action long ago. Do you guess I believe my own judgment, or do you think I believe you won't kill anyone? Telling you to go home on vacation is not to punish you, but to protect you. Just because you want to kill Xiao Changsheng, once this matter spreads, you will be in big trouble, and losing your head is only a matter of time. Be sensible; don't make things difficult for yourself, and don't make things difficult for me."

Chen Quan was still unreconciled; he wiped the sweat mixed with tears from his forehead, "Xiao Jin is dead, and the enemy is locked in the cell; is my lord truly indifferent? Have you never thought about seeking justice for Xiao Jin?"

Chen Guanlou sighed inwardly and countered, "And then what? You unilaterally avenge Xiao Jin, and as a result, Xiao Jin's entire family is implicated, beheaded, and driven out of the capital? Are you sure this is the result Xiao Jin wanted?"

"I did the deed; how could it implicate Xiao Jin's family?" Chen Quan didn't believe it and was even more unreconciled. He even suspected that Chen Guanlou was deliberately making excuses to brush him off in order to shirk responsibility.

Chen Guanlou scolded angrily, "Naive! Xiao Changsheng as a person is not important; what's important is his identity, his Imperial Consort sister. Once something happens to him, every single thing that happened around him in the past six months or a year will be dug up by the Brocade Uniform Guard."

"The Heavenly Prison, you, Xiao Jin—you can easily be linked together. With the methods of the Brocade Uniform Guard, even if you were made of stone, they would find a way to pry your mouth open. Tell me, will Xiao Jin's family be able to survive then? Don't count on me; I can't intervene in this kind of case at all, and money is useless!"

He felt heartbroken.

He admired Chen Quan's determination to avenge Xiao Jin, but he was also heartbroken by the other party's stupidity. In the end, his vision was limited, and his breadth of consideration was insufficient. He only thought about revenge, not about the dire consequences it would bring, how many people would be implicated, or how many heads would roll.

Fortunately, the matter of the real and fake Xiao Changsheng was suppressed. And fortunately, the real Xiao Changsheng was still alive and hadn't died!

A favorite concubine's brother seems unimportant. Heh... try it and you'll know whether it's truly unimportant or not. When the Son of Heaven is enraged, a million corpses fall!

If a favorite concubine's brother dies, just ask if the Emperor will personally inquire? Does the Emperor's anger need to be vented? Who will bear the Emperor's anger? Who will bear the pillow talk of the favorite concubine?

This is more serious than the death of ten or eight officials.

Better to die a whole batch of officials than to die one imperial relative. The Emperor's anger is simply something mortals cannot bear.

Back then, Jiang Tu was so hated that everyone wanted to skin him, pull out his tendons, and drink his blood. Yet, for so many years, have you ever seen any official send someone to assassinate Jiang Tu?

Do they dare?

Can they?

They dare not, and they cannot!

No one dares to guarantee that they can bear the Emperor's anger!