Chapter 1588: Regret, I don't want to die

When Xiao Changsheng learned that the Xiao mansion's steward had died of incurable injuries, he subsequently fell ill.

He was ill for two days, and his condition did not improve; instead, it became increasingly serious.

Xiao Changsheng lay on the bed board, looking at Chen Guanlou outside the prison door, and questioned him: "Did you poison me? I know my own body; I shouldn't be this ill. I am indeed sad about the steward's passing—the rabbit dies and the fox grieves—but it shouldn't be enough to make me bedridden. Did you already poison me? Am I about to die?"

Chen Guanlou remained silent.

"Speak! Tell me, I want to know the truth." Xiao Changsheng roared at the top of his lungs.

Chen Guanlou asked him softly in return, "What do you want to know? Do you want to know the truth, or do you want to know when you will die?"

"I want to know both. Tell me!"

"The truth is that you haven't been poisoned."

"I don't believe it!" Xiao Changsheng gnashed his teeth.

Chen Guanlou spread his hands, his expression very helpless. "I told you the truth, but you don't believe it. What do you want me to do? I have already reported the news of your grave illness to the Ministry of Justice, and soon they will arrange for a physician to diagnose and treat you. Perhaps those in the palace will also send someone. Official Xiao, you are truly ill!"

His voice was very low and deep, revealing a sense of evil, as if he were bewitching people's hearts.

Xiao Changsheng shook his head repeatedly. "I don't believe you! Chen Guanlou, I am telling you clearly: I don't want to die. Hurry up and give me the antidote!"

Chen Guanlou sighed. "Official Xiao, that is what you said before. You told me yourself that you wanted to die, that you couldn't implicate innocent people. It's only been a few days, and you've changed your tune. Can you say a single truthful word?"

"Why must I die?" Xiao Changsheng feared death and truly felt the approach of death. He wailed and suffered.

Chen Guanlou gave him the answer: "Because the Emperor wants you to die."

Xiao Changsheng curled his body up. "I regret it! Save me, I really don't want to die."

Chen Guanlou left in silence.

Medical Official Mu followed closely behind him, but didn't dare to speak; the occasion wasn't right.

It wasn't until they exited the Jia-grade prison and entered the office that Medical Official Mu seemed to come alive, opening his mouth to ask: "My lord, do we really have to continue? My heart is very panicked."

"What are you panicking about? I, the mastermind, am not panicking, so you need to stay steady. Later, when people from the Ministry of Justice come, don't reveal any flaws."

Medical Official Mu gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

He had already boarded the pirate ship and couldn't get off.

In officialdom, the most taboo thing is to be a fence-sitter.

Everyone hates fence-sitters.

In the struggle between two sides, the first to die are the fence-sitters.

The Ministry of Justice didn't just send people; they sent Sun Daoning.

Sun Daoning had a face as cold as iron and personally brought the Ministry of Justice's medical official to the prison to diagnose and treat Xiao Changsheng.

Xiao Changsheng also knew better than to talk nonsense in front of Sun Daoning. If he dared to speak, he would be interrogated immediately, and Prince Ning would definitely be implicated.

He could only look at Chen Guanlou on the side with hatred, his heart feeling desolate and miserable.

He was going to die, about to die in the Heavenly Prison.

And he wouldn't have peace even after death.

He was unwilling!

Sun Daoning asked what the situation was.

"Two days ago, the Xiao mansion's steward died of incurable injuries. Official Xiao learned of this and was filled with grief. That night, he developed a high fever. Medical Official Mu gave him medicine, the fever went down, but his condition did not improve. Our preliminary judgment is that he was frightened, and combined with his pent-up emotions and internal panic, he has become this gravely ill."

Chen Guanlou spouted nonsense with a straight face. He rambled on, and no matter who listened, they wouldn't doubt the truth of it.

Only Sun Daoning was half-believing.

Because he was too familiar, too understanding.

Old Sun kept a cold face. "I'll talk to you later."

Chen Guanlou looked slightly impatient, but didn't have the slightest guilty conscience. There was only dissatisfaction at being picked on.

Sun Daoning secretly thought, could it be that he was overthinking it?

No, no, no!

Xiao Changsheng had been fine all along; falling gravely ill at this time felt suspicious. He must not be careless. And he couldn't be deceived by Chen Guanlou's performance.

This guy was used to acting!

The medical official finished the diagnosis and wrote a prescription.

Sun Daoning stepped forward and asked personally, "Xiao Changsheng, do you have anything you want to say?"

"I..." Xiao Changsheng glanced at Chen Guanlou from the corner of his eye, then said to Sun Daoning: "Minister Sun, I don't want to die, save me. Don't force me to die, okay?"

"No one is forcing you to die! The Ministry of Justice handles cases according to official business and won't act recklessly. The Heavenly Prison won't act recklessly either."

Xiao Changsheng snorted inwardly, filled with hatred.

What do you mean you won't act recklessly? You are the boldest ones. Privately deciding the life and death of prisoners, privately closing cases! It was audacious and unprecedented.

But he couldn't say it.

Once he said that Chen Guanlou had poisoned him, the Ministry of Justice would investigate the matter, and no matter how he avoided it, it would implicate Prince Ning.

Why did Chen Guanlou poison you?

Because I wanted to die!

Why were you so determined to die?

Because I was afraid I couldn't endure the torture and would confess things I shouldn't.

What things shouldn't you say?

Things related to Prince Ning!

Forget it!

By then, not only would his nine generations be executed, but Imperial Consort Xiao would also have to kill him!

Emperor Yuan Ding would stand with his hands on his hips, laughing up at the sky, feeling immensely proud and satisfied.

So he couldn't say it! He could only seek help implicitly.

"Xiao Changsheng, rest well. For your illness, you must set your mind at ease; don't let your thoughts weigh too heavily."

"Minister Sun, how will you sentence me? Beheading, or lingchi?"

Sun Daoning had an expressionless face. "I just reminded you not to overthink, and look at you! Thinking so much is no good for your body."

"But I want to know."

"I cannot say. The specific sentence must come from the palace." Sun Daoning said reluctantly, speaking a truth. This case, how it would ultimately be sentenced, was not up to the Ministry of Justice, but to Emperor Taixing.

He believed the Secretariat wouldn't refute it either.

They had to let Emperor Taixing vent. Otherwise, if the person was stifled, he would cause trouble. If the Emperor caused trouble, the imperial court would not be peaceful, and the world would not be peaceful!

Xiao Changsheng gave a bitter smile; it was so ugly, it would have been better to just cry.

Sun Daoning walked out of the Jia-grade prison first and went into the office to drink tea.

Chen Guanlou accompanied him!

"Tell me, why is Xiao Changsheng gravely ill?"

"It's just as I said before. Old Sun, you saw it too—how afraid of death the man surnamed Xiao is, and how heavy his thoughts are. He thinks too much, and then heard the news of the steward's passing, and suddenly couldn't handle it. Examples of people falling ill from worry are everywhere, and Xiao Changsheng is no exception."

Sun Daoning snorted coldly, but didn't refute him.

"Why did you kill the Xiao mansion's steward?"

"Old Sun, you have to have evidence when you speak."

"Audacious!" Sun Daoning slammed his teacup onto the table, making a loud noise. "I have worked in criminal justice for decades; when the autopsy report is handed over, I know at a glance that there is something fishy. The injuries were indeed very heavy, but with Medical Official Mu's medical skills, it's impossible he couldn't be saved. Even if he really couldn't be saved, he couldn't have died so quickly. There is only one reason: Medical Official Mu didn't treat him at all!"

"Medical Official Mu is so busy; it's normal to occasionally neglect one or two prisoners and not treat them in time," Chen Guanlou argued forcefully.

Sun Daoning was furious and slammed the table, questioning him, "Do you believe this? The Xiao mansion's steward, a key witness—on the first day, I instructed you to watch him well and not let any accidents happen. You have always done things in an orderly manner; there is no such thing as forgetting. If it weren't for your instruction, could Medical Official Mu have missed the treatment? Chen Guanlou, what exactly are you trying to do?" ===== CHAPTER 1589 =====