Chapter 109: Where is justice?

Li Duo was the legitimate son of the Li family, and his father was the current Duke Li; his status was noble.

Since something happened to Li Duo, Duke Li would certainly not let Miao Dong off.

Therefore, even though Miao Dong was covered in wounds at this moment, he could not spare the time for treatment; he called his subordinates to carry him to the room where Li Duo had rested last night.

Li Duo had died on the bed, his throat slit by a sharp blade; fresh blood had soaked through all the bedding on the bed, and it was dripping down along the edge of the bed frame.

Upon seeing this scene, Miao Dong was as panicked as if he himself had died.

"Last night, where is that male prostitute who was accompanying Young Master Li?"

Although Dongfang Qi and Lin Qingyue had saved Hong Yao together last night, Dongfang Qi had already restored his original appearance at that time, so he did not know that Dongfang Qi was the person who had accompanied Li Duo yesterday.

And his subordinates knew even less.

The fat woman in charge of this place was also brought before Miao Dong, kneeling and trembling.

Miao Dong, in a fit of rage, pressed his sword against the fat woman's chest and questioned: "Those few people, through what path did they enter here?"

The fat woman stammered: "Replying to the Lord, they were sent over from Donglin Prefecture yesterday. Their identities were verified; one of the three was passing through Donglin Prefecture to rely on distant relatives, one had lost both parents and was drifting here to make a living, and the other had been sold, escaped to Donglin Prefecture, and only entered the Lord's food shed to eat because they were starving."

"Their clothes were ragged, their faces were dirty, and they looked like people from a bitter background. This slave only saw that they were good-looking, so I selected them and sent them to the garden to serve the noble guests."

"Fool, that was obviously just their disguise! You don't even have this bit of discernment, so there is no need for you to be the manager here."

Having said that, he pierced the woman's chest with his sword, and then ordered: "Search, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, you must find those three people! Order all the sorcerers to follow and track them! This official does not believe that on my own territory, they could sprout wings and fly away!"

He had many sorcerers kept in captivity, and it was only due to carelessness yesterday that they had been given an opening.

At this moment, in broad daylight, it was unfavorable for demons and ghosts to hide. Some evil entities even feared sunlight.

Therefore, Miao Dong believed that sending all the sorcerers to search would surely find the traces of those three. He would also be able to give an account to the Duke in the capital.

"By the way, also, those who came in the same batch as them, whether they are miners or women, kill them all! Absolutely no future trouble can be left behind!" Miao Dong ordered ruthlessly.

He did not care whether he would kill the wrong people; human life was no longer worth mentioning to him; what mattered was his own future.

However, just at this moment, someone suddenly came to report: "Lord, a large number of government troops have entered the mountains and surrounded our mine."

Miao Dong was full of suspicion: "What government troops? Whether they are from the nearby counties or Donglin Prefecture, aren't they all our own people?"

The subordinate said: "None of them. The banner the other side is flying is... it is the Regional Military Governor of the Beiyuan Circuit!"

"What!" Miao Dong was shocked.

If it were local government troops, he would not be afraid at all, because they were all in the same boat; no one was clean.

But the Beiyuan Regional Military Governor was a relative of the Imperial family, with many troops under his command, and they were all strong soldiers and fierce generals who had been on the battlefield; they were simply not comparable to the few thousand guards in the local area.

He felt panicked in his heart, vaguely sensing that things were not looking good. Yet he still pretended to be calm, sat in a sedan chair, and called for people to carry him to welcome them.

Just as he walked out of the garden, a large number of government troops had already swarmed in.

The Beiyuan Regional Military Governor, Luo Wei, was in full military attire, his expression cold and ruthless, and he asked loudly: "Where is Miao Dong?"

Miao Dong hurriedly rolled off the sedan chair: "Subordinate Miao Dong, here to respectfully welcome Duke Luo!"

Duke Luo glanced at him coldly and ordered: "Take him!"

When Miao Dong was being tied up, he was still shouting in a panic: "Duke, what are you doing? This subordinate is the Changshi of Donglin Prefecture, a Fifth-Rank official. Even if you want to take me, you must have evidence!"

"Evidence? You abducted innocent commoners for your private use, forcibly seized women, and treated human life like grass!"

The one speaking was Xie Shouzheng; he held the Blood Thorn Whip and pointed at the surroundings, saying, "Isn't everything on this entire mountain evidence of your crimes?"

Miao Dong knew that the evil here could no longer be hidden, so he simply hardened his heart and said: "Duke Luo, please listen, this jade mine is Duke Li's private mine, and this subordinate is only managing it for Duke Li. Duke Li, like you, is a relative of the Imperial family and is deeply trusted by His Majesty. If you can look at Duke Li's face and turn this big matter into a small one, and the small matter into..."

Before he could finish, Duke Luo interrupted coldly: "The law of the land is not child's play! Even if it is Duke Li, if he commits a crime, he must be dealt with according to the law!"

Xie Shouzheng looked around, did not see Dongfang Qi and the others, and asked Miao Dong: "The few people who came yesterday..."

He found it difficult to mention Dongfang Qi, so he turned and said: "Hong Yao, have you seen her? Where is she now?"

"I am here." Accompanied by a clear and pleasant voice, Hong Yao appeared.

Xie Shouzheng hurriedly walked over and asked in a low voice: "Is the Young Master alright?"

Hong Yao said: "Do not worry, the Young Master and the Young Lady are perfectly fine. It is just that it is inconvenient for them to show their faces right now, so they let me come out to testify against Miao Dong."

Miao Dong saw Hong Yao and Xie Shouzheng whispering intimately, looking very familiar.

His face showed surprise, and he immediately thought crookedly: "Bitch, so you had already hooked up with another man. No wonder last night, I treated you with all my heart, yet you were unwilling to turn back. You even colluded with others to hurt me like this. Women are indeed lowly things!"

"Smack!" Xie Shouzheng lashed out with a whip, sending Miao Dong flying several meters away, and for a long time, he could not make a sound.

Xie Shouzheng cursed: "Your mouth is smellier than a cesspit! If you dare to spout nonsense again, I will pull out your tongue!"

He turned his head and said to Hong Yao: "Hong Yao, tell Duke Luo everything you saw and heard last night."

Hong Yao nodded, and then told everything she had heard and seen at Qionglou last night, especially emphasizing the cruel production process of the Red Jade.

Even someone as knowledgeable as Duke Luo was shocked: "These people, are they actually this insane?"

Hong Yao said: "Duke, you can see for yourself if you go under Qionglou. There are still hundreds of corpses of young girls soaking underneath, and a few individuals still have a breath of life left. Fearing revenge from the ghosts of those who died unjustly, soul-binding curses are posted everywhere at the entrance. Those poor women, harmed while alive, cannot be reincarnated even after turning into ghosts after death!"

"All in all, it is hair-raising. I ask the Duke to preside over justice! Severely punish the evildoers!" ===== CHAPTER 110 =====