Chapter 54: Will definitely live up to the responsibility and handle this matter well!

The subordinate saw Xu Xiao's worry and suggested, "Minister Xu, should we go and examine the corpse?" Xu Xiao looked down at the blackened iron piece in his hand, rubbed it for a while, and wiped the carbon ash off it completely. The iron piece revealed its original metallic luster, reflecting a dazzling light in the morning sun.

"No need," Xu Xiao handed the iron piece to the subordinate and asked, "Besides her, are there any other female corpses burned to death?"

"Yes, there are a total of ten charred corpses among the female prisoners, one is missing, seven of the thirty-six survivors have severe burns, and the remaining twenty-nine have many burns on their bodies. More than ten people in our Dali Temple have varying degrees of scalds because they participated in putting out the fire."

"Post the list of the deceased, and at the same time reward the Dali Temple soldiers who were scalded because of putting out the fire, and give them a Firefighting Gold Plaque," Xu Xiao arranged. "Also, you know how to announce the cause of the fire at the Dali Temple to the public, right?"

"I understand," the subordinate lowered his head and pondered, "It was the crazy Mo Siniang who accidentally knocked over the candle, inducing the fire, and took the opportunity to escape."

"Very good, this matter is handed over to you to handle, I am very relieved," Xu Xiao nodded with satisfaction. "The position of Dali Temple Assistant Minister will be vacant next month, and I will recommend you for it then."

"Thank you, Minister Xu, for your promotion!" The subordinate was overjoyed, immediately knelt down and kowtowed to thank him, "I will definitely live up to the responsibility and handle this matter well!"

"Good, go down. Remember to announce this iron piece as well," after Xu Xiao finished ordering, he strode over the charred charcoal on the ground, not even caring that he stepped on and crushed a female wrist arm that had been charred into charcoal.

At this moment, he needed to go back and write a morning report to submit to the Emperor, informing His Majesty about the fire at the Dali Temple.

Although he knew in his heart that Lin Jiaojiao probably hadn't been burned to death in the big fire, erasing her existence was a big step forward. As for how to assassinate Lin Jiaojiao in the future, it shouldn't be anything difficult.

And by using the burning of Lin Jiaojiao, he could also deepen his alliance with Su Hongtu. It was truly a good method to kill many birds with one stone.

Thinking of this, he felt much more refreshed in his heart, and even the morning air mixed with dew made him feel incomparably fresh.

Compared to Xu Xiao's relief, General Lu's side was in a solemn state, and even white curtains were hung up. When passersby passed by, seeing these white cloth strips fluttering in the autumn wind, they couldn't help but stop and take a few more looks.

"Someone in General Lu's mansion passed away? No way? It wouldn't be Old Madam Lu, would it?"

"Such a good female hero, sigh, she can't resist the setting sun either."

Passersby sighed, and just as they were about to show a sad mourning look, the gate of the General's Mansion opened, and a funeral procession slowly walked out. Walking at the very front of the procession was a woman wearing a veil hat and white clothes.

General Lu accompanied the woman in white, silently leading the way.

People gave way one after another, and just as they were about to lower their heads to wipe away tears, they discovered that what the woman in white was holding was actually a set of maid's clothes.

"This... it's not that something happened to the Old Madam of the Lu Mansion." Some passersby breathed a sigh of relief. In their hearts, the Old Madam of General Lu's mansion was a mountain that could stabilize the country, especially after the old General Lu sacrificed on the battlefield, the older generation's respect and love for the Old Madam of General Lu's mansion were even more profound.

"This is going to set up a clothing tomb, this set of clothes looks like a maid's."

Everyone looked at this funeral procession and found it stranger and stranger, until the people from the Dali Temple came to the street to post notices, and people's attention was diverted.

"So it's about the fire at the Dali Temple, but those burned to death are all heinous female prisoners..."

People went to watch the notice one by one, and someone spat a sticky phlegm at the list on the notice with hatred, "Bah! Deserve to be burned to death!"

This notice was posted all over the streets and alleys, and even Pei Aosong, who had just finished the morning court, saw it.

He walked down from the sedan chair and stood next to a notice for a long time, so long that the sky was dark, he still stood there, like a lonely pine tree standing in the autumn wind.

It wasn't until someone came to his side and put a cloak on him that he turned his face to look at Su Wanqiu, who was putting the cloak on him.

The expectation in his eyes dimmed. The scene of Lin Jiaojiao putting a cloak on him before sank into the bottomless lake like a painting, making his heart ache.

He choked up and said, "After all, we were husband and wife once. Wanqiu, I want to set up a clothing tomb for her."

Su Wanqiu's face changed instantly: if he and Lin Jiaojiao were husband and wife, then what was she, the official wife?

But Su Wanqiu was someone who knew how to hide her emotions. She stretched out her slender jade-like fingers, brushed the fallen leaves off Pei Aosong's shoulders, and advised softly, "Husband, I know you value your sister's feelings, but the person is gone, you must not be overly sad. Besides, the General Lu's mansion side has already held a funeral today and set up a clothing tomb for her."

"Furthermore," Su Wanqiu paused and continued, "A few days ago, General Lu already took away all of my sister's belongings, and she also removed her household registration from the Pei Mansion. She has nothing to do with our Pei Mansion."

"Now, her status is just a female prisoner in the Dali Temple."

A flash of surprise burst out in Pei Aosong's eyes. He discovered that he had never understood this wife of his all along. "Just a female prisoner? Wanqiu, you actually also consider her a female prisoner?"

Su Wanqiu's expression was a bit unnatural. She pulled the corners of her mouth, but she couldn't make herself look sad, so she could only persuade him to return to the mansion, "Husband, the sky is already dark, I see a few dark clouds over there, I'm afraid it will rain tonight, let's return to the mansion together."

The more Pei Aosong looked at Su Wanqiu, the more like a stranger she seemed to him. In the end, he pushed Su Wanqiu away and left alone, never once looking back, no matter how Su Wanqiu wept and begged him to stay.

And another person who was saddened by this matter was Qin Yuan, who was sitting in the Yangxin Hall.

Although Qin Yuan was reviewing the memorials, he became more and more annoyed as he read, so he simply threw the last memorial to the side and rubbed his temples.

At this time, Eunuch Gao came to report, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Li from the Jingshi Room has come to deliver the nameplates. Which concubine's nameplate are you flipping tonight?"

"Don't go, don't go, don't go to any of them." Qin Yuan waved his hand in annoyance, and accidentally a bright yellow handkerchief fell out. Before Eunuch Gao could bend down to pick it up, he bent down himself to pick it up and sniffed it under his nose, only then feeling his mood become a bit more comfortable.

But the woman who had used this handkerchief had already died in that big fire at the Dali Temple, and she didn't even have a tomb. Thinking of this, Qin Yuan's heart felt as uncomfortable as if it were being pinched by someone.

"Rouyi... who was it that harmed you back then..." Qin Yuan stared at the handkerchief in a daze, "Miss Lin, who is it that harmed you to die in the big fire now...?" ===== CHAPTER 55 =====