Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 36 I am the murderer
After Wu Chengsi finished reading the contents of the secret report, his face darkened rapidly. Especially when he heard the frantic and hysterical shouting of the people outside the Dali Temple, he became even more uneasy. He hurriedly smiled apologetically at Xiao Muchen and said, "Since Xiao Zhongcheng is acting under the orders of the Saint, then Zhou Xing and his son are indeed guilty of a thousand deaths!

This case will be closed here. I would also like to trouble Xiao Zhongcheng and Lu Shaoqing to comfort the people on behalf of the Saint!"

"Here!"

After saying this, Wu Chengsi immediately hurried out of the Dali Temple with his guards and servants, but he saw that the door was surrounded by people, with cries of grief and shouting one after another, as if they wanted to eat Zhou Xing and his son alive to vent their anger. He wanted to explain to the people: "Zhou Xing and his son have been executed according to the law." But he was frightened back by this unprecedented scene.

It was Lu Shiyilang who ran out and shouted, "Don't get too excited, fellow villagers. The Left Prime Minister and Xiao Zhongcheng have come to the Dali Temple this time with the will of the Holy Lord to try and convict Zhou Xing and his son. Although they are dead, we at the Dali Temple will punish them severely to avenge the loss of your daughter!"

"Everyone, please go back first! The Dali Temple will give you an explanation!"

At Lu Shiyilang's sincere request, these people dispersed one after another. Before leaving, they spat on the ground a lot. Wu Chengsi was so frightened that he wiped the sweat from his forehead, quickly got on the official sedan chair, and hurried back to his Prince Wei's residence.

Qiu Shenji had been waiting in front of the Prince of Wei's mansion for a long time. Seeing Wu Chengsi approaching in a hurry, he couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Your Highness, Prince of Wei! What happened?"

"Follow me into the mansion!"

"Here!"

Wu Chengsi's mansion was built very magnificently, with towering double pavilions, connected halls, suspended corridors, and shaded pavilions. It is no wonder that Wu Sansi regarded Lu Zhaolin's "Ancient Style of Chang'an", which described the extravagant, extravagant and glamorous life of the aristocracy, as a mockery.

Qiu Shenji then walked around several screen walls, pavilions, and towers before arriving at the main hall. As soon as Wu Chengsi entered, he found a seat at the head of the table and asked sternly, "Didn't you say you were the first to arrive at the scene of Zhou Xing's death? How did that confession end up in Xiao Muchen's hands?"

Qiu Shenji knelt down in fear and said, "I was indeed the first one to arrive at the crime scene, and I also sent someone to get the confession. But later, She Yuejun of the Inner Guard also rushed over and said that she wanted to protect all the evidence at the scene, so she asked me to hand the confession to her!"

Wulingyue is the daughter of Wu Chengsi. Qiu Shenji thought that Wulingyue would give the letter of apology directly to Wu Chengsi, but he did not expect that Wu Chengsi was completely unaware of it.

Wu Chengsi's expression changed slightly at this moment. He simply said, "I originally thought I could use this Zhou Xing case to imprison Li Zhaode, Cen Changqian, and other treacherous officials who opposed my appointment as Crown Prince. However, I never expected Xiao Muchen to ask my aunt for an imperial edict to punish Zhou Xing. He even obtained a confession signed by Zhou Xing himself, accusing him of instigating everything he did!"

Wu Chengsi angrily threw the teacup to the ground after saying this, "It seems Zhou Xing is targeting me with this case!"

"Left Prime Minister, could this case be a plot by Xiao Zhongcheng to frame you? And that Su Silangjun, last night when Sheyue Jun and I were searching for the murderer, we saw Xiao Zhongcheng and Su Silangjun both in Xingyun Pavilion. Even though they were reciting poems and competing in prose with the students there, it's too much of a coincidence!"

"So what if it's true?" Wu Chengsi said angrily, "Now that things have developed to this point, it doesn't matter who the murderer is. What matters is how to calm the public's anger!"

"My aunt has been having the temple spread the word that she is Maitreya Buddha who has descended to the mortal world. She has always attached great importance to the people's hearts. This time, the corpse in the well case has aroused public outrage. I'm afraid my aunt won't allow me to continue investigating. Didn't you see the angry faces of the people in front of the Dali Temple just now? They would even eat Zhou Xing and his son!"

Qiu Shenji didn't dare to say anything, he just felt a chill on his back and sweat dripping down his face.

After a long while, Wu Chengsi sighed again, "This Su Silang you mentioned is truly extraordinary. At such a young age, and without having entered officialdom, he possesses such sharp and venomous insight. He suggests that the deaths of Zhou Xing and his son were the will of the people. If I pursue this further, it would be a disregard for public opinion, which would greatly undermine the saint's sacred prestige in the hearts of the people."

"So, is this the end of the Zhou Xing and his son case?"

Qiu Shenji began to feel a bit frightened. He and Zhou Xing had always had a lot of dealings, and it could be said that some of the things they had done together were done together, such as forcing the death of Crown Prince Zhanghuai Li Xian and the secret assassination of the widow of Emperor Xiaojing Li Hong and her accomplices...

"What else can we do if we don't stop here? Do you want me to disobey the will of the Saint just to seek justice for them and their son?"

Qiu Shenji was too timid to speak any more. He certainly understood the principle that when the cunning rabbit dies, the good dog is cooked. But if this continued, would he be the next one?

Especially his daughter Qiu Zhenyan's words still echoed in his ears: "That child is even more strange and terrifying than eight years ago. She can draw the appearance of the skeleton in life and the sinful soul of the murderer!"

As soon as she came back, Zhou Xing and his son died tragically one after another. Is this really just a coincidence?
"Alright, the case of Zhou Xing and his son ends here. We need to find another knife. Since Xiao Muchen has found Lai Junchen, then bring him to see me!"

……

"Su Silang, what exactly does this faceless figure you drew mean?"

After Wu Chengsi left, Lu Shiyilang couldn't help but ask about the painting painted by Murong Huan out of curiosity.

Murong Huan said, "I can draw hundreds of images of all living things, but there are only two people whose faces I cannot draw."

"Which two people?"

"The first is the current saint, and the second is myself!"

"Yourself? Can't you just draw it in front of a mirror?" Lu Shiyilang asked with amusement. Murong Huan shook his head: "Shiyilang, you don't know, it's hard to draw the heart even if you can draw the skin and bones. And my heart is not just me, there is another me, so it's hard for me to draw my own appearance."

Hearing this, Lu Shiyilang laughed even louder:

"Your heart isn't just you, there's another you? What the hell are you talking about? Could it be that you have two hearts in this body?"

Ah Shu was anxious: "Ah Huan, what are you talking about?"

Only then did Murong Huan put away his pen, glanced at Li Xiaolian, and then turned to Lu Ling with a serious face and said, "Lu Shaoqing, even though Huo Xiaolian and the daughter of King Huo both had motives to kill Zhou Xing and his son, and even participated in the assassination, the real murderer was actually me!"

These words were like a thunderclap in the clear sky.

Lu Shiyilang could no longer laugh, and Lu Ling's face changed in horror.

"What did you say?"

Xiao Muchen, however, didn't take it seriously. He tapped Murong Huan's forehead lightly as if jokingly, and said with a smile, "She must have become obsessed with painting. I'll take her to clear her mind!"

……

After pulling Murong Huan to a teahouse near the Dali Temple, Xiao Muchen asked her to sit down.

"Why don't you let me finish my words?" Murong Huan asked directly.

"The case is closed, why are you still saying this? Do you think I, Lu Ling, can cover up your crimes?"

"I am doing justice, not committing a crime!"

What a straightforward person!

No, she clearly didn't look like this last night!
Last night's playful smiles, decisive killing, and the confident and calm demeanor that seemed to be able to dominate everyone were clearly two different people compared to what I saw today.

Xiao Muchen thought of what Lu Shiyilang had just said. Could it be that she really had two hearts in her body?
"Well, if you say it's for the sake of justice, then it's for the sake of justice!"

Xiao Muchen didn't argue and asked again: "What are you going to do next? Where are you going?"

Xuan Yu had already found out for him that Murong Huan had broken up with the Su family early this morning. Given her temper, she probably would never return to the Su family.

"Central Minister Xiao seems to be particularly concerned about my affairs? Why?" Murong Huan asked mischievously.

From the first time they met, when he deliberately took away her fish talisman and led her to Baihua Tower to spend a night together, until now, his attention to her was far greater than that of an ordinary person he had only met a few times.

Xiao Muchen also smiled and replied jokingly, "If I say that I'm just curious and interested in you, would you believe me?"

He paused, then smiled again, "And aren't we allies?"

"Zhou Xing and his son are dead, and our alliance is over! Therefore, you don't need to pay too much attention to me anymore. If there is nothing else, then I will take my leave!"

After she finished speaking, she stood up and was about to leave, but she heard Xiao Muchen say, "How can you, a little girl, be so busy? Since the Su family is no longer a good place to go, how about I give you a place to go?"

This sentence finally made Murong Huan stop.

She turned around in surprise and looked at him warily.

"I know you want to investigate your parents. Your father was once a doctor at the Four Gates Hall of the Imperial College, so you also want to enter the Imperial College. Last night you asked me to take you to the Xingyun Hall to spread your reputation so that you can prepare for admission to the Imperial College in the future. Is that right?"

She only had a vague impression of what happened last night in her dream, but Xiao Muchen's words undoubtedly spoke out her thoughts, leaving her speechless and more interested in listening.

Seeing her intention, Xiao Muchen said again: "Since the Su family doesn't agree to your admission to the Imperial College, I can let you in! I am familiar with a doctor in the Imperial College's Four Gates Hall, but..."

He changed the subject again, grinning slyly, "I do have conditions, though. They are: from now on, you will be a member of my Xiao Mansion and my personal physician. I will pay you a monthly consultation fee, and you will treat me until I recover. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)