Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 67 The Real Dead Person, Who Said I Wouldn’t Marry Her

As Qiu was in panic and fear, Lu Shiyilang strode into the room, asked two constables to put Qiu Shenji's body down, and then he personally touched Qiu Shenji's cheek. After trying for a while, he found that there was indeed a piece of fake skin stuck on his face, so he tore it off.

But after the fake skin was torn off, the face revealed underneath was so bloody and bloody that it was impossible to recognize its original appearance. It looked extremely terrifying. All the onlookers gasped in fear and screamed in unison.

Lu Shiyilang, who was not scared by this face, was frightened by the deafening scream and his hands trembled, and a piece of his face skin uncontrollably flew onto Cui Shi's face who was standing in front.

Cui Shi took the face skin in his hand. When the noble children next to him saw it, they jumped up like monkeys and let out another shrill scream.

Lu Shiyilang couldn't stand it anymore, he covered his ears and cursed: "What are you shouting? I didn't shout, why are you shouting? A bunch of men..."

Lu Ling thought of something and turned around to run out of the tavern.

Xiao Muchen said, "It's pointless for you to rush back now. Since someone set up a trap to lure you here, Qiu Shenji should have escaped from the Dali Temple prison by now."

Hearing this, Lu Ling felt even more confused and guilty. As early as when he imprisoned Qiu Shenji and Guo Hongba in the Dali Temple Prison, he had arranged dozens of jailers and constables to keep a strict watch on them in order to prevent anyone from breaking into the prison. However, he did not expect that even so, Qiu Shenji could disappear out of thin air.

If he didn't really believe in anything supernatural, this would be a bit weird.

"If the real Qiu Shenji escaped, then who is this person?"

Lu Ling cast an inquiring gaze at Murong Huan and replied solemnly, "I agree to your request. From now on, you help me investigate the case, and I will help you find the real murderer who killed your father and mother!"

Murong Huan nodded and said, "Please give me pen, ink, paper and inkstone!"

Giving him pen, ink, paper and inkstone meant that he was going to paint a portrait again. Lu Shiyilang couldn't help but get excited again and handed the pen, ink, paper and inkstone that he had prepared long ago to Murong Huan.

“Please draw!”

While Murong Huan was painting, the entire tavern suddenly became silent, and dozens of pairs of eyes were filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Lu Ling quietly arranged for several detectives to rush back to the Dali Temple to investigate the situation, and then waited for the portrait drawn by Murong Huan.

"Is she trying to paint the deceased's true appearance? I've heard she can paint the appearance of bones. Let's see if she lives up to her reputation today!"

There was also a hint of ambiguous light in Cui Shi's eyes.

Amidst everyone's eager and curious waiting, the only one who was frightened and uneasy was Qiu. Just when she wanted to quietly leave the crowd, Lu Shiyilang ordered two constables to bring her back.

"Mrs. Su San, the portrait hasn't come out yet, why are you running away?"

"Yes! Madam Su San, you are so determined to prove that this young lady killed your father. Could it be that you killed this person? Did you set up this trap to lure us here to see this murder scene just to prove that your father is dead and then put the blame on this young lady?"

Qiu screamed in horror: "I don't know, I just saw my father's body here, and this slave happened to be here too, so..."

"How did you know your father's body was here?" Lu Shiyilang asked again, "After today's Peony Flower Banquet, everyone in the Divine Capital Luoyang knows that Qiu Shenji has been arrested and imprisoned by our Dali Temple. Unless something unexpected happens, he can't be here."

Mrs. Qiu was choked with speech, her face turned pale, and her lips trembled as she couldn't speak.

Old Madam Su watched from the side, her expression changing several times, and she looked at Qiu with more and more shame, anger and disgust.

At this moment, Lu Shiyilang ran to Murong Huan's portrait and shouted, "Is it finished? Who is the deceased?"

"Yeah! Who is it?"

A group of young scholars rushed forward impatiently, but were stopped by the constables brought by Lu Ling.

Seeing that Murong Huan remained silent, with a look of disbelief on his face, Lu Ling and Xiao Muchen also walked closer to take a look. When they saw the person in the portrait, they were both surprised.

"Qiao Buque and Qiao Zhizhi?" When he saw the person in the painting clearly, Lu Shiyilang also exclaimed!
"Qiao Buque, how could it be him?"

The story of Qiao Zhizhi has spread throughout Luoyang City in the past few days. Qiao Zhizhi was a talented and elegant man who lived in seclusion in his early years. He wrote countless poems throughout his life, especially his most recent poem "Green Pearl", which has been circulated in various Qinlou and Chuguan, and many people at that time recited it.

The most talked-about story is that a few days ago, Qiao Zhizhi offered his favorite maid to the King of Wei. For this, he was promoted to the rank of Zuosi Langzhong, finally ending his secluded life and advancing in his official career. Logically, Qiao Zhizhi should have been very proud of himself at this time. How could he die here in a disfigured state and become Qiu Shenji's scapegoat?
Murong Huan was thinking about the puppet show called "The Green Pearl's Grievance" that he had seen in a teahouse near the Dali Temple a few days ago, and the man and woman that he had met there by chance.

At that time, the future of this couple had already flashed through her mind, but she just passed by it and didn't take it seriously.

"Come here, ask the coroner to perform an autopsy. Also, take Qiu away!"

Under Lu Ling's instructions, a group of constables quickly dispersed the crowd of onlookers. After checking the scene for traces, they rushed out of the tavern with the corpse and Qiu like a whirlwind.

Murong Huan also took another look at the scene here and memorized every face of the onlookers.

Just as they were about to leave the tavern with Xiao Muchen, Su Qing and Old Madam Su rushed up and blocked Murong Huan and Xiao Muchen.

"Ahuan, the matter of the Qiu family is over. Come back with us, okay?" Su Qing said with a look of guilt and pain on his face.

"I have something else to do, so it's inconvenient for me to stay at the Su family. Besides, I already said that day that after I leave the Su family, I will have nothing to do with them anymore."

As soon as Murong Huan finished speaking, Old Madam Su shouted unhappily, "Humph, you're just mad at me, aren't you?"

"Mother, it's already come to this, can't you just give in?"

Murong Huan walked hurriedly, not even taking the time to glance at them. He strode directly out the door. At this time, Madam Su said, "You live in the Xiao Mansion all day long, with Xiao Zhongcheng. Aren't you afraid of what others will say? We have never taught you since you were a child, but now you have reached the age of marriage. You should know your limits and think about your reputation and future. You will get married eventually. Will Xiao Zhongcheng marry you? He is from an aristocratic family, and we..."

Before she could even utter the words "small family", Old Madam Su heard Xiao Muchen reply, "Who said I won't marry her? As long as she is willing."

"What did you say?"

The eyes of both Madam Su and Su Qing widened instantly, and their eyes were bright, and it was unclear whether they were surprised or happy!

While the two were stunned, Xiao Muchen had already taken Murong Huan's hand and strode out of the tavern, heading towards another carriage that Xuan Yu had prepared.

It was not until the two of them had walked for a long time that ecstasy appeared in Old Madam Su's eyes.

"Did you hear that? Xiao Zhongcheng said he would marry this girl from our Su family. He said he would marry her as his wife, not as a concubine or mistress!"

If the Su family could marry into the Xiao family, they would have no worries about having a bright future.

"Mother, Ah Huan has already said that he will have nothing to do with our Su family from now on!"

"Just because she says it's okay, does that mean it's okay? She has the blood of our Su family flowing in her veins, and the bloodline cannot be severed. How can we let her do whatever she wants? Let's go back and choose an auspicious day to have her included in our Su family's genealogy."

……

After getting on the carriage, Xuan Yu ordered several soldiers from the Inner Guard Palace to follow him vigilantly, and the guards then drove towards Xiuwenfang in a mighty manner.

Xuan Yu was still terrified by today's assassination attempt. "My dear, what are you going to do about today's assassination attempt?"

"Although we know it was the King of Wei, we have no solid evidence, so we cannot report it to the Sage. Even Guo Hongba's confession was cleared of all charges in front of the Sage with just a few words. The King of Wei's case is no longer something that can be brought to justice with a simple accusation."

"What should I do?"

Xiao Muchen pondered for a moment: "We must make him lose the Saint's trust! However, the most important thing now is Qiu Shenji's disappearance!"

(End of this chapter)