Feng Xiwu did not entirely agree with her words. "What if it's not arrogance, but urgency?"
Lu Qingwan was puzzled. "What are you in a hurry for? To kill my father?"
"Clearly not."
Feng Xiwu toyed with two walnuts in his hand. "While the military power in your father-in-law's hands is indeed coveted by many, it's not enough to warrant such a desperate chase.
First, they risked assassinating the Zhang clan in the Ministry of Justice to silence them, and then they pursued your father-in-law in the crowded streets.
The actions were hasty, not like a murder, but more like covering up a secret."
"But what secret could be more serious than killing a first-rank official of the court?"
Feng Xiwu chuckled softly, "Killing a first-rank official of the court is indeed a grave offense, but in a place like Shangjing, the lives of princes and nobles are the least valuable."
Lu Qingwan did not understand, but before she could ask further, Li Su arrived.
"Reporting to Your Highness and Consort, last night, my subordinate and Tang Xiao went to the Ministry of Justice prison.
Thanks to the Consort's needles, Zhang Shi narrowly escaped death, but she has extensive burns and was bitten by venomous spiders. She likely won't live long.
Given her condition, she cannot be interrogated. My subordinate remembers the Consort mentioning a method to make her speak. I came to ask if that method can still be used?"
Li Su glanced at Lu Qingwan somewhat sheepishly before lowering his head.
Lu Qingwan stood up decisively. "It can be used, of course it can be used. Where is Zhang Shi? I'll go with you now."
"She should be in the Shence Camp's dungeon. I'll go with you. I need to report the matter of your father-in-law's attack to my imperial brother and discuss whether the news of your father-in-law's return can be made public."
Lu Zhenting had already escaped life-threatening danger, and the pursuers were still relentless. There was no point in hiding it any longer.
Publicizing his return would deter some and reassure others.
Lu Qingwan did not object, only asking, "I can make Zhang Shi speak, but can the confession obtained in the Shence Camp's dungeon be used in the Ministry of Justice's court?"
"Rest assured, confessions obtained by Shence Camp are generally presented directly before the Emperor, without needing to go to the Ministry of Justice."
This meant that as long as the confession held up, Emperor Jingyou would make the final decision.
Lu Qingwan felt relieved. "Then shall we depart?"
The gilded carriage first took Lu Qingwan to the Shence Camp's dungeon. As Lu Qingwan alighted, Feng Xiwu reminded her, "If I return late, go back on your own and get some rest.
After a moment's thought, he beckoned Ying Yi over, whispered a few words, and the carriage leisurely departed.
Lu Qingwan did not ask Ying Yi what Feng Xiwu had said, but simply instructed, "Ying Er, send someone to the Marquis's mansion and invite Wu Ying to the Prince's mansion. Tell her I wish to see her."
"Yes, Consort!"
Ying Er was already accustomed to being ordered around by Lu Qingwan and was about to run off when Ying Yi grabbed him and whispered a few words before letting him go.
The Shence Camp's yamen was located outside the imperial palace, even closer to the palace than the ministries.
Li Su, familiar with the way, led Lu Qingwan to the dungeon. Tang Xiao, seeing Li Su acting improperly and bringing a woman, pulled a long face.
"Where have you been? This old hag might die soon. If we don't interrogate her quickly, whose fault will it be if she dies?"
Li Su kicked Tang Xiao's shin. "What are you fussing about? Show some respect to the Consort!"
Tang Xiao was startled. "Consort? Consort?"
Realizing who the Consort Li Su was referring to could only be one person, Tang Xiao quickly and smoothly bowed.
"This humble subordinate Tang Xiao pays respects to the Consort. This humble subordinate was negligent. I beg the Consort's forgiveness!"
Li Su gloated from the side. Lu Qingwan directly asked him, "Where is she?"
Tang Xiao hurriedly led the way. "She's inside. To prevent further incidents, this subordinate has not left the cell since bringing her in.
However, her condition is truly dire. Consort, you've come to..."
"Prepare to record the confession."
Lu Qingwan walked forward without a word. Having saved Zhang Shi's life yesterday, she should be able to extract something.
She tried moving, and a syringe appeared in her hand, shaped like a brush.
Lu Qingwan could now calmly accept her familiar medical equipment transforming into various peculiar forms.
Picking up the brush-shaped syringe, she injected the medicine into Zhang Shi's body, concealed by her wide sleeves.
A large dose of scopolamine dissolved into Zhang Shi's blood. Lu Qingwan stepped back. "You are the expert in interrogation. I only care if my mother is still alive. You handle the specific questioning."
Tang Xiao was incredulous. "She can be questioned now?"
Looking at Zhang Shi's condition, Tang Xiao had likely used something like ginseng to sustain her life. He wasn't afraid she'd suddenly die.
Lu Qingwan nodded. "Ask, don't waste time."
Lu Qingwan, who was supposed to be a useless waste, and had only paid respects earlier out of deference to Feng Xiwu, now inexplicably intimidated Tang Xiao with her demeanor. He stood dumbfounded before the wooden plank bed where Zhang Shi lay and began to question her.
"Zhang Shi, in the matter of harming Marquis Zhaolie Lu Zhenting, besides you, were there others involved from Marquis Zhaolie's mansion?"
"The Old Marquis and my son Lu Zhenshan, and my daughter Lu Wenting, were all involved."
Tang Xiao was incredulous. "Why would the Old Marquis harm his own son? And, please recount everything from the beginning. What exactly did you do to harm Marquis Zhaolie?"
Tang Xiao's question was out of surprise, but unexpectedly, it unearthed the entire truth about the Wen Chang Marquis mansion.
...
Zhang Shi rambled on incoherently. Finally, she said, "But that bitch insisted on meddling. Not only did she want to publicize what I did, but she also wanted to report to the Emperor.
She was the Princess of Xiliang and always got along well with Noble Consort Ye. I was afraid that if she really presented the evidence, the entire Wen Chang Marquis family would be finished.
So, I deliberately humbled myself and knelt down to beg her to spare me and the Wen Chang Marquis family. While she hesitated, I killed her."
Lu Qingwan felt the original owner's deep-seated anger, almost unable to suppress it.
Seeing this, Tang Xiao quickly pressed on, "Tell me clearly how you killed Princess Anyang."
"Silver needles. My Zhang clan's ancestors made their fortune in medicinal herbs. To survive, I also collected some medical texts.
From childhood, I studied poisons and their antidotes. A poisoned silver needle inserted into a blood vessel in the neck. In just three breaths, that bitch was dead!"
Controlled by the truth serum, she even showed a hint of smugness as she spoke.
It was evident how proud she was of killing Princess Anyang.
Lu Qingwan couldn't help but interject, "What did you do with Princess Anyang's body after you killed her? Where is she now?"
"She's in the lotus pond of Marquis Zhaolie's mansion. I discovered that Lan Yurou, that little bitch, was having an affair with the steward, and I threatened her into dealing with it for me.
Lan Yurou, that little bitch, ordered someone to disfigure the bitch's face, dress her up as a maid, fill her abdomen with stones, and throw her in."
Tang Xiao and Li Su couldn't bear to look at Lu Qingwan's expression. A princess of a kingdom had been so tragically harmed by two women from the inner chambers.
Killing Zhang Shi a hundred times would not be enough to atone for her sins.