"It's actually quite good," Hua Yao said, taking a sip of the clear congee and smacking her lips appreciatively.
Zhong Li continued to read her medical book, replying casually, "Ning Ya lived with her wet nurse since she was little, so she picked up some things in the kitchen. Her cooking must be decent."
"That's true!" Hua Yao nodded and finished the congee in her hand.
"Miss Zhong!" A knock sounded from outside the door.
Zhong Li looked up to see A Wu.
"What is it?" she asked.
"The Young Master and the Magistrate want you to go to the adjacent room. Tang Yuanhua gave his confession."
"Alright!" Zhong Li closed her book, glanced at Hua Yao, and the two quickly headed towards the adjacent room.
"Stop hitting, stop hitting, I'll... I'll tell..."
"Crack, crack!"
The sound of a whip mingled with a man's pleas echoed from within the room.
Zhong Li pushed the door open and saw Tang Yuanhua tied to the table with ropes, his body covered in whip marks. In many places, flesh and clothing were stuck together.
Lin Jin stood beside Tang Yuanhua, holding a specially made whip, its surface faintly showing barbs.
Zhong Li recognized the whip as belonging to the Ministry of Punishments. It was said that three lashes would make a person faint from pain. Judging by Tang Yuanhua's condition, he had likely received more than ten.
"Li'er, come here!" Lu Wu Xie was the first to spot her, beckoning her to sit beside him.
Zhong Li sat next to Lu Wu Xie and her gaze swept over the bowl of congee in front of him. The congee skin was floating on top, and it appeared untouched.
She then looked at Cui Ning Ya, who was as timid as ever. Zhong Li furrowed her brows slightly, shook her head, and turned her attention back to Tang Yuanhua.
"I'll... I'll tell..." Tang Yuanhua was near death from the beating. He forced his eyes open and scanned the people in the room. "The Goddess Sect... is instigating the people of Yuxian, and bribing officials in Liaocheng. Their goal is clear: to get the court to send people to Liaocheng to handle matters here.
They are doing this because... because... there is a bigger purpose behind it."
"What is it?" Lan Heng frowned, looking at Tang Yuanhua. For some reason, he felt a prickle of unease.
"For many years, Yuxian has been called Yuxian not just because of its frequent rain, but more importantly..."
"Qingliang Palace?" Lan Heng and Lu Wu Xie exchanged a look and said the three words simultaneously.
"Hah! As expected of Magistrate Lan and Young Master... with just a little prompting, you could guess. Tang Yuanhua grinned, blood trickling down his lips.
Lan Heng, enraged, stood up, took a few steps forward, and yanked at Tang Yuanhua's tattered clothes. "So your target is the Emperor. Speak, what did you do in Qingliang Palace? Speak!"
Tang Yuanhua lifted his eyelids and stared at Lan Heng. His eyeballs rolled in their sockets, his lips parted, and then his neck suddenly snapped sideways, and he slumped over.
"Speak, speak!" Lan Heng's brows were furrowed, and he forcefully shook the man before him.
Zhong Li, sensing something was wrong, walked over to Lan Heng and gently patted his arm.
Lan Heng released his grip, and Zhong Li stepped forward to examine Tang Yuanhua. After a long moment, she turned back to everyone behind her and said, "Pupils dilated, pulse stopped. He's dead!"
As soon as she spoke, the already quiet inn became even more silent, so quiet that one could hear everyone's breathing.
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Wu Xie and Lan Heng exchanged a look, and they quietly left the room.
Zhong Li walked to Hua Yao's side and saw that her expression was also a bit tense. Remembering Tang Yuanhua's earlier words, she asked, "You all seemed particularly nervous when you heard Qingliang Palace. What is that place?"
Hua Yao glanced around at the others, and seeing Cui Ning Ya still present, she pulled Zhong Li aside and whispered:
"Every year after June, Jincheng becomes unbearably hot. During Ning Ping's reign, Empress Ruan disliked the heat intensely. The late Emperor, in his love for her, found a cool place in the Southern Yue Kingdom and built a summer palace. From then on, every year, the late Emperor would accompany the late Empress to this summer palace to escape the heat.
Gradually, a custom formed within the royal family. As soon as it got hot, the imperial consorts and the Emperor would come to this summer palace for a short stay."
"Qingliang Palace got its name from this?" Zhong Li asked.
Hua Yao nodded.
"So, if I'm not mistaken, Qingliang Palace should be in Yuxian?" Zhong Li asked again.
Hua Yao nodded. "Yes, it's near Yuxian. I don't know the exact location."
"Okay, I understand!"
Zhong Li said, patting Hua Yao, and turned to leave the room.
After dinner.
Hua Yao and Cui Ning Ya were busy in the kitchen with the aftermath. Zhong Li entered Lu Wu Xie's room with her medicine box.
Since Lu Wu Xie and Lan Heng had their conversation downstairs, Lan Heng had not returned to the second floor, leading his Dali Temple subordinates away.
Zhong Li did not ask, she knew what Lan Heng was going to do.
"Eat this," she took out a small bottle, poured a pill into her hand, and placed it in Lu Wu Xie's hand.
Lu Wu Xie obediently took the pill and prepared to rest.
Zhong Li tucked him in, then got up and picked up the oil lamp, ready to leave.
"Still reading medical books tonight?" Lu Wu Xie suddenly asked.
Zhong Li paused in her steps as she exited the room and looked back at him.
Lu Wu Xie looked at the dark circles under the woman's eyes and walked to her side with concern. His fingertips gently covered her eyes. "You're too tired. If you really can't find it, then let it be."
"No, there must be a way." Zhong Li said, lowering her gaze, lost in thought. If Tang Yuanhua hadn't died, she might have been able to get something from his mouth. Once she knew how theθ(gu poison) Lu Wu Xie had ingested was made, she would surely find a solution.
But now...
She furrowed her brows.
"Don't be like this." Lu Wu Xie reached out and gently smoothed her brow, then slowly pulled her into his embrace. "Don't we still have time?"
Zhong Li's heart tightened, and for a moment, she didn't know how to answer Lu Wu Xie.
He had time, because no one knew when this θ (gu poison) would consume his mind. Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a month, or perhaps in a year or two. She had asked Cui Ning Ya, and she didn't know either, only saying that it depended on one's willpower.
Lu Wu Xie held her hand and sat her down on a chair. To ease her mood, he changed the subject. "Lan Heng has gone to Liaocheng. With the investigation reaching this point, Governor Chang is certainly implicated. The court has already decided to arrest him."
"Then Qi Lei can rest in peace." Zhong Li said, recalling the brutal murder of Qi Lei's family that night, and felt a pang of sadness.
"Li'er." Lu Wu Xie took a deep breath and said, "This case is not over yet."
"I know, of course." Zhong Li looked up at the man's bright eyes. "On the surface, Tang Yuanhua was the mastermind behind all of this, but... from his capture to his confession, everything seems too smooth. It's hard not to be suspicious."
Lu Wu Xie smiled wryly upon hearing this. He pinched her nose. He should have known that with her intelligence, she would figure this out so easily, yet she kept it bottled up. If he didn't ask, she wouldn't say.
"So, what are your plans?" Zhong Li asked.
Lu Wu Xie remained silent, holding her hand.