After rebirth, she turned around and married the emperor's uncle and tore the scumbag apart

Chapter 600 Only Zheng Zixu Could Be Sacrificed

The candles in the Dali Temple's interrogation hall burned all night.

Duan Xu and Li Huaizhi interrogated He Mazi together. Because of Su Heng's assassination attempt, He Mazi spilled everything he knew, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

Upon hearing He Mazi's account, not only were the clerk and the constables present speechless with astonishment, but Duan Xu and Li Huaizhi were also unable to recover for a long time.

Duan Xu asked in a deep voice, "You say that Zheng Zixu, the Minister of Rites, was the granary manager of Xuzhou seven years ago. What evidence do you have?"

He Mazi retorted, “Of course I have evidence. When all officials are in office, the local government has to take their portraits and leave their fingerprints. On the day the Xuzhou granary caught fire, I saw Guan Baiyu fleeing from the granary. Thinking about the problem with a batch of grain sent from Xuzhou to Hanshan Pass a few days ago, I guessed that it might be related to Guan Baiyu.”

After he left, I took the opportunity to enter the government office and retrieve his file and the approvals he had signed in the past, intending to extort money from him. Unexpectedly, he vanished, and I never saw him again. And then, unexpectedly, he went to the capital, got promoted, and made a fortune.

Li Huaizhi asked, "When I went to your house that day, I searched every place, but I didn't see the files and approvals you mentioned."

He Mazi revealed a sly smile, "If the adults find it so easily, wouldn't it be easy for others to find it too? Of course I'm hiding it."

"Where to hide?"

"My lord, if I tell you the truth, will you spare my life?"

He Mazi stared at Li Huaizhi with an air of unwavering confidence. Compared to him, a mere lackey, they were definitely more eager to achieve great merit.

"Your crimes are far-reaching and require..."

"Alright, I agree."

Before Li Huaizhi could finish speaking, Duan Xu interrupted him.

Seeing that the two men couldn't agree and he didn't know who held a higher or lower official position, He Mazi looked at them with suspicion.

Seeing that He Mazi did not trust him, Duan Xu said again: "I have the final say in the entire Dali Temple. Releasing a local ruffian is just a matter of a word. Everyone here can witness that my word is law."

Hearing Duan Xu's words, He Mazi finally lowered his guard. "Alright, I'll trust you this once. The item is right here..."

"Wait, just tell him directly." Before she could finish speaking, Duan Xu interrupted her again.

Duan Xu gave Li Huaizhi a wink, and Li Huaizhi understood what Duan Xu meant. He walked to He Mazi's side and leaned down to listen to He Mazi tell him the location of the evidence.

After listening to what He Mazi said, Li Huaizhi walked to Duan Xu's side and told him what he had heard.

After listening, Duan Xu asked He Mazi to continue recounting the whole story.

It wasn't until dawn that He Mazi finally explained everything.

Duan Xu was shocked as he looked at the case files recorded by the registrar.

The warnings Li Huaizhi received, the warnings He Mazi received—everything proved that a powerful force was guiding them forward, and that this force seemed to be leading them to some forbidden place.

Perhaps He Mazi's appearance and the theft from the Ministry of War were just one link in the chain that triggered that incident.

The person who can manipulate this is terrifying!

But since things had come to this, he had no choice but to keep moving forward. As for whether or not to break a certain taboo, he could only take it one step at a time and see what that person was up to.

Duan Xu found Li Huaizhi and said with a heavy expression, "This matter is of utmost importance. I'll trouble you to make this trip and bring back the evidence."

Knowing the gravity of the matter involving the Minister of Rites, Li Huaizhi cupped his hands and said, "Yes, Your Excellency will certainly live up to your trust and bring back the evidence."

Duan Xu patted Li Huaizhi on the shoulder and nodded solemnly: "Yes, take care too, and have a safe journey."

Su Heng waited all night, but none of his men returned, and the Dali Temple remained silent.

It seems he underestimated Duan Xu.

With a "bang," Su Heng slammed the teacup in his hand onto the ground.

"It seems we have no choice but to abandon Zheng Zixu. Yuan'er, find a way to control Zheng Zixu's family and prevent him from saying anything reckless."

Su Xiuyuan nodded. "Yes, Father."

Back in the courtyard, Su Xiuyuan said to Li Qingyuan, "Qingyuan, Mother's birthday is in five days. Father and I have discussed it and are planning a lively birthday banquet for her. Go and prepare the invitations!"

Li Qingyuan frowned and asked, "But we asked Father before, and he said there was no need to do it, and five days is too rushed, isn't it?"

Seeing that Li Qingyuan was asking all sorts of questions, Su Xiuyuan was a little displeased and said with a stern face, "If Father wants to make it up to Mother, you can just go and do it."

Seeing that Su Xiuyuan was angry, Li Qingyuan did not argue with him anymore. She responded and left the courtyard to make arrangements.

Hmph! Compensation? Her mother-in-law, Xue Man, is in a state worse than death, neither human nor ghost. How can she face anyone! How can she celebrate her birthday!

Ordinary people would rather hide their mother-in-law away, but the father-in-law, on the contrary, wants to hold a grand birthday banquet for his mother-in-law.

Now that her father's life was in his hands, and her sister was also working under the Empress, she had no choice but to obey.

*

Inside the Hibiscus Pavilion, Yan Qing reported the surveillance situation to Xiao Yu.

"Your Highness, Li Huaizhi has already set off, heading towards Xuzhou. It seems our plan has succeeded."

Xiao Yu opened his eyes, a faint smile on his face. "Hmm, well done. Did you send someone to protect him?"

"Qian Biao and five other brothers have already been sent, so there shouldn't be any problems."

"Ah."

Yan Qing walked to the bedside, sat down on the stool, and asked, "Your Highness, I just realized I haven't seen Lin Chuan in a long time. Where has he gone?"

Xiao Yu closed his eyes and said calmly, "I've become a monk."

"Become a monk?" Yan Qing was bewildered, then remembered that Lin Chuan had been a disciple of Shaolin Temple before. Had he gone back?

Seeing that Xiao Yu's eyes were closed, he didn't ask any more questions and silently helped Xiao Yu turn over.

The next day, Su Lingyue was sitting in Xiao Yu's room sewing clothes when Yan Qing came in with an invitation and handed it to her.

"Your Highness, this is an invitation from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion."

Su Lingyue opened it and saw that it was Xue Man's birthday invitation, which was in four days.

She was somewhat surprised. She had heard that Xue Man's burns were so severe that she was barely recognizable as human and had to stay in bed all day to recover. How could she possibly attend her birthday banquet?

Moreover, given her current relationship with the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, her father probably wouldn't send her an invitation.

Everything seemed strange.

"Your Highness, I feel there's something eerie about the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. Please don't go. I'll refuse your invitation!"

Just then, Su Lingyue saw the mandarin ducks on the invitation.

This is clearly a wedding invitation.

Such a simple mistake, and it was even sent to Prince Su's residence, so the person who wrote the post shouldn't have made a mistake.

She looked at the mandarin ducks on the post and immediately understood.

This post was given to her by Li Qingyuan.

Li Qingyuan sent her the invitation specifically; there must be something on her mind.

Su Lingyue gave Yan Qing a bright smile, "I'm going, come with me!"

"Me?" Yan Qing pointed at herself, looking completely bewildered.

*

On her birthday banquet, Su Lingyue wore a white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with exquisite light blue evening primrose flowers embroidered on the chest. Over it was a lotus root pink moon shadow gauze long dress, and a light blue shawl was draped over her arms. The peach blossom hair ornament and the golden hairpin with a magpie holding a pearl on her head were dazzling.

But even the most precious jewelry was merely an embellishment on that exceptionally beautiful face.

"Am I pretty?" Su Lingyue circled around Xiao Yu's bedside.

Xiao Yu looked at the slender, fair neck that was exposed; it was so clean, like flawless white jade.

That was his treasure.

Xiao Yu did not answer, but instead instructed Caiyi: "The princess has a dress that she often wears, made of satin, the same color as this one. Bring it for the princess to change into."

I know that the colorful dress is the one Su Lingyue often wears in the mansion. It's very simple, with some patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. Although it's exquisite, it's too ordinary. However, it covers all of Su Lingyue's skin below her neck.

Su Lingyue smiled and curtsied: "Yes, Your Highness."

After saying that, she went out to get her clothes.

Su Lingyue walked towards Xiao Yu with a smile, her eyes bright and cunning, like a little fox.

"Your Highness hasn't answered yet, am I handsome?"

She walked to the bedside and sat down, placing her hands on Xiao Yu's neck and bringing her lips, which were lightly rouged, to his.

Xiao Yu's slightly drooping eyelashes trembled, but he didn't speak, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

He turned his head and kissed Su Lingyue's lips, slowly removing the lipstick from them. Su Lingyue didn't move, letting him suck and bite her.

When Caiyi knocked on the door again and came in, she saw her young mistress standing up with a flushed face and exceptionally red lips, but the color of the lip rouge on them seemed to have disappeared.

She smiled calmly and began to change Su Lingyue's clothes.

Su Lingyue did not avoid Xiao Yu, leaving Caiyi to wait behind the screen. In front of Xiao Yu, she took off her dress, including the strapless ruqun underneath, until she was only wearing a white embroidered blouse and white underpants.

Then, in front of Xiao Yu, she put on the dress that Caiyi had brought over and tied the belt.

"Your Highness, am I handsome?"

Su Lingyue spun around in front of Xiao Yu again.

Xiao Yu smiled faintly, "Yes, the moon is beautiful."

As Su Lingyue came out of the house, she ran into Yan Qing and Cai Die, who were coming from her own room.

At this moment, she was dressed as a maid again, but instead of Xia He's double buns, she wore a flower bud bun with two pink hair ribbons hanging down her back, which looked much better.

Yan Qing grinned, showing his large teeth. "Your Highness, am I handsome?"

Caiyi chuckled; he had actually asked the same question as the young lady.

"It looks great!" Su Lingyue gave him an approving look.

Li Jing couldn't bear to look and turned her head to one side.

At this moment, Doctor Lu arrived with his medicine kit.

Su Lingyue stepped forward and said, "I have to attend a banquet. I'll trouble Uncle Lu to watch over the Prince. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Since Ling Ling was injured, Xiao Yu has been taken care of by Su Lingyue, and Doctor Lu hasn't come over for quite some time.

"Little Ling'er is getting better, so you can rest assured and leave the prince to me!"

His patients will never give up until the very last moment.