Proud Feather

Chapter 41: Spit Out
Chu Ling frowned when he received the news.

"Confessing so quickly? Didn't you say you'd torture him eight or ten times?"

The person from the Imperial City Bureau smiled and said, "Princess, our leader came up with a plan. He sent someone to pretend to be an insider to silence him. The thief was frightened and had to confess."

"..."

Seeing that Chu Ling had no joy on her face, the visitor said cautiously: "Princess, what have we done wrong?"

Chu Ling smiled and stood up: "No, I'll go check it out now."

It should be said that they are very thoughtful.

Her previous message was in vain.

……

Inside the cell, Jinghui was in excruciating pain. After days of torture, his body was covered in tiny wounds. Last night, he had stabbed himself in the back, causing him to bleed profusely.

But he was in good spirits, his wounds treated, and he didn't need to be tortured anymore—he suddenly felt that whether he was being tricked or not didn't matter anymore, as long as he was alive. People like him had no moral integrity to begin with, so why couldn't he be a traitor?
"Princess, please."

A chair was put into the cell, and the fresh breeze blew in again. Jinghui couldn't help but take a deep breath. She had never looked forward to seeing someone so eagerly as she did now.

"Princess..." He struggled to get up and pretended to greet her.

According to his thinking, if the princess said "no need to be polite" at this time, he could lie down again naturally. Thus, he would be respectful and the princess could also show her courtesy.

But he climbed laboriously for a long time, and there was no sound from the opposite side. He turned his head and saw Chu Ling sitting upright on the chair, looking at him with a smile.

Jinghui suddenly felt embarrassed as if he had been seen through. He could only lie down obediently and apologize: "Princess, please forgive me. I am seriously injured and cannot follow the etiquette."

Chu Ling smiled and said, "Why don't you just behave yourself? You have to play tricks on me. You haven't suffered enough, have you?"

Jinghui smiled awkwardly. It had to be said that the confidence he'd built up over the past decade or so had completely shattered when it came to the princess. He'd thought he was invincible among women and children, but in the end, he'd been completely deceived.

"Tell me, what do you know?"

Jinghui replied cautiously, "Princess, whatever you want to know, I will tell you everything I know."

"Okay." Chu Ling turned his head and took a look.

Jiang Shijun understood, took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over: "Master, have you heard of these medicines?"

This piece of paper was copied from the Dali Temple. Gao Mian has a skilled coroner who discovered that the poison the prince was poisoned with contained these herbs, which allowed it to be so concealed.

Chu Ling knew he had to find a way through Jinghui. This thief bald man came from the Bai Miao area, just as the coroner had said.

As expected, a look of surprise appeared on Jinghui's face.

"It seems that the master knows." Jiang Shijun smiled.

Jinghui nodded with difficulty. "When I came to Beijing, I did bring a few rare herbs to make perfume... and that's what's written on the paper."

This is a really helpful clue!
Jiang Shijun immediately asked, "Who did you give these herbs to? Does anyone know their efficacy?"

Jinghui replied, "I forged my identity and registered at the Dahuai Temple. Fearing exposure, I bribed the abbot with precious incense. A few days later, the abbot said the incense was very useful and asked me for the recipe. I didn't want to give it to him, but he said that since I was good at winning over believers, he could introduce me to someone..."

"Who?"

Jinghui shook his head. "I don't know his identity, I only know he's an errand boy for some important figures. With the abbot's guarantee and some benefits to my name, I joined him..."

He was ambitious and wanted to make a fortune when he came to the capital. How could he let go of this opportunity?
"Have you guessed who this important person is?"

Jinghui was silent for a moment: "I guessed it."

"Oh?"

"He must be a well-connected person." Jinghui glanced at Chu Ling cautiously. "He asked some questions about the incense recipe. I guess it might be related to the palace..." Jiang Shijun then asked, "Did you know in advance that the Tian family brought the princess to see you?"

Jinghui hesitated for a moment.

Jiang Shijun said calmly, "It has come to this. A smart person like the Master wouldn't still want to keep it, right?"

Jinghui immediately woke up.

That's right, he'd already spoken, so he couldn't expect to have it both ways. Furthermore, even if the person behind him truly possessed extraordinary abilities, the princess wouldn't be afraid. The key was that he had to truly impress the princess and make her willing to save his life.

Jinghui was a ruthless person. With his mind made up, he was very positive. "The abbot came to say hello and said that a distinguished person was coming to the temple. He told me to seize the opportunity and if I did well, I would rise to the top."

"It's the abbot, not the receptionist or the chief monk?"

Jinghui nodded: "Yes, Abbot."

The Tian family contacted the receptionist and made an appointment with the abbot, following the normal procedures. However, Jinghui was told by the abbot, who seemed to have great power and was the mastermind behind all the affairs at Dahuai Temple.

Jiang Shijun glanced at Chu Ling and finally asked, "Okay. How do we find that contact?"

Jinghui hesitated for a moment: "I always meet with the abbot in person, so I don't know his contact information."

"Think about it again."

Seeing Chu Ling's expression, Jinghui knew he had an opportunity. If he could answer this question, he would be eligible to ask the princess to save his life. If he couldn't answer it, given the princess's temperament, he was afraid...

He racked his brains and tried hard to recall, and finally thought of a key.

"The restaurant! I remember now! Every time he comes here, he smells of alcohol. He must be from the restaurant!"

Jinghui is good at mixing perfume and has a very sensitive nose.

Jiang Shijun quickly recalled the area around Dahuai Temple and shouted, "Ask about Xianju! Are you asking about Xianju?"

Jinghui said, "If they have wine from that store, I can tell by just smelling it." The big stores in the capital all have their own signature wines that are different from those of other stores.

Chu Ling gave a look and someone immediately went to run errands.

Soon, the wine was served. Jinghui opened the bottle and took a sniff. He immediately nodded, "That's the smell!"

Chu Ling didn't delay any longer and stood up: "Let's go!"

"Princess! Princess!" Jinghui shouted hurriedly, "In view of my meritorious service, could you spare my life?"

Chu Ling paused at the door and raised the corner of her mouth: "You'd better pray that this princess can successfully catch the person. If I'm in a good mood, maybe it will be successful!"

After saying that, she left with her people without looking back.

Jinghui watched with eager eyes, and actually put his hands together and started chanting scriptures.
-
The people from the Imperial City Bureau once again rushed into the Dahuai Temple and went straight to the abbot's meditation room.

"Go away! The Imperial City Division is investigating the case!"

"You thief, be smart! Why don't you surrender?"

There was silence in the Zen room. The leading investigator took a closer look and his expression changed drastically.

I saw the abbot Dingzhi lying on the table, his eyes wide open, blood flowing from all seven orifices, his face was blue-gray, and he was dead!
Another detective picked up a porcelain bottle nearby, which emitted a faint fishy smell.

"He took poison." His brows knitted together. "Who leaked the news?!"

I took my cat to the hospital this morning. I'm so sad that he couldn't be saved. I keep thinking about him waiting for his cat food downstairs, and I cry my eyes out. I hope he's happy in his own world.

Also, it was released after midnight. The scheduled time cannot be changed, but it just happened to coincide with the release date. Please forgive me for entering Chapter V with this unpleasant news.