Qingyu Case: Female Minister of Dali Temple

Chen Shao smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

Although Datong recruited officials through imperial examinations, as the country's power gradually weakened, even if ordinary people passed the imperial examinations, they could only rely on the aristocratic families if they wanted to have a smooth career in the government.

This is true in the officialdom and also in the business world.

A medicine shop like Tongchuntang, which has been open for nearly fifty years, would have been lost in history long ago if it did not have a backstage.

Who is behind Tongchuntang?

Chen Shao looked at Fan Zhirong and Fan Chuanfang calmly.

On Anshan, when she asked how many people knew that Luo Zhengxin had forced the purchase of the golden silkworm, he answered them. It is difficult to change the human instinct to seek benefits and avoid harm. When the remains of Luo Zhengxin's two former wives were dug up and it was found that they had indeed died of poisoning, he subconsciously answered the name that could protect him because he was afraid of following in the footsteps of Fenglong Commercial Bank.

That was why she had asked both of them to come over.

In a feudal society, people from the same hometown, the same year, and the same Jinshi degree were all good relationships. Luo Zhengxin was from Wu County, and the Fan family was also from Wu County. Luo Zhengxin was also the director of the Imperial College, so it was impossible for the Fan family to leave such a talent unrecruited.

But what did Fan Zhirong say? Because of the gap between them, he did not make friends with him. Wu Dong could hear such words that clearly distanced himself from him, and she naturally heard it too.

Forcing them to abandon Luo Zhengxin was what she wanted, but their straightforward approach did not make her happy.

Because behind this straightforward statement, it is very likely that Luo Zhengxin is just a marginal figure in their group!

The enemy was not only powerful, but also cunning. Chen Shao was alert and asked calmly: "Why did Luo Jianyuan want to kill them?"

"Master Luo thinks they are bad," Wu Dong said almost hastily, "Master Luo and Madam Gao are doing business together, which is a win-win situation. But the first lady is jealous that such a good job was not given to her brother, so she wants to sow discord between them. The second lady also has this intention, but she is more sensible than the first lady. She just wants Master Luo to give two shops to her brother, but after being rejected by Master Luo, she complained."

Fan Chuanfang commented: "To poison someone based on these two things is too narrow-minded and vicious."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Fan Zhirong hit him with his folding fan. "I don't know the whole story, so I won't make any comments!"

Fan Chuanfang had just shut up when Li Tianliu came with Luo Zhengxin.

Luo Zhengxin walked briskly, not caring about the interrogation at all. As long as he denied it, he believed that Chen Shao could not do anything to him. But as soon as he walked to the door of the second hall and saw Fan Zhirong and Fan Chuanfang in the hall, as well as Wu Dong kneeling on the ground, his face suddenly turned cold. When he entered the second hall again and saw the talisman paper, black donkey hoof and golden silkworm on the table, his face suddenly changed from cold to fear. He could not wait for Chen Shao to ask questions, and he knelt on the ground, shouting horribly: "Don't come over! Don't come over, you are already dead, don't think of scaring me!"

Fan Zhirong and Fan Chuanfang both retreated to the side after being shouted at by him. A gust of wind blew in, and the lights swayed, the light was bright and dim, which was quite strange. As the two were in doubt and their faces gradually turned pale, Luo Zhengxin's voice rang out again: "Don't come over! Stop right there! I can kill you once, and I can kill you twice!"

"You are asking for death! I provide you with good food and drink. If you just listen to me, you will enjoy wealth and glory for the rest of your life. You should never, ever, take those..."

"Don't talk nonsense, Supervisor Luo!" Fan Zhirong didn't care about being afraid. He stepped forward and patted his shoulder fiercely, and shouted righteously, "In the court, the world is clear and bright. How can we allow ghosts to cause chaos!"

Luo Zhengxin woke up sweating. He looked at Fan Zhirong, then at Fan Chuanfang, then at Wu Dong and the shopkeeper and doctor of Tongchuntang, and finally at Chen Shao. After one look, he quickly looked away and asked with difficulty, "I..."

Fan Zhirong pressed his shoulder hard, then withdrew his hand and said, "Superintendent Luo just said that he could kill you once, and he could kill you twice. What does that mean?"

Luo Zhengxin looked at him suddenly.

Fan Zhirong quickly stepped back and bowed, saying, "I overstepped my bounds."

Luo Zhengxin's eyes were filled with emotions. After a while, he stood up resolutely and said with a cold face, "I poisoned them to death!"

Chen Shao had calmed down from his previous anger, "Who are they?"

Luo Zhengxin looked at the talisman paper and the black donkey hoof on the table with fear, and said in a rather timid tone: "Ye and He are two bitches!"

Chen Shao asked: "Why do you want to kill them?"

Luo Zhengxin raised his chin slightly: "I used ten taels of silver to marry them. It's up to me to decide whether to kill or cut them!"

Chen Shao nodded: "You spent a lot of money to marry them and bring them home. It's up to you to decide whether to kill or cut them. However, the laws of Datong are above individuals, so you can't decide! Since you have already admitted that you killed them... Ding Lisheng."

Ding Lisheng stepped forward tremblingly, "I'm here."

Chen Shao ordered in a cold voice: "Post a notice immediately and have Madam Geng spread the word along the streets that the truth has been revealed about the former abbot of the Imperial Academy, Luo Zhengxin, poisoning his two wives. Behead him outside the prefect's mansion at noon tomorrow!"

After he finished speaking, he looked at him coldly and asked, "Are you having any difficulties? If you have any, tell me right away so I can replace you right away!"

Ding Lisheng immediately swallowed his words of procrastination and answered decisively: "I will arrange it right away!"

Chen Shao said with a hum, and reminded: "Since you have accepted this task, I will not make any other arrangements. If you fail to complete it tomorrow, Zhang Boshan's fate may not be your fate!"

Ding Lisheng's face turned pale and he turned and left.

"Stop!" Luo Zhengxin came back to his senses in shock. "I am the abbot of the Imperial College. Even if I have committed a capital crime, I must go through a joint trial by the three courts and the emperor can only execute the death penalty if he cancels it! You are just the Minister of the Dali Temple. You are not qualified to execute me at all!"

Chen Shao did not argue with him. Before she left the capital, the emperor had given her the power of life and death. She just looked at his frightened expression coldly and said viciously: "According to the truth, I am indeed not qualified to execute you without the approval of the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, but I will execute you. As for the consequences of beheading you, I am willing to bear them!"

Luo Zhengxin's pupils shrank sharply, "You..."

"Sir..." Fan Zhirong and Fan Chuanfang stepped forward at the right time, but just as they opened their mouths, they were interrupted by Chen Shao's cold voice, "Today, I have trouble for you two to testify in court. It is getting late, so I will not keep you any longer. General Li, please send them off on my behalf."