I was flattered after crossing

"He said that the three siblings had come to the Imperial City from afar, hoping to seek refuge with relatives and make a living, but they were unfamiliar with the place and had been searching for more than half a month in the Imperial City but still had no news. When they were about to run out of money and still had nowhere to go, they ran into someone from the Prime Minister's Mansion. However, good fortune never comes alone, and misfortune never comes alone. The Prime Minister not only detained their young and weak brother as a hostage, but also forced the girl to find ways to sneak into the palace and get close to Ling'er, and asked her to persuade Ling'er to return to the Prime Minister's Mansion as soon as possible; if things go against her wishes, she must find an opportunity to kill her and eliminate the trouble forever!"

"Okay, it's just as I guessed! How dare they be so bold as to plot against her aunt!" I roared angrily, and then turned to ask Seventeen: "In your opinion, do these two brothers and sisters have martial arts skills?"

Seventeen thought for a moment, shook his head and replied, "I have tried to test him, and it seems that the elder brother does not have any martial arts skills, and his younger sister is probably not proficient in this either."

Hearing this, I immediately understood, and said with certainty: "It seems that there must be poison hidden on him!"

Xiao Zhengxuan looked ahead with a sharp gaze and asked in a serious tone, "Where is that person now?"

"My lord, I have already placed him in the room outside the mansion and assigned someone to guard him. Please rest assured." Seventeen replied.

Xiao Zhengxuan nodded slightly to show his satisfaction, and then instructed: "Later, you will lead a few people and find two maids to go to the woodshed together. First, search the person to make sure there are no dangerous items or evidence hidden. After that, bring him to the main hall. In addition, you must search the entire woodshed thoroughly, leaving no corners where items may be hidden, and you must be meticulous."

Seventeen nodded respectfully and replied, "Yes, master. I have finished my meal and I will go right away." After that, he stood up and prepared to leave.

After Shiqi left, Xiao Zhengxuan and I slowly stood up and walked towards the main hall. Along the way, Xiao Zhengxuan asked thoughtfully: "What is the princess's plan for this woman? How do you plan to deal with her?"

I answered without hesitation: "Just kill her! Give her the poison! This is the only way to relieve the hatred in my heart." As I spoke, a trace of determination flashed in my eyes.

However, when I noticed that Xiao Zhengxuan did not respond, I quickly added: "Don't worry, I just said it casually. Doing so does make me feel very happy. But I know that keeping her may still be useful. After all, she can serve as an important witness to testify against the Prime Minister's evil deeds."

Xiao Zhengxuan looked at me, a helpless smile appeared on his face, and he shook his head gently.

Not long after, we arrived at the main hall and had just sat down when Seventeen and several other guards escorted Shen Xiangning in.

As soon as the woman entered the hall, she looked straight at me, then knelt on her knees, moved her body towards me, and asked tearfully, "Princess, Princess! Excuse me... has my... my father been buried safely?"

I stared at her expressionlessly and replied calmly, "Of course he has been laid to rest. Not only did they select a top-quality coffin for your father, but the guards stayed there until everything was settled before returning to report. If Ning'er wants to go and pay her respects in the future, just let me know."

"What?" Hearing what I said, she suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared at me, revealing a trace of resentment that was difficult to conceal. However, this trace of resentment was fleeting and was soon drowned by tears that flowed like a spring.

At this moment, Seventeen stepped forward and handed a small paper bag containing a powdery substance to Xiao Zhengxuan, and reported: "Master, this is the item just found on this girl. After inspection by my subordinates, it is confirmed to be arsenic. At present, there are still people staying in the firewood room to continue the search. I believe there will be new clues later." After that, Seventeen stood with his hands hanging down, quietly waiting for Xiao Zhengxuan's instructions.

"Well, okay!" Xiao Zhengxuan took the arsenic, looked at it carefully, and then gently placed it on the table.

His deep and sharp eyes stared at the girl in front of him, and he asked sternly, "What is your intention in hiding the poison?"

Shen Xiangning was frightened by Xiao Zhengxuan's gaze and trembled all over. She lowered her head and replied with a slightly trembling voice: "Slave, I just want to follow my father after he is buried... That's why I prepared these poisons in advance."

"Oh? In that case, you claimed on the street just now that you sold yourself to bury your father. It is obvious that you had already made plans to sell yourself. How could you have the thought of committing suicide? Isn't that contradictory and deceiving everyone?" I continued to ask according to her words.

After hearing my questioning, Shen Xiangning's face turned paler and she hesitantly explained, "That was indeed my original plan. If no one is willing to buy me in the next few days, then I will leave with Daddy..." At this point, she couldn't help but burst into tears again.

"If that's the case, the money I gave you at that time was enough to sustain your future livelihood, but why did you still insist on following me back home?" I couldn't help but feel a little anxious, and my voice unconsciously rose a little.

Shen Xiangning wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeves and replied hurriedly: "Because I want to repay your kindness! After all, I have promised to sell myself to bury my father, how can I go back on my word."

I used all my strength to slam the table so hard that the teacups on the table almost fell over, and shouted angrily: "Are you here to repay a favor, or to repay a favor with hatred?" She was frightened by my sudden action. Her body trembled and she fell directly to the ground. Her face was as pale as paper, and her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a word.

I turned to look at the servant waiting outside the door and said in a deep voice, "Someone, go get a bowl!"

Not long after, a servant quickly handed a bowl to me.

After I took the bowl, I slowly and firmly poured some water into it. Then I gently poured the packet of arsenic on the table into the water and stirred it evenly with a spoon, watching the white powder gradually disappear in the water.

After doing all this, I turned my gaze back to her sitting on the ground and said with a sneer, "Since I brought you back to the mansion and locked you up in the woodshed, you must have guessed what kind of end you would face. But you still have a fluke, just like your fake father, who won't cry until he sees the coffin!"

As I was speaking, I had already shaken the poisonous water mixed with arsenic. I heard a crisp "clang" and placed the bowl heavily on the table.

When she heard the voice, she raised her head suddenly, her eyes filled with all kinds of complicated emotions, including fear, resentment, but more of it seemed to be endless helplessness and reluctance.

"I don't have that much patience to waste time with you. If you don't tell the truth about the person behind this, then drink this bowl of water immediately. This way, you and your daughter will have company on your road to the underworld." I gave the order expressionlessly, and signaled the people around me to bring the bowl of poisonous water to her.

Shen Xiangning stared at me with her eyes wide open. Her expression changed from fear at the beginning to determination, as if she had made up her mind to end her life. She stretched out her hands tremblingly and slowly approached the bowl of deadly poison.

"Hmm~ I didn't expect Ning'er to have no one in this world that she cares about, and is willing to give up her precious life for the dark hand hidden behind the scenes. Presumably, that mysterious person must have given you great benefits!" I said softly in a gloomy tone.

At this moment, the hand that was originally reaching for the poison bowl suddenly stopped in mid-air, as if blocked by an invisible force.

Shen Xiangning's eyes were filled with tears. She shook her head desperately, then cast her gaze towards me and kowtowed several times, begging with tears in her voice, "My Lord and Princess, please save me! I beg you to have mercy. I really have no choice but to come to this point today!"

As her crying became louder, she continued to cry, "Princess, from the moment you gave me silver on the street, I knew that you must be a kind-hearted, generous and merciful person..." She sobbed while recounting her experiences and difficulties.

I was silent for a moment, then responded quietly, "Whether I am kind-hearted or vicious, I need to hear your story before I can make a judgment. After all, I showed no mercy to your young father! I wonder how long he can last lying in that cold coffin now?"

As I was speaking, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye that Seventeen looked at me with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

When Shen Xiangning heard this, her face instantly showed a hint of joy, and her body trembled involuntarily. She quickly knelt up, moved forward a few steps, tightly grasped the corner of my clothes, and said anxiously: "I will tell you everything. I will tell you everything. Please, Princess, spare my brother's life!"

I narrowed my eyes slightly, a sneer appeared on the corner of my mouth, and I said softly: "Oh? Brother? However, I would like to know how long that thin air can support an adult man to live?" As I said that, I raised my eyebrows and stared at her sharply.

Shen Xiangning was frightened by my look and her whole body trembled, and tears flowed uncontrollably.

She choked up and said, "It was the Prime Minister. It was the Prime Minister who threatened my brother and me with our younger brother's life. He forced us to find ways to enter the palace and look for a girl named Ling'er. My brother and I really had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure and sell ourselves to bury our father to get into the palace. The original plan was for me to enter the palace and my brother to stay outside to support me. If...if something bad happened to me, he could continue to take care of my younger brother."

She spoke very quickly, as if she wanted to explain everything as quickly as possible.

I turned to look at Seventeen, and saw him nodding slightly, indicating that what Shen Xiangning said was basically consistent with his brother's previous confession.

After such a long period of interrogation and intimidation, what she said should be true. However, if the other party has a very good psychological quality, he may also be able to fabricate a set of pre-coordinated confessions to deceive us.

Xiao Zhengxuan asked at this moment: "Is your family member and young son in the Prime Minister's residence now?"

She nodded immediately and responded, "That's right. My youngest son is still being held in the Prime Minister's residence. The Prime Minister has threatened that this mission must succeed and not fail, otherwise my family will disappear from the imperial city..."

"How unreasonable!" Xiao Zhengxuan snorted angrily, secretly cursing the prime minister in his heart for being so audacious as to act recklessly and take human lives under the feet of the emperor.

"Then according to the Prime Minister, what should you do after you find Miss Ling'er?" Xiao Zhengxuan asked, suppressing his anger.

She replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister ordered me to find Miss Ling'er as soon as possible and persuade her to return to the Prime Minister's Mansion as soon as possible. If she insists on not returning home or entering the palace, I will wait for an opportunity to poison her food." After saying this, she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look directly at him.

I was so angry that I slammed the table with my palm and shouted angrily: "This old bastard! He is such a piece of shit!"

Shen Xiangning was so frightened that her whole body trembled. She knelt down and kowtowed in panic, begging the prince and me repeatedly: "Every word I said is true. Please, prince and princess, save my brother!"

Xiao Zhengxuan narrowed his eyes slightly and gave Seventeen a look.

Seventeen understood what he meant and pretended to go out to investigate the situation.

At this time, a guard came in and handed the same bag of arsenic to Xiao Zhengxuan: "Your Majesty, this was found under the firewood pile, there is nothing else."

I looked at Ning'er and said coldly, "You are indeed very thoughtful. Is this something you will keep for yourself after the matter is accomplished?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his head, looked at me with horror and said, "Sure enough, nothing can be hidden from the princess. I did save this arsenic for myself. I know that if I really poison Miss Ling'er, I will not live long. The prime minister will never come to rescue me. I am destined to be abandoned."

"Do you want to rescue your brother from the Prime Minister's Mansion?" I lowered my head slightly and asked softly.

She raised her head abruptly upon hearing that. Her originally lifeless eyes suddenly widened and stared at me intently. She nodded vigorously as if she had grasped a life-saving straw, and her voice trembled with excitement: "As long as I can save my younger brother, I am not afraid even if I have to be torn to pieces!"

Looking at the thin but determined woman in front of me, I couldn't help but feel a little pity in my heart, but my face remained calm and I just looked at her indifferently.

"No need to die, I just want you to do two things!" I spoke slowly, my tone calm.

She didn't seem to expect that I would make such a simple request, and asked eagerly: "What is it, Princess, please tell me! No matter what the conditions are, I will do my best to complete them!"

"Be obedient." I looked at her seriously, with a barely perceptible cunning glint in my eyes.

Hearing these two words, she was stunned at first, then nodded without hesitation and said, "Okay, okay, I can do it. Everything is up to you, Princess!" While speaking, she kept nodding, as if she was afraid that I would go back on my word.

Seeing how obedient she was, I nodded with satisfaction, and then said to her confidently, "Okay, then I will ensure the safety of you and your brother."