20demayo Chapter 1118 Investigation
Chapter 1118 Investigation
When Pudu heard that the person kneeling before Prefect Wu was the "Empress," he felt dizzy and disoriented. How could he not have recognized the person in front of him as a woman?
Why is the Empress not enjoying her life in the palace but instead coming to the Living Buddha Temple? Could it be that she has discovered the temple's secrets?
They should have been dealt with last night.
Jiang Fenghua walked up to Pudu and said, "Now that the government has arrived, Master, as long as you explain clearly what the Living Buddha Temple is up to, I can spare your life."
Pudu said, "This old monk knows nothing; this old monk is merely a monk who has left home."
"Do you still think that you can't be convicted just because I didn't catch you in the act of murder?"
"Amitabha, this old monk doesn't know what you're talking about." Pudu was still a little uneasy. As long as he denied it to the death, they couldn't do anything to him. He was the abbot of the Living Buddha Temple, a master who saved people from suffering. Even the empress couldn't easily kill him.
Jiang Fenghua knew that people like him wouldn't shed a tear until they were in their coffins, so she said, "Prefect Wu sent people to search the temple, digging three feet into the ground to find evidence of Pudu's crimes."
Wu Yirong never expected that Empress Jiang would find out about the Living Buddha Temple. If... in the end, he would have no choice but to give up on Pudu.
He replied, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Just as Wu Yirong was about to leave, Jiang Fenghua said again, "Take your men and search the Buddhist temple first. I have already had other places searched."
Wu Yirong's pupils suddenly contracted, and he muttered, "What are they searching in the Buddhist temple for..."
Zhang Qian said, "The Golden Toad is extremely dangerous, and it concerns the safety of the people in both prefectures. I will take people and Prefect Wu to investigate it."
Jiang Fenghua felt that Zhang Qian was becoming more and more shrewd. She said, "When the murder occurred in Yuzhou, I happened to be in Yuzhou City. I heard some details about the Golden Toad Murder Case. The witness's name was Hu San, right? He was from Jiangzhou. I heard him say that his family members also died from the Golden Toad poison. He mentioned the Living Buddha Temple in Jiangzhou."
Wu Yirong felt a chill run down his spine. "I have not heard of the Golden Toad Murder Case, but there were indeed several small-scale plague outbreaks in Jiangzhou a few years ago. I dealt with them urgently before they spread, and fortunately, they did not affect other people."
“I have verified that Hu San, the witness brought by Prefect Zhang, is not from Jiangzhou. He was talking nonsense in front of the Empress. He is making false accusations and mocking the government.”
Zhang Qian said, "Prefect Wu has indeed met with Hu San. I have also confirmed that Hu San is not the villager Hu San from Plum Blossom Village. However, he is unwilling to reveal his real name and only said that the Living Buddha Temple is disregarding human life. Whether he is making a false accusation or not, I will definitely investigate thoroughly. I believe Prefect Wu will also assist me in investigating the case. There are still many doubts in this case. Whether Hu San is deliberately playing tricks on the government, I will also investigate thoroughly."
Wu Yirong said, "If you torture him, he will naturally confess to everything."
Zhang Qian asked, "Does Prefect Wu mean to extract a confession through torture?"
Wu Yirong was stunned. "What does Prefect Zhang mean? He's talking nonsense..."
Zhang Qian said in a deep voice, "Indeed, someone in Yuzhou was killed by the Golden Toad. As the official in charge of the people, I must find out the murderer. Regardless of whether Hu San is talking nonsense or not, the clues are all on Hu San. He pointed to the Living Buddha Temple. I must live up to the Emperor's important mission and the people's trust. I will not let go of any clues."
Wu Yirong knew that Zhang Qian was pedantic and difficult to reason with; he was completely unyielding. Anyone who tried to bribe him with money was essentially handing evidence directly to Zhang Qian.
Jiang Fenghua also feigned concern, saying, "It is a blessing for Great Zhou and its people to have such good officials as Prefect Wu and Prefect Zhang who serve the country and its people. Prefect Zhang, take your men to investigate!"
Wu Yirong had no choice but to take his men with him.
All Yue Anying wanted to do now was leave. She thought to herself, "Thank goodness she didn't reveal her real name back then."
Jiang Fenghua walked to Yue Anying's side and said gently, "Miss Anying, you've been frightened."
Yue Anying said, "I was truly blind to your greatness. I, Anying, pay my respects to Your Majesty the Empress."
“It’s fate that we met, Miss Aying. There’s no need for such formalities. Fortunately, we didn’t get into any trouble at the Living Buddha Temple. Miss Aying, please remember to be careful when you’re out and about in the future.” Jiang Fenghua said with concern, “You offended the monks at the Living Buddha Temple. I’m worried that they might have other accomplices. If you need any help, Miss Aying, please just tell me. I can send someone to take you home.”
Yue Anying was stunned. Was Jiang Fenghua concerned about her?
She said, "No need, I have my own guards. Thank you so much, Your Majesty."
"Miss Aying, please make yourself at home. I have important matters to attend to." Jiang Fenghua gave Aoxue a wink, and Yue Anying's people were released.
Only after Jiang Fenghua left did Jiang Jian dare to speak, "Miss, thankfully they don't know our identities. Let's leave here quickly!"
Yue Anying said, "I'm not leaving, I want to stay."
"What are you going to do staying here, Miss? Are you going to walk right into a trap?" Jiang Jian thought she was out of her mind.
"I have my own plans." Yue Anying said coldly, "Hongbao and Qianshun have both gone missing. I must find Hongbao. They are after Hongbao. If Hongbao falls into their hands, she will be in grave danger. My sister will definitely not let me off if she finds out that I lost Hongbao."
The swordsmith said, "Qian Shun and Hong Bao might be in Empress Jiang's hands."
Yue Anying said, "How could that be? The red treasure won't be in their hands. They're also looking for the murderous golden toad. It would be really dangerous if they found my red treasure first. We'll stay with them, and I'll take the red treasure away as soon as they find it."
The craftsman had nothing to say.
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Zhang Qian and Wu Yirong led their men to search the Buddhist temple, but found nothing.
Wu Yirong said, "Nothing was found. Lord Zhang believed the words of an imposter... He came all the way from Yuzhou, causing a great uproar and alarming the Empress. There is no man-eating toad here."
Zhang Qian said, "I don't completely disbelieve what Hu San said. Surely the skeletons on the back mountain of the Living Buddha Temple aren't fake!"
Wu Yirong was speechless after being confronted. They were so careless; how could they have buried someone in the back mountain and even had them discovered?
At this moment, Jiang Fenghua also arrived. She stared at the several large Buddha statues in the Buddhist hall and said, "Bring Pudu over."
Pudu arrived at the Buddhist temple and saw that nothing had changed. He said, "I am a monk and never lie. The Empress found nothing. Now you should release me!"
“Master Pudu, don’t worry. I won’t wrong you without evidence.” She said casually, “If it is found that the skeletons on the back mountain of the Living Buddha Temple have nothing to do with you, I will definitely let you go.”
Jiang Fenghua took a deep look at the Buddha statue and said in a deep voice, "If we can't find anything here, we'll take people to the back mountain to investigate. Arrest and interrogate all the people from the Living Buddha Temple."