BVAHEDLA[W Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Ancient Era 8 – Beginning and End

The three people present exchanged glances, surprise flashing in their eyes.

Qi Shou confessed?

But what reason would he have to do that?

Chu Li-fei frowned, analyzing the possibility of Qi Shou committing the crime in his mind.

But he still knew too little information. It seemed he had to go and understand the situation in detail.

Chu Li-fei exchanged a look with Qian Ming, and they both saw agreement in each other’s eyes. They both thought it best to first go and see the Old Madam Qi and then make a decision.

Qian Ming turned his head and signaled the jailer to go back first: “Keep a close eye on Qi Shou, don’t let anything happen to him. After Prince Qin, His Highness the Fourth Prince, and I return, we will interrogate him again.”

“Yes, sir.” The jailer nodded, bowed, and then retreated.

Qian Ming led the way, but because of his status, he always lagged half a step behind Chu Li-fei and Lu Mo-chen, so Chu Li-fei could clearly see the layout of the Qi mansion.

On the way to Old Madam Qi’s courtyard, Qian Ming revealed some information about the Qi family to Chu Li-fei and Lu Mo-chen.

Old Master Qi and Madam Qi had a childhood romance. Old Madam Qi was born into a noble family and was originally well-matched with Old Master Qi, but the family later declined. However, Old Master Qi resolutely married Old Madam Qi, and the couple were deeply in love since their marriage.

Later, Old Master Qi received an order to go to the border to resist the enemy, and Old Madam Qi also vowed to follow him to the death. And the eldest young master and the second young master of the Qi family, who were later Qi Fu and Qi Lu, were also born at the border.

After the two grew up, they followed their father to resist the enemy at the border. It could be said that like father, like son, especially Qi Fu, who was born with immense strength. At a young age, he could lift a spear that was half a head taller than him, and he was even more brave and unparalleled in killing the enemy on the battlefield. It was said that everyone in the army at that time praised this young man.

Compared to his elder brother, Qi Lu seemed much more ordinary.

Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable. In one battle, Qi Fu and Qi Lu were separated from the army by the enemy’s pursuit and accidentally disappeared. Several people in the army searched for them for a day and a night without success.

But the next morning, the two of them appeared in front of everyone, leaning against each other.

Qi Fu and Qi Lu were both covered in dirt and looked like they had suffered a lot. Just when everyone was happy for their return, someone with sharp eyes noticed that behind them, there was a long trail of blood.

The dark red blood trail meandered all the way, seeping into the yellowish-brown ground and gradually turning black, looking ferocious and terrifying.

And Qi Fu’s face was already extremely pale, and his lips were bloodless.

They then realized that Qi Fu was almost entirely hanging on his younger brother. From his knee to his calf, there was a deep, bone-deep scar.

After the military doctor’s diagnosis, Qi Fu’s leg was completely crippled, and there was no possibility of recovery.

From then on, the “young general” of the past gradually withdrew from the public’s view. Before everyone could sigh, Qi Lu had already gained great fame by virtue of his extraordinary talent and repeated achievements.

Everyone praised Old Master Qi for having two good sons, who would surely bring glory to the family. But when everyone wanted to enumerate Qi Fu’s merits one by one, they were all silenced for a moment. Everyone looked at each other, their faces full of embarrassment.

Otherwise, they could only sigh with regret.

Gradually, Qi Fu disappeared from everyone’s sight.

Later, Old Master Qi was able to return to Beijing with glory as the Marquis Zhongyi for his meritorious service in resisting the enemy.

After returning to Beijing, Qi Fu and Qi Lu successively got married. Because of his leg disease, the aristocratic ladies who were well-matched did not look up to Qi Fu. In the end, he only married the daughter of a merchant. And Qi Lu married the daughter of the Minister of Revenue.

In the same year, Old Master Qi and Old Madam Qi gave birth to their third son, who is now Qi Shou.

Having a son in old age, the old couple spoiled him very much, and even the two older brothers had to give way to him in front of him. Fortunately, although the old couple doted on him, they never let him go when he deserved to be punished, so he didn’t cause any major troubles.

Generally speaking, the title of marquis can be hereditary, but most of them will let the eldest son inherit it. After inheriting the title of marquis, the remaining brothers will separate their families.

But the Qi family is not like that.

The one who inherited the title of marquis was the second son, Qi Lu, and many years have passed, but the family has not been separated until now.

Actually, it can be understood.

Qi Fu suffers from a leg disease, and his life is much more difficult than ordinary people. If the family is separated, most of the original property of the Marquis’s mansion will be inherited by Qi Lu, and Qi Fu can only get a small part. The days after that would be very different from now.

And Qi Shou is uneducated and incompetent. If the family is separated, I’m afraid he will squander his family property in a few days, and he can’t do such a thing as mortgaging the house.

Moreover, the old lady is old and loves her youngest son. For the sake of his mother, Qi Lu has not separated the family. A large family has been living in the Qi mansion until now.

Chu Li-fei then understood why Qian Ming suspected Qi Fu.

Qi Lu’s reputation in the court has always been good. He is kind, upright, and treats people kindly and politely. In the early years, there was a severe drought in the north, and many victims could only gnaw on bark and dig earth to satisfy their hunger. Qi Lu personally led people to the disaster area and volunteered to provide porridge.

How could such a person do such a thing as treason?

Another suspicious point is that the armor sent to the army has its own independent number as a mark, but the set found from Qi’s mansion did not. It must have been privately cast by himself.

But wanting to cast a set of armor alone, the gold and silver resources required are unimaginable.

But looking at this Qi mansion, Chu Li-fei followed Qian Ming all the way around the courtyard, but he didn’t see any signs of extravagance.

From the roof tiles to the pavilions and pavilions, all facilities are quite satisfactory, and there are very few ornaments. For the identity of the Marquis, it is simply extremely poor. Chu Li-fei even dared to guarantee that this mansion would not be looked down upon by some local emperor magistrates far away from the foot of the emperor.

In this way, either this Qi Lu was prepared early and was cunning and treacherous, not letting others catch a single handle on weekdays; or, this is his true situation.

And Chu Li-fei believed that Qi Lu was the latter.

If his guess was true, then Qi Lu must have been framed.

Then who is it?

Generally speaking, at this time, one would often think of—who has a feud with Qi Lu? Or who can benefit from it?

Qi Lu rarely interacts with people on weekdays, so the only people who have the opportunity to put this armor in his home are the Qi family members and Li Dong.

But his reputation has always been very good, and he rarely makes enemies with people.

As for Qi Fu, it is not impossible for him to be dissatisfied with the loss of the title of marquis.

As for who can benefit from it, there are many people.

Qi Lu also has a troop inherited from Old Master Qi. If he falls, the ownership of the troop under his command will naturally be transferred.

Even Chu Li-fei himself has a certain suspicion.

Therefore, judging from the information currently in hand, Qi Lu’s suspicion is indeed the greatest.

But just like Qian Ming said, if Qi Lu really did it, then what is he planning for?

People must have something to gain in order to have something to plot.

But he can’t escape such a capital crime of family extermination. What good is it for Qi Fu?

“What if he knows he won’t die…”

What Lu Mo-chen had said not long ago echoed in his mind. Chu Li-fei felt that he had grasped something key, but it was very elusive, and after that flash of inspiration, everything returned to the mist.

Lu Mo-chen on the side was also thinking secretly.

What was different from Chu Li-fei was that he was reasoning backwards.

Chu Li-fei and Qian Ming only knew the beginning of the matter, so they could only start speculating from the existing clues, which had great limitations.

But he was different. He was reborn, and what he knew was the result of the incident.

In his previous life, Qi Lu confessed his guilt. At the pleading of the Crown Prince, Qi Lu was executed, and the remaining members of the Qi clan were all exiled.

Lu Mo-chen remembered that the troops originally belonging to Marquis Zhongyi eventually fell into the hands of a man named Wang Ping.

Wang Ping is now just a small military officer, but in the near future, he will rise all the way, and even cause no small trouble when he ascends the throne later.

And Wang Ping is the Crown Prince’s man.

Lu Mo-chen suddenly felt that everything was clear, and the Crown Prince, as a key node, connected all the doubts.

So behind all this, the Crown Prince is the real mastermind.

But, who is the Crown Prince’s man now?

Qi Fu? Qi Shou? Or Li Dong?

Speaking of which, this person, Li Dong, he had never heard of when he first entered the court in his previous life…

But according to his age, it is far from the time to retire and return to his hometown. In his previous life, he didn’t seem to have heard of any major cases related to Li Dong.

Then where did this person go?

Could it be that he is dead…?

This speculation made Lu Mo-chen break out in a cold sweat.

But when he thought of his Crown Prince’s character, Lu Mo-chen felt that it was not unbelievable.

Li Dong, as an important part of the case, must have known something, and that’s why he was silenced.

After all, only dead people don’t talk. His Crown Prince could do such a thing.

Wait!

Lu Mo-chen suddenly thought of something.

He remembered the case of his mother’s family—the Cheng family. According to the file he saw, the person who took the lead in writing the memorial was also missing now.

Could it be…also the Crown Prince’s doing?

No, that’s not right.

Lu Mo-chen shook his head. At that time, the Crown Prince was only a child, and he couldn’t have made such a seamless plan.

But is it really unrelated to the Crown Prince?

For some reason, he always felt that there must be some connection between these two cases.

Lu Mo-chen’s eyes narrowed, it seemed that he still had to find a way to investigate the past case of the Cheng family.

The three of them were thinking in their own minds, and soon arrived at Old Madam Qi’s mansion.

Before stepping into the courtyard, they heard several people talking.

It seemed that the servant was right, and the owners of the house were indeed gathered here.

As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, the strong smell of medicine rushed into their noses.

Chu Li-fei frowned slightly. It seemed that Old Madam Qi was indeed terminally ill.

Hearing the movement outside, a woman opened the door and took a look. When she saw that it was Chu Li-fei and the others, she was stunned for a moment, and then, seeing that their clothes and demeanor were all extraordinary, she saluted calmly.

“Greetings, lords.”

The woman had a simple hairstyle of a married woman, slightly messy, with no ornaments in her hair. Her eyes were red, her eyelids were swollen, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She must have been crying for a long time but still had to manage the entire Qi mansion, so she had to cheer herself up.

Her face was haggard, and her mental state looked obviously bad, but her every move was dignified and polite, showing the demeanor of a lady, and she must have been born noble and received a good education for a long time.

She must be Qi Lu’s wife—Feng Rao.

At this moment, a heavy cough suddenly came from the room, followed by what seemed to be a burst of vomiting.

Feng Rao’s expression changed slightly, and she immediately ran back: “Mother!”