On her wedding night, she went into exile with her pharmacy arsenal

Chapter 2139 Interrogation of the House Slave

The summer breeze rustled through the branches and leaves, passed through the vermilion gates of the governor's mansion, and swept across the empty courtyard.

The usual bustling yamen runners and servants were nowhere to be seen; only a few old locust trees remained, their leaves beginning to fall at this time of year, casting shadows on the blue brick ground like a sparse net.

Wu Liang walked forward, stepping on the fallen leaves, making a soft rustling sound that was particularly clear in the deathly silent mansion.

"It's even quieter than a cemetery." Sun Qing clicked his tongue, his gaze sweeping over the houses on both sides.

The doors and windows that should have been open were all tightly shut. There were shadowy figures moving behind the paper windows, but no one dared to peek out.

Su Zhenhai's soldiers guarded outside the mansion, and the atmosphere of swords and spears could be felt even through several courtyard walls. The servants wanted to escape but had nowhere to go, so they could only huddle inside the house, trembling with fear.

Wu Liang stopped and looked up at the plaque in the main hall. “Prefect Ding has been in this position for many years. Now it is said that he is aided by ghosts and gods. If that is true, there must be sacrificial objects hidden in his mansion.”

He pointed to the depths of the courtyard: "These kinds of things are taboo for outsiders to disturb, so they won't be displayed in the open."

Sun Qing nodded and turned to look at the west corridor.

The layout of the governor's mansion follows the rule of "front court, rear residence". The front courtyard is the main hall for office work and the admonitory stone pavilion, while the rear courtyard is the inner residence, with several side courtyards on the east and west sides.

He took two steps to the west, then turned back and said, "It should be a separate courtyard, perhaps with a small ancestral hall or something. There should be someone guarding it normally, but now no one is taking care of it."

The two walked along the central axis, passing through the Jieshi Pavilion, which was covered with a thin layer of dust. The inscription "Gong Sheng Ming" inside the pavilion had become blurred.

The lobby door was ajar, and when it was pushed open, it creaked, startling several sparrows on the roof beams into flight.

Inside the room, the desk was askew, files were scattered all over the floor, and the ink in the inkstone had long since dried and hardened into lumps.

Wu Liang flipped through the documents on the table; they were all ordinary tax records, with nothing unusual about them.

"Go check out the backyard."

As Sun Qing spoke, he lifted his foot and walked towards the second hall.

The backyard was more exquisite than the front yard, but it was neglected and the weeds had grown over the stone steps, though a patch of flowers was blooming profusely.

The east courtyard was Governor Ding's study. The door was locked, and Sun Qing pushed it, but it didn't budge.

Wu Liang took out a thin wire from his waist, probed it into the keyhole and fiddled with it for a moment. With a click, the lock opened.

Nothing at all.

Wu Liang was surprised, recalling that he had heard before that the governor's mansion had been robbed and many things had been stolen.

Could it be... that the study was also stolen?

That was a very clean theft.

The two of them didn't need to search; they could tell at a glance that there was nothing related to sacrifices in the house—no incense burner, no talismans, no peach wood.

"Could the rumors be false?" Sun Qing asked with some doubt. "The prince and princess have never believed in ghosts and gods."

Wu Liang stood by the window, looking at the soldiers whose figures could be vaguely seen outside the courtyard wall: "We don't believe in ghosts and gods, but rumors don't come from nowhere."

Perhaps we'll find the clues that the prince and princess are looking for.

The servants surely know something, but everyone is on edge these days and may not be willing to speak.

He turned around: "I need to ask a few servants."

Sun Qing's eyes lit up, and he stood up from his chair: "I learned a trick from Brother Yinding that will make them obediently talk."

As he spoke, a sly smile crept across his lips, and he turned and walked toward the side courtyard where the servants lived.

The servants' quarters were located on the westernmost side of the mansion, consisting of several low, tiled houses crammed together.

Normally, even the top servants and maids don't live here, but things are different now. For easier management, they are all being managed in batches.

Sun Qing walked to the door, kicked the door panel, and the door panel made a dull sound.

"Come out of here!"

His voice was loud and carried far through the quiet mansion.

The lamplight flickered a few times, and after a while, the door slowly opened a crack, and several servants and maids shrank out.

The leader was an older servant, about forty years old, with a face full of fear. Behind him were two younger servants and three maids. The youngest maid was only thirteen or fourteen years old, with red eyes, obviously having been crying.

"Sir, what is it?" the older servant stammered, his eyes darting away, avoiding direct eye contact with the two men.

Sun Qing walked up to them with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over everyone: "I ask you, does Governor Ding secretly worship anything? Or are there any places in his residence that you are not allowed to go?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other and lowered their heads.

The older servant stammered, "No, sir, we have never seen the governor do such things."

“Yes, yes,” a maidservant quickly chimed in, “we’ve never seen any sacrificial objects before.”

Sun Qing sneered, placed his right hand on his sword, and gently pulled it out. The sword slid out an inch from its scabbard, its cold light reflecting off the pale faces of the crowd.

"Is it really not true, or are you afraid to say it?" His voice was as cold as the frost of late autumn.

The youngest maidservant's body went limp, and she leaned against the maidservant next to her, tears streaming down her face again: "I really don't know. We are only responsible for our work, and we are never allowed to inquire about the governor's private affairs."

"Don't know?" Sun Qing took two steps forward, closing in on the crowd. "Prefect Ding committed a serious crime and is now being held in the Su residence. He is certainly not going to survive."

According to the law, those who plot treason are to be executed along with their entire family, numbering nine generations. Although you are not his relatives, you have served in his household for so long that you cannot escape being implicated. When the time comes, your entire family will be wiped out; you will all face certain death.”

These words struck everyone like a boulder. The eldest servant's legs went weak and he almost knelt down, while several maids burst into tears, their voices filled with suppressed despair.

"Stop crying!" Sun Qing's shout immediately silenced everyone's sobs, though their shoulders were still trembling slightly. "I'm giving you a way out now, it's up to you whether you want to take it or not."

Everyone looked up in unison, their eyes filled with longing, as if they had grasped at a lifeline.

The older servant choked back tears: "Sir, we're willing to do anything to save our lives."

Sun Qing reached out and swept his hand across the crowd, placing the three servants on the left and the two maids and the old servant on the right.

"You split into two teams and tell us everything you know about Governor Ding, whether it's a big or small matter, as long as you know it."

The team that speaks the most and the fastest wins. The winning team will be spared; there will be no reprisal.

Upon hearing this, everyone subconsciously swallowed, their fingers clenched tightly, and cold sweat seeped from their palms.

The young servant on the left glanced at the maid on the right, his eyes filled with a mixture of wariness and urgency.

Wu Liang stood to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips as he tried to suppress his laughter.

He knew Sun Qing was full of tricks, but he never expected him to use this method, which was both insidious and effective, turning a group of terrified servants into rivals.

“However,” Sun Qing’s tone shifted, his eyes turning sharp, “I’m telling you this upfront: if I find anyone spouting nonsense or making up lies, I’ll give them thirty lashes and leave them bruised and battered.”

If anyone dares to lie a second time, they will be dragged out and beaten to death without any leniency.

Your two teams will supervise each other. Whoever discovers the other team lying should immediately point it out; doing so will be a meritorious act.