The inn, Ma Yunlu's room.
Sun Shangxiang and Lü Lingqi were both present. Ma Yunlu, being straightforward, bit her lip and roared in anger, "The Crown Prince brought the three of us to Jiangdong, yet every day… he spends his time with the saintess of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult." I suspect he's been bewitched by that vixen!"
"Is my husband's mind so easily swayed by a vixen?" Sun Shangxiang retorted… "Could it be…"
"One can't say for sure," Lü Lingqi said, her brows furrowed. "I heard this vixen's grandmother was a witch in Bashu. Before she died, she was involved with Liu Yan, the former governor of Bashu. Who knows if this vixen… has also learned some bewitching arts to ensnare men?"
Lü Lingqi was the boldest and dared to say anything. "Sisters, think about it. Since arriving in Jiangdong, has my husband touched you at all?"
"This…" Ma Yunlu snorted. "Yesterday, that vixen stayed in my husband's room for three whole hours. The day before… she stayed even longer. And before that… Humph… In my opinion… my husband must be completely drained by her!"
Lü Lingqi dared to speak, but Ma Yunlu dared even more.
Sun Shangxiang, however, showed a shyness befitting a young woman.
"Then…"
She hesitated, but couldn't help asking, "What… should we do?"
"Swoosh…" Lü Lingqi drew her sword, which she wore at her side. "I'll kill this vixen with one blow…"
"No!" Ma Yunlu advised. "If you kill her…"
Clearly, Ma Yunlu was still rational…
Lü Lingqi, however, looked completely fearless. "What? Will my husband divorce me?"
In the end, Lü Lingqi, Sun Shangxiang, and Ma Yunlu all had backgrounds.
And their marriages to Lu Yu were all tied to the overall situation of Great Wei…
This was why Lü Lingqi had such confidence.
Just then…
"My Ladies…"
A maidservant hurried over… She was panting slightly, and her face was filled with terror.
"What is it?" Ma Yunlu asked…
"His Highness the Crown Prince… he ordered the saintess of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult to be apprehended… and is currently escorting her to the main hall, stating that she is to be severely interrogated!"
As the maidservant's voice fell.
Sun Shangxiang, Ma Yunlu, and Lü Lingqi's pupils widened in unison. They seemed to have received a tremendous shock.
Strangely enough… the three of them had initially hated Zhang Qiying to the bone, but… but upon hearing such news, they were suddenly at a loss for what to do…
"Wh-what's going on?" Sun Shangxiang asked, startled.
"It seems… it seems His Highness the Crown Prince has identified… that Zhang Qiying and the Five Bushels of Rice Cult are… the culprits behind the rat plague!"
Ah…
The three women had just recovered from their initial surprise.
Who would have thought that the maidservant's words… would bring them even greater shock!
That vixen… was she… was she the source and culprit of the plague?
Then… how could this vixen… how could she have tirelessly treated the plague!
Then… why has my husband been close to her recently? Could it be… deliberately… deliberately approaching her to gather intelligence?
In an instant, all sorts of speculations surfaced and appeared on the faces of the three women!
Lü Lingqi, Sun Shangxiang, and Ma Yunlu looked at each other, and then… they quickly went out to the main hall… to witness my husband's "interrogation"!
…
…
The main hall of the inn was crowded.
Not only Lu Yu and a group of officers from the Dragon Soaring Camp, but also Sun Quan, Sun Yi, Zhou Yu, Lu Xun, Lu Su, and Zhang Zhao were all present…
When the news that the Crown Prince of Wei had captured the culprit of the "plague" spread, it truly… stirred up a thousand waves.
The entire Wu Commandery was in an uproar. Countless common people flocked to the inn, and they waited outside, unable to enter.
They wanted to know, who exactly?
Made… the people of Jiangdong suffer such great hardship!
Who was this instigator, this utterly wicked person?
When Sun Shangxiang, Ma Yunlu, and Lü Lingqi arrived, it just so happened that… the "sinner" was being escorted to the hall. Because they had heard the news in advance, they knew that my husband had captured Zhang Qiying…
But Zhang Qiying's appearance caused everyone else present to be greatly astonished.
One must know…
Under the plague, Zhang Qiying and the Five Bushels of Rice Cult had worked tirelessly to help Wu Commandery. The medicinal materials they provided and the number of people they assisted the government in calming exceeded tens of thousands.
Initially…
Their motives were indeed perplexing and difficult to understand, but… as time went on, the people of Wu Commandery, including this saintess, were sincerely grateful to the disciples of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult, even treating them like family. Yet now… it was this saintess, Zhang Qiqi, who was being escorted to the hall.
Even Zhou Yu was suddenly taken aback. Where did this woman look like a criminal? She clearly… clearly looked like a bodhisattva who saved people from suffering!
"Bring a stool, let her sit down!"
Lu Yu commanded…
A stool was quickly brought over. Zhang Qiying frowned slightly, but she sat down with graceful composure.
Facing the myriad of questioning gazes, Zhang Qiying smiled and sighed, "As a humble maiden and the saintess of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult, I have been taught since childhood that 'Tao gives birth to virtue, nature is effortless, the soft does not contend, and longevity is long.' I have only known how to save people, not harm them. I believe… His Highness the Crown Prince must have some misunderstanding of me, right?"
Zhang Qiying said a great deal, but Lu Yu walked up to her with a smile, pointing at her as he introduced her to everyone, "This saintess of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult is the culprit of the Jiangdong rat plague!"
Because Zhang Qiqi had spoken first…
Coupled with her free medical consultations and her efforts to treat Jiangdong, it gave people a pre-established impression.
Everyone still didn't believe that she… a living bodhisattva, would be the source and culprit of the Jiangdong rat plague?
"His Highness the Crown Prince is truly interesting…"
Zhang Qiying said with a smile, "If His Highness the Crown Prince says I am the culprit, then I am the culprit? Why… I feel a sense of 'when the birds are gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the running dog is cooked.' My Five Bushels of Rice Cult has no intention of competing with Great Wei for dominance. Why must His Highness treat us like this? Why must he persecute us so relentlessly?"
Zhang Qiying's words were full of inflammatory rhetoric…
This made more people lean towards her!
Lu Yu ignored Zhang Qiying's words and turned to ask Zhou Yu, "Governor Zhou, do you know why… the case of the plague has not been solved?"
"I await His Highness's instruction!" Zhou Yu cupped his hands.
"Because the culprit is among us. They know exactly where we are investigating and what methods we are using. If any evidence were left behind, she would quickly eliminate it. Therefore, it's not just that this case has made no progress now; even if we investigated for another year or two, there would still be no progress!"
Speaking of which…
Lu Yu waved his hand, "Guards, strip her clothes!"
"…"
Everyone's eyeballs nearly fell out. Lu Yu had… gone too far!
Not to mention… there was no direct evidence yet.
Just in broad daylight, to strip a woman's clothes seemed rather impolite.
As expected…
No one dared to step forward at Lu Yu's command…
Even Dian Wei and Xu Chu dared not strip Zhang Qiying's clothes. If word got out… their reputation would suffer!
"Heh heh…"
Lu Yu smiled as if he had expected this. "Everyone sees, even though it is my command, because she is a woman… everyone hesitates!"
"It is precisely because of this that who would associate such a crime with this benevolent saintess of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult? In this way, weakness becomes the most reliable disguise!"
Lu Yu took another step closer to Zhang Qiying…
Zhang Qiying instinctively resisted.
"A scholar can be killed but not insulted. Although I am a woman, I cannot allow His Highness the Crown Prince to insult me like this!"
"Heh…" Lu Yu smiled. He had no intention of stripping Zhang Qiying's clothes. He turned his head… "Everyone, did you see? She would say 'a scholar can be killed but not insulted,' which shows… she has her own moral judgment. She considers herself a 'scholar' in her heart, and like us, she believes herself to be a good person!"
Everyone listened, completely bewildered…
Lu Yu said so much, but it felt like… he hadn't said anything?
What… what was he trying to convey?
Lu Yu's words continued, as if he were imparting knowledge, a principle.
"Many things are not as simple as they appear on the surface. Even the most gentle woman can be the most vicious weapon. Under the most benevolent means, there can be hidden immense filth and killing intent. So… how to glimpse the underlying truth from the surface? How to see a person's fundamental nature from a harmless exterior?"
Lu Yu's lengthy discourse made Lu Su feel as if his head would explode.
He couldn't help but open his mouth and say, "It's not that your subordinate doubts you, but rather… if His Highness the Crown Prince says she is a criminal, then she is a criminal? To catch a thief, one must have the stolen goods, and some evidence is always needed, right!"
"Evidence…" Lu Yu smiled, saying with utmost certainty, "There is!"
Lu Su made a gesture of "please," and said, "Then please, Your Highness the Crown Prince, present it for us to see. My Gong Jin, Boyan, and I have been investigating this case for over a month with no progress. I wonder what methods and means Your Highness has used?"
Everyone remained silent…
But Lu Su's question was everyone's confusion…
It could be said that all the civil and military officials present, as well as the common people outside the inn, were eagerly awaiting… Lu Yu's so-called evidence!
Facing Lu Su's doubt, Lu Yu's expression remained calm. He smiled and beckoned.
"Guards, invite the ghost soldier Bu Lianshi of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult up!"
Five Bushels of Rice Cult?
Ghost soldier?
Bu Lianshi?
At the command, a woman walked in gracefully. Looking at her, she seemed to be a peerlessly beautiful woman. Her green robes and long, flowing hair… made her appear like a flower fairy in a valley, detached from worldly affairs.
Instinctively, everyone's mind recalled a sentence—Jiangdong has such beauty?
However…
She looked very frightened. She walked in cautiously, trembling all over, but upon seeing Lu Yu… it was as if she had taken a calming pill.
And Zhang Qiying's complexion instantly changed from rosy… to deathly pale.
She… she was shocked, she… she was truly terrified.
With a "thump," Bu Lianshi knelt down.
"Your humble servant Bu Lianshi pays respects to my benefactor…"
Lu Yu raised his eyebrows slightly, then stared at her deeply, his clear and handsome face full of solemnity, "You tell me, what is your identity? What is your purpose in coming here? And… the connection between the plague and the Five Bushels of Rice Cult!"
"Yes!" Bu Lianshi, while kowtowing, obediently confessed, "Your humble servant is a collateral branch of the Bu family in Jiangdong. Due to the war… I took refuge in Wu Commandery and joined the Five Bushels of Rice Cult with my mother. Within the Five Bushels of Rice Cult, I served as a ghost soldier… For the past two years, my mother became a sacrificial wine of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult, and the development of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult in Jiangdong over the past two years cannot be separated from my mother's coordination… recruiting personnel and executing missions for the Five Bushels of Rice Cult… and I was chosen by the Cult Master to go to the main altar in Hanzhong… to be responsible for collecting and releasing intelligence and missions in Jiangdong."
"……"
Silence!
In an instant, the hall of the inn fell into complete silence.
Everyone's complexion changed.
Who would have thought that this frail woman named Bu Lianshi… this woman who seemed as if… a gust of wind could blow her away… held such an important position in the Five Bushels of Rice Cult.
Then…
Regarding the plague case, Bu Lianshi was… was the witness!
Zhou Yu, Zhang Zhao, and Lu Su's eyes flashed with a sharp glint, but their gaze remained fixed on Bu Lianshi.
Lu Yu nodded towards Bu Lianshi. "You also told me that spreading the plague was a decision made by the high-ranking members of the Five Bushels of Rice Cult, and that your mother was responsible for its dissemination, is that correct?"
"That's right," Bu Lianshi nodded. "When the Great Sacrificial Wine of the Head, Zhang Wei, came to Jiangdong, he was worried… that the military might of Great Wei would point towards Hanzhong. Therefore, he devised this strategy of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,' which was to transfer the rat plague from the Western Regions to Jiangdong, causing the plague in the six commanderies of Jiangdong, thereby preventing Great Wei from paying attention to the west… Later, the Great Sacrificial Wine of the Head, Zhang Wei, was transferred back to the main altar and punished. The saintess then took charge of Jiangdong's affairs… and continued to practice the 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' strategy!"
"You…" Zhang Qiying could no longer hold back and cried out.
No matter what, she never imagined that the one who betrayed her would be Bu Lianshi…
But if it was Bu Lianshi, then the intelligence regarding the Five Bushels of Rice Cult would be almost completely exposed to Jiangdong.
Not only the plague, but also… also the poison and… aphrodisiac!
No wonder…
No wonder Lu Yu had asked that question just now when he mentioned the wine vessel.
"—What did you put in this cup of wine, poison? Or an aphrodisiac?"
At first, Zhang Qiying didn't understand, but now… she understood, she completely understood!
But… why Bu Lianshi? Why betray the Five Bushels of Rice Cult?
"Cough cough…"
Amidst the solemn silence, Lu Su asked, "Then? Why did you betray the Five Bushels of Rice Cult? Weren't you and your mother taken in by the Five Bushels of Rice Cult when you sought refuge in Wu Commandery? They showed great kindness to you and your mother! Did… did the Five Bushels of Rice Cult treat you poorly?"
Bu Lianshi shook her head. "It can't be said that they were good, nor can it be said that they were bad. There are many people like me in the… Five Bushels of Rice Cult, with Sacrificial Wines, Great Sacrificial Wines, and Great Sacrificial Wines of the Head above me… I… I originally worked sincerely for the church, but… but…"
When she reached the end…
Bu Lianshi hesitated. She paused before continuing, "But… but because of this plague, my mother… my mother also contracted the plague. This is an epidemic that even the saintess… cannot cure! It seemed that the only thing left for my mother was… to await death. But… but because of the appearance of the Crown Prince of Wei, because of the medicinal materials and cats… and the free medical consultations that the Crown Prince of Wei brought, my mother miraculously recovered. Although she still couldn't get out of bed, but… but in any case, she had escaped death's embrace!"
"I came to Jiangdong and first went to see my mother. I personally witnessed her condition improve. I thought, I thought… the Crown Prince has done so much for my mother, I really… really couldn't bear to see, to see…"
The latter words… Bu Lianshi was about to blurt out in one breath.
But… Zhang Qiying suddenly interrupted.
"Enough… Enough!"
At this moment, her pupils widened, and an endless sense of sorrow and despair surged through her!
It was a chilling coldness and despair!
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