Shen Qingqing arrived at the interrogation room. The Count smiled upon seeing her and greeted her.
"Miss Shen, you've arrived."
"Mm, I've come to see you and ask you a few questions." Shen Qingqing sat down on a chair and opened the small table in front of her.
She then placed her backpack on it. The backpack was a bit heavy, making a thud.
The Count raised an eyebrow. "May I be so bold as to ask what's in the bag?" Kai Shu Ge
Shen Qingqing smiled faintly. "Are you curious?"
"Moderately so." The Count's expression was calm as he rested his chin on one hand and said faintly, "You're here to let me go, aren't you?"
Shen Qingqing hummed, "I will certainly let you go, but not yet. I just need to prove your innocence."
The Count lowered his gaze. "Has there been any progress with your proof?"
Shen Qingqing leaned back comfortably in her chair, appearing very relaxed. "Yes, but I still need to ask you a few more questions. I believe after this conversation, I should be able to confirm things."
"Then ask away, I will cooperate fully."
Shen Qingqing nodded, opened her backpack, and carefully took something out. "Before that, let's look at something first."
It was a goddess statue, about the size of an arm, exquisitely carved. It was covered in cracks that crisscrossed its surface, ruining the goddess's delicate face.
This gave her a rather eerie appearance.
The Count averted his gaze after just one look, unwilling to see it again. "What is this thing?"
Shen Qingqing said faintly, "A goddess statue."
Goddess Aus was a figure comparable to a king in Country H. Though a fictional character, she was the object of everyone's faith.
The Count glanced again in disbelief. "Who broke her like this?"
"Don't you find this goddess familiar?"
The Count shook his head, his expression one of utter bewilderment. "Of course, I've never seen such a goddess statue. No one would be so disrespectful to a goddess statue!"
Shen Qingqing clasped her hands on the table, finding his words to be true. She had asked a foolish question. "Then let me rephrase, did you see this in the King's study?"
The Count blinked, then thought carefully. "Yes!"
"Was the goddess statue intact then?"
"Yes." The Count said, then suddenly realized something. "What do you mean by that? Did the King break the goddess statue?"
Shen Qingqing simply nodded, while observing his reaction.
The Count murmured, "Why? Just because I talked back to him a few times? That shouldn't be it. The King doesn't seem like that kind of person."
Breaking other things would be normal, but breaking a goddess statue was very abnormal.
Shen Qingqing asked, "What, goddess statues cannot be broken?"
"Of course not!" The Count's face was extremely serious. "Goddess Aus is the faith of all people in our Country H. Do you know what faith represents?"
It represented sanctity, the inviolable!
No one, not even the King, could disrespect Goddess Aus.
"So even the King cannot do something like that."
Shen Qingqing suddenly understood. No wonder the cleaner had collected the fragments. She had been wondering why they were collected so quickly, as the study wasn't the primary crime scene, so why worry about cuts?
The Count nodded gravely. "No, absolutely not. Once this matter gets out, even the King would face universal condemnation."
Shen Qingqing felt something was off. If he had lost his temper and broken the goddess statue, accidentally touching the poison on it, that would be understandable.
But if he hadn't acted in his anger, why would he break it after leaving?
The Count looked at her and asked, "Do others know about this?"
Shen Qingqing glanced at him. "No."
The Count sighed with disappointment. "What a pity. If this matter were to get out, it would be quite interesting. To think they'd break everyone's faith."
If it wasn't discovered, it would be fine. If it was discovered, he would also be subject to discussion.
Even his death might be attributed to divine retribution.
See, breaking the goddess statue brought punishment.
Shen Qingqing knew what was happening from the moment he mentioned it was everyone's faith. She naturally wouldn't grant the Count's wish.
"When you get out, don't spread rumors."
The Count smiled elegantly. "Of course, I won't."
"Only you and Pei Lie know about this. If anyone outside starts spreading it, it can only be you. Mr. Count, you don't want to go back to prison, do you?"
The smile on the Count's face instantly vanished. "I can keep quiet, but I'm very curious, why are you protecting the King?"
He knew that the King's attitude towards Shen Qingqing had been imperious when Pei Ji was captured.
There was no gratitude befitting a life-saver.
Shen Qingqing propped her chin, tapping the goddess's face with one finger. "It's not for him. I just don't want to cause any more trouble."
The true culprit hadn't been found yet, and any incident could become a variable.
"Alright, I promise you." The Count's ability to change his expression was remarkable. He showed no sign of displeasure at being threatened, only a faint smile on his face. "Can you let me out now?"
Shen Qingqing checked the time. There were still ten hours before the Count was scheduled to be released.
But she no longer had a reason to stay.
"Yes."
"Thank you."
She opened the door, and the Count was finally able to step out. Upon seeing the light, his eyes were unaccustomed to it, and he immediately closed them due to a sharp pain.
He opened them again when he adjusted.
Having been in such a dark and oppressive interrogation room for hours, he felt as though he had been there for days, a sense of unreality washing over him.
"Thank you," he said again.
Shen Qingqing's expression was calm. "It's nothing. Let's go. However, you need to stay at home recently. You might be summoned again for other matters."
"I understand."
The Count had thought he would have to stay the full 24 hours, but he was released so quickly. He knew that if it were Pei Lie or Pei Xing, they wouldn't have let him go so easily.
Shen Qingqing had helped him, and he was indebted to her.
Shen Qingqing's eyes flickered, and she suddenly held the goddess statue out to him. "Do you know why I'm wearing gloves to handle her?"
The Count paused, then shook his head.
"Because she's poisoned."
The Count immediately stumbled back three steps, looking disgusted. "Why did you smear poison on it? Take it away quickly, I don't want to be poisoned!"
Although he didn't understand poison, he knew a thing or two.
Some poisons didn't need to be ingested; they could be absorbed through smell or touch.
Shen Qingqing stared at him sharply, observing his facial expression. There were no flaws, and if he were truly the one who poisoned it, even the best actors would pale in comparison.
She placed the goddess statue back into her bag.
"Never mind, you can go."
The Count watched her put the goddess statue away, her expression placid, as if there were no poison on it. He felt a chill run down his spine. "Aren't you afraid?"
"You should know, I'm not afraid of poison."
The Count gave her a thumbs-up and retreated from her, quickly leaving the nightmarish place after saying, "Goodbye."
Shen Qingqing returned to the palace and was stopped by a servant.
"Miss Shen, please come to the study."
"Who is asking me to go?"
"The First Prince." The servant hesitated, then said, "It's supposedly about the succession ceremony."
Hearing these four words, Shen Qingqing's heart sank. Another succession ceremony? Hadn't the previous one been troublesome enough?
"To appoint Pei Xing?"
The servant was startled by her blunt address. She dared to call the Second Prince by name, but he dared not. "Yes, yes, the Second Prince."