Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 174

Chapter 174: Ask

Digging up the grave and opening the coffin.

This is a great humiliation.

Even if convicted by the government, one would not dig up a grave.

Zhou Jingyun’s guards held onto the knives at their waists, and the servant Feng’er rushed forward, “I’ll fight you to the death——”

Zhou Jingyun reached out and grabbed Feng’er, threw him to the guards, and waved his hand, signaling them to back off.

If the Censorate really wanted to take action, two guards would not be able to stop them, and it would be useless to fight to the death.

He walked over and looked at Zhang Ze: “If Inspector Zhang really has this intention, you might as well chase after her on the road to the underworld. My wife shouldn’t be too far away by now.”

After saying that, a dagger slipped out of his sleeve.

The guards around Zhang Ze immediately took a step forward, their swords pointed at Zhou Jingyun.

Zhou Jingyun let go and threw the dagger at Zhang Ze’s feet.

“I was an educational inspector before, I’ve traveled many places, and I’ve seen many folk and rural practices.” He said with a smile, “Inspector, you don’t have to really die, you can see the Yellow Springs at the moment of near-death, I’ll watch the time and save you when it’s about time.”

Zhang Ze looked at Zhou Jingyun, a little unable to believe that these were his words.

He couldn’t help but think of the time he saw him on the way at the post station last year, that elegant, neither humble nor arrogant young master who spoke politely.

Compared to that time, Zhou Jingyun was slightly haggard now, his face pale, but this did not affect his appearance at all, but added a bit of delicate beauty.

Such eerie words coming from such a delicate and beautiful face, this is not like an immortal, this is like a madman!

Zhang Ze did not wave his hand to let the guards back down, but he did not let the guards hack Zhou Jingyun to death with their swords either.

“I really misjudged you.” He said, “I thought Marquis Zhou’s Heir was a person who kept himself clean, but I didn’t expect that he had already fallen into the mud.”

He slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, his face cold and stern.

“Zhou Jingyun, how dare you collude with the remnants of Empress Jiang’s faction.”

He sneered again.

“No, Zhou Jingyun, you were originally part of Empress Jiang’s faction!”

Zhou Jingyun said, “Inspector is going to investigate the Duke of Ding’an. Although I am related to the Duke of Ding’an by marriage, if the Duke of Ding’an has problems, I cannot be convicted too.”

His tone and expression were gentle, making others seem unreasonable.

Zhang Ze clicked his tongue again in his heart, who would have thought that Zhou Jingyun, with this appearance, would have such a bold heart underneath.

“The Marquis’s Heir really knows what I’m going to do.” He said with a half-smile, “It turns out that I’ve been played by the Marquis’s Heir all along.”

When he was at the Duke of Ding’an’s place, he suddenly realized that the cause was the silk flower of the Marchioness of Dongyang. Since the fake one had no problem, what about the real one?

He hurried back to the capital, thinking more and more about it along the way. When he was approaching the capital, he received news that the Marchioness of Dongyang had fallen to her death.

All the things he felt were wrong suddenly became right.

It was right to investigate Zhuang Feizi in the first place, but since the old boy was timid as a mouse and committed suicide, and he personally watched the body being burned, he let him off the hook.

He didn’t expect that Zhuang Feizi’s death was a cover-up, and the real thing to be covered up was the orphan girl by his side.

And all of this is inseparable from Zhou Jingyun.

Zhou Jingyun’s identity at the time was Zhuang Feizi’s student and Zhuang Li’s husband.

Zhang Ze stood up and looked at Zhou Jingyun.

“So, you’re the one behind all this.”

“I found out about Zhuang Feizi, so you let him die.”

“Now that I’ve found you, your wife died so readily.”

“Fine, you want to die, you can.”

“Zhuang Feizi died, I personally watched him being burned, so I want to see your wife’s body with my own eyes.”

“If the body is real, then I will only ask you from now on.”

“If the body is fake, then you will have to watch me ask the Marquis of Dongyang first, then the Madam of Dongyang, then your brothers and sisters.”

He took a step forward, gritting his teeth and saying each word slowly.

“I will let you watch all your relatives and friends suffer in prison, and then it will be your turn.”

This threat was more terrifying than the threat of killing him.

Zhou Jingyun was neither angry nor frightened. He looked at him and asked, “Inspector, have you seen Consort Bai since you came back?”

Suddenly mentioning a palace consort to a court official, if they were relatives, it would be reasonable, but he, Zhang Ze, was not a relative of the emperor, so asking this question had a deeper meaning.

Zhang Ze’s eyes narrowed.

“You really are hiding your true abilities.” He said, “It seems that Marquis Zhou’s Heir knows a lot.”

He then sneered.

“However, this can’t threaten me. I am ordered by the Emperor to track down the remnants of Empress Jiang’s faction. Consort Bai is a palace consort, and also a criminal that I am investigating. It is reasonable for me to have dealings with her.”

“Besides, I, Zhang Ze, have done all kinds of evil things and have been splashed with countless dirty water and sewage, would I be afraid of you accusing me of colluding with a palace consort?”

After saying that, he took another step forward. Of course, the guards separated him from Zhou Jingyun.

Zhang Ze would not put himself in danger.

He was deceived by Zhou Jingyun’s face at the post station before, which is why he generously let him sit and eat together.

Zhang Ze looked at this face and slowly said.

“Before His Majesty believes you, you will die, your whole family will die.”

Zhou Jingyun smiled: “Inspector, don’t keep talking about life and death. What I mean is, you just came back, you should go see Consort Bai first, after all…”

He glanced at the grave.

“The one who died is her younger sister.”

✿✿✿

Is this an admission? Zhang Ze looked at Zhou Jingyun, before he could speak, Zhou Jingyun looked back at him.

“After all, you are Consort Bai’s dog.”

Zhang Ze’s face suddenly turned livid, he raised his hand to draw his sword, weapons clattered around.

The Censorate’s soldiers surrounded them, and Zhou Jingyun’s guards also rushed in.

“Inspector, don’t be angry.” Zhou Jingyun looked at Zhang Ze and said softly, “And don’t worry, I will neither commit suicide nor run away. After you have asked Consort Bai, whether you want to kill or cut me, I will wait for you to personally deal with me.”

Zhang Ze glared at him fiercely, said “good,” turned around, and strode away.

The Censorate’s entourage followed in a swarm, disappearing with the sound of horse hooves in the blink of an eye.

“Marquis’s Heir.” The guards and Feng’er looked at Zhou Jingyun with worry on their faces.

Why did Zhang Ze suddenly want to dig up the Marchioness’s grave? And they didn’t understand what the Marquis’s Heir said, what burying her younger sister, Zhang Ze being someone’s dog…

Something happened that they didn’t know about!

Zhou Jingyun looked at them: “Don’t tell anyone about what happened just now.”

Looking at the Marquis’s Heir’s cold expression, the guards and Feng’er hurriedly replied yes, not daring to speak or look at Zhou Jingyun, until Zhou Jingyun signaled them to retreat.

The guards and Feng’er retreated, Zhou Jingyun sat directly on the wooden chair brought by Zhang Ze, quietly looked at the new grave, and suddenly smiled.

“That’s great, you acted one step faster.” He whispered, “Otherwise you would have to argue with Zhang Ze.”

“Your Ladyship, don’t be angry.”

“Your Ladyship, please slow down.”

Chaotic female voices came from the front, Zhang Ze looked up and saw the Empress surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs, with two beautiful young women by her side.

“This humble official greets Your Majesty the Empress.” Zhang Ze hurriedly stopped, waited for the Empress and her entourage to approach, and bowed respectfully.

Although the Empress did not pay much attention to the court officials, she also knew that Zhang Ze had gone out to investigate a case and was not in the capital for the New Year. Many people privately said that they had a peaceful New Year.

Thinking of this, the Empress couldn’t help but smile, and then coughed lightly: “Are you going to see His Majesty?” Without waiting for Zhang Ze to answer, she said indifferently, “Go directly to Hanliang Palace, His Majesty has moved there to attend to court affairs.”

Zhang Ze hurriedly said, “Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty.”

As he was speaking, another voice came.

“Your Majesty the Empress, Your Majesty the Empress!”

Zhang Ze and the Empress followed the sound and saw that it was Gao Shi’er chasing after them.

“Your Majesty, why did you—” Gao Shi’er said, seeing Zhang Ze, he stopped talking, smiled arrogantly, “Inspector is back? Are you going to see His Majesty?” He took the initiative to say, “There are quite a few people seeing His Majesty today.”

Zhang Ze smiled and thanked him: “I’ll go over and take a look.”

He bowed to the Empress again and walked towards Hanliang Palace, hearing Gao Shi’er’s voice with a hint of reproach behind him.

“Your Majesty the Empress, why did you leave? You have to stay and accompany Consort Bai.”

The Empress said angrily: “I asked her to come with me, but His Majesty doesn’t like me and won’t let me take care of her.”

Gao Shi’er stomped his foot: “Your Majesty, then you should stay in Hanliang Palace, let His Majesty return to the court hall, so that the two beauties can also accompany His Majesty.”

Such a simple matter, why is the Empress being stubborn again?

The Empress said coldly: “I value her child, but I won’t go so far as to be her slave.”

Taking Consort Bai by her side, taking her to the Empress’s Palace to look after her, she would be the master.

But in this Hanliang Palace, which was bestowed upon Consort Bai by the Emperor, she was an outsider. Wouldn’t she become Bai Ying’s servant if she stayed here?

“Your Majesty, you are the Empress, this entire Imperial City belongs to you and His Majesty, why distinguish between outsiders…” Gao Shi’er said helplessly, “At this time, you should just endure it…”

“At this time, I don’t want to wrong myself anymore.” The Empress interrupted him, snorted and said, “In another month or two, she will give birth, and then she won’t be able to rely on this child to be domineering anymore.”

She then looked at Gao Shi’er.

“Have you arranged the midwife I asked you to arrange?”

Gao Shi’er said, “Don’t worry, Your Majesty.”

The Empress glanced at the people around her, the palace maids and beauties hurriedly lowered their heads and retreated.

The Empress slowly walked forward, holding Gao Shi’er’s hand, and whispered, “Remember, I only want to see the child then, don’t let me see the adult again.”

Gao Shi’er understood what this sentence meant, and he understood even better that what the Emperor lacked was a son, not a woman.

He glanced at the two beauties brought by the Empress, lowered his head and replied yes.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

“Inspector is back.”

Inside Hanliang Palace, Bai Ying was lying on a soft couch, looking at Zhang Ze who had entered, she said with a smile.

“His Majesty is handling court affairs here now.”

Zhang Ze already knew this, and as Gao Shi’er had said, there were many people around the Emperor.

He went straight to Bai Ying’s side.

The eunuchs and palace maids here turned a blind eye.

“Why didn’t Your Ladyship tell me about Bai Li in advance?” Zhang Ze asked in a deep voice, “I wasted my time at the Duke of Ding’an’s place for nothing.”

Bai Ying sat up with Wang Degui’s help: “I also found out suddenly, and I haven’t had time to tell you, and how can it be a waste of time? If it weren’t for you investigating the Duke of Ding’an, how would my younger sister and my brother-in-law have jumped out?”

Saying this title, Bai Ying couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s unbelievable, the Marquis of Dongyang’s Heir is actually my brother-in-law.”