TGCFNM -Chapter 440 Back to the Prison

When the small boat reached the shore, Chu Ling and the others thought for a moment and decided to leave the pig masks behind, asking the boatman to destroy them. Then they disembarked and walked toward the shore.

As they walked, they lowered their voices, discussing what the first step should be and whether they should find Chu Rou first.

Just as they were talking, a line of figures suddenly appeared ahead of them.

Chu Ling looked up, puzzled, and asked, “Lord Mei?”

Mei Gao, looking deeply distressed, stared at Chu Ling. “Lord Chu… have you started selling sticks at a stall?”

Chu Ling nodded. “Yes, we sold them—the thousand-gold sticks. Tonight, quite a few people with feet in two boats got a beating.”

“You even sold poison?” Mei Gao asked, holding on to the last thread of hope.

“No, not poison. It’s fragrant powder. If someone has feet in two boats, they deserve it—they’ll get poisoned for sure,” Chu Ling said with a faint smile. “But we plan to make antidote pills tonight and sell them at the Wan residence gate tomorrow. No one will die from it.”

Mei Gao suddenly felt like shouting out all the frustration in his chest, but he couldn’t. Now he could only arrest people. “Lord Chu, it appears you may be involved in a murder case. We are placing you under arrest. The government prison doesn’t have enough space, so I’ll send you to the Dali Temple prison. Uncle Hong, Miss Xiao Hua, and Brother Zhang Dong have already been sent ahead.”

“Someone’s dead? Who’s dead?” Chu Ling was shocked, her expression turning serious.

Mei Gao let out a light sigh. “I’ll explain as we walk.” Saying this, he waved for his subordinates to patrol elsewhere and personally escorted Chu Ling and the others to the Dali Temple prison.

“Late tonight, the Wan family reported that someone was selling unusually thick sticks, seemingly with a suspicious purpose. So Perfect Feng ordered the constables to investigate. After everyone was taken into custody and brought to the jail, these people immediately poisoned themselves to death.”

“Perfect Feng felt something was wrong, so he contacted me and also sought out Young Master Wan… During the Wan family’s fireworks display, someone took the sticks and started attacking.”

“Those sticks were very thick. When a few people surrounded one victim, it didn’t take long for the person to bleed heavily… Among them, the worst beaten were the students of Canglan Academy. These students were either wealthy or of noble birth—they all had status.”

Chu Ling frowned as she listened. This was an imitation of her stick-selling act, used as a cover for committing crimes!

“One student died?” Chu Ling asked, frowning.

“A young woman died. She was Lord Chang’s legitimate daughter, sixteen years old. She was originally to be selected for palace service, but the selection was suspended, so she was sent home. Lady Chang has been seeking a suitable marriage alliance recently, and this blessing lantern festival was her chance to appear publicly,” Mei Gao explained.

Chu Ling’s steps faltered, her face turning iron pale. “Don’t tell me… Miss Chang was beaten to death?”

Mei Gao nodded grimly.

“Does the Chang family have any enemies?” Chu Ling asked.

Mei Gao shook his head. “None that I’ve heard of. Lady Chang, upon learning the truth, fainted immediately, so we couldn’t get any information… The entire Chang family is grieving, so anyone involved in this matter was arrested. But I expect that Your Lordship will likely be released by tomorrow morning.”

“Despicable!” Wan Sanjin gritted his teeth. “They imitated our stick-selling and killed someone—are they trying to frame us?”

“Where is Miss Chang’s body? Can I perform an autopsy?” Su He asked.

Mei Gao suddenly realized—he had personally witnessed Su He’s abilities. “Once I take you to the Dali Temple prison, I’ll personally go to Lord Chang to request permission. I believe Perfect Feng will assist as well.”

Su He nodded slightly and looked at Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin. “Don’t worry. I’ll examine the body carefully.”

Chu Ling frowned. A young woman beaten to death for no reason—what kind of madman would do such a thing? “…If I am released tomorrow, I want to investigate this case.”

Mei Gao sighed lightly. “You don’t even know… the young woman’s abdomen was severely injured, flesh and blood torn apart…”

At that moment, Chu Ling suddenly saw Tang Yang and Zhuang Tianyou and immediately gestured for them to come over.

Tang Yang spoke directly: “My lord, it definitely wasn’t you. Someone is deliberately imitating you, selling sticks to commit murder. All the students know this.”

Zhuang Tianyou nodded as well: “My lord, you’ll be fine.”

Chu Ling shook her head. “Let’s not talk about that. Do me a favor—find out which students were injured today, where they were hurt, and what the attackers said. Make a list for me. After I get out, I’ll question them carefully.”

Tang Yang and Zhuang Tianyou immediately nodded.

“Don’t worry, my lord. I’ll start investigating right away,” Zhuang Tianyou said, then took his leave.

Tang Yang lingered a step behind and looked at Chu Ling. “My lord, Xiao Wu said that Miss Chang is proud and arrogant. She once bullied other young ladies because she was certain she would become an imperial consort. So it’s not surprising that she has enemies…” After saying this, he also left.

Chu Ling furrowed her brow slightly. Perhaps she should also consider whether her own enemies might be involved.

Mei Gao escorted them to the front of the Dali Temple prison. After giving brief instructions, the new head warden led them inside.

Chu Ling glanced at this new head warden and couldn’t help but think of Wu Ting.

So perhaps the future Wu Ting had offended or harmed Chu Yue, and by the time Wu Ting was sixteen, he had gotten involved in gambling, destroying himself and a whole family.

“My lord, you’ll stay in this cell,” the head warden said with a smile. “The previous head warden said this one is reserved for you.”

Chu Ling smiled. “Ah, you two are well acquainted.”

“He seems cold, but he’s actually a good person. He even helped me write letters to my family,” the head warden said, then opened the lock to let them in. “If you need anything, just call me.”

Chu Ling thanked him. Just as she was about to speak to Wan Sanjin and Su He, she suddenly saw a face across from them.

Uncle Hong was furious, gripping the prison bars with both hands, his face straining through the gap as he glared at the three of them.

“I’m fifty-seven!” Uncle Hong shouted. “Fifty-seven years old, and it’s my first time in a prison! Ah! And it’s a Dali Temple prison!”

Chu Ling ducked slightly and held the bars. “Uncle Hong, don’t blame us. Someone is out to harm us.”

Uncle Hong’s face turned red with anger. “I did ask Lord Mei. If the sticks aren’t connected to you, then what about the perfume powder? Do you know how many people it poisoned tonight?”

Wan Sanjin, curious, squished his face against the bars. “How many people?”

Uncle Hong was so angry that he laughed, his face twisted in the gap. “Even Young Master Xiao was poisoned! What do you think?!”

Chu Ling let out a small whistle. “Really? Well, he has too many admirers. Who can blame him?”

Uncle Hong bared his teeth. “And the Wan family said that Young Master Xiao was in a room with a lady, and suddenly he started vomiting blood… and those around him said it was caused by the perfume powder!”

Chu Ling’s eyes flickered. “Not necessarily. If it really were the powder, Young Master Xiao would have come after me. But since he didn’t, it means it has nothing to do with us~”

The tone of her voice sounded strange, and Uncle Hong’s expression twisted even further.

Wan Sanjin’s eyes lit up. “Maybe Young Master Xiao was trying to cover something up, or show that he’s popular, but actually it was this and that… and then he vomited blood.”

Uncle Hong: “…!”

He desperately wanted to break the prison bars and go beat someone up! Ahhhhhhh!