On the third day, when the people were excited and ready to break into the palace, Qi Sheng finally appeared surrounded by a group of guards.
"Everyone, be quiet. Listen to what I have to say first. These days, I am not hiding in the palace to enjoy myself as you think. Instead, I am secretly investigating the murder case of the Chen family..."
Halfway through his words, there were boos outside the door.
Qi Sheng was a little embarrassed and raised his voice: "After preliminary investigation, this matter is actually a misunderstanding. The group of Taoist priests mistakenly entered the illusion in the trial field, killed people to gain cultivation, used them as food for poisonous insects, and other bizarre things.
Their hallucinations."
"But some of them were really bitten to death by poisonous insects, sucked by monsters until only a piece of skin was left, and there were corpses. How could they deny it?" Some people retorted loudly.
The others echoed: "Yes, it is too obvious that the prince is partial to the Chen family. Are the lives of our people so worthless in your eyes?"
Qi Sheng's face darkened, and he lowered his voice and asked the attendants around him: "There are still corpses?"
"It seems there is. I heard them talking about it, but our people didn't notice it."
Qi Sheng was so angry that he wanted to hit someone, "Inspect the location of the body immediately and be sure to dispose of it!"
"Yes!" The entourage led a group of people away.
The play had to go on, so Qi Sheng faced the people again and said firmly: "I know that everyone does not believe this statement, so this is good. You choose a group of people, a hundred or ten, and I will bring these
A group of people will go to Chen's house in person to check everything clearly."
The common people discussed among themselves and finally elected more than a hundred prestigious squire village chiefs, among whom were Shen Qingqing and Meng Yuan in disguise.
The Taoist priests who had been arrested two days ago were also released, and together with a group of guards from the palace, a group of people arrived at Chen's house.
Chen Xiuyuan and several elders were waiting at the entrance of the main hall, waiting for the crowd to come over. They first bowed to Qi Sheng according to etiquette, and then turned their heads to look at the group of Taoist priests, with a warm smile on their face but as cold as ice in their eyes.
"Fellow Taoists, Chen knows that you are all powerful figures in Taoism, but this is the rule of my Chen family. If you cannot pass the test, you have to be eliminated. It is understandable that you are not convinced or angry about this, but you cannot go there.
I, the Chen family, are pouring dirty water on my head."
"I, the Chen family, have practiced Taoism for more than a hundred years. We have exorcised evil spirits and eliminated evil spirits for the people around us, seeking benefits and avoiding harm. How many good things have we done? You just wiped out the years of hard work of our ancestors with just one mouth. How can you bear it?"
The old white-haired Taoist shouted loudly: "You little thief of the Chen family, stop talking nonsense! Are we throwing dirty water or experiencing it ourselves? You will know it once you enter the Chen family, so there is no need to waste your words here!"
"Okay, I think you won't give up until you reach the Yellow River." Chen Xiuyuan sneered, no longer maintaining the false politeness on the surface, and bowed his hands to Qi Sheng, "The common man Chen Xiuyuan, the current head of the Chen family also wants to ask the prince for an explanation.
."
"Today, the grassroots voluntarily opened the door of the Chen family for everyone to inspect. If you can find any evidence that my Chen family harmed fellow members, the grassroots and everyone in the Chen family are willing to accept the punishment!"
"But!" Chen Xiuyuan changed his voice and gritted his teeth, "But if we can't find out, we must give my Chen family an explanation and arrest all these unreasonable Taoist priests and hand them over to the Chen family for disposal!"
Qi Sheng found it difficult to do what he did, "Isn't this... afraid it's against the rules?"
Chen Xiuyuan knelt down and kowtowed, "Please, Your Majesty, please grant me your permission!"
Qi Sheng raised his chin at the Taoist priests, "What do you think of Patriarch Chen's suggestion?"
"Since the little thief from the Chen family insists on doing this, why should we not respond?"
The white-haired veteran took a step forward, his steps were calm, his eyes were sharp, and his whole body exuded an awe-inspiring righteousness that could see through everything.
Qi Sheng looked at his immortal posture and suddenly had a bad feeling. He turned his head and winked at Chen Xiuyuan, but the latter was not afraid at all and calmly invited everyone into the house for inspection.
When things come to an end, there is no way back.
Qi Sheng took a deep breath, stepped across the threshold, and entered the Chen Mansion.
After burning incense, everyone arrived at the wormhole.
Before he even got closer, the ashes from a fire came into view first. Not to mention the things in the cave, even the insect-repellent herbs outside the cave were burned to nothing.
A Taoist priest angrily said: "They burned all the evidence of raising poisonous insects!"
"Nonsense! It was obviously you who set the fire!"
Chen Xiuyuan shouted sternly: "After the trial that day, this place was already on fire when we went up the mountain to check. In order to put out the fire, two little Taoist boys from my Chen family were scalded on their arms. They are still recuperating in the room. If you don't believe it, I will let you
They were called to confront each other!"
Qi Sheng interrupted the quarrel between the two and asked the Taoist priest: "When you gave your confession the day before yesterday, you yourself said that you set fire to the cave, but now you have forgotten it?"
The Taoist priest choked: "But before we left, we diverted water from the stream to put out the fire. The fire did not spread outside the cave at all."
Chen Xiuyuan pressed forward step by step: "What if some sparks splashed outside and were not extinguished, and then ignited again after you left?"
"We stayed in the mountains for a whole day and night without seeing the sparks rekindle. How come..."
The old white-haired Taoist stopped the Taoist priest who was speaking, "Don't argue about this, go into the cave and check. The ashes produced by insects are different from the ashes of vegetation."
Chen Xiuyuan glanced at him with a sneer and said contemptuously: "Then go in, I didn't stop you."
Anyway, he had already had the things in the cave cleaned up, not to mention any live insects, not even a single insect corpse.
This time he will definitely win!
The large rocks blocking the entrance of the cave had already been cleared away, and the group of people entered the cave unimpeded. The scene inside the cave was basically the same as outside the cave. The ground was covered with black charred ash, and even the stone walls were blackened.
Shine.
The white-haired old man squatted on the ground and dug up the dust. To his disappointment, the cave was also full of plant ash, and there was no trace of insect activity at all.
Chen Xiuyuan looked at his face that gradually darkened, feeling increasingly proud in his heart, "Where are the poisonous insects? Where are the poisonous insects you mentioned?"
The white-haired old man pursed his lips and said nothing. Under the dim firelight, his weather-beaten face was filled with anger and unwillingness.
"You can't find any evidence, right? Now is it time for me to speak for the Chen family?"
Chen Xiuyuan raised the corners of his lips and smiled sinisterly, "Obviously, you guys are venting your dissatisfaction with my Chen family. First you set fire to the mountain, and then you poured dirty water on it. You are so cruel! Please, my lord..."
Before he finished speaking, a scream suddenly broke out from the crowd, "Ah, there are bugs!"
Chen Xiuyuan's pupils tightened and he looked up at the sound of people's voices. He saw that the cracks in the stone wall around the corner were filled with dense insects!
"How can this be!"
Chen Xiuyuan was shocked and couldn't believe his eyes.
That day when they went up the mountain to arrest someone, they checked several times and found that all the poisonous insects in the cave had indeed been burned to ashes, not even a single insect egg was left. He was so angry that he didn't eat for two meals. What happened now?