The Jin Liren the guard was talking about was the lieutenant of Guan Ning, the lieutenant of Sichuan Province, and the second-in-command in charge of the palace guards. His military rank was not very high, but he held a high position of authority and directly controlled the security of the palace.
After listening to the guard's words, Xiao Xiang asked: "Did General Jin explain why he left the palace?"
The guard shook his head and said: "General Jin didn't say anything, and I didn't dare to ask more questions."
"Is he the only one?" Xiao Xiang asked casually.
"It's not..." the guard hesitated in reply.
Xiao Xiang gave him a strange look and asked, "He's not alone? Then how many people did he bring out of the palace?"
"This..." the guard stammered, "Ignorant... I didn't even see clearly."
Xiao Xiang smiled and said: "How did you become the East Gate guard? Can't you even see how many people are leaving the palace?"
"Your Highness the Princess doesn't know something. It's not that I'm careless, but that there are too many brothers who came out of the palace with General Jin. There are no less than four or five hundred people. I really haven't had time to count the specific number of people carefully, so... I don't dare to
Talking nonsense in front of Her Royal Highness the Princess."
Four or five hundred people? Hearing this, Xiao Xiang and Ren Fang were both shocked. Aren't four or five hundred people exactly the number of gangsters that night?
At this time, Ren Fang's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He suddenly spoke and asked urgently: "At what time did General Jin leave the palace? And when did he return to the palace? Did the number of people change when he returned to the palace?"
Ren Fang asked several questions in one breath, which also made the guard dizzy. He thought for a long time, and then said: "General Jin left the palace when he was young, and returned to the palace when the sky was close to the sky."
, I don’t remember whether the number of people has changed, but General Jin did bring three carriages back to the palace. Since it was General Jin who led the team, we... did not dare to search the carriages."
After hearing these words, Ren Fang was stunned. After a while, he turned to look at Xiao Xiang silently. If calculated according to the time point, then the time when Jin Liren left the palace and returned to the palace coincided with the time when his family was kidnapped.
Match.
The number of people brought by Jin Liren was also equivalent to the number of gangsters. In addition, when the gangsters 'sealed' Ren Mansion, they were orderly and orderly, with strict military discipline, just like the regular army. But there is no army more powerful than the palace guards.
It's formal.
There is also a very important clue. Jin Liren did not bring a carriage when he left the palace, but when he returned to the palace, he brought three carriages, enough to accommodate his kidnapped family members.
But he couldn't understand that Jin Liren was the deputy general in charge of the palace guards, and his official position and status were extraordinary. How could he take such a big risk to kidnap his family? There was no enmity between him and him before, and there was no enmity after that.
It’s incredible.
He looked at Xiao Xiang and asked her opinion with his eyes.
At this time, Xiao Xiang was also a little confused. Could it be that this matter really had something to do with Jin Liren?
She was silent for a long time and said to the guard: "You should go back first. What I asked you today must not be mentioned to anyone. If any news leaks out, I will want your head. Do you understand?"
The guard trembled with fright. How dare he say no? He nodded repeatedly and responded: "Yes, yes, yes! Even if I beat the villain to death, he will not reveal a single word to anyone."
"Yes!" Xiao Xiang nodded and waved to him. The captain of the guard sighed, wiped away his sweat, then saluted Xiao Xiang and Ren Fang each, then turned and left.
After he left, Ren Fang couldn't wait to ask: "Princess, is the kidnapping of General Mo's family really related to General Jin?"
Xiao Xiang slowly shook her head and said, "I'm not sure yet, after all, we have no evidence." As she spoke, she turned around and told the accompanying guards: "Excuse me, I want to return home."
Seeing that Xiao Xiang did not intend to pursue the investigation any further, Ren Fang became anxious. He asked in a solemn voice: "Why did the princess suddenly stop investigating? But because it is related to General Jin, the princess does not intend to pursue the investigation anymore?"
Ren Anxin knew very well that the palace guards, such as Lang Zhongling Guan Ning and Deputy General Jin Liren, were close ministers of the royal family. Their relationship with the royal family was too close. Otherwise, he would not have been able to sit in this position. He really
Worried that Xiao Xiang would back off, he stopped intervening.
Xiao Xiang smiled at Ren Fang and said: "Don't worry, General Ren. Since I said I would help you, I will definitely help you to the end. However, now that I know that this matter may be related to General Jin, I cannot be in the palace."
If we continue to investigate, it will be up to someone else to investigate."
Ren Fang nodded repeatedly in sudden realization, and secretly cursed himself for being confused. Jin Liren was the deputy general of the palace guard, and naturally had many spies in the palace. If Xiao Xiang was to investigate in person, the target would be too big, and Jin Liren would definitely not be able to hide it.
If it arouses his vigilance, his family may be in danger.
"The princess plans to..."
"Let's talk after we leave the palace!" Xiao Xiang nodded to Ren Fang and left quickly. Ren Fang responded and hurriedly followed.
Ren Fang followed Xiao Xiang back to the princess mansion and did not leave, waiting for news.
Xiao Xiang was very relaxed and seemed to have a well-thought-out plan. She even went back to her bedroom to take a nap in the afternoon. In the evening, the men Xiao Xiang sent out brought back someone, a palace guard.
This man was taken directly into the dungeon of the Princess Mansion. The dungeon of the Princess Mansion was not very big and the location was not hidden. Ren Fang's men had also searched this place. The guard's clothes were messy and his nose was bruised and his face was swollen. He was obviously being taken to the Princess Mansion.
There had been a fight before in the house. At this time, he was tied to a wooden frame in the dungeon, with his eyes covered with thick black cloth. Although he had become someone else's prey, his mouth was never idle and he kept shouting.
Said: "Who are you? Why are you arresting me? Do you know who I am? I am a palace guard. Now let me go, and I can spare your life. If you dare to touch a hair of my body, I will smash you to pieces."
The corpse was cut into thousands of pieces, the bones were broken and ashes were thrown away..."
When Xiao Xiang and Ren Fang came in, they heard the palace guard's repeated threats. Ren Fang frowned, looked at Xiao Xiang and asked in a low voice: "Princess, this person is..."
Xiao Xiang smiled and did not answer him, but slightly raised his chin to his men. The big men on the left and right understood, and one of them walked up to the wooden shelf, raised his fists, and aimed a hard punch at the guard's stomach.
The punch was so strong that the guard's facial features were twisted together in pain. He screamed in a trembling voice: "You damn..."
The big man raised his hand, slapped him again, and then pulled off the black cloth from his eyes.
The cloth covering his eyes was suddenly removed, and the guard could not open his eyes for a while. He squinted his eyes for a long time before he could fit the light in the dungeon. He looked around with a grin on his face, and finally, his eyes fell on Xiao
Put the fragrance and fragrance on your body.
When he saw Xiao Xiang and Ren Fang, his body was shocked, and his expression changed drastically. He was stunned for a moment, and said anxiously: "It's... Her Royal Highness the Princess! This...
Why did Her Royal Highness bring the villain here?"
Xiao Xiang held a handkerchief in one hand, covered it in front of her nose, and said slowly: "Is your name Zhang Tong?"
"Exactly...exactly the villain."
"Don't you know the purpose of arresting you here?" Xiao Xiang's eyes flashed and she stared at Zhang Tong coldly.
Zhang Tong's expression changed again, he pretended to be calm and said: "I don't know where the villain has offended Her Royal Highness, please express it clearly!"
When Xiao Xiang heard this, he lowered his head and looked away. The big man on the side had long been impatient. Seeing Xiao Xiang's displeasure, without saying a word, he picked up the water-sticking whip and whipped Zhang Tong ten times.
.
These dozen or so lashes can be said to have penetrated the flesh and caused blood. The clothes on Zhang Tong's body were torn out, and the flesh under the clothes was torn open, as if it had been scratched by a knife.
Zhang Tong also screamed like a slaughtering pig, shouting: "Princess, please spare my life, Princess, please spare my life -"
Xiao Xiang turned her head away and turned back to look at Zhang Tong. Seeing this, the big man who was waving his whip immediately stopped and stepped aside.
She looked at Zhang Tong, who was covered in blood, expressionlessly, and said quietly: "Since I can bring you here, I have already deemed you a capital crime. If you want to survive, tell everything you know."
Zhang Tong's face was pale, his head was drooped, and blood was dripping down from the corners of his mouth. It was the blood that seeped out from between his teeth when he was being tortured. He trembled feebly and said: "Young man... You really don't know.
What crime did you commit..."
When Xiao Xiang heard this, she immediately turned around and said in a cold voice: "Is this the person you brought back to me? Bring someone else!" As she spoke, she started to walk out.
A big man standing next to him broke out in cold sweat. His face turned from white to green, and then from green to purple. He fiercely pulled out his saber from under his ribs, strode up to Zhang Tong, and pressed the tip of the saber against Zhang Tong's chest.
Chest, making a gesture to stab it down.
"Wait a minute!" Ren Fang suddenly spoke and called out to the big man. He walked up to Zhang Tong and said in a deep voice: "Did you leave the palace with Jin Liren that night?" At this time, Ren Fang had basically guessed.
Take on the identity of a bodyguard.
Zhang Tong's heart trembled, but he still pretended to be confused and asked stammeringly: "I wonder which night General Ren is referring to..."
Ren Fang shook his head at him and said meaningfully: "You should be able to see that Her Highness the Princess is not trying to scare you now. If you insist on refusing to tell the truth, not only will you die without a burial place, but you will also
It will implicate the nine tribes. What's more, even if you don't speak up, won't all of your hundreds of brothers speak up? Sooner or later, the truth will be revealed. Why do you have to sacrifice your own life and that of your family to guard this fundamental principle?
What about a secret that can’t be kept?”
His words were like a blow to Zhang Tong. His body suddenly shook, and then he started to choke with sobs. He raised his head with difficulty, looked at Xiao Xiang who had walked to the gate of the dungeon, and shouted loudly
Crying: "Princess, please spare your life, even the villains say, the villains say..."
"I haven't left yet!" Xiao Xiang took back her steps and stood up without moving, nor did she turn around to look at him.
"The kidnapping of General Ren's family was entirely General Jin's idea. It had nothing to do with the villain at all. The villain was just following orders. The princess was aware of it, and General Ren was aware of it!" Zhang Tong's nose and tears flowed out at the same time.