nucmednet Chapter 445 Wang Qinian's Sophistry
Chapter 445 Wang Qinian's Sophistry
He abruptly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his face contorted in a grimace, and shrieked, "No! No! She's not! That bitch Wang Wan'er! She's shameless, unfaithful! She's no longer a member of the Wang family!!"
"Her actions have absolutely nothing to do with my Wang family! She's nothing but a shameless, promiscuous woman!"
"A ruined reputation is better off dead! How can her deeds be blamed on me?! Lord Cui, you can't believe the rumors!"
"How can the words of a woman who has lost her chastity be taken seriously?!"
These malicious slanderous remarks against her own sister in an attempt to protect herself instantly ignited Shi Wanxia's anger.
She had personally witnessed the terrible state of Wang Wan'er's body and heard the heartbreaking cries of her family.
Hearing Wang Qinian's beastly words, she trembled with rage, took a step forward, and raised her hand to slap Wang Qinian's despicable face!
"You beast!" Shi Wanxia shouted angrily.
"Lord Shi!"
Choi Ji-ho's deep voice rang out as he raised his hand and firmly grasped her wrist.
He shook his head slightly at Shi Wanxia, but his gaze remained coldly fixed on Wang Qinian.
This anger is exactly what the other party wants.
Cui Zhihao released Shi Wanxia's hand, took a step forward, approached Wang Qinian who was slumped on the ground, and said in a cold tone: "None of your business? Fine, then I'll ask you one more thing."
"The Rong River breached its banks, causing widespread flooding. You and Yuan Xiaomiao were ordered to provide disaster relief, but you secretly sent people to block the downstream flood discharge channel, causing the water level in the section of the river that Lord Shi inspected in the late summer to rise sharply, creating a dangerous situation. You intended to use the natural disaster to get rid of this troublesome imperial envoy! Do you admit to this?"
Wang Qinian's pupils contracted sharply, and his lips trembled.
Without giving him a moment to breathe, Cui Zhihao continued, "Furthermore, after the flood, Lord Shi insisted on investigating the grain depletion and the shoddy workmanship in the river project, and you were afraid that the matter would be exposed."
"They even sent people to poison the water source at the disaster relief site, and then spread the plague to create panic and divert attention, attempting to trap Lord Shi in the plague-stricken area and kill him!"
"Every single one of these incidents was aimed at murder to silence witnesses! And you dare say it has nothing to do with you?!"
Cui Zhihao's voice grew louder and sharper with each word, striking Wang Qinian's heart like a heavy hammer.
Poisoning! Spreading the plague! This is not just corruption, but an act of treason that disregards human life!
Wang Qinian's face was ashen, cold sweat poured down his back, and his body trembled like a leaf in the wind.
These things are a thousand times more deadly than the previous corruption and forced seizure of women! They even point directly to the murder of a high-ranking official!
How could he possibly admit it? Admitting it would mean utter ruin, with no chance of survival!
"Injustice! A tremendous injustice! Lord Cui!"
Wang Qinian let out a piercing wail, his voice distorted by extreme fear.
"Absolutely not! This must be a frame-up! Someone is trying to frame this disgraced official and Prefect Yuan! The flood was a natural disaster!"
"Poisoning and plague...that...that was due to Lord Shi's incompetence in investigating the case and his poor governance! What does it have to do with this sinful subject!"
"Lord Cui, please see the truth! This humble subject would never dare to do such a heinous thing!"
He vehemently denied it, even trying to shift the blame onto Shi Wanxia, his eyes darting around in a panic, but he dared not look into Cui Zhihao's eyes, which seemed to see through everything.
Choi Ji-ho watched his desperate struggle and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The more eager Wang Qinian is to deny these "minor" serious crimes, the more it proves that the truth he truly wants to cover up, related to "King Rongyang," is far more serious than these already heinous crimes.
Behind this seemingly insane confession and sophistry lies a deeper conspiracy and fear.
The key lies in the Yuan family of Runan, and even the potentially larger forces behind them.
Cui Zhihao straightened up, no longer looking at Wang Qinian who was lying on the ground like a rag doll, and said to Cui Yu'an and Shi Wanxia indifferently, "I have remembered everything he said."
"It doesn't matter if he refuses to admit it, I... have my own ways to make him talk."
His tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling resolve.
Clearly, conventional interrogation methods are ineffective against such cunning and ruthless individuals, and some extraordinary measures are needed.
Upon hearing this, Wang Qinian looked up abruptly, his eyes finally revealing a genuine, soul-deep fear.
Cui Zhihao's eyes were cold as he stopped looking at Wang Qinian, who was crying and arguing on the ground like a lump of mud.
He knew that conventional interrogation was ineffective against such a ruthless person who wouldn't shed a tear until he was faced with a death sentence.
He summoned the jailer waiting outside the door, his voice devoid of any warmth: "Drag him to the torture chamber."
Two burly jailers immediately stepped forward and unceremoniously lifted the limp Wang Qinian from the ground.
Shi Wanxia looked toward the gloomy interrogation room, where various horrifying instruments of torture gleamed coldly in the firelight. She instinctively flinched, her face turning pale.
Although she was an upright official, she was still a woman after all, and it was inevitable that she would feel fear in the face of such a scene.
A warm, dry hand gently grasped her slightly cool hand.
Shi Wanxia looked up and met Cui Zhihao's deep eyes.
"Don't be afraid, Wanwan."
His voice was lowered, carrying a reassuring calmness.
"This man is cunning and ruthless, far from being as weak and incompetent as he appears."
"He won't honestly reveal the real mastermind and conspiracy behind this unless we get serious."
He pressed his fingertips lightly on the back of her hand, then released them.
Although it was only a brief encounter, it strangely dispelled the slight chill in Shi Wanxia's heart.
She nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.
Soon, the sharp crack of a whip cutting through the air and Wang Qinian's pig-like screams echoed from the nearby interrogation room.
"Ah—! Spare me, sir! Everything I said is true! I really didn't lie to you!"
"Crack! Crack!"
"Ah—! Stop hitting me! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! It was Yuan Xiaomiao! Yuan Xiaomiao forced me to do this!"
"Snapped!"
"Ah—! My leg! Please... have mercy on me..."
Screams, pleas for mercy, and the clanging of torture instruments echoed through the dark prison corridors, sending chills down one's spine.
Choi Ji-ho and Choi Yu-an stood expressionless outside the interrogation room, listening to the sounds inside. Their eyes briefly met in the air, both cold and indifferent.
They all knew that Wang Qinian's confession at this moment might still be an attempt to downplay his own role and shift all the blame onto Yuan Xiaomiao in order to protect himself.
Just then, footsteps sounded from the end of the passage, and the guards bowed respectfully: "Your Highness!"
Crown Prince Shen Yanzhou, dressed in casual clothes, walked quickly towards them with a solemn expression, escorted by his guard Zhao Hu.
Surprisingly, he was followed by two people—a thin, terrified middle-aged man, who was none other than Zhou Lin;
The other was a young woman dressed in plain clothes, with a pale face but an undeniable beauty.
With tears in her eyes and her body trembling slightly, she appeared incredibly weak and pitiful—she was none other than Wang Wan'er, who had "hanged herself"!