The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 521: Chapter 521: The Most Powerful Witness

The color instantly drained from Zhou Kangxue’s face.

Ye Chutang arched an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised. ”Lord Su participated in the interrogation as well?”

The Eldest Princess’s tone softened slightly. ”Oh, that’s right. Wang Chang was originally taken to the Ministry of Justice Prison for questioning. Su Wei happened to be at the Ministry of Justice handing over some case files, so he joined the interrogation.”

Ye Chutang was speechless.

’No wonder Fan Chengzhuo looked so grim just now,’ she thought. ’It turns out Su Wei was the one who extracted this testimony on his turf.’

’And no wonder Wang Chang spilled everything in a single night.’

’Even if Fan Chengzhuo couldn’t get a confession, Lord Su had plenty of methods at his disposal.’

The Eldest Princess looked at Zhou Kangxue.

”What, you deny it?”

Kneeling on the ground, Zhou Kangxue trembled uncontrollably.

He was shaking with shock and anger, but even more so with fear.

His throat felt constricted, and each word he spoke was agonizingly difficult.

”I... I confess!”

After uttering those two words, all the strength seemed to drain from his body, and he closed his eyes in despair.

”I’ve long been jealous of Zhao Xuanping, so I came up with this scheme. We both work at the Imperial Hospital, so why should he be the one assigned to attend to Prince Lie exclusively? I couldn’t accept it! So... so... I thought that as long as he failed to cure Prince Lie, my turn would eventually come!”

His voice was laced with resentment, his face flushed and paled by turns, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. It was hard not to believe him.

”Since it’s come to this, I’ll admit my defeat! Whether you kill me or torture me, I leave myself to your disposal, Eldest Princess!”

THUD!

Zhou Kangxue slammed his forehead heavily onto the floor, his hands clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Fan Chengzhuo stepped forward and cupped his hands. ”Eldest Princess, Zhou Kangxue has confessed. I will have him taken back to the Ministry of Justice to await judgment!”

Although Zhou Kangxue came from a respectable background, the crime he had committed was a capital offense, so there was naturally no need for hesitation.

The Eldest Princess’s expression was grim, as if she were still pondering something.

Ye Chutang suddenly let out a soft sigh.

”What a pity.”

The Eldest Princess snapped out of her thoughts and turned to ask, ”What is a pity?”

Ye Chutang set down the written confession, looked at the kneeling Zhou Kangxue, and said softly,

”The Chu Hospital Director once told me that as he is growing older, he won’t be able to hold the position of Hospital Director for much longer. Looking at the entire Imperial Hospital, those with both the ability and the drive are few and far between. Doctor Zhou is in his prime, his experience and credentials are all impeccable, and he possesses outstanding medical skills. He was truly the perfect candidate.”

A violent tremor ran through Zhou Kangxue!

He slowly raised his stiff neck, but Ye Chutang’s next words pierced him like sharp arrows.

”He also said that although he and Doctor Zhou didn’t interact much day to day, and had even disputed diagnoses and prescriptions a few times, he had ultimately set his heart on Doctor Zhou.”

Ye Chutang glanced at Zhou Kangxue, the corners of her lips curving into a faint, helpless-looking smile as she shook her head.

”The Chu Hospital Director had planned to retire and return to his hometown after this consultation with His Majesty. And the person he intended to recommend as the succeeding Hospital Director before he left was—”

At this, Ye Chutang paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.

But Zhou Kangxue understood.

He couldn’t describe the feeling that washed over him. It was as if he’d been thrown into a wok of boiling oil, only to be instantly scooped out and plunged into a frozen river.

In that fleeting moment, he had spanned the gulf between life and death, heaven and earth.

He opened his mouth, scrambling forward on his knees, barely in control of himself.

”What... What did you say!?”

Fan Chengzhuo kicked him hard in the shoulder.

”Insolence! Wasn’t harming Prince Lie enough for you? Now you want to disrespect the Eldest Princess?! Guards! Drag him to the prison at once!”

Zhou Kangxue fell to the ground, his mouth filling with blood.

Ye Chutang raised her eyes slightly, casting a quiet look at Fan Chengzhuo.

Just then, another announcement came from outside—

”Prefect Zhao Chengyin of Shuntian Prefecture requests an audience!”

The Eldest Princess was startled for a moment, then immediately reacted.

”Let him in!”

The others exchanged glances.

Why was Zhao Chengyin here at a time like this? The Eldest Princess had ordered him to find the real culprit behind the assassination attempt on Ye Chutang within three days. Logically, he should be so busy he wouldn’t have a moment’s rest.

Zhao Chengyin quickly walked in.

”This official greets the Eldest Princess.”

Full of hope, the Eldest Princess cut right to the chase. ”Mr. Zhao, for you to come to the palace now... does this mean you have a lead on the case?”

Zhao Chengyin faltered for a moment.

’It’s more than just a lead.’

’If I’d only found a small clue, would I have dared to come straight to the palace like this?’

He raised his gaze and shot a quick glance at Ye Chutang, who was seated beside the Eldest Princess.

Ye Chutang arched an eyebrow.

’For some reason,’ she thought, ’Mr. Zhao’s expression... is a little strange.’

But before she could give it more thought, she heard Zhao Chengyin announce respectfully,

”Reporting to the Eldest Princess, I have already solved the case. The mastermind behind it has been apprehended!”

Now, even the Eldest Princess was stunned. ”...What?”

She had hoped Zhao Chengyin would be able to close the case quickly, but she never imagined it would be *this* fast.

But beyond her shock, she was mostly delighted.

”So quickly? Are you telling the truth!?”

Zhao Chengyin said, ”I would not dare deceive the Eldest Princess. The culprit has indeed been captured and is now being held in the Shuntian Prefecture prison.”

A flicker of surprise also appeared on Ye Chutang’s face.

’The Eldest Princess had issued an urgent command, so Shuntian Prefecture certainly wouldn’t dare to slack off.’

’Still, with only five unidentified bodies as evidence, how did Shuntian Prefecture manage to investigate so thoroughly overnight and even successfully apprehend the mastermind?’

Zhao Chengyin glanced at Ye Chutang out of the corner of his eye, and seeing her expression, he couldn’t help but wonder to himself.

’Why does she look so surprised...? Could it be that she doesn’t know either?’

’That’s right.’

’After the incident, she came directly to the palace to attend to His Majesty. I heard she even went to Prince Lie’s Mansion afterward. How could she possibly have had any free time?’

’Lord Lu went to Shuntian Prefecture so late last night... could it be that he also waited until she was resting to find a spare moment to go?’

The thought left Zhao Chengyin with a mix of complicated feelings.

The Eldest Princess, however, wasn’t dwelling on such things. She asked impatiently, ”Tell me quickly! What exactly happened? Who would be so audacious!?”

Zhao Chengyin composed himself.

”Yesterday morning, after we received the five bodies, we immediately ordered the forensic doctor to perform autopsies. However, they carried no identifying tokens aside from their weapons and hidden projectiles, which made it extremely difficult to ascertain their identities. But fortunately, we later found a key witness.”

Hearing this, the room fell silent for a moment as everyone’s gaze slowly turned toward Ye Chutang.

Ye Chutang was confused.

Zhao Chengyin said in a grave voice, ”That witness was none other than the man who protected Second Miss Ye and killed the assassins on the spot—Lord Lu Yu!”

Ye Chutang was speechless.

Everyone else was speechless.

The Eldest Princess said, ”...Oh. It was him.”

The Eldest Princess slowly leaned back in her chair. Even for someone like her, who had seen her share of storms, she was at a loss for words.

’Well... he certainly counts as a witness, doesn’t he?’

’In fact, there was probably no more convincing witness in the entire world.’

As if oblivious to the varied expressions in the room, Zhao Chengyin continued his impassioned speech.

”Lord Lu provided a detailed account of the situation and offered an extremely important clue, which is what enabled us to find the mastermind behind those assassins with the utmost speed!”