Click click—Lu Yifeng was truly stunned.
He immediately slung an arm around Lai Chenglong’s shoulder. “D*mn, brother, you came back even more ruthless than before! Looks like you got promoted, your whole vibe is different now!”
Those methods!
Lai Chenglong couldn’t be bothered with him. He simply crouched down, looking at the completely broken Cao Xingwang, and raised a brow slowly. “Cao Gonggong, well then, your turn. Are you going to talk or not?”
Cao Xingwang cursed Qilin viciously in his heart.
A so-called deathsworn, huh?
Turned out to be the most shameless traitor of all!
Just as he was thinking of Qilin, Lai Chenglong glanced back at Lu Yifeng. “Bring me Qilin’s confession.”
Lu Yifeng scrambled to hand it over.
Lai Chenglong raised a brow and smiled faintly. “Come, let me read it to Cao Gonggong.”
Cao Xingwang didn’t want to hear it at all!
But it was no use, Lai Chenglong was determined to read.
“Cao Gonggong is one of Qi Wang’s closest confidants. Ever since His Highness was sent to his fief, Cao Gonggong has been sending him information from the capital. As for Qiu Chuying, it was also Cao Gonggong who relayed news to him, and he then passed it along to Qi Wang.”
Lu Yifeng clicked his tongue inwardly.
What did Cao Xingwang do to offend Lai Chenglong?
Judging from his demeanor, Lai Chenglong clearly wanted to finish Cao Xingwang off entirely.
No—wait. It wasn’t just Cao Xingwang.
It was Qi Wang.
Lu Yifeng gave Lai Chenglong a thoughtful look. This was clearly aimed at Qi Wang.
But Lai Chenglong continued reading: “This time, Miss Feng told Qi Wang that she was about to become Nanan County Wangfei and didn’t want Miss Qi overshadowing her. So Qi Wang instructed Cao Gonggong to fully support Miss Feng.”
“Even the Daoist Li’s commentary on Miss Qi was orchestrated entirely by Qi Wang and Miss Feng.”
“After all of that failed, Qi Wang heard that the Imperial Grandson was heading to Jiangxi for disaster relief. He then told Cao Gonggong to find a way to make sure the Imperial Grandson never came back…”
Cao Xingwang spat a mouthful of blood in agony.
Was Qilin insane?!
How could he spill everything like this?!
So many things didn’t need to be said!
The charges wouldn’t have been that severe, at most, he’d be exiled.
But Qilin? It was like he wanted to die and made sure to drag others down with him!
Cao Xingwang’s lips trembled as if to speak, but in the end, nothing came out.
Lai Chenglong tossed the confession onto Cao Xingwang’s body. “Cao Gonggong, I gave you a chance to save face. You refused. Don’t blame me for being too cruel.”
As he spoke, he casually grabbed a blade from nearby and clicked his tongue. “Do you know what this is? A bone-scraping knife. Let’s see if Cao Gonggong’s bones are harder than the rest.”
Madman. They’re all madmen.
Cao Xingwang didn’t find Lai Chenglong’s method especially unique.
At the end of the day, it was all about being ruthless.
But the thing is, when that ruthlessness is aimed at you, the pain becomes very real, very terrifying.
The moment the blade touched his leg, he couldn’t help but let out a whimper.
No.
He was afraid of pain.
Back when he was castrated and became a eunuch, he’d barely survived. Ever since, he had feared pain to the bone.
He finally broke down, crying out, “Yes! Yes! It was Qi Wang who ordered it! He’s the one who told me to do it!”
It was true, Qi Wang had treated him well. The former Noble Consort Xiao Liu had once been kind to him. Even Duke Chu’s household had given him many benefits.
But none of that mattered more than his own life.
Especially now—everyone else had already confessed.
What good would resisting alone do?
Even Qilin had already talked!
It wasn’t his fault! No one could blame him!
He muttered these things like a broken man.
Lai Chenglong tossed him to the ground and let the branding iron drop beside him, then turned and exited the cell.
Lu Yifeng followed him hastily, clicking his tongue. “Man, you really are brutal. What, just got back and already itching to make merit?”
But this was Qi Wang they were going up against!
That was why everyone else was moving slow and cautiously on this case.
Because there was nothing they could do, Qi Wang may have fallen out of favor, but he was still Emperor Yongchang’s son.
No one knew what the Emperor might do with that son.
So if they were too aggressive and exposed too much, it might end badly, not just for Qi Wang, but for them too.
After all, the Emperor might see them and think, These are the ones who destroyed my son.
Lai Chenglong curled his lips. “Who’s trying to earn merit? I’m going to claim it.”
Huh?
Claim it?
Lu Yifeng looked confused and rolled his eyes. “Lai Chenglong, don’t be greedy. You just got back from Japan! Isn’t that enough? You could lie on your record and live easy for years. Don’t come trying to steal more from the rest of us!”
Lai Chenglong burst into laughter.
He didn’t care at all. He turned and walked off.
He went straight to the Qi household.
But when old Marquis Qi saw him, his expression was a bit complicated. “Lord Lai, you’d better wait a while.”
Wait in line?
Lai Chenglong was a little confused.
He hadn’t been back in the capital for a while, had the Qi family’s rules changed that much?
You had to queue up to see Miss Qi now?
As he was puzzling over it, he saw Liu Jin and Old Zhao out in the training yard, teaching two children to ride horses. They were very enthusiastic about it, especially Old Zhao, who looked like he was putting in every ounce of strength he had.
…
Wait—what was this?
Had the Imperial Grandson’s personal guards resorted to performing tricks for meals at the Qi household?
Old Marquis Qi followed Lai Chenglong’s gaze and chuckled proudly. “They’re teaching my grandsons how to ride.”
Lai Chenglong had eyes. He could see that.
But what confused him was Old Zhao and Liu Jin were top-level imperial guards, the Imperial Grandson’s elite sword-wielders. What were they doing here teaching two little kids how to ride?
Well, that could be asked later. For now, he turned to the old marquis and asked, “Is someone still ahead of me seeing Miss Qi?”
The old marquis stroked his beard and gave a knowing smile. “Yes, and he’s far more anxious than you. So, Lord Lai, best wait your turn.”
Since he’d said that, Lai Chenglong had no choice but to wait.
With nothing better to do, he wandered over to watch Old Zhao and Liu Jin teach the children to ride.
He saw Old Zhao struggling to get Shen Jialang up onto a horse. Frowning, Lai Chenglong vaulted over the fence, lifted Shen Jialang with one hand, placed him on the horse, and mounted up behind him.
