There is a god in the sky

Chapter 194 Who is the Murderer 1

That day, Marquis Pingyang told Xiao Ji that the person who killed Lai Bin and framed him was a retainer of the Tong family.

Therefore, it is easy to deduce that this is a scheme by the princelings.

Before the Marquis of Pingyang could expose the Crown Prince, they preemptively struck, leading him to mistakenly believe that Vice Minister Lai was Magistrate Luo's superior.

Then they killed Vice Minister Lai and framed the Marquis of Pingyang.

This not only created a vacancy for the position of Vice Minister of War, but also completely defeated the Marquis of Pingyang.

It was an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, but unfortunately it didn't work out in the end.

The gunpowder case was never investigated further; the emperor only confiscated the property of Magistrate Luo.

With his property confiscated, Magistrate Luo ended up having his entire family executed.

Marquis Pingyang complained to Xiao Ji, "You really screwed me over this time. I offended the Crown Prince for no reason."

Xiao Ji disagreed, saying, "If the Crown Prince wanted to win over the Marquis, he wouldn't have dug a pit for you to fall into; he would have simply sent someone to inform you."

But he didn't do that; instead, he directly plotted against you, which shows that there was already a rift between you two.

Marquis Pingyang knew very well that his daughter was a concubine in the palace and was at odds with the Empress, so it was impossible for him and the Crown Prince to walk the same path.

He said this to Xiao Ji only so that Xiao Ji would understand.

Now he and Xiao Ji are in the same boat.

He offended the Crown Prince, which meant that Xiao Ji, and even the Xiao family, could no longer become part of the Crown Prince's faction.

Marquis Pingyang made a high-profile entrance into the court and openly exchanged insults with Minister Tong during the court assembly.

The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, one was the most extravagant spender and the other the least willing to spend money, were always two opposing government departments.

The Minister of War used to be too afraid to ask for money too loudly because of the Crown Prince's influence.

With the Marquis of Pingyang around, he's happy to stay in the background and enjoy a peaceful life.

Minister Zhao had just spoken to him at length, and the most he talked about was the Marquis of Pingyang.

The relationship between the Xiao family and the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion was known throughout the court.

Regardless of the number, they are relatives after all.

Minister Zhao did not want Xiao Ji to get too close to Marquis Pingyang, lest Xiao Ji be implicated and consequently the Zhao family be implicated.

He just said, "The Marquis of Pingyang is a reckless fool. He can't even see the situation in the court before he rushed in. Sooner or later, something bad will happen to him."

You're a civil official, certainly different from those military generals; don't let him lead you astray.

What was Xiao Ji's reply to him back then?

He said, "The Marquis of Pingyang has been idle for many years, and he must be a little unaccustomed to entering the court for the first time. As long as he is an upright official, I don't think he will cause any major trouble."

"You're just too young and don't see far enough ahead. Offending the Tong family is like offending the Crown Prince. What good can come of it?"

Although Minister Zhao did not explicitly state that he supported the Crown Prince, he did not conceal it either.

The waters of this capital city run deep. Xiao Ji doesn't want to be an enemy of any faction, but he also doesn't want to become someone's appendage.

"Sir...Sir..." The stall owner, who had been watching him for a while, called out to him several times anxiously.

Xiao Ji snapped out of his daze and found himself standing in front of a sugar figurine stall.

His gaze was drawn to the clay figurines of the twelve flower goddesses.

"Sir, which one do you like?" the stall owner asked, introducing his sugar figurines to him.

Xiao Ji noticed that one of the sugar figurines was wearing clothes that looked somewhat like what Shen Lan had worn on New Year's Eve, so he bought that one.

Only when he was walking down the street with the sugar figurine did he realize that something was wrong.

He hadn't had time to change out of his everyday clothes after leaving the Zhao residence, and walking down the street in his official robes, he was constantly followed by the eyes of passersby.

Holding a sugar figurine in your hand can make you feel a little embarrassed.

So when Xiao Ji bumped into a little child running around, he gave him the sugar figurine.

The little boy looked at the sugar figurine, then stared blankly at him, and then laughed and said, "Brother, this sugar figurine isn't as pretty as you."

The child's mother, terrified, covered his mouth and hurriedly apologized, "Please forgive me, sir, my son didn't mean it that way, he...he..."

Xiao Ji smiled, shook his head, and walked away with his hands behind his back.

He decided to go to a clothing store first to change into some casual clothes.

As luck would have it, Shen Lan brought Xuan'er to the street to buy lanterns, and from afar she spotted Xiao Ji, who stood out from the crowd.

"Sister, it's Lord Xiao!" Xuan'er exclaimed in surprise.

She hadn't seen Lord Xiao for a long time.

Shen Lan led her over and asked Xiao Ji, "Why are you walking alone on the street, sir?"

Xiao Ji was in a good mood when he saw them and replied with a smile, "I was just about to go home. Sui Feng went to take care of some business."

"Did you just finish your shift at this hour?"

Xiao Ji shook his head, "No, I just came from the Zhao family."

Shen Lan understood; he had gone to see his fiancée.

She would often hear Xiao Yi talk about the Xiao family.

The Xiao family was small; Mr. and Mrs. Xiao were loving and had no illegitimate siblings.

Xiao Ji is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and his wife will also be the matriarch of the Xiao family.

Miss Zhao was a good match for him, and the Xiao family elders were very satisfied with their daughter-in-law, just waiting for them to get married.

She had already met Xiao's father; he was a refined and cultured man, and Xiao's mother must also be a gentle woman.

Shen Lan has recently been collecting paints.

She planned to give Xiao Ji a big gift when he got married.

"Sir, if you walk around in your official robes like this, you'll inevitably attract attention. Perhaps I should hire a sedan chair for you?"

Xiao Ji pointed to the clothing store next to him, "I'll just go buy a set of casual clothes."

This "Qixiufang" shop on the street is one of the best in the whole city.

It is said that the owner is the wife of the Marquis of Zhenyuan. That lady is from Jiangnan and controls half of the silk business in Jiangnan.

Just as Xiao Ji was about to enter, there was a loud "bang" and a human body fell from the sky, landing right in front of him.

Shen Lan reacted quickly and pulled him back, almost causing them to fall over.

Upon seeing that it was a person who had fallen, Shen Lan immediately stepped forward and reached out to feel the carotid artery.

"Alive."

She looked up at the spot where the person had fallen, which was the third floor of Qixiu Workshop.

Xiao Ji instructed her to do her best to treat him, then strode into the shop, pushed aside the shop assistant blocking his way, and rushed up to the third floor.

Although I didn't see it just now, the possibility of someone falling is greater if it was intentional.

Shen Lan gently turned the person over so that she was lying on the ground, and found that she was a very young girl.

Her forehead was smashed open, and blood was flowing freely.

The person was in so much pain that they couldn't speak, and when they opened their mouth, blood flowed from the corner of their mouth.

"Young lady, don't speak yet, let me examine you first."

She didn't bring a toolbox and had no medicine on her, so she could only tear off a piece of white cloth and press it against the wound on her head.

She instructed Xuan'er, "Go and see if there's a clinic nearby, and quickly fetch a doctor."

Xuan'er ran to fetch a doctor.

At this point, more and more people gathered around.

"Looks like he's not going to make it out of here."

"So young, I wonder whose daughter she is."

"The guests at Qixiu Workshop are all wealthy and noble. Judging from their attire, they must be daughters of wealthy families."

"What a pity..."

Shen Lan gently touched her body and judged from the position she had just fallen that she must have suffered multiple fractures.

Sure enough, not only were several of his ribs broken, but he also broke one of his legs.

Even in modern times, such injuries would be fatal if not treated promptly.

A pair of hands gripped her arms tightly. The injured woman, her eyes open and lips trembling, said to her, "Save...me..."

The white cloth she was pressing on the wound was already stained red.

The hands that were gripping her arm gradually loosened, and her pupils began to dilate.

"Hang in there a little longer, the doctor will be here soon," Shen Lan said anxiously, trying to comfort her.

She could no longer speak; every time she opened her mouth, her voice was choked by blood.

Until her hands went limp and she collapsed to the ground, her breath gradually faded away.