All Under Heaven

“I don’t know what crime I have commited.” Zhao Su looked at him and answered.

That person said coldly: “Death is near at hand but you still don’t want to admit it, do you know what kind of this place is? If the Embroidered Guards want to know something, there has never been anything that we haven’t been able to find out.”

The Embroidered Guard looked up, he was skilled at interrogation.

Zhao Su had neither authority, nor power, if he admitted the crime it wouldn’t help either, he needed to show his softer side but he couldn’t show off either.

That’s what Zhao Su thought to himself, he then changed his tone: “Da-ren, it’s not that I don’t want to confess, the reality is that I don’t know what is going on, can you tell me? My teacher and the Commander of the Embroidered Guards, Lui da-ren are old friends, could I trouble you to report this to him?”

The other’s face didn’t react, even his eyebrows didn’t twitch: “Lui da-ren won’t be able to save you either, this case was ordered down directly from the Emperor, we are just doing our duty.”

Zhao Su’s heart skipped a bit: “Please could da-ren explain further. ”

“His Majesty has requested a full investigation into the leak of the metropolitan examination questions. Your pageboy, Zhao Rong accused you of colluding with the examiners and buying the examination questions in advance, is this true?”

“Absolutely not.”

That person stared at him with a burning gaze, “Don’t say that I didn’t give you an easy way out, if you admit to the crime then at worst you will get a caning. If you don’t admit it then we have ways to make you speak the truth.”

Zhao Rong had spent two taels of silver at the restaurant to purchase the so-called examination questions, but this had nothing to do with him. After that, the examination questions had been changed anyway. So it was even less likely that Zhao Su could have cheated. And colluding with the Examining Officers, this type of thing was complete nonsense.

But why did Zhao Rong accuse him. What benefit could this possibly have for Zhao Rong?

“Nowadays, there are not that many people with such hard bones. Your pageboy is already not bad, he received thirty lashes and still wouldn’t confess.”

Consort Li, who was sitting in the corner silently until now, said softly: “Your Highness, what would you say to the Emperor?”

Zhu Yijun had been standing outside the door the whole time, eavesdropping on the adults. The usually lively little steamed bun showed a rare moment of silence at this time. Perhaps it was because he couldn’t fully understand what they were saying, but anyone could see that he was listening very intently.

This surprised Fengbao. He squatted down and gently said: “Little Princely Heir, shall we go?”

“Susu has been arrested.” the child said with grievance.