Chapter 3 Three steps to get out of prison
Zhou Zhao's thoughts returned instantly. She rolled the bamboo slip into a ball and held it in her arms, then stood up with a pale face.
"This is a blank bamboo slip. It has been placed in Tingwei Temple before. Chang Zuoping should have seen it."
She was so shocked when she saw the bamboo slips before that she didn't know when there were three people standing in front of the cell door.
The white-bearded old man who spoke was named Chang. He was serving as Tingwei Zuo Ping at the time. He focused on interrogating prisoners in prison. Many people in Chang'an City secretly called him a "bloody cruel official".
Four years ago, his brother passed away suddenly. Zhou Buhao, the father of Ting Weizheng at the time, sent the white-haired man to the black-haired man. However, he could not find the murderer, so he resigned from the court in frustration.
Now four years have passed, Tingwei Temple has long been transformed, with a new generation replacing the old.
To the left and right of Chang Zuoping were the bearded leader of the Hu Bei Army whom Zhou Zhao had seen before, and his henchman, Zhu Li, who was holding her with a sword.
The door opened, and Chang Zuo walked in slowly. His whole body was a little thin, especially his face, which looked like a goat with white hair.
Chang Zuoping did not speak, but took out the bamboo slips and spread them out in his hands.
Zhou Zhao's breath tightened, and her heart jumped into her throat. She raised her eyes and saw that the bamboo slips were empty. There was not a single word in the "Book of Announcement to the Death of Wife"! Everything just now seemed like an illusion she had.
Chang Zuoping only glanced at it, and then his eyes fell on Zhou Zhao's face.
Zhou Zhao felt slightly relieved and touched his neck with his hand. The blood that had been scratched by the coffin nails had now seeped into the handkerchief.
She bent down and picked up the blue furoshiki on the ground. When she stood up straight, she felt as if her back was in pain. She took a breath of cold air. When she stood up, her face became a little pale again, and then she became fierce. Di rolled his eyes at the strong man in the cage on the right.
Chang Zuoping followed her line of sight and saw the pierced hand of the strong man at a glance.
He didn't say anything more, just returned the bamboo slip to Zhou Zhao, then turned and left.
Zhou Zhao knew that he had passed the test and immediately followed him.
The room specially used for interrogation in Tingwei Temple is on the other side of the dungeon. As soon as you enter that area, the strong smell of blood hits your nostrils, which is nauseating.
Rows of torture instruments still with their residues were neatly arranged on both sides. If a timid person saw it, they would immediately be scared to death.
Without squinting, Zhou Zhao followed Chang Zuoping past these and stopped in front of the door of a room inside.
The door was open, and sitting in the room was a young man wearing a pink floral dress. He was very handsome and had a sense of style. There was a flower on his head, and he smelled faintly of alcohol and makeup. You can tell by looking at him that he was wandering among the flowers before he was called.
Chang Zuoping glared at him with disgust and couldn't help but cursed, "Min Zangzhi, Tingwei Temple has disgraced you."
The man named Min Zangzhi took the pen and dipped it in ink nonchalantly, "Tingwei Temple is not a human being, so how can he have any face? Chang Zuoping, do I want to record what you just said?"
Chang Zuoping choked and was too lazy to pay attention to him, so he sat on the front seat.
The bearded man from the Northern Army named Zhu Li seemed to want to watch the excitement and sat down beside him, with no intention of leaving.
Zhou Zhao didn't say anything, he went straight to find the free futon and knelt down to sit down.
Chang Zuoping narrowed his eyes, and his eyes became narrower and longer. He looked directly into Zhou Zhao's eyes and started to ask questions.
"You look very calm. Are you so confident that you can walk out of Tingwei Temple?"
Zhou Zhao smiled and said, "Since I didn't kill anyone, you will let me out." Chang Zuoping snorted coldly, "Do you know who the person who died is?"
"I didn't know at first," Zhou Zhao paused, "but the maid said that her girl had seen me today. Combined with her body shape, if I guessed correctly, the deceased should be known as the most beautiful woman in Chang'an City. Zhang Ruoqing.”
Chang Zuoping didn't seem surprised that Zhou Zhao could guess it. His eyes widened a bit, and then he laughed out loud.
"Zhang Ruoqing's father is His Majesty's sworn brother. It's not easy for you to walk out with both beard and tail. Poor Zhou Ligong, is it possible that the white-haired man will give away the black-haired man again?"
As he spoke, he carefully observed Zhou Zhao's expression, but when he saw that she still looked calm and composed, he suddenly felt unhappy.
"It is rumored that the Queen intends to choose someone between you and Zhang Ruoqing to be the Crown Princess. You have a reason to kill her."
"You were at the death scene at the time, and your maidservant and brothers from the Northern Army were witnesses. We also found your footprints in the courtyard. There was red mud on your feet. This is physical evidence."
"And in the hands of the deceased Zhang Ruoqing, there is still a wooden sign with your name. This is irrefutable evidence. So, what else can you argue?"
Zhou Zhao was worried about the rest of the "Letter to the Dead Wife" and didn't want to dwell on it for too long. Her eyes moved and she raised her hand to point to the door.
"It's only three steps from where I am to the door. Every time I prove something to myself and the Lord agrees, I will take a step forward. If I get to the door, the Lord will clear my name and let me get out of prison on my own, okay?"
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Chang Zuoping obviously didn't expect Zhou Zhao to come like this, and he immediately showed hesitation.
The clerk Min Zangzhi, who was busy writing at the side, laughed out loud without taking it too seriously, "Chang Zuoping, are you afraid of a little girl? Why are you afraid that she will be released from prison in three steps and lose Tingwei Temple? The person with a beautiful face will become you?”
Chang Zuoping snorted coldly and almost pulled off his goatee.
"You are not old, but your tone is not small. I want to see how you quibble!"
Zhou Zhao raised his eyebrows, stood up, and nodded to Min Zangzhi on the side, "It is said that Chu is prosperous and Chen Sheng is prosperous. Is the world now dominated by Chu and Chen?"
Chang Zuoping's face changed, and he said "bold" in his mouth.
Min Zangzhi on the side had already laughed out loud. He gave Zhou Zhao a thumbs up and decisively recorded these words.
"This shows that rumors cannot be trusted and cannot be used as evidence for conviction," Zhou Zhao said and took a step towards the door.
"June 15th is the anniversary of my brother's death. Every year on this day, I go to the Shanming Villa in Wujin Alley to pay my respects. Mrs. Chen who sells candles at the entrance of Wujin Alley can prove that I entered the alley before it rained. Uncle Fu from Changyang Princess Mansion It can prove that I have been burning gold foil with him.”
"When I was saying goodbye to him, I happened to hear someone singing a Nuo opera, singing the part about inviting Birch. Uncle Fu also said that recently there were many children crying at night near Wujin Lane."
Zhou Zhao was halfway through what he said, but was interrupted by Chang Zuoping.
He shook his head, "The old housekeeper of Changyang Princess Mansion is not good. Everyone in Chang'an knows that he has a deep friendship with you."
"You may not have gone to Shanming Villa at all, but hid in Zhang Ruoqing's house to kill people, and then happened to appear as the discoverer to clear your suspicion. But you didn't expect that Zhang Ruoqing secretly held you in his hands before he died. The ironclad evidence of the name.”
Zhou Zhao smiled when she heard this. She raised her finger and pointed at Min Zangzhi, who was sitting aside and shaking his head. "If the old housekeeper can't do it, can Master Min do it?"
(End of chapter)