Bastard's Counterattack [Rebirth]

——Escorted to the dungeon for overnight interrogation?

Rong Youtang suddenly shuddered, completely waking up from the trance of cold and hypothermia!Because he died under torture in his previous life, he was sensitive and afraid of words like "heavenly prison" and "interrogation" to the bone.

Is there anyone who is not afraid of death?

A group of maidservants were frightened, weeping silently, shaking their heads desperately, their eyes filled with begging for mercy and yelling for grievances--however, the poor maidservants, who are humble and light-spoken, dare not even scream at the imminent disaster, for fear of making a noise Disturbed the nobleman, so no matter whether there is injustice or not, the first thing is to violate the palace rules.

Rong Youtang was also afraid.He raised his head and subconsciously looked at King Qing—he didn't know what his expression was, but he just stared at it for a long time, until he was pushed and shoved by the people from the Ministry of Punishment to take him to the prison.

But Zhao Zeyong saw it very clearly: there were a dozen court ladies and eunuchs kneeling there, most of them were in tears and trembling with fright.Only he didn't cry, didn't tremble, he seemed to be frightened, he just knelt down, and he was also wearing a royal blue underwear, his face became more and more beautiful and white.Moreover, when he looked over, there was no intention of asking for help in his eyes?Only fear dazed.

Look...it's so pitiful.

As for being so scared?This king will not ignore you, Zhao Zeyong said heartily.He withdrew his gaze without showing a trace, and continued to talk to the remaining brothers and courtiers.

"Fifth brother, since the emperor ordered you to supervise it, then you can go to the prison to have a look, so as not to be unable to answer the emperor's questions." Zhao Zeyong suggested.

"Third brother, don't you know me? I like to recite poems and paint pictures, travel around mountains and rivers, listen to music and watch operas. My father doesn't know what's going on recently. How could he think that I'm good at solving cases? Ouch~" The fifth prince was full of complaints and complained, without any consideration for others, and lamented: "My little brother planned to hold a Tingxi poetry meeting in two days, but all the posts have been scattered! This is great, what should I do?"

The people from the Ministry of Punishment and Fusi of Beizhen frowned and said to themselves: Tsk, this Highness is so incompetent and magnanimous!It seems that he is wise and safe again, with his head shrunk into the turtle shell, lying lazily basking in the sun behind the investigation team.Only when His Majesty intervened, he would stick out his head and take a look.

"Oh?" Zhao Zeyong smiled, and suggested solemnly: "It's really difficult, but I don't know much about poetry and painting. Why don't you go and tell Father? Father must have a solution."

"..." The fifth prince opened his eyes wide: "Third brother, are you joking?"

Zhao Zeyong lifted his foot and left: "Okay, you are busy, I have to go and see Xiao Jiu."

"Third brother!" The fifth prince grabbed his elder brother, looked around, avoided the other brothers, and said in a low voice: "Xiao Jiu is in Qianming Palace, and the father is taking care of him personally. They should have rested, and you can't see him if you go." Come on. Anyway, I’m idle, so how about we go to the prison? Cough cough, you boy, just saw his face pale, and he didn’t even know how to cry, I’m afraid he was frightened.”

Zhao Zeyong glanced at his brother, and said righteously: "Which boy?"

"Let's go!" The fifth prince smiled cryptically, pushed his elder brother forward, and said ambiguously: "If you go late and the Ministry of punishment will punish you, it's not easy to coax people back. Is he difficult to coax?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhao Zeyong avoided answering, frowned and said: "I think Father is too indulgent with you, I have to ask him to send you more errands tomorrow, don't mess around with scholars all day long Literati are the most arrogant and poisonous, and if they make troubles, they may write books and try their best to slander others."

"What are you afraid of?" The fifth prince didn't care, and said arrogantly: "You think that anyone who writes a book can pass it on to future generations? If you have that ability, just write a book and scold me, so I can taste it forever taste!"

"It's a bad smell for thousands of years." Zhao Zeyong snorted coldly.

"Hahahahaha~" The fifth prince laughed loudly, wantonly and free and easy, and indeed had the uninhibited style of a literati fanatic.

A group of people went to the prison.

Revisiting the old place, the crime is still related to the assassination of the Ninth Prince.

"So, why did God arrange for me to be reborn? Is it to let me die in the sky prison again?" Rong Youtang sat back and thought.

A group of them were divided into two groups and imprisoned: a group of servants, a group of maids, and two cells next to each other.The environment is not bad: the cleaning is quite clean, there is hay on the Datong floor, there is no smell of blood, and no mice and cockroaches can be seen.

"Kla~" With a heavy and cold sound, the cell door was locked.

The palace maids were all very young girls, so they dared to cry at this time, and among the servants there were some who had just entered the palace in their teens, but they were only half-old children, and they also began to hug their knees and bury their heads in sobs.

Rong Youtang knew that the sky prison was divided into different levels, and they were considered to have received the first-class treatment today—there are several floors below, which are deep dungeons, where all prisoners with severe sentences and death sentences are detained, that is the purgatory on earth.

It was dark, cramped, cold, and smelly, and there were inhuman screams and wails from time to time.

In his previous life, he was transferred from an ordinary prison to a lower dungeon... When he was woken up with bruises and was splashed with cold water, he simply wanted to die quickly, and torture really made life worse than death.

"In half a year, I will be able to leave the palace. My parents said that the house has been refurbished, and they gave me a new dressing table and screen..." a court lady cried in despair.

"I, I have only been in the palace for a year, who would have thought that such a thing would happen?" Another younger girl trembled.

While he was sobbing and discussing uncomfortably, a woman's voice was suddenly screamed from below: "Ah—animal! Animal! Don't touch me—get out of the way...ahah——"

Immediately afterwards, it stopped abruptly.

The two cells were eerily quiet.

Anyone can guess what happened.

It is a hundred times harder for a woman than for a man to become a prisoner. Whether it is physical or psychological, many staunch ones commit suicide before entering the cell.

The maids were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they desperately squeezed into the corner, hugging a ball and crying until their hearts were broken.

Rong Youtang sighed, cheered up and comforted him: "Don't be afraid, we didn't commit any crimes, the Ministry of Criminal Justice just put them in prison according to the law, and we will release them after we find out what happened."

How could His Royal Highness King Qing refuse to save him?He will surely save us.Rong Youtang was inexplicably confident.

"really?"

"Young Master Rong, His Highness will definitely come to rescue you, can you speak for us then?"

"Young Master Rong, there is only one younger sister in my family, and my parents are pointing me out of the palace to take care of me."

"Help me, don't wait for the next life, I will be a cow and a horse in this life to repay you."

"You are the person in His Highness's room, so you are more important than us."

"..."

A group of panic-stricken people begged bitterly, even kneeling and kowtowing to Rong Youtang, as if they were drowning and grasping for a life-saving straw.

"What are you doing? Get up! Get up!" Rong Youtang jumped off the Datong shop and stood in the corner, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "I'm really not a rich man, we are the same person, but I'm working as an errand in Prince Qing's Mansion That's all."

However, the companion obviously disagreed, but some things were not easy to speak out, so they continued to ask for help.

"I, Your Highness and I..." Rong Youtang tried to explain for the first time: "Your Highness and I, uh-hey, Your Highness and I are no different from you and Your Highness! Usually you can see it too."

silence for a while

"Don't worry, Mr. Rong, we are not talkative people." One of the maids bravely said: "This place is really terrible, so I have the courage to ask you to help me with a word."

Well, these people always don't believe it!Don't even think about it, how could King Qing, who has always been self-disciplined, say that he would cut off his sleeves?Then why didn't he show it in the past twenty years?

Rong Youtang had no choice but to ignore it.He remembered the maid who spoke, so he joked: "Hey, what are 'people in the room' and 'people outside the room', now we are all people in prison! Don't worry, you are from Jinghe Palace, I am In Prince Qing’s Mansion, if we are to be "clicked", we must be convicted based on evidence - but we did not commit a crime! So, we will answer truthfully later."

If we deserve to be damned, then there are too many damned people—such as the imperial guards, the admirals of Nine Cities, Jing Zhaoyin, and so on.

The maid was a bit older and knew better, she was obviously very frightened, she hugged her knees, her teeth chattered, and said, "What if...they use torture?"

Rong Youtang shook his head: "No way. You forgot? This time, the assassin was captured alive. The adults who investigate the case don't have time to deal with us. We must deal with the assassin first."

The companions thought for a while: Oh, that's right.

"This sister will leave the palace in half a year, and the dowry has already been arranged in the mourning hall of your father. It must be a good thing. Congratulations." Seeing that the atmosphere is too depressing, Rong Youtang joked: "When the time comes, my sister will have a wedding. Take a look at Rong's Cloth Shop on the main street, my family will definitely give you the biggest discount, and I will give you an extra red double-happiness quilt cover full of children and grandchildren!"

As soon as this remark came out, the people in the two cells laughed kindly, and the sadness and depression were swept away.

Unexpectedly, laughter also came from the corner outside the cell!

"Hahaha~" The fifth prince was overjoyed, elbowed his elder brother, and jokingly said: "The third brother's servant is really capable, and he has made his family's business into a prison!"

Zhao Zeyong laughed dumbfounded, speechless, thinking: Before the king came, I was worried that you would be panicked in prison, but who knew that little slicker was trying to promote his cloth shop?

It's really... indescribable!

Hearing that someone was coming, Rong Youtang hurriedly told his companions to get down to the ground and stand still, and looked again: it was His Royal Highness Prince Qing who came down!The maids in the court were very excited and knelt down to receive him.

"The prison is heavy, how can you make such a noise?" Zhao Zeyong calmly reprimanded him.

Everyone was silent and dared not speak, but Rong Youtang knew that those words were actually addressed to others.

Sure enough, the servant of the Ministry of Criminal Justice quickly explained: "Your Highness, these people are only routinely imprisoned, and they can be released after it is found that they have nothing to do with this case."

The fifth prince glanced at Rong Youtang in the prison cell, then looked at his brother's face, and ordered very righteously: "In this case, a quick interrogation is necessary to clarify the case as soon as possible, so as not to imprison a bunch of people in a mess and increase the burden on the prison for no reason. .”

The Ministry of Punishment has its own news channel. Although the case has not been solved yet, they pay more attention to the dignitaries related to the case.For example, a certain prince's person was detained in the cell.

So the servant readily agreed: "What Your Highness said is very true, the lower officials were assigned here to investigate, and they are about to interrogate them just now."

"That's fine." The fifth prince Shi Shiran brushed off his clothes, frowned, and said, "Those assassins must be being tortured by your people. My Highness doesn't like that kind of scene. Why don't you just watch you handle the case? It's better to turn around." Make a errand to the emperor."

"You're right, the superiors of the lower officials and the Fusi people in Beizhen are indeed rigorously interrogating the assassin." The servant was very knowledgeable, obviously not surprised by Tian Huang's temperament, and immediately arranged: "That matter should not be delayed, Your Highnesses, this way please. Come here, clean up the interrogation room quickly, set up a seat for tea—"

However, Zhao Zeyong waved his hands and said solemnly: "Father did not order this king to participate in this case, you go, this king should avoid it."

Minister of the Ministry of Punishment: "..." I said His Highness King Qing, you have all stepped into the prison, so why do you avoid it?

"Ahem, the third brother is right." The fifth prince tried his best to hold back his smile, and said with a sullen face: "Then you wait outside? After I supervise and interrogate some people, we can talk about the case together, isn't that okay? "

"Hmm." Zhao Zeyong nodded, before avoiding, he looked at Rong Youtang again, and said softly: "This is a sky prison, not East Street. There are no rules and regulations, are you afraid that the Ministry of Criminal Justice will seal your shop?"

"I made a small mistake, please forgive me, Your Highness." Rong Youtang was a little nervous, and looked at the servant of the criminal department, who hurriedly said: "Unless it is involved in a case, the criminal department will not seize other people's property casually!" After a pause, he secretly Observing King Qing's demeanor, he laughed and joked, "I'm going to take a rest some other day, so I'll go to Rong's Cloth Shop to see if the shopkeeper can also give me a quilt cover and pillowcase or something."

"...My lord was joking." Rong Youtang was extremely embarrassed.

The servant of the Ministry of Punishment was cheerful and continued to observe King Qing secretly.

Zhao Zeyong was expressionless, but there was a smile in his eyes, and he said, "Cooperate well with the investigation, and go back to work as soon as it's over!" After finishing speaking, he went out to avoid it.

Hearing this, the hearts of Jing and Gongxia finally fell.

Therefore, under the urging of the two princes, Rong Youtang and his party were interrogated ahead of schedule.If no one interferes, the Ministry of Criminal Justice really has no time to pay attention to it, and usually shuts it down first.

What is the last name?Where are you from?What's the situation at home?When will you enter the palace?What do you serve on a daily basis?Let's listen to the details of the incident.

Rong Youtang was very familiar with the interrogation process. While he was answering, there was a special recorder beside him, and the chief interrogator looked through the files at the same time.

"This kid is fine." The fifth prince put away his uninhibited posture like a literati fanatic, and said seriously: "He is from Prince Qing's Mansion, he is Xiaojiu's playmate, and his family background has been strictly inspected by the Palace. In the case of Yuandian, it was he who discovered the poison in the wine in time and removed the evidence before the explosion; he was also the first to discover the assassin's sneak attack this time, and blocked the rose nitrate that was poured on Xiaojiu. These How can the servants have supernatural abilities? Almost all of them have become souls of the assassin's sword."

Rong Youtang looked at the fifth prince in surprise, surprised that the other party would speak for him.

The servant of the Ministry of Punishment said in a business-like manner: "Your Highness, the Ministry of Punishment only cares about whether there is any involvement in the case. If you are not guilty, you will be released, but the file will be kept for future inspection."

"Well, continue to ask questions, hurry up, everyone is sleepy."

After going through the process, fingerprints were pressed one by one. Rong Youtang stayed in the prison for half the night, and regained his freedom as if awakened from a nightmare.

I knelt in the snow for too long before, and the hem of the cotton pants was wet. When I walked out of the prison, the north wind blew, and I could stand up stiff from the cold!

"Oh, it's really, really cold." Rong Youtang said to his companion.

"You don't know the hardships in the palace. It will be much better to wear cowhide pads on your knees. If you don't dislike it, I will give you a pair when I go back." The little servant was reborn, with a smile on his face and eyes.

"Really? I'll go back and see what it's like—" Before Rong Youtang finished speaking, he heard footsteps behind him, and looked back: it was King Qing and the fifth prince brothers.

"I have seen the two Highnesses." A group of people hurriedly saluted respectfully and were very grateful.

The fifth prince smiled and said, "I work in the imperial palace, and those who have never been in the dungeon have nothing to brag about after leaving the palace! You go out as soon as you go out. My Highness has to run back and forth these days. It's really annoying."

The maids in the palace all pursed their lips and snickered, looking at the two princes as if they were looking at the Buddha and Bodhisattva, wishing they could burn incense and kowtow.

Zhao Zeyong said gently: "It's just a routine summons. If you are innocent, you don't have to worry about it. Go back to Jinghe Palace. Zuo Fan will arrange for you."

"Obey!" The group resigned happily, walking side by side affectionately.

However, King Qing specifically said: "Rong Youtang, you stay."

"...Yes." Rong Youtang stopped, at this moment, he suddenly didn't want to face King Qing.

Is it because of the other party's concealment and distrust?More or less, the human heart is made of flesh after all.

Seeing this, the fifth prince winked very much, and said with a haha: "Third brother, I hurried back to look through the files, you are busy, you are busy."

"Go ahead, Emperor Father will ask about it tomorrow morning." Zhao Zeyong reminded.

A moment later, on the quiet corridor of the imperial palace in the middle of the night, King Qing was in front, and Rong Youtang followed slowly.

"What are you doing so far away?" Zhao Zeyong didn't turn his head.

Rong Youtang had no choice but to follow closely, but it wasn't like usual: talk if you have something to say, but find something to say if you have nothing to say - because he admired and envied King Qing.Probably every man has a dream of a passionate general in his heart, imagining himself commanding thousands of troops, sweeping the enemy, and being a respected hero who defends his home and country.

They walked into the atrium, and there was no one around.

"You know everything?" Zhao Zeyong asked.

"I probably guessed a little bit." Rong Youtang replied.

"Angry?"

"...don't dare."

"That's anger." Zhao Zeyong said calmly.

You don't even feel guilty at all?

Rong Youtang, who was not very angry at first, suddenly became furious, stood still, and quickly organized his words to denounce and protest... But with a thought, he forced himself to calm down again: Well, I made a mistake in concealing my background and original intention of coming here; but this time you deliberately You are also at fault for concealing the plan and almost letting me die at the hands of the assassins!

Rong Youtang seemed to be looking at his own confession letter being filled with thick ink: You deserved to save him.

So he swallowed back the condemnation and protest that rushed to his lips.

"Follow up." Zhao Zeyong urged, still without turning his head, he told leisurely: "I didn't tell Xiao Jiu either, so I have to hide it, otherwise he will make a mess."

Rong Youtang stepped forward quickly, his anger still lingering, and his tone became a bit aggressive: "I am an outsider, and I will be killed if I am killed by the assassin, but you are not worried about accidents in the plan and accidentally injuring His Highness the Ninth Prince? adventure!"

Zhao Zeyong finally stopped, turned around, and said gently: "Except for Rose Salt, everything else is expected. Rong Youtang, I am very grateful, thank you for blocking those medicines for Xiaojiu."

"I help His Highness the Ninth Prince because of his kindness. Even if he is not a prince but just a child from an ordinary family, I will still help him." Rong Youtang's eyes sparkled, and he pointed out bluntly: "Your Highness, if someone doesn't help you If the medicine and rice are divided, then even if you capture the assassin alive and successfully find out the real culprit behind the scenes, what's the point?"

The dignified King Qing was left speechless by the questioning.

After a while, Zhao Zeyong said: "It is of course meaningful to arrest the real culprit. But if something happens to Xiaojiu, I will regret it for the rest of my life, and I will never be able to forgive myself."

This was the first time that King Qing called himself "I" in front of Rong Youtang.

stalemate for a moment

Rong Youtang gradually regained his composure. After thinking for a while, he frowned and asked, "But your Majesty asked others to investigate the case this time. If they fail to catch the murderer, your efforts will be wasted?"

Zhao Zeyong was confident, and said slowly: "No matter who we send to investigate, the result will be the same."

"Who is it?" Rong Youtang couldn't help asking.

"Knowing earlier is not good for you." Zhao Zeyong said indifferently.He looked down, only to find that the other party's face was white and his lips were blue, and the hem of the royal blue cotton robe was completely wet.

Just when Rong Youtang was about to say "If you don't tell me, I'll die of curiosity", a thick cloak with body temperature suddenly appeared on her body, which immediately cut off the cold.

"Your Highness?"

"Put it on, lest outsiders think that the king treats his subordinates harshly." Zhao Zeyong smiled.

Unexpectedly, Rong Youtang only wore it for a moment, then quickly took it off, and returned his hands to King Qing: "I, I'm not cold!"

Are you not cold and your teeth chatter?

Zhao Zeyong's eyes were very puzzled.

——Walking back like this, they will think that there is something between us!

However, these words cannot be said, lest the description become darker.

"It's up to you." Zhao Zeyong said patiently—because the other party saved his younger brother, he naturally treated him differently.

"Oh."

The atmosphere of resentment and conflict gradually disappeared.

The two returned to Jinghe Palace one by one, except for the East Wing, the other places were tidy again.The servant opened the curtain, held the cloak, and waited on the front and back.

"Staying in the prison for half the night is bad luck in the end. Go wash up and go to bed." Zhao Zeyong ordered.

Finally back in the warm room, Rong Youtang let out a long breath, smiled wryly and shook his head: "It's midnight, how can there be hot water? Sincere heart is good, I'll wash it tomorrow too."

"There is a soup pool in the west ear room, the water temperature is not bad, let me take a dip with me."