Traveling through ancient times to escape famine, the prince led me to rebel

Chapter 351 Heavenly Prison

The Tianlao was the place where palace people who committed crimes were imprisoned. Because punishment was often used there, it was not set up in the imperial palace, but in a corner of the imperial city outside the palace.

The imperial palace is where the emperor lives and works, and the imperial city is an area that expands outward with the imperial palace as the center.

Ordinary people were forbidden to live in the imperial city because it housed palace service agencies, warehouses, government offices, ancestral temples, gardens and other facilities that provided various services specifically for the palace.

High-ranking officials were not allowed to live in the imperial city. They lived in the inner city, which was outside the imperial city. Outside the inner city was the outer city, where ordinary people lived.

The entire Kyoto was centered around the Imperial Palace, with the Imperial City, Inner City, and Outer City built outward in sequence. The status of the people living inside decreased in order, and the classes were very obvious.

The person in charge of the Tianlao was a eunuch named Sun, who was very thin.

At this time, he was handing over to the eunuch from Changning Palace who came to escort Luo Xiaoran and others. When he heard that Lin Yuanfang died in Fukang Palace, half of Eunuch Sun's head exploded.

When he heard that the beautiful suspect standing in the front was the future Princess Yan who had been rumored in the palace for a long time, Eunuch Sun's other half's head exploded.

After the eunuchs sent by the Queen Mother left, Eunuch Sun looked at Luo Xiaoran who was looking at the gate of the Sky Prison, and groaned in his heart.

This person's identity is so special, how should he treat it?

In particular, after the eunuchs were escorted away, the guards sent by Huo Qingyun remained here, under the pretext of helping to guard the prisoners in the Heavenly Prison.

When Eunuch Sun saw this scene, he felt as if he had swallowed a fly, feeling uncomfortable and neither feeling up nor down.

In the past, anyone who was sent to him basically never left. He would treat them however he wanted, and there was no need to consider it so carefully.

But this person is the future Princess of Yan, and is also the suspect in the murder of Commander Lin. This is really a hot potato!

If he smiled at them, he would offend the Lin family.

If he gave the cold shoulder, it would offend King Yan.

Dilemma!

No matter how much he thought about it, he still had to face it in the end. He could only bite the bullet and do it. Eunuch Sun planned to... be neither humble nor arrogant.

"The Empress Dowager has spoken, asking me to cooperate with the Imperial Guards to investigate this case.

I will sort out the case with the guards sent by Commander Huo as soon as possible, and interrogate each person one by one. When the truth comes out, Miss Luo can be released earlier.

please!"

After Eunuch Sun finished speaking, the eunuchs who had been guarding the Heavenly Prison all year round rushed forward, stood one-on-one beside Luo Xiaoran and others, and led them into the gate of the Heavenly Prison one after another.

The eunuchs guarding the Tianlao Prison all have martial arts skills. Of course, their most powerful skill is their technique in interrogating prisoners.

It is said that there are thirty-six punishments in Tianlao. Since the founding of Daliang Dynasty, no one has been able to undergo all thirty-six punishments in full. People would often confess sooner or later after being tortured for a short time.

Passing through the narrow and winding path, the fishy smell mixed with the rotten smell hit Luo Xiaoran in the face, making her feel choked!

Going further inside, you can faintly hear the sounds of torture, whips hitting people, and prisoners wailing in pain...

On the way to the cell, one has to pass through the torture room first. As the noises coming from the room become louder and louder, Luo Xiaoran and the others are getting closer and closer to the torture room.

At this time, Eunuch Sun called the eunuch beside him and ordered:

"Go! Let the torture chamber be quiet and don't disturb Miss Luo."

Luo Xiaoran smiled, not wanting to disturb herself, so she had asked the torture room to stop long ago. Was there any need for her to listen all the way before asking them to stop?

Since she had just arrived, Eunuch Sun, as the host, wanted to establish his authority, and Luo Xiaoran also understood that.

It was this behavior that made Luo Xiaoran feel that he was... a little pretentious.

Luo Xiaoran's eyes were too straightforward, as if they could see through everyone's thoughts. Eunuch Sun laughed awkwardly, then led everyone inside.

Finally, they arrived at a relatively spacious space. The smell of blood in the air reached its peak. It turned out that they had arrived at the torture chamber.

There were aisles on both sides of the torture chamber. The one they had just walked was the way they came from the gate of the prison, and the aisle on the opposite side was the way to the cell.

The entire space of the torture room was divided into five areas. In the middle were placed various torture instruments and tables and chairs for the eunuchs in the prison to rest. In the east, south, west and north, there were iron cages and two pieces of wood standing on the ground.

A thick rope was tied to the two pieces of wood, which could be used to tie the prisoner's hands and hang the prisoner between the two pieces of wood, making it easier to carry out the punishment.

Iron cages are used to detain suspects, allowing them to observe the torture process up close, thereby achieving a deterrent effect and causing them to confess as quickly as possible.

Because of the arrival of Luo Xiaoran and others, the prisoners who had just been whipped got a chance to breathe.

He was still hung between two pieces of wood, his clothes had been whipped into thin strips, blood seeped through the torn cloth, staining the clothes red.

There were nearly ten people from Fukang Palace, plus eunuchs and guards, more than thirty people came to the torture room one after another, but the man still had his head hung down, without any reaction, and it was obvious that he had lost consciousness.

Seeing Luo Xiaoran looking at the prisoner for a few more times, Eunuch Sun introduced her:

"This servant offended Madam Consort Tang a few days ago and committed a crime of disrespect, so he was sent to this servant."

"Princess Tang?" Luo Xiaoran became interested. "How did he offend Princess Tang?"

Looking at the prisoner's half-dead appearance, Eunuch Sun shook his head helplessly.

The life of a slave is worthless and he may lose his life if he is not careful.

“The eunuch who sent him here only said that this servant had ruined the palace dress of Concubine Tang.

That was originally what Concubine Tang was going to wear at the Qianqiu Festival Palace Banquet, and it might be too late to make a new one, so Concubine Tang was furious. "

When she heard this, Luo Xiaoran seemed to remember something, and she looked suddenly at Eunuch Sun.

"Eunuch Sun is in charge of the prison, so he must know every prisoner's details. Does this prisoner have any relatives working in the palace?"

Eunuch Sun thought about it carefully, then looked at Luo Xiaoran with some surprise and answered truthfully:

"Miss Luo is right. This prisoner's younger brother is also working in the palace. A few days ago, he sent thick clothes in, fearing that his brother would be cold in the prison.

If you ask me, what is the Tianlao?

Anyone who enters here will be skinned alive if not dead. Why is his brother going to all this trouble? It's just a waste of time..."

As he was talking, Eunuch Sun suddenly felt something was wrong. By saying this, didn't he mean that Luo Xiaoran couldn't go out?

He raised his hand and slapped his mouth, and quickly explained:

"If someone is found to have done something wrong, he or she will be punished.

If he is found innocent, he will be able to leave. I just said something wrong."

After Eunuch Sun finished speaking, Luo Xiaoran did not respond.

She walked towards the bloody prisoner, reached out and grabbed his hair, lifted his lowered head to face her, and finally saw his face.

Not to mention, he does look somewhat like Xiao Xingzi.

Luo Xiaoran turned to look at Huo Shui, "Protect him!"

……

At Luo Xiaoran's strong request, Wei An was locked up in the same cell with her. After all, her cell was the driest of all the cells.

Wei An's cell was damp and dirty, with a mixture of the smell of urine and rotten food, and rats and bedbugs crawling around in it.

Although Wei An didn't mind, Luo Xiaoran couldn't stand it, so she tentatively asked Eunuch Sun. Unexpectedly, Eunuch Sun agreed immediately.

Wei An was very happy to be able to stay with Luo Xiaoran. After being happy, she recalled the experience in the torture room and she understood something.

"Princess, it turns out that Xiao Xingzi was not lying. His brother is really imprisoned in the Sky Prison. He is the prisoner in the torture chamber!

I didn't understand before, you were so kind to Xiao Xingzi, why would he be so ungrateful and slander you!

Now it seems that the reason why Xiao Xingzi risked his life to frame you as the murderer of Lin Yuanfang is probably because someone threatened him with his brother's life! "

"Anything else?" Luo Xiaoran asked Wei An to continue analyzing.

"Xiao Xingzi's brother was sent to the Heavenly Prison because he offended Concubine Tang. Could it be that Concubine Tang was the one behind this?

At the palace banquet, she also deliberately clashed with the princess and was finally confined by the emperor.

She had a grudge against the princess and had the motive to frame her.

After she is grounded, everyone will think that she is reflecting on her mistakes, and no one will suspect her of this matter!"

Wei An’s analysis was not without reason, but Luo Xiaoran always felt something was wrong.

"If I were to investigate this case, I would definitely check Xiao Xingzi's family to see if anyone used their family as a threat to get Xiao Xingzi to frame me. Wouldn't that mean I could find Concubine Tang right away?"

Having said this, Luo Xiaoran paused, and her eyes met Wei An's.

"Would Concubine Tang be so stupid?"

Wei An's mouth twitched. She really had a hard time describing what she felt about Concubine Tang.

"Princess, Princess Tang seems to be really stupid, not the kind of stupidity she pretends to be!"

Luo Xiaoran: “…” That’s true!

“Even if this is not a suspicious point, the Tang family and the Lin family are on good terms, so why would Concubine Tang want to kill Lin Yuanfang?

She wanted to take revenge on me. Why couldn't she do anything else? Why did she have to create such a sensation?

Besides, if she was stupid enough to expose Xiao Xingzi's brother, would she be so careful and meticulous in making the blood-stained clothes and concocting the residue of drugs on my palace dress?

Also, we met Xiao Xingzi’s brother Xiao Gaozi as soon as we entered the Tianlao. Is this really just a coincidence?

I am more inclined to believe that Concubine Tang was just a smokescreen released by someone behind the scenes, or a scapegoat when necessary, and that the person who planned this incident... was someone else!"

Wei An felt that Luo Xiaoran’s analysis made a lot of sense. Concubine Tang was indeed too superficial and was really just a target being pushed forward.

If it was really Concubine Tang who killed Lin Yuanfang and exposed herself so thoroughly, Wei An felt that Concubine Tang was not stupid at all, she was simply sick, very sick!

While Wei An was still thinking about this matter, her clever princess had already started making arrangements for the next step.

Luo Xiaoran called Huo Shui and asked her to help her convey a message to Huo Qingyun.

……

"Xiao Xingzi is so bold as to sue his master as a slave that I cannot help but suspect that he was threatened or bribed.

Coincidentally, his elder brother, Kotakako, worked at the Imperial Clothing Department.

Three days ago, Xiao Gaozi was sent to deliver the palace dress to Concubine Tang for the Qianqiu Festival palace banquet.

Later, Concubine Tang found that the palace dress was damaged, and in a rage she sent Xiao Gaozi to the Heavenly Prison.

What’s even more coincidental is that the person who tailored the palace dresses for Concubine Tang and Miss Luo was the same palace maid from the Imperial Clothing Department.

And this palace maid died suddenly and mysteriously on the night of the Qianqiu Festival."

In the imperial study, Huo Qingyun truthfully reported to Emperor Tianqi the information he had found out in the past two days.

Well, report selectively.

There are also some things that he did not hide from Emperor Tianqi, but they are difficult to find out.

For example, the murder weapon.

He knew at a glance that the murder weapon was a dagger, but finding a dagger in such a huge palace was extremely difficult.

For example, all the palace maids in the Imperial Clothing Department may have come into contact with Luo Xiaoran's palace clothes. It would be impossible to arrest them all, interrogate them, or even torture them.

Because the Imperial Clothing Department had been making a gold-thread brocade quilt embroidered with Buddhist scriptures for the Empress Dowager, which was said to be used to cover her body after her death.

Interrogating the people from the Imperial Clothing Department would invisibly slow down the sewing of the gold silk quilt and would be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager.

"You mean, Concubine Tang was the one who instigated Xiao Xingzi to murder Lin Yuanfang and framed Luo Xiaoran?" Emperor Tianqi asked Huo Qingyun coldly.

"Just like what Xiao Xingzi said about Miss Luo murdering Commander Lin, there is no evidence."

Huo Qingyun replied, with the same tone as before, as if he was unaware of Emperor Tianqi's displeasure.

"Go down!"

After Huo Qingyun left, Emperor Tianqi couldn't help but stare at his back, with a hint of thought in his eyes.

When he was young and studying in the Shangshufang, Huo Qingyun behaved very ordinary, just like his unpopular self.

But Huo Qingyun was the cousin of the late crown prince, who took great care of him. This made Huo Qingyun, an unpopular prince at the time, somewhat envious.

Obviously, he is the biological brother of the late crown prince, but the late crown prince is closer to his cousin Huo Qingyun.

Later, the former crown prince died unexpectedly. Huo Qingyun gave up the imperial examination and became a civil servant in the Palace Front Department.

At that time, he was already the nominal legitimate son of Huizong, and there was a huge difference in status between him and Huo Qingyun.

Logically, the little bit of envy that she had for Huo Qingyun when she was young should have disappeared completely.

But for some reason, every time I see Huo Qingyun, I always feel a little bit resentful.

After ascending the throne, due to the grudges in his heart and the relationship between the Lin and Huo families, he always treated Huo Qingyun, the commander of the imperial guards who the emperor should value, coldly.

Let him go to the disaster victims to find Concubine Bai's brother and sister-in-law. Only then can he go to pray for the Mid-Autumn Festival when Lin Yuanfang can't...

I couldn't see any reaction of humiliation on Huo Qingyun's face. He always had a calm expression. In contrast, my little thoughts seemed extremely childish.

But all I can do is throw a few childish tantrums to let everyone know that I am easily controllable.

Because he is a puppet supported by the Lin family, he is not worthy of the dignity of a king in front of the Lin family!

However, Huo Qingyun's refusal to accept the Empress Dowager's order outside Fukang Palace upheld his dignity as the ruler of a country.

If it were someone else, he would probably not know about this matter until Luo Xiaoran was taken to the Heavenly Prison.

After all, in this huge palace, the old woman's years of pressure are not something that just anyone can bear.

But Huo Qingyun still did it!

Perhaps... I should put away my arrogance and re-examine Huo Qingyun.

After all, Huo Qingyun was one of the people deeply involved in the ever-changing situation in Kyoto!