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墨書 Inktalez
Liu couldn't help but belittle a few things, hoping to pry some information from this wretched child. The boy was very smug when discussing his actions, which were utterly nonsensical. Liu knew he couldn't save this son, but he wanted to protect the others as much as possible. By striking at this child, he hoped to loosen his lips; the more information he provided, the better chance they had of saving a few lives in the Liu Family, especially Congcong, who was exceptionally talented and shouldn't be dragged down by him.
Liu Fan was caught off guard by Liu's sarcastic remarks. What was said was true; he really was just the lowest of the low among the small fry. The temptation offered by the others was too great. At that moment, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he had succumbed to their allure.
Seeing Liu Fan's expression, Qi Shuo knew it was time to ask questions. He glanced at Liu, who had done all he could and quietly stepped back, eager to hear what secrets this wretched child might reveal.
"When did those people approach you?" Qi Shuo asked.
Liu Fan slumped to the ground as he replied, "A few days before His Majesty was poisoned, during a sermon in the city."
"What benefits did they promise you?"
"They said I could choose any official position below fourth rank in the Ministry of Works. If I wanted to go to another department, I could make requests as long as they weren't excessive; they would consider them."
"That's quite a bold claim. You believed them just like that?"
"I didn't believe them at first. They kept insisting on their capabilities. I wasn't that foolish; I didn't dare respond while drunk and muddled. Later, when I was sober, they approached me again. I had them driven away, but one stayed behind and said His Majesty would soon be poisoned with a strange toxin that would cause paranoia, madness, and irritability. They claimed this toxin came from a type of fungus."
After saying this, they left. Their words frightened me so much that I took a few days off to see if anything would happen to His Majesty.
A few days later, His Majesty really did fall ill. The palace sealed off news of it. Eager to find out more, I used the excuse of needing the blueprints for the Royal Tomb and wandered around. The results I pieced together matched what those people had said.
They seemed to have control over matters around His Majesty and even managed to poison him. Their abilities were not small at all; coupled with the great temptation they offered, I lost my mind.
Qi Shuo listened in silence. "Someone told you such treasonous words, yet you didn't report it?"
"If you had reported this sooner, perhaps His Majesty could have suffered less for a few days. You would have been credited with saving him; it’s very likely His Majesty would have rewarded you with an official position."
"Clearly there was a shortcut available to you, yet you chose to follow a crooked path instead," Qi Shuo remarked sharply. "As you said yourself, with your level of intelligence, you're simply not suited for officialdom."
Liu Fan felt somewhat dazed upon hearing this. "Is it really possible to do that?"
Liu scoffed loudly; the mocking laughter was grating on the ears. Liu Fan coughed several times, tasting blood in his throat. After swallowing hard, his voice came out hoarse when he spoke again. "At this point in time... I still blame Liu Family? No one taught me these things; how could I know?"
Just as Liu was about to unleash another tirade of anger, Qi Shuo interjected. "The people behind this have harmed you greatly; don’t shield them any longer. If you confess early on, you might find some peace in death."
"I've never seen these people behind the scenes; I don't even know who they are."
"Then did you extract any information from their words?"
"No," Liu Fan replied earnestly. "I was very curious about this matter. Once I boarded this ship, I kept trying to pry information from them and thinking it over constantly, but they were guarded against me and kept their mouths shut tightly."
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