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Chapter 274 Clinging

Zhu Cheng's face was gloomy, as if a storm was brewing.

Wen Qiming became even more frightened. He had been stammering a few times, but after thinking it over, he realized that he couldn't say these words to Zhu Cheng in front of everyone. So he simply stopped racking his brains for an excuse and, imitating the Jia family, kowtowed heavily to the ground.

"Your Highness, I am innocent! I have no connection with Jia Jun, no enmity or grudge, and there is no reason for me to take his life!"

"I can accept any other punishment, but this murder is something I truly cannot accept. You can kill me or beat me, I will have no complaints, but I truly did not kill anyone!"

Although Wen Qiming kowtowed very hard, no one present was moved by it.

Firstly, Jia's wife was a woman who had just lost her husband and had elderly parents and young children to support. She was in a painful and helpless situation, and seeing her kneeling there kowtowing pitifully would make anyone feel sorry for her.

However, Wen Qiming had visited the Jia family before Jia Jun's death, and he did so in a mysterious way. After he left, Jia Jun was found dead, and when asked anything, he could only stammer and give unclear answers.

Comparing the two situations, those who don't know the truth would probably think that Wen Qiming is putting on an act. He not only fails to gain sympathy, but also arouses more suspicion, making people think that he is acting this way because he is in the wrong and has a guilty conscience.

"So, according to you, you waited for Jia Jun in that study for a long time, but when he didn't come, you left? You never saw Jia Jun from beginning to end?" Zhu Cheng asked again.

"That's right, that's right!" Wen Qiming quickly replied.

Zhu Cheng waved his hand at the guard beside him: "I've asked you several times, but you still won't change your story. So I'll let you go in and see for yourself how outrageous your lie is!"

Two guards dragged Wen Qiming up from the ground, one on each side, and pulled him toward the study. When they arrived at the study door, they didn't even need to step over the threshold; the rope hanging from the beam directly in front of the door was already clearly visible.

Wen Qiming's face turned pale when he saw the hanging rope: "This...this isn't right! It wasn't like this when I came here!"

When I went in, there was a huge painting hanging from top to bottom. I sat on the chair next to it and waited for a long time, but no one came, so I left!

The painting...where did it go?

"Take them away! Take them away!" Zhu Cheng waved his hand impatiently, signaling to the two guards. "You're still lying even now! Take them to the jail and lock them up!"

Wen Qiming was terrified, his face ashen, and he kept begging for mercy, but to no avail. He was dragged away like that.

He was taken away, and Jia Jun's two younger brothers immediately knelt down to thank Zhu Cheng for his kindness. Jia Jun's wife also quickly knelt down.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for upholding justice for my brother!" Jia Jun's second brother, Jia Hui, said with a sob in his voice as he kowtowed, "My parents are old and their health has never been good. My third brother and I are still studying and want to pass the imperial examinations, so the heavy burden of the family has fallen on my brother's shoulders."

For so many years, my elder brother has worked diligently and conscientiously to support our family, and he was meticulous in his work at the Armory. Now, he has suddenly suffered this calamity and lost his life. If it weren't for the Prince's intervention, I'm afraid my brother wouldn't be able to close his eyes in peace!

Zhu Cheng listened to his lamentation expressionlessly, glancing subtly at Lu Qing and Zhu Yu beside him. Seeing Zhu Yu nod slightly to him, he then addressed the Jia family members in front of him, saying, "Since none of you want your brothers to die in vain, then you may all come with my men."

Ultimately, Chief Secretary Zuo did come to your house before you discovered Jia Hui's death, but since no one saw him kill anyone, and no one can prove he didn't, I can't give Chief Secretary Zuo's family an explanation if this matter isn't resolved.

"Guards! Leave the child at home, and take the other three with you."

The Jia brothers and Jia Jun's wife probably thought that the Left Chief Secretary had already been arrested, and that the matter was clear. They didn't expect that they would also be taken away for questioning. Before they could even react, they were already being dragged away by the guards.

After the three people were taken away, Zhu Cheng ordered the Jia family servants to take the two children away with them, and his personal guards surrounded the study, forbidding anyone from approaching without permission.

"What do you think is going on?" After everyone else had left, Zhu Cheng went into the study to take a look and asked Zhu Yu with some doubt, "According to the advice you gave me before, as soon as I heard that the one who died was Jia Jun from the Armory, I roughly knew what was going on. If that's the case, then it must be related to the Right Chief Secretary."

But why did Chief Secretary Zuo come to Jia Jun's house today, repeatedly claiming his innocence and innocence, yet stammering and hesitant to explain why he had suddenly come to the Jia family?

"Father is usually quite fair to his subordinates and hasn't given them any opportunities to curry favor, has he?" Zhu Yu sighed helplessly and asked Zhu Cheng.

Zhu Cheng paused for a moment, then nodded.

Isn't it a good thing to prevent subordinates from having the opportunity to curry favor with you?

Why does it sound like Zhu Yu himself is the one who did something wrong when he says it?
Zhu Cheng did not deliberately hide his thoughts, so Zhu Yu could see them clearly. She sighed softly with some helplessness: "Father is certainly upright and incorruptible in not giving his subordinates the opportunity to curry favor, but while you don't give them the opportunity to curry favor, you don't stop them from currying favor with others either."

The Left Chief Secretary, Wen Qiming, wholeheartedly hoped to gain his father's favor, but no matter what he did, his father never gave him any special treatment.

On the other hand, Yang Chengxuan, the Right Chief Secretary, clearly turned to the Pang family for help after failing to gain favor from his father.

My father had previously discussed with Yang Chengxuan the matter of inspecting the quality of weapons. That day in the west wing, Yang Chengxuan rushed back from outside, and I also smelled a faint sandalwood fragrance on him, exactly the same as the fragrance on the head of the Pang family today.

So it's easy to guess where he came from that day.

I suspect that Wen Qiming was quite resentful seeing that Yang Chengxuan, through his collusion with the Pang family, was far more powerful than him in private.

So when he heard that Jia Jun, who usually followed the orders of the Right Chief Secretary, suddenly sent someone to invite him over, perhaps saying that there was something important he only wanted to tell him, he thought that his chance to bring down the Right Chief Secretary Yang Chengxuan had come. He was completely unprepared and rushed over without waiting.

Now that he's realized he's been tricked, he's bitter inside, but he dares not admit to you in person that he wants to compete with Yang Chengxuan and secretly vie for power. He can only suffer in silence.