The daughter of a noble family is reborn, and she is doted on by her godmother.

Chapter 71 Drugging

"It's also possible that the Marquis of Ankang doesn't even think much of this so-called brother-in-law? That servant surnamed Deng must be from the side of Old Deng's newlywed wife, right? His temper and manner seem even stronger than that Old Deng Liu. Old Deng Liu might be a son-in-law who married into the family. If that's the case..."

As Yun Yuke pondered, she continued to consider various possibilities.

"No, no, no, in any case, let's plan for the worst: this Marquis of Ankang will stand up for his brother-in-law and snatch the person for him. This is truly the worst-case scenario for us."

That makes sense. The two of them have agreed on what they should do now. They will continue to follow the previously arranged plan and carry out their tasks.

"Will this really work?" Yun Qingjin was actually somewhat frustrated. Having once been among the powerful and wealthy, she knew very well what methods they could use.

Now that I've changed my perspective, I really don't know what the best course of action is.

Hence this question.

"I didn't know how to solve it before, but now I think we might have a way to solve it?"

Yun Yuke had basically figured out what had happened during this period. Although she couldn't say that the evidence was sufficient, she at least had a corresponding entry point so that she wouldn't be at a loss.

"Qingqing, I think your appointment as Teacher Zhu is our opportunity."

"Teacher Zhu? What's wrong?"

"Your teacher Zhu also has a corresponding force behind him."

At the Yun residence, the mother and daughter were discussing Prefect Zhu Ling, who was currently in the prefectural office.

Meanwhile, Prefect Zhu also hasn't had a break.

Zhu Ling and Xing Xiaoyu have barely rested these past two days, as they have been busy with their own tasks.

From the moment I first learned that the prefect was openly soliciting bribes from ordinary merchants, the series of incidents I've received since then have been truly shocking.

"I really didn't expect it to be like this when Her Majesty the Empress sent me. I thought it was just an ordinary case."

There was a strange smell in the soup bowl that Xing Xiaoyu was holding.

"Good heavens, if it weren't for my consultation with the Imperial Physician, your life would probably be over soon. You're really bold, look at this."

Xing Xiaoyu found a small plant particle in the scraps collected from the kitchen. "This thing is called poppy fruit. This small particle is not a problem, but long-term consumption can be addictive and very harmful. These leftover ingredients from stewing soup taste the same as the soup in your pot."

"It seems we now know the cause of death of those prefects before Changgan."

Zhu Ling had anticipated this situation and calmly replied.

"Not necessarily. The bodies of those two prefects have already been burned, and the coroner's report is not detailed. If we could find the coroner from that time, we might be able to ask him. But I'm afraid the coroner might have been an accomplice to evil and did something wrong. Of course, it's also possible that other poisons were used."

Xing Xiaoyu did not directly agree with Zhu Ling's idea, but offered a different perspective.

"You're right. In Changgan City and Changgan Government Office, isn't there anyone trustworthy?"

Looking at the various testimonies and ledgers he had collected, Zhu Ling was at a loss for what to do and seemed somewhat hesitant.

"After looking around for so long, it turns out that only the friend you know seems somewhat reliable. The others are all unreliable. And that little girl, even a child has a sense of justice, while these officials and bureaucrats are all incompetent."

Zhu Ling thought for a moment and then called over a soldier who was standing guard at the door.

"Lei Zi, send someone to find General Tan and tell them to keep a safe distance. Without my orders, they must not be discovered by these people. If there are any problems, then come back."

Zhu Ling and Xing Xiaoyu's trip was indeed very dangerous, so before they came to Changgan City, the Empress, with the Emperor's tacit approval, specially dispatched a special army to accompany and protect them.

Before entering the city, Zhu and Xing discussed with General Tan, the leader of the group, that Zhu and Xing would travel light, bringing only a few attendants to their post; while General Tan and the remaining soldiers would disguise themselves as ordinary merchants and wait outside the city.

They thought they were well hidden, but when Yun Yuke entered the city, she saw this somewhat special team. Although Yun Yuke didn't expose them, it did serve as a reminder to Zhu and Xing.

This army is not very good at camouflage and is easily exposed.

So after that incident, General Tan led his troops to hide elsewhere. To maintain secrecy, only a few people knew the soldiers' hiding route.

“Your Excellency, I know you are considering hiding an ambush force outside the city, but what about your safety if I leave now? The Emperor sent us here to protect you.”

The soldier known as "Thunder" was unwilling to leave; he had his own reasons. He had gained a clearer understanding of the situation and knew it was quite dangerous.

"It's alright. Xiaoyu is with me, and Lao Ma is still here. Even if they make a move against me, they can't be too conspicuous for the time being," Zhu Ling insisted on his idea.

“But…” Lei Zi was still quite worried.

“Lei Zi, I know what you’re thinking, but right now we’re in the open while the enemy is in the shadows. If it weren’t for General Tan backing me up, I wouldn’t know how to deal with the future.” Zhu Ling first reassured his loyal guard, then continued to explain his thoughts.

"Don't be afraid. I know these people won't dare to touch me now. Besides, there are only a few people in this county government office. If there's any more poisoning, it's basically like they've given their names. I'll deal with a group of people tomorrow, as a warning and to test their strength."

Xing Xiaoyu added, "Lei Zi, you can go out to see General Tan again tomorrow. After all, there are people watching this government office from the front and back. It would be too conspicuous for you to go out in the middle of the night. Don't worry about Zhu Ling's safety. Old Yang and I are enough to handle it."

"Yes, I have other cards to play. Don't worry."

The lights in the government office stayed on all night; it was another sleepless night.

The next day, Zhu Ling summoned everyone to the prefectural government office.

"I know that many of you are dissatisfied with me," Zhu Ling said directly, without wasting any words.

"Some people might do it because I'm a woman, some might do it for... reasons that are hard to explain. Don't think I don't know who's behind you."

Zhu Ling stood on the high platform, looking at the people working in the government office. From the head constables and police officers to the coroners, clerks, and odd jobs.

When their eyes swept over each other, some people were open and honest, while others avoided eye contact. Of course, the real mastermind is definitely well hidden, and this time they might not be able to find out anything.

Xing Xiaoyu specially brought out a chair for Zhu Ling to sit down.

Zhu Ling adjusted her posture and continued speaking.

“Just because I don’t say something doesn’t mean I don’t know the situation. I don’t care what you did before… but if I find out something later… then it’s hard to say.”

Zhu Ling keenly noticed that several people standing below seemed to be making slight mocking noises.

"It seems some people don't believe me."

Zhu Ling was not offended. He smiled slightly and waved to the people below, "The gardener in charge of the government office, you step forward. Ding Hui, gardener Ding, come here, step forward."

The florist, whose name was called, raised his head and stepped out from the crowd.

"Lord Zhu, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Gardener Ding, since you are in charge of tending to the flowers and plants in our government office, I would like to ask you, what kind of flower is this?"

Zhu Ling threw a few plants in front of Ding Huajiang; they were several poppies covered in soil.