I wonder what he has been through to become such a contradictory person.
Shang Wen led them around for a while before stopping in front of a cell. Inside, a half - naked person was curled up, trembling constantly, with their whole body covered in bloodstains.
"National Preceptor, the person you're looking for is here. I'll take my leave first," Shang Wen said, handing the key in his hand to Huo Qizhou. Then he bowed and left.
Huo Qizhou took the key and looked at the person in the cell. He knocked on the solid cell door.
Hearing the noise, the person inside shrank back without even raising their head, shouting, "Please let me go! It wasn't me. Really, it wasn't me. I... I don't know anything!" One of her hands waved around in an attempt to stop others from approaching her.
Huo Qizhou opened the door and led Shi Muyuan in.
To be honest, Shi Muyuan felt a bit sorry for her. All the women in the Florette Tower were extremely beautiful, but now she was acting so crazy.
"Lv Su," Huo Qizhou called out to her. His voice was clear and cold, which made Lv Su, who had been screaming hysterically, stop.
She raised her head and looked at Huo Qizhou evasively. Only then did Shi Muyuan get a clear look at her face. A large blood - streaked scar ran diagonally across her delicate features, and the flesh beside it had already started to rot.
It was really scary. Shi Muyuan couldn't help but take a step back.
Although Shang Wen had explained it to her before, judging from Lv Su's appearance, she had endured a great deal of torture.
After Lv Su saw clearly who it was, her eyes turned blood - red and she tried to rush forward, shouting, "It's all your fault! You lied to me! You said I wouldn't have to come to the Supreme Court!" But since she was injured all over, she could only crawl on the ground with difficulty.
"I did say that as long as you told the truth, you could avoid prison. But did you really tell the truth?" Huo Qizhou's eyes were like sharp knives stabbing at Lv Su.
Lv Su shook her head with difficulty. "No, it's not like that. I told the truth. I did."
"Please, my lord. Please let me go!" She really couldn't take it anymore!
"I'll ask you one more time. If you tell me what you know, maybe I can plead for you," Huo Qizhou said, looking down at her.
Lv Su seemed to regain hope. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and kept bowing to Huo Qizhou. "As long as you let me go, I'll tell you everything. Everything!"
"Then, tell me properly."
Shi Muyuan felt extremely uncomfortable seeing her like this, but before they entered, Huo Qizhou had reminded her not to speak casually.
When they came out of the prison, Huo Qizhou noticed that Shi Muyuan was acting strange. But since Shang Wen was beside them saying he would see them out, he didn't ask.
"Then National Preceptor, please take your time. I still have something to attend to," Shang Wen said.
"Okay."
When they reached the outside of the Supreme Court, Shi Muyuan remained unusually silent. Her rosy lips were a bit pale, and fine sweat was beading on her forehead. The handkerchief he had given her earlier was tightly clutched in her hand, and the atmosphere around her was extremely low.
"What's wrong with you?" Huo Qizhou couldn't stand her like this.
"Why did you do that?" Shi Muyuan's first words were a reproach.
"What did I do?"
"She was already in such a state, but you still threatened her." It made her feel scared. For the first time, she truly felt the differences in ancient times. This was no longer the law - abiding society she had lived in. If she hadn't been reborn as the noble Empress Dowager, what would have become of her?
"Are you sympathizing with her?"
"I'm not as heartless as you all."
"Humph, it's really ridiculous. Haven't you done many cruel things before?"
Shi Muyuan bit her lip and couldn't answer him. But the Shi Muyuan of the past wasn't her!
"Do you know what she did before? Even if it weren't for this matter, she should have experienced prison long ago."
"What are you talking about?"
"I advise you to learn more about the situation before judging others. Don't rely on your redundant kindness," Huo Qizhou said angrily.
"Since you're scared, why did you come?" he asked.
"I wanted to train myself."
"Humph," Huo Qizhou sneered with his thin lips. "It's better for the Empress Dowager to stay in the palace obediently in the future. You're so stupid and still want to solve the case. What a beautiful dream."
After saying that, Huo Qizhou turned around and left. The woman behind him shouted, "What do you mean!" But he didn't stop.
Shi Muyuan felt extremely sad. It seemed that she still hadn't fully accepted these things. She was powerless and could only watch. How could this not be considered self - training? She laughed mockingly.
Also, what did Huo Qizhou mean just now? Was Lv Su really deserving of this?
Just as she was about to leave, she saw Yan Mo walking towards the Supreme Court. She stopped. Yan Mo was also a bit surprised when he saw her. "Haven't you left yet?"
Why was the Empress Dowager always running outside the palace?
Where was Huo Qizhou? Why was the Empress Dowager alone here?
Shi Muyuan didn't want to waste time talking to him. She grabbed him and asked, "What's wrong with Lv Su?"
"What happened to her? Didn't she take poison and commit suicide?" Yan Mo's expression became serious.
Shi Muyuan shook her head. "No..."
"That's good. I still have some information to confirm with her. This woman says she doesn't know anything, but actually she knows quite a lot. She pretended to be ignorant, but in the end, she still obediently confessed. I don't know how many little girls were sold through her hands. It was so tiring to investigate!"
"What did you say?"
Yan Mo looked at her strangely. "What's wrong?"
"What did you just say about her?"
"She knows a lot?"
"No. Did she sell many children?"
Yan Mo scoffed. "Not just many. Almost all the children were sold through her. People like Yin Muran mostly conducted their transactions in the Florette Tower, and Lv Su was an important hub in their trading network. She used to be a concubine, and she ruined that family. Anyway, she has done a lot of bad things." Then he asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"You didn't develop feelings for her after interrogating her, did you?" Yan Mo joked.
"No. I'm just a bit confused."
"Of course you're confused. When have you ever experienced these things?" Yan Mo said with a smile, but Shi Muyuan felt that his smile didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't just joking.
"Okay. I'm fine. You go and do your business."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Yan Mo was in a hurry to come back because he had something to do. Seeing her say that, he wasn't polite and bid her farewell.
The Empress Dowager was really easy to get along with.
Did she really wrong Huo Qizhou? Shi Muyuan couldn't believe it. The way Lv Su was in the prison, anyone who saw her would say that it was too much.
Shi Muyuan was a bit disappointed. It wasn't until Yan Mo disappeared at the entrance of the Supreme Court without knowing what was going on that she suddenly realized.
She didn't know the way!
She quickly chased in the direction where Huo Qizhou had left.