She looked at the child's beautiful almond-shaped eyes, and people said the child's eyes resembled hers, but in her eyes, the child's entire being inherited from her father.
Only this cleverness had a hint of her!
She whispered to the child, "Your father went to find the antidote and hasn't returned. The person in front is disguised as your father to catch those people and interrogate them to find out the mastermind behind it!"
Yu Meng pouted and nodded, absorbing the information her mother gave her like a sponge. After a moment, she asked again, "Then is my grandma not dead? I didn't see Grandpa Qi come to see her off today, which doesn't seem like Grandpa Qi's usual conduct."
Frankly speaking, Qi Xuan was an old fuddy-duddy, always speaking in a formal manner, and adhering to rules. How could it be that her grandmother was gone, and Grandpa Qi, her father's good friend, didn't come? This was completely illogical.
Therefore, she speculated that there must be some unspeakable secret involved.
Mother had just said Father went to find the antidote, which meant Grandmother wasn't dead. Otherwise, on such an important occasion, how could Father not return?
There was only one explanation: Grandmother hadn't truly died.
Zhao Jiaqi should have been happy that her child was so intelligent, but she was worried instead, fearing that the child was too clever for her age, almost exceptionally so.
"Grandmother faked her death. You know this, and that's all. Don't ask any more questions, and don't tell anyone else. Do you understand?" she cautioned the child with concern.
Yu Meng gave her an understanding look and then changed the subject again, "Mother, let me interrogate those assassins. I promise to get everything they know out of them, and I guarantee they won't hide a single word."
At this, her headache worsened.
Not wanting to continue this topic, she appeased her, "You interrogate one. It's fine even if you interrogate him to death. Leave the remaining seven for your father. You are not allowed to touch the others, do you hear me?"
"I hear you, Mother," she replied quite briskly.
Her cheerful reply made Zhao Jiaqi even more worried. She couldn't gauge her daughter's temper now, nor could she tell which words were perfunctory and which were sincere.
The art of war, where all is fair in deception, was now being used on her.
A few minor incidents occurred during the funeral, delaying things slightly, but the subsequent proceedings were expedited, and the burial was completed at the auspicious hour.
As soon as the coffin entered the tomb, a grand ceremony was held. After paying respects, the tomb was sealed, and the people in the underground palace also got busy. Qi Xuan, panting from exhaustion, led the earth spirit to open the coffin and rescue people.
Upon returning to the manor, Fan Zehao was grief-stricken and refused to be disturbed by his elder brother and others, locking himself in his study.
Seeing this, Fan Guangping also sighed deeply and stood outside the study, advising through the door, "Younger brother, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences and don't let your wife and children worry, understand!"
From inside, he replied faintly, "I understand, elder brother. I just want some quiet."
Those who came to pay their respects, unable to see the Prince, all took their leave.
After the funeral, came the first seven days, the third seven days, and the fifth seven days. Having just finished the burial, the son had to prepare for the first seven days.
In the study, Te Jiu was overwhelmed, pacing alone, hoping his master would return soon, or he feared he would go mad.
Fan Guangping, not having seen Fan Zehao, asked his wife, Wang Zhaodi, to find her sister-in-law. Women could talk better and communicate more easily, and it would also avoid gossip.
He led Wang Zhaodi to Zhao Jiaqi's courtyard. Standing outside, he repeatedly instructed, "You must speak well with your sister-in-law and have her persuade my younger brother. The first seven days of his mother's passing still need to be prepared. Don't be too sad!"
Wang Zhaodi didn't want to go, but unable to resist her husband's urging, she helplessly smoothed her hair, nodded, and then went to Zhao Jiaqi's courtyard.
When the sisters-in-law met, they looked at each other, both seeing the exhaustion in their eyes. Wang Zhaodi was not bothersome; she got straight to the point, "Sister-in-law, these past few days have been very tiring for you. Zehao also traveled day and night, which was quite arduous. However... your elder brother asked me to remind you that the first seven days ceremony needs to be handled by the son. Please persevere a little longer, and then you can rest well after all this is done."
"Your elder brother... he's afraid Zehao might be criticized by others and have rumors spread about him. That's why he sent me to persuade you."
Zhao Jiaqi had not experienced such matters before and was not very clear about the first seven days ceremony. However, she guessed who the "others" her sister-in-law mentioned were.
People living needed to save face. She didn't expect that among all the things to compete over, this would be one of them.
"Thank you for the reminder, sister-in-law. For the first seven days ceremony, we will need elder brother's help. My husband has no experience with these matters, and if there are any shortcomings, elder brother will need to guide him."
Wang Zhaodi nodded with a smile and agreed, "It is only right for brothers to remind each other."
Her sister-in-law was wise and understood what was implied with just a few words. After speaking, Wang Zhaodi did not linger and got up to leave.
Zhao Jiaqi saw her off to the door and instructed Su Ya to refuse all visitors. She, dressed as a guard, followed "Fan Zehao" to the dungeon.
The dark and damp dungeon had not been used for many years. When this dungeon was built, she never expected it to house prisoners. Who would have thought that this dream would be shattered after only a few years?
In the dungeon, torches were stuck in the stone walls, illuminating the gloomy cells.
From the next cell, came shrill screams, each one hoarse and filled with agony!
Te Jiu, standing beside her, quickly said, "It's the county princess interrogating the assassins."
Zhao Jiaqi raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised, "How long has she been interrogating them? Has she gotten anything out of them?"
Te Jiu shook his head helplessly, "That assassin is quite stubborn; he hasn't said a word. The county princess started interrogating him as soon as she returned from the tomb and hasn't stopped since."
These few words were enough to explain the current situation.
Zhao Jiaqi felt a bit discouraged. Yu Meng's methods were effective, but these assassins were like iron walls, refusing to break. They weren't afraid of these torture instruments, so what other means could she possibly have?
She went to the next cell and watched Yu Meng whip the assassin again and again. He was covered in wounds, yet he glared at Yu Meng with malice, as if he could break free from the iron hooks on his collar and tear Yu Meng's neck to shreds.
"Mengmeng, take a break."
The sudden voice startled Yu Meng. Seeing that it was her mother, she quickly walked over and blocked her, "Mother, this dungeon is very damp. Why are you here? Let's go out and rest for a while."
As Yu Meng spoke, she helped her mother walk out, casually tossing the whip in her hand to Te Jiu, who was disguised as her father.
Zhao Jiaqi saw her daughter's little trick and smiled faintly, playfully tapping her head, "I've seen scenes of murder and dismemberment. These interrogation tools are nothing. Mother isn't afraid."
Yu Meng wasn't worried about that. She was worried that if the assassin fell into her mother's hands, he might be killed, and then she wouldn't have any fun.
This interrogation was such a good practical opportunity, and she didn't want her mother to ruin it for her.