Tao Lengshuang signaled to Madam Sheng and Xiao Feng not to step forward. She calmly and steadily eyed the Tao family members. "I only touched Madam Yu. How could I have killed someone? If touching someone meant death, how many times would you all have to die?"
"I think this matter should be reported to the authorities. Perhaps your Tao family killed your own kin to extort me."
Saying this, she instructed a servant to report to the Jingzhao Prefecture yamen. "Remember to say that several people have died, and it involves a significant murder case."
The servant took the order and ran towards the Jingzhao Prefecture yamen as quickly as possible, giving the Tao family no chance to stop him.
Old Master Tao and the others were shocked and exchanged glances, not knowing what trick Tao Lengshuang was playing. Especially Tao Lengshuang's excessive calmness made Old Master Tao and the others uneasy. Could it be that Tao Lengshuang would frame them?
"Teacher Tao, don't think that just because you have the Sheng family as your backing, you can kill people at will. This matter is not over today."
"Exactly, exactly. Even with the Sheng family as your backing, this matter is not over today. You are a murderer, you killed several of our family members."
Tao Lengshuang didn't even bother to respond to the clamoring Old Master Tao and the others. She had servants bring out chairs, and sat down with Madam Sheng and Xiao Feng to wait.
Madam Sheng glanced at the bodies on the ground, a little worried for Tao Lengshuang. She whispered, "Lengshuang, this situation is very disadvantageous for you."
Tao Lengshuang shook her head to comfort her. "Godmother, once the coroner examines the bodies, it will be clear that this has nothing to do with me. What I'm more concerned about now is who attacked the Tao family. Although Zhou Wenxing is the most suspicious person, others cannot be ruled out."
Madam Sheng understood this point as well, her eyes growing cold and resentful. "That Zhou Wenxing is truly detestable. If your Godfather were not away, I would definitely have him impeach Zhou Wenxing."
Tao Lengshuang narrowed her eyes slightly, ignoring the clamor of Old Master Tao and the others, and waited for the constables and coroner from the Jingzhao Prefecture yamen to arrive.
The three of them waited for about half an hour, and then Tao Lengshuang saw the servants leading the constables and coroner from the Jingzhao Prefecture yamen. She immediately stood up.
Before she could speak, she saw Old Master Tao and the others rush to the constables.
"Constables, Tao Lengshuang killed our family members, and killed several of them. You must uphold justice for us."
"The bodies of our family members are right there. We saw with our own eyes that Tao Lengshuang killed them. Please, constables, uphold justice for us."
Several constables had already heard the account of the incident from the Sheng family's servant. Upon hearing this, they signaled for the Tao family members to step aside and not interfere with their investigation.
Old Master Tao and the others threw a tantrum and refused to move. "You are colluding with the Sheng family..."
"If you dare to make trouble again, my saber doesn't recognize people!" A constable drew his saber and said fiercely.
Just as Old Master Tao and the others were about to say something more, the constable swung his saber. Startled, they scrambled to the side, no longer daring to throw a tantrum.
The constables let out a heavy snort and went with their colleagues to examine the scene and the bodies, and then the coroner conducted a simple on-site examination to determine the cause of death.
Several constables then questioned Tao Lengshuang, Madam Sheng, Xiao Feng, and the gatekeepers. However, they heard Old Master Tao and the others shouting.
"That's not true, they are lying, they are all lying!"
"We saw it with our own eyes, Tao Lengshuang killed my mother and them, and the Sheng family is biased towards her."
The constables could not believe their words. They pretended not to hear the Tao family and stood aside, waiting for the coroner to finish the examination.
About half an hour later, the coroner finished the examination. "The spleens of these deceased individuals are all shattered. This requires profound internal energy to accomplish, and they died some time after their spleens were shattered."
"Nonsense!" Old Master Tao shouted angrily. "You low-class coroner are truly hateful. To please the Sheng family, you are talking nonsense."
"My old woman and them never had any contact with such a person. It was Tao Lengshuang who poisoned my old woman and them to death."
Tao Lao Er and the others also shouted, saying that the coroner was flattering the Sheng family and covering for Tao Lengshuang.
The coroner had seen many people like the Tao family before and did not show the slightest emotional fluctuation. After saying something to the constables, he picked up his tool kit and left.
Several constables also sensed that the matter was not simple.
"Princess Mingrui, there are many suspicious points in this case, but for now, you are a suspect. Please do not travel around or conceal your whereabouts during this period." One of the constables said.
Tao Lengshuang agreed readily, her heart filled with doubt. It was truly strange, who would intentionally shatter Yu Shi and the others' internal organs with such precision and timing?
"Constables, why don't you ask the Tao family why they came to trouble me at this time today? They haven't bothered me for a while."
She glanced at Old Master Tao and the others. "Perhaps you can find a clue."
Several constables walked up to Old Master Tao and the others and asked them why they had come to Tao Lengshuang for trouble at this time today, and if anyone had instructed them.
Old Master Tao and the others were not foolish. As soon as they heard this, they knew there was a big problem. They repeatedly said that no one had instructed them to come, and they had just happened to come to Tao Lengshuang today to ask for help.
The constables then asked Old Master Tao if he had met anyone or had contact with anyone before leaving home.
Old Master Tao and the others remembered the people they had met before leaving home, their expressions changed drastically, and then they ran away quickly.
The constables immediately knew something was wrong and hurried to chase them. "You all stop right there."
Old Master Tao and the others ran even faster. They dared not return to the Zhou family and chose to go to their previous residence. They dared not go to the terrifying place of the Zhou family again.
Seeing this, Tao Lengshuang had a guess. She asked her hidden guards to help investigate the Zhou family and find out who the Tao family met at the Zhou family before coming to her.
Recently, the Tao family had been forcibly living in the Zhou family. No matter how Zhou Wenxing drove them away, the Tao family stubbornly stayed in the Zhou family, treating it as their own, and had caused no end of trouble.
Therefore, it was only possible that the Tao family was framed by someone before leaving the Zhou family. If it were on the road, the Tao family would have caused some trouble.
Afterward, Tao Lengshuang gave a few instructions to Madam Sheng and Xiao Feng, and then took a carriage to Lotus Flower Town to see the pharmacy.
However, she did not expect that before her carriage had even left the capital, it was surrounded by a large group of commoners.
She lifted the carriage curtain and saw a group of sallow-faced commoners, some with children. She couldn't help but frown. What did these people want?
"Princess Mingrui, please voluntarily step down. We refugees are starving to death. Please show some mercy."
"Princess Mingrui, please pity us. The princess who married into another country brought ten thousand catties of grain! Ten thousand catties of grain are enough for all of us refugees to no longer starve. Please voluntarily step down."