But at this moment, Liu Qingfeng, whose face was flushed and red with being refuted, quickly calmed down: "Then you tell me, how is this deer yours?"
Zhao Jiaqi was a little stunned. Could the prefect interrogate people like this?
Fan Zehao: "The people in my village can all testify for me. They've seen me bring back the hunted game!"
"Villagers cannot be witnesses. Is there collusion?"
Fan Zehao: ...
"My lord, aren't you speaking too carelessly? My current situation is something the villagers would know? Colluding? Do we need to be two days apart to collude through the air?"
Liu Qingfeng's mouth hung open, and after a long while, he said, "Perhaps you had already made arrangements when you came out. Do you need to think about it?"
"Then in your opinion, if I came out to steal a deer, I would definitely know I would be discovered? If I had such extraordinary abilities, why would I let anyone know I was stealing?"
Being refuted by his words one after another truly made one's hair stand on end. He had never met such a difficult person in his life.
On the other hand, Dong Hao sneered and said, "You're quibbling. If you don't use torture on the official, he won't shed a tear!"
"My lord, even a stubborn duck fears boiling water. Why don't I, your subordinate, serve him a little!" the jailer maliciously suggested to Liu Qingfeng.
Liu Qingfeng was tempted, but he didn't dare to make the decision. He looked at Zhao Jiaqi on the side and said with a smile, "Your Highness, once the torture begins, it will be… the scene will be too bloody. Perhaps Your Highness should avoid it?"
Zhao Jiaqi didn't remember to reply to him, but merely asked, "Lord Liu, don't you think what this man is saying is very reasonable?"
"If the villagers cannot be witnesses, then the testimony of the shopkeeper and the waiter cannot be counted either!"
"If you're going to use torture, I think the buyer's servant is very suspicious. After all, a thief wouldn't go around advertising, especially not the fence!" Zhao Jiaqi stared at the person below and then looked up at Liu Qingfeng, smiling faintly, "Why don't we torture the servant first!"
"No matter how bloody the scene, this Princess has seen it all. You don't need to worry about me!"
Since the Princess had said so, Liu Qingfeng subtly wiped the sweat from his forehead and his peripheral vision fell on the shopkeeper of Desheng Hall.
Dong Hao visibly stiffened when he heard the words "Princess." His expression was no longer arrogant, but cold, and his heart pounded.
He secretly met Liu Qingfeng's gaze and slightly shook his head at him, his meaning all too clear.
Liu Qingfeng sighed inwardly. He was now in a difficult position. On one side was the Princess, and on the other was someone he couldn't afford to offend.
He said with a smile, "This... this Your Highness might not know, but once the torture instruments are used, there's the possibility of forced confession, which would lead to a wrongful conviction!"
Zhao Jiaqi raised an eyebrow, a storm gathering in her eyes, and asked him calmly, "Forced confession? Then why did you want to torture this man earlier? Isn't there a possibility of forced confession here?"
"Liu Qingfeng, you truly have a silver tongue. Your cunning mind is useless before this Princess!"
No matter who he was defending or covering for, today, she was determined to investigate thoroughly and find out who was behind this!
Liu Qingfeng was retorted by the Princess's words. Now he understood what the Princess meant.
If the servant below couldn't withstand the torture and confessed, then he and the person behind him would surely die.
After much deliberation, he decided not to interrogate further and found an excuse: "Your Highness, I see it's already noon. How about we have a meal before continuing the investigation?"
Zhao Jiaqi looked up and scoffed, "In this dark and sunless prison, Lord Liu can tell it's noon? This Princess truly admires Lord Liu's sharp eyes for being able to see the sun through thick walls!"
He was mocked and satirized, but he didn't get angry, nor did his face turn red. Now, he was only worried.
Just as he was wondering how to speak, the shopkeeper's voice came at that very moment: "Your Highness, my lord, I have been standing here for quite some time and am very thirsty. Could you please pour me a cup of water?"
It was a sudden sound, a sudden request. If it hadn't been said so abruptly, Zhao Jiaqi wouldn't have thought much of it.
But this sentence gave her a very clear direction!
Poison!
Was it to poison Fan Zehao, or the servant, or both?
Zhao Jiaqi didn't stop their clandestine actions, letting them do as they pleased. In the end, her single word would negate it all!
However, after thinking about it, she felt it wasn't fun enough. It would be better to play with them, like a cat and mouse, and let them have a brief moment of joy!
Soon, a tea tray was brought with tea, and in one cup was plain water. It didn't require anyone to think specifically to know who this water was for. In this prison, it could only be for the so-called suspect, Fan Zehao.
Seeing the tea being distributed, and finally the cup of cold water being handed to Fan Zehao, Zhao Jiaqi swept her gaze over the secretly pleased faces of the prefect and the shopkeeper of Desheng Hall, her lips curling up.
Zhao Jiaqi snorted coldly and said softly, "Wait!"
"This criminal is a very important person. Drinking cold water at this time can cause stomach discomfort. In such an important case, it is better for the prefect to have a stomach ache than to allow the criminal to have even the slightest anomaly!"
As she finished speaking, Liu Qingfeng's mind buzzed. He stared blankly at the Princess, unable to comprehend the meaning of her words!
But he quickly realized. Was this Princess implying that he should drink the water with something added to it?
Uncertain, unsure, and for the sake of his own life, he immediately ordered the water to be replaced and a cup of hot water to be prepared.
No matter what water was replaced, it would surely have something added to it. Even if it didn't, Zhao Jiaqi would definitely not let Fan Zehao drink it.
"Don't bother. If Shopkeeper Dong gets thirsty to death, the prefect will have trouble explaining!" This time, Zhao Jiaqi truly gave Liu Qingfeng no more face.
She got up, grabbed the cup of water from Fan Zehao's hand, and personally handed it to Dong Hao. She raised an eyebrow and said, "The prefect needs to solve the case, and this man below is a suspect. Neither of them can drink cold water, but you are different. You are an unimportant person. If you get a stomach ache, this Princess will pay for your medical expenses. To give your employer an answer as soon as possible, you will have to make do with this cold water!"
Zhao Jiaqi held the cold water and brought it to Dong Hao's lips. Her face was calm, but her eyes were filled with hatred, which Dong Hao saw very clearly.
Liu Qingfeng watched their interaction and couldn't sit still on his stool. He immediately got up and stepped forward to mediate!
"Haha, Your Highness is truly humorous. It is indeed not suitable to drink cold water in this cold weather. I will immediately order someone to bring a cup of hot tea!"
Speaking with a laugh, he reached out to snatch the cup of cold water, but Zhao Jiaqi blocked him.