Chapter 129 Recruitment
When Shen Li mentioned the Duke of Zhenguo, Song Qi's face suddenly changed.
He knew from the beginning that Shen Li could find him because of the incident that the Duke of Zhenguo sent him here this time.
He certainly would not be naive to think that Shen Li arrested him because he framed Zhou Huaishan.
Zhou Huaishan was nothing.
Why would Shen Li arrest him for such a thing?
But.
Before he left Kyoto, the Duke of Zhenguo took his family to the hot spring villa of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in Xishan on the grounds that his mother was unwell.
Taking a deep breath, Song Qi closed his eyes with a bitter smile on his lips, "Your Excellency is joking, I am just a Hanlin Academy."
Shen Li did not give Song Qi a chance to finish his words, and only said coldly: "You should know the rules of my Shadow. There is no mouth that cannot be pried open, only endless torture instruments."
This threatening word had an immediate effect. Song Qi shivered and his face turned pale.
Shen Li didn't waste any words, "I want to know the real purpose of you and Su Ke coming here this time."
Su Ke is the third son of the Duke of Zhenguo.
Song Qi was panicking. He was obviously afraid of the Shadow's methods, but he was also worried that if he told him, the Duke of Zhenguo would kill his whole family.
But he didn't say it.
After a struggle, Song Qi finally slumped his shoulders, shut his mouth tightly, and drooped his head without saying a word.
If he didn't say it, his whole family would be safe.
Looking at Song Qi, Shen Li played with the teacup in his hand and said slowly: "Before coming here, I was always in Pingzhou."
Hearing the word Pingzhou, Song Qi's eyelids twitched.
Shen Li looked at his reaction carefully and continued: "There is a Youcai grain shop in Pingzhou."
Song Qi's heart skipped a beat, and panic surged up, but he clenched his fists tightly, trying his best to suppress the panic in his heart, and still didn't say a word.
Shen Li stared at Song Qi, and his voice gradually became heavier.
"The owner of Youcai Grain Shop bought a batch of grain from Beiyan last month.
But the strange thing is that the Zhenshuo Army of the Zhenguo Mansion had a big battle with Beiyan three months ago.
The border war made the two countries hostile. How did he cross the battlefield and transport this batch of grain?
The people of Beiyan have limited food. Which foolish merchant actually sold grain to Youcai Grain Shop?
Besides, Pingzhou is not the border of Beiyan. Youcai Grain Shop is just a small grain shop. How come the business has reached Beiyan!"
As Shen Li spoke, Song Qi's face became more and more ugly.
"In the battle between the Zhenshuo Army and the Beiyan Army, the Zhenshuo Army's rear granary caught fire and suffered heavy losses of military grain. For the safety of the soldiers, His Majesty urgently summoned all places to supply military grain.
You said, how come the Zhenshuo Army lost military grain just before, and the Youcai Grain Shop bought so much grain right after?"
Song Qi's face was pale, and he was so weak from fear.
"Your Excellency, you really put me in a difficult position. How can a civil official like me know about this kind of thing?"
While he was talking, the owner of Qingfeng Restaurant prepared all the utensils for eating the hot pot.
The hot pot was brought in, and the running water and meat condiments were all prepared.
The soup base was rolling with boiling water bubbles, and the aroma of mushrooms emerged.
The sesame sauce condiments were paired with chili oil, and the aroma rushed straight to the tip of the nose.
Song Qi, who had not eaten for a long time, swallowed a big mouthful of saliva when the hot pot was brought in.
Shen Li glanced at him, picked up his chopsticks and dipped a few slices of mutton with a suitable fat and lean meat, dipped them in sesame sauce condiments with chopped green onions, garlic, chili oil, and put them into his mouth.
Song Qi
The damn eyes stared at Shen Li's mouth eating meat without blinking.
The moment Shen Li swallowed the mutton full of soup, Song Qi swallowed his mouthful of saliva.
The aroma of shabu-shabu mutton lingered at the tip of his nose.
The aroma seemed to hook his soul, and he couldn't help but follow Shen Li's chopsticks with his eyes.
Shen Li picked up a piece of scalded mutton, dipped it in the condiments, and moved the chopsticks towards Song Qi.
"Do you want to eat?"
Song Qi
The moment he swallowed his saliva, his stomach gurgled loudly.
"If you want to eat, tell me, where is Su Ke?"
Song Qi immediately forced his head down and smiled bitterly, "My lord, please don't embarrass me."
Song Qi didn't confess, and Shen Li didn't rush, just gave Li Yi a wink.
Li Yi understood, picked up a bowl of sesame sauce on the table, picked up a bowl of meat and vegetables, and squatted next to Song Qi with the bowl.
One bite.
One bite.
Another bite.
Song Qi
I was so upset.
They say that you Shadow's torture methods are amazing, do you use this method to force a confession?
Do you think I can't even bear the hunger?
It's really
Gurgle!
Song Qi was almost torn apart.
One of him wanted to eat.
One of him couldn't say it.
The other of him rationally knew that even if he didn't eat or say it, he would be beaten up, and he might not be able to bear the beating in the end, so he had to say it.
Li Yi finished one bowl and added another.
Shen Li ate leisurely, "Do you know? Originally, I was investigating the Youcai grain shop in Pingzhou. I knew that this matter was related to the Duke of Zhenguo, but I couldn't find any clues.
But you suddenly appeared.
You showed up, and I didn't expect that you came here this time just for the grain shop.
I only thought that you framed Zhou Huaishan for Zhou Yuan, and you framed Hu Weiyue for a promotion next year.
But just now in the government jail, you threatened Hu Weiyue, saying that you had an imperial edict on you and that Su Ke was also here."
As he said that, Shen Li took a breath and smiled.
"So, I really want to thank you sincerely. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have found any clues to the case."
Song Qi
So, did he come all the way here to deliver clues?
If he didn't frame Zhou Huaishan and Hu Weiyue, and just did a good job in the Youcai Grain Shop that Zhenguogong was waiting for, wouldn't this happen?
This is really...
Song Qi wanted to curse, but he didn't know whose mother to curse for a moment!
While talking, Shen Li put down his bowl.
"I've said everything I should say. If you want to eat, I'll personally bring you a chair and drink with you.
If you want to be whipped, I'll serve you myself."
Song Qi shuddered and looked at Shen Li with trembling teeth, then his eyes fell on the hot pot again.
"I"
"Where is Su Ke?"
While Song Qi was hesitating, Li, who had been squatting beside him eating, smashed the bowl in his hand, picked up the broken porcelain pieces on the ground, and poked a piece of porcelain directly into Song Qi's face.
"Ah"
Song Qi was caught off guard by this attack and screamed.
"In Wangji Grain Shop."
Shen Li laughed, "You are really afraid of pain and can't take a beating. Since you are so spineless, it would be better to say it earlier. You can avoid this and eat hot pot."
Shen Li said, and said to Li Yi: "Let them catch people."
Li stood up and conveyed it.
At the command, footsteps sounded outside.
Hearing the thumping footsteps outside, Song Qi fell to the ground like a puddle of mud.
He said.
His family