Chapter 665: Interrogation
Editor: Atlas Studios
Imperial Physician Wang wiped the blood off his hands and hurriedly went forward to bow to Qi Haoran. Qi Haoran waved his hand and asked, “How is it?”
“There are two knife wounds on her body. One of them is so deep that her bones can be seen. Fortunately, she took some medicine to stop the bleeding. Otherwise, I’m afraid she might not have survived. She’s awake now, so Your Highness can ask her questions if you’d like.”
Qi Haoran nodded slightly and asked Fei Bai, “Have you found the people I asked you to find?”
“They’re already waiting outside.”
“Let them in.”
Qi Haoran got someone to find two people who were proficient in the Miao and Chinese languages to translate for them. Although Ah Ling had learned some Miao words, she could only half-guess and could not understand many words. If he wanted to know the exact situation, he had to find someone who was proficient in the Miao language.
The Miao woman panicked when she saw them enter. Qi Haoran glanced at Fei Bai, who quickly went forward to comfort her. “Big Sister, don’t be afraid. This is Prince Rong, a most fair and kind person. If you have any grievances, you can tell us. We will stand up for you.”
The two translators quickly translated Fei Bai’s words for the Miao woman. The three of them chatted for a while before Translator A said, “Your Highness, she said that her name is Ah Yin. Her husband’s surname is Jilu, and they are Miao citizens of the Bisha Miao stockade.”
Qi Haoran nodded slightly and asked, “What happened to her husband?”
Translator B conveyed Qi Haoran’s intentions. Ah Yin instantly became agitated and tears flowed from his eyes. When the two translators heard her words, they felt that they had learned an incredible secret. The two of them looked at each other and were a little fearful. However, under Qi Haoran’s intense gaze, the two of them had no choice but to translate. “She said that her husband was captured by the second prince of the Bisha Miao stockade. The second prince even wanted to kill their entire family because Jilu overheard something that he shouldn’t have.”
Translator B continued, “Ah Yin said that Jilu took a promissory note to exchange for grains. When he came back, he took a shortcut and accidentally heard the second prince talking to someone, saying he wanted to cooperate with Dali. Alas, in his panic, Jilu accidentally revealed his presence. After he ran back, he told Ah Yin about this and asked her to hide in the mountains with his parents. Unexpectedly, as soon as they left, Jilu was captured and they were also hunted down. Left with no other choice, Ah Yin brought her in-laws deep into the mountains, but she was still discovered when she went out to look for food. Because she was afraid that those people would find her in-laws, she ran elsewhere to mislead her pursuers.”
Ah Yin’s knowledge was limited and her words were a little confusing, but Qi Haoran still understood and asked, “Then how did you bump into our convoy?”
Translator A said, “She said that it was an accident. At that time, she just thought that her pursuers wouldn’t dare to kill her where there’s a crowd. Later, she heard someone call ‘Your Highness’. She knows that Your Highnesses are good people and their benefactors. Hence, she knew how ‘Your Highness’ is pronounced in Mandarin, so she decided to ask Your Highness for help.”
Qi Haoran knocked on the table and asked, “Then where are your in-laws? I’ll get someone to save them.”
Ah Yin felt that Qi Haoran was a good person and unguardedly told him the location. Only then did Qi Haoran nod and signal for the two translators to comfort her before turning to leave.
“Get someone to fetch her in-laws out immediately. If it’s really her in-laws, then it’s really an accident that she approached us. In which case, it proves she doesn’t have ulterior motives.”
Fei Bai agreed. “Master, what about the two translators?”
“Keep them for now. We may have a use for them later.”
Although Qi Haoran wanted to silence them, it occurred to him that he still needed help translating stuff in the future and temporarily suppressed his thoughts. He couldn’t possibly find two new translators every time he needed someone to translate for him, right?
Too much action could easily reveal that something was up. Fortunately, the General’s Residence was like an iron bucket. Even if there were spies mixed in, he was confident that the other party would not be able to get close to him and his wife.
Qi Haoran thought for a moment and said, “Get the two translators to stay in this courtyard and not allow them to step out. Go talk to them to calm them down. If things go smoothly, I’ll let them leave after this.”
Fei Bai agreed.
Qi Haoran went to the backyard to see Mu Yangling. Mu Yangling asked about the situation and said, “We have to keep it a secret. Once this matter is leaked, I’m afraid the Miao people will panic and it will be disadvantageous to us.”
Qi Haoran nodded. “I know. Don’t worry. That courtyard’s security is loose on the outside and tight on the inside. It’s as safe as our main house. I don’t believe anyone will dare to barge in.”
Qi Haoran stroked his son’s head and said in a low voice, “Ah Yin is just a woman, but she can recognize medicinal herbs and stop the bleeding herself. I heard that Miao doctors have extraordinary medical skills. Why don’t we find a Miao doctor to take a look at our son later?”
Mu Yangling nodded. “We have to ensure that there’s no problem with the other party. I heard that Miao doctors are good at raising Gu1.”
With his brows slightly creased, Qi Haoran nodded slowly.
Qi Haoran had just sent someone to seek a capable Miao doctor when the guards brought out the two old elderly people from deep in the mountains. However, other than the two elderly people, the guards were in a sorry state. One of them was even lying on the ground on his last breath, and Imperial Physician Wang was trying to resuscitate him.
At the side, Jilu’s mother was gesturing anxiously. Qi Haoran immediately said, “Get the translator over.”
The two translators jogged over and shouted, “She asked for the Valeriana herb. He’s been bitten by a poisonous snake…”
Seeing that the guard had been cured of the poison, Qi Haoran led the guard leader to the next room to ask, “What’s going on? Didn’t I only ask you to pick the two of them up? Were you attacked?”
“No.” The leader of the guards was a little dejected as he said, “They were hiding deep in the mountains and there was a lot of miasma. We lost our way halfway and only found that place when we found a Miao villager who was hunting in the mountains nearby to lead the way. However, there were many poisonous insects and snakes along the way, and some of our men accidentally got bitten. Your Highness, if we were to fight the Miao soldiers outside, we have an 80% chance of winning. If we were in an ordinary mountain forest, we would not be afraid. However, if we were in a mountain forest in Qiannan…”
The guard leader’s face was a little pale. Although he had only been in the mountain for a short period of time, he could see very clearly that all the Miao people who entered the mountain had anti-bug medicine. Because they had not applied it, they were attacked more often by the poisonous insects and snakes. However, the Miao people were very wary of the Han people and would not easily give them the medicine.
Putting everything else aside, they had entered the mountain to save the elderly couple. The two elderly persons clearly had insect repellent on them, but they refused to take it out. It could be seen that although they were being chased by their own clansmen, their vigilance towards the Han people was engraved in their bones.
Qi Haoran narrowed his eyes. “So, their chances of working with us are also very low.”
The guard leader nodded. “I think that Miao woman only blurted out all those things in front of us because she’s young and insensible.”
Qi Haoran immediately said, “Pass down the order to lock the elderly couple in another courtyard. Don’t let them meet for the time being, and don’t let Ah Yin know that her in-laws have been saved. If she asks, tell her that we’ve already sent our men.”
Qi Haoran changed his mind. Since the elderly Miao couple were so wary of them, it would be very difficult to use Ah Yin’s in-laws to convince her to cooperate with them. Thus, it was better to separate them for the time being. To Ah Yin, the most urgent matter at hand was probably to save Jilu, who was in a dangerous situation.
Chapter end
