Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 288 - 287: Close Kinship

"Killed?!" Zhu Cheng glared with wide eyes, "How dare you! Who’s being so presumptuous and reckless?!"

"It was... it was the eldest young master..." The personal soldier glanced nervously at Zhu Cheng and replied.

"Who?!" Zhu Cheng thought he heard wrong.

"The eldest young master." The personal soldier steeled himself, "After we had just controlled the people from the Pang Family, coincidentally the eldest young master also came with his men.

He said he was investigating the disappearance of those laborers, so we told him everything about the situation at the mine.

Initially, the eldest young master said nothing, only mentioning he wanted to see those few surviving laborers, so we took him to where those men were held...

Unexpectedly... once the eldest young master arrived, without a word he drew his sword and stabbed those men to death. By the time we reacted and tried to stop him, it was too late.

He said... he said since this incident happened under Your Highness’s Black Iron Mine, and it involved the Pang Family, if those men were released, who knows what nonsense they might spread outside, which could harm Your Highness’s reputation.

The eldest young master said that Your Highness has been very diligent for many years for Shuo, and must not let a few ignorant civilians go out and speak irresponsibly, affecting the Zhu Family’s reputation. No matter what is involved, it should be resolved privately between Your Highness and the Pang Family, not known to outsiders."

The personal soldier apparently did not entirely agree with Zhu Jie’s actions, although he was quite cautious with his words in front of Zhu Cheng, not wanting to reveal any negative views towards the eldest young master of the Zhu Family. Still, from his cautious demeanor, it was clear he found Zhu Jie’s actions quite vile.

Zhu Cheng furrowed his brows, wore a stern expression, and remained silent, responding to the personal soldier’s words with silence.

The personal soldier saw Zhu Cheng’s reactions and couldn’t quite grasp his intentions, feeling somewhat worried that Zhu Cheng might think he was lying, he hurriedly added, "I haven’t spoken a single false word; everything has been reported to Your Highness truthfully. If Your Highness doesn’t believe me, you can ask the messenger sent back by the eldest young master!

He left two days earlier than I did, so he should have arrived before me!"

"The messenger sent back by the eldest young master?" Zhu Cheng’s brows furrowed further.

"Your Highness... hasn’t seen the messenger sent by the eldest young master?" The reaction confused the personal soldier even more. "When I saw that the situation there was more complex and severe than what Your Highness instructed us to handle before departure, thinking it was of great importance, not something we could privately decide, I intended to return and report to you.

As I was about to depart, the eldest young master stopped me, saying he would send someone back with the news, and I didn’t need to make the trip.

However, I believed that since Your Highness entrusted these matters to me initially, I had to report back in person, to hear your instructions myself to feel at ease.

So I told the eldest young master, if he wanted to send someone back to report, that was his decision; I was dispatched by Your Highness for this task, and reporting back upon encountering such situations was my duty, something I couldn’t shirk or delegate.

The eldest young master, seeing he couldn’t dissuade me, assigned some trivial tasks to keep me, and by the time I completed those he arranged, his messenger had already left nearly two days earlier.

Even though I traveled swiftly day and night, that person should have arrived before me. It makes no sense that I’ve arrived and he’s not here.

Unless something happened along the way."

Zhu Yu glanced at Zhu Cheng, and seeing him nod, she asked the personal soldier, "Why do you think the eldest young master wanted to keep you and send his messenger first?"

The personal soldier awkwardly opened his mouth; he knew the answer but felt a bit apprehensive saying it in front of Zhu Cheng.

"I’d like to know that too; go ahead and say it," Zhu Cheng saw the personal soldier’s hesitation and told him, "I want to hear the truth." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The personal soldier cautiously watched Zhu Cheng’s expression and replied, "I believe... the eldest young master likely wanted to be first as usual, with such a major incident, to be the first to report to Your Highness..."

Zhu Cheng neither agreed nor disagreed, gesturing for him to take a rest, "You’ve had a long journey; rest for now. I’ll have someone call you if I need anything."

The personal soldier, seeing Zhu Cheng had no further comments, wisely refrained from saying more and quietly retreated.

In the room, only Zhu Cheng, Lu Qing, and Zhu Yu remained. None spoke first, Zhu Cheng had an impending stormy look, Zhu Yu glanced anxiously towards him, while Lu Qing appeared the most relaxed among them, showing no obvious emotion.

After a while, Zhu Cheng seemed to have made a firm decision, and lifted his head to say to Zhu Yu and Lu Qing, "I will take people to the Black Iron Mine to handle matters personally.

Zhu Jie acts rashly and lacks experience, making it hard for him to manage alone.

I need to go and personally resolve the issues there."

"Father, you mustn’t." Zhu Yu anticipated Zhu Cheng might lose his composure after hearing everything and, upon knowing his intentions, quickly intervened, "You’ve rarely intervened at the Black Iron Mine where the Pang Family has already made various manipulations within the Capital, infiltrating deeply, much less at the mine.

As the Prince of Shuo Country, you cannot afford any missteps. At the Black Iron Mine, regardless, the few surviving laborers were already killed by my brother, leaving mainly the Pang Family’s affiliates.

Though my brother acts stubbornly, he’s ultimately your son, whether one says ’like father like son,’ or ’as the grandson of the Pang Family, nephew of its housekeeper,’ having him oversee the situation carries significantly less risk.

The Pang Family has shown past favor to my brother—no matter what, they will always consider some family ties, not act against him."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cheng’s expression turned grimmer, he sneered, "Indeed, your brother and his maternal family have always been close; how could his uncle ever challenge him!

The concern is that their familial ties are too close, causing your brother’s not-so-clever mind to commit further foolish acts!

If your second brother were there, I would have more room for consideration as your second brother, though quiet normally, acts prudently, thinks carefully before acting, and discerns priorities."

"My second brother prioritizes the welfare and interests of the populace in his actions, whether overseeing food supplies or other details, considering meticulously and appropriately on the journey to Risun Ridge." Zhu Yu sighed deeply, "If my second brother had investigated the Black Iron Mine, those poor people might not have lost their lives."