She and the eighth princess are each other's targets.
The eighth princess's innocence and Xiao Lingyue's life kill two birds with one stone.
As for Hu Hongzhi, who was a tool in the serial scheme and an important accomplice, Xiao Lingyue did not kill him directly, just because he was still useful, so how could she be polite to him?
Xiao Lingyue had no expression on her face. She leaned down and grabbed Hu Hongzhi's hair, lifted him up, and tore the handkerchief from his mouth in disgust.
"Stop crying and howling here. I'll strike carefully and you won't die yet."
Xiao Lingyue said coldly: "If you don't want to suffer more torture, just tell me honestly and clearly, who instigated you to taint the Eighth Princess? And who instigated you to blame me?"
Hu Hongzhi hissed in pain and lost the strength to scream: "I said... I will say anything, don't kill me!"
Xiao Lingyue said in disgust: "Why don't you tell me quickly?"
She was counting the time in her mind, the three maids should be arriving soon.
She had to force the issue before this so that she could adapt accordingly later.
Hu Hongzhi swallowed hard and said with fear: "I...I don't know who instigated it. At first, someone just sent me a letter and asked me to meet at a teahouse...
..I didn’t see anyone after I went there. The person kept hiding behind the screen. I...I didn’t see clearly who it was..."
So cautious?
Xiao Lingyue frowned slightly: "That's all you know?"
Hu Hongzhi heard that her tone was unkind, and his eyes widened in horror: "I...I know it's a woman! I heard her voice, it's a woman's voice!"
Xiao Lingyue: "Did you hear that correctly?"
"No, I heard it very clearly..." Hu Hongzhi swallowed again.
"What kind of woman's voice does it sound like? How old are you?" Xiao Lingyue asked again.
"I..." Hu Hongzhi was speechless and endured the pain and thought for a while, "She seems to be quite young, just an ordinary woman's voice."
Saying this is the same as not saying it.
Xiao Lingyue said impatiently: "What else? What did this woman tell you to do?"
Hu Hongzhi: "She just asked me to hide in the side hall away from people on the birthday of the imperial concubine. Someone would bring the eighth princess to me... I only need to be responsible for entering the house and doing things. After that...
...If you are discovered, just...just say it was ordered by the Lord of Anping County. She also showed me a portrait of you and asked me to remember your face so that I can identify you later...
..."
"Shen Wan"'s appearance is unique in the capital. Except for her, no one else has such an obvious birthmark on their face.
Therefore, even if Hu Hongzhi only saw the portrait once, he still remembered it firmly.
When he saw Xiao Lingyue, he recognized her immediately and was so frightened that he almost flew out of his mind.
Xiao Lingyue narrowed her eyes and suddenly sneered: "You don't even know the other party's identity and have never met him in person. How can you listen to him so honestly? Just do whatever he asks you to do?"
Hu Hongzhi looks timid and cowardly, and can easily open his mouth, but in fact he also has a cunning side.
For example, when Xiao Lingyue pressed him, he would always hesitate and avoid some key points. If Xiao Lingyue didn't ask, he wouldn't tell the truth honestly.
He has been covering up for the mastermind behind the scenes.
To say that he has no idea of the identity of the mastermind behind the scenes, he only relies on a few instructions from the other party to believe the other party wholeheartedly and act according to the other party's request - unless he is a fool!
Otherwise, he is still holding on to hope in his heart, thinking that as long as he can save the mastermind behind the scenes, he will be fine.
Xiao Lingyue looked at Hu Hongwei, who had a stiff expression and twinkling eyes. She turned the blade in her hand and pressed against his throat: "I'll ask you one last time, who is the woman who ordered you? Why should you listen to her?"