Upon hearing this, Cao Tianbao imdiately stood up and strode outside.
Lu Ze, who must have been feeling suffocated all this ti, also got up and followed.
The others gradually left the guest hall. By this ti, the boatman had been brought back by Lu Zhang’s n, and he stood trembling in the courtyard. As soon as he saw the noblen in splendid attire coming out, he was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud.
"Stand up and speak!" Cao Tianbao shouted loudly, "Don’t kneel there as if you’ve been greatly wronged!
I ask you, do you recognize the person in this portrait?"
The guard beside Lu Zhang was quite perceptive. Upon hearing Cao Tianbao’s question, he imdiately re-unfolded the portrait he had been holding and put it right in front of the boatman for him to see clearly.
The boatman shivered as he looked at the portrait and shook his head, "Sir, this humble one does not recognize the person in the portrait."
Upon hearing this, the gloomy expression on Cao Tianbao’s face finally eased a bit.
But before he could feel relieved by the boatman’s words, he heard the man continue, "I only know that he often hired to ferry him across the river, and he was always so generous each ti, which left a strong impression on ."
Hearing this, Zhuang Zhi forced himself to sit up, and Cao Tianbao’s eyebrows furrowed tightly.
The Capital Governor had been pondering outside for quite so ti and decided it was better to inquire about the matter openly in front of everyone.
He had not been inford about this incident before, and no one reported it to him at all. As a result, it had now escalated to the presence of Cao Tianbao. Regardless of whether Cao Chenfeng was indeed involved in an adulterous affair and murder, as the Capital Governor, he bore so responsibility for oversight.
Therefore, since Lu Zhang’s n had brought the person back, no one could say Jingzhao Mansion was covering up for anyone. At this point, he needed to step forward, demonstrate the impartiality of Jingzhao Mansion, and avoid trouble later.
With these thoughts in mind, he directly stepped out and loudly questioned the boatman, "Where did the man in the portrait hire you to take him?"
"Sir... He always asked to wait for him at the ferry at night and then take him across the river to an embroidery tower. I would wait below, and when he ca out, I would take him back the sa way.
He paid more than one would earn for several round trips, so I was quite eager for his business before.
But... but I haven’t seen him for quite a few days."
"The last ti you saw him, was that at the embroidery tower as well?" the Capital Governor asked again.
"Yes, it was at that embroidery tower. He never asked to take him anywhere else.
But usually, he would take a long ti up there. Sotis I’d fall asleep waiting on the boat, but that day, he ca out in less than the ti it takes for an incense stick to burn, rushing to leave quickly.
I don’t know what happened, but since he paid , I didn’t ask questions and hurriedly ferried him back.
Since then, I haven’t seen him again, and only now heard about a death in that embroidery tower...
Sir, I just collected the fare for the boat, I’m not an accomplice, you can’t punish for this!"
It was clear that the boatman was truly frightened. His voice had a crying tone, "My wife told before not to earn this money, saying those who go to secret late-night etings aren’t good people, in case sothing—"
"Alright, enough! Just answer what you’re asked, and don’t ramble about things you’re not questioned on!" The Capital Governor, seeing the boatman’s increasing chatter and the growing fury on Cao Tianbao’s face, hurriedly stopped the boatman, fearing that his clueless blabbering would lead Cao Tianbao to take action right there, causing trouble for himself.
Cao Tianbao, hearing the boatman’s words, indeed felt enraged, but having served in battles and court for so many years, he wasn’t a brainless brute.
Though wrongly accused by Zhuang Zhi, with his nephew Cao Chenfeng now looking like a suspect in illicit dealings and murder, every word from the boatman seed to be implicitly condemning Cao Chenfeng.
But suspicions were just that, suspicions. Without conclusive evidence, if he punished the boatman out of anger, it would be like admitting his nephew’s guilt.
"Gentlen, you all heard! The boatman identified the person in the portrait, and indeed he went to the embroidery tower to see my daughter, who was killed on that very night. Doesn’t this all match perfectly?!
Are you saying, just because he’s the Great General’s nephew, you’re all going to pretend that you haven’t heard anything?" Zhuang Zhi shouted hoarsely, determined to seek justice for his daughter even at the cost of his own life.
The boatman had only heard that officials were inquiring by the Great General’s orders and never imagined he’d be an accuser of the Great General’s nephew as a murderer, and now found himself as a key witness, paralyzed with fear, collapsing to the ground, trembling and unable to rise.
The Capital Governor was also in distress at this mont.
He certainly knew what would be the most appropriate next step at this juncture, but seeing Cao Tianbao’s rising anger, he dared not voice it.
So, he turned his pleading gaze to Prince Yi, Lu Zhang, standing by.
Cao Tianbao, looking across the world, feared only two people: one was Emperor Jin, and the other was Duke Yan.
Other princes and nobles were treated with respect when he was in a good mood, but he might ignore them in anger.
Comparatively, Lu Zhang was the safest choice. After all, he carried the favor of both Emperor Jin and Duke Yan. If necessary words were to co from him, perhaps they’d be effective even if Cao Tianbao were to get angry.
Lu Zhang understood the aning behind the Capital Governor’s gaze, but his grandfather had hinted that he should refrain from speaking up, putting him in a difficult position.
Yet, he couldn’t resist the pleading expression from the Capital Governor and, after a mont of hesitation, spoke to Cao Tianbao, "Great General, whether it’s illicit etings or murder, we can’t rely on just one side of the story.
Though Zhuang Zhi’s daughter is gone, your nephew Cao Chenfeng is still here. The dead can’t speak, but the living can.
Why don’t we bring him out and confront them face-to-face? Perhaps this misunderstanding can be cleared then?
Jingzhao Mansion can apprehend the real culprit, restore Cao Chenfeng’s reputation, and give Boss Zhuang an explanation, how about that?"
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