Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 382 - 355 Brotherly Love_3

When a rabbit’s cornered, it bites; when a man’s desperate, he bites too!

Xun Qi struggled, his cheek scraping against the ground leaving several cuts: "Let me go! I demand to see Minister Xing! I demand to see Minister Xing!"

The leading government official replied, "Minister Xing is interrogating suspects, he cannot see you."

Xun Qi gritted his teeth: "Is he interrogating my Sixth Brother? Is he?"

Everyone exchanged looks and nodded slowly.

Xun Qi roared furiously toward the direction of the prison: "Minister Xing! My Sixth Brother is not the mastermind! He’s not! Don’t believe him! He doesn’t think things through! He’s just a reckless brute! He doesn’t have the capability—interrogate me! Interrogate me!"

"Interrogate me—"

"Interrogate me..."

Xun Qi’s shouts gradually weakened, his voice becoming choked with sobs, tinged with despair.

His throat swelled painfully, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

"Interrogate me... don’t interrogate my Sixth Brother... All he has is martial arts... He doesn’t know anything... doesn’t understand anything..."

"Interrogate me... interrogate me..."

The government officials turned their faces away, unable to watch anymore—these hardened men were moved almost to pity.

But Chief Xing had given strict orders: no one was to enter.

There was nothing they could do.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps crunching over the accumulated snow stopped in front of Xun Qi. The hem of a purple robe peeked out from under a Silver Fox Cloak, resembling a beam of light piercing through the dark night.

Xun Qi’s chest tightened, his gaze rising: "Lu Yuan..."

Lu Yuan addressed the government officials: "Release him."

The leading official hesitated, clearly conflicted: "Grand Commander, Minister Xing has ordered... He is interrogating suspects and cannot allow anyone inside."

Lu Yuan replied coldly, "So, even I, the Grand Commander, cannot enter?"

The leading official faltered, "This..."

Lu Yuan said indifferently, "Summoning me past midnight to collaborate in the investigation, only for Minister Xing not to meet me? Fine, I’ll leave—next time you want the Governor Mansion’s support, let Minister Xing come to me personally!"

"Please wait, Grand Commander!"

The leading official called after him, "Allow me to inform him at once."

He gestured for his subordinates to hold Xun Qi down and hurried to the prison himself.

Before long, Steward Hu personally came out to greet them: "Grand Commander, please come inside!"

Lu Yuan glanced at Xun Qi, who was being restrained on the ground: "He’s with me."

Steward Hu thought to himself: Is this blatant lying really necessary?

"Do you lack any perception whatsoever? Don’t you recognize the Seventh Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Mansion?"

Steward Hu reprimanded the officials with exaggerated gestures but little force, "Hurry up and help him up!"

Xun Qi and Lu Yuan entered the prison of the Ministry of Justice.

The long corridor was saturated with the stench of blood and all manner of foul odors.

The interrogation chamber was at the end of the hallway; though only a few dozen steps lay ahead, it felt like walking through someone’s entire life.

Xun Qi asked, "Did you already know?"

Lu Yuan replied, "I only just found out. If I’d known earlier, I would have stopped it."

Xun Qi’s expression briefly betrayed a complex mix of emotions: "I thank you on behalf of my Sixth Brother."

Lu Yuan said, "I’m not doing this for Xun Liu. I’m merely intent on bringing the true culprit to justice; I don’t wish for anyone to take the blame in their stead."

Steward Hu, walking ahead to lead the way, thought to himself: You two really aren’t treating me like an outsider here.

"Here we are."

Steward Hu stopped outside the interrogation chamber. "Minister, the Grand Commander and Xun Qi are here."

Chief Xing nodded briefly.

Steward Hu stepped aside to allow the two to enter.

The interrogation room reeked of rust and blood. Chief Xing sat solemnly in a Grandmaster Chair.

Opposite him sat Xun Liu, shackled by chains around his hands and feet.

"Sixth Brother!"

Xun Qi rushed forward and knelt before Xun Liu, cradling his frost-bitten, cracked face. "Sixth Brother!"

Xun Liu smiled brightly despite everything: "Seventh Brother."

Xun Qi’s eyes reddened once more.

Xun Liu turned to Chief Xing and said, "Minister Xing, may I speak to my Seventh Brother alone for a moment?"

Chief Xing gave a slight nod, signaling Steward Hu to collect the confessions and documents on the desk.

Xun Qi asked warily, "What are those?"

Xun Liu said gently, "Seventh Brother, don’t worry about it."

Xun Qi stood upright and said solemnly to Chief Xing: "Minister Xing! No matter what my Sixth Brother says to you, those things aren’t his doing! It was me—"

"Seventh Brother!"

Xun Liu interrupted him abruptly, suddenly coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Xun Qi, drenched in the blood, stared in horror.

His eyes fell upon the blood on his hands, panic overtaking him: "Sixth Brother!"

Xun Liu smiled faintly, his voice weak: "Did I dirty your clothes... Seventh Brother loves cleanliness... Just like Third Brother... loves cleanliness..." freewēbnoveℓ.com

The Third Brother he spoke of was Lu Yuan.

Before Chen Long’s arrival, Lu Yuan ranked third among them.

Xun Liu continued coughing up blood without respite.

Xun Qi knelt before Xun Liu, desperately trying to catch the blood with his hands, but it overflowed nonetheless.

Tears brimmed in Xun Qi’s eyes, falling uncontrollably: "Sixth Brother... why are you all just standing there... Go call the Imperial Physician... Call the Imperial Physician—"

Xun Liu murmured weakly, "It’s useless... Seventh Brother... I severed my own meridians..."

Xun Qi sobbed uncontrollably, "Sixth Brother, how could you be so foolish..."

Xun Liu exhaled faintly, "I’m not very smart... If I couldn’t make it convincing... it’d be a huge problem... I’ve already confessed... You don’t have to... take the blame anymore... Seventh Brother... you must... live well..."