Chapter 40 Release
Just as Li Ying was about to interrogate the dancer, Aqisi turned back and bowed respectfully to Li Ying and Yang Yuhuan.

Li Ying asked, "Is there anything wrong, Princess?"

"I forgot something very important." Aqisi smiled awkwardly, "I have asked about the dancer who assassinated His Highness. We met her in Chang'an. She danced very well, could speak the language of Bakhan, looked like a Bakhan person, and claimed to be a citizen of Bakhan. She asked to contribute to Bakhan, so our delegation agreed to let her dance with us."

"Oh?" Li Heng was slightly stunned. "Did you check her background later?"

"We checked, but we don't know much." Aqisi shook her head. "Our people only know that before she met us, she stayed in Pingkangfang. She asked our people to let her dance with us and take her back to Bukhara."

"I see." Li Heng nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "Thank you."

Aqisi raised her eyebrows and smiled, saying, "I came to see His Royal Highness the Prince of Shou earlier, intending to talk about this matter, but because His Royal Highness the Prince of Shou rejected me, I forgot about it."

Li Ying smiled and said, "It's not too late to tell me now."

"That's good." Aqisi bowed to Li Ying and Yang Yuhuan and walked out.

This news is indeed not too late for Li Heng.

Li Heng's original idea was to play the long game and catch the big fish. After knowing this news, he could play the long game even longer.

……

……

……

In court.

The dancer was brought up by two jailers.

During this period, although the dancer was detained, no one interrogated her, let alone tortured her.

So this time, she thought Li Heng was finally going to torture her.

But she was not afraid, and said as soon as she entered the classroom: "You can use any torture instruments on me. If you want to get anything out of me, I advise you to give up the idea as soon as possible."

Li Ying smiled slightly, walked down the hall, and said: "Although you are just a dancer, you are quite heroic. I really like people with heroic spirit. Why don't you confess? If you confess, I will give you whatever you want."

"Hmph!" The dancer snorted and ignored Li Ying.

It seems that he is the kind of person who won't respond to any threats or persuasion.

Li Heng found it even more interesting and said, "Not long ago, I just investigated a major case in Lanzhou. Have you heard about it?"

The dancer said, "Whether you have heard of it or not, so what?"

"Why don't I tell you about it?" Li Heng said calmly, "This is what happened. While I was traveling, I met a fugitive named Chen Wulang. He was treated unfairly and asked me to help him. I agreed."

The dancer said disdainfully: "What a hypocrite!"

Li Heng smiled nonchalantly and continued, "But later, his sister was coerced by someone, and the coercer asked him to frame me, and he did it."

Hearing this, the dancer's expression was somewhat moved.

Li Ying continued to talk to himself: "But I didn't know his sister was coerced at the beginning, so I spent a lot of time to verify it. This made me rescue his sister a little late, causing his sister to suffer more harm." Li Ying sighed.

"If he had confessed to me earlier, perhaps his sister would have been less hurt."

At this point, Li Ying turned to ask Gao Shi, who was standing beside him: "Where are Chen Wulang's brother and sister?"

Gao Shi replied, "Your Highness, you considered that he repented in time and surrendered himself, and it was the spring ploughing season, so you only gave him thirty strokes of the cane and released him. The land that was occupied by his family was also returned to him."

Li Heng nodded, turned his eyes to the dancer, and said, "Aqisi has told me that they met you in Chang'an, and you are very likely from Bactria. In this case, this is the first time we meet, and we have no grudges against each other. I don't understand why you want to kill me. Is it for money? Or is it that the person behind you has done you a favor? Or has your family been coerced?"

After hearing this, the dancer's arrogant and fearless expression faded. She lowered her head, looking a little lost and hesitant, but after hesitating for a long while, she finally said nothing.

Seeing this, Li Heng said, "If you were doing this for fame and gain, I would choose to kill you, but from my observation of you over this period of time, you are not such a person. If you are not, then you must have other reasons to do so. In that case, I will not kill you. Go away."

The dancer was horrified and asked in disbelief: "You really let me go?"

"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond." Li Heng nodded. "If you were coerced, then I can't save your family. If you are doing this for a favor, then you have already repaid the favor. You are a beautiful woman, but the world is full of difficulties. I hope you can take care of yourself in the future. Go away."

After saying this, he personally opened the shackles for the dancer and gave her a bag of money.

The dancer was stunned for a long while before she reacted. She kowtowed to Li Heng and choked up, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Then, he stepped out.

The sun was shining brightly outside, but the dancer's heart was not as bright as it was in prison.

After the dancer walked away, Gao Shi said to Li Ying, "Your Highness, do you want to send someone to keep an eye on her?"

Li Heng did not answer in a hurry, but asked: "During this period of time, I saw that you were investigating the people who ambushed me before. Did you find anything?"

Gao Shi said: "Your Highness, the man you let go before has been active in the underground of Chang'an for many years, but we can't find his household registration. We only know that others call him Viper."

"Venomous Snake?" Li Heng repeated the name, thought for a moment, and said, "During the Kaiyuan period, there was a prime minister in the court named Dou Huaizhen. He was attached to Princess Taiping. Later, when my father put down the rebellion, he committed suicide. My father then changed his surname from Dou to Du."

Gao Shi suddenly realized, and said, "Your Highness, are you saying that the venomous snake is a descendant of Dou Huaizhen?"

"It's just a guess." Li Heng thought, "If he is really the descendant of Dou Huaizheng, he will definitely not let it go."

Gao Shi nodded and asked in confusion: "Your Highness, forgive my ignorance, but what does this have to do with the dancer?"

"That dancer is from Pingkangfang, and that poisonous snake has some connection with Pingkangfang." After Li Heng finished explaining, he asked Gao Shi with a smile, "Although I have left Chang'an, I have guards to protect me when I go out. If you are someone who wants to kill me, what do you think is the best way?"

"This..." Gao Shi thought for a moment and asked tentatively, "Think of a way to get close to His Highness?"

"That's right." Li Heng nodded. "If they are only trying to embarrass me because of what happened back then and it's not related to other things, then I'm willing to give them a chance. But if they insist on getting entangled with me, then I can't do anything about it."

What Li Heng meant was that there was no need to send anyone to follow them. If they didn't give up, they would naturally come to him again.

Gao Shi bowed and said, "Your Highness is kind and I sincerely admire you."

Li Ying smiled when he heard Gao Shi's praise.

(End of this chapter)