"No?"
"No."
"Not a single one?"
"All the Tianshi Mansion disciples and hired servants in the capital are gathered here now. If Vice Minister Sun does not believe it, he may measure each of their heights himself."
Sun Shaozong fell silent.
Hongyuan Zhenren had spoken with absolute certainty, and this was something that could be verified immediately. It was enough to show that among the Tianshi Mansion's disciples and servants in the capital, there truly was no one so tall and powerfully built.
Could his deduction have been wrong?
But he had carefully examined the traces at the scene several times already. Logically, there should not have been any oversight.
Besides...
From the corner of his eye, Sun Shaozong studied the middle-aged Taoist who seemed to be the steward.
When he had first asked whether there was anyone in the residence taller than six chi, this middle-aged Taoist had seemed to think of something. Yet before he could speak, Hongyuan Zhenren had cut him off.
If Hongyuan Zhenren had been hastily trying to conceal something, perhaps he could spot a flaw in this middle-aged Taoist.
Yet when he looked over, he found that the man wore a similarly disdainful expression, as though he were scorning Sun Shaozong's absurd reasoning.
Tsk.
Was this fellow simply too good at acting?
Or had he misunderstood something just now?
Quietly withdrawing his gaze, Sun Shaozong decided to seek another breakthrough while pretending not to have given up. He continued, "Then among those close to this residence, is there anyone..."
"Vice Minister Sun."
Hongyuan Zhenren interrupted him, his expression grave. "My wife has always kept to herself. Those outside Tianshi Mansion may not even know that she is currently in the capital."
Was he trying to clear his disciples and followers of suspicion, or was