Chapter 272: State Banquet: Part Three

State Banquet: Part Three

The expressions of everyone present were somewhat unsightly, and Jin Jingwen, who was already angry, was so furious she was stomping her feet.

"How could this happen? Could it be that she was allowed to escape again?"

As she spoke, Jin Jingwen looked at Nie Jinxuan, then couldn't help but say,

"Sister Jinxuan, are we just going to watch Princess Lanshu be so presumptuous? This... I really cannot swallow this insult!"

"That's right, Sister Jinxuan, this is too infuriating!"

Qiu Pingting also couldn't contain her anger, her small face turning red. At this moment, hearing the two of them speak, Nie Jinxuan merely pursed her lips. But just then, a young eunuch walked in quickly and whispered a few words into the ear of Lianxi, who was guarding the door.

The young eunuch's voice was very soft, but a moment later, Lianxi's face was filled with shock. Her already fair face turned as pale as paper, and her eyes widened like copper bells!

Clearly, Lianxi was terrified. Nie Jinxuan caught this in her eyes.

"Lianxi, what is it? What happened?"

A bad premonition arose in Nie Jinxuan's heart. At this moment, hearing Nie Jinxuan's words, everyone present couldn't help but turn to look at the young eunuch Lianxi, who was guarding the door.

"Uh..."

Suddenly, being stared at by all the masters at once, Lianxi's complexion became even more unsightly, and a trace of hesitation surfaced in her eyes... But in the end, Lianxi swallowed her saliva, went up, and said in a low voice,

"Uh... Re, reporting to the Princess... Word just came from outside, saying... saying..."

Although she had prepared herself, Lianxi still didn't know how to speak. Seeing her like this, Nie Jinxuan frowned, and Consort Li, who had always been impatient, couldn't help but raise her voice and scold,

"You slave, if you have something to say, just say it! Look at your stuttering appearance, why don't you hurry up and tell us everything?!"

Consort Li's voice was naturally somewhat shrill, and this shout made people feel somewhat ear-piercing. So, being roared at by Consort Li, the young eunuch Lianxi trembled reflexively and fell to her knees with a thud.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger, please calm your anger. It is not that this servant refuses to speak, but that this servant does not know how to say these words..."

Although she was anxious, Lianxi was clearly still hesitant, and as she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Nie Jinxuan.

Clearly, what Lianxi cared about was Nie Jinxuan. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips slightly and said slowly,

"Enough, Lianxi, if you are told to speak, then speak. Isn't this matter already done? If you don't say it now, I will know later... Speak, what exactly is the matter?"

"... Yes, th, then this servant will speak..."

Having said this, Lianxi paused suddenly, then took a deep breath.

"Master, word just came from outside saying... saying that this morning, another murder case occurred outside the city, and the person who died this time, Master, you also know... it is, it is that... that Miss Bai, whom the Dowager Consort had this servant settle last time..."

Although Nie Jinxuan had long been prepared, upon hearing Lianxi's words, her eyes still widened instantly!

What?! Bai Meilan is dead?!

This... how is this possible?! Isn't she living well outside the city now? How could she now...

Nie Jinxuan knew Bai Meilan's temperament well. This woman was quite shrewd, and more importantly, she understood how to assess the situation! She would smile at everyone, and even if she met someone she didn't like, she could make the other party feel comfortable, so she rarely made enemies! Moreover, she was living quite comfortably outside the city now. Just two days ago, she even sent a letter saying she had met someone she liked who treated her very well, so she was very grateful to her and Noble Consort Zhang...

The content of that letter was still fresh in Nie Jinxuan's mind, but only two or three days had passed, how could... how could such a thing happen?!

For a moment, Nie Jinxuan found it hard to accept! Because she couldn't imagine who would lay a hand on Bai Meilan! But in the blink of an eye, Nie Jinxuan's gaze flashed fiercely, and she looked up at Lianxi and asked urgently,

"Lianxi, tell me clearly, how did Bai Meilan die? What exactly happened?"

Nie Jinxuan's urgency was so obvious. Hearing this, Lianxi trembled again, but still lowered her head and said in a trembling voice,

"Yes, yes, this servant will speak, this servant will speak, but Master, you must hold on... This servant heard the messenger say that Miss Bai died very miserably. Her body was covered in wounds, not a single good spot left, and her eyes were gone, her tongue was gone, and even both her feet were gone... In any case, everyone who saw it at the time was scared silly..."

"And... and it is said that it was not just Miss Bai... even those servants in Miss Bai's courtyard who were arranged there by the Dowager Consort were all killed..."

Having grown up, this was the first time Lianxi had heard of such a shocking event! So as she spoke, Lianxi was so scared that tears came out... But at this moment, listening to Lianxi's words, everyone present was shocked almost simultaneously, their widened eyes revealing unspeakable astonishment!

But a moment later, Jin Jingwen was the first to have a fierce expression, and she couldn't help but say,

"It must be that Princess Lanshu again! It must be her!"

Jin Jingwen was gnashing her teeth in anger, and having said this, she immediately turned to look at Nie Jinxuan beside her.

"Sister Jinxuan, it must be her! She is clearly doing this for you to see, Sister Jinxuan, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence? So Sister Jinxuan, what do you think we should do?"

Jin Jingwen was not wrong. After all, although many people knew about the case at the Tianyuan Inn, in fact, very few people truly knew that Sun was gouged of her eyes, had her tongue cut, and her feet chopped off! And now Bai Meilan was also dead, and the way she died was the same as Sun, so besides Xiao Lanshu, there could absolutely be no one else!

This was a principle everyone understood, so after Jin Jingwen's words fell, Noble Consort Zhang and the others also looked at Nie Jinxuan, waiting quietly for how Nie Jinxuan would handle it!

For a time, the large room became quiet again, and even Lianxi, who was kneeling on the ground, did not dare to breathe or say another word. At this moment, Nie Jinxuan, sitting in her seat, had an unexpectedly cold and frozen face, with no waves on her face, making it impossible to see any joy or anger!

Such a Nie Jinxuan was intimidating. After a long while, Nie Jinxuan narrowed her eyes and looked at Lianxi, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Lianxi, who was the person who came to give you the message just now?"

Nie Jinxuan's voice was unexpectedly calm. Hearing this, Lianxi hurriedly said in a trembling voice,

"It, it was the young eunuch Xiao Yuanzi from outside..."

"Where did that Xiao Yuanzi get the news?"

"It was from a Yamen Runner of the Jingzhao Prefecture... Right, that person claimed his surname was Zhou. According to Xiao Yuanzi, that person was also getting on in years, and looked like a veteran Yamen Runner..."

Having worked under Nie Jinxuan for a long time, Lianxi had grasped Nie Jinxuan's temperament, so she had inquired about everything beforehand. At this moment, hearing that the other party was surnamed Zhou and was getting on in years, Nie Jinxuan had a plan in mind, and she stood up directly from her seat.

Seeing this, the people beside her were stunned.

"... Sister Xuan, where are you going?"

Nie Jinxuan's cold appearance made Qiu Pingting somewhat worried. But upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan didn't even look at her, and said in a low voice,

"To apprehend the murderer!"

Having said this, Nie Jinxuan walked out directly. Seeing Nie Jinxuan leave, the people in the room couldn't help but look at each other. At this time, the usually steady Noble Consort Zhang also stood up from her seat.

"Sigh, alright, let's go over and take a look! This Empress Dowager also wants to see who has such great courage to dare to run wild on the land of our Dongling!"

After the words fell, Noble Consort Zhang's expression also sank, and she walked out too. Seeing Noble Consort Zhang go out, Consort Li, Jin Jingwen, and Qiu Pingting hurriedly followed.

Just like that, the group marched toward the Imperial Garden. At this moment, in the Imperial Garden, music was playing everywhere, and amidst the moving music, there was constant applause.

It turned out that at this very moment, on the red carpet in the center of the state banquet, a beautiful young girl was dancing gracefully to the music!

The girl was dressed in fiery red, her face covered with a red veil, revealing only a pair of beautiful, large eyes. Her slender figure danced and flew in the music, and the fiery red gauze skirt revealed an incomparable charm, making the envoys from various countries watch in a daze!

Only, the girl seemed to only pay attention to Yin Fengzhan, who was sitting on the stage in front, occasionally casting affectionate glances at Yin Fengzhan through those beautiful large eyes...

Today, Yin Fengzhan was wearing a dragon robe, the golden yellow color shining with dazzling brilliance. His peerless, handsome features were even more soul-stirring under the warm sun, and paired with that golden yellow, it highlighted a dazzling imperial aura!

That was the domineering aura that only a born king possessed.

Only, facing the girl's deep affection, Yin Fengzhan, sitting in his seat, just sat there quietly, his deep eyes looking forward, and on his calm face, let alone seeing infatuation, one couldn't even see a trace of joy or anger!

At this moment, as the music became more and more cheerful, the girl's movements also sped up. Then, after a dazzling dance, the music slowly stopped, and the girl also made a turn to finish.

The dance ended. Instantly, the surrounding envoys applauded and cheered, but the girl standing in the center just looked at Yin Fengzhan, then reached out and took off the red veil she had been using to mystify her face, revealing her originally beautiful, flower-like face.

"Lanshu pays her respects to His Majesty, the Emperor of Dongling."

It turned out that the dancing girl was Princess Lanshu of Xidi. But at this moment, hearing this, Yin Fengzhan, sitting above, just glanced at her faintly, but said nothing.

Yin Fengzhan did not speak, and for a time, the scene was somewhat cold. Seeing this, some envoys from neighboring countries couldn't help but look back and forth, and then watched the situation in front of them without making a sound.

One must know that now, war between Dongling and Xidi is imminent, which is something the whole world knows. But none of them expected that Xidi would actually send people this time, and even sent a State Preceptor and a Princess!

So, for this good show, the envoys naturally would not let it go! ===== CHAPTER 273 =====