Chapter 357: Shocking Secret (2)

Xiao Yu was also nervous that this person would bump into Qingfeng, and had already pulled her aside, but seeing Ruyi's arrogant appearance, Xiao Yu frowned again. Ruyi was much more arrogant than when she went to the Shushan Villa last time, and she couldn't compare to Fuling at all. Why did Qingfeng keep such a person by her side?

The little eunuch climbed up from the ground. Seeing Qingfeng standing there, he was so scared that he knelt down hurriedly, saying anxiously: "This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die! This servant had an urgent matter to report to Chief Gao, and didn't pay attention to bumping into the Mistress, I beg the Mistress to forgive this servant."

Regarding his recklessness, Qingfeng didn't seem to care, and asked in a gentle voice: "What matter is so urgent?"

The little eunuch raised his head timidly, looked left and right quietly, didn't see Gao Jin, and Consort Qing was staring at him, so the little eunuch swallowed his saliva and replied: "Returning to the Mistress, in the water well of the East Garden... a female corpse was found!"

"What?!"

Xiao Yu exclaimed in a low voice, but Qingfeng just raised her eyebrows slightly.

A female corpse found in a water well, this matter was not big, but not small either. Originally, reporting this matter to Gao Jin, or handing it over to the Ministry of Justice to investigate, or letting the Imperial Household Department investigate it themselves, and then reporting to the Emperor after having a result would be fine. But after Consort Qing knew about it, she insisted on going to see it herself, which brought the Emperor. Hearing that the Emperor had gone over, the Empress also hurried over.

Beside the water well in the East Garden, on one side was the corpse that had been soaked white, had begun to rot, and was occasionally emitting a foul smell after being salvaged. On the other side were the most noble masters in this palace.

Yan Hongtian had been in a bad mood these past few days, and at this moment, his face was even more gloomy. Qingfeng's expression was also not very good, and she endured the urge to vomit, saying in a low voice: "Emperor, in the inner palace, someone actually died innocently in this water well. This matter must be thoroughly investigated."

Xin Yuening covered her mouth and nose with a silk handkerchief. She wouldn't have cared about this unlucky thing, but seeing Qingfeng taking the lead at this moment, Xin Yuening immediately put on the posture of the Empress and said: "Emperor, this matter is a matter of the harem after all. Why don't we let the Imperial Household Department investigate it carefully?"

"Sister, this is different. Although it is a matter of the harem, it involves human life. Everyone in the palace has suspicion. Letting the Imperial Household Department investigate, I am afraid it will be unfair. In my opinion, it should be handed over to the Ministry of Justice."

Because she lost to Qingfeng in the competition for Zhen Zhen's child last time, Xin Yuening had been extremely dissatisfied with Qingfeng. Originally, handing it over to the Ministry of Justice to investigate was nothing, but now Xin Yuening just wanted to sing the opposite of her, "The harem is a place where women live. It is very inconvenient for officials of the Ministry of Justice to enter the palace to investigate cases. According to the rules of previous years, similar things happening in the harem are handled by the Imperial Household Department. I will supervise and investigate it myself, so Consort Qing doesn't need to worry about whether it is fair or not."

Qingfeng suddenly turned to Yan Hongtian and said softly: "Emperor, actually I have a suggestion."

Yan Hongtian looked at the hand Qingfeng took the initiative to climb up, and a flash of doubt crossed his heart. In the past, when he didn't call her over, she stayed far away from him. Being so abnormal today, Yan Hongtian guessed that she had something to ask for, and sighed: "Say it."

"My sister is proficient in the way of examining corpses, even Master Dan often praises her, and my younger sister is naturally clever and has helped the Ministry of Justice solve several cases. Why don't we hand this case to them to investigate? They are both women, it will not be inconvenient to enter and exit the palace, and they can ensure fairness. What does the Emperor think?"

Qingfeng was now peerless in appearance, usually cold-faced, and already beautiful enough to stun people. At this moment, her slightly coquettish tone made people unable to look away. Xin Yuening cursed Qingfeng as a vixen in her heart, and her words were even more unforgiving, "How can this be?! Why should they enter the palace to investigate cases!"

"Emperor, my elder sister is the Prime Minister's wife, and my younger sister is the General's wife. Don't they have the qualifications to investigate cases for the harem?"

This time, Qingfeng not only spoke softly, but the whole person was almost hanging on Yan Hongtian. Yan Hongtian stared at Qingfeng's eyes for a long time, and finally said: "Okay, this matter will be handed over to Qing Ling and Qing Mo to judge." No matter what her purpose was for insisting so much, Yan Hongtian found that he just wanted to indulge her.

"Thank you, Emperor." Yan Hongtian's gaze was too deep and focused. Qingfeng looked away slightly and didn't look at him. In Xin Yuening's eyes, this back-and-forth interaction was flirting. She was so angry that she snorted coldly and hurried toward the Yilan Palace. She was in a hurry to go back to find Shui Xin and think of a way for her.

Xin Yuening left, and Qingfeng was about to withdraw her hand when her wrist tightened, "Why? Don't want the monk after finishing the fast?"

The low voice carried a bit of teasing. Qingfeng didn't know if he was angry or teasing her. She coughed lightly, deliberately pretending not to hear it, and replied: "I want to wait for my elder sister and younger sister here. If the Emperor has something to deal with, go back first."

There were indeed many memorials to be reviewed in the Imperial Study, and Yan Hongtian finally let go of her hand, "Be careful yourself."

"Yes." Qingfeng nodded, and Yan Hongtian didn't say anything more, turning and walking toward the Imperial Study. Ever since she told him she was pregnant two months ago, he hadn't stayed at the Qingfeng Palace often, nor had he heard that he had flipped anyone's brand, often staying in the Imperial Study overnight. Was state affairs really that busy?

In front of a wing room in the East Garden of the harem, Qingfeng stood in front of the house waiting. After more than half an hour, the people she was waiting for arrived.

Ruyi led Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun over. When the two saw her smooth and delicate cheeks, they were both surprised. It was simply better than the effect of a skin graft surgery. The current Qingfeng was truly radiant. Seeing the joy in their eyes, Qingfeng felt a warmth in her heart, but when her eyes fell on Zhuo Qing's slightly protruding abdomen, Qingfeng's expression changed slightly, and a flash of hesitation crossed her eyes, asking in a low voice, "You... are you pregnant?"

"Yes." Zhuo Qing nodded with a smile, her expression very relaxed. Qingfeng's appearance reminded her of the shock when Yun returned from the sacrifice and saw her pregnancy. She felt it was very funny. What was so strange about a woman being pregnant? Pregnancy is a process in life, just let it be natural. This was also why she didn't go around announcing it after knowing she was pregnant. It was a natural thing, no need to care too much.

Clearly, not everyone thought so. Qingfeng shook her head and said: "I didn't know you were pregnant. I'll talk to the Emperor, let's find a coroner from the Ministry of Justice to examine it."

Zhuo Qing didn't care, and replied indifferently: "I'm fine, it's just examining a corpse, not a big deal." As she spoke, Zhuo Qing also glanced at Qingfeng's protruding abdomen and said: "Or, you go back and rest first." She was used to it and didn't feel it was anything, but Qingfeng would probably not be able to stand it. Just the smell of the corpse...

"Can I watch from the side?" As soon as Qingfeng finished speaking, Ruyi, who was accompanying her, widened her eyes in shock. When that corpse was salvaged, it was pale and bloated, and the smell was suffocating. Just thinking about it made her want to vomit, and the Mistress still wanted to go in and watch?

Gu Yun, who had stopped at the door ready to go in, paused. Qingfeng wanted to go in and watch? Gu Yun thought Zhuo Qing would refuse, after all, Qingfeng was a pregnant woman now, not everyone had Zhuo Qing's skill. But Zhuo Qing just stared at Qingfeng for a long time and replied: "Okay, if you feel uncomfortable in a while, come out."

"Yes." Qingfeng nodded slightly.

Several people entered the room, and a smell peculiar to corpses hit them. Qingfeng suppressed the urge to vomit, stood at the door, and didn't move forward. In the center of the empty room lay a female corpse. Ruyi's face turned white, and the hand supporting Qingfeng kept trembling. She simply lowered her head, not daring to look at the female corpse. Qingfeng's expression was also not good, barely supporting herself.

Zhuo Qing opened the wooden box she carried with her, took out a few pieces of cotton cloth, tied one on her face, gave one to Gu Yun, and handed the remaining two to Qingfeng and Ruyi.

Qingfeng took it, tied the cotton cloth on her face like her. There was a faint medicinal smell on the cotton cloth, and the unpleasant corpse smell was dispelled a lot. Qingfeng calmed her mind, her gaze following Zhuo Qing, who had stopped paying attention to anyone or anything after entering, and her gaze was only focused on the corpse.

"The deceased's body is moderately rotten, the rigor mortis has completely eased, and the time of death is estimated to be about 72 hours. The neck was strangled, and she died of suffocation. There are multiple wounds on the body, which should have been caused before death. There are fractures on the hands and feet, which may have been bumped when falling to the bottom of the well. There are no signs of sexual assault."

Zhuo Qing said the results of the examination while checking. Gu Yun glanced at the blue-purple marks on the deceased's neck and asked: "What was the murder weapon?"

Lifting the deceased's neck, Zhuo Qing compared it with a measuring ruler for a long time, but finally just shook her head and replied: "It should be something like a rope, but the body is soaked and swollen, and it has begun to rot, so it cannot be compared with the size and pattern of the murder weapon."

Zhuo Qing checked the deceased's fingers and found that her right hand was tightly clenched into a fist. Zhuo Qing used some force to pry open the deceased's hand, and a piece of broken cloth the thickness of a thumb lay in the palm.

Gu Yun also discovered the foreign object in the deceased's hand, squatted down, and asked: "What is it?"

"A... small piece of broken cloth." Zhuo Qing carefully took out the broken cloth and placed it on the wooden tray on the side. Gu Yun looked at it carefully. The cloth strip had been soaked in water for a long time and had faded, presenting a brownish-red color, which was extremely inconsistent with the light pink palace dress worn by the corpse. Gu Yun stared at the cloth for a while before saying: "It doesn't look like it belongs to the deceased, it might be the murderer's."

Zhuo Qing had basically finished the examination, took off her gloves while saying: "There are no other findings for the time being." Zhuo Qing turned back and looked at the two people behind her. Ruyi had been closing her eyes, and Qingfeng was wearing a face towel. Zhuo Qing couldn't see her expression, only seeing those beautiful eyes staring at her, a layer of water mist vaguely blurring in her eyes, not knowing if it was because she was scared or thought of something, and a layer of thin sweat floated on her forehead.

Zhuo Qing was a bit worried about her and asked in a low voice: "Qingfeng, are you okay?"

Qingfeng shook her head slightly, her neck looked very stiff, and she lowered her eyes, trying her best to hide the panic in her eyes, but she couldn't hide it, "I... am fine. A little uncomfortable. You continue, I'll go back first." As she spoke, she didn't wait for Zhuo Qing to respond and ran out of the house, her footsteps very messy, and Ruyi also immediately chased after her.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 358 =====