Chapter 443: Gone!

"What are you trying to do?"

Fu Hanxiu, seeing the situation, asked in surprise.

Ye Qingran looked at Fu Hanxiu, thought of something, and a faint light flickered in her eyes.

But for now she had no other thoughts.

She steadied her mind, did not hide from him, and said, "I suspect my mother may still be alive, so I want to find out."

Of course, this is only her conjecture.

Yun Sui Feng's death was too sudden and very suspicious; something must be hidden within. Her intuition told her that Yun Sui Feng would not have fallen so easily into Yun Lan and Zhao Shi's hands.

Fu Hanxiu was startled.

His mother-in-law is still alive?

Fu Hanxiu stood in place for a moment, then strode forward, following Ye Qingran into the tomb.

This tomb was commissioned personally by the Donglin Emperor, not very large, but clearly built with care.

A passage led inside, steps descending to a circular burial chamber; along the way were numerous traps to bar outsiders, but because Ye Qingran possessed precise information about them, she encountered no obstacles.

After the stone steps, another passage stretched on, dim inside, with only the long-lasting lamps on both sides emitting a faint light.

At the end of the passage, a circular burial chamber appeared.

Every sculpture or ornament in the chamber followed a certain formation, deterring anyone from touching them casually.

Below the chamber lay another level, where Yun Sui Feng's coffin was placed.

The bronze coffin, in the sunless chamber, faintly emitted a dim green glow.

Ye Qingran stared at the coffin before her, a ghostly light flashing in her eyes.

Is her mother really lying inside?

For a moment, her mood became complicated.

"Miss, really want to open it?" Han Xing asked uncertainly.

It is commonly said that the dead must be respected. If the lady truly lies inside, opening the coffin rashly would be a great disrespect.

Ye Qingran pondered briefly, then said firmly, "Open."

The longer she stayed inside, the more she felt her mother's death was suspicious.

Qin Feng, Ji Feng and the others nodded and together set about opening the coffin.

As the coffin lid was lifted, the red lacquer inner coffin was revealed.

Qin Feng and Ji Feng easily opened the lid.

When they saw inside, Qin Feng's expression changed, exclaiming, "Miss, come quickly and look!"

Ye Qingran and several others hurried forward, looked down, and in the huge inner coffin lay a layer of glittering gold, silver and jewels, with no body of Yun Sui Feng!

"Where is the lady?"

Han Xing Leng Yue's face was shocked.

This is clearly the lady's tomb, yet the lady is not inside the coffin.

The few of them couldn't help but feel a chill.

Ye Qingran squeezed the edge of the coffin, gradually applying force, her fingertips turning white.

Fu Hanxiu stood behind her, using his height advantage to get an unobstructed view of the interior.

His expression hardened, and he could not be said to be unsurprised.

He had always thought the children's grandmother had already passed away, but never expected...

Since the body is not there, is she still alive, or was the corpse stolen?

"Could it have been taken... stolen?" Leng Yue voiced the doubt in her heart.

Ye Qingran shook her head, "We can't rule out that possibility."

"It could also be, as Miss previously guessed, that the lady is still alive!"

Han Xing analyzed.

Ye Qingran nodded.

"If the lady is still alive, why hasn't she shown herself?"

"This is an Imperial Tomb, the guards are strict; how could anyone be stolen away unnoticed?"

"Moreover, why would anyone steal the lady's corpse?"

A series of questions floated in Ye Qingran's mind.

She had only guessed that Yun Sui Feng might still be alive; now, in this tomb, her body is missing, making her more certain that she may truly not be dead!

Only, she also cannot determine where she currently is.

"Miss, could it be Yun Lan?"

Ye Qingran thought for a moment, shook her head, "Probably not. If she wanted to verify whether my mother truly died, she could have confirmed it before the burial, or simply entered later to check; there is no need to take the person away."

"If not Yun Lan, then who could it be?"

Ye Qingran at this moment also had no clue.

Yun Sui Feng's past social connections and experiences were known to her as a daughter only in the slightest. Moreover, she had been buried for nearly ten years. Even if she truly passed away, when exactly the body was taken away cannot be verified.

"In this chamber there is no corpse odor; either the person is not dead, or the body was moved before the flesh could decay!"

Fu Hanxiu's voice sounded behind Ye Qingran.

Everyone looked at him.

They all nodded.

They carefully sensed the air; apart from the usual musty smell of the chamber, there was no other scent.

Ye Qingran and her party again inspected other parts of the chamber.

However, nothing special was found.

"Qin Feng, Ji Feng, close the coffin lid; we're ready to go out."

After everything was restored to its original state, Ye Qingran glanced at the tomb's situation and then led the people away.

After leaving the tomb, the outside sunlight streamed in, and Ye Qingran, unaccustomed, raised her hand to block it.

At this moment, her thoughts were still immersed in Yun Sui Feng's downfall.

However, there is not a single clue at present; all we know is that Yun Sui Feng is not in the tomb, and we cannot tell whether he is dead or alive.

Ye Qingran rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat weary.

"Don't worry, I'll have someone look into it." Fu Hanxiu looked at Ye Qingran and said softly.

It makes one feel very reliable.

Ye Qingran thought of something, but she shook her head and refused: "No need. I'll investigate myself."

Fu Hanxiu pressed his lips and did not insist.

Weiyang Palace

"How is the Crown Prince?"

Gu Huanghou asked the granny who had just walked in from outside.

The granny replied: "Recently the Crown Prince has had no appetite for tea or food, losing a lot of weight. I just sent the green bean cake personally made by Her Ladyship over, but the Crown Prince didn't take a single bite."

Gu Huanghou sat up straight, her complexion gradually turning grim.

"It's all because of that slut Ye Qingran! Just like her mother, she's a fox spirit! Her mother bewildered His Majesty into a daze, and she has bewitched the Crown Prince to lose his soul! As the saying goes, like mother, like daughter—both mother and daughter are sluts!"

Gu Huanghou said this while heavily slapping the arm of the chair.

The surrounding palace maids and servants all showed fearful expressions.

At this moment, Dongfang Ling'er came in from outside, feeling the oppressive atmosphere, and couldn't help but ask: "Empress, what happened? Which clueless maid angered you? Tell me, I'll kill her!"

Upon seeing Dongfang Ling'er, Gu Huanghou slightly restrained herself and said: "Who else could it be? Isn't it that good-for-nothing Ye Qingran?"

"Ye Qingran?" A flicker of fear passed through Dongfang Ling'er's eyes.

After suffering several losses at Ye Qingran's hands, she now feels somewhat afraid of her.

After all, she is no longer what she used to be; even the Medicine King Gu Gu Master is willing to treat her, and she even had Ye Huanhuan killed.

"What's wrong with Ye Qingran?"

"That fox spirit has bewitched your elder brother the Crown Prince to lose his soul, made him lose a lot of weight, and insists on marrying none but her; if this continues, we'll just be waiting to prepare his funeral!"

"Damn it!"

Dongfang Ling'er cursed softly.

Having thought of something, her eyes flashed, and she said: "Empress, since the Crown Prince likes Ye Qingran so much, why don't we help him?"