Chapter 333: line with translation of chapter title

335. Chapter 335: It really is the Imperial Elder Sister

When everyone had been working until just before dawn, the people from Da Li Si finally found an old silver ring among the layers of old earth.

The ring's style was very plain, even somewhat crude.

This made everyone's hearts sink again.

Could it be…

Did we guess wrong?

But, it seemed something was off.

They found no other jewelry on the female corpse besides this silver ring, which meant that whoever buried her had likely taken all the ornaments, or deliberately left no further clues to her identity.

At this moment, a silver ring suddenly appeared, making the female corpse's identity become puzzling.

When Prince Qi saw the ring, his eyes widened especially; his eyes were already round, and now they became even rounder, with a slight bulging look.

He stumbled forward, his hands trembling as he took the very plain-looking silver ring from the Da Li Si clerk, his face filled with sorrow and anguish.

Prince Qi seemed unable to believe his own eyes; he rubbed the ring vigorously, and after a long while he uncontrollably fell to his knees, startling Sui Si, who instinctively tried to help him up but couldn't move him.

The Crown Prince was also startled by his action, and after reacting, he quickly reached out, joining Sui Si in trying to help him up.

In the end, neither could move the Prince Qi, whose body had gone limp and was sitting slumped there.

Seeing Prince Qi's mournful expression, the Crown Prince felt a vague sense of foreboding rise in his heart.

This…

Could it really be the remains of Princess Yangyang?

After a long silence, Prince Qi's trembling voice confirmed it: "It's the Imperial Elder Sister, it's the Imperial Elder Sister; this is the ring I personally made for her before she married into Cangzhou."

When had Prince Qi ever done such a thing before?

He was the youngest son of the Empress Dowager, raised in indulgence, and such manual work was never something he could have done.

Back then, when Princess Yangyang was to marry into Cangzhou, Prince Qi, heartbroken, learned the skill from someone, crammed at the last minute, and crafted this somewhat crude ring.

The Imperial Elder Sister didn't disdain him, and she patted his head, saying, "Little Nine has grown up."

Now, looking at this ring, Prince Qi recalls the events of the Imperial Elder Sister's wedding.

Clearly, when she married, she was still a bright and lively person.

How did the news later come back as her being just lifeless bones?

Even, they didn't find any bones.

Seeing the old object and thinking of the bones before him as the Imperial Elder Sister, Prince Qi could not hide his grief; he raised his fist and slammed it hard several times on the ground, the pain in his fingers gradually restoring his reason, yet his spirit broke into loud wailing in that instant.

Prince Qi wanted to stand up, but he could not restrain the fire and anger bottled up in his chest; finally his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

The Crown Prince's brow jumped in fright; he hastily called for people to help Prince Qi up and also summoned a doctor.

He feared an accident, so he had specially brought two imperial physicians with him.

After everyone scrambled about in a flurry, Prince Qi finally came to.

Princess Consort of Qi did not know what had happened; seeing them digging for a while, she faintly suspected something.

Seeing the Prince faint, and having mentioned the Imperial Elder Sister before fainting, she knew her guess must be correct.

The skeleton suddenly unearthed must be that of Princess Yangyang.

The hearts of those Su family people are truly ruthless.

Back then, seeing that none of their nine clans could escape, they simply gritted their teeth and refused to tell His Majesty and the Empress Dowager the burial place of Princess Yangyang, determined to leave them regret even in death.

Yet they never expected that over ten years would pass in the meantime.

Princess Yangyang's bones actually surfaced in another form all of a sudden.

Thinking of this, Princess Consort of Qi glanced from afar at the room where Sui Sui was resting, thinking: "This might be the unexpected blessing brought by the Lucky Star."

It might also be that this child has a karmic bond with her aunt, thus informing them in another way of the aunt's burial place, so they could have fewer regrets.

Besides her clothing, the female corpse had only this silver ring.

One can imagine that the Su family back then also put much thought into it; even knowing the skeleton might someday be dug up, they removed as much identifying information as possible, so no one could guess whose bones these were.

As for that silver ring, Princess Consort of Qi guessed it might be an accident.

Perhaps those who buried the princess were unaware of the ring's existence.

Nevertheless, regardless, the ring together with the coroner's examination should be able to confirm Princess Yangyang's identity.

Da Li Si could investigate further and perhaps find the personnel involved back then, providing further corroboration.

After Prince Qi was revived by the imperial physicians with medicinal vapors, the Crown Prince hastily said a few words and then went back to his duties.

Dawn had broken; he needed to send someone into the palace to report the news to His Majesty the Father Emperor.

This is indeed the aunt's remains.

After the Grand Empress Dowager learns of this, her heart might feel a bit more at ease, right?

This matter is not over just because the bones have been dug up; it is a beginning.

All related matters and personnel need to be re-investigated.

Including the palace staff still on guard at the annex; each must be brought back for careful questioning.

The Crown Prince also did not boast; when reporting to His Majesty, he had already said his side might be short-staffed.

As for how His Majesty would send people to him, the Crown Prince did not know.

However, the Fengxuan Merchant Guild was also present, so he unceremoniously conscripted their people.

The Fengxuan Merchant Guild early in the morning hastily gathered herbs, then instructed people to dry them at the proper time, and then went to help the Crown Prince.

After Sui Sui and the others woke up and had breakfast, they gathered together to play.

Xiang Gugu had already told them early that the Crown Prince was coming with people to investigate the case, so today they could not go play in the Northwest.

They can't go over?

Sui Sui has some regrets.

She still doesn't know what happened, and Feng Xuanrui doesn't want to scare his sister, so he said little.

Feng Xuanbin slept through the night; about yesterday's incident, although his heart still trembled, he was frightened afterward, dared not speak of it, and even wanted to return to the manor right then.

But this matter was unresolved, and Prince Qi simply didn't want to leave.

Princess Consort of Qi also found it hard to persuade him.

After all, it's the other side's own elder sister; whoever takes her place, it just won't sit well in one's heart.

After Sui Sui realized she couldn't go back, she went kite‑flying in the Dong Nan area together with her brothers.

The annex is spacious, and Dong Nan is a great distance from the Northwest corner.

So they aren't worried that their horseplay will go too far and again disturb the Crown Prince's duties.

Even if they shout at the top of their lungs in the Dong Nan corner, nothing can be heard in the Northwest corner.

The annex is huge; from where Sui Sui and the others were staying to the open field in Dong Nan, it took about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.

The children walked until they were drenched in sweat; Xiang Gugu and the others promptly helped the kids wipe their sweat and gave them water.

Then, Sui Sui led her two brothers in handling their own kites.