Chapter 35 Finding out the cause of death of the third uncle

Qi Yuning took Lingling from Lu Ze's arms, looked at Lu Ze's back holding the lantern, and hesitated for a long time before saying, "Master Lu, be careful."

If Lu Ze was dragged into the water by the water ghost and died in the lotus pond, then there would be no Lingling in the future.

Lu Ze turned around and smiled at Qi Yuning, "No problem."

Lu Ze arrived at the lotus pond, holding a lantern and looking at the koi swimming in the clear water and a small green turtle lying on the edge of the pond.

Lu Ze ordered the servant beside him, "Go and pick up the little turtle."

"yes."

The servant quickly scooped up the little turtle from the pond.

Lu Ze took the turtle and placed it on his palm. The turtle was not even as big as his palm. He took the turtle into the yard and handed it to Lingling, "Do you want this turtle?"

Lingling's eyes lit up, and she took the little turtle from Lu Ze's hand, and immediately smiled and said, "Daddy! This is Guigui."

When Qi Yuning saw the little turtle in Lingling's hand, he put Lingling on the ground and walked a few steps away from her.

If it really was a ghost, Qi Yuning wouldn't be so scared.

But she is really afraid of this green-haired turtle.

Lingling ran towards Qi Yuning: "Mother, dear."

Qi Yuning even hid behind Lichun, looking at Lu Ze with hatred and said, "Lu Ze, you knew I was afraid of turtles, but you still caught a turtle for Lingling to play with."

Lu Ze said, "I forgot that the princess is afraid of turtles."

Lu Ze walked over to Lingling and said, "Lingling, your mother is afraid of the turtle. Give the turtle to daddy. Go to sleep first and play with the turtle after you wake up, okay?"

Lingling took the little turtle and walked to Qi Yuning's side and said, "Mom, the turtle won't bite. Don't be afraid. Touch the turtle."

Lichun, who was standing beside Qi Yuning, said to Lingling with a smile: "Miss Lingling, the princess is most afraid of this green turtle."

Seeing that Qi Yuning was really scared, Lingling sensibly handed the turtle to Lu Ze and said, "Daddy, you have to take good care of Guigui for me!"

Lu Ze chuckled and touched Lingling's head.

Lingling fell asleep as soon as she returned to her room. Lu Ze kept the turtle in the inkstone pool, but he had no desire to sleep, so he called the chief eunuch to question him.

"When Prince Duan fell into the water, was he dragged in by a water ghost?"

The chief eunuch trembled and said, "This is absolutely true. Two years ago, at the sacrificial ceremony, all the princes came. Prince Duan was standing by the pond when a faceless, long-haired water ghost grabbed his feet and dragged him into the lake. Many people saw it at the time. When we all went into the lake to save Prince Duan, he had already died, and the water ghost disappeared."

Lu Ze was indeed not present at the sacrificial ceremony two years ago. Later, he heard people say that his third uncle had been drowned, but no one had ever mentioned that it was a water ghost that injured people.

“Boom boom boom!”

There was a knock on the door.

Seeing Qi Yuning standing at the door, Lu Ze asked, "Princess, why aren't you sleeping so late?"

Qi Yuning said: "Throw away the turtle. I don't want Lingling to walk around with the turtle in front of me tomorrow."

Lu Ze said, "If we throw the turtle away, Lingling will inevitably be disappointed when she wakes up. I will talk to Lingling tomorrow and tell her that it would be better for the turtle to stay in the lotus pond."

Qi Yuning saw the chief eunuch standing beside her, looking at her and Lu Ze with curiosity, probably trying to guess the relationship between her and Lu Ze.

Qi Yuning said to the chief eunuch, "You'd better keep everything that happened in the palace tonight, including Lingling's matter, to yourself."

"Yes." The eunuch said repeatedly.

After the eunuch left, Lu Ze said to Qi Yuning, "My princess, are you free to accompany me to my third uncle's tomb?"

"What?"

Lu Ze said, "I suspect that the death of my third uncle was not simple. Princess, you are always bold and careful. Would you like to go to the tomb together to take a look?"

Qi Yuning: “…”

Lu Ze continued, "My princess should also want to know why Zhao Jie was crowned emperor in the end, right?"

Qi Yuning asked: "Does this have anything to do with your third uncle's tomb?"

Lu Ze said: "The cause of my third uncle's death is strange. The princess is a descendant of the Qi family's heroes. She wouldn't be afraid to enter the tomb, right?"

Qi Yuning wrapped his cloak tightly around himself and said, "No, I'm afraid."

It is not shameful to be afraid of tombs.

Lu Ze smiled and stopped making things difficult for Qi Yuning.

…

The next morning, Qi Yuning took Lingling to play with Princess Duan and Zhao Jie, planning to return after noon.

Princess Duan saw Zhao Jie and Ling Ling having fun, and said with a guilty look on her face: "It's all my fault. Jie Er has to stay here."

Qi Yuning said slowly: "Princess Duan, why don't you take the little prince back to Shengjing City? After all, the little prince is your majesty's grandson..."

Princess Duan said with red eyes: "My Shan'er has been killed tragically by someone. I can't afford to offend him and can only hide here. I beg the ancestors of the Zhao family to bless my Jie'er."

Qi Yuning asked, "Didn't Princess Shan slip and fall into the river, and her life or death is unknown?"

Princess Duan wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief and choked up, "Yes, she fell into the river and died."

Qi Yuning looked at Princess Duan, and her intuition told her that Princess Shan falling into the water was not that simple.

And judging from how sad Princess Duan was, it seemed as if she was certain that Princess Shan was dead. Qi Yuning even thought that since there was no body found for Princess Shan, there was still a possibility that she might be alive.

As a mother, how could Princess Duan be so sure of a tragic death?

If you can't find anyone after falling into the water, you must be hoping to be alive.

Princess Shan was only three years younger than Qi Yuning. Qi Yuning especially remembered that Princess Shan was quite favored by Prince Duan and his wife.

At that time, Princess Shan was the only child in the entire Prince Duan's Mansion, and Prince Duan and his wife gave all their love to Princess Shan.

Princess Duan couldn't hide the sadness in her eyes, "Princess, I lost my composure."

Qi Yuning stood up and said, "Master Lu needs my help with something, so I'll trouble you, Princess, to look after Lingling for me."

Princess Duan said, "Don't worry, Princess."

After Qi Yuning hurriedly left Prince Duan's villa, he went to find Lu Ze. Upon asking, he learned that Lu Ze had already gone to Prince Duan's tomb.

When Qi Yuning arrived in front of Prince Duan's tomb, he saw Lu Ze and his two guards confronting a group of soldiers.

Qi Yuning recognized the leader, a minor general in the Qi Family Army. After he withdrew from the Qi Family Army, no one knew where he went. Unexpectedly, he was guarding the tomb here.

"Greetings to Princess Qi!" Wang Tao knelt down and saluted when he saw Qi Yuning coming.

Qi Yuning said: "No need to perform such a grand ceremony, get up."

When Lu Ze saw Qi Yuning coming, he asked, "Do you know him?"

Qi Yuning said: "He was once a general under my father's command. He still came to the palace to pay his respects during festivals these years."

Wang Tao saw Lu Ze standing in front of him and said, "Master Lu, this is the important place of Prince Duan's mausoleum. You are not allowed to enter the mausoleum no matter what you say. You will disturb Prince Duan's spirit in the underworld."

Lu Ze frowned and said, "Is it not possible for me to meet my third uncle?"

"Yes, please don't embarrass me, Master Lu."

"What if the Dali Temple is investigating the case?" Lu Ze said, "Get out of the way."

"What is this for?"

Qi Yuning heard the voice of Princess Duan and saw Princess Duan rushing over, "Master Lu, Princess, what are you doing?"

Lu Ze bowed to Princess Duan and said, "Aunt, I want to go in and see my uncle."

Princess Duan stood in front of the mausoleum and said, "Your third uncle has been buried. How can you enter his mausoleum and disturb his peace?"

Lu Ze bowed and said, "Aunt, I just want to find out the cause of my uncle's death so that he can rest in peace."

Princess Duan was always gentle and quiet, but when she heard this she started to curse, "Lu Ze, have you gone crazy investigating the case in the Dali Temple? The prince fell into the lotus pond and died that year. Everyone saw it. What are you still investigating? Get out of here!"

Seeing that the usually gentle and good-tempered Princess Duan had become so violent, Qi Yuning stepped forward to comfort her and said, "Princess, please believe me and the prince. We really don't have any ill intentions. The prince and the prince are also uncle and nephew related by blood. We just want to seek justice for the prince."

Princess Duan said, "What justice? I don't need justice. Get out of here. As long as I'm here, no one can enter the prince's tomb!"

Seeing this, Lu Ze didn't want to force his way in, because Princess Duan was his third aunt.

Qi Yuning said to Lu Ze, "Let's go. It's almost noon. It will be too late if we don't go back now."

Lu Ze glanced at Qi Yuning and followed her. "The cause of Prince Duan's death must not be simple."

Qi Yuning said slowly: "When I was talking with Princess Duan just now, I found out that Princess Duan was certain that Princess Shan had died tragically."

Lu Ze said: "Let's pretend to leave and come back to investigate at midnight tonight."

Qi Yuning: "Does it have to be midnight?"

Lu Ze listened to Qi Yuning's words and said, "My third aunt is here, so we shouldn't rush in to investigate. Wait until midnight, when my secret guards have controlled Wang Tao and the others. Only then will my third aunt not rush over so quickly."

(End of this chapter)