Chapter 43

By the time Ziyun realized she had been tricked, it was too late. Gritting her teeth, she didn't retreat but instead charged forward, crashing headlong into the sword tip, intending to break the deadlock with her life!

Xue Jin'an had already fully considered all possibilities when he made his move, and Zi Yun's reaction was exactly what he expected. Xue Jin'an immediately changed his move from a thrust to a parry, and in the instant he passed by Zi Yun, the blade sliced ​​through her clothes at the waist and tore through the fake skin she was using to cover her wound.

While everyone was still reeling from Xue Jin'an's sudden outburst, Consort Shu slammed her hand on the table and exclaimed, "She's an assassin!"

"Protect the Emperor—!!" Li Hechun's shrill voice pierced the entire Qian Yuan Palace, and the Imperial Guards immediately sprang into action to capture the assassin.

Lu Bingzhu had already reached out to block the Empress Dowager the moment he saw the cold glint of Xue Jin'an's drawn blade. He was quite surprised when he saw Ziyun reveal her true colors and immediately realized that he had made a fatal mistake of preconceived notions. Because the first assassin he saw was dressed as a guard, he subconsciously assumed that the other party was a man, and when investigating, he focused more on eunuchs.

The Seventh Prince is truly not to be underestimated; indeed, the younger generation surpasses the older, and new faces replace the old. Lu Bingzhu was filled with mixed emotions of emotion and great satisfaction.

Ziyun shared a similar sentiment.

In the instant they passed each other, Ziyun looked at Xue Jin'an's profile, her feelings a complex mix.

First, she was shocked. She had seen countless masters in her years of martial arts training. It was not uncommon for someone to suddenly change their move halfway through an attack. But it was truly rare for someone to change their move when the sword tip was about to pierce their flesh. This meant that every bone and muscle in her body could be completely controlled, and her control over the force was also at a level of perfection.

This bodyguard is so young, yet he has such good fortune. It's truly... well, he deserves to lose! Ziyun smiled with relief. Her only regret was that she couldn't pass on this message.

After the assassination attempt in the Imperial Study, all the spies in Qian Yuan Palace were eliminated, except for Xia Zi, who is still on the run and whose whereabouts in the palace are unknown. The Imperial Guards have also been thoroughly searched. Although there are still some who are deeply hidden and have not yet been discovered, it is not advisable to make any rash moves now.

"It's fate, it's destiny." Ziyun sighed in a barely audible voice, clutching the wound on her abdomen. Then, she used her inner strength to activate the Gu worms within her body, preparing to bravely face death.

"Oh no, she's going to commit suicide!" Lu Bingzhu's sharp eyes immediately noticed that Ziyun's expression was off.

His gaze quickly locked onto any usable hidden weapons. For a moment, he didn't care about anything else and snatched the teacup from the Empress Dowager's hand, intending to flick it away to strike a major acupoint on Ziyun's body.

*Swoosh*—The chilling blade pierced through his abdomen from behind.

Ziyun looked down at the sword tip protruding from a familiar spot, feeling utterly helpless. "How come..." It's here again.

Before she could finish speaking, a sudden churning sensation ran through her body, and the sword blade flipped and slid sideways, piercing through her dantian and emerging!

The dantian is where a martial artist's internal energy gathers; if it is destroyed, all martial arts skills will be lost! Ziyun's boiling internal energy suddenly dissipated, and he spat out a lot of blood, which sprayed all over the face and head of the fastest-rushing Imperial Guard.

No one expected this outcome, and for a moment, even the Imperial Guards were stunned into silence.

Despite her severe injuries, Ziyun did not collapse immediately. Instead, she staggered around and revealed Xue Jin'an standing behind her, holding a sword.

Xue Jin'an was completely clean, not a single piece of his clothing stained with blood. He flicked his wrist, then deftly twirled his sword and sheathed the clean blade.

He looked at Ziyun expressionlessly and said, "Don't worry, you won't die. If you self-destruct, your master won't be able to explain himself."

Xue Jin'an spoke of how many sins she had committed, while Ziyun heard that her relationship with her was unclear.

Ziyun was slightly taken aback. She remembered her original plan and immediately abandoned the idea of ​​suicide. The Imperial Guards, who had just realized what was happening, pinned her to the ground with her hands tied behind her back.

Xue Jin'an turned around and picked up the host's script again, "Let's continue the discussion."

The tense atmosphere thawed after that sentence, the paused murder mystery game resumed, and a message from a public intellectual popped up in the chat box.

[The host presents evidence: "Ziyun, the assassin of the Imperial Study"]

Consort Xian stood up in shock, took two steps back, and pointed at Consort Zhen with a trembling finger. "You! I never thought the real murderer would be you! I knew you were so calm after your son died. All you did all day was fiddle with your broken Buddhist beads. It turns out you committed all this sins yourself!"

Consort Rong's mind belatedly came to its senses, and she immediately began to fiercely criticize Consort Zhen. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned her face to the emperor, crying pitifully, "You actually dared to harm your own son! At that time, Xiao Shi was just an infant in swaddling clothes, such a lively and lovely child! You are such a vicious woman! What a wicked heart you have!"

Consort De squinted, seemingly lost in thought. Suddenly, she stood up and strode to the tray where the evidence was placed. She found the statement of the eunuch from the Imperial Horse Administration, quickly skimmed through it, and finally stopped at a certain spot. She pressed her finger on it and read it word by word, “...Seeing him return, he hesitated at the door, holding a brocade handkerchief in his hand, which seemed to have a cloud pattern.”

“According to the testimony of the eunuchs who accompanied the princes, they encountered Ziyun on the way to the Imperial Horse Stables, and she said she was going to the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau… The distance from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to the Imperial Horse Stables, and the time from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to the place where they met the princes, these two times are roughly the same.” Consort De said, and added, “Besides, I remember that Consort Zhen has always liked cloud patterns.”

"Yes, yes!" Consort Xian nodded excitedly in agreement. "Consort Zhen also has a plain brocade cloud pattern cloak. I think it's a bit plain, but it's really beautiful. She even praised her, saying that a woman should be pretty in mourning clothes, and that it suits her very well."

Everyone: "..." This is the first time I've ever seen someone wearing mourning clothes used as a compliment. I've really learned something new.

Xue Jin'an also felt that he had learned something new: so this is how you can praise someone, I've learned something new.

The Fifth Prince, who had been observing the entire scene, noticed something amiss from Xue Jin'an's thoughtful expression and couldn't help but exclaim inwardly: "Don't try to learn everything! Your behavior is already bad enough, are you now going to try to use language that's going to lead you to the underworld too!"

Wait, Seventh Brother's way of speaking doesn't seem very mortal to begin with, um... never mind then. The Fifth Prince tightly covered the Fourth Prince's mouth, deciding to give up thinking about how many more Yama Kings there could be in the Seventh Prince's line of sight.

As for why the Fifth Prince covered the Fourth Prince's mouth, it was because of Consort Rong's words, "He would even harm his own son."

"No..." It wasn't my mother who did it! How could my mother possibly kill Xiao Shi! The Fourth Prince immediately wanted to rush out to explain for Consort Zhen. Although he was pale and weak-kneed, he did not hesitate at all.

The fifth prince swiftly grabbed him and covered his mouth.

The fourth prince struggled desperately but could not break free, and the fifth prince grabbed him by the throat.

The Fifth Prince originally didn't want to explain, but seeing that the usually timid Fourth Prince was struggling so fiercely, and knowing that he had just fallen ill yesterday and was still feeling unwell, he found it difficult to even subdue the Fourth Prince.

The Fifth Prince's face suddenly darkened. To prevent the Fourth Prince from struggling too much and attracting attention, he whispered, "Fourth Brother, calm down. Your mother doesn't seem worried at all. If you jump out now, you'll only ruin her plans."

The Fifth Prince could see clearly that Consort Zhen remained calm throughout. Even when the Buddhist prayer beads broke and when she saw Xue Jin'an severely injure Ziyun, her eyes remained calm and rational, which meant that she was far from being driven to the brink of despair.

The fourth prince listened to his words, stopped struggling, and asked with a hint of disbelief, "Really?"

"Don't you know your mother well?" The Fifth Prince glanced at him and turned away, his eyes reflecting the pitiful, tearful face of Consort Rong. He sneered to himself: He knew his mother better than anyone else.

Consort Rong covered half her face with her sleeve and sobbed softly, embellishing the story of Consort Zhen's "abnormalities." She appeared to be grieving for Consort Zhen's behavior, but in reality, the corners of her mouth under her sleeve were practically drooping.

Today, Consort Rong came with the intention of watching a show. She was probably the only suspect who did not conduct a thorough search for evidence. When she heard about the Gu worm, she had a bad feeling. When she saw everyone's eyes turn to Consort Min, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought to herself that today's events could not be resolved peacefully, so it was best to keep a low profile and let them fight each other as they pleased. However, she never expected that a single sentence from Consort Min would immediately pin the blame on her as the murderer.

She didn't know much about Empress Xiaojingyi's affairs, but she wasn't completely ignorant either. At least she had some thoughts about Xue Zhang's death; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to obtain the Gu worms... Consort Rong thought she had hidden herself well, but she never expected that the Ningguo Mansion's incompetent and troublesome nature would hold her back.

The Ningguo Mansion was utterly useless except for forcing her! Consort Rong gritted her teeth in anger, but could only force herself to calm down and consider who to step on to clear her name. But then, things took an unexpected turn. Ziyun was exposed, and Consort Zhen became the target of everyone's criticism!

Consort Zhen, she knows her well! Consort Rong immediately revealed a bunch of things related to Consort Zhen. In order to destroy her, she also dug up Xiao Dongzi's affairs, saying that Xiao Dongzi was an undercover agent planted by Consort Rong.

“As far as I know, Xiao Dongzi is not a spy.” Consort Shu, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly spoke up at this moment. “The Imperial Concubine clearly killed him because she helped the Fifth Prince cover up the fact that he had not taken the medicine.”

Consort Shu presented evidence including "The Death of Xiao Dongzi," "The Past of Dongxi," and "The Confession of the Eunuch in the Flower Room."

Consort Shu ordered someone to present the evidence.

It turns out that Xiao Dongzi and Zheng Xi entered Minghua Palace together back then, but Zheng Xi couldn't recognize people's faces and was sent back. The eunuchs and palace maids who were sent back could only be assigned the hardest and most tiring jobs. He was assigned to the flower room and had to work on the ground all day long, regardless of the weather. Later, Xiao Dongzi became the Fifth Prince's personal eunuch and was then successfully transferred to Tianlu Pavilion.

"Consort Shu, you investigated me? We have no grudge against each other, why did you do this!" Consort Rong's voice trembled, tears streamed down her face, and her body swayed precariously, looking utterly pitiful.

Upon hearing this, Consort Shu smiled, a rare sight indeed, like a snow lotus blooming on an iceberg—fleeting yet breathtaking. Her voice was clear and ethereal, carrying a unique rhythm, "No grudge? Why would Zheng Xi mistake Xiao Liu for someone else? Do you really think I don't know?"

Consort Rong's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly realized that if Consort Shu really had any evidence, she wouldn't have waited until now to make her move; she would have presented it long ago. Now that Zheng Xi is dead, there is no way to verify the evidence.

“Consort Shu, countless people have come and gone from Minghua Palace. I truly have no recollection of Zheng Xi. I had no idea you looked down on me so much, nor did I know that Xiao Dongzi harbored resentment towards me because of this incident, and then went so far as to harm Jue'er! Jue'er has suffered from a heart ailment since childhood, and he has to drink at least three bowls of medicine every day… I know that Jue'er is afraid of bitterness and doesn't want to drink it, but Xiao Dongzi should never have indulged him. How is this any different from murder!”

"If I had known about this earlier, I would have explained it to Xiao Dongzi no matter what. If he wanted revenge, he could have come at me directly, but he shouldn't have harmed my Jue'er!" Consort Rong, Xi Zi, clutched her heart, her face contorted with pain. "Your Majesty, I regret it!"

Consort Shu interrupted her performance with a cold voice, "Whether the Fifth Prince drank real medicine or deadly poison is still uncertain."

Consort Rong's eyes suddenly darkened. She knew that this matter could not continue any longer. She had to think of something that could immediately attract everyone's attention.

She suddenly remembered something that would definitely incur the emperor's wrath.

"Consort Zhen, it's better to sacrifice a friend than myself, I'm sorry." Consort Rong thought to herself, her expression suddenly becoming hesitant. "Your Majesty, I just remembered something, I don't know if I should say it or not..."

Xue Jin'an felt that Consort Rong was just making excuses. So far, she had not produced any admissible evidence. Rather than listening to a statement that he knew was a lie, he would rather hear Consort Shu's evidence.

Therefore, Xue Jin'an deliberately choked someone for the first time: "If you don't know whether you should say it or not, then you shouldn't say it."

Consort Rong choked, but still spoke up, "Your Majesty, I seem to have seen cursed objects in Yihe Palace before..."

Consort Rong presented evidence: "Buddhist Hall of Yihe Palace"

Such matters were always taboo in the palace, and the emperor's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. He asked in a deep voice, "Consort Zhen, is what Consort Rong said true?"

Consort Zhen did not speak immediately, but first presented the evidence in her hand, and then slowly knelt on the ground.

Consort Zhen presents evidence: "Cuiyun's undercover identity," "The Fifth Prince's connection to the case," and "The Tenth Prince's connection to the case."

Even though Consort Zhen was kneeling, her back was straight, and her plain robe made her look frail and delicate.

She closed her eyes briefly, as if making a firm decision. When she opened them again, her tone was resolute: "This concubine will accuse Consort Rong of raising Gu worms, poisoning the imperial heir, and attempting to assassinate His Majesty... Her crimes are unforgivable!"

"The first round of group discussion has ended." How did this exciting mutual admiration session end so quickly!

Xue Jin'an admitted that he was genuinely interested in seeing it, so without any hesitation, he moved on to the next step, "The second round of evidence collection begins!"

The emperor suddenly stood up from his dragon throne and shouted in a deep voice, "Guards, I want to search the six palaces, starting with Yihe Palace and Minghua Palace!"

The second round of evidence gathering began with Consort Zhen and Consort Rong.