Xiangqin told her everything she knew, and also mentioned the relics of the daughter of the Guard Commander found at the Jingzhao Yin's place, among which was the red gold lilac flower twisted wire bracelet she gave to Chunhong.
After hearing this, Hong Yingrong signaled Xiangqin to stand up, and then summoned Zhao Mama and Han Mama to come in. Unlike the last time when Xiangqin sneaked into the Marquis' Mansion, this time it was Hong Yingrong who invited her to stay temporarily.
"Mother Han, please pick a steady and reliable maid to take care of Miss Xiangqin's daily life, and prepare a few sets of clothes for her to change into." Hong Yingrong ordered.
Mother Han bowed respectfully in response.
Hong Yingrong turned to Xiangqin again and said in a gentle tone, "Although you have to be careful when you come to the Marquis' Mansion this time, there is no guarantee that anyone outside the capital will know about it. For your safety, you will stay in Beiyuan for the next few days."
Xiangqin knew that the old lady wanted to protect her, but Tianxiang Tower was already in chaos. If she suddenly disappeared again, Hua Mama would probably be extremely anxious.
Her worry did not escape Hong Yingrong's eyes, and she immediately comforted her, "Don't worry, I'll send someone to Tianxiang Tower to deliver a message. It will only take two or three days, and there won't be any serious problems."
When Xiangqin heard this, most of her worries immediately disappeared.
However, she still couldn't help but wonder what the old lady would do next to deal with this sudden change.
…
In the meeting hall of the Imperial City's Imperial Household Department, Chen Jin and Chief Justice Qiao Sanhe sat across the desk from each other, next to a mountain of documents and memorials, their brows furrowed in the air, and the atmosphere was solemn.
"Yesterday's originally scheduled departure of the envoys from Beijing was also delayed. The night is long and full of dreams. The Xirong troops' stay at Liquan Mountain has been delayed again and again, and I'm afraid there will be more complications."
Chen Jin gently pushed the lid of the teacup and slid it slowly along the edge of the cup. The fragrance of Yinshan Junzhen tea filled the air, but he had no intention of savoring it.
Qiao Sanhe met Chen Jin's gaze with a half-smile, picked up a piece of hawthorn cake from the table, and took a bite. "I heard that the cakes of the Silijian are all made by the imperial kitchen. After trying it today, I found that it is indeed well-deserved. Even Daoxiangzhai pales in comparison."
He wondered in his heart whether he could take it out of the palace and let his granddaughter Qiao Heyuan taste this delicacy.
Chen Jin looked at Qiao Sanhe's calm, composed and shrewd demeanor and couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.
This old fox really wouldn't move even if the enemy couldn't move him. Since that was the case, Chen Jin decided to go straight to the point: "Now Dong Zhanqing insists that his daughter was killed by the Western Rong envoys. Not only is he demanding the murderer's life be handed over, but the imperial censors in the court have also submitted memorials, requesting Your Majesty to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter."
"Miss Dong's body was sent to the autopsy room. Didn't Lord Qiao notice anything unusual?" Chen Jin stared at Qiao Sanhe's eyes, trying to capture any trace of his emotional fluctuations.
Qiao Sanhe raised his head and met Chen Jin's sharp gaze.
He had to admit that this young eunuch was able to stand out among Li Fang's many disciples and be cultivated by him. He indeed had extraordinary talents and intelligence.
But, is the person in front of him a treacherous and corrupt official who abuses his power, or a loyal and virtuous official who can truly share the worries of His Majesty?
Qiao Sanhe sighed lightly, not wanting to be easily involved in the power vortex of court disputes.
"Alas, Eunuch Chen, you may not know that Madam Dong loves her daughter dearly and has absolutely refused to allow me to perform an autopsy..."
Before he could finish his words, Chen Jin interrupted anxiously, "Master Qiao, the situation is urgent. I have to tell you that Nurhadu, the son of Zahemu, the Left Wise Prince of the Royal Court, is also accompanying the Western Rong delegation. If the delegation stays in the capital for too long, he might mobilize his forces and directly attack the capital!"
In fact, what he said was an exaggeration. Even if Nurha really dared to take action, the reinforcements from the Western Rong would not be able to rush into the territory of the Great Zhou in time, and all actions would ultimately be in vain.
However, these words did have an impact, and a loyal veteran like Qiao Sanhe naturally could not sit idly by.
Sure enough, a trace of solemnity flashed across Qiao Sanhe's eyes. He sat upright and slowly expressed his doubts.
"I briefly examined Miss Dong's back that day. The wound on her back was caused by a thin blade stabbing her straight on. The Western Rong people are accustomed to using scimitars, so the wound would have been deep and long, with traces of slashing. This has always made me suspicious..."
Having said this, he fell into deep thought again. It was obvious that he had another doubt in his mind, but it seemed difficult to speak it out, after all, it involved the reputation of the Dong family.
Seeing this, Chen Jin did not rush to ask, but chose to wait quietly for the other party to speak.
Just then, the eunuch from the Imperial Household Department walked in cautiously, holding a sealed envelope in both hands.
Chen Hao frowned slightly, put down the teacup in his hand, and said with a hint of reproach in his tone: "Why are you so rude? Can't you see I'm talking to Master Qiao?"
The young eunuch looked aggrieved, but did not say much. He just handed over the envelope with both hands. Noticing the word "Xingyuan" written on the corner of the envelope, Chen Jin immediately understood that this must be the news sent to him by the old lady of Xingyuan Hou.
He glanced at Qiao Sanhe calmly, only to see that he had picked up the cakes on the table to taste them, and asked the eunuch to make him another cup of tea.
Chen Jin was secretly curious, and then he carefully opened the envelope. As the letter unfolded, his eyes gradually became solemn.
He raised his head and finally understood what Qiao Sanhe had been hesitant to say. A hint of cunning flashed through his mind, and he decided to strike while the iron was hot and give the other party a drastic blow.
"Master Qiao, let's not discuss whether the murderer is from the Western Rong envoys," he said calmly, yet his words were powerful and concise. "What if the body sent to the coroner's office is not Miss Dong's at all? How should we respond?"
Although Chen Jin said these words lightly, they caused an uproar in Qiao Sanhe's heart. He put down the pastry he was eating with relish, opened his mouth slightly, and looked at astonishment. He didn't expect that the other party could see through this.
That’s right, when I went to the autopsy room that day, as soon as I saw the body, I suspected that it was not Miss Dong.
He could still distinguish the physical features of a married woman from that of a young girl, unless the young lady of the Dong family had already lost her virginity while still in the boudoir. If not, the identity of the corpse would naturally be in doubt.
However, at that time, Captain Dong and his wife were very sure of what they said, especially Mrs. Dong's grief-stricken look, and since the matter involved the reputation of the boudoir, Qiao Sanhe chose to remain silent and said nothing more.
Chen Jin smiled slightly and handed the letter to Qiao Sanhe. "Master Qiao, please take a look. This is the news that the old lady of Xingyuan Marquis just sent. It seems that your two families will soon be in-laws. By coincidence, she found some of Miss Dong's belongings at the Jingzhao Yin's residence. Among them was a red gold lilac flower twisted silk bracelet that she gave to her personal maid. And that maid disappeared on the day Miss Dong's accident happened."
He carefully kept another piece of paper that detailed the disappearance of Hua Niang in Chang'anfang by his side.
Since the old lady of Xingyuan Marquis was able to bring him such important information, he would naturally do this little favor and would definitely do his utmost to serve her.
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