In the letter that Hong Yingrong wrote to Chen Jin, she carefully did not mention Chunhong's identity as a flower girl, but simply said casually that Chunhong was an inconspicuous maid in the marquis's mansion.
After all, it is still impossible to confirm whether the young lady of the Dong family is really Chunhong, and Xiangqin only made such a guess based on the red gold lilac twisted wire bracelet.
To solve these doubts, Xiangqin naturally has to go there in person to identify the case, so that the truth can be revealed.
However, how to get to Dong Mansion to identify the identity of the body depends on the planning and arrangements of Eunuch Chen Jin.
…
In the quiet and elegant courtyard of Lanyue Pavilion, Guanqi carefully supported Xue Yuanchu, and the two of them walked slowly on the bluestone path.
Although Xue Yuanchu had freed himself from the constraints of crutches, the injury to his right leg still affected his steps, and every step seemed so difficult.
Occasionally, when he tried to walk alone, he would feel a dull pain in his injured right leg, constantly reminding him of his body's fragility.
Ever since Hong Yingrong sternly told him that if he still refused to change his ways, they would have to reconsider the selection of the crown prince, Xue Yuanchu's state of mind had undergone a drastic change.
As for the fame, wealth and power that he once valued so much, he has now become indifferent and treats them as nothing.
Whenever he thought of his mother's worried and anxious eyes, a deep sense of guilt surged into his heart like a tide.
What's more, his wife Jiang Shuxiu is now pregnant. How can he let the child witness his miserable appearance after birth?
"Master, let's sit over there for a while."
Guanqi keenly noticed the fine beads of sweat oozing from Xue Yuanchu's forehead due to pain, and suggested with concern.
"It's okay, I can still bear this little pain." Xue Yuanchu waved his hand gently, rejecting the offer to watch the game.
After he sent all the maids in Lanyue Pavilion to work in the outer courtyard, Guanqi became his only personal attendant, responsible for daily chores such as serving tea and water.
"How's it going at Tingyuxuan?"
Xue Yuanchu suddenly staggered while walking, but luckily he managed to steady himself and pretended to casually ask about Jiang Shuxiu's recent situation.
"I specifically asked Rui'er about it, and the young lady is doing well."
Guanqi answered carefully, "It's just that my appetite has been a little poor recently, even worse than when I first had morning sickness. I've been having a lot of dreams at night and haven't been sleeping well. But the old lady has been sending people to take good care of me. The bird's nest and supplements are all top-notch, so I shouldn't be seriously ill."
Upon hearing this, Xue Yuanchu stopped involuntarily, a look of tension and worry flashed across his face.
What he can do now, his mother Hong Yingrong will only do more meticulously. Even though he wants to visit his wife, he is afraid that if he shows up, it will cause trouble for Jiang Shuxiu.
"Master, there is something..." Guanqi's words were a little hesitant, as if it was difficult to say.
Xue Yuanchu looked at Guanqi gently, staring at his forehead with a hint of guilt. There was still a faint scar left by the last throw.
"You can say it without hesitation. When it comes to loyalty to me, you are the first in this mansion."
Guan Qi took a deep breath, feeling deeply moved. "This morning, I went out of the house to get medicine for you, and I ran into Master Jiang Ren's personal attendant. He stopped me as soon as he saw me, asking if I had seen Miss Xiangqin recently. He also hinted that I should send another girl over for you, the prince..."
Recalling this encounter, Guanqi felt uneasy.
The Crown Prince has finally managed to change his mindset recently, and he is really worried that the two sons of Marquis Shoukang will cause some trouble again.
Xue Yuanchu's brows slightly furrowed after hearing this, then relaxed, and he said firmly, "If you meet them again in the future, just ignore them. If they come to visit, tell them that I'm injured and can't meet with them."
Upon hearing this, Guanqi's face blossomed with an unconcealable joy.
He felt a sense of relief, as if he saw the long-lasting haze dissipate and the clouds clear to reveal the bright moon.
I secretly prayed in my heart that if the Crown Prince's wife could reconcile with the Crown Prince, it would be icing on the cake.
…
Less than two hours after receiving the handwritten letter from Madam Hong Yingrong, Chen Jin quickly ordered the Imperial Guards to tightly surround the Dong Mansion, while he himself went straight to the mourning hall.
"Open the coffin and check!" he ordered in a deep voice.
Upon hearing this, the guard lieutenant Dong Zhanqing immediately gripped the red tasseled spear in his hand and stood in front of the coffin like a single man blocking the pass.
"Chen Jin! You are nothing but a flattering eunuch, yet you dare to break into my Dong Mansion and act wildly so arrogantly! Don't think that I will be afraid of you just because you rely on the favor of His Majesty!" His eyes were wide open and his voice was full of anger.
"Don't even think about touching my daughter's coffin! Oh my God, my poor daughter, she is gone, and yet she still has to suffer such torture!" Mrs. Dong was heartbroken, she almost threw herself on the coffin, crying inconsolably, which was very moving.
Chen Jin didn't want to waste time arguing with them, so he signaled the captain of the Imperial Guard to quickly check all the people in Dong's mansion.
"Eunuch Chen, there are twelve slaves in the Colonel's Mansion, and all of them have signed death contracts." The captain of the Imperial Guards reported quickly.
"Oh?" Chen Jin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, feeling a little surprised.
The Dong family is quite wealthy, but there are less than twenty servants in the entire mansion. You should know that in Beijing, even the residence of a seventh-rank official is much more grand than this.
"It's good to have fewer people. This way, we can save a lot of time in the investigation." Chen Jin said calmly, his eyes revealing determination. "You know what to do."
"I understand." The captain of the Royal Guards responded respectfully, and then began to act according to Chen Jin's instructions.
The servants in the Dong Mansion were all tightly controlled by Dong Zhanqing, who used his relatives as hostages. Their wives and children were all locked up in remote farms. If anyone revealed the inside story, they would probably face the desperate situation of having their families destroyed.
"Tell me! Is the person lying in this coffin the eldest daughter of the Dong family?" A soldier from the Imperial Guard suddenly grabbed the collar of an elderly woman and asked sternly.
"I... I'm just an old woman in the kitchen who washes vegetables and cooks. I've never been to the inner courtyard and never seen the eldest lady." The old woman's voice trembled, her eyes full of fear and helplessness.
"You've served in the Dong Mansion for over forty years, haven't you even seen what the eldest lady looks like?"
The soldier's eyes were wide open with anger. Before he could finish his words, he had already drawn the sharp sword from his waist with a "whoosh". The sword light flashed like a cold light. The old woman was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground and fainted.
After the inquiries in the backyard and the front hall failed to make any progress, the situation reached a stalemate.
After subduing Captain Dong and his wife, Chen Jin ordered his men to open the coffin.
When he looked into the coffin, he couldn't help but frown and turned his head. The deceased died of drowning, his face was swollen, and the scene was really horrifying.
Chen Jin originally planned to ask someone who had seen Miss Dong at the palace banquet to come and identify her, but the current situation obviously made this plan fail.
"First, transport the body back to the Ministry of Justice's autopsy hall," Chen Jin ordered decisively, "and ask the Chief Justice, Lord Qiao, to personally perform an autopsy to see if he can find any clues."
Just as everyone was about to carry the coffin out of the mourning hall, a guard hurried in to report: "Eunuch Chen, the old lady of Xingyuan Marquis's Mansion has come to the Dong Mansion to express her condolences."
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