Chapter 171: The Servant Requests to Follow the Commander
Inside the palace of Concubine Yu.
The Queen stroked her forehead with her hand and said, "Your Majesty, I have a severe headache..."
She almost fainted, and the senior palace maid Su Zhuo quickly supported her.
Su Zhuo's eyes were filled with anxiety: "My queen, my queen!"
Her eyes suddenly focused: "Your Majesty, it's... Yuhua Xingzuixiang!"
The emperor followed her gaze and saw a hollow incense ball rolling down in the corner.
The emperor waved his hand, and the chief eunuch immediately stepped forward, picked up the incense ball, opened it and smelled it carefully.
"Your Majesty, it is indeed Yuhua Xingzuixiang."
Su Zhuo cried in a hurry, "Your Majesty, the queen never uses Yuhua Awakening and Drunken Fragrance. Once she uses it, she will have a headache and feel dizzy. This is because it contains peony stamens. Many queens and ladies in the palace know this."
The emperor looked at the queen with an extremely unpleasant expression and nodded slightly: "Yes, I know that the queen cannot touch the peony core, and the same goes for the prince."
Concubine Shu glanced at Su Zhuo and said, "Miss Su Zhuo has a very sensitive nose. She can smell the fragrance in the incense ball from such a distance."
Su Zhuo bowed her head and said, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I am just remembering the times when Your Highness is not available."
The prince took the opportunity to kowtow again: "Father, I really did not kill Concubine Yu. I smelled the fragrance when I came in, and soon...Father."
He looked sad and could not say any more.
The queen leaned on the maid's shoulder, her eyes moistened: "Your Majesty, I am not just begging for mercy for the prince. I always remember that I am the mother of a country, but I am first and foremost a mother, and I have a child like the prince by my side."
She stretched out her hand toward the emperor, her eyes red and her fingertips trembling slightly.
She is usually dignified, gentle and generous, even in front of the emperor. It is rare to see her looking so vulnerable now.
The last time... when was it? It was when she, with red eyes, proposed that Li'er marry far away.
Before that, it was the first time she was diagnosed with being pregnant with the prince, but that time she cried tears of joy.
The emperor's heart softened. After all, they had been married for many years and the queen had never done anything wrong.
He reached out and held the queen's fingertips, and the queen shed tears.
The emperor patted her hand and said, "Qingyin, check for me. I want the truth. If it is the prince, I will not tolerate it. If it is not, no one can put it on the prince's head!"
"yes."
The Queen looked at Yu Shengsheng with tears in her eyes. "I have taught Shengsheng before and I like her very much. I was just anxious just now, so... why don't you let her stay with me for a while and let her leave after finding out the truth."
Yu Shengsheng's heart felt like it was suddenly grasped by an invisible giant hand, and the darkest past hidden deep in her heart rushed towards her.
No, she didn't want to stay with the queen anymore.
The emperor was about to speak when Yu Shengsheng kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I appreciate the Empress's compassion and remember her teachings. But since I am involved in this matter, I cannot just sit back and enjoy the results."
The emperor was about to agree. To him, it didn't matter whether Yu Shengsheng stayed or left.
Now after hearing what Yu Shengsheng said, I couldn’t help but feel curious.
"So what do you want?"
Yu Shengsheng looked up at Fu Qingyin and said, "I am willing to do my best to serve the commander and assist him in investigating this matter."
The queen wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "Shengsheng, how can a girl like you investigate a case? I understand how you feel, but this is about the crown prince, and Commander Fu is here in person, so I can't cause trouble."
Yu Shengsheng said firmly: "Your Majesty, Queen, I am not causing trouble. I know some skills in autopsy. Concubine Yu is a woman and a concubine. If we hand it over to the coroner for autopsy, I am afraid there will be many problems."
The emperor was moved. Although Concubine Yu was dead, he couldn't allow people to touch her. This was a matter of his reputation.
"Your Majesty," Yu Shengsheng struck while the iron was hot, "I am in this situation, so I will keep my mouth shut and will never reveal a single word."
Imperial Concubine Shu raised her eyebrows slightly: "Your Majesty, I think what Princess Ruiyang said makes sense. Why don't we ask her to check? We can't have any more coroners in the harem, as they will scare me."
The emperor hesitated for a moment and looked at Fu Qingyin: "Qingyin, what do you think?"
Fu Qingyin stroked the ring on his finger: "I think..."
Yu Shengsheng's heart slowly lifted up and she held her breath.
"Zhenqiaolou has always only dragged out dead bodies, and has never performed an autopsy on the bodies. What Miss Yu said makes sense. However, I want to set three rules."
The emperor raised his nose and said, "Hmm? What are the three rules?"
"She follows me to do things, so she has to listen to me. She has to go wherever I tell her to go. She can't be tired today and go home tomorrow."
Yu Shengsheng immediately said, "I will follow the commander's orders."
"I haven't thought about the other two chapters yet. I'll talk about it later."
The emperor glared at him, and the queen was unwilling: "I have never heard that Shengsheng can perform autopsies."
The prince immediately took over the conversation: "Why don't you take a look at Concubine Yu's body now? See if you can see anything."
Yu Shengsheng looked at the emperor, and the emperor nodded: "Approved."
"yes."
Yu Shengsheng stood up and walked to the bed. Because Concubine Yu was only wearing a red bellyband, Fu Qingyin turned his back to her.
"Lady Yu's eyeball is bulging," Yu Shengsheng observed for a moment and said slowly, "Subconjunctival hemorrhage, and the eye is rolling up."
She gently lifted the thin quilt and carefully examined the skin on Concubine Yu's neck and upper chest.
"Peticular bleeding appeared on the neck and upper chest, which is the appearance of strangulation."
"On her neck, there were crescent-shaped injuries caused by fingernails, as well as round or oval contusions caused by the fingertips."
Yu Shengsheng affirmed: "Your Majesty, I have initially determined that she was strangled to death."
She turned her gaze to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, why not compare it briefly with the pinch marks on Concubine Yu's neck."
The prince subconsciously clenched his fingers.
Fu Qingyin turned around and nodded: "Your Highness, please."
The prince gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I didn't do it. Those who are innocent are innocent. Let's compete."
He stood up and walked to the bedside. He paused for a moment, made up his mind, stretched out his hand, and placed it on Concubine Yu's neck.
Yu Shengsheng looked at him, seeming a little nervous but trying to remain calm, and sneered inwardly.
The hall was quiet, everyone was waiting for the result.
Yu Shengsheng looked around and spoke carefully, "Your Majesty, the marks left by the Crown Prince's hand and Concubine Yu's neck..."
“It matches.”
The prince's eyes widened: "You..."
The Queen's expression also changed: "Are you sure?"
The prince looked at Concubine Yu's face and suddenly thought of something: "Father, this is not right!"
"What's wrong?"
"As Yu Shengsheng said, Concubine Yu was strangled to death, but her face was pale. I don't know how to do an autopsy, but I know that people who were strangled to death usually have a purple face."
The Queen nodded: "What the prince said is true. Shengsheng, I'm telling you, you don't know how to do an autopsy. Your Majesty, please let her stay with me!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
