Chapter 115: Silencing the Witness
"What?" Xiao Heng was shocked.
The Queen's expression was stern. "This is... the murderer wants to silence the witnesses."
When everyone heard this, they looked at each other and no one dared to speak.
But I privately wondered who could act so quickly and have such great power?
Zhou Defu glanced towards Concubine Yu and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, before that man died, he carved a word on his wrist."
"What word?" the queen asked hurriedly.
The Imperial Guard Wu stepped forward and said, "Your humble servant has brought the murderer's body outside. To avoid disturbing the masters, I have covered the body, leaving only the hands exposed."
Xiao Heng stood up with a cold face, and the queen followed him to the corridor.
Supported by Fu Liu, she covered her mouth and nose with her wrist and slowly walked towards the corpse. When she got closer, she was shocked to see a blood-red jade word on the pale wrist.
The queen took a deep breath: "Jade..."
When Yu Fei heard this, she seemed to have a thunderclap explode in her head and walked forward in a panic.
The word "玉" (jade) caught my eye.
Yu Fei's face turned pale immediately, and her whole body felt like she had fallen into a dark and cold ice cellar, and her fingertips trembled constantly.
Even Liu Yuetang was shocked. Things were so complicated and the twists and turns were so fast.
She thought that the mastermind of this incident was Concubine Yu, but she never imagined that Concubine Yu had also become someone else's pawn.
Liu Yuetang stood behind the queen and looked at the man's hand. There was a trace of dried blood on the jade character on his wrist, which looked like a scratch made by a fingernail.
But... Liu Yuetang bravely stepped forward, walked to Xiao Heng's side, and carefully observed the eunuch's hand.
His nails are not long or sharp. Can they really cut the skin if he uses too much force?
Concubine Zhao felt relieved and looked up at Concubine Yu, whose face was ashen. "It seems that the murderer behind this incident still has a flaw."
"Yu Fei, you have killed two birds with one stone."
Concubine Yu's pupils suddenly dilated, and she glared at Concubine Zhao angrily: "Does the word 'Yu' mean it's me?"
Mingpin glanced sideways and said, "Among our concubines, only you, Empress Yufei, have the word 'Yu' in both your title and name. If it wasn't you, could it be a palace maid?"
"What kind of palace maid is so capable and so resentful towards this eunuch that she strangled him to death?"
Concubine Yu was so angry that her neck turned red. She glared around and said, "It's not me! Someone is framing me."
"right!"
She took a step forward and grabbed Xiao Heng's sleeve, her eyes filled with panic and bewilderment: "Your Majesty, I have been wronged. Someone is trying to frame me."
"Who is actually being wronged?" Concubine Zhao said coldly.
"I have never competed with the concubines in the palace, and I have never disdained those tricks to win favor and frame others. I was just wondering why that dog ran into my palace and happened to injure Concubine Xi."
"Now the truth is out. This was all planned by you. This way, you can get rid of Concubine Xi and prove my guilt for framing the concubines. From now on, no one in the harem will be able to compete with you for favor."
"You just didn't expect that because of your cruelty, the person who wanted to silence you was unwilling to give up, so he wrote down your name."
"I don't have it!" Yu Fei roared loudly with a ferocious look on her face.
"If I really wanted to kill him and silence him, why would I allow him to leave any clues? Am I an idiot?"
At this time, Bai Jieyu, who was stroking her lower abdomen, said, "What Concubine Zhao said just now is right. Everyone has their mistakes. As long as a crime is committed, there will be evidence left behind."
At this time, Concubine Zhao lifted her skirt and knelt down: "Your Majesty, please investigate the deceased eunuch carefully, let the truth of this matter come to light, and give justice to Concubine Xi and Concubine Xi."
She stood straight and spoke every word neither humbly nor arrogantly.
Concubine Yu was suddenly panicked. Since the eunuch left his name before his death, was there... was there any other evidence to frame her?
In a panic, she raised her eyes and looked at Rong Meiren.
I saw Rong Jieyu stroking her lower abdomen with an uncomfortable expression on her face.
"My lady, what's wrong with you?" As the palace maid's voice rang out, everyone's eyes turned to Concubine Rong.
Rong Jieyu tried her best to hide her pained expression and bowed slightly to Empress Xiao Heng and the others, saying, "I feel nauseous and a little dizzy."
The Queen said quickly, "Your morning sickness is already severe, and you've been here for quite some time. Go back to the palace and lie down. I'll call the imperial physician to examine you."
Rong Jieyu nodded slightly and said, "It is because my health is not good enough. I will take my leave now."
So, she was supported by the palace maid and slowly took her leave.
As she walked past Yufei, she looked at her helplessly and melancholy, and her lips moved slightly twice.
Although she didn't say it out loud, Concubine Yu guessed that she was lip-syncing the words "Concubine Zhao".
Yu Fei's mind was confused.
Concubine Zhao? Was she telling herself that it was Concubine Zhao who killed the eunuch?
Concubine Yu frowned and felt even more angry.
At this critical moment, I felt unwell. Was it because I really felt unwell, or was it because I didn't want to get involved in this mess?
The two words she spoke were unclear and it was impossible to understand what she wanted to say.
She was lost in thought when she heard Xiao Heng's low voice: "Yu Fei——"
Yu Fei raised her eyes to look at Xiao Heng. His eyes were cold and without a trace of warmth.
He doesn't believe in himself!
Even though Concubine Yu guessed that the emperor was suspicious and his feelings for her were no longer as strong as before.
But when she saw the cold look in the man's eyes, her heart still ached, and her knees went weak and she knelt down.
The pain in her knee made her gasp and wake up.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent. If I killed that eunuch, may I be struck by lightning and remain childless forever!"
As she said this, she raised her hand and swore to the sky.
The Queen's expression froze for a moment. Concubine Yu wanted a child the most, and she swore an oath on this basis. Was she not afraid of the oath, or did this matter really have nothing to do with her?
Mingpin snorted coldly: "If swearing is effective, do we still need palace rules and regulations? Yufei is being too frivolous."
Concubine Yu turned her head abruptly, her eyes piercing like swords. "Is this a joke? You dare to swear even the most vicious oath for something I haven't done. What about you, Concubine Ming?"
"Do you dare to swear on your life that you have never harmed anyone?"
Mingpin curled her lips coldly and was about to speak when Zhaofei raised her voice, "Then why do you only dare to swear that the eunuch's death had nothing to do with you? But you haven't mentioned a single word about framing me or framing Concubine Xi?"
Seeing Yu Fei was stunned, Zhao Fei smiled coldly and said in a deep tone: "Because you don't dare! This matter is inextricably linked to you!"
Yu Fei's eyelashes trembled and she clenched her palms.
"Who said I don't dare?"
Concubine Yu raised three fingers above her head again: "If today's incident is related to me, then my Ruan family will not have a good end and will be extinct!"
Xiao Heng closed his eyes in annoyance.
He naturally wouldn't believe these so-called oaths, but since Concubine Yu had sworn such a vicious oath, and the matter was full of doubts, his suspicions about Concubine Yu had subsided a little.
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