Chapter 46 The Thought: An uncontrollable thought of revenge arose within her...
Although Qi Jingxuan beat Prince An in public, everyone knew the truth and that the emperor would protect him, so no one held a grudge. Only the censor reprimanded him a few times out of duty.
He ultimately did not receive any severe punishment. After leaving the Imperial Study, he went to Zhaohua Palace for a while, told Consort Shu about what had happened that day, and told her not to worry before leaving the palace.
After leaving the palace gate, A-Yuan waited by the carriage. After he got in, she followed and told him about Lin Si in detail.
Qi Jingxuan was overjoyed upon hearing this, clapping his hands and exclaiming, "I knew Aci was my lucky star! I was right! We've finally found the clue we couldn't find!"
Then he instructed A-Yuan, "You all go and investigate this Lin Temple thoroughly, follow the clues, and find out who is behind him!"
Ah Yuan thought to herself, "The clue was clearly provided by that mute girl named Ah Qing, so why is the prince blaming Miss Shen for it?"
But upon closer reflection, if it weren't for protecting Miss Shen and paying close attention to her and those around her, Aqing wouldn't have discovered Lin Si.
So it's not wrong that Miss Shen led to the clues.
He muttered a few complaints to himself, but said nothing aloud, only replying, "Yes, I have already arranged for someone to investigate."
As the two spoke, the carriage moved slowly forward, but instead of heading towards the Prince Ping's residence, it went straight to Yangliu Alley.
Qi Jingxuan got out of the car at the entrance of the alley, familiar with the way, and was about to walk towards the Shen family's house when he ran into Shen Mingshan, who had just returned from a colleague's house.
He hurried forward to greet him, respectfully calling out, "Lord Shen."
Shen Mingshan had gone to help his colleagues restore ancient books today and was unaware of what had happened on the pleasure boat. Seeing him appear here alone, he frowned and said, "Your Highness, what are you doing here? Where is my Aci? Weren't you all going to watch the dragon boat races on the Yanliang River?"
Could it be that this kid didn't show up for the appointment and left Aci all alone there?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Shen Mingshan became anxious, wishing he could run home immediately to see if his daughter had returned safely.
Fearing he might misunderstand, Qi Jingxuan quickly explained, "Don't worry, Lord Shen, Aci is fine. She's already home."
“We were originally playing in Yanlianghe, but something happened and I was summoned to the palace, so I had to send someone to take her back first.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingshan breathed a slight sigh of relief, nodded, and asked, "What happened?"
As they talked, they walked together toward their home.
To prove his innocence, Qi Jingxuan recounted the events in detail, repeatedly emphasizing, "It really has nothing to do with me. I only have Aci in my heart; I can't stand anyone else!"
He didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said, and naturally he didn't lower his voice, which caused people passing by or watching the commotion to chuckle in secret.
Having no other choice, Shen Mingshan could only speak up to stop him: "Alright, I understand."
According to Prince Ping, he was with Aci when the pleasure boat sank, so Aci was his witness.
He might not trust others, but he certainly trusted his daughter.
Seeing that Shen Mingshan did not show any doubt, Qi Jingxuan smiled and said, "Lord Shen is indeed reasonable. He saw at a glance that I was wronged. Unlike some people, who ask me about such a simple matter many times, and even after clarifying the matter, they still try to smooth things over."
His words were both a complaint against Yang Hongshu, the Minister of Rites, and a way of currying favor with Shen Mingshan. Shen Mingshan could easily tell the difference, so he turned his face away speechlessly, not wanting to pay any attention.
But Qi Jingxuan always made conversation, asking him what he had been doing outside, praising the longevity thread hanging from his waist, and talking non-stop until they reached the Shen family's gate.
The courtyard gate opened, and Shen Mingshan, eager to get rid of Qi Jingxuan, a chatterbox, nodded to him and strode inside.
Qi Jingxuan subconsciously followed them inside, only realizing they had arrived at the Shen family's residence when he was stopped.
Instead of retreating, he shouted at Shen Mingshan, "Lord Shen, I have something to tell Aci. Could you please pass on a message for me?"
The Shen family courtyard was not large, and his words were heard by Shen Yan without Shen Mingshan having to relay them.
Shen Yan was already waiting for Qi Jingxuan. Upon hearing the sound, she came out of her room, greeted Shen Mingshan first, and then said to the maid guarding the door after he entered the main room, "Let the prince in."
The maidservant, having received her instructions, stepped aside and let Qi Jingxuan in.
"Aci, you've heard about Lin Si's situation, haven't you?"
After entering Shen Yan's room and confirming that only the two of them were inside, Qi Jingxuan asked in a low voice.
Shen Yan nodded: "Your people just came over and told me. I also asked them earlier if Your Highness had any grudges against Lin Si, and they said no."
"Of course not!"
Qi Jingxuan said firmly, "Although I know of Lin Si, I have never had any dealings with him, so what grudge could there be? He must be acting under someone else's orders to deliberately harm me!"
He said through gritted teeth.
Shen Yan nodded: "I heard from them that they have already investigated. Once there is any news, Your Highness must let me know as soon as possible."
"That's natural."
Qi Jingxuan replied.
Shen Yan nodded slightly, wanting to say something, but hesitated and stopped.
Qi Jingxuan noticed her hesitation and asked, "Aci, what's wrong? Is there something else you want to say? We... we've practically lived and died together. Just say what you want to say, and I'll tell you anything I know!"
Shen Yan looked up at him, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "I want to ask... what does Your Highness plan to do if the mastermind is found in the future?"
what to do
"Of course, Father Emperor will kill that bastard!"
That man had nearly killed him so many times; it would be impossible to quell my hatred without killing him!
He felt that simply killing him wasn't enough; he should have been torn to pieces and executed by slow slicing!
He thought to himself, yet remained somewhat confused: "Aci, why are you asking me this... Do you want to take revenge yourself?"
Just now at the Prince's Mansion, when they learned that they both had past lives, Shen Yan told her about her experiences.
According to her description, in that lifetime, the mastermind not only killed Qi Jingxuan, but also indirectly killed Shen Yan and her family.
Therefore, it's not surprising that Shen Yan wanted to take revenge herself.
However... this matter involves Qi Jingxuan and has already been learned by the emperor. When the truth comes out, the emperor will surely know who the real culprit is. It will probably not be easy to bypass him and the court and directly use private punishment.
Shen Yan shook her head, her voice low and hoarse: "No, I'm worried... worried that... His Majesty won't be able to bring himself to do it."
"How is that possible?"
Qi Jingxuan subconsciously retorted, "Father has always been very good to me. That person harmed me so much, Father will surely..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly remembered what had happened that day and instantly understood what Shen Yan was worried about. His words came to an abrupt halt.
It is true that the Emperor dotes on him. If the person behind the scenes is an outsider, someone insignificant to the royal family, the Emperor would naturally not let him go.
But what if... what if that person was actually royalty, closely related to the emperor, even by blood? Would he still punish him severely?
Qi Jingxuan was speechless for a moment.
Shen Yan shook her head and smiled: "Forget it, we'll see when the time comes. It might not be such a bad outcome."
She had only just had this thought when she was pondering the identity of the person behind it all, but thinking about it carefully, what was the point of saying all this now? The most urgent thing was to find that person.
Ultimately, it all came down to a change in her mindset. When she thought her past life was just a "dream" and hadn't actually happened, she only thought about how to prevent herself and her family from experiencing that fate. But when she learned that it was something she had truly experienced, and that her parents had actually been implicated and lost their lives because of it, she couldn't help but feel a strong urge for revenge.
She no longer just wanted to expose that person, but also wanted him to pay the price he deserved and bear the consequences he should bear, instead of letting him off easily because of his noble status.
She even thought that if the other party really was a prince, but in the end he was only demoted from a prince to a county prince like Qi Jingxuan, she would probably be very indignant.
But there's no use thinking about these things now. Instead of worrying about things that might happen in the future, we should think about what we should do now and how to catch the fox tail behind the scenes.
Shen Yan put aside the chaotic thoughts in her mind and turned to Qi Jingxuan, saying, "Your Highness, what are your thoughts on the earthquake in Yingzhou this winter?"
She had mentioned this natural disaster when she was at the Prince's residence, but at that time Qi Jingxuan's attention was focused on their shared experiences in their previous lives, so he didn't pay much attention. Now that she brought it up, he couldn't help but frown.
“Yingzhou is not my fiefdom, so I really have no say in it. If we want the local people to avoid this disaster, the imperial court must step in and make sure they evacuate before the earthquake.”
"I could tell my father, but I'm afraid he wouldn't believe me..."
The earthquake will occur five months later; he can't very well go and tell the emperor now that he can foresee what will happen in six months, can he?
Although he had done this in his previous lives, it was because he had never been able to break the deadlock. Each experience was basically the same, and everything he said was later proven true, which is why his father believed him.
Many things had changed since he woke up at the Marquis of Cheng'an's residence. Even he himself didn't know what would happen next, let alone how to convince the emperor to believe him.
Moreover, Shen Yan only knew that the earthquake occurred in Ganning City. She was not sure whether the earthquake had occurred in other surrounding areas. In order to avoid more people being affected, she naturally wanted to evacuate as many people as possible from the vicinity.
Yingzhou is located on the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and Ganning City is a border town with many garrisons nearby. If the civilians are evacuated, will the garrisons also be evacuated, and if so, where will they go to, and will this affect border defense?
This matter involves too many issues, and Qi Jingxuan really couldn't think of any good ideas. He could only scratch his head and say, "Let me think about it carefully and try to tell Father Emperor about this as soon as possible so that he can make arrangements in advance."
Shen Yan also had no good ideas, and nodded in agreement: "I'll think of some ideas too, and try... try to get everyone through this disaster safely..."
Although her family hadn't left the capital in this life, there were still many people in Yingzhou. If she hadn't known, that would have been one thing, but since she did, how could she stand idly by and watch the disaster unfold six months later? She had to find a way to minimize casualties…
The two chatted for a while longer, but Qi Jingxuan, not wanting to linger at the Shen family's house, finished his business and reluctantly left, glancing back every few steps. He sighed again at how slowly time was passing, how he wasn't even twenty-two yet.
Once the 22nd of this month arrives, he can marry Shen Yan and no longer have to be so careful with his words to avoid misunderstandings.
………………
On the same day, in a desolate wilderness more than ten miles from Deqing County, Jiangzhou, heavy rain pounded down on the forest, whipping up fallen branches and leaves that stung people's faces and bodies, obscuring their vision.
Xu Jinyu, wearing a straw raincoat, squatted on the ground, spat out the muddy water that had splashed into her mouth, wiped her face, and asked, "How can you tell anything?"
The other young man, who was squatting on the ground, shook his head, looking very troubled: "Young Master Xu, these two have been dead for some time, and their bodies were probably dumped here after they died. This is not the scene of the crime, so there shouldn't be many clues left. Even if there were, they would probably have been washed away by this heavy rain. Let's take the bodies back first."
"If you're really worried, you can send someone to check on it after the rain stops."
In the current situation, it's difficult to even see the people in front of you clearly, let alone spot any traces nearby.
Xu Jinyu gritted her teeth, stood up, and looked up at the sky: "Why am I so unlucky? It's like this dark cloud is stuck to my head. It's been following me ever since I left the capital and it hasn't stopped."
About a month ago, he received news that someone had seen a person who looked very similar to Cuiling's sister in Deqing County.
He figured he couldn't find any clues in the capital, so he left the capital to investigate the matter himself.
They found the person just a few days after arriving here, but unfortunately, he was dead.
Although I had expected this outcome, I still couldn't help but feel very angry when I saw the clues disappear right in front of me.
Despite his anger, he still ordered his servants to carry the two corpses onto the cart and take them to the nearest mortuary, and to hire a skilled coroner to examine the bodies and see if they could find anything.
The servants agreed and carefully carried the two severely decomposed corpses to avoid unintentionally damaging the traces on the bodies and affecting the subsequent investigation.
After the body was taken away, Xu Jinyu said to the young man who had helped with the simple autopsy, "Thank you, Brother Gao. If you're not in a hurry, why don't you ride in my carriage and come with me to Deqing County for the night?"
Xu Jinyu did not recognize this person; they had just encountered him by chance when they came to look for the two bodies.
The other party claimed to be surnamed Gao and said that he was on his way to the capital to take up a post at the Dali Temple. When he passed by them, he heard them say that they were looking for a body. He thought that a murder had occurred, so he followed them to take a look.
With the heavy rain continuing, it was really inconvenient to travel. Gao Zheng nodded without much hesitation and cupped his hands to Xu Jinyu, saying, "Then thank you very much, Young Master Xu."
He and his servant were traveling on horseback, and they were both soaked to the bone. They needed to go to the town ahead to take a bath and change their clothes, otherwise, even in the hot summer, they might catch a cold.
Xu Jinyu wasn't much better off than them. Although he had come by carriage, the carriage couldn't get through the dense forest and had to stop outside. In such heavy rain, his raincoat was of little use; the rainwater had already seeped in through the gaps in the collar and cuffs, leaving him soaked and extremely uncomfortable.
Seeing that Gao Zheng did not refuse, he smiled and nodded. The two walked out hand in hand, chatting as they went.
"I wonder where Brother Gao is from. It's truly impressive that you've been appointed to the Dali Temple at such a young age."
He had only intended to offer a few words of flattery, but unexpectedly, Gao Zheng said, "I am a local from Jiangzhou. My father is Gao Pei, a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. Due to my family background, I am quite interested in criminal cases. This time, I am going to Dali Temple to take up a post, just to gain experience and learn from my seniors."
Gao Pei, Academician of the Hanlin Academy
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinyu suddenly realized and her eyes lit up with surprise: "Brother Gao is from the Gao family of Jiangzhou. No wonder you are so powerful."
The Gao family of Jiangzhou had three generations of officials who served as Ministers of Justice. All three ministers were experts in criminal justice and solved many major cases during their tenure.
Unfortunately, no more criminal geniuses have emerged from the Gao clan in this generation. The current head of the Gao family, Gao Pei, has no interest in criminal matters whatsoever. He only wants to study at the Hanlin Academy and doesn't want to do anything else, let alone join the Ministry of Justice.
Since Gao Zheng is Gao Pei's son, he undoubtedly comes from the Gao family of Jiangzhou, which is famous for its expertise in criminal cases.
Gao Zheng smiled shyly: "Your Highness is too kind."
Xu Jinyu already had a good impression of him, and was even more pleased now. She thought she should keep him for a few more days so that he could help her investigate Cuiling's matter.
The two chatted amiably, and when the topic turned to the capital, Gao Zheng asked, "I wonder if Prince Xu knows anything about the Hanlin Academy?"
“My father worked there, and when he wrote home, he only talked about good things, as if he had no worries at all. We were always worried that he would only report good news and not bad news, so we couldn’t help but feel anxious.”
Xu Jinyu thought for a moment and said, "It should be alright. Although I'm not exactly familiar with Lord Gao, I've met him a few times. He looks to be in good spirits and quite healthy."
"As for the Hanlin Academy..."
Mentioning the Hanlin Academy, he couldn't help but think of Shen Mingshan, and then of Shen Yan and Qi Jingxuan, as well as the troubles in his own family.
But as the saying goes, one should not wash one's dirty linen in public, and the same applies to a friend's shameful deeds. So he did not mention those things, but only vaguely said, "The Hanlin Academy has been quite peaceful lately, with nothing major happening."
Upon hearing this, Gao Zheng's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, and his smile became much more genuine. He murmured, "That's good, that's good..."
………………
The next day, the sky cleared, and Xu Jinyu "enthusiastically" invited Gao Zheng to go with him to Yizhuang to check on the two corpses.
Gao Zheng was grateful that he had given him a ride in the carriage the day before, so he did not refuse and gladly went.
The two corpses were severely decomposed, with bones faintly visible in some places. However, judging from their clothing, one of them was a young woman and the other was a man.
Cui Ling's younger sister was born with six toes on her left foot. They confirmed yesterday that the female corpse was undoubtedly her.
As for this man, he should be the one who accompanied her to the capital.
Although the man who claimed to be the steward of the Marquis's mansion had a token, Cui Ling's second uncle was worried about her going to the capital alone, so he still sent someone to accompany her.
His original intention was to ask that person to help protect his sister Cuiling, but unexpectedly, both of them died on their way to the capital.
The coroner examined the bodies and said that the two had been dead for at least two months. The woman had been suffocated by having her mouth and nose covered, and the man also showed signs of having his mouth and nose covered, but he was ultimately strangled to death.
In addition, the man had a severe blow to the head, which looked like it was caused by a blunt object. There were also slight cracks in the two ribs on his left side, also caused by blows. The nails of the middle and ring fingers on his left hand were turned outward, which should have been caused by struggling before he died.
They were buried in that deep mountain forest after they died, but not very deep. After the rain washed away some of the soil, one leg was exposed.
Yesterday, a farmer who was traveling between villages and towns to sell vegetables slipped and fell there. He saw his foot sticking out of the mud and was so frightened that he immediately reported it to the authorities.
Xu Jinyu had been keeping an eye on the movements of the government office. When she heard that a body had been found in the suburbs, she led her men over. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be Cui Ling's sister.
"Although so much time has passed and many things are no longer visible, the murderer must have drugged them before committing the crime."
Gao Zheng pointed to the marks on the male corpse and said.
"Judging from his skeletal structure, this person is tall and strong. It would be very difficult to smother him to death while he is conscious. Not only would it cause too much noise and attract attention, but he might also kill you instead."
"Most murderers who choose to smother their victims do so in order to minimize the noise and kill the person secretly without being noticed."
"If the killer wanted to kill this man in this way, he would have to take some steps beforehand to reduce the man's threat. A sedative is the easiest and most effective method."
When Xu Jinyu saw the two corpses yesterday, it was in the suburbs and during a heavy rain, which diluted many of the smells. Therefore, although she could vaguely smell a bit of stench, she could still tolerate it.
But today, these two corpses are in the mortuary, and the weather is very humid and hot, so you can imagine what the smell inside must be like.
He covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, fighting off the urge to vomit, and asked in a high-pitched voice, "But didn't the coroner just say he struggled and had injuries to his head and chest? Is it possible he was beaten to death?"
Xu Jinyu was happy to answer the relevant questions and said calmly, "Although the coroner said that the male corpse had injuries, the real cause of death was that he was strangled and suffocated."
“If the killer intended to kill him this way from the beginning, there shouldn’t be any marks on his face that indicate he was covered up.”
"The presence of this mark, coupled with the fact that the victim was ultimately strangled, indicates that the murderer initially intended to smother him like he did with the girl, but failed and provoked the victim's resistance. In desperation, the murderer switched from smothering to strangling."
"The wounds on the deceased's body were probably inflicted by the murderer at that time."
He gestured with his hands as he spoke: "I suspect that the murderer drugged the two of them beforehand, and after successfully killing the woman, he assumed that the man had also been drugged, so he felt safe to do it."
"But the man's body was obviously much healthier and stronger than the woman's. The same drug might not have been enough for him, or it might have taken effect later, which is why he didn't completely lose consciousness and woke up when the murderer covered his mouth and nose, and fought back with all his might."
"The murderer beat him in a panic, but fearing that the noise would attract attention, he restrained him and then strangled him to death."
Xu Jinyu nodded repeatedly, agreeing with everything he said, but his habit of constantly arguing with Qi Jingxuan made him mutter, "Since they've already used a sleeping potion, why not just poison him to death?"
Gao Zheng smiled upon hearing this: "Your Highness clearly hasn't had much experience with poisons. The so-called poison that kills instantly upon contact with blood simply doesn't exist. Every person I've seen die from poison has suffered greatly before death, struggling violently and even howling until they have no strength left."
"Since the murderer of these two people did not want to be discovered, he would naturally not have used poison."
Xu Jinyu suddenly realized, and couldn't help but shiver. Her gaze flickered as she looked at Gao Zheng.
This young master Gao seemed like a very gentle person. Not only did he speak eloquently about these things, but he also had a smile on his face.
Moreover, judging from his words, he seemed to have come into contact with quite a few people who died from poisoning...
Or perhaps, he had seen many different kinds of dead people.
Xu Jinyu didn't dare to think too deeply about it and quickly changed the subject.
"Brother Gao, do you have any leads on the murderer in this case? Which direction should I take my investigation next?"
Upon hearing this, Gao Zheng pointed to the male corpse's outward-curling fingernails and said, "If my guess is correct, then this deceased person must have scratched the murderer forcefully before his death."
“Normally, when a murderer commits a crime, only his hands and face are exposed, and the wounds on these two places are not easy to cover up, especially on the face, which is easily noticed.”
"If Your Highness follows this lead, you might get the results you want."
Finally, he added, "Of course, these are just my speculations and may not be entirely accurate. Your Highness should not give up on other directions of investigation because of this, lest you miss other clues."
Xu Jinyu trusted his words and immediately ordered his men to inquire around, asking him to stay a few more days so that he could return to the capital with her after clarifying the situation.
Gao Zheng hesitated upon hearing this, but Xu Jinyu said, "Don't worry, my best brother is getting married on the 22nd of this month, and I will definitely be going back before then. Even if I can't find anything, I will leave in a few days and won't stay here indefinitely."
Gao Zheng calculated the days. Today was the sixth day of the lunar month, and there were only half a month left until the twenty-second. The journey back to Beijing from here would take ten days. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances on the road that would prevent him from making it to his friend's wedding, Xu Jinyu would definitely leave a little earlier. So, by that calculation, it wouldn't be delayed by more than a few days.
Thinking this, he nodded and stayed, working with Xu Jinyu to investigate the murder case.
………………
On May 19th, three days before Qi Jingxuan's wedding, Xu Jinyu returned to the capital.
He first went home to let his parents know he was safe and told them about the clues he had found, then changed his clothes and went straight to the Prince of Ping's residence.
He originally thought that Qi Jingxuan would still be waiting at the Shen family's door as before, and planned to go there to find him. However, as the wedding date approached, more and more people went to Yangliu Hutong to watch the excitement. Especially when Qi Jingxuan appeared, the crowd of onlookers almost blocked the hutong completely.
The Shen family, unable to bear the disturbance any longer, told Qi Jingxuan not to go there again before his wedding.
Qi Jingxuan was not very willing, but under the insistence of Shen Yan's parents and the persuasion of Shen Yan, he finally agreed and stayed at the Prince's Mansion for the next few days to focus on preparing for the wedding.
When Xu Jinyu arrived, he was trying on his wedding attire. The bright red wedding robes made his already handsome appearance even more radiant.
Xu Jinyu clicked her tongue twice and sighed, "Not bad, all dressed up."
Qi Jingxuan scoffed, unconcerned by his rude remarks. He even smugly straightened his clothes in front of the mirror and said, "I'm good-looking."
Among all the princes, only the fourth prince was better looking than him; none of the others were as good-looking as him, a fact he was always very "self-aware" of.
Xu Jinyu rolled her eyes, walked over to him and nudged him with her elbow: "I have something to tell you."
He would have said it directly if it were something unimportant, but since he hasn't said it now, it must involve something secret that is inconvenient to tell outsiders.
Qi Jingxuan remembered that he had left the capital a few days ago and only returned today. His eyes lit up immediately. He quickly took off his auspicious robe and said to the servants and embroiderers standing guard beside him, "It's fine. There's nothing that needs to be changed."
His wedding date was set in a hurry, so the wedding clothes were also made in a hurry. They were only completed yesterday, and he tried them on for the first time today.
Upon hearing this, the embroiderer, whose eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly took her leave with the clothes.
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A note from the author:
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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