Although Princess Sheng An was of advanced age, she was still keen and tactful in her actions, especially in the corridors and inner gardens of the Imperial Palace. Being a princess born and bred within its walls, she was exceptionally clear about the palace’s workings.
When she took over the murder case within the palace, it suddenly put the entire Imperial Palace on edge. For a moment, every department within the palace was in an uproar, and many large residencies of the court officials were disturbed by this news.
For many years, the elderly Princess Sheng An limited her frequent visits to the palace and spent her time enjoying her twilight years in her residence, indulging in her grandchildren’s company. As the Emperor grew wary of the Duke’s residence, she, alongside it, kept a low profile. In a blink, many years passed. Her youngest grandson Zhou Gu had grown up, Princess Sheng An had aged, and people seem to have forgotten that she used to be the most powerful princess of the Imperial Court, wielding great power, feared by all. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
Princess Sheng An’s intervention in the Palace murder case served as a signal that the Duke’s Residence would no longer keep a low profile from that day onward. Or perhaps an earlier indicator was the old Duke’s defiant, angry departure from the Emperor’s presence. Both instances were clear signals of the Duke’s Residence no longer succumbing to the Emperor’s pressing.
This signal, like being hit on the heads of the courtiers, compelled many to wake from their complacency.
Despite her age, Princess Sheng An was still as decisive and as efficient as before. Since taking over the case, she mobilized resources, meticulously investigating everyone who had recently managed and interacted with both old man Zhao and Zhao Fei.
The Empress assisted Princess Sheng An at her side. At this moment, the Empress truly recognized Princess Sheng An’s abilities. Even though she had been living in the Palace for over twenty years, she was nowhere near as formidable as Princess Sheng An.
After Rui’an King left the Imperial Palace with the dead bodies of Zhao Er and Zhao Fei, he initially intended to go directly to the Shen Residence. But, on second thought, he deemed it inappropriate to bring corpses to the Shen Residence. Afraid of potential complications associated with bringing them to a morgue, he decided to bring the bodies to his own Wang Residence. He was not squeamish about it as the investigation took precedence, so there was no room for error. He then sent for Su Rong.
With some free time, Su Rong was pondering over a sword manual. The more she pondered, the more she felt that this sword manual had been wasted, being left unused in the Buddha Temple for hundreds of years.
Her comprehension was high, absorbing faster than Fen Ling. She had absorbed half of the manual within half a day, but she got stuck in the middle.
At this moment, the person sent by Rui’an King arrived to fetch her. Su Rong put away the sword manual and left the Shen Residence with the man, heading towards the Rui’an King Residence.
The journey from the Shen Residence to the Rui’an King Residence was smooth, with no incidents. Su Rong entered the Wang Residence without any issues.
Two bodies lay in the front yard, and Su Rong immediately recognized them as Zhao the elder and Zhao Fei. After a brief glance, she greeted the waiting Rui’an King with a nod, "Your Highness."
Rui’an King returned the sentiment, "Lady Su Qi, the imperial doctors and coroner from the Imperial Medical Bureau couldn’t determine how these two died. I recommended you to the Emperor. Your medical skills are exceptional. Please take a look."
When Su Rong heard Rui’an King commend her exceptional medical skills, she thought that she was far from exceptional. Her reputation was only hyped because she had saved Zhou Gu with a simple fever-reducing prescription. She didn’t explain this, but instead responded, "Your Highness is too kind. Don’t worry, I’ll take a look."
She approached the two corpses, noting that they looked as if they were just sleeping, which felt oddly familiar. She remembered the words of old Dr. Huichun from Huichun Hall, who taught her how to kill with a golden needle. He had mentioned a type of colorless and odorless poison that could kill instantly when a golden needle was inserted into the Baihui acupoint on the top of the head.
Acting on this insight, she exerted force under Zhao Fei’s jaw to push upwards. Sure enough, as a surge of energy shot to his head, a hair-thin golden needle was forced out of the top of his scalp.
Rui’an King’s eyes widened in surprise, as if it was the first time he had seen someone killed by a golden needle, especially such a thin one.
Then, Su Rong turned to old man Zhao and, using the same method, forced another hair-thin golden needle out from the top of his scalp.
She fetched a handkerchief, laid the two golden needles side by side on it, and handed it to Rui’an King, "Your Highness, this is the cause."
Rui’an King accepted it, remarking, "What a deadly method of killing."
What Su Rong was thinking about was not the lethal method, but the old doctor who had taught her to kill with a golden needle. Who else had he taught this technique to? Or was there a fellow disciple, an assassin, now lurking within the palace?
With these thoughts in mind, she asked Rui’an King, "Your Highness, I heard that Princess Sheng An has taken over the murder case in the palace?"
Rui’an King nodded, "Indeed."
Without hesitation, Su Rong said, "Your Highness, take me to the palace!"
Rui’an King was taken aback.
Su Rong was very serious, "These cases all originated from me, how could I evade responsibility? Even if you take me into the palace, I believe His Majesty won’t blame you, my lord."
Upon consideration, Rui’an King found it to be logical and figured that Su Rong must have her reasons for volunteering to enter the palace, and nodded, "Alright, I’ll take you to the palace now."
Fittingly, he could also present to His Majesty this deadly killing technique.
So, Rui’an King ordered for the carriage to be prepared and brought Su Rong along to the Imperial Palace.
The journey from the residence of Rui’an King to the Imperial Palace was quite peaceful, and the carriage arrived quickly at the palace’s entrance.
Su Rong got off the carriage first. Seeing another familiar carriage at the entrance of the palace, she was a bit startled before greeting, "Crown Prince."
Yan Huisheng nodded his head. In the presence of Rui’an King, he didn’t avoid the topic, "I heard you were entering the palace with the prince, and I was worried, so I came along."
Su Rong blinked, "Thank you, Crown Prince."
Rui’an King sucked in a breath, thinking that although he had long suspected a connection between Su Rong and the Eastern Palace, he had not expected them to be so familiar with each other. It was obvious that their acquaintance wasn’t new, and they were not behaving cordially or formally. It seems everyone in the capital has been deceived. They all think Su Rong is close with Princess Qingping’s residence, but little did they know, Su Rong’s actual ties are with Yan Huisheng here."
Rui’an King thought more about this pair - one being the heir apparent of Daliang, the other being the Nanchu Princess. If they were to collaborate, would there be anyone more suitable than them?
He quickly bowed, "Crown Prince!"
Yan Huisheng hadn’t gotten off his carriage, he said to both of them, "Prince and Xiaoqi, join me in my coach!"
Apart from the Eldest Princess of Rui’an, as Crown Prince, he had the privilege to go directly to the palace gate and walk inside the palace.
Su Rong naturally had no objections and looked at Rui’an King.
Rui’an King thought what luck he had today - both times he entered the palace, he had to hitch a ride. He immediately nodded, "Thanks to the Crown Prince, how could I possibly refuse such a kind offer."
So, Rui’an King and Su Rong together, rode in Yan Huisheng’s carriage.
The Crown Prince’s carriage smoothly entered the palace gate. Yan Huisheng asked Su Rong why she took the initiative to enter the palace, to which Su Rong replied in a low voice, "I fear that Eldest Princess Sheng An might be in danger."
After she finished, she signaled Yan Huisheng to look at the two fine gold needles as thin as cow hair wrapped in cloth in Rui’an King’s hand. She speculated, "There must be an extremely skilled and dangerous assassin hidden in the palace. If they don’t want Princess Sheng An to find out, forcing them into a corner might result in her being killed. It’s not impossible."
After all, assassins do not care about the social status of their targets. If they dare to hide in the palace, they would dare to kill the Eldest Princess Sheng An.
Yan Huisheng nodded his head and ordered outside, "Driver, speed up! Let’s go see Eldest Princess Sheng An first."
The driver acknowledged.
Su Rong brought up the stories shared by the old doctor when she was learning to use golden needles to kill, telling Yan Huisheng, "The old doctor, Fang Wuying, was a famous killer in the Jianghu world thirty years ago. Later, he gave up killing due to his daughter’s sake. He disappeared from the Jianghu world and stayed in Jiangning County to become a doctor at Huichun Hall."
She squinted as she speculated, "I can’t think of anyone other than his daughter and me who he would teach this golden needle killing technique. This method is a common theme with his own - quiet, traceless, and bloodless when killing."
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