Chapter 713 Who Opened the Coffin?
Zhang Yurou didn't really want to come, but it wouldn't be right for her not to, so she had no choice but to come. She also rode in the Fourth Prince's carriage, and her maid helped her down from the carriage. Her legs were trembling a little.
The maid asked, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Zhang Yurou calmed herself down, not even daring to look at the white sail on the plaque above the Li residence. "I'm fine, help me up."
Jiang Fenghua got off the carriage first and saw that the Fourth Princess Consort was pale. It seemed that she must have something to hide. She was clearly frightened by "Su Qingqing" that day, but the Fourth Prince pulled her back later. So Zhang Yurou was afraid of ghosts!
They must have done too many bad things.
Just then, another magnificent carriage stopped in front of the Li residence. The Third Princess Consort, Yuan Wenqiang, emerged from the carriage. She immediately spotted Jiang Fenghua and Zhang Yurou standing by the roadside. A hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, but she quickly put on a smile.
She stepped out of the carriage and walked respectfully to Jiang Fenghua: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects..."
Jiang Fenghua quickly stopped her, saying, "Third Princess, there's no need for such formalities. This is outside the palace, and I'm just dressed in casual clothes, so let's not go through these formalities."
The Third Princess's eyes were full of smiles. "Yes, may I call you Fenghua outside the palace?"
Jiang Fenghua paused for a moment. As expected, she was a smiling tiger. It was really not easy to learn this kind of skill from the Third Princess.
Jiang Fenghua said, "Of course, but we are here at the Li residence to pay our respects today, so Third Sister-in-law should be more dignified."
After all, someone died there.
The Third Princess immediately suppressed her smile, "Your Majesty's reprimand is correct, Wenqiang obeys your command."
Her three children had all been granted permission to study in the palace, so she had to do everything she could to curry favor with them, fearing that they might suffer some injustice in the palace. She only hoped that they would study hard under Grand Tutor Jiang and that they could stand out from the crowd in the future, depending on whether they could be more outstanding than others while serving the emperor.
They walked toward the Li family's residence. The gatekeeper of the Li family recognized the Third Princess and the Fourth Princess, but did not recognize the Empress.
The gatekeeper quickly bowed, "This humble servant greets the Third Princess Consort and the Fourth Princess Consort, and this is..."
The Third Princess Consort hurriedly said, "Quickly inform Madam Li that we have distinguished guests."
The gatekeeper glanced at Jiang Fenghua and thought she had an outstanding temperament and noble demeanor. He quickly replied "Yes" and ran inside.
Before Jiang Fenghua could stop them, Madam Li, Li Cheng, and the others came out. When they saw Jiang Fenghua, their pupils dilated slightly, and they immediately knelt on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects."
Madam Li disliked Jiang Fenghua and her family intensely, but since the other party was the Empress, she dared not act recklessly.
The families of court officials also came out with her. Whether they came to watch the spectacle or to pay their respects, they were all somewhat shocked to see Jiang Fenghua.
At this moment, everyone exchanged greetings and pleasantries once again.
Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "I am leaving the palace in plain clothes, so there is no need for formalities. I am here to pay my respects just like everyone else, so please make yourselves at home. Respect for the dead is paramount."
She then said to Madam Li, "The Third Princess, the Fourth Princess and I wish to offer incense at the mourning hall."
Madam Li said respectfully, "Your Highness, please; Your Highness, please."
However, those present also learned from Madam Li that the murderer was the Empress's brother-in-law. Now that the Empress had arrived, they wondered how the authorities would judge the case.
Everyone sympathized with Shu Xue; her death was too tragic. They insisted that the government severely punish the murderer, but the murderer was backed by the Jiang family.
Jiang Fenghua could tell what they were thinking just by looking at their eyes. They must have thought that Jin Ji was the Jiang family's son-in-law and that the Jiang family would protect him because he had done heinous things.
If the Jiang family really did such a thing, their backbone will never be straightened again, which shows how vicious the person who framed Jin Ji was.
Her face was full of goodwill, but a sharp, cold glint flashed in her eyes. If the mastermind behind this wasn't found, the Jiang family would be doomed, and she absolutely wouldn't allow that to happen.
The crowd that had been gossiping in front of the mourning hall suddenly fell silent upon seeing the Empress arrive.
Anger flashed in Madam Li's eyes, but she dared not speak out. Seeing her son acting like a mouse before a cat when he saw Jiang Fenghua, she became even angrier.
Jiang Fenghua looked in Li Cheng's direction. She didn't actually know Li Cheng, but seeing a man respectfully accompanying Madam Li, she guessed his identity. He didn't look like a dejected man who had lost his wife; he looked more like a soldier ready for battle, his eyes full of vigilance.
Is she a tiger?
Jiang Fenghua spoke first, "Don't stand at the door, come in!"
They only dared to let the Empress go first, so Jiang Fenghua was the first to step into the Li residence.
In such a setting, the Third Princess Consort was still sensible. Seeing Zhang Yurou walk to the back, she pushed her, "Fourth Princess Consort, aren't you going in?"
Zhang Yurou smiled awkwardly, "Please, Third Princess Consort, go first!"
The Third Princess wondered to herself, when did she become so "modest"?
The Third Princess didn't think too much about it. She was familiar with all the noble ladies present, and they chatted as they entered the Li residence together.
Hongxiu stood at the very back. She walked up to the Fourth Princess and asked, "Why isn't the Princess going in?"
The Fourth Princess was extremely nervous, her legs feeling as heavy as if they weighed a ton, and she walked slowly and cautiously into the Li residence.
In the main hall of the Li family, there was a mahogany coffin, and the hall was decorated very solemnly, as if they were afraid that others would not know that someone in the Li family had died.
Jiang Fenghua knew their purpose: to make a big scene and frame Jin Ji, so that the Jiang family would be smeared. Now that someone from the Li family had died, everyone in Shengjing City would know!
"Third Princess Consort, Fourth Princess Consort, please come with me to offer incense to Young Madam Li!" Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice.
The Third Princess Consort followed beside her, but the Fourth Princess Consort dared not step forward. The Third Princess Consort called out, "What's wrong, Fourth Princess Consort?"
Jiang Fenghua said, "The Fourth Princess Consort must be scared; she's timid."
The Third Princess said, "You and Young Madam Li are the closest, so what are you afraid of? Don't be afraid, let's go together!"
Zhang Yurou was pulled along by her. Just as they reached the mourning hall, she even felt someone push her from behind. Before she could react, she suddenly fell towards the coffin without her noticing.
Zhang Yurou's hand rested on the coffin, her head almost hitting it. She was in a position as if she were crawling on the coffin. For some reason, the coffin was half-open. Shu Xue was wearing a new pink burial dress. She loved pink the most, and her body was covered with pink flowers.
Zhang Yurou even saw Shu Xue's face and eyes. Her eyes were wide open in terror, and her mouth seemed unable to close. The Fourth Princess screamed on the spot, "Ah!"
Jiang Fenghua glanced in the direction of the coffin. No wonder Zhang Yurou was so frightened; Shu Xue's death was indeed horrific.
She had no time to pay attention to Zhang Yurou; she only noticed that the coffin had been opened a crack.
Instead, the Third Princess kindly helped the Fourth Princess, asking, "Is the Fourth Princess alright?"
Zhang Yurou was so frightened that she could hardly breathe. Pointing at the coffin, she said coldly, "Why is the coffin open?"
At this moment, a servant of the Li family stepped forward to check, and was also startled, exclaiming, "Who opened the coffin? It was clearly closed!"
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