Chapter 74 What is the truth
The prince murmured, "When... I knew I would not live long."
"However, Princess Gao had no hidden illness or previous injuries. On the day she was murdered, she was able to visit Qujiang Lake as usual and meet with people she knew privately. Why would she need to leave a letter with her final words?"
"Your Highness..." Xiao Fuyu pleaded with the Crown Prince, her breathing disordered. "My mother is the Grand Princess, your great aunt. How can Your Highness allow anyone to discuss her affairs after her death?"
"Originally, the dead are the most important, and we shouldn't discuss them. But who asked someone to deliberately use her death to stir up trouble, attacking my Changhua Palace and the candidates for the Prince of Changhua?" At this point, Qian Deng didn't give her a chance. He raised the envelope in his hand and said sternly, "Princess Changyi, you clearly know the cause of your mother's death, but you deliberately concealed it, using it to stir up trouble and pressure my Changhua Palace step by step. Why?"
Panic and panic welled up in Xiao Fuyu, who said frantically, "You... you're slandering me! Everyone in the court knows that it was you, the candidate for the Lingling County Lady's husband, who murdered my mother, and yet, in order to cover up their crime, you've dared to falsely claim there was another reason for my mother's death!"
"Whether there's another reason, Princess Changyi must know better than anyone else." Qian Deng stared at her and asked, "If there's no question about your mother's death, then would you dare allow the court to enter your princess's mansion and search for any clues left by the Grand Princess?"
"Impossible!" Xiao Fuyu panicked and clutched the prince's sleeve, begging, "Your Highness, the Lingling County Lady has gone too far! She's actually wanting to search the Princess's mansion! Please, Your Highness, seek justice for us, mother and daughter!"
Mingjiu scoffed, "You want justice, but I don't? Even your mother is dead, you're still trying to harm others. You're not a good person if you use your dead mother to harm others!"
"Please be patient, Prince." Although his words were harsh, under the circumstances, the Crown Prince could not refuse his respect. He simply said to Qian Deng, "Lingling, without solid evidence, you should not make irresponsible comments about noble relatives. Moreover, the Grand Princess's status is of great importance and is of no small importance."
"Yes, Lingling was specially appointed by the court to investigate the murder of Princess Gao. Now that I have uncovered the truth, I am reporting this to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince: Princess Gao, facing internal and external difficulties, committed suicide, leaving behind a suicide note for her daughter, Princess Changyi. However, the princess concealed the truth, hiding the letter and keeping it secret. She deliberately directed the blame on our Changhua Palace and even slandered the Huihe prince, an ally of the Tang Dynasty, knowing full well that this would damage diplomatic relations between our two countries. Now that irrefutable evidence has surfaced, I request that the court and the three judicial departments re-examine this case to prevent the truth from being revealed and the culprit from escaping justice!"
"That's right, this vicious woman must not...get away with it!" Ming Jiu chimed in indignation. "How dare she throw mud at me, a distinguished Huihe prince, and accuse me of murder? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty wouldn't protect such a person, would he?"
The prince looked at Xiao Fuyu, who was shaking like a sieve, with a cold gaze. His voice was hoarse, "Changyi, I want to hear your truth."
Xiao Fuyu wept before the Crown Prince, clutching at his hem and pleading, "Your Highness, ever since my mother offended Prince Mingjiu on New Year's Day, she's heard rumors throughout the capital that he was seeking revenge. Fearing the barbarian might do something outrageous, she became depressed, leaving me a suicide note early on. It's also because of this that I've been having nightmares... Please understand, Your Highness. My mother is the eldest princess, beloved by the Emperor and Empress, and enjoys wealth and splendor that no one would dare to envy. Furthermore, she's still concerned about my marriage to Your Highness. How could she be so devastated as to take this path of no return?"
"Princess Changyi is right. Your marriage to His Highness is the Grand Princess's greatest concern, and it's the reason she chose this path." At this point, Qiandeng was no longer willing to let her off the hook. She immediately retorted, "The princess has failed at court, fallen out of favor with the Emperor and Empress, broken faith with the Tang allies, and lost the support of the people. The empire is on the verge of collapse, and even her daughter's marriage faces setbacks. She's been in a state of panic for a long time. The future is uncertain, and the only way to resolve this dilemma is to ensure that you, Princess, ascend to the position of Crown Princess at all costs. After all, the court is turbulent, and the fate of a disgraced princess is often tragic. Her death at this time can preserve both her current glory and the family line for future generations."
"What's more, you could use this as an opportunity to arrange for the Crown Prince to marry you as soon as possible. Your Highness, don't you think the timing of Princess Gao's sudden opening of her eyes, the nuns' claim of 'dying with eyes open', and 'marrying with filial piety', is too coincidental?"
The prince looked at Xiao Fuyu, whose face was ashen, and pursed his lips.
"And the person who helped Princess Changyi carry out her plan is now in my backyard. Please allow me to summon him in, Your Highness."
"Your Highness!" Xiao Fuyu's voice choked with sobs, his former arrogance gone. "My mother is the Grand Princess, your aunt. This is a matter of honor for the royal family. How can we allow the Princess of Lingling to instigate others to frame us?"
"Your Highness!" Mingjiu sneered and asked the Crown Prince, "I am a Huihe prince. Helping the Tang Dynasty to quell the rebellion is a matter of Huihe's reputation. How can I allow the arrogant princess to instigate others to frame me?"
The prince's face was gloomy and after a long time, he finally nodded to Qiandeng.
Qiandeng walked out of the courtyard, his eyes passing over the waiting gentlemen and falling on the back of the crowd.
In the quiet and secluded place, the dim light cast a shadow on the man, making him look even more cold and lonely like snow and as secluded as a crane.
Qiandeng called him, "Lord Yan, please come into the hall and have a chat."
Everyone's gaze followed her back. Yan Penglai looked up at her, his eyes clear and still: "Yes."
Seeing Qian Deng bringing Yan Penglai in, Princess Changyi's pale face was once again covered with a dark cloud of despair.
Yan Penglai gave her a calm look, then calmly stepped forward and bowed, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Changyi."
The Crown Prince naturally recognized the most famous immortal in the capital. After glancing at him, he asked Qian Deng, "Lingling, is this the person you mentioned who helped Princess Gao's palace implement its plan?"
Qian Deng responded, "I think it must be Mr. Yan."
Yan Penglai's eyes were filled with surprise. "What do you think, County Lady, that Penglai is helping Princess Gao's mansion in your backyard? Are you bothered by the fact that I once received favors from Princess Gao?"
"No, what I'm concerned about is that three days ago, when I visited Shang Nanliu, the deputy governor of Jizhou, he mentioned that he smelled a fragrance on you—the unique snow-white benzoin of the Princess Gao's mansion."
He hesitated a little: "Really? I don't remember, could it be that Shang Biejia remembered it wrong?"
"Shang Biejia's incense skills are second to none in the capital, and he's also very familiar with the unique incense of Princess Gao's residence. How could he have made a mistake? And the most coincidental thing is that on that day, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince brought me here to pay homage to Princess Gao. After her death, she suddenly opened her eyes and could hardly close them."
Qian Deng said this, turning to look at the Crown Prince: "I wonder if Your Highness still remembers that when we were in Princess Gao's mourning hall, we found incense ash beside the princess's pillow?"
The prince naturally remembered what happened that day and nodded, saying, "It is true."
"On the same day, the same incense ash fell on Mr. Yan's sleeve and on the princess's cheek. Furthermore, that incense was unique to Princess Gao's mansion. Isn't that too much of a coincidence? Princess Gao has been at the imperial court for over twenty years, living a life of luxury. She refuses to share her utensils with anyone else. Not only her duck cheek feathers, but also the jewelry she wears, the paper she writes on, and the incense she burns are all rare treasures that are impossible to find outside. But Mr. Yan, why did the same ash fall on your hand and her cheek on that very day?"
Mingjiu shouted, "He must have gone to the princess's house and touched the dead man's face!"
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