Chapter 39: Die with Eyes Open
After checking the residences of each young man, the backyard was searched thoroughly again and again, but still nothing was found.
Qian Deng was analyzing each young man's confession and whereabouts word by word in the study. Shangluo had disappeared without a trace, the case of Princess Gaoguo was still a mystery, and there was no clue about the suspect hiding in the backyard...
Just when I was feeling frustrated, the princess's mansion came to urge progress again.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is at Princess Gao's residence, waiting for the County Lady to come over and inquire about the progress of the case."
Qian Deng had no choice but to take the files on the current progress and go to Princess Gao's mansion to report.
As soon as I entered the front hall of the princess's mansion, I saw Xiao Fuyu grabbing the prince's sleeve and crying.
Seeing her come in, Xiao Fuyu cried even harder, pointing at Qiandeng and choking with sobs, "Your Highness, Changyi begs you to uphold justice and hold the Princess of Lingling County accountable for harboring the murderer and obstructing the court's investigation!"
As soon as he stepped in, he was accused of more than a thousand crimes. The prince was stunned for a moment.
Qian Deng asked, "I've been busy investigating cases for the Grand Princess these past few days. I wonder if I've done anything wrong to make Princess Changyi so unhappy?"
Xiao Fuyu glared at her angrily, "You only have a few men in your backyard. After two days of interrogation, there's still no news. Either you're shirking responsibility, or you're deliberately concealing the truth and obstructing the progress of the case!"
"My princess, you're probably too worried and anxious to find the murderer. You're overthinking the case, aren't you?" If it weren't for the Crown Prince, Qian Deng would have stormed out long ago. Why would she bother with someone who only muddies the waters? "To be honest with you, my princess and the Crown Prince, I've searched the mansion repeatedly, questioned all the gentlemen, searched their homes, and even combed the backyard thoroughly, but I haven't found any of them who seem suspicious."
"Can't find out?" Xiao Fuyu sneered, "If you can't find out, then don't get involved in the case. Since the Lingling County Master has limited abilities, she should know her own limitations and not hinder the judicial investigation!"
Qian Deng was deeply concerned about Shangluo's disappearance, so he had no mood to be polite with her. "This case concerns the reputation of both your Princess Mansion and my Changhua Palace. It should only be investigated privately and concluded quietly. But the princess has spent the past two days not paying vigil for her mother. It's not enough to summon the spirit at Qujiang Pond, but she's even visiting places like Shengfa Casino. By targeting my Changhua Palace, you've already alerted the enemy and made the investigation even more difficult. I'm afraid your reproach is unfair to me!"
The Crown Prince also frowned and said, "Changyi, investigating a case takes time and energy. It's only been two days. How can you be so harsh on Lingling?"
Seeing that he was clearly defending Qian Deng, Xiao Fuyu looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I... I just... I just really want to find the murderer who killed my mother! Your Highness, I don't have a mother anymore. I am now alone and helpless in this world. I no longer have a mother to love me!"
Seeing her so heartbroken, the Crown Prince could only sigh softly and offer words of advice, "Changyi, I know you're eager to avenge your mother, but Lingling is right. It's not wise to rush into anything. I believe that with the three judicial officials in the court and Lingling in the palace working together to investigate, it's only a matter of time before the true culprit is uncovered. By then, I'll be able to comfort the Grand Princess's spirit."
After hearing what he said, Xiao Fuyu gradually stopped sobbing.
There was no point in talking to her, so Qiandeng didn't bother to continue. But remembering the cloak he had fished out from Qujiang Pond yesterday, he walked over to Su Wan and asked her if the princess's mansion had conducted a thorough investigation to find out who had taken the gold-painted emerald feather cloak.
Su Wan shook her head. "After Cui Shaoqing gave his instructions yesterday, we made thorough inquiries at the palace and also checked the tailoring lists from recent years. We truly don't see any such emerald feather fur coats."
So, why did this green feather fur coat marked with the words "Gaoguo" appear at the place where Princess Gaoguo died, and what caused the signs of wear and tear on it?
Qiandeng was thinking when he heard the sound of messy footsteps coming from the back hall.
Two maids, panicked and tearful, came in to report, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, the Princess, the County Lady, the Grand Princess...she's opened her eyes!"
Several people were surprised, not knowing what opening their eyes meant.
"Today, the palace invited a monk from Longhua Nunnery to summon the princess's soul, change her burial clothes, and repair her appearance. Who would have thought... who would have thought that when they lifted the veil from her face, the eldest princess's eyes were actually open!"
Xiao Fuyu stood up suddenly: "What?!"
Qian Deng was surprised to hear such a horrifying thing, and followed them to the back hall where the coffin was placed.
Countless ice cubes were placed in the back hall, creating a chilling atmosphere. Princess Gao, lying beneath a brocade quilt, had her eyes half-open, refusing to close.
She had drowned before. Qian Deng was in Qujiang Pond when she was rescued. He had seen her body and clearly remembered that her eyes were closed at the time.
Now she was wearing brocade clothes with auspicious patterns, her hair was combed with scented oil and she wore luxurious jewelry, and her cheeks were powdered to cover her gray complexion, but her face was still covered with a layer of stiffness and death, which set off her eyes that were still open, which was frightening.
The old nun who was praying for the deceased clasped her hands together and chanted the Buddha's name: "Amitabha, the eldest princess's eyes are full of tears and she can't close them. I think she must have an unfulfilled wish, so she can't close her eyes..."
The Crown Prince was filled with sadness upon hearing this, while Xiao Fuyu burst into tears in his arms, her body trembling uncontrollably. "Mother...how could this be...can't you even be at peace with leaving?"
The Crown Prince patted her shoulder tenderly, trying to comfort her. "Changyi, don't worry... If the Grand Princess has any unfulfilled wishes, we will help her fulfill them. I'm sure she'll rest in peace."
"Is it because the murderer... hasn't been caught yet?" Xiao Fuyu hugged the prince tightly, sobbing and burying his face in his shoulder, crying bitterly.
Although they had already been engaged, they had never been so intimate. Seeing her so sad, the prince's body stiffened, but he couldn't bear to push her away. He could only wait until her pain passed before letting Su Wan help her to the back hall to rest.
When he came out, the prince saw that the maids and nuns had all left, but Qiandeng was still standing in front of Princess Gao's body, pinching her fingers and pondering in silence.
The prince walked up to her and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Qian Deng turned to look at him and raised her finger to show him: "Your Highness, look, there seems to be some incense ash falling on the pillow of the eldest princess."
The prince lowered his eyes and saw that there was indeed a trace of bright white ash on the tip of her jade-white index finger, and there was also a trace of ash on Princess Gao's pillow.
"This ash is so bright white, it must be the incense my aunt made specially, called Snow-Mount Benzoin. I think the person who performed the ritual was careless and let the ash get here."
"Snow-moon Benzoin..." Qiandeng frowned slightly, raised his fingertips and smelled it.
Such a beautiful white ash actually has an ordinary fragrance, just a little sweeter than ordinary benzoin.
As the prince spoke, he noticed that she was frowning and thinking, and looked depressed, so he added, "Lingling, Changyi recently lost her mother and is in a bad mood. Please bear with me."
Qian Deng slowly wiped the dust from his fingertips: "Yes, I know. After all, I feel the pain of losing my mother."
"The murderer of your mother has been punished, but the murderer of Princess Gao has not yet been found. Therefore, Changyi is in great turmoil, and his words are inevitably harsh and may not be accurate. This is normal."
Qian Deng nodded and agreed, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will do my utmost to ensure this matter. I will not allow anyone with such ulterior motives to arise in the palace. Since he dares to stir up trouble right under my nose, I must personally catch him and show everyone that the Changhua Palace is no place for them to act recklessly!"
Looking at the fierce and stubborn expression in her eyes, the prince nodded silently.
Qian Deng remembered something and continued, "Actually, something has happened in my mansion as well. Shang Biejia's son Shang Luo is missing, and I suspect something has happened to him. I can't find him anywhere in my mansion, so I'm afraid we'll have to search the capital with Shang Biejia. I hope Your Highness will allow us to contact the Chang'an garrisons and give us some help."
"Of course. I'll write you a handwritten note later, which will make it easier for you to go to the various government offices. But if you do that, the news of Shangluo's disappearance will inevitably spread. Will that affect you?"
Qian Deng thought to himself that what happened in the backyard of the Changhua Palace had long been a topic of conversation among the people in Beijing, and now Xiao Fuyu had spread the news so widely that the murderer hadn't even been found, and the whole incident had become known to everyone. What impact would it have?
"It doesn't matter. The most important thing now is to find Shangluo as soon as possible. As long as the truth is revealed, some temporary setbacks are not a big deal."
"Okay, then I'll get the seal of the Eastern Palace when I get back and issue it to you."
Qian Deng thanked him solemnly, and the Crown Prince simply said, "There's no need for formalities between you and me. In this world, besides my father and mother, you... are the most important and precious person to me."
The prince has always treated her like a brother or sister. Qian Deng was grateful in her heart, but she felt choked in her throat and found it difficult to express her feelings. She could only bow her head deeply.
After bidding farewell to the prince and leaving the mourning hall, she felt something strange as she walked down the stairs. She subconsciously turned around and looked towards the corridor.
Xiao Fuyu had come to the front from the back hall without anyone noticing. She was hidden in the shadow of the beams and pillars, and her expression could not be seen clearly. Only a pair of eyes full of resentment were secretly shot at her, and her hatred could not be concealed.
Qiandeng's heart skipped a beat as he remembered what the prince had just said.
She had always regarded the prince as her brother, but now when she thought back on his words, she felt that they were very inappropriate.
When the Crown Prince spoke to her, he never called her "the only one" when no one else was around, appearing closer than the others. Furthermore, if she was the most important person, then where did that leave the Crown Princess?
Moreover, he spoke such words to his fiancée's mother in the mourning hall. She was someone who had always been at odds with the princess and her daughter. One can imagine Xiao Fuyu's anger.
But now that things have come to this, the prince's words cannot be taken back, and she doesn't know how to remedy the situation or explain herself.
While she was still hesitating, Xiao Fuyu's sharp gaze suddenly turned away, and he turned around and walked quickly out of her sight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com