Chapter 553: Just the Beginning
Dong Zhu did not directly answer Qin Yuwei's question.
She raised her head, looked at Qin Yuwei earnestly and said:
"Please ask the Imperial Concubine to protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Qin Yuwei asked her what she meant. Yan Xiuyun had just clearly ordered Li Yao to take the prince away. How could she protect him?
Dong Zhu said, "Do you know what the Queen said to Your Majesty before she died?"
Qin Yuwei shook her head.
Dong Zhu's voice trembled a little:
"The Queen has requested Your Majesty to adopt the Crown Prince as your child.
From now on, you are the mother of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"What?"
Qin Yuwei's eyes widened, and a storm suddenly rose in her heart.
Could it be that the "big gift" that the Queen said she would give her was referring to this matter?
Doesn't that mean...
"Could it be that today's events were arranged by the Queen herself!?" Qin Yuwei asked in a very low voice.
Dong Zhu closed her eyes, two lines of tears slid down her cheeks. She did not answer, but her expression said it all.
Qin Yuwei fell into silence, her thoughts racing.
Dongzhu probably didn't lie.
But if Dong Lanxin really asked Yan Xiuyun to raise Yan Ning before her death, why did Yan Xiuyun hand Yan Ning over to his rival Li Yao?
This is obviously an act of distrust. Could it be that Yan Xiuyun suspects... that he was the one who killed the queen?
Qin Yuwei's eyes gradually became darker.
From an outsider's perspective, I am on good terms with the Queen, and if something happens to the Queen, I would be the best person to raise the Prince both in terms of position and emotion.
Once the queen died, he would be the biggest beneficiary.
He was also the organizer of this palace banquet.
Both the motive and the conditions for committing the crime are fully present.
Soon, Qin Yuwei realized that she was caught in a paradox.
Under the current circumstances, if he wants to get back the custody of the prince, he must find the murderer and clear him of suspicion.
But today, Dong Lanxin set the trap herself, how can we investigate this?
Dong Lanxin is not a fool. What exactly does she want to do by arranging all this?
Qin Yuwei asked truthfully about her confusion.
Dong Zhu looked at her with a firm and resolute gaze:
"The Queen's death is just the beginning.
The queen said that the rest of the things can only be left to you.
When it’s all over, you’ll be rewarded.”
"You are loyal." Qin Yuwei's eyes were a little complicated. "Now, what do you need me to do?"
Dong Zhu paused for a moment and said:
"When you were in the Eastern Palace, do you remember an imperial physician named Ju Yuanqing?"
…
In the Purple Palace, the morning light shone in through the window lattice, reflecting on Yan Xiuyun's gloomy face.
“Bold!”
He shouted, and Zhong Maoqing in front of him quickly pulled Chang Yunxiao to kneel down and explained:
"Your Majesty, Chang Shaoqing has absolutely no intention of disrespecting the Queen.
But the Queen's condition is really strange. If we can't check the residue in her stomach, I'm afraid it will be difficult to find out the truth..."
Yan Xiuyun's voice was filled with anger:
"The queen is the mother of a country. She should be buried in the imperial mausoleum after her death. The phoenix body is noble and cannot be damaged in the slightest!
I will give you another three days. If you cannot find the real murderer, you two will not be allowed to work in the Dali Temple anymore."
Chang Yunxiao pursed his lips and said nothing. Zhong Maoqing raised his head, glanced at Yan Xiuyun's face, and swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
"Yes, yes... Rong Chen and I will think of a solution."
Zhong Maoqing nodded and said this, then pulled Chang Yunxiao out.
He then wiped the sweat off his forehead and asked Chang Yunxiao:
"Apart from an autopsy, is there no way to find out the cause of the queen's death?"
"have."
Zhong Maoqing's eyes lit up.
Chang Yunxiao had a blank expression on his face: "Wait for the murderer to come out and confess."
His humor is always hilarious.
Zhong Maoqing took a deep breath, rubbed his face vigorously twice, and was at a loss for a moment.
"Patrolman Si and I will go and interview the people who were present yesterday. Perhaps we can get some clues."
After Chang Yunxiao finished speaking, he walked outside.
…
"What? They want to come to Fangmiao Terrace to question me? This is outrageous!"
Li Yao slammed the table and stood up angrily, with her eyebrows raised.
"What kind of place is the harem? How can we allow those men from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple to walk around freely?
I have to go to each concubine's palace to question her. I don't believe the emperor would issue such an absurd order!"
The maid Feicui whispered nervously:
"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words. This matter was indeed ordered by His Majesty himself.
The queen was assassinated, and the whole government was shocked. She had to give an explanation to all the civil and military officials in the court.
Although there are eunuchs in the harem, they are no match for the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple. How can they investigate such a big thing?"
Li Yao didn't say anything, but the anger on her face had not subsided.
Jade looked outside and said:
"According to the time, the people from the Dali Temple have already come out of Concubine Qin's Changyu Palace, and they will come to our Fangmiao Terrace next.
Don't worry, Your Majesty. They are men from outside the court after all. When they ask questions to the concubines, they must use a screen to separate them. They will not offend Your Majesty."
…
Chang Yunxiao stepped onto Fangmiao Terrace and took a quick look around as usual.
Si Ying, a patrol officer from the Dali Temple, followed behind him and was immediately attracted by the maple trees on the east side.
In late autumn, the maple leaves are as bright as fire, dazzling and gorgeous.
Several trees have lost their leaves, but this does not affect the overall scenery at all.
Chang Yunxiao walked into the main hall, where a table and chairs had been set up, with a gauze embroidered screen erected in the middle. Behind the screen, two figures could be vaguely seen, one sitting and one standing.
Fangmiao Terrace is exquisitely decorated. Although Si Ying is a woman, she usually follows Chang Yunxiao and goes in and out of either the crime scene or the courtroom and prison. She is not used to the atmosphere of a woman's boudoir.
She sneezed twice.
"Your humble servant Chang Yunxiao, Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, pays respect to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine."
Li Yao's cold voice came from behind the screen:
"Please sit down. If you have anything to say, please ask me. I am going to take a nap."
Chang Yunxiao lifted up his skirt and sat down in front of the desk, then picked up a pen and wrote the three words "Rong Guifei" on the paper.
"May I ask, Your Majesty, were you present when the Queen was poisoned at the palace banquet?"
"As the imperial concubine, I am naturally present."
"During the palace banquet, did you notice any unusual reactions from the Queen? Did any unusual events or conversations occur at the scene?"
"No."
"Did you ever leave during the palace banquet?"
"No."
"How is your relationship with the Queen?"
Li Yao frowned, "What do you mean? Do you doubt me?"
Chang Yunxiao said calmly, "Don't be surprised, Madam. This is a routine inquiry and is not directed at any one person. Just answer truthfully and we will find other people to corroborate it."
Li Yao was silent for a moment, then said unhappily:
"It is common for concubines in the harem to occasionally quarrel in order to win the favor of His Majesty, but there is always sisterhood.
Otherwise, His Majesty would not have sent His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to my palace to take care of him."
Chang Yunxiao nodded and recorded what Li Yao said truthfully.
"I understand that this family banquet was jointly organized by you and Concubine Qin. Could you please describe the preparation process in detail, especially the arrangement and inspection process of the meal?"
Li Yao said impatiently:
“It is true that I organized it together with her, but I was only responsible for the venue layout. The meals were all arranged by Concubine Qin, and I had nothing to do with it.
If you don’t believe it, you can ask anyone you want.”
Li Yao paused and added:
"The imperial physician said that the queen got poison from her mouth, but I have never participated in the meal arrangement. If there is any suspicion, Concubine Qin is the most suspicious.
Lord Chang, I advise you to focus more on Changyu Palace and stop wasting your time here."
Chang Yunxiao looked calm as he took a piece of paper from Si Ying. It was Qin Yuwei's confession.
He compared the confession with a serious and indifferent tone:
"The Imperial Concubine said that she had never participated in the meal arrangements, but I heard that -
Last night at the palace banquet, a dish called 'Eight Treasures Salmon Soup' was served.
And the recipe for this dish comes from you.”
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