Chapter 801 Murder
After dinner, Luo Qinghan went to take a bath as usual.
When he came back with a body covered in warm water, he saw Xixi sitting beside the bed, reading a storybook by candlelight.
She was so absorbed in watching that she didn't notice anyone coming in.
It wasn't until Luo Qinghan walked up to her and took the book from her hand that she came to her senses.
She looked up at Luo Qinghan and grumbled in dissatisfaction.
"Why did you steal my book?"
These were all the scripts for the competition. She just flipped through them and found a very interesting one. She was reading it with great interest when she was interrupted.
Luo Qinghan closed the book, put it on the table next to him, and said in a calm voice.
"Reading at night is bad for your eyes. Let's wait until tomorrow to read. Anyway, the script is here and it won't go away."
Xiao Xixi: "But I was just watching the exciting part and suddenly stopped. I felt itchy inside and couldn't fall asleep at all."
Luo Qinghan: "This is easy, just wait."
He picked up the book again, turned to the last page, and read out every word.
His voice was very nice, deep and pleasant, and his speaking speed was neither fast nor slow. It was very comfortable to listen to, but Xiao Xixi was immediately furious.
"You actually spoiled the plot!"
Luo Qinghan finished reading the ending, closed the book again, and said calmly: "Do you still feel itchy now?"
Xiao Xixi: “…”
Okay, you’re so cruel!
She climbed onto the bed angrily, and lay straight, her eyes wide open, like a big salted fish that had died with its eyes open.
Luo Qinghan lay down beside her, reached out and held Xianyu in his arms, bent down and kissed the top of her head, and whispered.
"Go to sleep."
…
The next morning.
Xiao Xixi and Luo Qinghan had just finished their breakfast when Concubine Min came to pay their respects.
She greeted him and left just like before.
Xiao Xixi continued to read her script.
At this time, Concubine Li and Concubine Yao came. They came to play cards with the imperial concubine.
Xiao Xixi said, "I have to read a book today, so I don't have time to play cards."
Yao Jieyu has always been very curious. When she noticed the pile of books next to the imperial concubine, she couldn't help but ask.
"What book is your Royal Concubine reading?"
Xiao Xixi tapped the book beside her and said with a smile, "I asked someone to organize a storybook competition. Most of these are the storybooks that came to participate. Do you want to take a look? There are many interesting stories in them."
Before they got married, Concubine Li and Concubine Yao also secretly read storybooks at home. They were quite interested in those bizarre stories.
Hearing the imperial concubine say this, his interest was immediately piqued.
The two of them came over, picked up two storybooks each, and sat next to each other to read.
As a result, I was fascinated as soon as I saw it.
Yao Jieyu was reading a story about a pair of lovers’ tragic love, and when she saw the touching parts, she couldn’t help but have tears in her eyes.
Wow, the male and female protagonists are so pitiful!
What Princess Li read was a story about a poor woman who was deceived by a scumbag.
When she saw the heroine being slapped by the concubine while the scumbag watched coldly, she was so angry that she almost broke her teeth.
Ahhhh!
Scumbag and bitch! I really want to strangle them to death!
When Baoqin walked in, what she saw was Concubine Yao shedding tears silently and Concubine Li gritting her teeth.
She couldn't help but pause, her eyes lingered on the two of them for a moment, and finally shifted to the imperial concubine, and whispered.
"Your Highness, Shang Kui wants to see you for something."
Xiao Xixi reluctantly put down the script, stood up and walked out.
She walked into the courtyard and saw Shang Kui standing upright in the yard.
Shang Kui bowed in greeting.
"This humble general pays respect to the Imperial Concubine."
This was not the place to talk, so Xiao Xixi took him to the backyard.
Seeing the large vegetable garden, Shang Kui's expression became very subtle.
I've heard that the imperial concubine grows vegetables and raises chickens in the palace, but when I saw it with my own eyes, I still found it hard to describe.
The two walked into a small pavilion located by the river.
The view here is wide and it's a good place to talk.
Xiao Xixi asked, "Why did you come to see me?"
Shang Kui bowed and replied, "To answer your Majesty, I am here because of the matter at Xixiang Pavilion."
Previously, the imperial concubine asked the Yulin Guard to keep a close eye on the Su family.
Yulin Guards discovered that the eldest son of the Su family, Concubine Min's brother, often went to Xixiang Pavilion to play on weekdays.
This was not a strange thing. Many playboys and dignitaries in Shengjing City loved to go to Xixiang Pavilion to have fun.
But to be on the safe side, Xiao Xixi still asked the Yulin Guards to pay more attention to the movements in Xixiang Pavilion. If there was a chance, it would be best to get close to Young Master Su to see if they could get anything about Concubine Min from him.
The reason why Xiao Xixi went to Xixiang Pavilion yesterday was not only to see the world, but also to enter Xixiang Pavilion to find out about Young Master Su.
Unfortunately, she accidentally drank too much yesterday and forgot about gathering intelligence.
Xiao Xixi was quite interested: "Did you find out anything?"
Shang Kui answered truthfully, "Last night, a girl from Xixiang Pavilion was carried to the Duke of Hong's Mansion. After she entered the Duke of Hong's Mansion, she did not leave until early this morning."
Xiao Xixi was puzzled: "What's the problem?"
Although hiring a prostitute to come to your home sounds a bit indecent, this kind of thing is very common in the circle of aristocratic families and there is nothing strange about it.
Shang Kui said in a deep voice.
“The problem is that the girl died shortly after returning to Xixiang Pavilion.
I heard that he died from accidentally hitting his head, and his body was hurriedly taken out of the city and buried in a mass grave.
I took my men to follow them quietly, and after they left, I took my men to dig out the girl's body.
After checking, it was found that the girl did seem to have a broken head.
But there were pinch marks on the back of her neck and her hair was messy.
Apparently, he was grabbed by the back of his neck and hair and slammed against a wall or the ground to death."
This was a murder, not an accident.
Logically speaking, if a prostitute died, even if there was something fishy going on, the Yulin Guards wouldn't care too much.
But she had been to the Duke of Hong's Mansion before her death.
This matter involves Duke Hong, so it is not a simple matter.
Duke Hong was the Empress Dowager's younger brother, and whenever the Emperor saw him, he had to call him uncle. He was of noble status and had to be treated with caution.
Xiao Xixi pondered for a moment and said, "Send a few people to keep an eye on the Hongguo Mansion to see if there is anything unusual in their mansion recently. Send people to keep an eye on Xixiang Pavilion. As for the body of the girl, send it to the charity cemetery first, find an artist to draw her appearance, and then find a way to find out her identity and origins."
"Yes."
Shang Kui took the order and left.
The wind was strong by the river, so Xiao Xixi didn't stay long and went back soon.
She found Luo Qinghan who was fiddling with the chess game.
"I have something to tell you."
Luo Qinghan said without even looking up: "Play a game of chess with me."
Xiao Xixi had no choice but to sit down opposite him.
She glanced at the chessboard, put down a chess piece and spoke.
"Sang-gyu came to see me just now."
(End of this chapter)
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