Chapter 424 A-Chu is dead, are you satisfied now?
The body clearly showed signs of violent struggle in the fire; its hands and feet were charred.
Most of his face was burned off, leaving only the area below his nose covered in ash.
Pei Yuan's eyes were bloodshot as he slowly reached out and gently wiped the burnt ash from his face.
The outline that was revealed could be vaguely seen to be Shen Chu's appearance.
Unable to bear the grief any longer, he collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at his protruding belly.
After a long while, he suddenly turned around, his scarlet eyes fixed on the minor official who had just crawled out of the fire.
"Why did the water catch fire? How did the fire start?"
The clerk was soaked to the bone, and even wrapped in a cotton quilt, he was still shivering from the cold.
He huddled under the covers, looking bewildered and terrified, coughing as he spoke.
"I don't know either. The fire started in the cell next to Lord Shen and quickly spread to Lord Shen's side."
The younger one is in charge of serving the food here. He happens to be delivering food to Master Shen when the fire starts.
The fire was so big that it burned down the wooden bars of the prison cell.
I wanted to help Master Shen out, but we couldn't get out at all.
The beam above suddenly collapsed...
The clerk handed over the purse with trembling hands.
"Lord Shen asked me to pass on a message to Your Highness: she said she is sorry, Your Highness, she cannot keep the vow she made."
She couldn't keep the promise she made.
These words struck Pei Yuan like a hammer blow, making his eardrums ache.
His vow to Ah Chu.
They promised to be together for life, hand in hand until they grow old.
But why did Achu leave first?
His Achu, his children...
He clearly won the competition; he could have asked his father to release Achu.
It felt as if a huge hole had been ripped open in my chest, and countless gusts of cold wind rushed in, chilling me to the bone.
Pei Yuan took a step back, refusing to accept the purse.
Ling Ce wiped his eyes with his sleeve, reached out and took the document, then opened it and looked inside.
I couldn't help but turn my head away, and tears started falling again.
"It's my junior sister's purse."
The junior sister carried a calming medicine packet specially prepared by her senior brother in her purse. After she became pregnant, her senior brother changed it to a calming and pregnancy-nourishing medicine packet.
"No, it can't be A-Chu's, this isn't A-Chu's."
Pei Yuan shook his head repeatedly, clutching his chest as he stumbled to his feet.
His vision went black, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to the ground.
"Your Highness."
"Sixth Brother!"
Pei Yuan fell to the ground, surrounded by a chaotic din that faded into the distance.
Emperor Longqing shouted anxiously, "Quickly, summon the imperial physician and carry Prince Rui back!"
The officials from the Dali Temple immediately investigated the cause of the flood and the extent of the casualties.
Pei Yuan was carried away, and Emperor Longqing also left with his entourage.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who rushed over, led the prison officials to begin cleaning up the scene.
Ling Ce, Li Chengxuan, and Zhou Jun stood silently around Shen Chu.
Luo Heng ran over, panting, and saw the scene before him.
He collapsed to the ground.
His face was pale, his lips trembled, and he finally whispered, "A-Chu..."
"Get the hell out of here, what right do you have to call me Achu?"
Li Chengxuan suddenly jumped up and punched Luo Heng hard.
Luo Heng was knocked to the ground, and before he could react, Li Chengxuan's fist came flying at him again.
"If you hadn't been so determined to expose Ah Chu, how could things have turned out like this?"
What did Ah Chu do to wrong you? When your mother was dying when you were little, it was Ah Chu who gathered herbs for you and saved your mother's life.
We've known each other for a year now, and Ah Chu has taken good care of you, hasn't she?
Is this how you repay A-Chu? Are you satisfied now? A-Chu is dead, she's dead.
Li Chengxuan threw another punch, then suddenly turned around and hugged Zhou Jun, bursting into tears.
"Waaah, Ah Chu, you promised to watch me practice the red-tasseled spear and become a young general who can gallop across the battlefield."
"You little liar, how could you not speak? Get up! How could you leave me behind and go on like this?"
Luo Heng sat blankly on the ground, remaining motionless no matter how Li Chengxuan hit him, his eyes red and silent.
The quietest one was Ling Ce.
He took off his cloak and gently draped it over Shen Chu.
Just like when I watched Chen Chu sleep as a child, I gently patted her and then picked her up.
"A-Chu, don't be afraid, your third senior brother will take you home."
In the freezing cold, he carried the person step by step as he walked outside.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review reached out to stop him.
"You cannot take the person away. Our Dali Temple needs to further verify the deceased's identity and investigate the cause of death..."
"Get out of here."
Ling Ce slowly uttered two words without expression, then kicked the man away.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was so angry that his face turned ashen. He tried to stop the man again, but Li Chengxuan kicked him to the ground.
"What are you trying to stop me for? You dare to try stopping me again."
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review glanced at Li Chengxuan, then turned and left with a sullen expression.
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Prince Rui's Mansion.
The imperial physicians came and went, bringing out basin after basin of bloody water.
Jinbao grabbed the familiar Imperial Physician Zhou, his eyes red, and asked, "How is my prince?"
Physician Zhou sighed, his expression grave.
"Your Highness already had a back injury, and this fight with Nan Yue almost exhausted your internal energy. In addition, you were stimulated, which damaged your mind and spirit. You were already in danger."
The most dangerous wound was still the one to the chest; the sword was poisoned, and the poison had already seeped into the internal organs through the bloodstream. I'm afraid...
Jinbao suddenly gripped Doctor Zhou tightly, his voice becoming several degrees sharper than usual.
"Your Highness absolutely cannot be harmed! You must go and save Your Highness!"
Physician Zhou smiled wryly, "Have you forgotten that I only specialize in treating external injuries? His Highness's external injuries have already been treated."
The other imperial physicians are discussing how to detoxify; I'll go in and take a look.
Physician Zhou broke free from his grasp and left.
Jinbao's eyes were red, and she kept wiping away tears while stamping her feet.
Sun Yan and Du Song turned and walked out.
Jinbao grabbed them.
Where are you going?
Sun Yan gritted his teeth, "That damned Shangguan Yi, he actually poisoned the sword. He can even pull off such a treacherous trick."
We're going to confront him.
Jinbao wiped away his tears, "My God, you two shouldn't go and cause trouble at a time like this."
"Go find Shangguan Yi, do you think you can beat him?"
Du Song looked unconvinced.
"If the two of us join forces, I refuse to believe we can't kill him."
"What if we can't kill him?"
Sun Yan and Du Song looked at each other in bewilderment.
"If the two of us work together, we can cripple him even if we don't kill him."
Jinbao stamped his foot. "A mere brawn! This matter is probably not as simple as we think."
If Shangguan Yi had any sense at all, he wouldn't have put poison on his sword. This is a martial arts competition between two countries, and it's happening right here in the capital of our Great Wei.
"If they really poison our prince, they won't be leaving the capital."
Sun Yan and Du Song exchanged a glance.
"You mean there's something fishy going on here?"
Jinbao sighed, "I will go to the palace first to report this matter to His Majesty, and let His Majesty decide to investigate."
You two, one stays in the manor, and the other goes to check on the Ning'an Marquis's residence.
As for Lord Shen... I don't know when the funeral will be held, if..."
Upon thinking of Chen Chu, Jin Bao choked up and couldn't continue speaking. He stamped his feet and turned to leave.
At this time, in a manor on the outskirts of the capital.
Shen Chu slowly opened her eyes.
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