Hu Yingmao never dreamed that one day, there would be more living people than dead people in the cold cellar of Dali Temple.
The cold cellar of Dali Temple was opened at the back door, and a secret room was dug underground to serve as a morgue. Several cellars were dug deep into the house, and the walls were thickly built with red bricks. Only a few small air doors were opened for ventilation. There are also thick doors, so ice can be placed inside during the winter so that it will not melt all year round. Of course, the corpses that can be stored in the cold cellar all have official status.
At the end of the day, the open space at the back door was already crowded with more than half of the officials from the court. There are also a small number of officials below the fifth rank who are not qualified to squeeze in.
Looking around, there is only a small area of sparse space left in the corner. With the emperor as the center, stood Mr. Xiahou, Prince Gu, His Royal Highness the Fourth, His Royal Highness the Seventh, and Eunuch Li.
Seeing that Shen Shi was approaching, Mr. Hu asked the emperor tentatively: "Your Majesty, Shen Shi is coming soon. Do you want to go down to the cold cellar?"
The emperor nodded, and Eunuch Li shouted: "Go to the cold cellar..."
Hu Yingmao lit a small lamp to lead the way and led them down the steps, getting deeper and colder as they went down.
The officials felt that it was really cold down here, and even the luminous pearls inlaid in the walls on both sides were glowing with a scary green light. Some timid people even held hands unconsciously to comfort each other.
Hu Yingmao led the emperor and the others into the Wang Zihao cell and lit the candlestick in the cell.
The small room can only accommodate a maximum of twenty people.
It was a good thing this time. Officials of second grade and below were not eligible to enter, so they were left to dry and freeze in the large room outside. More than fifty people crossed their arms and glared at each other. Little did they think that just a moment ago they were laughing at the officials below the seventh rank, and in a blink of an eye it was their turn to be the one who had not entered the house.
Hu Yingmao introduced to the emperor that the widow next to him was named Chu Mingtang, and he was also responsible for the coffin-opening and autopsy before Prince Hui.
Chu Tang has been working in Dali Temple for more than 20 years, and he has experienced hundreds of battles. The number of corpses he has cut is enough to make him look proud of the capital. At this time, he was holding the knife in his hand, but it was shaking worse than the first autopsy.
"Open the coffin."
Chu Tang suddenly heard the emperor speak, his legs softened and he knelt down.
The emperor frowned and said, "I asked you to open the coffin, but I didn't ask you to kneel down and worship."
"Yes, yes." Chu Tang stood up tremblingly, pressed the mechanism on the coffin, and ejected the coffin inside. He pushed the coffin away, and Gu Xingyun, who was beside the emperor, came over and said, "I'll do it."
Chu Tang then stopped his hand and stood aside, letting Gu Shizi take Prince Hui out and place him on the marble bed in the center.
The body of Prince Hui is well preserved. His face was a little pale, but his appearance was still lifelike. Wearing a royal shroud, holding a Susi handkerchief in his left hand and a sandalwood fan in his right hand, it symbolizes peace of mind and freedom from worries.
The Emperor and the Marquis looked at each other, with incomprehensible sadness in their eyes.
Gu Xingyun took a deep breath and began to undress Prince Hui. The shroud is rather complicated, with a total of seven pieces of clothing and three pairs of trousers. The clothes include five short shirts and two long shirts. The short ones are worn inside and the long ones are worn outside. Gu Xingyun unbuttoned one button after another, and then opened them layer by layer. The movements were very gentle, but everyone present was moved by them.
When all the clothes were peeled off, Prince Hui's open chest and abdomen were exposed. Gu Xingyun finally breathed out a breath and stepped aside.
When Hu Yingmao saw that Gu Shizi had stepped aside and it was time for a caesarean section, he quickly pushed Chu Tang. Chu Tang staggered and almost missed kissing Prince Hui.
In the small room, everyone could only hear a gasp of cold air.
Hu Yingmao quickly retracted his hand and wanted to retreat into the crack in the wall. Chu Tang quickly stabilized his body and raised the knife.
I saw the blade of the sword shining with cold light, and Chu Tang's heart was filled with waves.
With this sword strike, he will be the most awesome man in the world and above the royal realm.
"That's right of you." The Marquis on the side saw him holding up almost half a cup of tea with a look of fascination on his face, and couldn't bear to urge him.
The Marquis's voice startled Chu Tang again. All the energy I had saved just now was gone, and I dropped the knife tremblingly.
"Please be more careful." Gu Xingyun said with a frown as he watched Chu Tang shake into a sieve.
"Don't worry, Prince Gu. Chu Tang is the most stable man in the capital. He has been doing this for more than 20 years." Hu Yingmao originally wanted to flatter Chu Tang to alleviate the embarrassment he felt when he pushed Chu Tang. As a result, as soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at him with disgust, as if he was a fool who had been stupid for more than 20 years.
Chu Tang knew that if he kept shaking, he might turn into a corpse and lie in the yizhuang, unable to shake again. Then he felt cruel, bit his teeth, closed his eyes, and penetrated the flesh with the tip of the knife. Blood overflowed from his stomach to his navel with a slapping sound.
Everyone's eyes followed his hand as he moved the knife up and down, from the stomach to the navel, nervously watching him open Prince Hui's belly.
In fact, Chu Tang didn't know until this moment what Hu Yingmao asked him to find in Prince Hui's stomach.
Let alone Hu Yingmao, no one else in the small room knew what they were looking for except the Emperor, the Marquis and Gu Xingyun.
Therefore, at this time, everyone held their breath involuntarily and stretched their necks in anticipation.
And Chu Tang finally knew what he was looking for.
He shouted in his heart, "Oh my god," and he pinched a small green snake in his hand and pulled it out.
Except for the Emperor, Lord Marquis and Gu Xingyun. Others were also thinking, Oh my god, how could there be a snake in Prince Hui's belly
While the Emperor, Lord Marquis, and Gu Xingyun breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions turned cold.
The courtiers originally wanted to question the emperor, but when their eyes touched Long Yan, they couldn't help but shut up.
The emperor's face was so ugly.
Mr. Hou's face was too dark.
And Gu Xingyun's expression was too ferocious...
"Search Wei Yuanyuan and Tian Yuchen." The emperor's whole body was filled with murderous intent.
"Yes." Hu Yingmao solemnly accepted the order.
The courtiers in the large room outside consciously lined up in two rows to make way for a passage, and looked inquiringly at the emperor and important ministers coming out of the small room.
At this glance, everyone lowered their heads silently. It seemed that if they took just one or two more glances, they wouldn't have to follow him up. Just lie down in this big room.
(End of chapter)