The fragments of the blood jade bracelet fell between Qu Moying's fingers.
There was a strong visual difference between the jade-like fingers and the fragments of the blood jade bracelet, which made people feel that the fingers in front of them were whiter and tenderer. The color of the blood jade seemed to be really flowing, and a faint crack appeared clearly in front of everyone.
With the contrast of the finger and the color of the jade, the originally small cracks became clearer, and there seemed to be mud in the middle of the cracks.
"Concubine Ji said that she broke it by accident, so it must have been on the shore, right? If so, why did the mud seep into the cracks of the blood jade bracelet? It is impossible to seep into the deep cracks without soaking in mud or muddy water. Concubine Ji, why don't you tell me why this happened?"
As Qu Moying spoke, he shook his fingers, and the brilliance of the blood jade bracelet also shook. The watery color became brighter in the sunlight from the window, and the black mud in the cracks seemed even more weird.
"I heard from Concubine Ji that my cousin's blood jade bracelet was given to Concubine Ji, but why is it broken into pieces like this? And why has it been soaked in muddy water for so long after it was broken? Even here, not all the pieces are from one blood jade bracelet. I have asked someone to identify it. Although there are many pieces of blood jade bracelets here, some of them are not from this blood jade bracelet, but from other similar ones."
Qu Moying stared at Ji Youran, his voice becoming a little hoarse.
She had waited too long for this day.
Ji Youran was so panicked that her whole body was shaking. She reached out her hand to grab Pei Luoan's robe, but Pei Luoan raised his leg and kicked her hard.
She was kicked and fell to the ground, with blood spurting out from the corner of her lips.
“Concubine Ji, okay… okay, you actually dared to hide it from me… you… you…” Pei Luoan coughed loudly when he said this, and he was obviously very angry and out of breath for a moment.
Liu Jingyu hurried over and patted his back gently.
"It seems that the death of the Crown Princess was really a bit unexpected." Pei Yuanjun curled his lips wickedly. He watched the whole farce in front of him. He looked up at Ji Youran who was lying on the ground. "This concubine of the Crown Prince's Mansion married... Could it be that the rumors outside are true?"
Pei Luoan coughed violently again, and finally stopped. He looked at Ji Youran with cold eyes, a trace of hostility on his face, and stood up with the help of the eunuch's hand, staggering to his feet: "Ji Youran... is it really you who pissed off the former Crown Princess, is it really that you, the Ling'an Marquis' Mansion, are you really... not kind-hearted?"
"Your Highness, I didn't do it. I really didn't do it. Your Highness, please save me. I don't know anything. It was... the people around me who made me like this. I just wanted to exchange for a blood jade bracelet. I don't know anything else." Ji Youran begged as she fell to the ground and cried.
Looks so pitiful.
But no one present really felt sorry for her.
"Your Highness, why don't you check all the places related to water in the East Palace!" Qu Moying said slowly, his eyes sweeping over Ji Youran with a malicious and cold look.
The place with water in the East Palace, the water under the Linyuan Pavilion in the East Palace, is a stream of running water, which is also easy to make people think of.
Pei Luoan's heart was shocked. He could not let Qu Moying investigate this matter anyway. He closed his eyes, and when he looked up again, he had regained some clarity. He put his hand on his chest and coughed hard twice, then he said in a painful and slow voice: "Princess Ying, I promise you that I must investigate this matter thoroughly. If...
If Ji Youran really did something to offend the Crown Princess, I will not let her go."
"Your Highness, do you think these things are related to Concubine Ji?" Qu Moying did not intend to let Pei Luoan marry like this.
Ji Youran is her enemy, and so is Pei Luoan.
"There must be something strange about this matter. I will...find out the details and then reply to Princess Ying." Pei Luoan said with difficulty.
"Prince, this seems really strange. Two sisters married the same man, and then the younger sister died and the older sister stayed. This seems a little familiar." Pei Yuanjun's lazy voice broke the solemn atmosphere in the room. "The prince originally chose the second lady of the Ji family. He should not be that familiar with this eldest lady!"
If there hadn't been an ambiguous relationship early on, Ji Youran would never have been able to enter the Eastern Palace.
"Uncle Wang is right!" Pei Luoan clenched his hands and then relaxed them, suppressing the anger in his heart. He had to humiliate himself and agree, "Ji Shufei's behavior was not standard at the beginning. I thought she was a gentle person, but it turned out that... she had ill intentions towards the former Crown Princess and even trampled on the former Crown Princess's blood jade bracelet as much as possible."
In just a moment, Pei Luoan had already thought of a reason.
Put all the blame on Ji Youran and let Ji Youran bear the responsibility. The blood jade bracelet was right in front of him and everyone present could see it clearly. Even if Pei Luoan wanted to protect Ji Youran, it was impossible, especially since Pei Yuanjun was sitting next to him with a covetous look in his eyes. Pei Luoan was sure that as long as he wanted to protect her, this person would not let him go.
"Someone, take Ji Youran away." Pei Luoan shouted.
At this point, the truth has come to light. Not only was Ji Youran unable to prove her innocence, but she was also found to have harbored ill will towards the late Crown Princess, and even threw the late Crown Princess's most treasured blood jade bracelet into the mud to soak.
Pei Luoan no longer had the heart to stay in Ling'anbo's mansion at this time. After saying goodbye to Pei Yuanjun and Pei Qingmin, he left with Liu Jingyu.
He still had to go back home to investigate this matter. No matter whether it was Ji Hanyue or Ji Youran, they were both his wives and concubines, so it would be inconvenient for Qu Moying to intervene even if he wanted to.
Fortunately, Ji Youran found it difficult to get up this time.
Watching Ji Youran being dragged away from him by the guards like a dead dog, Qu Moying reached behind his back and pulled his collar with his fingers, holding it tightly, as if this would make him stand straighter.
In the Linyuan Pavilion of the Eastern Palace, it has been too long since then...
She waited too long...
"Uncle Wang, I'm taking my leave." Pei Qingmin coughed softly, then stood up with the help of the eunuch.
"What does the King of Wei think?" Pei Yuanjun asked with a smile without being in a hurry to leave.
Pei Qingmin looked in the direction the prince left, with a faint smile on his pale face: "This concubine Ji is indeed a vicious person, but she doesn't look like someone who will give in so easily. However, it would be better to send her to the Dali Temple for questioning."
Pei Yuanjun tapped his fingers lightly on the corner of the table and nodded: "This matter should definitely be sent to the Dali Temple. Even if the Eastern Palace investigates, they may not find anything."
"Uncle Wang, I'll go ahead. If you need me to testify, just send someone over." Pei Qingmin smiled palely, his eyes sweeping across Qu Moying's face without pausing for a moment.
"I have something to do too, so I'll go back with you!" Pei Yuanjun also stood up. He came here just to support Qu Moying in this matter. Qu Moying didn't plan to let him interfere in the following matters.
After the two men left, Qu Moying and Madam Duan sat down again as host and guest, and the elders of the Ji family also returned to their seats.
When this happened, the elders of the clan were all trembling with fear, and no one dared to look at the British princess above. This British princess had just confronted His Royal Highness the Crown Prince directly. Such courage was not something that an ordinary man could have, let alone a delicate woman.
After the tea was refilled, Qu Moying took a sip and put the cup down heavily. He raised his watery eyes and looked at the Ji clan elders below: "How do you...think about this?"
The elders looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Ji Youran’s previous words were basically all lies, so were her so-called close relationship with the Crown Princess also lies? Thinking more deeply, was the Crown Princess really so angry about this incident, coupled with her poor health, that she passed away all of a sudden
If they think in this direction, something big will happen. Several elders of the Ji family just regretted why they came here today.
"Princess England, we, the old man, do not understand this matter either. Everything shall be decided by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." The elders finally pushed forward the most respected one to stand up and speak.
"It's hard to stop Youyou from talking about what happened today. I'm afraid that the people of the Ji family will be implicated. My cousin was concerned about the Ji family that day, but now even if she wants to protect them, she is powerless."
Qu Moying sighed and no longer had the aggressive attitude she had just now. After what happened just now, she looked much friendlier now.
Seeing that she was talking to Yan Yuese, the elders of the Ji clan became bolder.
"Princess Ying, if the former Crown Princess was here... she wouldn't have let the Ling Anbo Mansion fall to its current state."
"The Crown Princess is gone, the General is gone, and the Ji family is in decline." Someone burst into tears, thinking back to the past and looking at the present. Several elders in the clan who had not been so sentimental before also became sad at this moment.
If General Ji was still alive, if the former Crown Princess was still alive, how prosperous would the Ji family be? How could it be compared to what it is now
"This matter...if it is found out that it is really related to Concubine Ji, it may involve more people. You all know how His Royal Highness the Crown Prince treated the former Crown Princess in the past. I am afraid... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be furious at that time." Qu Moying said calmly, with a sharp look in his eyes.
This is another thing she wants to accomplish today.
"This... What should I do?"
"Concubine Ji... she is clearly lying."
"It was done by Concubine Ji. It has nothing to do with us. We know nothing." An elder suddenly pulled Ji Yongan out from the corner and said, "Tell me... what did you do at that time? How did it get to this point now... The Crown Princess got into trouble, the Earl got into trouble, the Third Miss got into trouble, and this... you are the only one in the whole mansion who didn't get into trouble?"
"Yeah, this... is true!" You don't know what to say until you say it. As soon as you say it, you immediately realize the inconsistency. The elders of the clan looked at each other and suddenly we all panicked.
"Princess Ying, let's go back to the clan to discuss this matter. If it was really done by Concubine Ji, we will not tolerate her in our house."
If it is really related to the death of the Crown Princess, Ji Youran has committed a heinous crime. Moreover, these people have seen the situation clearly just now. No matter how you look at it, Ji Youran has no future. If they don't step on her hard at this time, on the one hand it means that they have nothing to do with this matter, and on the other hand it is just the right time to curry favor with the Prince of Ying's Palace.