Murong Ci sat on the carved chair on the left, with a cold face.
Sitting behind the case, Shen Zhiyan was the presiding judge, dressed in official robes, with a stern face and slightly drawn brows, exuding a somewhat unusual majesty.
Suddenly, he slammed the gavel and asked in a deep voice, "The suspect is Ma Dong."
Ma Dong's body trembled violently, he lowered his head and secretly glanced at the lord above, "If you go back to your lord, the grass man is Ma Dong."
"Last night, you were drunk and saw the deceased Xia Xiaolu's master and servant in the small temple. You saw the deceased's delicate features, and you were attracted to him, so you killed Chuntao first, and then raped and then killed Xia Xiaolu. Can you plead guilty?" Shen Zhiyan asked angrily .
"My lord, Caomin didn't kill anyone, Caomin didn't touch that girl" Ma Dong anxiously denied, almost crying with anxiety, "Caomin has never seen that girl before, how could he rape and kill the girl?"
"The deceased Chuntao held a piece of cloth in his hand, which was your robe. The nails of the deceased Xia Xiaolu's right hand were stained with blood, and your left arm happened to have a scratch wound. Someone saw you lying on Xia Xiaolu's bed early this morning. Beside him, the evidence of the crime is conclusive, and you still dare to deny it." Shen Zhiyan narrowed his eyes slightly, and his tone was as majestic as a mountain, making people breathless.
"I'm wronged, Caomin really didn't rape and kill those two girls. Caomin didn't know why there was a wound on his left arm. Caomin really couldn't remember what happened last night." Ma Dong was frightened and cried. .
"How dare you quibble with the evidence of the crime?" Shen Zhiyan was furious, "You are drunk, so of course you don't remember the crime."
Ma Dong was stupefied, tears streaming down his face, it's over, is he going to kill someone, will he be beheaded
Shen Zhiyan asked again: "What else do you have to say?"
He wailed loudly: "My lord, Caomin is really wronged. Although Caomin is drunk and doesn't remember anything, Caomin will never rape and kill that girl."
Shen Zhiyan was so angry that he looked at His Highness on the left.
Murong Ci has been thinking about a question, is the red wishful knot in the corner of the temple left behind by Xia Xiaolu's master and servant
If the red wishful knot did not belong to Xia Xiaolu's master and servant, then it means that there may be a fourth person who stayed at the scene of the crime.
The red ruyi knot is quite new, without dust, it should have been left in the temple in the past two days. Then, it must have been left in the temple yesterday, or it may have been left behind by a young girl unrelated to the case who went to the temple to offer incense.
For a moment, she was not sure whether the red wishful knot had anything to do with the case.
Seeing her frowning deeply, as if she was thinking, Shen Zhiyan coughed twice.
Murong Ci came back to his senses, and said in a low voice: "Human life is at stake. If there are new clues in two days, it won't be too late for another trial."
He agrees with her and announces his resignation.
Back in the backyard, she took out the red wishful knot and expressed her opinion. He agreed with her conclusion, saying: "This red wishful knot should belong to a woman. Whether it is related to this case is hard to say."
Seeing that Murong Cheng was getting better every day, Concubine Xiao Gui felt that there should be some excitement in the palace, and it coincided with her birthday, so she proposed to hold a big birthday banquet.
He was naturally gracious, he was almost moldy from being bored in the Qingyuan Hall all day long, and he also wanted to meet people and have fun.
She organized her birthday banquet with great fanfare. She has been organizing it for several days and decided to have a good time.
The vast vestibule outside the main hall of Qingluan Hall is suitable for holding birthday banquets. At dusk, when the heat recedes and the cool breeze blows, it is a beautiful day. Therefore, she ordered the palace servants to fill the vestibule with all kinds of exotic flowers.
On this day, the descendants of the clan and the family members of officials of the fourth rank or above entered the palace to celebrate their birthdays around noon. The palace staff led them to the side hall to rest and eat birthday noodles, melons and fruits, and then they were free to walk around the Qingluan Hall. Some foreign wives want to climb the dragon and become the phoenix, and go to see Concubine Xiao, and those well-dressed ladies from aristocratic families stroll around under the scorching sun, hoping to meet the sons of the clan or the sons of famous families who fall in love at first sight.
In the gazebo on the east side of Qingluan Hall, several ladies from aristocratic families gathered together to chat and eat melon seeds.
"Have you heard that the marriage between Princess Zhaohua and Mr. Gong is about to be cancelled?"
"Oh why cancel"
"Could it be that the palace family offended the royal family or committed something?"
"I don't know the details, but I heard from my father that Mr. Gong was injured, and the injury was in that place."
"Where"
"That's the place where you won't be able to have children in the future."
"My God, isn't that Gongzi's life over?"
"Because of this incident, the marriage between Princess Zhaohua and Mr. Gong was cancelled."
"I also heard that it was Princess Zhaohua who hurt Young Master Gong."
"Ah!" Everyone exclaimed and asked, "Why did Princess Zhaohua hurt Mr. Gong for no reason?"
"You can figure it out when you think about it." The lady said in a secretive manner.
Then these ladies bit their ears in twos and threes, talking endlessly.
There was only one person who did not whisper to the others, and the lady sat in the corner, like a chrysanthemum blooming beside the gurgling stream, elegant and quiet, and like a cloud in the blue sky, elegant and poetic.
At this time, a young woman walked into the gazebo, with a cute smile on her charming face, "What are you talking about?"
The ladies were startled when they heard the words, and immediately looked at each other in silence: Princess Duanrou didn't hear what they said.
It was Murong Shi who came. She was wearing a peach red dress, embroidered with peach blossoms in silver thread, delicate and scorching, just like peach blossoms with all the romantic branches in spring.
All the ladies stood up and saluted, "Meet Princess Duanrou."
Murong Shi asked them to stand up, glanced at the corner with smiling eyes, and then jumped over lively, "You are Master Shen's younger sister, Shen Zhili."
That elegant and quiet lady is Shen Zhili.
All the ladies looked at her one after another. It turned out that she was the eldest lady of the Taifu Shen family. Before, they thought she was the Xiaojiabiyu of some fourth-rank official.
Looking at her appearance, her facial features are not amazing enough, but she looks comfortable, her eyes are like lacquer, her lips are like dandelion, and her whole body is extremely elegant and quiet.
"I'm Shen Zhili, greetings to the princess." She saluted, her voice was like the sound of clear and shallow water flowing along the mountain when the snow on the top of the mountain melted into a trickle in spring.
"This is your first time entering the palace. I'll show you around." Murong Shi warmly took her arm and walked out of the pavilion.
Shen Zhili is not used to such sudden enthusiasm, especially from a stranger.
But thinking that the other party is Yu Wang's niece, I let her go.
The ladies watched them walk away, and looked at each other in confusion, why Princess Duanrou was so nice to Shen Zhili who had just returned to Beijing
Murong Shi did have selfish intentions, because Shen Zhili was Shen Zhiyan's younger sister, and the relationship between Shen Zhiyan and His Royal Highness was very unusual. As long as she gets along well with Shen Zhili, she will have many opportunities to approach His Highness the Crown Prince in the future.
"Sister Shen, I heard that you have been recuperating in your hometown for the past two years, have you recovered now?" Murong Shi asked softly.
"Thank you Princess for your concern. I've been recuperating for two years, and I'm all well now." Shen Zhili smiled, but he was a little suspicious in his heart. He didn't know Princess, why was she so enthusiastic about him
"That's great, can I go to Taifu's mansion to play with you in the future?" Murong Shi smiled playfully.
"Of course, you are welcome."
"If you are free, you can also come to Yuwangfu to find me."
"Okay." Shen Zhili was pleasantly surprised in his heart, but his expression remained calm.
"Princess Zhaohua is depressed recently, let's go see Princess Zhaohua."
"Okay. Will Princess Zhaohua come to Concubine Xiao's birthday banquet?"
"Probably not. I've inquired, Princess Zhaohua's mood hasn't recovered yet."
"Then your third uncle Yu Wang will come?" Shen Zhili said hesitantly, his soft cheeks felt slightly warm unconsciously.
"Third Uncle is very busy, I don't know if he will come." Murong Shi didn't realize that she asked this question without thinking.
"Does Yu Wang handle government affairs in the palace every day?" Shen Zhili asked again.
"Yes, third uncle is usually in the palace during the day." Murong Shi laughed.
When Shen Zhili asked this, a court lady brushed past them and deliberately slowed down.
The maid stopped leisurely and looked back at them with cold eyes.
After that, she left in a hurry.
Murong Shi and Shen Zhili went to Jinghong Hall, and Shen Zhili got some useful information from the chatter along the way.
When they arrived at Jinghong Hall, the palace servants went to report and came back to say that the princess was resting and didn't want to see anyone.
They had no choice but to go back the same way, chatting all the way again.
Suddenly, Murong Shi smiled brightly, and urged: "Sister Shen, it's still early, why don't we go to the East Palace to meet His Highness the Crown Prince. Your elder brother Mr. Shen is accompanied by the Crown Prince, so you, a younger sister, will naturally go to visit His Highness the Crown Prince when you return to Beijing." ,Yes or no"
Seeing the excitement on her face, Shen Zhili said hesitantly: "His Royal Highness didn't summon me, so we'll just go like this, it's not too good."
"No, His Royal Highness will not blame us. Let's go, you can just accompany me."
"All right."
Shen Zhili reluctantly agreed that in order to get closer to Yu Wang in the future, she must have a good relationship with Princess Duanrou.
However, when they passed Qingluan Hall, a servant came out quickly and said, "You two are Princess Duanrou, Miss Shen."
Murong Shi asked in surprise: "I am, what's the matter?"
"The imperial concubine summoned Miss Shen, Miss Shen, please come with the servant." The servant said.
"Yes." Shen Zhili apologized, "Princess, I can't accompany you."
Murong Shi pursed her lips and frowned helplessly, okay, I'll go later.
Shen Zhili followed the servants into the hall, moved lightly with lotus steps, bowed his head, and saw a pair of begonias embroidered with gold thread, apricot silk shoes embroidered with pearls, and a scarlet seven-fold gauze dress embroidered with clouds and clouds. . She said softly: "My daughter, Shen Zhi, pays homage to the imperial concubine."
Concubine Xiao Gui sat obliquely, her posture was lax, and her voice was melodious, "Raise your head."
Shen Zhili couldn't guess Concubine Xiao's intention, so he raised his head as he said.
Looking at the noble woman in the harem, she is not stage frightened, although she is a little guilty.
Concubine Xiao looked at her casually, blinking her long, thick black eyelashes lightly, "He really is a beautiful and wonderful person."