Seeing that the imperial sister was so sad, Murong Ci felt uncomfortable, and comforted softly: "I will find out the truth and avenge your mother and concubine."
Murong Chang burst into tears again, lying on Concubine Qiao's body.
Murong Ci said softly: "Sister, now I want to send your mother and concubine to Tingxue Pavilion, please get up first, okay?"
Murong Chang choked up and said, "Brother Prince, my sister didn't show filial piety to my concubine and concubine during the confinement, and my sister wanted to serve my concubine well here, please beg for your permission."
This is also human nature.
Murong Ci agreed, if an autopsy is required, Shen Zhiyan will come to Yuxiu Hall.
"Brother Prince, my younger sister wants to talk to my concubine personally."
"good."
Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan left, and told Qin Ruo to wait in the main hall.
Standing in the corridor of the hall, Murong Ci was about to speak, but was shocked to see his father staggering in, followed by two servants chasing after him while shouting, "Your Majesty!"
She ran over in panic, how could the royal father know who leaked the news about Concubine Qiao's death
Murong Cheng was wearing pajamas and a black cloak, his face was full of sadness, "Prince, Concubine Qiao is gone"
"Father, I will tell you this matter slowly, and I will escort you back to Qingyuan Hall first." She was anxious and worried.
"If I don't go back, I'm going to see Concubine Qiao." He resolutely pushed her away and walked towards the hall.
"Father, Father" Murong Ci hurried to catch up.
Shen Zhiyan stood on the jade steps, blocking the way with his body, "I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Murong recognized that he was the young minister of Dali Temple, Huang Bai's face was a bit majestic, "It's best if you stay here, come with me to see Concubine Qiao."
When Concubine Xiao Gui passed away, he didn't go to see it in person, and he didn't see her for the last time. This was the greatest regret in his life.
Concubine Qiao was also dead, and he had to see her for the last time. After all, during this period of time, she served him with all her heart and was more gentle and pleasant than Concubine Xiao. Now that she died unexpectedly, how could he not come and see her
Shen Zhiyan said softly, "Your Majesty, just now, my minister and His Highness have inspected Concubine Qiao's body. Concubine Qiao has passed away. Your Majesty mourns."
Only then did Murong Cheng realize that he was here to stop him, so he pushed him angrily, "Get out of here"
"Your Majesty, please listen to my minister's words. It's about Concubine Qiao." Shen Zhiyan said calmly.
"Say." Murong Cheng finally stopped.
"Concubine Qiao's condition is not very good after her death, and her beauty is damaged. And everyone has a heart for beauty, Concubine Qiao must not want to leave this ugly last side in His Majesty's heart. If she still has breath, she must not let it go. Your Majesty sees her damaged face." Shen Zhi said.
"Father, what you said is right. The dead are the most important, and the dying wish of Concubine Qiao, does the father not care about it?" Murong Ci echoed.
"But, I can't even see the last side of the person next to my pillow." Murong Cheng said sadly, with tears in his eyes.
"Your Majesty came to Yuxiu Palace in person. Concubine Qiao is alive in the sky. I am very pleased and grateful. Please let Concubine Qiao go with more peace of mind." Shen Zhiyan said again.
Murong Cheng looked at the main hall which was close at hand, and wanted to take a step several times, but he retracted in the end.
His wrinkled eyebrows twitched in grief, and tears glistened, which showed that he was suppressing great grief.
Murong Ci could feel the grief of her father. When she was young, whenever a concubine passed away, her father would calmly issue orders after listening to them. She was indifferent and never mourned. This year is different. Father has changed a lot. He cherishes everyone around him, and he has a deep understanding of life, old age, sickness and death.
This should be a good thing.
Murong Cheng didn't go in after all, and went back to Qingyuan Hall under the escort of Qin Ruo and the servants.
However, he told the prince to find out the truth about Concubine Qiao's death and catch the murderer.
Shen Zhiyan examined Concubine Qiao's body in detail, but found no useful clues.
Concubine Qiao's face and head became more and more black and blue, and there was still no sign of poisoning below her neck. So, how did the murderer poison Concubine Qiao
Qin Ruo guessed: "Smearing the poison on Concubine Qiao's scalp can explain why the scalp turned black and blue."
He waved his hand, "How could Concubine Qiao let the murderer smear the poison on her scalp? It is possible if she is unconscious, but the murderer must put Concubine Qiao into a coma. However, Concubine Qiao has always been served by palace servants." So, the murderer is not easy to catch."
"If it's midnight, the murderer sneaked into Yuxiu Palace, knocked Concubine Qiao into a coma while she was asleep, and then rubbed poison on her scalp." Murong Ci speculated.
"The murderer must be familiar with the Palace of Yuxiu, and his hands and feet are nimble, because he sneaked into the Palace of Yuxiu in the middle of the night, and was easily spotted by the patrolling guards." He analyzed.
"But why did the murderer kill Concubine Qiao? Who was the murderer?" Qin Ruo asked another question.
"The reason why Concubine Qiao died is the most important point." Shen Zhiyan said.
"Concubine Qiao had a headache before she died, so she scratched her head and tightly clutched the sandalwood bracelet." Murong Ci was puzzled, and looked at it while holding the bracelet, "Why did Concubine Qiao hold this bracelet before she died?"
At this time, Liu An
Stepping into the side hall, he reported: "His Royal Highness, the palace servants of Yuxiu Palace are waiting outside, are you summoned for interrogation now?"
She raised her voice, "Call Sandalwood and Chen Xiang in first."
Sandalwood and agarwood came in, kowtowed respectfully, their faces were full of fear.
Qin Ruo sternly shouted: "You must recruit every five and ten, and if there are false words, you will be buried with Concubine Qiao."
Hearing this, they nodded like pounding garlic.
Murong Ci asked coldly: "As you said before, before Concubine Qiao died, she took a lunch break in the bedroom alone."
They nodded heavily, "It's absolutely true."
"What did Concubine Qiao eat and drink for lunch today?"
"It's the same as usual." Sandalwood recalled each meal and tea.
Shen Zhiyan checked Concubine Qiao's lunch and tea, but found no poison.
Murong Ci asked again: "Is there anything unusual about Concubine Qiao in the past two or three days? Or has something strange happened in Yuxiu Palace?"
Chen Xiang and Sandalwood looked at each other and shook their heads.
"No strange things happened in Yuxiu Palace, it's as usual." Chen Xiang said.
"After getting up every day, Concubine Qiao will deal with the affairs of the harem first, and then go to Qingyuan Hall to serve His Majesty. Sometimes Concubine Qiao comes back for lunch, and sometimes dines with Your Majesty in Qingyuan Hall." Sandalwood said, "Every afternoon Concubine Qiao always takes a nap for half an hour, and then gets up to take care of the affairs of the harem."
"Does Concubine Qiao often visit the imperial sister these days?" Murong Ci asked.
"Concubine Qiao visits the princess every three to five days, the most recent time was five days ago." Chen Xiang replied.
"How is Concubine Qiao and Your Majesty these days?" Shen Zhiyan said suddenly.
"Concubine Qiao and His Majesty are very affectionate, and serve His Majesty diligently, nothing happened." Sandalwood replied.
"Have you seen this bracelet?" Murong Ci took out the sandalwood bracelet and shook it.
"This servant knows that this bracelet is the most cherished item of Concubine Qiao." Chen Xiang said.
"Oh, it was given to Concubine Qiao by the emperor"
"It is true that His Majesty rewarded Concubine Qiao." Sandalwood tilted her head and recalled, "The year the princess had not disappeared, yes, when she was about two years old, His Majesty rewarded Concubine Qiao with this sandalwood bracelet."
"Once, when the young princess saw that Concubine Qiao was wearing a bracelet, she wanted to take it off. Concubine Qiao gave the bracelet to the princess to play with. When the princess disappeared, the bracelet also disappeared." Chen Xiang continued, "Five Years ago, the people sent by His Majesty found the princess with the help of this sandalwood bracelet. After the princess returned to the palace, she gave the sandalwood bracelet to Concubine Qiao for safekeeping."
"Did you keep this bracelet all these years or Concubine Qiao often played with it?" Murong Ci didn't know that the disappearance of the imperial sister and her return to the palace had such a deep fate with this sandalwood bracelet.
"Concubine Qiao cherishes this bracelet very much, and told the servants to keep it safe, and keep it in a wooden box. But for some reason, Concubine Qiao ordered the servants to take out the bracelet a few days ago." Chen Xiang said.
"In the past few days, this servant has seen Concubine Qiao staring at her with a bracelet several times. She would spend a cup of tea in a daze. The servant asked Concubine Qiao what she was thinking, but she didn't say anything," Sandalwood said.
Murong Ci was thoughtful, why did Concubine Qiao take out the bracelet and look at it in a daze these days
Shen Zhiyan saw that His Highness stopped asking, so he continued to ask: "Has Concubine Qiao met anyone she doesn't usually see or a mysterious person in the past few days?"
Sandalwood and Chen Xiang looked at each other, then shook their heads, "Concubine Qiao only saw maids and servants, and I have never seen any mysterious people."
He then asked, "Has Concubine Qiao been out of the palace recently?"
They shook their heads again.
He asked again: "Did Concubine Qiao say anything inexplicable or confusing to you, or did she mention any weird things?"
They shook their heads again.
He wanted to ask again, but Murong Ci told them to leave first, and he told them that if they thought of anything, they should report it to the East Palace immediately.
"Your Highness, call the next one."
"I'm a bit tired, I'll go back to the East Palace first, you can ask questions later." Murong Ci hurried out, ignoring his call.
Shen Zhiyan frowned inexplicably, what's wrong with His Highness
Afterwards, he interrogated all the palace servants, and the confessions he got were not as detailed as the two close court ladies, Sandalwood and Chenxiang, and had little reference value.
When he came to the East Palace, Qin Ruo said that His Highness had already rested and asked him to come back tomorrow.
He became more and more puzzled that something was wrong with His Highness. In the past, His Highness could be said to be desperate when encountering murder cases, and he would never leave early like today.
On the second day, Shen Zhiyan rushed to the East Palace in a hurry, and before he stepped into the main hall, a joyful voice came in: "Your Highness, I know how Concubine Qiao was poisoned."
Murong Ci was having a meal, when he heard this, he only raised his eyelids.
If it was in the past, he would definitely jump up in surprise and ask.
He was out of breath, and his handsome face was blushing, "Your Highness, I thought about it all night, and finally thought of it."
Qin Ruo asked curiously: "Master Shen, tell me quickly, what kind of poisoning method is it?"
Ruyi smiled and said, "The servant also wants to know."