The flowering period of magnolia was over, and the scattered flowers on the tree were also knocked down by the violent wind and rain, and turned into mud.
The ground is full of rain, and the ground is red.
Clusters of peonies and roses are planted under the tree, which are in full bloom in season. The peonies are as red as blood, and the roses are as bright and yellow as jade, swaying in the ravages of summer wind and rain.
And hanging on the magnolia tree was a woman in palace attire, the purple-red palace attire was extremely luxurious, embroidered with rich and noble peony patterns, it was so beautiful and flamboyant.
Liu An ordered his subordinates to disperse the onlookers and protect the scene of the murder.
It's really bad for lingering, accidents happen one after another in the palace, what's going on
The prince came in a hurry, and Qin Ruo held a plain bone palace umbrella painted with bamboo leaves for her.
"This old servant pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Liu An made an empty salute, and continued, "Earlier this morning, a servant passed by and saw Concubine Zhao hanging from a tree."
"Have you notified Dali Temple?"
Hearing that another person died in the palace, Murong Ci almost jumped up, but luckily it wasn't his father.
In the past few days, this is the first time that Dali Temple Minister Gu Huai and Shen Zhiyan have rushed to the palace early in the morning.
Liu An replied: "As soon as the old slave came here, he immediately sent someone to inform Dali Temple."
The wind and rain gradually subsided, and the occasional cool wind blew a few strands of rain, which made the clothes cool.
After the baptism of Xia Yu, the entire palace glowed with bright colors, the palace walls became redder, the glazed tiles turned yellower, and the blue bricks turned greener. The dense water vapor gradually dissipated, and the misty world gradually became clear and clear.
Concubine Zhao was still hanging on the tree, Murong Ci looked at her, her whole body was soaked, her head was drooping, and the gorgeous palace dress was dripping with water.
Murong Ci ordered the palace servants to get the dead down and put them on the ground for the time being.
Concubine Zhao has a good appearance, at this time, her face looks like a dyeing workshop has been opened, and the rouge has been washed away by the rain, revealing her really beautiful face. However, due to her drooping head, rouge remained on her face.
In an instant, like lightning, a white light flashed in Murong Ci's mind, as if he had thought of something
A person squatted down beside her, she didn't notice it, and wanted to catch the white light.
"What is Your Highness thinking?"
The deep voice made her heart tremble, and she suddenly came back to her senses.
Seeing her startled, Murong Yu taunted: "Your Highness is so bold, he will be scared too."
Murong Ci silently bit his lips, not wanting to talk to him, and looked at Concubine Zhao's neck.
"Your Highness thinks she hanged herself or was killed?" He asked again, as if he wanted to test her.
"If you want to hang yourself, why go here? Concubine Zhao's Jingfu Hall is not close here." She pointed to the neck of the deceased, "However, there is only a strangle mark on her neck, which is dark purple."
She was puzzled, it is unlikely that Concubine Zhao ran here and hanged herself, and why did she hang herself? However, the deep purple strangle mark on Concubine Zhao's neck is a clear evidence of hanging herself. what on earth is it
Murong Yu saw that she was frowning in thought, with doubts on her face, Shen Lang said: "Concubine Zhao's eyes are closed, her lips are parted, her tongue is touching her teeth, there is only a deep purple strangle mark on her neck, she seems to have hanged herself."
Murong Ci was surprised that he also knew autopsy.
"Perhaps Concubine Zhao really hanged herself, but maybe it was not voluntary." He said in a low and gentle voice that only she could hear.
"It wasn't voluntary." She suddenly realized that Concubine Zhao was brought here by the murderer.
However, Concubine Zhao certainly didn't come here voluntarily. Did she call for help? Who brought her here
At this moment, Gu Huai and Shen Zhiyan rushed over.
After the two saluted, they didn't say much, and Shen Zhiyan started the preliminary autopsy.
His autopsy results were similar to Murong Yu's speculation. It was preliminarily concluded that Concubine Zhao had hanged herself, and there were no other wounds on her body, and no signs of struggle.
"The deceased Concubine Zhao died around today's Yinshi, before the thunderstorm. Her green and beautiful hibiscus shoes were brand new and clean, without even a speck of dust." His jade-like brows were full of spirits, "However, it may also be washed away by the rain. gone."
"Her nails were smeared with Kodan, and the nail of her index finger was broken." Murong Ci added.
"It should have been broken while the deceased was struggling at the last moment while grabbing the hemp rope with both hands." Shen Zhiyan speculated, placing his hands on his neck as a demonstration.
"Your Highness said that it is impossible for Concubine Zhao to come here and hang herself." Murong Yu stood up, the hem of the black brocade robe was soaked by the rain on the ground, "Besides, why did Concubine Zhao hang herself?"
"The question raised by His Highness is the crux of my doubts. Whether Concubine Zhao hanged herself or was killed still needs to be investigated." Shen Zhiyan looked at Gu Huai, "My lord, I want to go to Jingfu of Concubine Zhao Have a look at the palace."
Gu Huai nodded, and Liu An hurriedly said: "The servant pointed to someone to lead Mr. Shen over."
Murong Ci watched Concubine Zhao being carried away by the servants, suddenly remembered something, and said to Liu An: "Director Liu, we will bury Concubine Zhao after a thorough investigation of this case."
He wondered: "This summer is scorching, if you leave it for three more days, I'm afraid it will stink and rot."
Shen Zhiyan said: "It's okay, I will examine Concubine Zhao's body carefully today, and the palace can handle the funeral immediately."
Murong Yu said slowly:
Boil the barrel and put together a lamp, fill up the bag and check thoroughly before burying o Throw the cap and seal the corpsebr >
The regent had already spoken, so Liu An stopped talking.
Concubine Zhao is the concubine that Murong Cheng accepted ten years ago. She lives in Jingfu Palace and has no children.
Several servants carried the body to the side hall and placed it in the side hall. The maids who were close to the concubine Zhao served the master for the last time in the side hall, cleansing, changing clothes, combing hair, and putting on makeup.
The rest of the maids and servants knelt in the side hall and wept, and a sad atmosphere permeated.
However, who can know which cries are sincere and which sorrows are perfunctory and fake.
Shen Zhiyan and Murong Ci looked around the main hall first, and then walked into the sleeping hall.
Concubine Zhao's dormitory is full of beautiful things, and the precious light is flowing, almost blinding people's eyes.
Gold and jade ornaments of various shapes can be seen everywhere, all kinds of jewelry are placed on the dressing table, and those clothes are hung up on wooden frames, so the whole bedroom is quite crowded, which is an eye-opener.
Since Concubine Xiao entered the palace six years ago, Concubine Zhao has fallen out of favor, and it is rare to see Murong Cheng once a month.
Concubine Zhao was so lonely that she found comfort and satisfaction from these treasures bestowed by His Majesty, and also got a psychological hint: His Majesty still loves her. Perhaps, she also wants to use this to tell the palace staff of Jingfu Palace: One day, she will regain His Majesty's favor.
Murong Ci grieves for the women in the harem, although she grew up in the palace and is used to seeing the ups and downs of the concubines in the harem, the vicissitudes of life and death.
Therefore, since she was sensible, she decided that she would never become a pitiful woman in the harem, and would never let any man control her own destiny.
Shen Zhiyan looked around, his eyes were cold, "The bedroom is clean and orderly, there is no trace of fighting, everything is as usual."
She nodded, "I have been unable to figure it out, there should be no reason for Concubine Zhao to hang herself."
"But it can't explain the fact that she hanged herself, and there is no need for her to go so far to hang herself."
"This is the most paradoxical mystery of Concubine Zhao's death."
"I'll send Zhao Concubine's close maid, Yuan Fang, for questioning." He walked out of the bedroom and ordered a servant to pass the message.
Murong Ci stood in front of the bed, his cold eyes swept over inch by inch.
Afterwards, when she came to the main hall, Shen Zhiyan began to ask Yuan Fang: "You are Yuan Fang, Concubine Zhao's close maid."
Yuan Fang nodded her head, her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and her face was full of grief.
"Did you serve Concubine Zhao to bed last night?" Murong Ci asked her to raise her head to answer.
"Reporting to Your Highness, Mr. Shen, you are a slave." Yuan Fang choked up.
"Did Concubine Zhao do anything unusual before and after going to bed last night?" Shen Zhiyan continued to ask.
"Concubine Zhao is the same as usual, she will take a rest after taking a bath." She lowered her eyes and sobbed sadly.
"Would Concubine Zhao drink tea before going to bed?" A thought suddenly flashed in Murong Ci's mind.
"Concubine Zhao drinks a cup of soup every day before going to bed."
"what soup"
"Last night it was almond cheese. In the past, there were rose water, hibiscus soup, bird's nest porridge, etc."
"Who made the almond cheese?" Murong Ci asked, as if something came out of the water like a relief.
"Concubine Zhao didn't want to bother the cook in the imperial dining room, so she asked the servants to set up a small dining room in Jingfu Hall. Whatever Concubine Zhao likes to eat is made by Yuan Qiu." Yuan Fang replied.
"Concubine Zhao took a break after eating almond cheese last night." Shen Zhiyan glanced at His Highness, as if he had a tacit understanding, "Are you the one who kept watch?"
"Concubine Zhao took a break after eating the almond cheese. It's my servant who keeps watch at night." Yuan Fang cried more and more sadly, with tears streaming down his face, "My servant is always alert at night, but for some reason, I didn't know anything last night. I will wake up, but this morning Yuanqiu called my servant for a long time before my servant woke up because I didn’t take good care of Concubine Zhao, this servant deserves to die.”
Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan looked at each other, then let her go, and then summoned Yuan Qiu.
Yuan Qiu was also unbearably sad, his eyes were slightly swollen, and his head was bowed down.
She spoke in a calm voice, "After Concubine Zhao entered the palace, the servants and Yuan Fang have been waiting on her for many years."
Murong Ci asked: "I heard that Concubine Zhao likes to drink a cup of soup before going to bed."
Yuan Qiu replied: "Yes, the almond butter, lotus cup, and bird's nest porridge that Concubine Zhao ate before going to bed were all made by slaves." He hanged himself. Concubine Zhao must have been murdered to death, I beg you to seek justice for Concubine Zhao."
Shen Zhiyan glanced at His Highness, and asked calmly, "Why do you conclude that Concubine Zhao will not hang herself?"
"The day before yesterday, Concubine Zhao also said that she would go to visit His Majesty in two days and get His Majesty's heart." Yuan Qiu's speech was fast and messy, "Just think about it, isn't it strange how Concubine Zhao hanged herself?"
"I will investigate thoroughly. You made the almond cheese last night, and you sent it to the bedroom. Did you watch Concubine Zhao finish eating?" Murong Ci asked.
"Every night, the maidservant made the preparations and sent them to the bedroom, but last night Yuan Fang said that Concubine Zhao was angry, so she brought the almond butter and went in. The maidservant thought that the small dining room hadn't been cleaned yet, so she went to tidy it up." Yuan Qiu Gradually calm was restored.