网络助手

"It makes perfect sense. Back then, Xiao Ronghua spoke disrespectfully and even asked the Imperial Noble Consort to persuade the Emperor to share his favor more equally. How could the Imperial Noble Consort tolerate that? Xihe Palace was originally her residence, and she knows it well. It wouldn't have been difficult for her to dispose of a body while avoiding the patrol guards."

"It's terrifying! I snuck a peek earlier - only bones remain. It looks like she's been dead for half a year, but didn't Xiao Ronghua disappear just over three months ago?"

"Either way, I think the Imperial Noble Consort is frightening. Noble Lady Jiang was so close to her, yet she dumped the body here. Who is she trying to scare?"

"How can the Emperor favor such a vicious consort? If she becomes Empress, won't we all suffer whenever she's displeased?"

"Why don't we jointly petition the Emperor to make Consort De the Empress instead? Consort De is kind-hearted, has borne a son, and has maintained an excellent reputation during her many years in the palace. She's far more suitable than the Imperial Noble Consort."

"But who will take the lead? The Emperor deeply favors the Imperial Noble Consort. If we anger him..."

With this question raised, the previously animated discussion among the consorts fell silent.

All this talk was meant to encourage someone brave to step forward, but who would be foolish enough in the palace?

No one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.

"Well... judging by the degree of decomposition, the body has been dead for at least a year. However, being submerged in water accelerated the decay process, and the bones have been infested with insects that have eaten away at them, making it very difficult to determine the exact time of death."

After the coroner from the Investigative Bureau examined the body and reported his findings, Noble Lady Jiang suddenly rubbed her head and said, "Emperor, Imperial Noble Consort, a few nights before I left the palace, I thought I heard something fall into the lotus pond. But since it was late at night, I was scared and thought it better not to investigate. Now I think those bones might have been dumped in then."

Three months wouldn't be enough time for a body to decompose to this state. If Noble Lady Jiang's account is true, this might just be where the body was disposed of, not where the murder took place.

The coroner had some clues but hesitated to speak them, instead asking an seemingly unrelated question: "Noble Lady Jiang, why aren't there any fish in this pond?"

"Fish?"

Noble Lady Jiang frowned in confusion: "I can barely take care of myself, how would I have time to raise fish? What does this have to do with fish?"

It must be said, Noble Lady Jiang had hit upon something important.

Jiang Xinyue and the Xuanwu Emperor exchanged glances, both thinking of the man-eating fish in Consort De's palace.

The magpie still had a large scar from that fish's bite.

Their gazes inadvertently fell on Consort De, but she showed no sign of panic, merely covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve in disgust.

The stench was indeed terrible. The Emperor waved his hand: "Take the bones away. In recent years, palace maids and consorts have frequently disappeared without a trace, alive or dead. This is the first time we've found remains. Investigate this thoroughly for me. If you can't solve it, you're of no use to me."

"Emperor, the body was found in Xihe Palace - can Noble Lady Jiang really be cleared of suspicion so easily?"

Concubine Cheng, wrapped tightly in a cloak brought by palace maids, couldn't stop shaking at the thought of the horrifying skeleton: "Before the matter is cleared up, please place Noble Lady Jiang under control, otherwise none of us in the palace can feel at ease."

Unable to attack Jiang Xinyue directly, she aimed for those close to her instead.

"You dare..."

Just as Noble Lady Jiang was about to curse, Jiang Xinyue held her back, fixing Concubine Cheng with a chilling stare: "Concubine Cheng, how dare you! Are you threatening the Emperor, or presuming to teach him how to handle matters?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Concubine Cheng shook her head vigorously: "I only wish to put the palace ladies at ease. Isn't Noble Lady Jiang highly suspicious?"

"What makes her suspicious? Your baseless accusations?"

Jiang Xinyue raised her voice: "Do you know who died in this lotus pond? How they died? How long they've been dead?"

"How would I know?"

"You know nothing, yet you declare Noble Lady Jiang the murderer and demand her confinement. Well, I say you deliberately pushed Noble Lady Liu into the water to harm her! Do you admit it?"

A clever move to redirect attention and shift blame.

Concubine Cheng fell into the trap of having to prove her innocence: "I... I didn't. She fell in by herself."

"You clearly pushed her."

Noble Lady Jiang seized the opportunity for revenge: "There were so many people standing by the shore then, everyone saw it. Ask anyone and they'll expose your lie."

Noble Lady Liu had been carried away by palace maids and eunuchs, her face pale and unpromising, muttering deliriously and running a high fever.

Jiang Xinyue flicked the new festival dress that Noble Lady Jiang had prepared - the old clothes soaked in corpse water had been burned, as she would never wear them again.

All the palace servants at Hexi Palace whose clothes had been soaked borrowed garments from Noble Lady Jiang's palace.

Regarding Noble Lady Liu's tragic fate, Jiang Xinyue expressed regret but no sympathy.

If she hadn't been alert earlier, when that basin of water was thrown, she would have been the one falling into the lotus pond. She had no desire to drink water that had been steeping a corpse.

"You... you're all in cahoots..."

"Enough!"

The Xuanwu Emperor glared at Concubine Cheng in fury: "The Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Lady Jiang both far outrank you. Who taught you to be so disrespectful, making such slanderous accusations against them? If you continue to show such lack of manners, you'll be dragged out and beaten."

Another beating?

Concubine Cheng shrank back, biting her lip into silence.

Wait!

Jiang Xinyue's gaze sharpened as she looked behind Consort De, noticing Luyin's absence.

Aliali: 675bcae39234b3e7f2bc33bd

Usually, Luyin never left Consort De's side.

Why hadn't Luyin come today?

It had been just the day after Jiang Xinyue returned to the palace that Luyin had been beaten.

She knew the beating hadn't been too severe - at most leaving some redness, largely meant as a show for Consort De.

So it shouldn't have left Luyin unable to walk.

Though suspicious, she couldn't voice her concerns. What if Consort De accused her of false sympathy - having ordered the beating herself, only to now ask about the victim's absence?

It would sound like deliberate mockery, as if she were trying to provoke Consort De.

But Jiang Xinyue couldn't shake her bad feeling, so when the Emperor dismissed the consorts, she pulled him back to Hexi Palace and had Jiang Chuan release Xiao Ronghua.

The Xuanwu Emperor's eyes widened as he quickly ran to the door, closing it, his gaze profound: "It was really you?"

How should he handle the fact that his most favored consort was actually a murderer?