coobybook Chapter 240: Unpredictable Human Evil
Chapter 240: Unpredictable Human Evil
Jiang Wanyue could see what she was thinking and didn't say much on this topic. Instead, she started talking about the Prince's Mansion.
"Your brother went to a banquet yesterday and drank too much. He was almost framed. In order to protect him, your father asked him to stay in the palace to recuperate."
She briefly recounted what happened yesterday.
Li Chengyu's eyes suddenly widened in shock and anger.
"Who did it? How dare they plot against my brother?! Has Father investigated the matter? Has he dealt with it?"
After she said this, without waiting for Jiang Wanyue to reply, a look of sudden realization appeared on her face.
"I heard that a eunuch and a palace maid were executed yesterday. Could it be because of this?"
Jiang Wanyue nodded slightly.
"Those two are from the Prince's Mansion. Their crime is failing to protect their master. However, you also know that these servants have no guts to murder their master. There must be someone behind the scenes who is instructing them."
Li Chengyu nodded repeatedly.
"Mother is right!"
"Originally, I wanted to send someone to investigate, but it's not convenient right now. Your father is angry with me, and it's not convenient for me to intervene at this time, so I can only ask you to do it."
Jiang Wanyue said this seriously and held Li Chengyu's hands.
This made Li Chengyu very excited.
"Don't worry, mother. I will definitely find out the real culprit behind this!"
She gritted her teeth, ready to roll up her sleeves and get to work.
Jiang Wanyue showed a relieved expression.
"Okay, I believe you can do it. You can ask your father for permission to leave the palace later. The prince's concubine died last night. You can say that he is worried about the health of the crown princess and wants to visit her. Your father loves you and will definitely agree."
Li Chengyu nodded seriously, and after listening, he wrinkled his nose.
"What day was yesterday? Why did so many things happen? The Imperial Observatory said it was a good day! And now three people have died."
Jiang Wanyue didn't say anything.
The days calculated by the Imperial Astronomical Observatory can only reflect God's mood, but cannot predict the evil in people's hearts.
She didn't stay long. After giving her instructions, she got up and left.
I walked slowly all the way back to Fenglai Palace. As soon as I sat down, a palace maid came to report that Nanny Qian had arrived.
Of course, Nanny Qian cannot be addressed like that now. Two years after she married Deputy Captain Ma, Deputy Captain Ma was promoted to colonel, a sixth-rank military officer, and Nanny Qian also received an imperial decree. Although she was not qualified for the title of a first-rank lady, it was polite to address her as "Madam".
However, Nanny Qian was still the same as before in front of Jiang Wanyue.
She knelt down respectfully and kowtowed, then was helped up by the palace maids and sat on a round stool.
Jiang Wanyue chatted with her for a few words, then pretended to casually send a few palace maids away, leaving only two trusted ones.
After everyone left, Nanny Qian immediately changed the subject.
"I have already told my husband about the queen's instructions. But he said that he might not be able to find out what happened in General Fan's mansion."
Jiang Wanyue said “hmm”.
"When they were at the border, General Fan was considered half his superior, so it was not easy to offend him. So, you can ask him to start with the broker. The maid named Hongying should have been bought by the Fan family in Beijing after they entered the capital. This maid knows some poetry, calligraphy and painting, and she is not bad looking. If she is not being cultivated intentionally, she may be the daughter of an official."
Nanny Qian's expression changed.
"Your Majesty, are you guessing that this girl was sent to the Fan family on purpose? But at that time, the Emperor hadn't arranged a marriage yet! Who would have known that the girl from the Fan family would become the Crown Princess?"
Jiang Wanyue's eyes flickered slightly.
"This move was not necessarily intended to deal with the crown prince. It was probably because the Fan family was valued by the emperor, so someone had this idea in mind."
As soon as General Fan arrived in Beijing, he held an important position as the commander of the imperial guards, and he was always the most trusted person by the emperor. Even though the Fan family was not considered a noble family at that time, it was clear that they would rise in the future.
The plan was made in advance, this happened at least five or six years ago.
The person behind this is really patient.
After being reminded by Jiang Wanyue, Nanny Qian did not dare to stay for long. She drank a cup of tea and left in a hurry.
After that, Jiang Wanyue never went out again and stayed in Fenglai Palace.
The palace affairs were handed over, Xu'er went to class, Jiang Wanyue changed out of her heavy hair crown and dress, leaned back on the couch, and Xing'er massaged her head.
After lunch, Jiang Wanyue went out for a walk to digest the food, and then returned to Fenglai Palace for a nap.
She seemed not to be affected by what happened yesterday at all. She ate as usual and slept as usual without any worry at all.
At this time, Li Ce was talking with the Dali Temple Minister in the study.
"…I and Minister Feng led people to Prince Yong's mansion. The coroner carefully examined the prince's concubine and indeed found something strange."
"This concubine offended the Crown Princess with her words during the day, and was fined three months' salary and confined to her house for one month. Before the Crown Prince returned home, she was still trying to beg for mercy from the Crown Prince. Before she died, she had not even seen the Crown Prince. In my humble opinion, this woman should not have suddenly hanged herself at that time."
Suicide is something that people only do when they are completely hopeless.
This prince's concubine had no motive to commit suicide at all.
Li Ce looked at him without changing his expression.
"go on."
"Moreover, the woman looked terrified, as if she had been frightened before her death, and her hands were clenched into fists. With the Crown Prince's consent, the coroner pried open her hands and found bruises on her palms and a few filaments under her fingernails. After identification, they were found to be the same as the white silk she had used to hang herself. This shows that she had struggled violently before her death and had grabbed the silk with both hands."
The Dali Temple Minister stretched out his hands and grabbed his neck, giving a demonstration.
"Minister Feng and I both concluded that this woman did not hang herself, but was hanged from a high place."
There was no surprise on Li Ce's face, he just asked.
"Have you found the murderer?"
The Dali Temple Minister nodded.
If he hadn't found any clues, he wouldn't have rushed into the palace.
"After questioning by officials from the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice, it was found that before the woman died, she had met another concubine. The two of them dismissed the maids and servants and had a long conversation in the room. Not long after the concubine left, the woman sent the maid to the front yard to wait for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. When His Royal Highness the Crown Prince returned home, the maid went back to report and found that the door was locked. She knocked on the door and no one responded. She looked through the small window of the side room and found that the woman had been hanged."
With the cooperation between the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice, the efficiency of investigating the case was very high, and so much was discovered in just half a day.
Li Ce was very satisfied.
The Dali Temple Minister said so much and took a breath before continuing.
"What remains is to interrogate the other concubine and her maid. However, this matter involves the Crown Prince's harem, so I wonder if it should be sent to the Ministry of Justice or the Dali Temple?"
If it is sent to the Ministry of Justice, it will be treated as an ordinary murder case.
If it is sent to the Dali Temple, it will be treated as a royal matter.
The case files of the Ministry of Justice can be made public, but those of the Dali Temple cannot. Unless there is an order from the emperor, even high-ranking officials of the first or second rank cannot review them at will.
What the Dali Temple Minister wanted to ask was whether this case would be handled publicly or secretly.