“……”

There was silence all around.

The surrounding chamberlains, palace maids, and forbidden soldiers all didn't dare to move, their expressions were subtle, and the atmosphere was a little stiff.

The autumn breeze gently blows across the lake and willow branches, and the residual leaves fly.

Everyone was silent.

Who dares to make a move in front of Cen Yin's four girls in Duanmu! Isn't that deadly?!

Seeing that no one moved, the face of the third prince Mu Youjing became more and more ugly.

He raised his eyes to look at Cen Yin, and said in a deep voice with righteous words: "Please also ask Lord Cen not to shield the four girls of Duanmu, the four girls of Duanmu are coquettish and arrogant, and they are ruthless at a young age, and they killed the mother concubine of the palace, and if the palace does not ask for an explanation for the mother concubine, it is really in vain for the son of man!" ”

"His Royal Highness the Third Prince, you must seek justice for Concubine Ning!" Mama Xu came over crying on her knees, bursting into tears, her eyes were swollen from crying, and she pointed at Duanmu and scolded, "The fourth girl of Duanmu is really too deceitful, she ...... She ......"

Mama Xu choked up as she spoke, tears rained down, and several other palace maids around her were also crying miserably.

Not only did she push Concubine Ning down the lake, but she also kept saying that she would sue the slave and maid, so she was not afraid! Said she wanted to see who dared to do something to her!! ”

The more Mama Xu spoke, the more angry she became, her eyes were bloodshot, and she was filled with righteous indignation.

The round-faced palace maid and another palace maid also came over on their knees, knelt with Mama Xu, and cried to Mu Youjing: "Your Royal Highness the Third Prince, Niangniang's death is really unjust! She only scolded the fourth girl of Duanmu a few words, and she didn't even touch a single strand of her hair, but she ......"

Duanmu smiled and played with the handkerchief in her hand with her fingertips, feeling that they had told the truth, indeed, she hadn't even touched a single hair of Concubine Jiang Ning.

Cen Yin casually glanced at the ladies and palace maids kneeling on the ground, put down the teacup, and instructed a middle-aged waiter beside him: "Take people down for trial." ”

Mu Youjing frowned, took a step forward, and scolded Cen Yin: "Lord Cen Governor, what are you going to do here?!" Are you helping the four girls of Duanmu?! ”

Mu Youjing's eyes were slightly dark, as deep as a pool, and he could almost guess what Cen Yin would say next......

"Then check it out first, so as not to say that this seat is 'biased'!" Cen Yin didn't look at Mu Youjing, and continued to instruct in a light tone, "Let people go and spread the work of Dali Temple and Dali Temple." ”

"Yes, Overseer." The middle-aged waiter hurriedly received the order.

Mu Youjing's eyes widened slightly, and it was difficult to hide the surprise in his eyes.

Cen Yin has always been domineering, quite a bit of self-respecting posture, he has always been arbitrary, no matter what others think, as long as he is happy, he will come.

But this time, Cen Yin actually planned to go according to the charter......

Mu Youjing wanted to speak and stopped, but it was just a hesitation, and the middle-aged waiter had already received the order and left.

There were more and more people gathered here, and even the boys and girls on the other side of Keju heard the noise, and the surroundings became noisy and noisy.

Seeing that the situation here was not right, these sons and girls inquired with the nearby maids, and then they learned the "ins and outs", and they all had different expressions.

They rushed to see the excitement when they heard that something was happening here, but they didn't expect that there was a death here, and the person who died was Concubine Jiang Ning.

The girls present are all from famous families and pampered, He has seen the corpse of the dead with his own eyes, and they all looked away, not daring to look at Concubine Jiang Ning's corpse, some are sincerely afraid, some are suspicious, some are tightly locked, some wait and see, and some are indignant, such as Han Xing.

"Nonsense!" Han Xing's face was flushed with anger, and he strode to Duanmu Fei's side, facing the few grandmothers and palace maids who were kneeling on the ground, "Cousin Scarlet won't push people!" Is it that you didn't take good care of Concubine Ning and wanted to shirk your responsibilities! ”

Her cousin, doesn't she understand yet?!

When it comes to playing tricks, Cousin Scarlet may be okay, if she starts to do it, with her sluggish skills, she is lucky not to be pushed into the lake by others!

Not only Han Xing came, but the eldest prince Mu Youxian also came over, he just came out of the Heart Cultivation Hall to find Han Xing, and later heard that something happened here, so the brother and sister hurried over.

Looking at Concubine Jiang Ning and the palace maids who were kneeling on the ground, Mu Youxian's eyes flashed slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

Mama Xu raised her head and looked at Han Xing, and insisted: "Your Royal Highness the Fourth Princess, the slave maid knows that you and the four girls of Duanmu have always been like sisters, but you can't slander the slave maid with empty mouths and white teeth!" Poor Concubine Ning died so unjustly! ”

Mama Xu said and wiped her tears with her cuffs, sad and sad, it was really sad for those who heard it, and cried for those who saw it.

Han Xing was about to speak, but Duanmu Fei had already taken her little hand, shook it soothingly, and gave her a look, signaling her to be calm!

Han Xing was originally on fire, and felt Duanmu Fei's fingertips scratch her tender palm, which calmed down a lot.

After the anger went down, Han Xing became energetic. Yes, whatever the scarlet cousin eats, she won't suffer, besides, if she is here, she won't give them a chance to make a move!

Han Xing held Duanmu Fei's hand with her head held high, meaning, she was covering her!

At the same time, the spiritual chamberlain also brought tables and chairs to Han Xing and Mu Youxian, and served tea.

Duanmu smiled and handed melon seeds to Hanxing.

At this time, the waiter who had just taken the portrait to do the errand came back in a hurry, walked up to Cen Yin, and said: "Governor, the waiter on this portrait is named Li Qi, the person is dead, and the body is in the dry well of Cuiweizhai. ”

The chamberlain didn't deliberately lower his voice, and the people around him basically heard it, including the third prince Mu Youjing.

Mu Youjing narrowed his eyes and asked, "Lord Cen Du, could it be that you killed ...... in order to protect the four girls of Duanmu" Halfway through his words, he was silent again, looking like he wanted to speak and stopped, and said righteously, "It's just something else, this is related to the mother concubine of this palace, and this palace will never give up." ”

Han Xing frowned, where did he not understand that the Third Emperor Brother was clearly alluding to Cen Yin's murder in order to protect his cousin.

Mu Youjing's fist clenched tightly in his sleeve, ready for Cen Yin to be annoyed and angry, after all, Cen Yin has always been a man who must be competitive, and he will repay him.

However, Cen Yin surprised him again.

Cen Yin still ignored Mu Youjing, and just nodded at the waiter who was going back and forth, his expression was faint, and he couldn't see his joy or anger, let alone his thoughts.

“……”

Mu Youjing's brows furrowed tightly, and he was about to speak again, but Mu Youxian rushed in front: "Third Emperor Brother, you are going to rely on the cousin of the palace for murder with just a few words from some slaves and maids, isn't it because the cousin of the palace is bullied and has no one to support him?!" ”

Mu Youxian stood up, his sharp gaze shot straight towards Mu Youjing, and he spoke righteously.

There was an eerie dead silence all of a sudden.

The faces of those sons and girls and palace maids all became extremely subtle, and they secretly exchanged glances.

Who dares to bully the four girls of Duanmu and no one supports them, I didn't expect that even the eldest prince would be so messy and pestering...... Sure enough, the eldest prince and the fourth princess are really worthy of being brothers and sisters with the same father and mother!

"That's it!" Han Xing nodded with concern. She and the cousin of the eldest brother are not something that anyone can bully!

"......" Mu Youjing looked at Mu Youxian, then at Han Xing, and then at Cen Yin, as if he was enduring something, with a look of "he can't talk about them".

The expressions of the people around him became more complicated, whispering in twos and threes, and most of them looked at Duanmu Fei's eyes with a little more suspicion.

Who doesn't know that Duanmufei has Cen Yin's support behind him, with Cen Yin's arbitrariness and his preference for Duanmufei, not to mention Concubine Jiang Ning, I'm afraid that even if Duanmufei pushes the third prince into the lake now, Cen Yin can help Duanmufei erase the matter.

Moreover, first Concubine Jiang Ning drowned, and then Li Qi, the chamberlain who gave Duanmu Fei directions, fell into a well and died, which was too coincidental in terms of timing, which made people have to think deeply about whether there was any hidden meaning in this.

Not to mention, the person who found the body was sent by Cen Yin......

Cen Yin has always protected the short.

Thinking about it, everyone's eyes swept back and forth between Cen Yin and Duanmu Fei.

Mu Youxian is not a fool, of course, he also felt the strange atmosphere around him, and frowned.

He had been away from Beijing for several years, and he didn't know Duanmu Fei's transcendent status, and he only thought that Mu Youjing's words had the effect of retreating into advance, and Mu Youjing made a weak appearance, but instead led his suspicious eyes to Duanmu Fei.

He, the third emperor brother, is really cunning!

In that case, there is only one way left.

Mu Youxian narrowed his eyes, his eyes bright and sharp. Now I can only check the matter clearly in front of everyone, so that I can block everyone's mouth, so as not to make Duanmu Fei's reputation and reputation Baiyu have time.

"Lord Cen Governor." Mu Youxian turned to look at Cen Yin, and bowed his hand politely, "Human life is at stake, this case must be thoroughly investigated, and I also ask Lord Cen to be a witness." ”

"......" The corners of Mu Youjing's eyes twitched, and he couldn't figure out whether Mu Youxian was really stupid or pretending.

There was an eerie silence all around.

The person who broke the silence was still Duanmu Fei: "Cousin Xian, don't worry." Wait for Dali Siqing and Qi Zuo to come and check. I have a clear conscience. ”

Between the words, I heard someone in the crowd shouting: "Queen Mother!" ”

One sentence suddenly attracted the attention of the others, and everyone looked in the same direction, only to see that twenty or thirty zhang away, a bright yellow canopy like auspicious clouds swayed towards this side.

Under the canopy, the queen dressed in a dark cyan woven gold Zhai dress walked elegantly towards this side, graceful and magnificent. Behind the queen, there were also more than a dozen palace maids and maids, as well as other sons and girls who heard the news, and the team was mighty.

As soon as there were more people, the commotion around them became even more intense.

Those who came late and didn't know how to pass by asked other people to inquire, and one by one they lowered their voices and discussed, speculating whether the murderer who killed Concubine Jiang Ning was Duanmufei.

"I don't see it." A girl in pink looked at Duanmu Fei, leaned into the ear of a girl in green clothes beside her, and whispered, "I think that the fourth girl of Duanmu is quite kind on weekdays, and she has never relied on Lord Cen to be arrogant and domineering......"

"yes." The girl in Cuiyi nodded again and again, "Although I haven't spoken anything to Miss Duanmu, I've seen her many times, she has always been very friendly to people, and she always smiles." ”

When the other girl in blue heard them talking, she also came over and interjected, "Could it be that Mama Xu and those palace maids are lying?" ”

"Maybe."

The girl in green and the girl in pink looked at each other, and they both nodded frequently.

After all, the person who died was Concubine Jiang Ning, the second concubine who had a princess and princess!

Her death must be given an explanation, if there is no murderer, these slaves and maids who serve Concubine Jiang Ning may be killed with a cane, if the responsibility is put on Duanmu Fei, maybe a life can be saved.

In the midst of these small discussions, the queen gradually approached, stopping two feet away from Cen Yin, Duanmufei and others.

The queen Feng drove in person, and everyone naturally couldn't stand still, including several princes and princesses, who all gave the queen a salute.

"See the Queen Mother."

"Attend the Queen's Mother."

The empress looked cold, slowly glanced around, her eyes lingered on the corpses of the third prince and Concubine Jiang Ning, and frowned: "What the hell is going on?!" How could Concubine Ning drown?! ”

Mu Youjing hurriedly replied: "Queen Mother, the mother concubine died unjustly, and asked the queen mother to make decisions for her." ”

Mu Youjing told the incident in an orderly manner, including Mama Xu's words, including the death of the chamberlain Li Qi in a dry well, and Cen Yin asked people to invite Dali Siqing and Qi Zuo.

The queen's brows furrowed even tighter, and she reprimanded disapprovingly: "No, it's not appropriate to ask for an autopsy." Concubine Ning is the emperor's concubine, how can she let her do an autopsy! ”

The queen would say this, and many people around were not surprised.

For more than 100 years, there have been many concubines who have died unexplained in the palace, but there has never been a concubine who has ever asked for an autopsy on the death of a concubine. Even if the emperor's woman died, no man was allowed to touch it.

Mu Youjing didn't speak, obviously agreeing with the queen's point of view.

However, Mu Youxian had objections, and argued with the queen: "Queen Mother, Concubine Ning's death is obviously strange, if you don't conduct an autopsy, how can you confirm the cause of Concubine Ning's death!" ”

The queen glanced at Mu Youxian faintly, and called her by her name in a condescending manner: "Mu Youxian, Concubine Ning is the concubine of your father and the biological mother of your third emperor's brother, you intend to let that lowly defilement of her body, but you are worthy of your father and brother!" ”

"Queen Mother, is it worthy of her father to let Concubine Ning die in vain?!" Mu Youxian confronted the queen without flinching.

The queen's eyes sank, revealing obvious displeasure, "Mu Youxian, this palace is the master of the harem, and if this palace says no, it won't work!" Do you have to disobey Hongu?! ”

The queen said this, and if Mu Youxian raised any objections again, it would be disrespectful to his mother-in-law.

"......" Mu You wanted to speak and stopped, he was obviously unconvinced, but because he was afraid of the queen's identity, he had to avoid it a little.

Seeing the confrontation between the queen and the eldest prince, the other people around were quieter, and dozens of eyes all fell on these two people, some people felt that the queen was reasonable, some supported the eldest prince, some watched from the wall, and some secretly glanced at Cen Yin.

"The Queen." At this moment, Cen Yin suddenly spoke.

His voice was neither light nor heavy, not angry, but no one dared to ignore it.

"Niangniang didn't let her investigate, could it be that Concubine Ning's death was related to the queen's mother?" Cen Yin raised his right eyebrow, and the corners of his mouth seemed to be smiling, as if he said it casually.

"......" The queen was choked, and the green tendons in the corners of her forehead jumped.

Duanmufei, who watched the show for a while, blessed the queen, and sang with Cen Yin and said: "The queen, the courtiers have a clear conscience, so they are not afraid of being checked, what is there to be afraid of." ”

She deliberately increased the volume on the word "afraid", and smiled on her little face, looking innocent.

"......" The queen's face is even more ugly, and she really can't wait to let people slap her mouth and teach this girl a good lesson who doesn't know how to be inferior or inferior.

But Cen is hidden here.

With Cen Yin here, who in this palace dares to make a move against Duanmu Fei.

Even if he gave the order, he was just bringing humiliation on himself.

The queen looked at Concubine Jiang Ning's corpse with heavy eyes, at this moment Concubine Jiang Ning's corpse had been covered by the palace maid with a cloak, and it could only be seen from the undulating silhouette under the cloak that it was a female corpse.

Now that Cen Yin and Duanmu Fei have talked about this, if they insist on not letting them investigate, it will be as if Concubine Jiang Ning's death was promoted by themselves behind the scenes.

As if to verify the queen's thoughts, the surrounding boys and girls all looked at the queen with speculation and suspicion.

Although Concubine Jiang Ning's death has nothing to do with the queen on the surface, who doesn't know that the intrigue in this harem has always been full of open and secret battles.

This is the harem, it is the queen's territory, and it is not difficult for the queen to kill someone with her hands and feet.

The queen's face sank like water, and she said stiffly: "Check it!" The main palace is watching here, and no one wants to do anything. ”

While the queen spoke, the chamberlain she brought hurriedly brought her tables and chairs, and the queen also sat down.

After that, the surroundings fell silent again, except for the gradual boiling sound of water in the kettle on the small red clay stove echoing in the air, mingled with the sound of the late autumn wind.

After a while, Dali Siqing and an old man in Tsing Yi who was dressed up came panting with a waiter, both of them were sweating profusely, and they came as quickly as possible, and they were all nervous, especially the pretend.

Dali Siqing and Qi Zuo approached the front and back, and hurriedly saluted the queen and Cen Yin.

The queen put on a selfless posture and said coldly to Dali Siqing: "Lord Xu, Concubine Ning's death is unknown, you have to give her justice." ”

Dali Siqing was the only one who promised, but his eyes couldn't help but float to Cen Yin's side, and his heart was hanging in the air.

Originally, any murder case involving the royal family was not easy to handle, but this time it involved Cen Yin and the four girls of Duanmu, so I am afraid it will be even more difficult to handle.

Dali Siqing took Concubine Jiang Ning's body and said, "Huang Zuo, you 'carefully' conduct an autopsy." Dali Siqing said, and glanced at Duanmufei again.

Huang Yanzuo swallowed his saliva, and when he looked at the female corpse under the cloak, he only felt a throbbing pain in his forehead.

He has been doing it for decades, and he has examined hundreds of corpses, and he has never examined the mothers in the palace.

This is a noble person in the palace, the emperor's woman, and the biological mother of the third prince......

Huang Qizuo didn't dare to look at the third prince Mu Youjing at all, and it was difficult to ride a tiger.

On the way here, he and Dali Siqing had already heard the ins and outs of the inner servant who passed the word, and knew that Cen Yin's righteous sister was involved in this case, if he was perfunctory and didn't find out the case, he was afraid that his life would be gone.

At this time, we can only let it go, and we must always choose the lesser of two evils.

Huang Yanzuo wiped the cold sweat on his forehead with his cuffs, squatted down, and lifted the cloak covering the corpse, Concubine Jiang Ning's pale and blue face was immediately revealed, and the girls in the surrounding crowd gasped and hurriedly looked away.

Huang took a deep breath and began to examine the corpse carefully, opening his eyelids and examining his eyeballs, followed by his nose and mouth......

Mu Youjing watched without blinking as Huang Chengzuo's rough hand touched and touched Concubine Jiang Ning's body, his face became more and more ugly, his body became more and more stiff, and his half-drooping eyes were surging with extremely strong emotions, including humiliation, forbearance, and resentment...... There seems to be a hint of remorse.

The onlookers around also had complicated expressions, who would have thought that Concubine Jiang Ning would die so suddenly, and even the corpse would not be at peace, and she had to be manipulated by a lowly person in such an undignified way!

The atmosphere became very strange and eerily quiet.

After a while, Huang Qizuo stood up sweating profusely, obviously he didn't move twice, but his body was wet with sweat, as if he had also been fished up from the lake.

He walked up to Cen Yin and the queen, and said: "Queen Mother, Lord Cen Governor, the cause of death of Concubine Ning was drowning after falling into the water, and there was no trace of struggle caused by forced presses after falling into the water. But ......"

Huang Cheng glanced at Dali Siqing without saying anything, and Dali Siqing gave him a look and motioned him to speak directly.

Huang Qizuo pointed to one of the willow trees outside the three zhang behind him, and then said: "It rained last night, and the ground on the shore was still a little damp, leaving some footprint prints. The villain has just seen the shoe prints over there, Concubine Ning should have slipped down from there, and judging from the shoe prints left by Niangniang, Niangniang was facing the lake at the time, and the position she was standing in was still a foot away from the edge of the lake. ”

Mama Xu and the other palace maids were still kneeling there, crying again, kowtowing to the queen again and again: "Queen Mother, you must be the master of Concubine Ning!" Otherwise, the spirit of the mother in the sky will not be able to look away. ”

"Ask the queen mother to call the shots!" Mu Youjing was short, and he also knelt down, looking filial and sincere.

At this time, Duanmufei, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly asked a question: "Huang Yanzuo, if you want to push Concubine Ning down the lake, is that the person who pushed it also want to be by the lake?" ”

The answer to this question is obvious.

Huang Qizuo hurriedly nodded "yes".

Duanmu hooked his lips with a smile, pointed to another willow tree and said, "I have been under this willow tree just now, and I have never been close to Concubine Ning, so I can't push Concubine Ning into the water from a distance of more than two feet, right?" ”

"Huang Yanzuo, you just said that there were some shoe prints left on the shore, right? You just check if there are any of my shoe prints there. Duanmu Fei was calm.

After Dali Siqing glanced at Cen Yin, he boldly instructed Huang Yanzuo to take Duanmufei's shoe prints with a piece of white paper, and then compare them with those shoe prints on the shore.

After a while, Huang Yanzuo came back and said: "Queen Mother, Lord Cen Governor, there are no shoe prints of the four Duanmu girls on the shore......"

Before his words fell, Mama Xu had already shouted excitedly: "Why do you say that there are no footprints of the fourth girl of Duanmu there?!" You're clearly helping her! ”

Dali Siqing and Huang Yanzuo both looked at Mama Xu with a strange gaze, as if they were looking at a fool.

Dali Siqing said: "Queen Mother, Lord Cen Governor, please Rong Zuo also take shoe prints for the palace maids of Mama Xu and Concubine Ning." ”

In this case, the queen has no other choice than to respond.

Huang Yanzuo quickly took shoe prints for Xu Mama and others, and when the white paper with shoe prints was put together, it was clear at a glance.

Concubine Jiang Ning's shoes are the most exquisite, which are pointed and upturned crested shoes, and the shoe prints are very different from the flat-toed embroidered shoes made by the scarf and hat bureau of the ladies of the palace.

Another pair of very abrupt shoe prints is Duanmu Fei's shoe prints, she is petite, the shoe prints are smaller than others, and the riding clothes she wears today are also matched with short boots, with wild boar skin as the sole, which is very different from the sole of the embroidered shoes.

Just like Duanmufei said, she has never been close to the place where Concubine Jiang Ning fell into the water, how can she be pushed into the water!!

There is no need for Dali Siqing and Huang Cheng to explain anything, and most of the people suddenly realized.

The matter is already very clear, Concubine Jiang Ning's death has nothing to do with Duanmufei.

Since it is not Duanmu's hand, it is obvious who the murderer is!

------Off topic------

Good morning!