“Yes, what to do?” Murong Jinghou’s eyes grew brighter, but his smile gradually faded as he asked calmly.
“Three cobblers equal one Zhuge Liang. In such a life-or-death situation, these girls got together and, though not as brilliant as the General, finally thought of a solution.”
“Of course, this is just my speculation. Whether it’s right or wrong still needs the General’s confirmation.”
“What solution?”
Before Murong Jinghou could ask, Tie Shou and Zhui Ming nervously asked first. Xiao Zhou’s expression had been grim since entering, and now this question caught her attention as she looked over with a frowning face.
Suzhen rubbed her temples, seeming somewhat hesitant: “Perhaps it would be more appropriate for the General to explain?”
Murong Jinghou raised an eyebrow slightly: “Magistrate Li’s abilities end here? Magistrate Li has been speaking so logically – why not continue? Or do you think everything you’ve said is just wild speculation?”
Suzhen smiled faintly: “Very well, then allow this official to complete her wild speculation.”
She turned to face the Criminal Investigation Bureau members: “Reporting to the Imperial Household Department wouldn’t get a response. At that time, His Majesty hadn’t been adopted yet, and they didn’t even know what kind of person they’d provoked or how powerful this person was.”
“At this point, they could only seek help.”
“But these were just humble palace maids working in the needlework room, not like high-ranking palace maids who had their own masters. Finding palace masters was impossible, and they didn’t know court ministers. Besides, even if they did approach them, would these people help them?” Xiao Zhou’s frown deepened.
“But there was one person who might truly be able to help them.” Suzhen looked down at the red oil umbrella on the ground and the fine charcoal dust gently rising from the pit.
“Who?” After Zhui Ming, many voices spoke up, including the Six Doors constables who had come to help.
Everyone’s eyes were filled with deep questions.
“Feng Shaoqing.” Suzhen slowly spoke these three words.
The entire scene fell silent.
Murong Jinghou was first stunned, then laughed heartily: “Magistrate Li, you really know how to put a high hat on your father and build his reputation.”
Seeing the Criminal Investigation Bureau members were all shocked and half-believing, Suzhen kept her head down, only saying quietly: “General Murong, Huaisu once hated her own father because she once believed he was the killer who harmed Consort Yu and killed three palace maids that year. If there are false words, may heaven and earth not tolerate me. You say I’m building my father’s reputation, but before this, hadn’t he already ruined your plans? This is also your first question – why I dared to assert my father wasn’t the killer.”
She paused, and Murong Jinghou’s expression changed slightly.
“Huaisu, what exactly are you talking about?” Zhui Ming was impatient, his eyes full of confusion: “You’ve got me completely confused.”
“Wait!” Xiao Zhou shouted, quickly interrupting him. She seemed to suddenly think of something, looking at Suzhen in disbelief, even rushing forward to question: “You mean the soup he switched…”
“Yes.” Suzhen suddenly raised her head, and Xiao Zhou’s pressing eyes reflected her certain gaze.
“He did switch the soup, but he switched originally poisoned soup with ordinary soup. General Murong,” Suzhen looked back at Murong Jinghou, “I remember every word Lian Yu said to me.”
“He told me the soup was given by Yan Da. Our Criminal Investigation Bureau once thought Yan Da was suspicious, but later I thought carefully – Yan Da couldn’t possibly poison the soup, because Lian Yu coming to steal food wasn’t in anyone’s expectations. You happened to see it too, and the food was arranged by the Imperial Kitchen and sent to the scene.”
“This old man doesn’t understand what Magistrate Li means,” Murong Jinghou smiled coldly. “Since this soup wasn’t poisoned, wouldn’t Feng Shaoqing switching the soup be unnecessary?”
Suzhen shook her head, her gaze like lightning: “Lian Yu said you gave him a look then, hinting that he shouldn’t take anything away because it would offend Lian Jie and Lian Qin. The Empress Dowager had no sons and was mortal enemies with Dowager Consort Ai. It’s said you once suggested the Empress Dowager adopt a child from the consorts as a bargaining chip against Dowager Consort Ai. But the Empress Dowager was uninterested. The Late Emperor was unfeeling – after using the Murong family’s power to ascend the throne, though he still seemed to respect her, he doted on Dowager Consort Ai. Heartbroken and still mourning her dead love, she had no interest in adopting children. This might be the difference between women and men. Because of this, you never settled on a choice of prince. But that night, you saw with your own eyes that humble Lian Yu in the palace. This child dared fight with Lian Jie and Lian Qin. Despite the vast difference in status, he wasn’t afraid. Even when beaten severely, he didn’t beg for mercy. As a general who had fought on battlefields, you took a liking to this child. And as Dowager Consort Ai’s thorn in the side, he also hated her. Among the other princes, who else was more suitable to be the Empress Dowager’s adopted son?”
“But courage alone wasn’t enough – he had to possess other qualities to become a king. Seeing him about to take Yan Da’s gifts, you gave him a look. This child was indeed smart enough – he didn’t take all the rewards, only took a bowl of soup. He knew when to advance and retreat, and even kowtowed to Lian Jie and the others.”
Hearing her reach this point, Murong Jinghou’s eyes actually showed a moment of tenderness: “Huo Chang’an was taught by me – protecting the country and defending the homeland. Lian Yu was also brought up by me – governing this country in perfect order. Though they don’t bear the Murong surname, they’re both good children of the Murong family, children picked from ten thousand.”
Suzhen nodded: “Yes, they were both taught by you.”
“But once you made up your mind, you also developed killing intent. Only if Little Yu died would this child truly belong to the Murong family. Only then would your sister develop life-and-death dependence on him, and only then would he regard the Murong family as his only relatives. The Murong family’s glory would make him a great emperor, and he would continue to bring supreme glory to the Murong family.”
Suzhen spoke plainly, her tone unadorned, yet people could hear a weariness beyond her years. Murong Jinghou didn’t answer but had lost his earlier sharpness, only reminding calmly: “Magistrate Li, your story isn’t finished yet. Continue – this old man wants to listen.”
“Very well.” Suzhen nodded, her eyes showing a smile, not without sighing: “If Lian Yu was going to drink this soup, he would have drunk it then. You knew very clearly he was taking it back to his mother. After he left, you found someone and had them secretly poison the soup Lian Yu had taken, doing it covertly.”
“The inner palace attendant Lian Yu saw briefly when fighting with Lian Jie wasn’t sent by my father – it was you. Later, when the old magistrate reinvestigated this case, you had already received news in the palace, knowing Lian Yu suspected my father, so you sent word to have him claim it was my father’s doing.”
“Actually, my father did switch the soup. That night, my father and Fu Jingshu were late. Though my father never played by the rules and was quite absurd, he was never discourteous. His being late to the Late Emperor’s banquet must have had a reason. He actually came early and saw everything with his own eyes. General, he guessed your thoughts. Later, he followed you and discovered that inner palace attendant.”
“Before the attendant could switch Lian Yu’s soup with poisoned soup, he first switched the attendant’s poisoned soup, then returned to attend the palace banquet. What the attendant gave Lian Yu was already non-poisoned soup. It was just that, by coincidence, when Lian Yu was returning to look for something, he overheard my father and others talking during their rest break.”
“At that time, someone asked: ‘Brother Feng, you switched things and changed life and death – aren’t you afraid of causing great trouble?’ My father laughed and said: ‘His Majesty’s invitation, ostensibly from concern, was actually for divination. But my divination revealed another true Son of Heaven. Naturally, I couldn’t tell His Majesty this, but I believe others could see it too. I can only strike first and switch this destiny.'”
“The phrase ‘I believe others could see it too’ actually referred to you, General. ‘Switching destiny and changing life and death’ meant changing Lian Yu’s birth mother’s death into life. I don’t know if my father acted from momentary compassion or deliberately sabotaged your adoption plan for Prince Jin’s sake, but this is the truth.”
“Since you planned to poison Consort Yu, you must have sent palace people to check her residence. But Consort Yu never fell ill, so you decided to send an assassin to solve it, making it look like poisoning, because you knew Dowager Consort Ai had previously caused trouble with fruit.”
All around was silent, appearing especially quiet.
Suzhen didn’t pause: “The palace maids thought of my father because he had indeed served for several years, truly pleading for the people and investigating many wrongful cases, even offending many court officials for this. When I previously tried to overturn the Feng family case, I examined all the records from that time. My father’s service record wasn’t false. When the incident occurred, he happened to be in the palace attending the banquet, and the next day he didn’t leave, still staying at his palace friend Fu Jingshu’s house.”
“The palace maids learned this information and left the palace to find my father.”
“The night after Consort Yu’s death, you wouldn’t be at ease and must have personally entered the palace, wanting to make final inquiries before killing them, to see if they had revealed the secret.”
“They were just the lowest-ranking palace maids who normally had no opportunity to see important figures. They didn’t know who you were at all. Even if my father recognized the token, for their lives’ sake, he probably didn’t tell them who you were. He only taught them a way to survive, having them wait quietly in their room for you to come negotiate.”