Facing the agitated Lingque envoy, Emperor Tai’an could only soothe him gently: “Envoy, don’t be anxious. Wait until I’ve questioned things clearly before we discuss further.”

“Your Majesty must give Lingque an explanation!” The Lingque envoy flicked his sleeve, his tone cold and hard.

Emperor Tai’an was annoyed in his heart, but couldn’t show it on his face.

Great Zhou had been established for less than thirty years, and had later experienced a change in imperial power, consuming enormous manpower and resources. This had given Lingque an opportunity to develop. Now that Northern Qi was making threatening moves, Lingque’s position had become critically important.

The Lingque envoy clearly understood this point as well, which was why his attitude was so firm.

“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager and Princess Yi’an have arrived.”

Hearing that the Empress Dowager had also come, Emperor Tai’an instinctively frowned.

Mother Empress was especially fond of Yi’an. When questioning her later, he would inevitably have some misgivings.

“Envoy, why don’t you move to the side hall to rest first?”

The Lingque envoy stood unmoved: “The princess has been killed. As her subjects, we cannot sit or stand at ease. Please allow us, Your Majesty, to remain here and hear how the princess met her death.”

Along with the Lingque envoy had come the maidservant and guards who had accompanied Princess Lingque out today.

Emperor Tai’an signaled the palace attendants to invite the Empress Dowager in.

A moment later, the Empress Dowager appeared before everyone, a young lady with a deathly pale face following behind her—it was Princess Yi’an.

“Why isn’t Mother Empress resting well in her chambers?” Emperor Tai’an rose to greet her.

The Empress Dowager swept her gaze over those in the hall and said lightly: “Such a major incident has occurred. How could this Dowager rest?”

“This son has troubled Mother Empress.”

“Your Majesty should get to the bottom of this matter. Yi’an was raised under this Dowager’s watch. I understand her—no matter what, she couldn’t do something like murder.”

The Empress Dowager’s words were meant more for Princess Yi’an to hear.

On the way here, the Empress Dowager had long since thought through the pros and cons. The charge of killing Princess Lingque couldn’t be easily placed on Princess Yi’an’s shoulders. This wasn’t just a grudge between two young ladies—it concerned relations between two countries.

Emperor Tai’an helped the Empress Dowager sit down and looked at Princess Yi’an: “Yi’an, you explain.”

Multiple gazes fell on her. Princess Yi’an trembled, her bloodless lips opening: “I don’t know… it wasn’t me who killed her, it wasn’t me…”

“Yi’an!” The Empress Dowager called her name sharply. “If you only say these things, then your Imperial Grandmother can’t help you anymore.”

Princess Yi’an’s whole body shuddered, and her confused mind finally cleared somewhat: “At the time, Princess Lingque and I were arguing—not really arguing, just she would say something, I would say something. When things got heated, I stood up—”

“And then?” Seeing Princess Yi’an stop again, Emperor Tai’an pressed on.

Princess Yi’an’s eyelids trembled, revealing a bewildered expression: “I suddenly felt dizzy. When my vision cleared, I saw Princess Lingque collapsed in her chair with blood streaming from her chest—”

“She’s lying!” The Lingque maidservant interrupted Princess Yi’an’s words. “This servant saw with her own eyes Princess Yi’an holding a blood-stained dagger. When she saw us rush in, she threw down the dagger and ran out.”

As she spoke, she took out something wrapped in a handkerchief from her sleeve: “This is the dagger. Many people saw it at the time. The guards, fearing it would be lost in the chaos as important evidence, picked it up and gave it to this servant.”

A palace attendant received the dagger wrapped in the white handkerchief and presented it before Emperor Tai’an.

It was a dagger encrusted with gemstones, exquisite and magnificent. The Empress Dowager recognized at a glance that it belonged to Princess Yi’an.

For a period of time, such daggers had been fashionable among noble ladies in the capital. She had bestowed this one after Yi’an mentioned it.

“Yi’an, is this your dagger?”

Princess Yi’an bit her lip and nodded: “Yes.”

A flash of disappointment crossed Emperor Tai’an’s eyes.

“Your Majesty, at the time there were only the two princesses in the private room. Both witness and physical evidence are complete. Surely you can’t say our princess died by suicide?” The Lingque envoy pressed aggressively.

“It wasn’t me!” Princess Yi’an’s expression changed. “I remember now—there was someone, there was someone beside me!”

“What person?” Emperor Tai’an immediately asked.

“My head was dizzy at the time and I didn’t see them, but I could feel them pressing something into my hand—” Knowing her words sounded absurd, Princess Yi’an anxiously shed tears. “Father Emperor, you must believe me. There really was a third person there. I even smelled osmanthus fragrance on them!”

The Lingque maidservant immediately refuted: “Impossible. When we went in, we saw no third person at all.”

The Lingque envoy sneered coldly: “Your Majesty wouldn’t believe such words, would you?”

Emperor Tai’an coughed lightly and said seriously: “Such a major matter cannot be handled carelessly. Since there are doubts, we must investigate thoroughly.”

“Your Majesty!” The Lingque envoy was shocked.

The Emperor of Great Zhou could actually say such shameless words?

“I’m sure the envoy also wouldn’t want your esteemed country and Great Zhou to become enemies over a misunderstanding, would you?” Emperor Tai’an asked gently.

The Lingque envoy’s lips trembled, but he held back for now.

After all, this was Great Zhou’s territory. Having said this much, it wouldn’t do to make things too tense. The urgent matter was to quickly and quietly transmit news of the princess’s death back to Lingque for the king to decide.

“Princess Lingque’s unfortunate death—I completely understand the grief of the envoy and others. I need some time to thoroughly investigate this matter. When the time comes, I will definitely give you all an explanation.”

After sending the Lingque envoy and others away, Emperor Tai’an immediately gave orders: “Arrange people to quietly surround the guest quarters. Don’t let even a scrap of paper get through to Lingque.”

Lingque was a thousand li away. If they kept watch on these people, they could temporarily conceal the news of Princess Lingque’s death.

Emperor Tai’an had never underestimated the Qi people’s wolfish ambitions. While the situation in the northern lands was tense, their own cavalry was also intensifying training. It was just that compared to the Qi people who grew up on horseback, Great Zhou was at a natural disadvantage in cavalry and couldn’t train them overnight.

What they lacked was time.

Emperor Tai’an looked toward the north and sighed, then called Princess Yi’an before him: “Yi’an, tell me honestly—was there really a third person at the time?”

“Truly, Yi’an wouldn’t dare deceive you.”

Emperor Tai’an nodded, neither saying he believed nor that he didn’t, and handed the case over to the Ministry of Justice to investigate.

As Lin Hao had expected, official constables soon came to the flower essence shop to inquire.

The Ministry of Justice official leading them was in his thirties. Seeing Qi Shuo seated across from Lin Hao, he paused: “The Heir is also here?”

Qi Shuo happened to know this person: “Director Jia is here about Princess Lingque’s matter, I presume?”

“Precisely.”

“Then Director Jia should know this shop is a property of the General’s Mansion, yes?”

“This is a property of the General’s Mansion?” Director Jia instinctively looked at Lin Hao.

He had only heard that the two princesses had visited this flower essence shop before entering the teahouse, and didn’t know this detail.

Qi Shuo smiled politely: “That’s right, which is why I’m here as well. Director Jia, please ask whatever you need.”

Hearing this, Director Jia touched his nose.

So he had come to support his not-yet-married wife.

Director Jia had also heard of Lin Hao: “Second Miss Lin was present when the two princesses came, correct?”

Lin Hao nodded.

“Could you describe in detail the words and actions of the two princesses?”

Lin Hao recounted everything exactly as it happened.

“So the two princesses’ conversation wasn’t particularly pleasant.” Director Jia glanced at Qi Shuo, then changed the subject. “I understand that after Princess Yi’an ran out of the teahouse, she ran directly into the flower essence shop. Can Second Miss Lin explain the reason?”