HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 597: Evidence Piling Up, One Hammer Blow After Another

Chapter 597: Evidence Piling Up, One Hammer Blow After Another

“Heh.” As soon as Xiao Changying finished speaking, Xiao Changmin let out a gentle laugh – neither too loud nor too soft, but meaningful and thought-provoking.

Emperor Youning looked at his pair of outstanding sons kneeling before him and the woman who had accompanied him for years. Whether the Rong family had truly attempted assassination – he knew better than anyone that this was a scheme, a scheme that had factored him into its calculations.

Emperor Youning looked toward Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong, his gaze settling on Xiao Huayong: “What is the Seventh Prince’s view on this matter?”

Xiao Huayong rose and replied: “Your Majesty, there are many suspicious points in this matter. If the assassin was truly sent by Noble Consort Rong, she would not have sent Guard Rong. Noble Consort has accompanied Your Majesty for years and managed the inner palace for decades. She would surely know that Your Majesty has both Eunuch Liu and the Embroidered Uniform Guard for protection. Though Guard Rong’s martial arts are exceptional, he is no match for Eunuch Liu and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Secondly, if Noble Consort truly intended to assassinate Your Majesty, she would have kept strict control over the maids in Hanchang Palace – how could any illicit affairs have occurred?

Thirdly, if Rong Qiu was truly sent by the Noble Consort to assassinate Your Majesty, he would not have committed suicide in the Noble Consort’s courtyard.

Given all these points, I believe Noble Consort should have no intention of harming Your Majesty. As for the matter of Rong Qiu, it requires further investigation.”

Everyone knew that Noble Consort Rong and the Crown Princess were like fire and water, fighting for power in the palace. No one had expected the Crown Prince to not take Shen Xihe’s side at this moment – this left everyone confused.

“Crown Prince Brother’s words make sense. Noble Consort would not be so brazen and arrogant as to send her family member to harm Your Majesty.” As the one who had suggested this plan, Consort Shu naturally knew the truth about the assassin. She turned her gaze toward Noble Consort, “If Guard Rong was not here to assassinate Your Majesty, why did Noble Consort summon him after his duty shift?”

This was the crucial point – it was already deep into the night, why would Noble Consort summon Rong Qiu at this hour? It suggested something unspeakable.

“Noble Consort, why did you seek out Rong Qiu so late at night?” Emperor Youning pressed.

If Rong Qiu hadn’t been her family’s nephew, this would have been even harder to explain.

Noble Consort Rong had wanted to find someone else, but firstly, others would have found it difficult to enter the heavily guarded Xiangguo Temple and would more easily arouse Shen Xihe’s suspicions. Secondly, she had planned each step very carefully – even if Shen Xihe countered every move, the worst outcome would be mutual destruction.

But she had never truly crossed swords with Shen Xihe. In her decades of fighting with women, she had never touched men’s battlefields. She had thought this was just a power struggle between herself and Shen Xihe for control of the inner palace – she had never imagined Shen Xihe would escalate their women’s conflict to such an extent by involving His Majesty.

How could any woman take a conflict between women and escalate it to such an uncontrollable point?

“Your Majesty, I merely had some matters to instruct Rong Qiu about. It just happened that his duty shift ran late tonight.” Though Noble Consort Rong was shocked by Shen Xihe’s methods, she remained calm and composed.

Although her behavior was suspicious and this matter involved the Rong family, without concrete evidence, they couldn’t convict her: “I spoke briefly with Rong Qiu and instructed him to leave. Just after Rong Qiu withdrew, we heard the shocking news of the assassination attempt on Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty,” As soon as Noble Consort Rong finished speaking, Shen Xihe said, “Since Noble Consort was merely giving instructions to Guard Rong, the guards watching her courtyard should know when Guard Rong entered and left Noble Consort’s residence.”

Noble Consort Rong’s body stiffened. These were instructions she had given to Rong Qiu earlier – today, Rong Qiu hadn’t come to see her.

When the guards were summoned – all members of the Jinwu Guard – even though they weren’t from the same unit, they all recognized Rong Qiu as he was a ranked guard. All four unanimously denied that Rong Qiu had entered Noble Consort Rong’s courtyard.

“I… I summoned him secretly, for some private matters that shouldn’t be made public…” Under Emperor Youning’s questioning gaze, Noble Consort Rong searched for excuses with diminishing confidence, but such a pale excuse couldn’t stand.

No matter how private the matter, people could still enter and exit the courtyard normally before dismissing servants for private conversation. To need such secretive entry and exit – suddenly everyone’s gazes toward Princess Pingling standing behind Noble Consort Rong turned strange.

Could it be a secret meeting between cousins?

Just as everyone’s thoughts ran wild, someone brought forward some items to Liu Sanzhi – a token, specifically a Jinwu Guard token. The tokens of Jinwu Guards who personally protected His Majesty all had markings, and this one belonged to Rong Qiu.

“Where was it found?” Emperor Youning asked gravely, holding the token.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, it was found near the kitchen. The Embroidered Uniform Guard also reported signs of fighting outside the kitchen,” Liu Sanzhi replied, hesitating before adding, “The guards at the kitchen were all knocked unconscious, the monitoring monks have disappeared, and the Eastern Palace’s female official was also found unconscious…”

Xu Qing didn’t want to get involved in royal family secrets, but now there was no way to avoid it. The kitchen also had monks on duty, and he quickly had them brought in. The two monks said: “Your Majesty, Abbot, it was Fazhao who came to find us, saying Master was looking for us…”

Being devoted to Buddhism and never speaking falsely, they judged others by their standards and didn’t think Fazhao would lie.

“Why did the Eastern Palace’s female official fall unconscious?” Shen Xihe asked Liu Sanzhi.

Liu Sanzhi had already brought Ziyu in. The Imperial Physician came forward to check Ziyu’s pulse and easily discovered the wound on her hand. After careful examination, he reported: “Your Majesty, the Eastern Palace’s female official was scratched by a civet cat. The claws must have been soaked in some drug – when they broke the skin, the drug entered her bloodstream, first paralyzing her arm before causing full-body weakness.”

“Meow—” Just then, a cry rang out as one civet cat came in carrying another civet cat by its neck.

Duanming carried in a civet cat about its size. This civet cat was covered in wounds, its fur matted with mud and blood. After dropping it, Duanming quickly jumped to Shen Xihe’s side, crying fiercely as if making accusations.

When the battered civet cat tried to escape, Duanming grabbed it and slammed its head down hard, pinning it.

Although this pinned civet cat was in a pitiful state, it couldn’t hide the fact that it looked remarkably similar to Duanming.

“Imperial Physician, examine this civet cat’s claws,” Shen Xihe commanded coldly.

The Imperial Physician had just crouched down to examine when two guards hurried in. Emperor Youning asked: “What are you doing?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, we just heard civet cats fighting and followed the sound. Two civet cats were fighting in Noble Consort’s courtyard.” It wasn’t fighting – it was one-sided domination. Though the two civet cats looked identical and were the same size, one was thoroughly beaten by the other. Later, the victor carried the helplessly defeated one this way, and worried about disturbing His Majesty, they rushed to follow.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I have something to report—” A shrill cry came from outside.

The voice was piercingly sharp. As they made their way, they saw a disheveled woman stumbling in.

This was none other than Rong Qiu’s birth mother.

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