The person speaking outside was Ding Xian, his tone urgent as he knocked on the door, making it bang loudly.
In the room, when Mu Yunjin heard the last four words, the smile on her face instantly froze. Her eyelashes trembled, and for a moment, she thought she had heard wrong…
Zixiang was dead?
Did Ding Xian just say Zixiang was dead?
Chu Li was helping Mu Yunjin tie her clothes when he heard Ding Xian’s voice. His fingers also froze suddenly, and he frowned slightly.
Then, the sash in his hands was abruptly pulled away as Mu Yunjin quickly walked to the door and opened it.
“Ding Xian, what did you just say?” Mu Yunjin’s face turned pale as she stared intently at Ding Xian.
Ding Xian was frightened by Mu Yunjin’s gaze. He took a deep breath and said with a miserable expression, “Princess Consort, Zixiang has been murdered.”
Hearing these words, Mu Yunjin’s legs went weak, and she nearly fell.
…
…
Chu Li quickly caught her, then looked at Ding Xian with solemn eyes, “Where is she?”
“In her room.”
As soon as Ding Xian finished speaking, Mu Yunjin had already rushed out, running toward Zixiang’s room.
Chu Li followed with rapid steps.
…
Zixiang lived in a side room of the manor. When Mu Yunjin arrived, low sobbing sounds could be heard from inside—
“Oh heavens, who could have done this? My poor little Xiang’er, she was about to be a bride,” Mama Shen’s wailing came from inside.
When Mu Yunjin entered the room, Qiqi and Huaying were hugging each other, both with reddened eyes.
Qingmeng stood to the side, lowering her eyes, her face full of regret and sorrow.
Song Chun sat on the ground, saying nothing.
When everyone saw Mu Yunjin arrive, their eyes showed concern, fearing she couldn’t accept the reality and her health might suffer.
Mu Yunjin clenched her fingers and slowly walked closer…
When she saw Zixiang on the bed, blood flowing from her seven orifices, eyes still wide open, the emotions she had been trying so hard to control completely collapsed at that moment…
In an instant, even her breathing became labored.
Chu Li arrived and immediately took Mu Yunjin into his arms. He glanced at the bed, and upon seeing Zixiang’s tragic state, he looked away.
“When did this happen?” Chu Li asked.
Mama Shen came over, wiping away tears, “Zixiang said today that her wedding dress was a bit large, and asked me to help her alter it tonight. I just came to her room to find her.”
“I saw the candles lit in the room, but there was no response when I knocked. Later, I pushed the door open, and who would have thought, who would have thought…” After speaking, Mama Shen couldn’t help but burst into loud sobs again.
At this moment, Huaying stepped forward and spoke rather calmly, “Zixiang was poisoned, but before that, she must have struggled with the murderer. Otherwise, her neck wouldn’t have such deep finger marks, and her face clearly shows signs of being slapped.”
When Huaying spoke these words, everyone noticed the injuries on Zixiang’s neck and face.
“Most importantly, she still has some body heat, proving that she was killed not long ago,” Huaying said.
Chu Li frowned, clearly feeling Mu Yunjin’s tight grip on his arm as she pressed her lips together, her eyes rolling with intense killing intent.
“But this girl Zixiang had no grudges with anyone. Why would a murderer suddenly target her?” Qingmeng spoke with surprise, unable to understand this matter.
Not just Qingmeng—no one here could make sense of it.
“Huaying, can you tell what poison this is?” Huang Yan sighed and looked toward Huaying.
“Poison arrow wood.”
Huaying replied.
Mu Yunjin took a deep breath and said in a cold voice, “If she was killed not long ago, then the murderer hasn’t gone far?”
“But since that person in black broke into the manor last time, I’ve increased the number of patrol guards. No one entered the Prince’s manor tonight,” Ding Xian said.
These words made everyone’s hearts sink.
If no one came from outside, didn’t that mean there was a traitor inside?
Thinking of this possibility, Mu Yunjin bit her lip and remained silent for a moment. She secretly wondered if there was an insider, had Zixiang witnessed some secret, and thus was silenced?
“I will get to the bottom of this matter and bring her justice,” Song Chun, who had been sitting silently on the ground, stood up and slowly walked to Zixiang’s bedside, holding her still-warm hand.
“Xiang’er, don’t worry, I will avenge you.” As Song Chun spoke, this strong man shed two lines of tears.
After that, he slowly reached out and closed Zixiang’s still-open eyes.
Seeing this scene, no matter how hard Mu Yunjin tried to hold back, she finally couldn’t help but let tears fall.
Zixiang…
You foolish girl, your happy days were just about to begin, how could you leave like this…
“Song Chun, after you found Zixiang in the afternoon, where did you part ways?” Qiqi spoke up, looking at Song Chun.
Song Chun thought for a moment and said, “In the afternoon, I found Zixiang to discuss some arrangements for our new home. We didn’t talk for long. She said she had some work to do in the manor, so she left.”
“We parted near the pavilion in the garden,” Song Chun said.
After he spoke, Qiqi frowned again, “Did anyone here see Zixiang around dusk this afternoon?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“So after Song Chun and Zixiang parted, only Mama Shen came to find Zixiang and discovered she had been murdered?” Qiqi analyzed.
“Then what was each of us doing at dusk?” Huang Yan brought up.
After he spoke, each person began to report their whereabouts.
Ding Xian: “Song Chun and I were patrolling the manor.”
Qingmeng: “I was drying herbs in the courtyard next door, with Mama Shen helping me.”
Qiqi and Huaying: “We were together.”
Huang Yan: “I was at the gambling house outside.”
Mu Yunjin looked at these people, then turned and left the room.
…
Zixiang’s death caught Mu Yunjin completely off guard. One moment she was helping her choose a wedding dress, the next she heard news of her murder.
From now on, there would be one less person in this world who truly cared for her.
Chu Li looked at the silent Mu Yunjin and gently embraced her, “Don’t be sad, you still have me.”
Mu Yunjin buried her face in Chu Li’s chest, feeling indescribable emotions.
At this moment, footsteps approached from the side.
It was Huaying.
Seeing Mu Yunjin, she spoke softly, “Master, may I have a word with you in private?”
…
When she returned to her room, Mu Yunjin’s whole body felt cold, her hands and feet trembling uncontrollably, her face pale and bloodless.
Huaying’s words still echoed in her ears. Although it was just a speculation, it was enough to disturb her mind and make it difficult to accept.
All night, Mu Yunjin could hardly sleep.
When dawn broke, Mu Yunjin looked at Chu Li, “Let’s bury Zixiang today. Don’t alert the Ministry of Justice about this matter.”
If the Ministry of Justice were alerted, Chen Pu might also meet with misfortune because of it.
Chu Li looked at Mu Yunjin and slowly nodded.
Last night he didn’t know what Huaying had told her, but judging from her series of reactions upon returning, Mu Yunjin seemed to have learned something.
But since she didn’t speak of it, she must have her considerations.
Mu Yunjin sat up in bed, changed into plain clothes, and sat at the dressing table, only to realize that the person who usually helped her with her hair and makeup was no longer there.
Her eyes reddened again. Mu Yunjin wanted to scold herself for becoming increasingly emotional. In the past, as a special agent, her teammates would often perish due to failed missions, one after another, but back then, she never cried.
Chu Li came closer, picked up the comb on the table, and gently combed her hair.
Finally, he simply styled her hair into a small bun.
After finishing her hair, he picked up an eyebrow pencil and helped Mu Yunjin draw her eyebrows.
Mu Yunjin remained motionless, watching Chu Li do all this for her, and briefly closed her eyes.
…
Zixiang’s funeral was handled extremely discreetly, and she was buried in the Western Cemetery.
After finishing the funeral arrangements, it was already afternoon.
In the Prince’s manor, everyone sat in the front hall. The incident had made everyone’s mood particularly low.
Especially Song Chun, whose joyous occasion had suddenly turned into a funeral. He was probably the one most affected.
“These days are likely to be unsettled again. Everyone must be careful and stay vigilant,” Qingmeng said with an unhappy expression, sighing.
Some people nearby nodded.
“Master, Huaying, and I will stay here for now, in case of any unexpected situations,” Qiqi spoke.
Mu Yunjin looked at the two of them and nodded in agreement.
For dinner, everyone ate very plain food, as almost no one had an appetite.
After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms.
That night, Huaying came to find Mu Yunjin. Mu Yunjin made an excuse to Chu Li and left the room.
After leaving the room, Mu Yunjin and Huaying quietly went to the side room where Zixiang had lived. Then Huaying took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and poured the liquid inside onto the ground.
Soon, drops of blood began to appear on the originally clean floor. Even the door of the side room was stained with blood, including several bloody fingerprints.
Seeing this, Huaying put away the porcelain bottle and looked at Mu Yunjin, sending her a secret sound message, “Indeed, the place where Zixiang was killed was not in her room.”
“Let’s follow the blood traces,” Mu Yunjin replied in a secret sound.
After they left, the blood traces that had appeared gradually disappeared.
Huaying nodded, then continued to sprinkle the liquid from the porcelain bottle. Drops of blood appeared on the ground ahead.
The two followed the trail to the artificial mountain at the back of the Prince’s manor.
Behind the rock of the artificial mountain, when Huaying poured the liquid from the porcelain bottle onto the ground, a large pool of blood emerged, along with several broken fingernails.
“Why would Zixiang come to the artificial mountain?” Huaying asked through a secret sound.
Mu Yunjin shook her head, looking around, and answered, “The artificial mountain is the most secluded place in this manor. Perhaps she stumbled upon something here by accident and learned something she shouldn’t have.”
Huaying nodded.
“Let’s go back first, and not alert anyone,” Mu Yunjin said.
“Mm, I understand,” Huaying replied.
After speaking, Huaying activated her formless space and escorted Mu Yunjin back to her room.
…
Back in the room, lying down, Mu Yunjin touched her belly and turned her head to look at Chu Li, “I hope two months can pass quickly, so I can give birth to the child as soon as possible.”