The reason Yun Chu wanted all the coroners summoned was because she anticipated that Chu Rui had certainly bribed someone.

Five coroners—it wasn’t very likely they would all be people who bowed for a mere pittance. Sure enough, this inconspicuous coroner dared to oppose Coroner Zhen.

She was about to speak when she heard Coroner Zhen raise his head and say: “Xiao Wu, you’ve been a coroner for less than a year. How dare you speak so recklessly before His Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and all the ministers?”

Xiao Wu’s face was full of indignation. Before he could speak—

Yun Chu said coldly: “Didn’t this Empress Dowager say that others are not to speak out of turn? Someone, slap his mouth.”

Qiutong behind her stepped forward and viciously slapped Coroner Zhen across the face.

Coroner Zhen couldn’t believe it but didn’t dare say anything more. He lowered his head and stood to one side.

Chu Rui spoke with cold eyes: “According to this official’s knowledge, in the coroner profession, experience is most important. One year of practice—how is that different from a layperson? This official suggests the Empress Dowager still listen to what the other coroners say.”

“What, is the Prince Regent certain this Empress Dowager doesn’t dare slap your mouth as well?”

Yun Chu’s voice was cold to the bone.

Losing Nie Zhou was like losing one of her arms.

Nie Zhou died miserably—he lost his life for her and Yu-geer.

She must obtain justice.

Zhaiyue Pavilion suddenly fell silent. The female family members watching the commotion around them immediately didn’t dare even breathe loudly.

Xiao Wu also kept his head lowered, trembling somewhat.

Yun Chu softened her tone a bit: “Coroner Xiao, is it? State your examination results.”

“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, although this humble one has only practiced for one year, regarding this most basic determination of cause of death, there’s still no problem. If the Empress Dowager trusts this humble one, this humble one will speak frankly.” Seeing Yun Chu nod, only then did Xiao Wu boldly continue: “The deceased’s face shows cyanosis, with fine pinpoint marks appearing on the face… These are all manifestations of death by suffocation… This humble one believes the deceased did not die from falling but first died by suffocation, then was thrown from a height by someone to fake the appearance of an accidental fall death.”

When he was summoned to the palace, he was still completely confused about what was happening.

But when he saw Coroner Zhen blatantly lying, he understood—this was deliberate murder, and Coroner Zhen had been bribed to lie.

As a coroner, his duty was to speak for the deceased through evidence remaining on the deceased’s body.

He had never forgotten his duty.

Although his abilities were limited, he was willing to do his utmost to do what he could and speak of the deceased’s injustice.

However, not a single person present believed his words.

“Sure enough, a coroner with only one year of practice won’t do. We all personally saw with our own eyes Minister Nie fall from the ninth floor.”

“Before falling, Minister Nie was still sitting on the railing drinking. He absolutely wasn’t dead, okay?”

“That Coroner Zhen has a great reputation. The cause of death he determined definitely can’t be wrong.”

“I don’t know why the Empress Dowager insists on investigating this matter. Wouldn’t it be better to let Minister Nie be laid to rest early?”

“Exactly…”

Being questioned by others, Xiao Wu wasn’t flustered at all. He spoke calmly: “Those who die from suffocation will have red teeth. This is written in the Great Compendium of Coroners and cannot be wrong.”

Someone bold immediately stepped forward, lifted the deceased’s lips, and turned to say: “Minister Nie doesn’t have red teeth. This Coroner Xiao is simply talking nonsense.”

“Could the Empress Dowager arrange for someone to bring strong liquor?” Xiao Wu spoke. “This humble one can prove what I’ve said.”

Yun Chu waved her hand.

The palace maid behind her immediately went to fetch strong liquor.

The palace was hosting a birthday banquet—there was no lack of strong liquor. It was quickly brought over.

Xiao Wu knelt on the ground, poured the strong liquor into the deceased’s mouth, letting the teeth soak in the strong liquor.

Before long, the base of those teeth actually slowly began to show a faint red color.

The scene fell completely silent.

Xiao Wu turned to ask the other four coroners: “The book states that those who die from suffocation, in their final moments, due to difficulty breathing, have blood vessels at the base of their teeth rupture and bleed, thus the teeth will show red color. May I ask, do you think this is incorrect?”

The four coroners remained silent, especially Coroner Zhen.

If he acknowledged Xiao Wu was correct, that would be equivalent to slapping himself.

If he denied Xiao Wu’s words, then anyone present need only produce that book, “Great Compendium of Coroners,” to destroy his career.

Besides silence, he didn’t know what he could say.

With his attitude, what didn’t the onlookers present understand?

Almost everyone completely hadn’t expected that Nie Zhou truly died from suffocation, not from falling.

Then this matter became interesting.

At this moment, Nie Shen suddenly cried hoarsely: “Empress Dowager, this humble official’s elder brother was extremely dignified in life. After death, he shouldn’t be subject to wanton discussion, nor should his body be examined repeatedly. This humble official will take Elder Brother home for burial first…”

“Someone, seize Nie Shen!”

At Yun Chu’s command, the Imperial Guards present were dumbfounded.

The Imperial Guard Commander was Lin Qiang, who was from Chu Rui’s maternal family. Naturally, he respected Chu Rui above all. The group of Imperial Guards stood without moving.

Chu Hongyu angrily put his hands on his hips: “The Imperial Guards are Our Imperial Guards! You bunch of useless people, you even dare disobey the Empress Dowager’s words—what use are you! All ministers, look—the Imperial Guards bully Us and the Empress Dowager like this. Isn’t this called contempt for imperial authority!”

Lin Qiang immediately gave the Imperial Guards a look.

Two Imperial Guards stepped forward and restrained Nie Shen.

Nie Shen dropped to his knees with a thud: “Empress Dowager, this humble official naturally wants Elder Brother to be laid to rest as soon as possible. There’s no contempt for imperial authority. Please, Empress Dowager, forgive this official’s crime. This humble official was wrong…”

“Are you trying to let Nie Zhou be laid to rest quickly, or are you trying to quickly destroy evidence?” Yun Chu said sternly. “It was you who killed Nie Zhou!”

Boom—!

The scene erupted directly.

“What? Second Master Nie killed Minister Nie?”

“Aren’t they blood brothers, born of the same mother? How is that possible?”

“How did the Empress Dowager make such a judgment?”

“…”

Yun Chu spoke word by word: “You all say you personally saw with your own eyes Minister Nie fall from the ninth floor. Are you certain you saw with your own eyes? You only assumed that person was Minister Nie based on clothing and attire.”

At these words, everyone reacted.

“That’s right, we indeed determined the identity through clothing. At such a distance, we couldn’t see the facial features clearly at all.”

“Now thinking back, it seems somewhat uncertain whether that person was Minister Nie.”

“But that person fell from the building, and the deceased is indeed Minister Nie. I’m all confused…”

Yun Chu continued: “At the ninth-floor railing of Zhaiyue Pavilion, there’s a visual blind spot. The person drinking first fell to the ground, then suddenly leaped up and fell from the building. It was at this moment that the person was switched—from a living person to a dead person. Minister Nie had already died before this and was thrown from the building to create the false appearance of a fall death. He thought that this way, the palace wouldn’t investigate this matter. But he exposed his identity through one action.”

Everyone couldn’t help but ask: “What action?”

Yun Chu raised her hand: “When ordinary people drink, especially drinking alone, they won’t pay attention to their movements… But the person sitting on the railing drinking raised his arm high, as if deliberately showing it to others. He wanted to tell everyone that Minister Nie drank too much and fell to his death. After doing this, he immediately descended from the railing, then pushed his own blood brother down… Nie Shen, is this Empress Dowager correct?”