Chapter 240 – A major breakthrough in the case

A few things to confirm ……. The framed crunchy follow-up question, “What is it?”

Huaiqing pursed his lips, keeping an eye on Xu Qi’an while pondering what he might have found. His own self, who had also searched the house carefully, was a muddle in his mind at the moment, not yielding too many useful clues or significant findings.

“First of all, if Concubine Fu had really been abused by the Crown Prince, she would have inevitably called for help, so why didn’t the pawns and palace maids in the Qingfeng Palace hear it? Let’s go downstairs first ……. You go and summon all the palace maids and pawns in the courtyard.”

The last sentence was addressed to the little chief.

All of them immediately went downstairs and summoned all the servants and palace maids of the Qingfeng Palace in the courtyard, totaling twelve people, four palace maids and eight servants.

“Listen up, this is Lord Xu, who has been ordered to investigate the case, and the case of Concubine Fu’s murder is under his full authority. Lord Xu has something to ask you now. You all must answer all questions and not hide anything.” The little chief said in a deep voice.

“Yes!”

The crowd bowed their heads in response.

The young leader nodded in satisfaction and looked towards Xu Qi’an.

Xu Qi’an locked onto a clean-cut courtesan and beckoned, “Come over here.”

The little courtesan lowered her head and took small steps forward.

“Come a little closer.”

The little courtesan came before Xu Qi’an, who whispered a few words in his ear before saying, “Go.”

The little courtesan trotted into the attic.

What’s he up to?

The little eunuchs who framed and supervised them were bewildered, while Huaiqing was thoughtful.

Xu Qi’an looked around at the rest of the palace maids and the pawnbrokers and said, “This official is asking you, when Consort Fu had her accident that day, why were there no palace maids in the attic to serve at her side?”

The palace maid and the official looked at each other with some trepidation, not daring to speak.

Xu Qi’an’s pupil light snapped as he rebuked, “Anyone who conceals and does not report, or does not report with knowledge, will be considered a suspect in the murder of Concubine Fu, and will be escorted to the Ta Shing Man Jail.”

A small eunuch immediately said, “Back to Your Excellency, we don’t dare to approach the attic.”

Afraid to go near the attic?

Xu Qi’an felt that she had discovered Hua Point, a man had entered Concubine Fu’s chambers, but the subordinates in the courtyard didn’t dare to approach, what did this mean?

It means that Emperor Yuanjing has grassland on his head.

Xu Qi’an was secretly looking forward to it in his heart.

The little eunuch explained, “Empress Fu loves to drink, and when she drinks too much, she is quick to scold the subordinates of the Qingfeng Palace. We are afraid of suffering unintentional disaster, and whenever the Empress drinks, we stay far away.”

“Is it like this every time?” Xu Qi’an asked.

“Yes, no exceptions.” The young eunuch replied.

“Since when.”

In response to this question, the little eunuch mumbled for a moment and shook his head, “When Nucai entered the Qingfeng Hall, Empress Fu did so.”

White Chicken, your seniority is not good ….. Xu Qi’an swept through the crowd and snapped, “Which one is Empress Fu’s personal palace maid.”

“It’s the slave girl …..” A slightly older palace maid stepped forward.

“You answer the question this official just asked.” Xu Qi’an stared at her.

“This, this …..” The older palace maid hesitantly said, “Some years ago it was fine, but these years the Queen’s character has become more and more strange, often standing alone in the attic and not knowing what she is looking at.

“When drinking, I like to recite poems that are sad and sad …..”

What she said was very cryptic, probably because she didn’t dare to comment on Concubine Fu or the emperor’s family matters. But Xu Qi’an and Huaiqing were both smart people and understood the implication.

This is the sadness of a lonely woman ah …… Alas, Yuan Jingdi is not a son of a man, his harem is so beautiful, and he is still hot and beautiful, but he even ran to monasticism, and he even abstained from …… Xu Qi an sighed and asked again:

“On the day of the accident, did anyone hear Princess Fu’s cries for help?”

The crowd shook their heads.

Xu Qi’an didn’t make a statement, looking in the direction of the attic with a slight nod.

The people follow his gaze to look at, lookout platform stood just into the attic of the small palace maid, get Xu Qi An authorization, the small palace maid immediately close the lookout platform at the lattice door, Russia a moment, the inside came faint cry for help.

Up to this point, the framed frame whose brain was not too smart also understood Xu Qi’an’s meaning.

“Assholes, you guys dare to lie, the cries for help are clearly this clear.” Framed said angrily.

The underlings in the courtyard were startled and rushed to defend themselves.

Xu Qi’an pressed his hand, signaling them to be at ease, then turned his head to instruct the little chief: ”Carry out the broken section of the guardrail …..

Then he looked at the older courtesan and said, “You stay, the others stand down.”

The older courtesan was a little flustered, her hands stirring uneasily.

“Little eunuch, you go to the outer courtyard first, and come back when I call out to you later.” Xu Qi’an originally thought that this not-so-sensible little eunuch would retort, and he was all set to raise Huaiqing and Lin’an to press people.

As a result, the little eunuch said nothing and willingly turned away.

“What do you got?”

When the people had left, Wyvern was the first to speak.

The cool and haughty Princess Highness, had her own reasoning in her mind, just now the palace maid was calling for help inside the attic, which could be heard outside, albeit very faintly.

Then there were two possibilities: one, Concubine Fu didn’t call for help at all. Two, Concubine Fu was being controlled.

“How is the Crown Prince’s cultivation?” Xu Qi’an asked.

“I have practiced martial arts for a few years, and I am skilled in bow and horse riding.” Huaiqing replied.

Oh, a weak chicken ….. Xu Qi’an nodded.

It was actually understandable that the Prince’s cultivation was at the Refined Essence Realm, or even less. For an imperial prince, passing on the family name and extending the heir was the number one priority. What was personal martial arts? It wasn’t like the emperor needed to charge into battle.

Secondly, the ability to sit still in the face of beauty is also a major test.

Especially since the Crown Prince is a prince, surrounded by beautiful maidservants, I’m afraid it’s hard to keep his body in the impulsive period of his youth.

Xu Qi’an felt that it was only someone like herself who possessed great perseverance that could remain maternally single for nineteen years.

“Although the Crown Prince’s cultivation is shallow, it’s still easy to think of using force on a weak woman, so Concubine Fu might not even have the chance to make a cry for help.” Xu Qi’an said.

“My crown prince brother wouldn’t do such a thing.” Framed immediately retorted, this was her last stubbornness as a sibling.

Xu Qi’an didn’t respond to the framing that bulged her round face into a bun, and looked at the older courtesan with a sneer, saying, “Didn’t tell the truth just now, did you?”

A trace of panic flashed in the palace maid’s eyes as she waved her hand and said, “What the slave girl said is true, absolutely no lies, please be clear, Your Honor.”

“Didn’t lie, but didn’t tell the whole story either, did you.” Xu Qi’an slapped her on the thigh with the sheath of her blade:

“This officer has little patience; if you don’t tell me, you can go and give an account of yourself in the dungeon of the robber’s yamen, and I don’t guarantee what the jailers in there will do to you.”

These little palace maids and eunuchs have a lot of heart and a lot of guts, and intimidation is the best way to do it.

The courtesan bit her lip, and with a crossed heart, said, “Your two highnesses, Lord Xu, please follow me.”

She turned to enter the attic, Xu Qi’an and Huaiqing and Lin’an following behind.

Returning to the attic, the courtesan went straight to the bottom of the bed, straining to pull open a large wooden box, and from underneath a piece of old clothing, took out a small wooden box.

The palace maid lowered her head and scowled as she presented the wooden box.

Xu Qi’an took it, opened the wooden box, and after seeing what was inside, two words came to mind: wuhu!

He would have whistled a pompous whistle if he hadn’t been surrounded by Linn and Huaiqing.

Inside the wooden box lay an object carved from jade.

Xu Qi’an instantly understood why the courtesan swallowed and dared not speak.

This stuff is forbidden in the court, the moral aspect is one aspect, then again this is the court, the consort is the emperor’s woman, it is definitely not allowed.

Doesn’t the Emperor want to lose face?

Once discovered, the heaviest case will be sent to the cold palace, and the lightest case will be demoted to a lower position.

This explains why Consort Fu dispersed her subordinates out of the attic, the bad mood after drinking is one aspect, and this thing in front of her is the other ……. Luckily I drove the little eunuchs out, otherwise Emperor Yuan Jing would have to kill me to silence me ……. Xu Qi An looked complicated.

“What is this?” Princess Lin An frowned.

Xu Qi’an glanced at her, then at Huaiqing, the high-cooled princess was expressionless, focused on scrutinizing the jade carving object with confusion in her eyes.

Not it is not it, Linan illiterate even if, well read poetry Princess Huaiqing, Ning also do not know?

Xu Qi’an coughed and explained to the princesses in a very soft voice.

Lin An let out a “yah” and took a few steps back in shock, her round face reddening, her neck and ears reddening.

Princess Huaiqing retracted her gaze as if she was electrocuted and twisted her head away, her fair face surfacing with two light blushes.

“Fu, Fu Fei she ……. She even private stash this kind of thing, no, don’t know shame, quick, quickly put it away …..” Lin An stammered and scolded.

Don t get excited, maybe there …… is also under your mother s bed Xu Qi an covered the box and handed it back to the palace maid, saying, “Take it back, don t dirty the eyes of the two highnesses.”

The courtesan obediently did as she was told.

Xu Qi’an asked, “When Concubine Fu fell that day, was this on the bed, or in the chest?”

“It should be in the chest.” The courtesan said.

If there is this thing on the bed, the dossier will not fail to write ……. Xu Qi’an nodded and asked again, “That missing palace maid, like you, served Consort Fu closely?”

The courtesan nodded.

“Well, go down.”

After she went out, Xu Qi’an sat down at the table, lamenting that she couldn’t take the Jade Ruyi for laboratory tests while analyzing it for the two illiterate princesses:

“On the day Consort Fu fell, the underlings in the courtyard did not hear the cries for help, there are two possibilities: either the Crown Prince controlled her; or Consort Fu willingly fornicated with the Crown Prince.”

Huaiqing shook his head, “If it was a willing fornication, why would there be signs of resistance and struggle in the room?”

One look at you and you’re inexperienced ……. Xu Qi’an laughed, ”There are still two scenarios: one, Concubine Fu was reluctant at first, so she resisted, but the Crown Prince coerced her somehow.

Second, sometimes …… doesn’t have to be in a collapse.”

Both princesses blushed and spat at the same time.

“Then why did Princess Fu fall? You said that she was pushed down.” Huaiqing questioned.

“I can’t answer this question for now,” Xu Qi’an analyzed, “On the day of the incident, Concubine Fu drank wine.

“If I were the Crown Prince, I could use this as coercion to enter into a long term relationship. Princess Fu’s long-awaited body may be half-hearted, and there is absolutely no need to push her down the stairs. Even if the Crown Prince woke up and wanted to kill someone, it shouldn’t have been after the deed was done, because men are the calmest during sage time, and are categorically not impulsive.

“There is another doubt, Fu Fei both to do that thing, drove away the attic in the palace maids and pawns, that is even more unreasonable to send close to the palace maids to invite the Prince, unless the two have long had an affair.

“But according to the investigations of the Three Law Divisions, and the statements of the officers and courtesans in the courtyard, Consort Fu has never had any dealings with the Crown Prince.”

“That is to say, my crown prince brother was really wrongly accused.” Framed eyes crystallized.

“The possibility is not small, but it’s not time to draw a conclusion.” Xu Qi’an nodded.

Huaiqing asked, “How did you see that the palace maid was hiding something?”

Her pair of crystal clear, beautiful eyes stared at Xu Qi’an. It seemed like she was asking for advice, but she couldn’t wipe her face.

Micro-expression psychology to understand ……. Xu Qi’an said, “Human expressions and body movements will reveal the heart to a certain extent, they are more honest than the mouth.”

Huaiqing’s eyebrows furrowed, “This palace has never seen a book that records this type of knowledge.”

“It’s something I drilled into myself.”

Huaiqing nodded slowly, somewhat impressed, “You really are a genius at solving crimes.”

…….. In fact, the most important thing in solving a case is not talent, it is experience and knowledge, without these things, you will not be able to step into the threshold even if you are a genius in reasoning. Xu Qi’an laughed, “Your Highness is flattered.”

At that moment, the small head of the guards shouted downstairs, “Lord Xu, the things have been brought over.”

Xu Qi’an immediately rose and said, “The following is to verify one of my conjectures, how Princess Fu died may be seen immediately.”

The three of them came downstairs, and Xu Qi’an took the broken guardrail in the guard’s hand, scrutinizing the break and checking it over and over again.

He was deep in thought.

The red and white dresses tacitly refrained from interrupting.

Though a small pair of feet underneath the framed skirt kept stamping, showing anxiety.

Because Xu Qi’an had just said that Consort Fu’s death would be seen immediately. It was a matter of the crown prince’s brother’s innocence, and she was anxious.

But still, I didn’t dare disturb him from thinking.

“Go, go to the ice cellar. Please trouble the Eldest Princess to go and invite a Sister.” Xu Qi’an led the crowd out of the Qingfeng Hall, and Huaiqing instructed the guards outside the hall to go and invite the old Sister.

Coming to the ice cellar, leaving behind the guards, Xu Qi’an, Huaiqing, Lin’an, and the supervising junior eunuchs and old sisters, the five of them went inside the ice cellar and once again saw Consort Fu’s remains.

“Please trouble Sister to remove the clothes on Concubine Fu before turning her over.” Xu Qi’an said.

The old mama was a little hesitant, but seeing Xu Qi’an intuitively turn her back, she then looked at Princess Huaiqing with an inquiring gaze, without looking at Lin’an.

Huaiqing nodded and said, “Do as Lord Xu says.”

A few minutes later, the Sister said, “The old slave is done.”

Xu Qi’an turned back around, and Princess Fu was naked, sprawled out on the wooden planks, her ghastly white back covered in corpse stains, but there was nothing Xu Qi’an wanted to see.

“It’s okay.” He nodded.

Leaving the ice cellar and coming to the side hall, Lin An couldn’t wait to ask, “How was it? How did Concubine Fu die, my crown prince brother is innocent, right?”

Xu Qi’an glanced at the supervising young eunuch, then swept over the two princesses and said in a deep voice, “Concubine Fu should have fallen down to the attic on her own.”

“How so?” Wyvern raised an eyebrow.

This result made everyone feel surprised.

“The guardrail of the pavilion of the Clear Wind Palace is not rotten and is sturdy. If Concubine Fu was pushed down, her back must have been left bruised while her body broke the parapet.

“But after examining it just now, there are no long strips of bruises on Princess Fu’s back. There are only corpse spots and a fall that produced lumpy bruises.” Xu Qi’an said.

Huaiqing mused, “But she did die by crashing through the guardrail ……. Are you saying that someone tampered with the guardrail?”

Xu Qi An nodded: ”In addition to this, Consort Fu drank wine before she fell from the building, and the palace maid of the Qingfeng Palace said that she often looked at the scenery from the watchtower …… I guess she was looking to see if His Majesty would come, but of course, these are not important.

“The important thing is that when a person has been drinking, they will instinctively lie down or lean against the parapet. Princess Fook fell on her back, so she would have been leaning on the parapet at the time, but the parapet was tampered with and she fell to her death as a result.

“I asked just now, which means that Princess Fu was …… well, you know, that day. So the likelihood that she would be standing on the lookout is high, high.

“When the coroner examined the corpse, the statement of not having been violated could also serve as corroboration. The palace maids in the Qingfeng Hall did not hear the cries for help because Concubine Fu did not suffer any rape at all, so naturally she did not need to call for help.”

Huaiqing and Lin’an came to a sudden realization, and the latter was heartily pleased, for the Crown Prince’s suspicion was suddenly much lighter.

The former fell into deep thought, chewing and recalling Xu Qi’an’s analysis, like a schoolboy digesting the contents of his teacher’s lecture.

The little eunuch in charge of supervision bowed his head and put his best foot forward, silently memorizing Xu Qi’an’s every word, to report back to his godfather later.

Upon hearing this, the old Sister interjected, “This Lord, the one who examined Princess Fu’s body was also an old slave, not a coroner.”

“Oh, so it’s Sister. That’s just as well, I still have some details to ask.”

He pulled the old Sister aside and whispered, “Sister, the standard by which you judge the innocence of your body …….”

He whispered his doubts out.

Sr. Sister said, “It’s tight.”

“Ohhh, then this official understands.” Xu Qimin said, “This old Sister’s car skills are even slicker than mine.

This made it even more certain that Princess Fu had not been defiled, but had actually died in an accident, an accident that had been carefully staged by someone.

Since it wasn’t a case of lust, the Prince’s suspicion was very, very light.

After receiving a confirmed answer, Xu Qi’an said, “The only one who can do all this should be that personal palace maid.”

Of course the palace maid would not kill Concubine Fu and frame the Crown Prince for no reason, this is something that framing can figure out.

“And who would be the person who instructed the palace maid?” Mounted glanced at Huaiqing with distrust in his eyes.

Huaiqing sneered, and the mount immediately shrank behind Xu Qi’an.

She didn’t bother to be general with Lin An and frowned, ”Then how do you explain the traces of clutter in the room?

“Before Consort Fu fell from the building, the palace maid was definitely unable to intentionally mess up the room in front of her. And after Consort Fu fell down the stairs, it immediately drew the attention of Her Highness Qingfeng’s people.”

“It could be that Princess Blessed had a very bad temper and so messed up the room. It could also be that there’s something wrong with the drinks, like hallucinogenic.” Xu Qi’an explained.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to dissect Princess Fu, so there is no way to confirm this speculation.

“Let’s call it a day for now, I want to go back and deliberate and sort out the case.” Xu Qi’an said.

He can’t claim to be passive-aggressive.

Sending Princess Lin’an back to Shaoyin Yuan, Xu Qi’an saw Princess Huaiqing waiting outside, and walked over unannounced.

The two walked forward in silence, the guards not following, falling distantly behind.

“I didn’t expect that as soon as you made your move, there would be an immediate breakthrough in Princess Fu’s case.” Princess Huaiqing praised.

“This case is actually not difficult, at least proving that the crown prince is innocent is not that difficult.” Xu Qi’an finished, and after a few seconds, said:

“The Three Judges don’t seem to be in a hurry to prove the Prince’s innocence.”

Xu Qi’an had always felt that this era’s deduction knowledge and criminal investigation methods were backward, but he couldn’t deny that there was still a lot of talent in the Three Law Divisions.

The Fu Fei case is not as detailed as the tax and silver case, nor as treacherous as the Sang Po case, nor as brain-burning as the Yunzhou case, in which there is not much cultivation tactics mixed in.

Trying to prove the Prince’s innocence is a bit difficult, but not impossible.

Princess Huaiqing eyed the front, and after a dozen seconds of silence, she faintly said, “There are no more than two possibilities in this matter: one, the real culprit is the Crown Prince. Two, the Crown Prince was framed.”

Xu Qi’an let out a ‘hmm’.

“If the Crown Prince is the true culprit, then he will be deposed. The Jingcha has just ended, and then we will have to usher in a dispute over the state capital, no matter if it’s father or the entire court, they all don’t want this to happen. Moreover, it will also be hated by the Crown Prince’s party, making enemies for nothing.

“If the Crown Prince was framed, then who in the Harem has this ability, who even dares to frame the Crown Prince? The Three Law Divisions are even more unwilling to be offended. In the end, this is still Father’s family matter.”

Xu Qi’an replied bluntly, “All imperial sons who can inherit the throne of the Eastern Palace are possible.”

Huaiqing said, “But the greatest suspicion is my cell brother, and my mother.”

Because the Fourth Prince is the first son, the first heir.

“Suspicion is suspicion, as long as there is no evidence, even His Majesty cannot do anything about it.” Xu Qi’an said.

Suspicion is unavoidable, the palace has a son died, those who are favored concubines are suspected. But as long as the evidence is destroyed, even if the suspicion is great, so what.

Palace fighting is actually very simple and rough, it is impossible to every concubine in the harem is a far-reaching layout, sophisticated Zhu Geliang.

Wyvern nodded slowly.

“There’s one thing I don’t understand, the Fourth Prince is the first son, why did His Majesty make Lin An’s sibling the Crown Prince?”

Xu Qi’an’s gaze was fixed on Huaiqing when she asked this question, if she had a bored and resistant expression, then it meant that her behavior of having two feet in two boats had made her heart grow fuzzy, and she didn’t treat herself as a beloved.

Huaiqing pondered for a moment and shook his head, “Father’s mind is beyond anyone’s guess, but I had an occasional opportunity to hear some rumors …….”

Xu Qi’an hurriedly interrupted, “Your Highness, I would like to live until my children and grandchildren are full and I die at the end of my life.”

On a rare occasion, Huaiqing guffawed, “Not a secret, there’s no harm in hearing it.”

After a pause, she continued, ”The palace said that the reason why the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince is because Chen Guifei favored the harem when she was young, and only then did Father make an exception to set up the eldest son of the concubine as the Crown Prince.

“But my brother once privately complained to me that when he was young, Father treated him extremely well, and often instilled in him how the one who is the king should be how …… Try to ask, if there is no intention to establish my brother as the crown prince, how could Father say these words?”

Xu Qi’an turned around and waved his hand towards the guards in the distance before walking out a distance with Huaiqing before he could hardly hide his gossipy heart and rubbed his hands together to ask:

“Then why did you end up with the eldest son of the concubine.”

…….

PS: I’ll try to get the next chapter before 12.

Change before you change.