auspicious time has come

Chapter 227 "The Murderer"

As soon as this remark came out, the atmosphere around was tense and cold.

Qizhen supported Hengyu, and helped her put on the cloak that she took off before going into the water.

Heng Yu was trembling all over, and her slightly clenched teeth were also trembling.

But it's not because of the cold.

On the contrary, she no longer felt the physical coldness.

"Send Ji Niangzi to change clothes first." The prince turned his head and confessed to Yue Jian.

"Thank you, Your Royal Highness..." Heng Yu forced himself to salute, and accompanied by Qi Zhen, he followed Yue Jian out of everyone's sight.

She took one last look at the direction Xiao Mu had just left, and slightly clenched her uncontrollably trembling fingers.

On the way Xiao Mu left the palace, he attracted strange looks from many people who were not yet aware of the situation.

However, even if he didn't know why, the coldness emanating from the young man in the first-grade purple robe could not be ignored.

Wherever it passed, the palace people avoided and saluted one after another, not daring to look directly at it.

The servant who led the way had already soaked his inner shirt with cold sweat, and walked hurriedly with his head down, almost trotting to keep up with the young man's footsteps.

"That's... the Marquis of Dingbei?"

"Who is he holding in his arms... It seems that..."

"What happened?"

A group of officials who came out of the palace stared blankly at the suppressed but still compelling figure going away, and then started talking in surprise: "It looks like something serious has happened..."

But before the words fell, he heard the sound of prudent footsteps approaching, and soon he saw a group of forbidden soldiers coming quickly, guarding and blocking the intersections.

"May I ask General Min, what happened in the palace?" An official asked the approaching General Qianniuwei who was in charge of the guards in the palace.

The general's face was serious: "Mrs. Xiao, the mother of the Marquis of Dingbei, was murdered. The murderer is unknown. His Highness the Crown Prince personally ordered to immediately block the exits of all the palace gates. Lords, please follow me back and investigate together."

"what……"

Mrs. Xiao...is dead? !

The crowd changed.

Xiao Mu and the forbidden army arrived at the gate of the palace one after the other, which also caused a shock among the officials and relatives who left the palace.

"Your Highness, Mrs. Xiao... Mrs. Xiao..." The voice of the female envoy who was guarding the carriage of Princess Yongyang trembled.

Princess Yongyang lifted the curtain of the carriage and came down when she heard the movement, just as Xiao Mu bent over and sent Mrs. Xiao's cold body into the carriage of Dingbei Houfu.

The maid Chunjuan stood beside the car blankly. After a moment of daze, she turned her head stiffly to look inside the car, and suddenly burst into tears: "Ma'am...!"

Xiao Mu got on the horse, the knuckles of the fingers holding the rein turned white, and there were bulging veins on the back of his hand.

"Go home."

In the night, his voice was too strangely calm.

Everyone in the Hou Mansion answered "Yes" with red eyes. Following the sound of horseshoes, the chariots and horses of the Dingbei Hou Mansion followed Xiao Mu and disappeared outside the gate of the Vermilion Palace.

Looking at the direction in which the carriages and horses disappeared, Princess Yongyang said in a low voice with difficulty recovering: "After entering the capital, all kinds of twists and turns have come here...Why did such an accident happen today?"

"His Royal Highness." A forbidden soldier stepped forward to salute, and said in a somewhat embarrassed way: "The incident happened suddenly, and I am on official duty... I have ordered people to prepare a soft sedan chair, and please return to the palace to rest for a while."

Princess Yongyang took her gaze away from the palace gate slowly, with a serious look on her brows: "It should be so, let's go."

As the night wind hit her, she covered her mouth and coughed a few times, her brows furrowed even more.

Facing the obstruction and recall of the forbidden army, some people were terrified and puzzled, and some were annoyed: "Why don't you let us go!"

The Turkic man who was stopped outside the East Palace was full of anger.

The forbidden army looked cold and serious: "Someone was killed in the palace, and by the order of His Royal Highness, all those attending the banquet tonight must stay."

The Turkic man roughly understood the word "killed", frowned and rushed forward: "You are dead, what does it have to do with me! Get out of the way!"

With a sound of "噗", the sword in the forbidden army's hand came out of its sheath and stood in front of him.

The man's eyes changed, and he clenched his fists suddenly.

"Ye Hu..." The companion next to him whispered something in Turkic.

The man with a fierce face gritted his teeth and looked at the imperial guard with cold eyes: "I want to see what kind of tricks you guys are playing!"

All the officials and female relatives were called back to the hall where the banquet was held one after another.

It was the first time for most of them to see His Highness the Crown Prince, who had always been gentle and gentle, showing such a solemn and solemn demeanor.

Great uneasiness enveloped the crowd.

The news spread to all the palaces, and everyone was alarmed.

The Crown Princess was also greatly shocked: "How could this be so, Mrs. Xiao actually..."

The matter happened in the East Palace, and the palace people had known about it for a long time. The reason why it was only reported to her now was because all the maids knew that the Crown Princess was pregnant, so they didn't dare to make a fuss.

And the prince's attitude in handling this matter is particularly firm, the situation is so big, it seems impossible for the palace people to hide it, so Shi Cai truthfully reported it.

"Since the matter has already happened, I believe His Highness will handle it properly." Nanny Xiang hurriedly comforted her: "Don't be too alarmed..."

The Crown Princess' face turned slightly pale, and she sat on the couch for a while before she nodded.

Mrs. Xiao has a special status. If the real culprit cannot be found out in time, I am afraid it will not be good...

"Did Mrs. Heng go into the water and bring him up?" the Crown Princess asked after she regained her composure.

"Exactly." Nanny Xiang said in a low voice, "Mrs. Ji was the first to discover the disappearance of the person, and then dragged the palace people to look around... Lady Ji jumped off the lotus pond regardless, and after bringing it up, she tried her best to rescue him." , but it's a pity that the injury was on the back of the head and I drowned in the water again, so it was still a step too late."

The Crown Princess frowned tightly: "The person who did it is really vicious!"

Immediately asked: "How is Mrs. Heng?"

"Suffering from the cold and fright... and judging from the attitude of saving people, Mrs. Xiao has a close relationship, so it's unavoidable to accept it for a while. At this time, Yuejian took her to change clothes."

At the same moment, Yue Jian brought a bowl of soup to Hengyu and said, "Madam Ji, drink a bowl of ginger soup first to get rid of the cold."

Hengyu, who had finished changing clothes, sat on the drum stool, her eyes were a little empty, she looked at the ginger soup that was handed to her eyes, reacted for a moment, and just took it to her mouth.

Yuejian hurriedly said: "Miss Ji, be careful!"

But he saw that Hengyu had already poured down the whole bowl of ginger soup.

"Thank you for seeing sister Yue." Heng Yu put the bowl aside and stood up.

Yue Jian hurriedly went to help her arm: "Someone else boiled a decoction to soothe the nerves, Mrs. Ji, let's rest here first."

"No need." Heng Yu's voice recovered a bit: "I want to go to the front and have a look."

Yue Jian hesitated to speak, seeing her insistence, she didn't try to persuade her: "The servant girl will go with Lady Ji."

When Hengyu came to the front hall, he saw that everyone in the hall was sitting or standing, and the air was full of tension and uneasiness.

Everyone's minds were focused on progress, and almost no one noticed that she walked into the hall.

At this time, a guard quickly walked into the hall: "His Royal Highness, I found this thing in the grass by the pond where Mrs. Xiao drowned!"

The prince immediately said: "Submit it."

The guard presented the item, only to see it was a bracelet.

What is different from ordinary bracelets is that in addition to amber jade, there is also a long wolf tooth on it, which is particularly eye-catching.

In the crowd, the Turkic man named Gacque changed his eyes and touched his left wrist subconsciously.

"This bracelet looks like something from a foreign race..." an official said.

Another person said: "I heard that the Turkic people use the wolf as a totem, and they really believe in it..."

As soon as this remark came out, countless eyes subconsciously turned to the two of Jia Que.

The prince didn't rush to make a conclusion or ask questions, but handed the bracelet to the servant: "Please make sure that you have seen this thing before tonight or before."

Everyone knows that if the real culprit cannot be found out, no one can stay out of the matter, so they dare not be careless.

But even so, there are some things that cannot be said too easily - it has only been two years since Turkic and Dashengyi made peace, and no one dares to take some charges rashly.

All the officials have their own schemes, but one person is different: "I recognize this bracelet, I have seen it on the hands of Turkic envoys before!"

The King of Xiang pointed at Jia Que without hesitation.

"You!" Gaque was furious.

"My maid...I have seen this handbag too!" The king of Xiang started, and a palace lady knelt down: "When my maid poured wine for them tonight, I saw this bracelet more than once!"

Jia Que looked at Gong'e furiously: "Bastard!"

The prince looked at him: "Why should Jiaque Yehu get angry? If it's just a misunderstanding, you can just show your bracelet."

"..." Chu Jun said, Jia Que's attitude was somewhat restrained: "My bracelet is gone!"

There was noise all around.

"lost?"

"How could there be such a coincidence?"

A minister sternly reminded: "Gaque Yehu Note, this is not something that can be taken away by just saying 'lost'—"

"What do you want!" Jia Que glared at the minister: "Are you trying to put the crime on me with just a mere bracelet?"

The prince said: "Just relying on a bracelet does not explain anything. It is too rash to talk about conviction like this."

Jiaque's complexion just eased a little, only to hear the prince ask: "May I ask if there is any new injury on Jiaque's neck guard?"

Jiaque's face tightened, and he subconsciously stretched out his hand to touch the neck of the ear, and when he touched it, he felt a burning pain.

He also deliberately pulled up the collar of the robe to cover up the scar, but the scar was located near the ear, so it couldn't be completely covered.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Justice took a step forward and said, "If Mrs. Xiao was wounded on the head first, and then thrown into the pond, when the consciousness is still there, there must be struggles and resistance—"

"What are you farting!"

Looking at the Turkic man who has been hard to hide his arrogance since entering Beijing, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice reminded him coldly: "Please also ask Jiaque Yehu to speak carefully—"

"It's clear that you framed me first, so why should I be polite to you! Dare I ask His Royal Highness, is this your Dasheng's way of hospitality!"

"When a guest comes from afar, you should treat him with courtesy." The prince said slowly: "But there was a murder case in the master's house. If the truth cannot be found out, there will be a rift with the guest. Instead of forcibly whitewashing it, it is better to thoroughly investigate and eliminate it. Misunderstanding - such a common truth, presumably Jiaque Yehu also understands."

Jia Que's expression changed a few times, and he couldn't say anything to refute for a while.

"The wound under the earmuffs of the Gacque leaf has not yet scabbed—" the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishments asked, "May I ask where the wound was?"

Jia Que gritted his teeth and said after a while: "...was scratched by a court lady! In front of a bamboo forest behind the hall!"

"Lady?" The Minister of the Ministry of Justice frowned slightly: "How could the maid of the Eastern Palace easily hurt someone? Ye Hu was attacked by her, why didn't he tell His Highness the Crown Prince to hand over the maid to the Eastern Palace?"

"Who knows how crazy she is..." Jiaque's eyes dodged for a moment: "How could I care about a mere lowly maid!"

After hearing the words and seeing the situation, most of the people already had the answer in their hearts.

But it is still unknown whether his words are true or not—it may not be a lie made to cover up his charges, and he deliberately confuses his eyes with a reckless attitude.

"By the way..." Jia Que raised his eyes abruptly: "It must have been that lowly maid who stole my bracelet at that time! Deliberately set up a trap to frame me!"

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice asked: "Since Jiaque Yehu is so sure, can I recognize that palace lady?"

Jia Que gritted his teeth: "I will definitely find her out!"

Seeing the crown prince nodded, Ji Nanxian, who was standing at the side, ordered people to summon all the maids in the Eastern Palace outside the palace.

Gaque came out of the main hall and came to the maids, carefully identified them, and finally pointed to a palace lady with a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows: "That's her! You bitch, how dare you harm me! Say it, yes! Who was instructed!"

The maid took two steps back in fright, and said in panic, "The servant girl has been serving the Crown Princess in the palace tonight, and then returned to the bedroom with the Crown Princess, until she was summoned here... before this, she has never left the Crown Princess Half a step to the side!"

Heng Yu also recognized that it was indeed the envoy next to the Crown Princess, named Yuezhi.

"Your Highness, the servant girl can testify for Yue Zhi!" said Gong'e, who was also serving the princess.

Two eunuchs also stood up: "Slaves can also testify!"

The prince who came out of the hall looked at Nanny Xiang who was following.

Nanny Xiang nodded: "That's true, Yuezhi has been accompanying the Crown Princess all along, never leaving a single step."

"You are in collusion!" Jiaque's blood surged up, and after a moment of blankness in his mind, he suddenly turned to look at the prince in the palace: "I understand... This is the order of the Eastern Palace Prince!"

"Presumptuous!" A minister scolded: "I am the Crown Prince of Dasheng, how could you, a mere barbarian, be able to slander me casually!"

"Barbarians?" Jia Que was extremely angry: "You are hypocritical and vicious, you are the most hateful!"

The minister sneered and said: "Your Excellency's sophistry and identification failed, so he became angry from embarrassment and said nothing, which is suspected of being a thief—"

However, Jia Que's words angered many officials and relatives. Someone said: "It is said that Jia Nu, the younger brother of Jia Que Ye Hu, died in battle under Xiao Jie's sword two years ago—"

At the next moment, a hesitant female voice sounded: "I have lived in Hedong for many years, and I know a Turkic woman who is in the jewelry business...so I can speak Turkic. At the banquet tonight, I heard this The envoy said... that he wanted to kill Jieshi Xiao's close relatives to avenge his younger brother."

Hengyu looked over and saw that the person who spoke was Princess Hedong.

Princess Hedong has always been timid and will not stand out when things happen. She said this at this time, probably because she saw the situation and wanted to "help" Dingbei Hou find the murderer, as a favor.

Hengyu couldn't help but think, it seems that what she said earlier really frightened Princess Hedong very much.

Princess Hedong's words caused a commotion in all directions.

"Sure enough, there is a plan!"

"It's just that the barbarians were defeated, and they dared to commit crimes in my Dasheng Palace!" A general was furious: "After drinking a few ounces of yellow soup, I don't know the heights of the heavens and the earth, and I am looking for my own death!"

Hearing this, Jia Que was no longer rational, and immediately rushed forward to raise his fist.

"Take him!"

Several guards stepped forward and restrained him tightly.

On the other side, Ji Nanxian has already obtained the testimony of the palace guards at the banquet tonight: "Your Highness, according to the testimonials of the palace people everywhere, the time period between Jiaque Yehu's last departure from the palace and his return to the palace happened to be Mrs. Xiao's accident. Clearance."

"Sure enough...you really have intentions! You are staring at me all the time, plotting me!" Jia Que stared at the prince with a pair of eyes: "You have a war in the southern border, and the emperor is seriously ill and has not shown up for a long time. What happened, the Great Khan and all the Turkic warriors will definitely seek justice for me!"

The prince pursed his lips slightly.

　Cough, cough, good night_(:з」∠)_
　　
　
(End of this chapter)