Only she, Dongfang Heng, and Dongfang Xun were present at the time. How did Li Youlan know about this?
"No one said that Prince An murdered his brother!" The Empress Dowager glanced coldly at Li Youlan, her tone icy.
"No one has said it, but I know everyone thinks the same thing!" Li Youlan sighed softly, her expression sorrowful.
“Young Master Xun is a kind person who never makes enemies. No one would kill him in such a cruel way. He is the heir of the Holy King’s Mansion and was almost engaged to Princess Li Xue. When he grew up, he also liked Princess Li Xue. Prince An was angry with him and annoyed by him. He killed him in a fit of anger, which can eliminate his rival in love and make him the heir of the Holy King’s Mansion and the future Holy King.”
"But Prince An is such a loyal and righteous man, how could he possibly kill his own brother for the sake of a so-called beauty or status!"
Li Youlan's words were eloquent and righteous, and many people were moved, nodding repeatedly with composed eyes.
Whether it was Shen Lixue's paranoia or not, she always felt that Li Youlan's words were ill-intentioned. Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Xun were biological brothers who loved and cared for each other. No matter how big the conflict was, they would not kill each other. Dongfang Xun's death was obviously caused by someone else, who framed Dongfang Heng!
Originally, the handkerchief pointed to her as the murderer, but Dongfang Zhan cleverly shifted the focus to Dongfang Heng. Dongfang Zhan and Dongfang Heng had a long history of grudges, so if anyone was the prime suspect in the scheme, it would be Dongfang Zhan.
Li Youlan is Dongfang Zhan's cousin, and the two have been working together. In this scheme, her role is to bring up the topic and make everyone suspect Dongfang Heng.
Her words were indeed touching, but with the Empress Dowager, Empress, concubines, princes, and guards all around, her direct and explicit explanation of the conflict between the Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Zhan brothers was clearly telling everyone that Dongfang Heng was afraid that Dongfang Zhan would steal Shen Lixue away, so he took the initiative to kill him, thus eliminating his rival in love and obtaining the position of Holy King.
"Lord Yang, this matter must be reported to the Emperor and the truth must be found out!" Shen Lixue looked at Dongfang Heng's stiff body, which remained unchanged, and felt extremely distressed. She spoke each word slowly and deliberately.
"Princess Lixue, do you want the Holy King's Mansion to be removed from Qingyan?" Li Youlan's voice was slightly angry as she glared at Shen Lixue with hatred. Without evidence, Dongfang Heng would not be punished, but if the case was investigated thoroughly and evidence was found, he would surely die.
"The murder of the Prince of the Holy King's Mansion is a challenge to the dignity of the Eastern Royal Family. Shouldn't the truth be investigated? Prince An, as the God of War of Azure Flame, would not leave any trace if he wanted to kill someone. Such a clumsy frame-up is clearly a deliberate act. Shouldn't the truth be investigated and his innocence restored?"
Shen Lixue looked at Li Youlan with icy eyes: "Miss Li, didn't you not believe that Prince An killed someone? Why are you afraid of finding out the truth?"
"I..." Li Youlan's eyes flickered unnaturally a few times: "I just don't want Prince An to get hurt again!"
Shen Lixue's cold gaze turned to Shuntian Prefecture: "Lord Yang, were the guards and the young master all killed by arrows? Were there any other external injuries?"
Lord Yang shook his head: "The coroner has examined them carefully. They all died from being hit by stray arrows. Apart from the prince's face being slashed, there were no other external injuries!"
All eyes were drawn to Dongfang Xun's disfigured face. In their memory, it was a flawless, handsome face, but now it was crisscrossed with knife marks, a gruesome sight. Was Prince An afraid that handsome face would steal his fiancée? How cruel.
"Your Highness!" The guards carried away the body of the Holy Prince's secret guard and stepped forward, cautiously advising, "We must take the Crown Prince's body to Shuntian Prefecture for a thorough examination!"
To establish a case regarding Dongfang Xun's death and report it to the Emperor, the body must be examined carefully again.
Dongfang Heng seemed not to hear the guards' words. His body was stiff and he did not move. The icy aura surrounding him was terrifying, and the guards dared not take another step closer.
The Empress Dowager looked at the stubborn Dongfang Heng and the pale blue corpse in front of him with a heavy gaze. In her memory, the two children of the Holy Prince's Mansion were kind and friendly. Who would have thought that things would turn out like this?
Shen Lixue stepped forward and tightly grasped Dongfang Heng's hand. In the past, his hand had warmed people's hearts, but now, it was as cold as ice, devoid of any warmth: "Dongfang Heng, Prince Xun has passed away. Please accept my condolences!"
Dongfang Heng didn't speak. The warm, soft touch spread from his hand into his body. He glanced at Shen Lixue's bright and concerned gaze. His lifeless eyes remained dull and lifeless. His stiff body moved slightly, and his icy aura subsided considerably.
"If you want to avenge Prince Xun, you need to have the coroners carefully examine his body and find any clues. Please move aside a bit!" Shen Lixue held his arm and tentatively pulled him step by step.
Dongfang Heng stared intently at the corpse on the ground. He slowly stood up, the hem of his white brocade robe stained with dried blood, a dark and shocking sight.
The guards took the opportunity to carry the body away and put it on a cart next to them. His dim gaze followed the body into the distance, his deep eyes as lifeless as ashes.
"Cough cough cough!" A very faint smell of blood wafted in the wind, and the Empress Dowager couldn't help but cough.
"Empress Dowager!" The Empress gently patted the Empress Dowager's back, glanced at the blood-soaked ground, and urgently ordered, "Prepare the carriage and return to the palace!"
The carriage pulled up, and the Empress Dowager stepped onto it. As she entered the carriage, she turned to look in Shen Lixue's direction and sighed, "Take good care of Dongfang Heng!"
“Okay!” Shen Lixue nodded, while Dongfang Heng beside her stood stiffly like a stone statue, without any reaction.
"Prince An, please accept my condolences!" Li Youlan walked over gracefully and bowed.
Dongfang Heng remained silent and expressionless, his invisible chill gradually intensifying. Li Youlan tightened her clothes and quickly turned to leave.
"Dongfang Heng, in ten days you will be able to win the heart of your beauty. Dongfang Xun died at the worst possible time. Your wedding will not be able to take place as scheduled!" Dongfang Zhan stepped forward, lowered his voice and said, a strange smile appearing on his lips.
Beside him, Dongfang Heng's slender body suddenly trembled, and his tightly clenched hand suddenly opened, his palm, which had gathered ten layers of internal force, was about to strike Dongfang Zhan.
"Dongfang Heng!" Shen Lixue exclaimed in surprise. She used all her strength to press down on his wrist, gesturing for him to look at the carriages that had not yet gone far.
Dongfang Zhan was deliberately trying to assassinate him. If he made a move, Dongfang Zhan would take the blow head-on without dodging. Dongfang Zhan would be seriously injured, but Dongfang Heng would indirectly be confirmed as cruel and ruthless, and would be completely ruined.
"Dongfang Zhan, good and evil will eventually be rewarded. This matter will definitely be investigated thoroughly, and the real culprit will not be allowed to escape justice!" Shen Lixue looked coldly at Dongfang Zhan, speaking each word with a hidden meaning.
Dongfang Zhan smiled gently: "I also really want to see the murderer caught and beheaded as a warning to others!"
"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager requests your presence!" A palace maid hurried over and curtsied.
"I will first escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace, and then visit the Holy King's Mansion later!" Dongfang Zhan raised an eyebrow at Dongfang Heng, smiled, turned around, and walked towards the carriage.
Seeing his triumphant figure, Shen Lixue's beautiful eyes burned with anger:
That silk handkerchief alone cannot convict Dongfang Heng, but in people's hearts, he is the murderer who brutally killed his own brother, whose cruelty is outrageous. He is no longer the Qingyan War God respected by his lover, but someone everyone avoids. The Holy King's Mansion will also become a den of serpents and wolves, despised by the world.
Dongfang Zhan didn't intend to kill Dongfang Heng; he wanted to slowly torture him, turning him from the high and mighty Qingyan War God, Prince An, into a shameless villain who harmed his own brothers, crashing him from the clouds to the ground, shattering him to pieces, making him wish he were dead. This was far more torturous than killing him.
Dongfang Zhan, so clever, so cruel.
As the carriage drove away and the pedestrians disappeared, the dried bloodstains on the ground reminded people of the tragedy that had recently occurred here.
"Li Xue, I didn't kill my older brother!" Dongfang Heng looked up at Shen Li Xue, and his lifeless eyes were actually glistening with tears.
When he heard the news of Dongfang Xun's death, he did not shed a tear. Even when he saw Dongfang Xun's body and everyone misunderstood him, he did not shed a tear, because he was strong. No matter how difficult things were, he would not let anyone see his vulnerable side.
Alone with Shen Lixue, he no longer wanted to hide himself with a strong exterior. He wanted to release his truest emotions, his vulnerability, his loneliness, his helplessness, everything about him, was truly displayed in front of Shen Lixue.
"I know you were framed!" Shen Lixue held Dongfang Heng's hand tightly, giving him silent comfort. Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Xun were brothers, how could they kill each other?