The princess's words were impeccable yet powerful, perfectly showcasing the demeanor and poise of a matriarch. Her gentle tone and firm attitude unsurprisingly won the respect of the servants. This was also the first time in many years that the princess had publicly displayed her authority in front of Consort Li.
Consort Li's face was ashen, she wished she could throw Luo Zhiheng and the Princess into the water and drown them. Things had developed to this point completely unexpected. Consort Li glared fiercely at Hua Kai, who was kneeling there with her head bowed, and then gave a vicious glance to the head maid, whose face was now ashen.
The head maid was also filled with doubt and suspicion; she had clearly recognized the corpse as hers. The body had obviously been buried in the wilderness, so how could it suddenly appear in the Prince's pond? The head maid's eyes were filled with terror. Could it be that the resentful Li Ji had returned as a vengeful ghost?
Hua Kai appeared outwardly obedient, but inwardly she sneered, completely indifferent to everything before her. Very well, things were developing exactly as she had planned. Let those two vile women, Luo Zhiheng and Consort Li, fight each other to the death; when they both suffer heavy losses, her mistress will reap the benefits.
As for the corpse...
Hua Kai glanced at Consort Li's head maid, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes. "You deserve it," she thought. "Who told you to be so arrogant and domineering, relying on Consort Li's favor? Who told you to bully me, Hua Kai? You'll have to take the blame. I really look forward to seeing how Consort Li will torment you."
On the day Consort Li killed Consort Li, unsurprisingly, she used her most trusted head maid to dispose of the body. The maid discovered the body but didn't care. However, when her master found out about this, she suddenly ordered Consort Li to bring the body back to the palace and throw it in the pond, saying that it would be useful later.
Hua Kai never doubted her master's words. She firmly believed that her master was a celestial being who knew everything, and that the future seemed to be entirely under his control. She dared not harbor the slightest thought of betrayal, for fear of incurring divine retribution.
The master's advance planning of the next move is bound to be effective. Just like back then, when she was saved by the master, who revealed her background, even knowing her physical characteristics, and arranged for her to stay in the Mu Prince's mansion, saying that sooner or later the eldest daughter of the General's mansion, Luo Zhiheng, would marry into the family. Married to Mu Yunhe, she was never favored, and was even said to be a jinx…
Now, many of the master's words have become reality, and some are even developing in the direction the master predicted. Mu Yunhe definitely won't live past twenty, will he? The divine physician has already determined it. So, Luo Zhiheng, this despicable woman whom the master hates, her good days are also coming to an end.
Luo Zhiheng really wanted to applaud the princess's words. She pressed her advantage and said something that made Consort Li's scalp tingle: "Since the princess supports it, then let the people in the palace come and see if anyone recognizes this person. Since Consort Li's maid just said that this person looks like Consort Li, then let all the people related to Consort Li come and identify him."
As soon as Luo Zhiheng finished speaking, everyone's expression, including the princess, turned strange.
Second update is here! Hehe, 11,000 words today! Please shower Huasha with your recommendation votes and comments, okay? Please vote and leave comments, love you all! Also, please give me monthly tickets! Group kisses, my darlings!
092 Cruel Truth!
Updated: 2013-06-09 13:51:59 Word Count: 8025
Luo Zhiheng found everyone's reaction strange, so she whispered to the Princess Consort. The Princess Consort didn't hide anything, but she couldn't help looking a little embarrassed. She whispered...
Li Ji was the prince's most favored woman this year. She was beautiful, graceful, and had a sweet voice. Most importantly, Li Ji was very good at winning men's hearts. No matter how passionate, ruthless, or heartless a man was, he was helpless in front of Li Ji. The only way out was to obediently surrender to Li Ji and become her devoted subject.
The claim that Li Ji could make men fall at her feet was not made out of jealousy, but because Li Ji was a prostitute!
Although she was merely a courtesan who sold her art but not her body, a courtesan is a courtesan, and no one can change her past of selling smiles in that kind of brothel. Moreover, she was a top courtesan. Until a year ago, when the prince traveled to the south of the Yangtze River, he unintentionally encountered this stunningly beautiful woman whose fame spread throughout the region, and unsurprisingly, even the renowned Prince Mu fell in love with her.
The prince was not a heartless person; on the contrary, he possessed a sense of superiority as a royal prince and a fondness for hunting beautiful women. Otherwise, no matter how beautiful and charming Consort Li was, she wouldn't have made the prince disregard the dignity of his wife.
Li Ji was brought back to the palace by the powerful prince. She never had the awareness to live cautiously. Instead, she was arrogant and domineering all day long. Relying on the prince's favor, she went against Consort Li at every turn. She even showed signs of stepping on Consort Li's limelight. She was simply Consort Li's formidable enemy and mortal foe.
That year, Consort Li's favor with the Prince was unparalleled in the palace. The Prince truly loved her to the core, giving her everything he could want, except for power. However, just before Consort Li asked for power, despite having already broken ties with Consort Li and wanting to seize control, she mysteriously disappeared a few days later.
Li Ji's disappearance lasted only a month or two, and those days happened to coincide with the prince's absence. Li Ji's disappearance became a mystery, and all the evidence pointed to Li Ji eloping with her fellow villager.
This matter was handled entirely by Consort Li, who was in charge of the household at the time. The incident caused great panic in the Prince's mansion. Everyone knew that once the Prince found out that his favorite concubine had disappeared or even eloped with someone, his anger would be unimaginable.
When the prince returned and learned everything, he was absolutely furious. Disbelief and anger intertwined within him; he felt heartache, but his desire for Li Ji's return was equally strong. However, countless people searched for Li Ji, yet none could find her. Li Ji was like a grain of sand that had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, leaving not even a ripple.
Because of this incident, Consort Li was kicked and scolded by a prince who doted on her. If Mu Yunjin hadn't made a military achievement and returned in glory, and if the prince hadn't developed feelings for Consort Li, plus Xiao Yi's flattery and gentle comfort, Consort Li would never have been able to hold power.
Many suspected Consort Li of being responsible for Li Ji's disappearance, but without evidence, no one could speak out. The matter remained unresolved until today, when everyone had almost forgotten about Li Ji, but suddenly a corpse stirred up a storm.
Having learned the whole story, Luo Zhiheng was even more certain that the corpse was indeed Li Ji. Why wouldn't Consort Li allow everyone to examine and identify the body? Perhaps Consort Li had discerned something from the still-partially decomposed outline of the corpse? If she weren't feeling guilty, why would she be so tense and angry?
According to the princess, the prince truly adores Consort Li. Therefore, once it's confirmed that Consort Li was murdered by Consort Li, Consort Li's standing in the prince's eyes will plummet. This is a golden opportunity to strike while the enemy is down! How could she let it slip by? 12.
"Mother, are there still people who served Consort Li?" Luo Zhiheng asked. Consort Li's body was already visibly decaying, and only those who had been close to her knew her physical characteristics. The Prince was the first, but since the Prince was not here, only those who had served Consort Li might know.
The princess looked troubled. She was unfamiliar with the affairs of the palace and looked towards Consort Li, only to find Consort Li glaring at them fiercely. The princess was startled and remained silent for a long while.
Luo Zhiheng's sharp gaze met the fierce look in Consort Li's eyes. She pursed her lips. This Consort Li was no pushover. But would she be afraid of Consort Li? What a joke.
Smiling at Consort Li, Luo Zhiheng said, "Consort Li, you are in charge of this Prince's mansion, so you should know the people who served Consort Li in the mansion. Let them identify whether this is Consort Li or not."
"How dare you! Do you need to tell me what to do? Besides, I told you not to interfere in this matter. Li Ji is a sinner. The prince abandoned her, and she betrayed him and eloped with someone. She has long since disappeared from this palace. How could this corpse possibly be Li Ji?" Consort Li shouted angrily.
"If that's not the case, then what are you afraid of? You keep stopping us from finding out the truth. Don't you find your obstruction very suspicious? If I tell the Prince what happened, what do you think he will think?" Luo Zhiheng did not back down, but instead said with a hint of threat.
Consort Li's expression changed drastically. If the Prince found out, and given that Luo Zhiheng would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire, the Prince, with his intelligence, would surely figure out the trickery involved. At that time, all that awaited her was the Prince's raging fury!
No! We absolutely cannot let Luo Zhiheng reveal this. Just hold on a little longer. Once Mu Yunhe is dead, her position as Princess Tong will be over. With an outstanding son, she will undoubtedly become the Princess.
Yes! Only if Mu Yunhe dies, only if something happens to Mu Yunhe, will these two stop pursuing this matter. Consort Li's eyes were filled with calculating glints and ruthlessness. She no longer stopped Luo Zhiheng, but instead put on a magnanimous appearance and said, "It's not that I don't want to find out the truth, but you also know that this matter was decided by the Prince himself. What right do we have to overturn the Prince's words? Besides, that Li Ji is arrogant and domineering, proud and spoiled. How could such a beauty willingly submit to the Prince? She must have had designs on someone else for a long time. Why bother with such an unfaithful and lowly person?"
Luo Zhiheng laughed as she spoke, "I dare not respond to Consort Li's words. Does Consort Li mean... that the Prince is actually inferior to that concubine Li Ji's lover? In your eyes, the Prince is so worthless and unable to win people's hearts? If that's the case, then Consort Li, you..."
"What nonsense are you spouting! I didn't mean that. It's just that Consort Li was born a promiscuous and dissolute courtesan. As the saying goes, 'It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature.' Consort Li has behaved improperly many times in the Prince's mansion, which is something everyone knows. So you'd better not dwell on this matter too much," Consort Li said, barely suppressing her anger.
"There's nothing I can do. I'm the kind of person who likes to get stuck on things. Once I find something that interests me, I'll stick to it to the end. Besides, I don't have any other ideas. I just want to give this deceased person an identity. Consort Li, you'd better not say anything more." Luo Zhiheng's words shut Consort Li up.
Consort Li did not allow those who had served Consort Li to identify her, because all those who had served Consort Li had been ordered to be beaten to death by the prince.
Luo Zhiheng secretly clicked her tongue in amazement. Such anger had implicated so many people, which showed that the prince truly cared about this Lady Li.
Since the woman is dead, it's impossible to identify her. We can only wait for the coroner to examine her cause of death and physical characteristics to verify her identity.
The coroner arrived quickly, accompanied by officials and a government official. The group proceeded with extreme caution, fearing to offend the Prince's authority. They were also puzzled; the deaths of one or two people in the Prince's household were commonplace, so why the large-scale reporting to the authorities this time? However, matters concerning the Prince's household could not be taken lightly, so the government official accompanied them.
"Enough with the nonsense, quickly examine the body. I need to know the cause of death, the circumstances of her death, her physical characteristics, and her approximate age. You should be able to figure that out, right?" Luo Zhiheng spoke directly, interrupting the excessive formalities between them. Because a man was present, the women were supposed to avoid him, but who would care about such things at a time like this? Furthermore, the Princess Consort and Consort Li were the backbone of the Prince's residence; with the male head of the household absent, neither of them, the mistress and the one in power, could easily leave.
The coroner dared not look up and immediately began examining the body. The onlookers, watching him turn the rotting woman over and over, felt a mixture of disgust and horror. After a long pause, the coroner cleaned his hands and spoke: "This woman was probably between eighteen and twenty years old. She had slender, resilient bones, suggesting she was a skilled dancer. She has likely been dead for two or three months. Because the weather is only now gradually warming up, and the lakebed is cold, the body hasn't decomposed too quickly."
The coroner was the best in the capital, and his words carried authority. So when he finished speaking, the entire pond area fell silent.
The fact that the deceased was close in age to Lady Ri, who was only nineteen, and that her flexible physique, due to her long-term training as a geisha, and the fact that her death was almost identical to Lady Ri's, inevitably leads to contemplation and speculation.
Consort Li's face was pale, and her whole body was tense.
Luo Zhiheng continued, "Does she have any obvious physical characteristics?"
"Yes, the rotten skin is no longer visible, but the skin on the lower left side of the deceased's face is not completely rotten, and there is a red mole below the ear," the coroner said.
The princess exclaimed in surprise, and even the prince's other women gasped in shock, their faces turning pale. Clearly, the red mole held immense power over them.
Luo Zhiheng looked at the princess and saw that the princess's face was pale. After a long time, she sighed and said, "What a tragedy. It really is Li Ji. Li Ji had a red mark on her genitals. The prince even praised her at a banquet, saying that even the mole on the mark of the beauty he had was so beautiful."
Luo Zhiheng was speechless. It was absurd that a prince would dote on a woman like this. But she was also certain that this woman was none other than Li Ji.
Luo Zhiheng turned her gaze to Consort Li, but Consort Li's expression had returned to normal, as if she hadn't heard the coroner's words at all. This composure was actually abnormal, because everyone else had been surprised and frightened upon hearing those words, yet Consort Li remained so calm. Didn't she realize that the calmer she was, the more flaws she revealed?
"Then we can confirm that this person is indeed Li Ji. By the way, what was the cause of her death?" Luo Zhiheng nodded, then suddenly asked.
The coroner's face turned rather grim. He glanced cautiously at the official in the capital, inwardly groaning. This was such a dreadful job! This was a scandal involving the Prince's family. Who was this woman? How dare she ask? And judging from her appearance, she seemed to be in charge. The two princesses remained silent, and Consort Li also had a gloomy face. He couldn't remain silent, but would he die with regrets if he did?
Luo Zhiheng noticed the coroner's predicament and raised an eyebrow. Why was it so difficult to discuss the cause of death? Could there be some hidden secret behind it?
"What? You want to take a weapon after I speak? Answer me!" Luo Zhiheng's gaze suddenly sharpened, and she shouted, her voice not loud but full of power.
The coroner was startled and almost bit his tongue.
The official in the capital was also startled. He knew Luo Zhiheng. This woman used to be extremely lewd and had committed many evil deeds. She was often reported to the government by men, but the government couldn't do anything about it. However, Luo Zhiheng was indeed famous, and she was also indeed difficult and domineering.
"Why are you looking at me? That's the little princess. If the little princess tells you to speak, then speak quickly." The official in the capital muttered to himself, wondering what kind of luck Luo Zhiheng had to become the little princess. It seemed that she had a lot of influence in the palace.
The coroner wiped away a bead of sweat, his voice trembling, and said in a low voice, "The cause of death was... because someone forcibly administered a large amount of safflower and a deadly poison, and after being poisoned, he bled uncontrollably and eventually died."
Rumble!
The coroner's words froze the entire scene instantly! Master Zhiheng said softly.
Such a way of dying is utterly heinous! It also raises questions: if deadly poison would suffice, why use safflower?
"You're talking nonsense..." Consort Li immediately rebuked her in a stern voice, but Luo Zhiheng was afraid that Consort Li's words would cause the coroner to not tell the truth, so she immediately interrupted and took over the conversation.
"Nonsense! This person has been dead for so long, how can you be so sure she died from safflower poisoning? It's true that safflower promotes blood circulation, but how could a normal person bleed even if they drank too much? Besides, the murderer only needed to use a potent poison, why would they need safflower? And how dare you say she was forcibly given it to her? You need to have evidence and a conscience when you speak. If you dare to spout nonsense, I can kill you right now! You'd better tell me the truth!" Luo Zhiheng's words were ostensibly a suppression, but in reality, she was forcing the coroner to tell the truth. She was genuinely worried that the coroner, under the influence of Consort Li, wouldn't tell the truth.
The coroner broke out in a cold sweat the moment he was stared at by Luo Zhiheng's sharp gaze. Luo Zhiheng's words were sharp and ruthless, watertight and forceful. If he couldn't give a clear answer, he would probably lose his life here today.
The coroner quickly perked up and said, "Your Highness, everything I have said is true. Even if you bring in more coroners to examine the body, as long as they are not mediocre or completely ignorant, they will definitely tell the same thing as I have said."
The coroner walked over to the corpse and pointed to its mouth, neck, and arms, saying, "These places all have obvious wounds. Although a long time has passed, the wounds imprinted on the bones cannot be erased. Even if the flesh rots, the bones can exist for thousands of years. These wounds were clearly caused by several very strong people restraining her. Someone was holding her and forcing something into her mouth."
The coroner then parted the flesh of the deceased Flander a little more, revealing that the bones in his throat were black: "The bones are black, which proves that he was poisoned before he died, and was forcibly given a deadly poison."
"As for safflower, it was probably used to abort the fetus in the deceased's womb." The coroner's next words were utterly shocking!
"What?! She...she's pregnant?" the princess exclaimed in shock. The others, especially the prince's women, all looked extremely grim, and in an instant, everyone's gaze unconsciously turned to Consort Li.
Even Consort Li's composed face cracked slightly. Despite her forced calm, her tense expression betrayed her inner nervousness. (15397298)
The coroner nodded and said, "Yes, the baby had taken a large amount of safflower before death, which caused miscarriage. The preliminary judgment is that the baby should be a fully formed fetus of about five months. Because the baby is considered to be formed, even if there was bleeding, the baby was not completely expelled and there are still some limbs in the mother's womb."
A five-month-old baby...
This is the kind of death! Poison wasn't enough; they also used safflower. And the purpose of using safflower is all too obvious: they clearly knew about the child and wanted to kill it. You could say this murderer is... They could have easily killed both mother and child with poison, but they chose a separate method to abort the baby...
Who is the murderer? Why is he so brutal? Or does he harbor a deep hatred for Li Ji? Otherwise, how could he be so depraved?
But by this time, the coroner's words had been accepted by the people, because no one would willingly drink poison and safflower that killed their child, unless someone forced her to drink it.
The coroner's series of earth-shattering announcements silenced the entire palace.
"Who says there's no evidence after someone dies? These four people are practically evidence everywhere!" Luo Zhiheng said, her usual smile gone, her voice grim. "This corpse tells us all the torture she suffered before she died, it tells us her identity and the injustice she suffered, and it also shows us the cruelty and malice of this murderer. Such a person might still be among us. I can only advise you all to be careful. You shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against others."
"Consort Li, do you think what I said is right?" Luo Zhiheng suddenly looked at Consort Li and asked with a smile.
Consort Li raised her head, her eyes filled with an undisguised gloom that pierced directly at Luo Zhiheng. She gave a curt snort and fell silent, but she showed no sign of panic. With all the blame pointing at her, and with everything clearly implicated in the death of the head of the family, her composure alone was enough to make Luo Zhiheng wary of her.
This woman is tough to deal with. But no worries, the tougher the bone, the more satisfying it is to gnaw on!
"Consort Li, you should also be careful. Such a ruthless person is hiding in some unknown corner among us. Her target could be anyone, including you, Consort Li." Luo Zhiheng had already made a point. Even if everyone could guess who the person who killed Li Ji was, no one would lift the veil of secrecy because there was no evidence, because of Consort Li's ruthlessness.
Luo Zhiheng, of course, wouldn't proactively escalate the conflict. Given Consort Li's ruthless methods, Luo Zhiheng wouldn't easily stand on the opposite side without full preparation. Open and covert struggles were acceptable, but in crucial moments, she still needed to maintain a facade of harmony. However, this viper had to be dealt with as soon as possible.
At this point, there's no point in trying to undo Li Ji's death. As for Consort Li, no one in the Prince's mansion, except the Prince himself, can touch her, and since the Prince isn't home right now, it means Consort Li still holds absolute power. But at least everyone has witnessed Li Ji's tragic end, and anyone with a brain should consider whether they should avoid Consort Li.
Even Consort Li, who was pampered by the prince, met a terrible end. How much more so would those of them who were not so favored? However, they were also fortunate that it was precisely because they were not favored that Consort Li did not see them as thorns in her side and was determined to eliminate them.
However, the fact that Consort Li is pregnant and five months along is quite shocking, as no one knew about it before. It's unclear how Consort Li found out. This also shows that Consort Li is wary of others. Does the Prince know that his beloved concubine is pregnant? If not, telling him now would certainly give him more leverage in dealing with Consort Li.
"What a pity for that child, gone just like that..." the princess sighed with compassion in her eyes.
Consort Li suddenly spoke with great sarcasm and undisguised hatred: "It's a pity that her child is gone, but I'm the one who's pitiful. It's my own fault that my child was killed."
The princess's face turned deathly pale, and there was even a look of panic and regret on her face that Luo Zhiheng had never seen before.