"Ah! Pfft! Stop..."
Jiang Xuan's eyes widened as she watched a horse's front hoof step on her, and she instantly felt as if her internal organs were about to be crushed.
"Ah, a person!" The young lady was even more terrified than she was.
From afar, only a horse could be seen galloping, and no one would notice that a person was being dragged along. The horses behind were moving at a considerable speed, and on this uneven gravel road, if they tried to stop the horses instantly, they might be thrown off, making it extremely dangerous. In such a situation, who wouldn't be thinking about their own safety? These people didn't have time to stop the horses. The second group of people screamed in terror as they were trampled on Jiang Xuan's face amidst her sharp cries of pain.
The servants who had come with Jiang Xuan, as well as Mei who was about to rescue her, were horrified and their faces turned completely pale.
"Quick, quick, save them! Stop the horses from galloping past! Hurry!" Mei cried out in a hoarse voice. Jiang Xuan's servants immediately rushed over, riding their horses to block the way and shouting, "Stop! Stop! There's someone ahead! Stop!"
She was so frightened that she became confused and didn't speak clearly. The people behind her thought that Jiang Xuan was going to monopolize the championship and not let anyone else pass. They were all furious, and some even whipped the servant in anger. Of course, this was also a chaotic act, and no one knew who did it.
However, when they rushed over, they were shocked to find that Jiang Xuan had been trampled by the galloping horses and was barely breathing.
The servants became ruthless this time, whipping the group behind them several times to stop them from going forward. Meanwhile, a number of people and horses had gathered on the gravel road. Mei walked over tremblingly, the scene eerily silent.
"What's going on? Why are these people preventing us from passing and even having us beaten up? What are they trying to do? How dare they act so domineeringly? If they hurt me, I'll make them regret it!"
"That's right, it's really hateful!" The cavalry behind them murmured among themselves, expressing their grievances.
"It looks like someone has fallen off their horse up ahead."
"Oh no, she's fallen off her horse! That's dangerous! Go check on her quickly!"
"Clatter, clatter, clatter..." Just then, the horses that had galloped ahead all came running back one by one. They hadn't been able to slow down before, but seeing people on the ground, they were all quite frightened and wanted to come back to see what was going on. Of course, among this group were Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang, who had already rushed out and were almost at the finish line according to the time. At this moment, Ouyang Yue was pulling someone behind her, who was the servant that Jiang Xuan had ordered to attack Li Rushuang. Her shoes had long since flown away, but Ouyang Yue had somehow snatched a horse from someone and made her ride it with a young lady.
After all, many people had flown over Jiang Xuan's head before, and had long lost the will to fight. This competition was no longer about winning the championship.
In an instant, the gravel road was filled with people. The competition had already been declared a failure. However, when these people squeezed into the crowd and saw what was happening inside, they all bent over and vomited, and some even fainted from fright.
There was nothing else to say. Jiang Xuan was in a terrible state. Her clothes had been trampled off, and she was covered in blood and gore. She lay there, her face unrecognizable. Even though Jiang Xuan was still alive, everyone knew that she was not going to survive.
Mei and Jiang Xuan's servants stood there frozen in fear, not even having the courage to find a royal physician for Jiang Xuan. They were all drenched in cold sweat and completely at a loss.
Not only them, but the young ladies who rushed over and caused Jiang Xuan's tragic state were also terrified, trembling as they said, "I...I didn't see anyone on the ground at all..."
"Me too, I didn't mean to."
"What should we do? What should we do?"
"Princess Jiang Xuan, wake up! Don't hurt me! Wake up!" The young lady burst into tears.
If Jiang Xuan hadn't fallen there, and if it hadn't been a gravel road where they couldn't easily stop, this tragedy wouldn't have happened. Jiang Xuan might have only been seriously injured, but now, trampled like this, she's definitely going to die.
Jiang Xuan still had a sliver of reason left in her mind. She felt as if her whole body was in pain from the very beginning, as if it didn't belong to her. She thought that with such pain, she might as well die. However, she couldn't speak or look. All she could see was blood red. She suddenly felt boundless fear. No, she didn't want to die. She didn't want to die.
She was completely unable to move at this moment, feeling her strength being drained away bit by bit, her life force fading away little by little, and Jiang Xuan felt infinitely sorrowful.
"Ah! No!" As if breaking free from its restraints, Jiang Xuan finally managed to utter the words. However, after uttering those two words, her entire body remained completely still. One of the servants reached out to check her breath: "She...she...she...she's...she's...she's...she's...she's...she's..."
"Princess!"
"What should I do? What should I do? Oh my god, what should I do?"
"No, no, quick, call the imperial physician! There might still be hope! Call the imperial physician!" The young ladies were terrified and screamed. They were all part of the reason Jiang Xuan died, so how could they not be afraid? If someone investigated, none of them might survive.
"Princess, why did you fall here? Why did you hurt me? What have I ever done to you?" A young lady cried out in anguish, full of resentment towards Jiang Xuan.
Many people screamed in pain, but felt no sympathy for the deceased Jiang Xuan, only resentment. If they had been harmed because of Jiang Xuan, they would have wanted to eat her blood and drink her blood. However, in their hearts, they were filled with resentment, but even more so with fear. What should they do now?
Ouyang Yue glanced at it and suddenly said, "Don't panic. The real culprit is the person who made Princess Jiang Xuan fall off her horse. Was it the horse's fault or something else that caused Princess Jiang Xuan to fall off her horse?"
The scene was eerily quiet, and Na Mei's face turned deathly pale.
"Ah, I remember now, I saw it! I was right behind her. It was her! She grabbed Princess Jiangxuan's whip and pulled her off her horse. She's the murderer!" A young lady who had run across the gravel road earlier suddenly pointed at Mei angrily.
"Yes, it's Mei, it's her, I saw her too."
"I've got it too, it's her."
"Yes, she is the real culprit. She's the one who killed Princess Jiang Xuan. It's her, it's her!"
"Quick, grab her! Don't let her get away! This murderer!"
Upon hearing this, the young ladies all surrounded Mei. Mei was skilled in martial arts, but she couldn't withstand their combined attack and was immediately subdued. Several of the ladies worked together to tie her up with three ropes, making escape impossible for Mei. Mei cried out in alarm, "No...no, it wasn't me..."
"Quickly, take her to be questioned."
A large group of people left in a grand procession. Of course, Jiang Xuan's servants were also surrounded and left, and none of them were allowed to escape. The young ladies stared at them as if they were criminals.
At that moment, news came from the crowd. A eunuch scrambled over and cried, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Princess Jiang Xuan has been trampled to death!"
"What!" Several gasps rang out immediately.
"What happened?" The Empress Dowager's eyes flashed. Could it be that Ouyang Yue killed Jiang Xuan during her fight with Jiang Xuan? Killing a princess from another country is a capital offense!
The eunuch cried out, "Yes, it was Mei who dragged Princess Jiang Xuan off her horse and trampled her to death."
However, the next moment, the news that the Empress Dowager heard shocked her so much that she froze, her face full of horror. Mei was her person!
☆、288、A conspiracy has been hatched!
The Empress Dowager's face turned grim. She said urgently, "Where is she? Bring her back quickly! Send the imperial physician to treat Princess Jiang Xuan!" In her heart, however, the Empress Dowager was terrified. She couldn't believe that Mei had gone from helping Jiang Xuan kill Ouyang Yue to killing Jiang Xuan herself. There must be some reason behind this.
The Empress Dowager's eyes flickered, but no one knew what she was thinking.
Baili Chen narrowed his eyes, turned his head and couldn't help but glance at the Empress Dowager, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Jiang Xuan's death alarmed Emperor Mingxian, who immediately rushed over with his civil and military officials. This time, he only brought two concubines with him: Consort Sun and Consort Zhang, the mother of Baili Cai. One was dressed in gorgeous clothes and was beautiful and charming, while the other was dressed in simple clothes but was elegant and serene. However, at this moment, strange expressions flickered on their faces.
"Mother, what happened? Princess Jiang Xuan is dead?" Emperor Mingxian asked as soon as he arrived.
The Empress Dowager was also very worried and had little patience. She still said, "That's what the eunuch reported. I think he was exaggerating a bit. The person has been sent back and the imperial physician has been dispatched. There shouldn't be any problems. Your Majesty can rest assured."
Emperor Mingxian looked displeased: "How can I be at ease? Jiang Xuan is, after all, a representative of the Great Cause. If something happens to her in the Great Zhou, it will be difficult to explain." He shook his head and sighed, looking speechless.
The others, upon hearing this, also felt that Jiang Xuan was far too much of a troublemaker. Her previous promiscuous behavior was one thing, but to have an affair with a low-class man at her own banquet, witnessed by numerous noble ladies and daughters, was utterly outrageous. Of course, Jiang Xuan's actions were wrong, but she was, after all, a princess of Da Gan. It was none of their business if Da Gan took pride in such a shameless princess. But this lowly, shameless princess was just that thick-skinned. With her defiled and lowly body, she dared to covet the position of Princess Consort of Prince Chen. Prince Chen's wife vehemently opposed her entering the palace, and Emperor Mingxian also felt it was shameful to marry such a daughter-in-law and refused. She thus occupied Sun Quan's wife's position, disrupting many people's plans, and many considered her a thorn in their side. Now, she had caused even more trouble. This Princess Jiang Xuan was far too much of a troublemaker; she was simply a thorn in everyone's side.
These people didn't care about Jiang Xuan's injuries at all. What did it matter to them if she died? Of course, like the Empress Dowager, they didn't believe that Jiang Xuan was dead. She had many skilled subordinates with her before. If something happened to her, wouldn't the others be in even more danger? It was probably just that little eunuch exaggerating.
A group of people rode up on horseback, followed by several carriages and guards. Behind the group, several people carried a wooden frame. After the procession stopped, those in front moved to the sides in perfect unison. Finally, the guards carrying the frame carried it to Emperor Mingxian and the Empress Dowager.
"vomit!"
"What is this? It's disgusting! Take it away!"
"What is this thing? Is it crazy?"
Upon seeing the item, everyone pretended to vomit, and there were even whispers and curses. The guards, however, remained unmoved. At this moment, Ouyang Yue approached with a group of young ladies: "Grandmother, Father, this is Princess Jiang Xuan." She spoke with a sorrowful expression, wiping away tears with her handkerchief. The young ladies beside her also began to sob softly. Their grief made them seem like close sisters to Jiang Xuan, but in reality, they all wished Jiang Xuan dead. These young ladies were all masters of acting.
"What! Princess Jiang Xuan!"
Not only Emperor Mingxian and the Empress Dowager, but also the women of the princes, ministers, and other noble families were all stunned. They suppressed their disgust and stared at the thing on the shelf. Although it looked like a large piece of rotten meat, upon closer inspection, it was indeed human-shaped. Its face was distorted from being stepped on and its form was unrecognizable. However, they all knew that Ouyang Yue would never lie at this time, and it would not do her any good.
The Empress Dowager was startled and angrily said, "Seventh Prince's wife, what is going on? Although you and Princess Jiang Xuan have some past grievances, you cannot frame her like this. Princess Jiang Xuan is the eldest princess of the Great Khan, with a noble status and extraordinary significance. How dare you do this? Are you courting death!"
Ouyang Yue sneered, her eyes filled with mockery: "Grandmother, this matter has nothing to do with your granddaughter-in-law."
"Still trying to deny it! You and Princess Jiang Xuan have the deepest conflict here. If not you, then who? When Princess Jiang Xuan insisted on entering the Chen Prince's residence, you obstructed her in every way. That was when the seeds of enmity were sown, leading to today's disaster. How foolish you are! Even if you lack confidence in yourself, don't you trust the Emperor? The imperial decree has been issued. Who can compete with you for the position of Princess Consort of Chen? Why did you have to put Princess Jiang Xuan to death? By doing this, you have betrayed the Chen Prince's residence, betrayed my favor towards you, and betrayed the entire Great Zhou. You will plunge both countries into injustice!" The Empress Dowager shook her head bitterly, her face filled with grief and indignation: "Seventh Prince's wife, commit suicide to atone for your sins."
Ouyang Yue's expression was even more sarcastic: "If Grandmother didn't hear, then I'll say it again: this matter has absolutely nothing to do with me!"
The Empress Dowager's eyes turned cold: "Still trying to argue..."
Ouyang Yue suddenly chuckled: "Presumably no one informed us beforehand, which is why Grandmother misunderstood. Let me say it again: this matter has absolutely nothing to do with me. It's completely unrelated. The one who truly caused Princess Jiang Xuan's tragic death was the old maid, the head palace maid by Grandmother's side!"
The Empress Dowager's expression instantly darkened. She had, of course, heard it; everyone present had heard it. However, the Empress Dowager wanted to seize the initiative and frighten Ouyang Yue. If Ouyang Yue showed even the slightest sign of panic, the Empress Dowager, a cunning woman, would find a pretext and pin the blame on Ouyang Yue. The conflict between the two was no secret in the capital. Jiang Xuan's insistence on entering the Prince Chen's residence, even causing a scene in the palace, was common knowledge among those present. Men might not understand, but what woman didn't know? Even the most magnanimous woman wouldn't want her husband taken away by someone else. This was why there were endless battles between the palace and the various households' inner quarters.
As long as Ouyang Yue confirms this, the Empress Dowager, who has spent her entire life in the palace and eventually rose to a high position, will definitely make sure that Ouyang Yue has no chance of turning things around and dies without a burial place!
The Empress Dowager said coldly, "This is only your side of the story. I also know about horse racing. It can change in an instant. A single mistake could lead to disaster. But the tragic death of Princess Jiang Xuan is unprecedented. If this was not done intentionally, how could it be? Besides, the seventh prince's wife is clever. She might as well set a trap. Is that right or wrong?"
Ouyang Yue smirked coldly. Baili Chen suddenly stepped forward, expressionless: "Grandmother, why use my Chen Prince's Mansion as a pretext? You haven't even investigated the matter before trying to smear the Chen Prince's Mansion. Although the Chen Prince's Mansion has little power, it is not a lamb to be slaughtered. Father, you are truly selfless, wise, and decisive. I urge you to investigate this matter thoroughly. We cannot allow innocent people to be implicated, nor can we let the culprits go unpunished." As he spoke, he gave the Empress Dowager a cold, mocking glance. This glance carried too much meaning, causing many people to be taken aback.
If Emperor Mingxian was fair and wise, then what is the current Empress Dowager like? She is like an evil beast, accusing people without asking questions and making false accusations. Where is the image of the virtuous and kind Empress Dowager of the past? This is too shocking.
Although her subordinates thought her actions of protecting her servants were commendable and won them hearts, the other party was her granddaughter-in-law, a close relative. If she could harm even her own family for the sake of her own people, what else wouldn't she do? Was this still the kind and benevolent Empress Dowager she had always known? Was this really the same person?!
The Empress Dowager was perfectly aware of this. Initially, she wanted to frighten Ouyang Yue into panic and cause trouble, thus gaining leverage against her. However, her intention to coerce was genuine. Mei was someone she had sent out; if anything happened to her, the Empress Dowager feared most that it would implicate her. Therefore, she absolutely could not admit to this, nor could Mei. Someone had to take the blame, otherwise it would be another disaster for her! But seeing the strange expressions on the faces of the ministers and their families, the Empress Dowager felt a surge of resentment. Was her carefully constructed image, built up over many years, about to be completely destroyed today?
But she had no choice but to do this; directly provoking the hatred of the Great Gan Kingdom would be too unwise.
Emperor Mingxian's eyes flashed, and he said calmly, "I will handle this matter properly. You may all take your seats. All those who participated in the horse race, please stay here. The young ladies of each household, please look at each other. Except for the deceased Princess Jiang Xuan, I want to make sure no one is left out. If anyone escapes during the investigation, they will be treated as an accomplice."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The scene became somewhat chaotic. Some of the participants, having heard Emperor Mingxian's words, were too timid to continue their angry thoughts of deserting. Instead, they seriously considered the previous participants. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, everyone except Jiang Xuan stood not far in front of Emperor Mingxian, with Ouyang Yue and Li Rushuang leading the way.
Emperor Mingxian looked at Ouyang Yue and said, "Seventh Prince's wife, you do have a conflict with Princess Jiang Xuan. What do you say about this?"
Ouyang Yue calmly replied, “Father, almost everyone present knows about this matter. Although I respect Princess Jiang Xuan, it is undeniable that her previous actions were indeed wrong. As the wife of Prince Chen and the mistress of the Prince's residence, I have the duty to manage the residence and assist the Prince. If Princess Jiang Xuan had entered the Prince's residence under those circumstances, the Prince would have become a laughingstock in the capital and even in the Great Zhou and Great Gan kingdoms. How could I agree to that? Moreover, the Prince has no intention of accepting Princess Jiang Xuan. As a wife, I should always put my husband's wishes first. I cannot force the Prince to do what he does not like or marry someone he does not like just to keep the peace. If this causes unrest in the household and the Prince becomes upset and falls ill, then it will be my fault. Although I felt somewhat apologetic about Princess Jiang Xuan's actions at the time and used drastic measures to refuse her, I have no regrets. Even if I had to choose again, I would still do the same.”
Emperor Mingxian looked at Ouyang Yue and said, "Well, you are quite resilient. You dare to say such things at a time like this. Doesn't that tell others that you two really have a conflict and that you really have this motive?"
Ouyang Yue shook her head and said, "Father, you are mistaken. Just because there is a conflict does not mean that your daughter-in-law would kill Princess Jiang Xuan. Do you think that something as trivial as owing someone a few grains of rice or a bottle of wine can cause a feud? In my opinion, these are all minor matters. With time, these conflicts can be resolved. I have long-term plans to reconcile with Princess Jiang Xuan as before."
"Oh, it seems you are truly innocent." Emperor Mingxian looked up and down: "You are all participants in the competition, but do you agree with what Princess Chen said?"
The young women and ladies remained silent, exchanging glances in twos and threes, not daring to speak. After all, Mei was the Empress Dowager's person, and if they spoke out, wouldn't they offend the Empress Dowager? However, they also couldn't afford to offend Ouyang Yue, and besides, Ouyang Yue wasn't the murderer. This made things very difficult for them.
Li Rushuang snorted coldly, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."
"Alright, speak." Emperor Mingxian looked at Li Rushuang, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Li Rushuang tilted her head back and said, "It's true that Princess Chen and Princess Jiang Xuan have a conflict, but these are all Princess Jiang Xuan's extreme thoughts. I know this best as a friend of Princess Chen. She doesn't take this matter to heart, but Princess Jiang Xuan is different. It was Princess Jiang Xuan who proposed the horse race. At the time of the race, she brought many of her subordinates with her. In the middle of the race, Princess Jiang Xuan made the first move, each move aimed at killing Princess Chen. What did Princess Chen do to deserve this? It's just her bad luck to run into such a petty person."
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, and Li Rushuang continued, "Fortunately, Princess Chen's riding skills were good enough to dodge, but Princess Jiang Xuan wouldn't give up. Even I was almost harmed and beaten. At that time, Princess Chen and I ran away to avoid her, keeping a great distance from Princess Jiang Xuan. How could we possibly carry out a poisonous plot to harm her? As for Miss Mei, I don't know what grudge she has against Princess Chen. She even helped Princess Jiang Xuan harm Princess Chen. When Princess Chen and I left, Miss Mei was the closest to Princess Jiang Xuan. I think Miss Mei should know best how Princess Jiang Xuan died."
The Empress Dowager's face was gloomy, and Na Mei's face, which had been very pale from the beginning, was even paler now.
Mei is indeed the head of the Empress Dowager's four palace maids, but given what happened today, she knows she can't escape her fate. Even if the Empress Dowager wanted to help her, she probably couldn't save her life.
Emperor Mingxian coldly looked at Mei and said, "Speak, how exactly did Princess Jiang Xuan die? And you dared to frame and harm Princess Chen, a capital offense. If you confess voluntarily, I may show leniency and punish you lightly."
Mei trembled all over, but gritted her teeth and said, "This, this servant also..."
Ouyang Yue didn't give her a chance to speak, only saying, "Although my daughter-in-law and Ru Shuang left first, they knew the cause of Princess Jiang Xuan's death. She fell off her horse and was trampled to death by the horses. There were quite a few ladies and young ladies from various families trampled on her at that time."
The real cause of death was this very group of people, yet now they all wanted to remain silent. Watching the Empress Dowager and Ouyang Yue fight was simply a pipe dream. Ouyang Yue was no kind person; she had no habit of taking the blame for others. She sneered, "At that time, I, the Princess Consort, had already gone far away. I had no time to spare to frame Princess Jiang Xuan. How innocent she was!" As she spoke, she dismissed the group of young ladies, her expression turning even colder.
Those people, stared at, turned pale and trembled, unable to speak.
Jiang Xuan was the eldest princess of the Great Gan Dynasty. Although her past misconduct ultimately led to her being forced to marry into the Di tribe of Sun Quan of the Great Zhou Dynasty, her status remained unchanged, far surpassing theirs in nobility. If Jiang Xuan's death were to incite conflict and war between the two countries, they would be sinners for all time, facing only death as their sole punishment. Therefore, none of them dared to speak, fearing they would be dragged into the mess. But they were the murderers who had killed Jiang Xuan, and how could Ouyang Yue bear the blame for their actions? Now that Ouyang Yue had spoken, their hearts were pounding in their chests.