Xiao Che quickly understood.
The Old Imperial Consort was from the Wang family, but had been ignored due to her low profile and lack of threat.
However, even without any threat, she had her own network of contacts after so many years in the palace.
Wang Ningqing had committed suicide.
Wang Ningqing knew that his death would bring the greatest benefit to the aristocratic families.
With his connections in the palace, it might not be easy for him to escape, but it was not impossible for Wang Fan to escape.
But Wang Fan was also dead.
Even a tiger does not eat its cubs; this showed his resolve.
He wanted to use his death to stir up waves again and unite the Five Great Clans.
The successive failures had already caused the Five Great Clans to drift apart and distrust the Wang family. Wang Ningqing had regained a point with his death, taking all the blame, and the aristocratic families owed the Wang family a favor.
In fact, Lord Qin and Lord Lu might have guessed that Wang Ningqing committed suicide, but they knew too well what was most beneficial to the Five Great Clans.
What if they found out? People's subconscious conspiracy theories had already determined who the murderer was.
Since the Empress Dowager passed away, this Penglai Hall had been rarely visited. This time, the Emperor specifically arranged for Wang Ningqing and his son to live here, perhaps as a fated arrangement.
It seemed that members of the Wang family who entered the palace never met a good end.
The Wang Empress's reputation for cruelty was widely rumored among the populace, but in terms of personal feelings, Xie Jiayan was grateful to her.
Without her, he might not have had the chance to be born.
Without her, perhaps his mother would have languished in the palace long ago.
The bodies of the Wang father and son had already been placed in coffins. Ice blocks were used to cool the room, and their rooms were cordoned off.
"Academician Xie, these two rooms belong to Uncle Wang and Wang Fan," Xiao Che said.
As the Great Wei had not yet established a new Empress, Wang Ningqing was still the maternal uncle of the Great Wei, naturally deserving of Xiao Che's address of "Uncle."
When Xiao Che was born, Empress Wang was no longer in the palace and had no heirs. No one from the Wang family had entered officialdom. He and the Wang family had no direct conflict.
If Wang Ningqing had not repeatedly colluded with the aristocratic families to instigate internal strife in the Great Wei, even if he were to ascend the throne in the future, it might not have been impossible to spare them.
The rooms were very tidy. The wine and food on the table had not been cleared, indicating that the Emperor had shown them considerable care.
After taking Crane's Crest Poison, there would be severe, brief abdominal pain, but the suffering would be short-lived, followed by paralysis and death.
Xie Jiayan closed his eyes slightly, almost able to imagine the scene.
The eunuchs of Penglai Hall said that when they were discovered, Young Master Wang was covered with a cloak, which should have been placed by Wang Ningqing.
Therefore, Wang Fan should not have known that this meal was their father and son's last supper.
And the cloak covering him was also a father's last love for his son.
Wang Ningqing intentionally misled everyone, so no useful clues could be found in the room.
He had hated Wang Ningqing, but today he let go.
He was merely a pitiable person in this world.
As Xie Jiayan turned, he saw a smudge of ink on the topmost piece of Xuan paper on the desk, the ink on the brush not yet dry.
Wang Ningqing had written a letter before his death, likely his last testament. If he guessed correctly, that letter was still in the Imperial Consort's possession.
"May I ask if Your Highness would permit me to see the Imperial Consort alone?" Xie Jiayan asked.
"Certainly, but Imperial Consort Li lives in seclusion and rarely meets people. She may not cooperate," Xiao Che replied.
"I will do my best to try!" Xie Jiayan said.
Imperial Consort Li's palace was very remote and less than half the size of Penglai Hall, but it was very tranquil. Xie Jiayan was lucky; when he arrived, Imperial Consort Li was holding a kitten and enjoying the cool breeze on the corridor.
Imperial Consort Li had previously been a palace maid serving the Empress Dowager and had grown up in the Wang family, sharing a deep bond with the Empress Dowager.
When the Empress Dowager passed away, Imperial Consort Li had left the palace to observe mourning rites. She later returned to the palace but became even more reclusive.
"This humble subject, Xie Jiayan, pays his respects to Imperial Consort," Xie Jiayan said, cupping his hands in greeting.