"Li'er, where should we investigate first?" Hua Yao followed Zhong Li out of the palace. The market on Wenchang Street was already bustling, crowded with people.
Zhong Li asked, "Yao'er, do you know where the remains of the Virtuous Princess Consort and the Noble Consort are?"
Hua Yao replied, "I recall that after Noble Consort's incident, Master Xu arrived at the scene, and after inspection, they were taken back to the Dali Temple. As for the Virtuous Princess Consort, she should also be at Dali Temple."
"Good, then we'll return to Dali Temple."
The autopsy room.
Zhong Li looked at the skeletal remains on the wooden board. If not for the names and markings attached to the limbs, judging solely by these hands and the jade feet in embroidered shoes, she would have a hard time distinguishing which belonged to the Virtuous Princess Consort and which to the Noble Consort.
She put on gloves and a mask, picked up the hands and feet of the Virtuous Princess Consort for observation, and then did the same for the Noble Consort.
"Li'er, how is it?" Hua Yao leaned on the desk, waiting for her autopsy results.
Zhong Li's brow furrowed. "Based on the cross-sections of the limbs, the deceased were indeed burned to death. And these hands and feet... Yao'er, come here for a moment."
Hua Yao heard her, got up, and walked to Zhong Li's side.
Zhong Li took her hand and compared it to the hands and feet of the Virtuous Princess Consort and the Noble Consort.
Although Hua Yao was frightened, she forced herself to let Zhong Li observe.
After a while, Zhong Li released Hua Yao's hand and said, "Although the hands and feet were also burned, judging by the bone structure and the thickness of the charred skin attached to the hands, the Virtuous Princess Consort and the Noble Consort were likely a bit plumper than you."
"What do you mean by that, Li'er?" Hua Yao asked, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"I mean, the fatter a person is, the more prone their body is to spontaneous combustion. Do you understand?" Zhong Li said.
Hua Yao bit her lip, recalling Zhong Li's conversation with the Emperor in the imperial study. "Li'er, do you mean they had more of that... fat... inside them, like a candle with a high paraffin content, so they were more easily ignited when encountering fire?"
"That's right," Zhong Li nodded, continuing to look at the two hands before her. "But how were they ignited?"
As she spoke, she suddenly saw something attached to the wrist of the Virtuous Princess Consort. Her expression turned serious. She quickly opened the nearby medical box, took out a pair of slender tweezers, and said to Hua Yao, "Put on gloves and help me."
Hua Yao nodded and began to busy herself as well.
Not long after, a long strip of something was carefully separated by Zhong Li.
"Water!" she instructed, turning her head.
Hua Yao brought a glass goblet to Zhong Li.
As the long strip in Zhong Li's hand was washed clean in the water, the two finally saw its true form.
"It's a piece of cloth?" Hua Yao said.
Zhong Li added, "To be precise, it should be fine cloth. Its presence here suggests one possibility... the Virtuous Princess Consort was injured, and this cloth was used to bandage the wound."
"Injured?" Hua Yao's eyes widened in surprise. After all, these royal family members were pampered, never having to lift a finger in household chores. What could have caused them to be injured?
Zhong Li did not answer Hua Yao's query but picked up the Noble Consort's hand and observed it closely. Indeed, she found a piece of fine cloth on the Noble Consort's wrist as well.
"Li'er!" Hua Yao murmured. She knew in her heart that despite these two small pieces of cloth, they were a commonality between the remains of the Virtuous Princess Consort and the Noble Consort, and could potentially be the key to solving the case.
"Keep these two safe. Before this case is solved, no mistakes can be made... Who! Who's out there?" Zhong Li's words were cut short by faint rustling sounds near the window. She reacted, and without even taking off her gloves, she quickly rushed out of the autopsy room.
She saw a fleeting shadow at the corner.
"Li'er!" Hua Yao followed her out.
Zhong Li made a shushing gesture to her and, picking up a scalpel, walked step by step towards the corner.
"Come out!" she turned the corner, the scalpel in her hand accurately pointed at the man hiding in the dead-end alley. She shouted sternly.
The man trembled a few times and slowly walked out.
Hua Yao, standing at a distance, finally saw the man's face clearly. It was Fan Ren.
"You again!" Before Zhong Li could speak, Hua Yao had already put her hands on her hips and walked up to him. "What were you doing hiding by the window?"
Fan Ren blinked his eyes, looking wronged. Just as he was about to answer, the scalpel in Zhong Li's hand was already pressed against his neck.
He froze, breaking into a cold sweat.
"What else could I be doing? Merely trying to hear my autopsy results to report to your master, and to gain an advantage over the Emperor, am I right, Fan Ren?" Zhong Li asked.
Fan Ren gave an awkward smile. Just as he was about to nod in agreement, Zhong Li kicked him hard in the calf.
With a heart-wrenching howl, Fan Ren realized he couldn't stand up.
Zhong Li glanced at him and said, "A hundred days for broken bones. Constable Fan, I advise you to rest well for the next few days. I won't bother you with some matters."
Having said that, she withdrew her scalpel and led Hua Yao out of Dali Temple.
"Li'er, what are we going to do about you injuring Fan Ren? Many constables in Dali Temple already don't respect you, and now it's even worse," Hua Yao asked as they walked.
Zhong Li looked back at the woman who was looking at her with concern and replied, "I've been in Dali Temple for so long, and I've always worked alone. I don't care what others think of me. Let Fan Ren say what he will.
At least for the next period, he won't be tracking me anymore."
"Oh!" Hua Yao said with sudden understanding. "So you did that to get rid of Fan Ren, the informant? Brilliant!"
Hua Yao gave her a thumbs-up.
Zhong Li shook her head and poked the two small buns pinned in her hair. "This is called 'when forbearance is no longer possible, action is necessary'."
"By the way, where are we going next?"
"To the Virtuous Prince's mansion."
-------------------------------------
"Temple Deputy Zhong, the Heir Apparent is not here. If you are looking for him, you can leave a note..."
Zhong Li arrived at the Virtuous Prince's mansion early in the morning with Hua Yao.
The newly appointed housekeeper, Sun, saw Zhong Li and, thinking she was looking for Lu Wuxie, politely replied.
"I'm not looking for the Heir Apparent, I'm here to investigate the case," Zhong Li said, taking out a wooden token from her waist. "Housekeeper Sun may not know that the Emperor has entrusted me with the thorough investigation of the Virtuous Princess Consort's case. This is my warrant."
Housekeeper Sun, being a bit nearsighted, squinted and leaned closer to look before quickly stepping aside. "So this case has been assigned to Temple Deputy Zhong. This old servant was unaware and begs for your forgiveness, Temple Deputy Zhong."
Zhong Li took back the token and shook her head. "Housekeeper Sun, please don't be so polite. Ignorance is not a crime."
As she spoke, she walked towards the back courtyard.
She had lived here before and was very familiar with the environment of the Virtuous Prince's mansion. After绕过 a few rockeries, Xie Yunxi's residence came into view.
Just as Zhong Li was about to push the door open, it opened from the inside. Zichu, Xie Yunxi's maid, appeared before her. "Temple Deputy Zhong, this is the Virtuous Prince's mansion. Who allowed you to come?"
Housekeeper Sun, seeing this, was about to step forward to explain, but Zhong Li raised her hand to stop him. She looked up at Zichu, who had an arrogant expression, and said, "Miss Zichu, if I recall correctly, you were bestowed upon the Virtuous Princess Consort by Her Majesty the Empress, weren't you?"
Zichu lifted her chin, as if to say, "You finally know."
Zhong Li sneered, "Then it's strange. Didn't Her Majesty the Empress teach you that in places designated as cold cases or cases pending investigation by Dali Temple, unauthorized personnel are strictly prohibited from entering?
By acting this way, I have reason to suspect you are doing something unspeakable inside."