Crown Prince Nan Rongqi spoke first.
As the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, he was naturally responsible for managing this murder case.
As soon as he spoke, the plainclothes guards who had followed him that day all appeared.
At the same time, two or three of the guards first carried away the two deceased women together.
Just as five or six guards were about to surround Gu Qianying.
Bai Qi pushed Nangong Mo out of the crowd.
“Nephew, what great authority you wield!”
Nangong Mo’s voice was clear and cold, his deep eyes flickering with chilling light. He sat in his wheelchair, seemingly half a head shorter, yet he exuded a kingly aura that looked down upon the world, as if all living beings were like ants in his eyes.
There are people who are born kings!
As soon as Nangong Mo arrived, the guards who were about to seize Gu Qianying were all frightened and retreated several steps.
No one could afford to bear the wrath of the Ninth Imperial Uncle, Nangong Mo.
“Ninth Imperial Uncle, nephew is merely upholding justice. Currently, a murder has occurred in the Gu family, and the eldest daughter of the Gu family is a suspect. Naturally, she should be apprehended and interrogated!”
In front of everyone, Nan Rongqi naturally put on the airs of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.
“Heh!”
Nangong Mo sneered, and he looked at Nan Rongqi indifferently: “Based on the slanderous rumors spread by these women, nephew has concluded that the strange occurrences involving these two people were caused by the eldest daughter of the Gu family?”
“Your Highness the Ninth Prince speaks with reason. To accuse my granddaughter of murder based on the wild ramblings of one or two maids, you must first see if my saber agrees!”
As General Gu, carrying his saber, walked over, the crowd automatically parted a path.
“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Is it not too hasty to conclude that the deceased women were all killed by the eldest daughter of the Gu family based solely on this lady’s pleas for mercy? Judging a case requires witnesses, physical evidence, and solid proof.”
Nangong Li pushed through the crowd, fanning himself with a folding fan, his demeanor casual, yet his words were extremely serious.
“Third brother, you have never concerned yourself with court affairs, nor do you understand how the Dali Temple handles murder cases. Yet today, you presumptuously point fingers here. Are you not afraid of being ridiculed?”
Nan Rongqi looked at Nan Rong Li, his eyes filled with strong mockery and disdain.
This third brother of his was useless.
If it weren’t for his little bit of cleverness in allying with the Ninth Imperial Uncle, Nangong Mo, he would have already died in the palace.
Even if he grew up safely, he was merely a dandy who frequented brothels and was dissolute and idle. This person was not a threat.
“Crown Prince brother’s words are quite amusing. Although third brother does not concern himself with court affairs and does not understand the process of the Dali Temple handling murder cases, what does it matter even so?
Today, third brother merely spoke a word of justice, so why would he be ridiculed? Conversely, if Crown Prince brother were to arrest the eldest daughter of the Gu family without distinguishing right from wrong, would he not be ridiculed by the common people for such a muddled approach?”
Nangong Li used his own words against him.
Nan Rongqi’s expression stiffened slightly.
At this moment, Gu Yefeng, who had been protecting Gu Qianying behind him without making a sound after the incident, spoke: “Third Highness speaks with reason, but this subject believes that His Highness the Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, is of extremely noble status and is a model for all people. Naturally, he would not wrongly accuse my sister without any evidence.”
Saying this, Gu Yefeng cupped his hands towards Nan Rongqi and continued: “Your Highness the Crown Prince, however, as this murder case occurred in our Gu residence, my grandfather and I are naturally responsible for investigating the truth. I request Your Highness the Crown Prince to give me a few days, and I will do my utmost.”
Gu Yefeng’s words flattered Nan Rongqi while also taking responsibility for the case himself.
Now, he had declared his allegiance to the Crown Prince, and in recent days, he had often appeared at the Eastern Palace. To outsiders, the Gu clan was naturally on the side of the Crown Prince.
And for Gu Yefeng to take charge of this case was the same as the Crown Prince taking charge of it.
However, the suspect was the eldest daughter of the Gu family, and her elder brother doted on her dearly. How could he handle the case impartially and eliminate his own kin?
But since Gu Yefeng had spoken such words, it seemed he would not let the matter go.
Therefore, Crown Prince Nan Rongqi, in order to test the loyalty of Gu Yefeng, the eldest son of the Gu family, left a eunuch in plain clothes by his side after leaving.
The stated reason was to help Gu Yefeng, but in reality, it was to monitor him.
However, on the second day after the young eunuch moved into the Gu residence, he was dragged out by Bai Qi.
The reason given was: his master had severe洁癖 (jiépǐ - mysophobia/germophobia) and disliked strangers approaching him!
After Nan Rongqi’s people were driven out, the back courtyard of the Gu residence returned to its usual tranquility.
Naturally, these were all matters for later.
For now.
Gu Mingyue, hiding in the crowd, watched the events unfold. She was overjoyed that the Crown Prince had intervened.
She had prepared both witnesses and physical evidence.
This time, Gu Qianying would not be able to escape the trap.
And it was a good opportunity for the Crown Prince to see firsthand how ruthless and venomous Gu Qianying, that little slut, was. Did such a person deserve the Crown Prince’s favor? Humph! Dream on!
However, when she later saw Crown Prince Nan Rongqi handing over the current murder case to Gu Yefeng, she immediately became anxious: “Eldest sister, second sister knows you resent Miss Qi and Miss Wang for embarrassing you before, but even so, you shouldn’t use such vicious means to deal with them. These are two living lives! They’re gone just like that, how pitiful!”
Gu Mingyue was unwilling to let Gu Yefeng handle the case!
Her words once again shifted everyone’s attention to Gu Qianying, the eldest daughter of the Gu family.
If outsiders were to criticize or curse, one could say that outsiders did not understand the character of the eldest daughter of the Gu family. It was understandable for them to say a few words.
After all, outsiders only saw the surface and did not know the true situation.
But if their own family members spoke like this, then the credibility would be different.
The gazes of the crowd towards Gu Qianying changed again.
“Second sister, didn’t Third Highness say that it’s best not to speak nonsense about things without proof? However, fourth sister heard a few days ago that those disgusting things had appeared in eldest sister’s boudoir, and they had been there for several days. But I see that eldest sister’s body and face are not stained by them at all. This is truly strange, isn’t it?”
Following Gu Mingyue’s words, Gu Yumei deliberately added fuel to the fire.
She spoke sarcastically, and although she did not explicitly state it, she implied that Gu Qianying was involved with those disgusting things.
Otherwise, if others were affected, why would she alone be unharmed?
As Gu Mingyue spoke, the crowd’s gaze towards Gu Qianying immediately changed.
This constituted a witness; only physical evidence was missing.
Just then, the third concubine, Madam Han, who had been silent all along, deliberately chided Gu Yumei a few words: “You girl, how can you talk nonsense? When did you see them? Why didn’t concubine see them? Could it be that you are deliberately framing your eldest sister? Moreover, even if those disgusting things appeared in your eldest sister’s room, it cannot be said that your eldest sister brought them here. And how could these disgusting things be so obedient, attaching themselves to anyone they please?”
“Concubine, how could Yumei deliberately frame eldest sister? Yumei is only speaking the truth. As for how those disgusting things were brought here, and why they are so obedient, it is naturally because they were personally raised. Eldest sister personally raised them, so they naturally listen to eldest sister the most.”
“How is that possible?”
“Why is it impossible? If third concubine does not believe it, she can send someone to search eldest sister’s room.”
The third concubine and Gu Yumei, by singing in harmony, directly placed the baseless charge of killing with several disgusting white worms onto Gu Qianying, and they did so very thoroughly.
Gu Mingyue, standing to the side, touched her bulging belly and deliberately said again: “Yes, concubine, just send someone to search. I believe eldest sister might be wrongly accused.”
Gu Mingyue eagerly added fuel to the fire again.
“You’re talking nonsense! How could my daughter raise those disgusting things!”
The First Madam retorted coldly, defending Gu Qianying.
“First Madam, whether it is or not, it will be clear once someone looks. Guards…”
Madam Han was about to call for someone, but the First Madam firmly stopped her.
At this moment, Gu Qianying spoke with a cold smile: “Third Concubine, I didn’t realize that in this mansion, you, a mere concubine, have become the mistress of the household!”
With Gu Qianying’s words, the expression on Madam Han’s face instantly froze.
“Bai Qi, slap her!”
Nangong Mo spoke coldly at this moment.
“Yes, Master!”
Bai Qi walked up to Madam Han, raised his hand, and slapped her twice, saying, “To disrespect hierarchy and offend superiors, being punished with a slap is considered lenient!”
With that said.
Bai Qi returned behind Nangong Mo.
Madam Han, having been disciplined by Nangong Mo’s subordinate, did not dare to resent Nangong Mo.
Instead, she attributed all of this to Gu Qianying.
If it weren’t for Gu Qianying, this woman, how could she have lost so much face?
However, Madam Han was quite clever. After being reprimanded by Bai Qi, she changed her approach. First, she apologized to the First Madam, and then she cried that she had been anxious just now because someone had wronged her eldest daughter, and she was eager to clear her eldest daughter’s name.
Her explanation quickly earned the praise of everyone.
Everyone felt that the concubine and the First Madam in the Gu mansion got along very harmoniously, and even their own children were cherished together.
Madam Han, on the one hand, gained a good reputation for herself, and on the other hand, she did not press Gu Qianying further.
This immediately made Gu Mingyue, who was standing nearby, anxious.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, although Mingyue and eldest sister have a good relationship, Mingyue knows that the act of killing others out of resentment and dissatisfaction is the most vicious. Those deceased girls were in the prime of their lives, yet they met such a tragic fate. As their relatives, to send their children off in old age, how pitiful. Mingyue truly cannot bear to see this.
Therefore, Mingyue implores Your Highness the Crown Prince here to send people to search eldest sister’s room. If eldest sister is innocent, then continue to investigate this matter until the vicious murderer is caught. If it is indeed eldest sister’s doing, Mingyue believes that the entire Gu mansion, including Mingyue, will not shield the murderer.”