....
When Chang Qing Qing left, Murong Ci looked at her back, staring in deep thought,
"Chang Qing Qing's reaction was genuine and honest.
She suddenly heard that Yuan Qiu is dead.
It was just natural for her to cry in sadness, and there was no trace of acting."
Shen Zhiyan nodded in agreement, picked up the Golden Hairpin of Pine, Bamboo and Plum, and looked at it,
"Was this Golden Hairpin really rewarded by Concubine Zhao to Yuan Qiu?"
Suddenly, a scene of fragmentation flashed through Murong Ci's mind, and she smiled in surprise,
"This Prince suddenly remembered!
This Golden Hairpin was not Concubine Zhao's, but Concubine Xiao's!"
"Your Royal Highness, you mean that this Golden Hairpin belonged to Concubine Xiao?"
He was astonished.
"This Prince remembered having seen Concubine Xiao wearing this Golden Hairpin of Pine, Bamboo and Plum before!"
She stood up and said with her eyebrows flying!
Things finally made complete sense for her!
"I think things went this way:
Concubine Xiao used this Golden Hairpin to buy Yuan Qiu's loyalty and asked her to do things for her in exchange.
She asked Yuan Qiu to drug the almond soup that Concubine Zhao ate before going to bed.
In order to help her family, Yuan Qiu had to agree to Concubine Xiao's request and accepted the errand.
However after Concubine Zhao's death, Concubine Xiao had trouble eating and sleeping at night.
She felt that keeping Yuan Qiu alive would be a disaster for her after all, so she sent someone to secretly kill her and shut her mouth forever."
"Concubine Xiao has been pampered by His Majesty for so many years, while Concubine Zhao hasn't been favored at all these past several years.
So, why did Concubine Xiao feel the need to kill Concubine Zhao all of a sudden?"
Shen Zhiyan asked,
"Furthermore, if Concubine Xiao wanted to get rid of her opponent, why not start a few years earlier and wait until now?"
"Because Concubine Xiao's purpose in killing Concubine Zhao was not to get rid of an opponent, but rather to disrupt the layout of the Ballad and confuse the direction of our investigation!
Concubine Zhao was just an unfortunate victim of the fate.
The reason Concubine Xiao chose her was nothing more than taking this opportunity to get rid of her, like a waste."
Murong Ci's eyes were clear and bright.
"But why did Concubines Xiao do this?
Why did she try to confuse the direction of our investigation?"
He still didn't understand.
"Because..."
She paused suddenly,
'Should I tell him about the secret affair she has with the Prince Regent?
Shen Zhiyan is not an outsider, and his mouth has always been tightly shut when it comes to delicate matters, so he probably wouldn't spread any rumors...'
So she briefly said the reason, saying:
"Concubine Xiao did this most likely to remove Murong Yu from the suspects that were raised by the final line of the Ballad, pointing at him, and to make a murder case completely different from the indications of the Ballad, disrupting the direction of our investigation."
Shen Zhiyan was full of horror and stammered:
"T-The Royal King and...Concubine Xiao were committing adultery?
Your Highness, are you sure?"
Murong Ci nodded solemnly.
'No wonder Murong Yu rushed to the East Palace last night and asked me not to investigate the case of Concubine Zhao...
It turned out that he already knew who the murderer was...'
Shen Zhiyan still couldn't accept this major discovery, and wiped his sweaty forehead with one hand,
"Then,...what is your plan now?"
"Even with the Golden Hairpin as a proof and with Chang Qing Qing's testimony, Concubine Xiao will surely deny it.
She can say that the Golden Hairpin was stolen by someone in the Qingyuan Hall, or that Chang Qing Qing stole it herself."
"Indeed, how could Concubine Xiao plead guilty?
But we can't just let her go, right?
Wouldn't that mean Concubine Zhao died in vain?"
"Is there really a lack of people who had died or were hurt in vain in this Palace already?"
She smiled coldly and left the Pavilion.
The magnificent Royal Palace was like a huge Birdcage inlaid with gold and silver, which contained many Canaries that were charming and exquisite.
However that Birdcage devoured each and every living life contained in it...
....
------------
END of CHAPTER 53 PART 2
.....................to be continued
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The Crown Prince is Actually a Princess! SEASON 1
Historical FictionI reached the limit of 200 parts for a book in Wattpad and was unable to publish in the same book so I made a new book! It's the continuation of the previous one, from Chapter 67 Part 3 onward. SYNOPSIS: Disguised as a man, the Crown Prince was actu...
