CHAPTER 219: CHAPTER 218: THE CAUSE OF THE CONSORT’S DEATH

"I will search for the mute mother’s whereabouts, for now, take care of yourself."

Yu Nianzhao said lightly, waving the paper crane in her hand, "Unless the murderer is found, you cannot leave the Great Chao Country; originally a diplomat, now you’ve fallen to the position of a hostage."

Melancholy filled Nan Guili’s eyes, "Zhaozhao, I’m completely at a loss for now. These two mirrors have always been escorted by my trusted aides without leaving my side, unless someone inside the palace did it deliberately."

"There’s ghostly aura on you." Yu Nianzhao’s words were shocking.

Nan Guili’s face stiffened for a moment, feeling uncomfortable all over, and he laughed awkwardly, "Zhaozhao, don’t scare your brother."

"Not scaring you, I saw the ghostly aura on you since the night of the dinner party, but it wasn’t strong then, just thought you’d accidentally picked it up. Now, it’s getting stronger, it seems a ghost is entangled with you, but it’s not usually around you... it might be that the ghost possesses someone near you, and that’s how you picked it up."

Yu Nianzhao took a few steps forward, casually grabbed a few strands of ghostly aura from his back, "Seems it’s a fierce ghost, perhaps there’s some relation between this mirror demon and the fierce ghost."

Huawu contentedly swam back and forth inside the mirror, appearing uninterested in their conversation.

"Someone around me... possessed by a fierce ghost?"

Nan Guili’s mind went blank, he was stunned, "Why haven’t I noticed anything?"

"You’re not a Daoist or a Heavenly Master, what could you notice?"

Yu Nianzhao said speechlessly, "This fierce ghost might be better at hiding than imagined, pay attention to the people around you."

Nan Guili gazed deeply at her, sighed softly, "Zhaozhao, I never knew you could perform mystic arts, what exactly happened in Tomb Guard City?"

"Since you’ve investigated me, would you not know?"

Yu Nianzhao calmly said, "Just died once, that’s all."

Her casual mention of ’death’ made Nan Guili’s heart ache even more.

"Zhaozhao, you’ve suffered..." Nan Guili said with difficulty.

"It’s alright."

Yu Nianzhao was indifferent; had she not died once, she wouldn’t have awakened, it’s both good and bad, she had long accepted it.

"The princess is summoned by His Majesty."

Without giving them more time to converse, Mr. Wang came over to announce.

"Alright!"

Yu Nianzhao threw an exorcism talisman to Nan Guili, waved and said, "Here’s an exorcism talisman for you, it might help you find the fierce ghost nearby. If you need help, remember to come to Prince Su Mansion, I’ll charge you to keep disasters away."

Nan Guili rubbed the exorcism talisman in his hand, unable to regain his composure for a long while.

In the study room, Princess Zhaohua knelt on the ground, the atmosphere was very tense.

As Yu Nianzhao entered, Emperor Anqing exhaled and smiled, "Zhaozhao, you’re here, I called you over to give you an explanation. I heard something bad happened at Princess Zhaohua’s residence before, and Tang Jing, the consort, committed murder. Princess Zhaohua wanted to cover for him, right?"

"That’s correct."

Yu Nianzhao didn’t look at the pleading eyes of Princess Zhaohua, she spoke truthfully, "Princess Zhaohua was eroded by evil, amplifying her malicious thoughts."

Princess Zhaohua immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze towards Yu Nianzhao carried a hint of gratitude.

After all, it’s an excuse, isn’t it?

Yu Nianzhao shifted her tone, "However, deep down the princess truly had those thoughts, otherwise, she wouldn’t be so easily controlled. In the face of national duty, she is much weaker than the Lord Muyan."

Princess Zhaohua’s smile froze, and she became much more despondent.

"I see!"

Emperor Anqing scolded, "Zhaohua, do you realize your mistake?"

Princess Zhaohua squeezed out tears and said, "Zhaohua understands her mistake!"

Emperor Anqing rubbed his temples wearily, "Though we were not birthed by the same mother, I have looked after you significantly over the years, originally thinking you could discern good from evil. Now I see, you’re still too foolish. Do you intend to let the Empress Dowager’s faction lead you by the nose?"

"Empress Dowager?"

Princess Zhaohua showed a bewildered look.

Xie Jiuxiao, seated on the higher position, spoke coldly, "Who do you think helped Tang Jing smooth over and conceal the murders?"

Princess Zhaohua’s pupils shrank, she was incredulous, "It’s the Empress Dowager? Why would she do this? She’s even reaching towards me?"

"Seven consecutive murders of women, and all the clues from the Ministry of Justice pointed directly at Tang Jing as the culprit, yet no one arrested him, what do you think?" Xie Jiuxiao sneered, "Or did the princess know about this yet refused to report?"

"Impossible, Princess Zhaohua knew nothing about it, otherwise, how could she condone him until now."

Princess Zhaohua instinctively refuted, her palms sweating, feeling the Emperor’s piercing gaze concentrated on her, she quickly showed loyalty, "Long before His Majesty ascended the throne, Princess Zhaohua had explicitly expressed her loyalty to His Majesty. If the Empress Dowager is indeed behind it, she is clearly trying to sow discord between us, such methods are truly filthy and vicious."

Emperor Anqing lightly tapped his index finger on the table surface and smiled, "Do you know how your previous husband died?"

Princess Zhaohua’s heart skipped a beat, she stammered, "What do you mean by this?"

Xie Jiuxiao tossed the scroll on the table in front of her, "This was found from the Imperial Doctor Mansion caring for him, it outlines his symptoms during his illness. You can see for yourself if he died naturally."

Princess Zhaohua picked up the scroll with trembling hands, the words inside becoming increasingly alarming.

"So it was like this... the poison weakened his body?"

Tears fell onto the scroll as Princess Zhaohua clenched her fists, her gaze filled with both sorrow and deep hatred, "That Mr Zhang, I once admired his superb medical skills, that’s why I especially approved him to care for, unexpectedly, it was him who pushed the consort into the jaws of death, indirectly causing his demise."

She beat her chest in agony, "No wonder later, Mr Zhang also suddenly died of a dire disease, so all this was the Empress Dowager’s scheme?"

Princess Zhaohua was not truly dim-witted, realizing now, she felt cold sweat forming on her back.

"Including Tang Jing, it was all arranged by them."

Xie Jiuxiao coldly laughed, "Do you think after experiencing your consort’s death, during your most painful moment, you’d happen to meet someone who looks so similar to your late husband? All these coincidences are carefully arranged, entangled within a woven net, unable to escape."