The carriage proceeded along Wenchang Street with a clattering sound. Zhong Li looked at the young girl opposite her, her face etched with worry, and asked, "Yao'er, are you worried about me?"
Hua Yao nodded, her delicate eyebrows knitted so tightly they could have crushed a small insect.
"When I left the palace, the Emperor was furious. I don't know if you going there will get you implicated."
Upon hearing this, Zhong Li lifted the curtain and glanced at the figure of Eunuch Hua trailing beside the carriage. Seeing his furrowed brow, she pondered for a moment before saying to Hua Yao, "You've been following Xu Qing these past few days. Tell me in detail what he investigated and what clues he found."
Hua Yao placed a hand to her lips, thinking for a long while. She then took out a piece of paper from her embrace and handed it to her.
"This is the scene that Xu Qing asked me to draw. The first is for Consort Xian, and the second is for Consort Shu. Take a look."
Zhong Li took the drawings. Looking at the scenes depicted, she remembered the scene of Consort Xian being burned to death. She recalled how she had used her clothing to try and extinguish the fire. Regardless of whether the fire was put out, her clothes, apart from being stained with dust and ash, could still be worn after washing. The drawing in Hua Yao's hand also confirmed this.
Consort Xian's death by fire occurred near the Imperial Garden. Logically, any vegetation would have ignited when exposed to flames. However, the final outcome was that only Consort Xian was burned to death, while everything around her remained intact. Hua Yao's drawing also depicted this, with only the distinct hands and feet in the center, and the surrounding scenery still vibrant.
As for Consort Shu, judging by the style of the drawing, the burning phenomenon seemed to have occurred at the entrance of her own chambers. The ground was again left with only a pair of hands and feet, while the surrounding scenery, including a wooden chair closest to Consort Shu, was intact.
"Did you notice anything?" Hua Yao leaned closer to inquire.
Zhong Li frowned, her gaze moving back and forth between the two drawings.
"What is this?" she suddenly pointed to a lump of something on the ground in the center of Consort Shu's drawing.
Hua Yao shook her head. "I don't know either. When Consort Shu was burned to death, only this thing was left on the ground."
"Ginger-yellow, and a bit viscous?" Zhong Li asked.
"Yes, how did you know?" Hua Yao nodded.
Zhong Li narrowed her eyes, her fingertips gripping the scroll tightly. This shouldn't be happening. Could this be a mere coincidence? If there was a perpetrator, how had they accomplished this?
"Li'er, Li'er?" Hua Yao nudged her with her shoulder when Zhong Li remained silent.
Zhong Li came back to her senses, returned the paper to Hua Yao, and said, "Right, besides these two crime scene drawings, what else did Xu Qing investigate?"
"What else did he investigate?" Hua Yao's mouth twitched a few times. "I don't know if you can even consider it an investigation."
"Oh?" Zhong Li couldn't help but be curious why Hua Yao would say such a thing.
Hua Yao scratched her head and gave two awkward laughs. "Lord Xu went to the Prince Xian's residence."
Zhong Li was silent. That was expected; he was likely looking for a breakthrough in the case from other matters concerning Consort Xian.
"And the result?"
"What result?" Hua Yao gave two simple laughs. "Lord Xu rummaged through everything in Consort Xian's room but found nothing. He even unearthed old belongings of the former consort, which angered Prince Xian greatly, nearly leading him to impeach Xu Qing before the Emperor."
"Are you suggesting that Xu Qing believes this case is related to Xie Yunxia?" Zhong Li asked.
Hua Yao snorted coldly. "That Xu Qing is a blockhead. unable to find anything himself, he claimed that it's possible that servants left by the former consort took revenge maliciously. Without Prince Xian's consent, he searched for items from the former consort's life, which led to this..."
Zhong Li remained silent. It seemed Xu Qing was like a cornered dog, desperately grasping at straws.
"Alright, I understand."
"You understand?" Hua Yao was surprised. "Understand what?"
"I know how to report to the Emperor."
"Crack!" An inkstone flew past Xu Qing's head and landed in a corner of the study. Lu Jing'an, his eyes narrowed, stared intently at Xu Qing.
"Xu Qing, tell me, what have you investigated in these past three days?"
Xu Qing's kneeling body trembled, and he replied shakily, "Your humble servant... your humble servant... your humble servant investigated Prince Xian's residence."
"Did you find anything?" Lu Jing'an asked.
"Your humble servant believes that this matter is definitely inseparable from the former consort of Prince Xian's residence. Your humble servant..."
"Nonsense!" Before Xu Qing could finish speaking, Lu Jing'an picked up a stack of memorial reports beside him and threw them at Xu Qing's face. "The former consort of Prince Xian's residence died ten years ago, and this case has remained unsolved. Secondly, all her servants are dead. According to you, did Xie Yunxia anticipate the death of Xie Yunxi ten years later before she died? Or did Xie Yunxia crawl out of her coffin to commit the crime?"
"This... it's not impossible... perhaps Chancellor Zhong discovered something when he was in Jinzhou, and in order to avenge the former consort..." Xu Qing glanced at Lu Jing'an and stammered.
Lu Jing'an narrowed his eyes and quickly walked up to Xu Qing, asking, "Do you have any evidence?"
Xu Qing's eyes darted around, and he shook his head.
"No evidence?" Lu Jing'an said, "Then all of this is your wild imagination?"
"The Emperor is wise. Your Majesty, at that time, Consort Xian's body caught fire, and it couldn't be extinguished no matter how much it was beaten. Only Chancellor Zhong was closest to her. Chancellor Zhong is cunning and full of tricks; he must have used some method, Your Majesty!" Xu Qing quickly explained.
"Fine, you say Zhong Li did this. Then let me ask you, how do you explain the similar incident that suddenly occurred in Consort Shu's palace earlier? If I recall correctly, Zhong Li had never met Consort Shu before the Spring Festival banquet." Lu Jing'an's patience had clearly run out, and his words were filled with teeth-gritting questions.
Xu Qing shivered a few times and said, "Regarding Consort Shu's matter, your humble servant... is not yet clear, your humble servant..."
"Useless!" Hearing this, Lu Jing'an raised his foot and kicked Xu Qing.
Simultaneously, Eunuch Hua entered from outside and walked to Lu Jing'an's side, whispering a few words.
Lu Jing'an withdrew his foot and said, "Summon him."
Eunuch Hua nodded and shouted outside, "Summon Chancellor Zhong of the Dali Temple to appear before us."
Hearing Zhong Li's name, Xu Qing was stunned for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, absolutely not. Zhong Li is a murder suspect. This case cannot be handed over to her."
"Is that so?" Lu Jing'an glanced at him. "Then do you dare to give me a result and guarantee it with your life?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Qing flinched and dared not speak.
Zhong Li and Hua Yao entered after Eunuch Hua's announcement.
During this time, she inadvertently glanced at Xu Qing. The words Xu Qing had spoken to the Emperor in the inner hall had all fallen into her ears. It seemed Xu Qing now considered her the primary enemy of the Dali Temple.
"Your humble servant, pays respects to His Majesty." Zhong Li and Hua Yao knelt on the ground to greet him.
Lu Jing'an, still annoyed by the matter with Xu Qing, waved his hand, signaling them to rise.
"Zhong Li," he said, taking the tea to quench his anger from Eunuch Hua, and got straight to the point. "I ask you, what is your opinion on the case of Consort Xian?"
Zhong Li cupped his hands towards Lu Jing'an. "Replying to His Majesty, your humble servant still maintains the same words as three days ago: Consort Xian self-combusted."