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墨書 Inktalez
She shouted, "Not just one set of remains! Everyone, stop! Don't destroy the crime scene!"
No one dared to linger at the Bottom of the Valley any longer; they hurriedly scrambled upwards, nearly causing a stampede. The flowers at the Bottom of the Valley were trampled and scattered, petals strewn across the ground, mixed with a significant amount of crimson liquid that resembled blood.
The fragrance in the air seemed to have intensified, and upon closer inspection, it was hard to tell if it was just her imagination, but there was a faint scent of blood, as if the sudden increase in sweetness was meant to mask the metallic odor.
A few of Sang Qingxiao's group finally made it up, joining the children of the Official Family to discuss their next steps. Lian Baoying suggested that this case was too significant for the local county office to handle; they needed to report it to the capital for assistance. "Some of us should head to the capital, while others go to the local county office to file a report. We’ll leave a few here to maintain order and ensure no one else goes down to the Bottom of the Valley."
Everyone sprang into action. The county office was nearby, but upon hearing about such a major case, the county magistrate turned into a turtle, claiming illness and refusing to come out. He only sent a few Yard Officers to help maintain order and insisted that he would relinquish all authority over this case.
When Gentle arrived with his men, night had fully fallen. Countless torches illuminated the surrounding hills, yet the Bottom of the Valley appeared even more ominous. Accompanying him were Shi Yun and his son.
Shi Yuan inserted himself between Sang Qingxiao and Wen Zhaojun, insisting that they recount what had happened. "Where is it? I can't see! Where is it? You need to point it out for me. Is that remains? It doesn't look like it."
As Shi Yuan urged his friends for directions, he subtly led them away from Sang Qingxiao and Shi Yun, creating some space for them.
"What kind of flower is this?" Shi Yun asked.
"It's an ancient variety whose name is unknown," came the reply. "Its color is like blood, its fragrance rich; it thrives on remains as if nourished by flesh and blood."
Shi Yun snorted coldly. "It's impressive that you managed to find this place!"
Sang Qingxiao did not respond directly but countered with a question: "In such a court, how could one avoid involving the Chancellor? This is just a minor issue; why do you need to come personally?"
"I heard you were involved," Shi Yun replied. "I knew it wasn't trivial. Wen has been waiting for The Office of Censors since morning; His Majesty summoned him, and he couldn't be bothered to meet with anyone. That tells me how serious this matter has become."
"Plus," he continued, "with His Majesty not having much time left, you're all eager to pull off something big. I'm just worried you might go too far and cause trouble for Great Jing; I need to keep an eye on things!"
Master Xiang seems to know quite a bit about this.
Shi Yun scoffed again. "Who is buried at the Bottom of the Valley?"
"We'll find out once we dig it up," came the assurance. "Master Xiang need not worry; it won't affect Great Jing Dynasty's affairs."
"Oh? So you Sang Family are planning a power grab now? Yet you still claim it won't impact court matters."
Master Xiang was angry at me, questioning why he had to bully a young girl. Gentle interjected, stating that with the death of the Xuande Emperor, Great Jing urgently needed a qualified successor. It would be best if the transition could be smooth, even if it meant changing the royal surname, as long as the common people could live in peace, it wouldn't be considered an impact.
I thought we had reached a consensus on this matter. However, this so-called consensus was merely a reluctant gesture. Between the Xuande Emperor and Great Jing, Shi Yun chose Great Jing; between Great Jing and the people, Shi Yun firmly chose the people. After all, none of the Xuande Emperor's sons were qualified, and even among the royal family, there was no suitable candidate.
I had never met Sang Bai Jue, but I had seen several letters that inexplicably appeared on his desk. The letters did not solicit him but discussed how to govern the country with well-reasoned policies that aligned closely with some of his own ideas, even surpassing his strategies for ruling.
Shi Yun was deeply attracted by these thoughts and felt an impulse to discuss them further. Sang Bai Jue was indeed a great talent. Through the words in those letters, Shi Yun saw a glimmer of hope for the country's advancement. A once-dry heart suddenly ignited with passion as he recalled his youthful fervor and decided to adopt a laissez-faire attitude while waiting for the Sang Family's return.
Gentle's reminder softened Shi Yun's tone somewhat. Could these remains help the Sang Family clear their name? Sang Qingxiao was pragmatic; the remains case still required some guidance from the Chancellor in court.
Sometimes my words were ineffective; although His Majesty was confused, he was still not easily deceived. Even if the remains case unfolded as you wished and everything was clarified, as long as the Monarch did not speak up, it would still be difficult for the Sang Family to restore their name.
Sang Qingxiao smiled and said she had life-prolonging elixirs; if used as a bargaining chip, the Xuande Emperor would likely want them. Besides the elixirs, she also had other trinkets that would pique the Xuande Emperor's interest.
So she held something vital in her hands. Just as Shi Yun was about to ask how long she could extend the Xuande Emperor's life, a panicked Censor overseeing the excavation at Bottom of the Valley rushed over, holding up a tattered cloth.
Embroidered on it was a beast's leg along with a golden claw featuring four fingers. Shi Yun snatched the cloth from him after just one glance and began analyzing aloud. The gold color indicated royal significance; only a four-clawed beast represented royalty—specifically, only a Jiao Long could wear such markings. Moreover, only the Crown Prince had the right to don Jiao Long patterns; no other pretender held that qualification.
In all these years of Great Jing Dynasty, there had been second and third emperors who once served as Crown Princes but never ascended due to various upheavals. The old garments worn by emperors were handled by designated personnel and could not have leaked outside the palace.
If it wasn't them, then next in line would be Prince Chen. He had been recognized as Crown Prince; he just lacked an official title. His fate had already been decided when he mysteriously vanished.
It was possible that he obtained Crown Prince Jiao Long garments ahead of time. The Chongjing Emperor had also pinned Prince Chen's disappearance on the Sang Family.
Shi Yun's gaze fixed on Sang Qingxiao. So, Prince Chen’s disappearance led back to Bottom of the Valley!
Sang Qingxiao nodded in response.
Who acted against him?
It is not the Sang Family or the Chancellor; you should already have the answer in your heart. Prince Chen was a highly capable successor, and his untimely death is truly a pity. Shall we work together to uncover the real culprit?
Shi Yun smiled; indeed, they owed Prince Chen that much. Investigating the Chen Wang Case significantly increased the possibility of exonerating the Sang Family. Back then, Prince Chen had substantial support behind him, and after being incited by the Chongjing Emperor, he played a significant role in the Sang Family case.
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