Chapter 1641: Chapter 1648: The Real Culprit Appears (5)
Looking at him like this, Cai Wei felt a wave of heartache. These two days must be the hardest days of his life. The pain of losing his mother already made him feel unbearable, yet he also had to endure accusations that his mother was angered to death by the woman he loved most. His inner turmoil had no outlet, coupled with the pressures from all ministers, surely he was on the verge of collapse!
Nangong Yi looked at Cai Wei, his throat moved slightly, but when he spoke, his voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible: “Are you saying, Imperial Mother… was murdered?”
“Exactly!”
Cai Wei nodded heavily: “The murderer who killed Imperial Mother might be the sa as the one who killed Zhao Yue, because their thod was to insert long needles into the heart, causing death. So, as long as the needle in the Empress Dowager’s heart can be removed, it will prove my innocence!”
Won’t removing the needle from the heart require cutting open the stomach?
Before Nangong Yi could speak, the Auxiliary Duke exclaid: “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has a body worth ten thousand golds, how can we casually cut open her stomach for a baseless claim? Let alone determining the truth of the Empress Dowager’s statent, even if it’s true, we absolutely cannot cut open the Empress Dowager’s stomach to remove the needle.”
Pri Minister Ning said in a subtly sinister manner: “Empress Dowager, you’re saying a steel needle was inserted into the Empress Dowager’s heart? How do you even know? The Empress Dowager is still inside her coffin, does the Dowager have supernatural perception to see through the casket? Or did the Empress know from the beginning that there’s a steel needle in the Empress Dowager’s heart?”
The last sentence was undeniably malicious, implying indirectly that Cai Wei is the one who killed the Empress Dowager, like a thief who cries to catch thieves.
Cai Wei responded calmly: “When I left the Jade Palace the day before yesterday, the Empress Dowager was well, if I were the perpetrator, the needle in her heart would have acted imdiately, and how would there be a chance for Bai Zhi’s comforting words? How could she have had the opportunity to be helped to sleep on the couch? It’s odd that Pri Minister Ning, despite having read countless books, lacks this basic dical knowledge; the more you read, the more ignorant you beco.”
“Regarding the supernatural perception you ntioned, hehe, Pri Minister Ning wears a purple undergarnt today, right? Arguably, during the Empress’s mourning period, one should dress in plain mourning clothes inside out, yet you’re wearing an entire set of bright purple undergarnts inside, clearly indicating you’re not sincerely mourning the Empress Dowager, just doing it for show.”
“Oh, the scar tissue on the Auxiliary Duke’s chest is a keloid, it will grow larger and cannot be treated, take care of yourself!”
Cai Wei’s eyes swept over the two ministers without hurry, stating it openly, almost shocking the Auxiliary Duke and Pri Minister Ning into dropping their jaws.
This woman knows what they’re wearing inside, even what grows on their bodies, could she indeed have supernatural perception? So ministers unconsciously covered their critical parts, feeling like they were exposed under the Empress’s gaze.
However, Pri Minister Ning couldn’t believe there’s truly anyone with supernatural perception, he thought it must be that the Empress has placed spies around them, hence knowing what he wore today, what grows on the Auxiliary Duke, completely creating false illusions. “Empress, don’t think understanding our details can confuse minds. According to my view, the Empress surely anticipated there wouldn’t be an incision into the Empress Dowager, thus using it as an excuse to shirk responsibility, clearing herself of the cri.”
Cai Wei glanced at him and leisurely said: “Leaving aside whether I’m creating false illusions or not, just on the matter of removing the needle from the Empress, who told you that it required an incision?”
Pri Minister Ning was startled and said: “What do you an by this, Empress? Without incision, how can we remove the so-called needle in the Empress Dowager’s heart?”
Cai Wei said: “It’s quite simple, we can ask soone with profound inner strength to use martial arts skills to draw out the needle. Our dynasty is full of talented people; I believe there must be soone so capable!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Nangong Yi exclaid: “I’ll do it!”
After speaking, he turned and went into the Ancestral Hall to make arrangents.
Cai Wei said to the ministers kneeling in the courtyard: “Everyone thinks I angered the Empress Dowager to death. To avoid suspicion, I will stay out. Since the Emperor went in to remove the needle, when the evidence cos out, the truth will naturally surface!”
In the courtyard, Bai Zhi tried to maintain composure, wanting to go into the Ancestral Hall with everyone, but was blocked at the entrance by Cai Wei, who coldly said: “Miss Bai Zhi is now suspected of harming the Empress Dowager, it’s inappropriate to approach the Empress, please wait here. Once there’s a result, soone will naturally inform you.”
Bai Zhi stiffened, her facial expression fragnted. Unable to enter the Ancestral Hall ans unable to interfere; once the needle in the Empress Dowager’s heart is removed, her cri of killing the Empress with that needle will be exposed, what should she do?
Her face was ashen, like on top of a charcoal kiln, constantly looking toward the Ancestral Hall, cold sweat breaking out on her body.
Cai Wei looked at her, a faint smile creeping at the corners of her mouth.
Trying to fra her, wishful thinking! Now it’s her own stone that she’ll trip over!
In the Ancestral Hall, a hundred and eight monks prayed with the “Great Northern Confession”, transcending the souls of the deceased, Imperial Mother Mo lay straight on the Spirit Bed covered with a body wrapped in colorful gold thread yellow cloth, donned with the Nine Phoenixes Facing the Sun with Pearls Crown. To prevent spoilage and rot of the corpse, several layers of thick ice were laid under the Spirit Bed, preserving the body on the bed.
After entering, Nangong Yi cleared the monks from the Ancestral Hall with a frown and then summoned all the noble ladies inside.
Once inside the Ancestral Hall, the noble ladies saw Empress Dowager Mo on the Spirit Bed, they knelt and wailed in grief.
Yang Yong said: “Ladies need not be too sorrowful, the Empress said the Empress Dowager’s death was not fate, but human-led, and if you are grieving for the Empress Dowager, please remove the Phoenix Robe so that His Majesty can extract the needle from the Empress Dowager’s heart to avenge her!”
Upon hearing this, everyone swallowed their tears, went forward to dress Empress Dowager Mo, Nangong Yi stood with his back towards the Spirit Bed carrying Empress Dowager Mo, his hands behind him, a tall and desolate figure with so sadness. At this mont, he felt incredibly conflicted, rejoicing and relieved for Cai Wei being able to clear her na of suspicion, yet heartbroken and saddened by his own mother’s tragic demise.
While grieving, the noble ladies had already removed the layers of mortuary shrouds from Empress Dowager Mo, leaving only the innermost undergarnt.
“Your Majesty, we have removed the outer garnts for the Empress Dowager, you can now perform your skills.”
Nangong Yi acknowledged with a sound, slowly approached the remains of Empress Dowager Mo.
Outside the Ancestral Hall, Cai Wei stood calmly, her eyes constantly observing Bai Zhi, watching as her face changed from white to blue, then blue to red, quite a spectacle.
Pri Minister Ning watched the Ancestral Hall, his old face unclear and murky; the Auxiliary Duke also stretched his neck, not taking his eyes off the Ancestral Hall’s direction, anxiously rubbing his hands, wishing he could rush in to see the situation inside.
Reviews
All reviews (0)