Chapter 071
Chapter 71: Shocking Changes
The old eunuch slowly glanced around at the assembled consorts. After hesitating a moment, he took a deep breath and spoke in a grave voice.
“When this servant arrived at Yixin Hall earlier, I discovered that everyone, including Noble Consort your ladyship, was dead. Each death was extremely horrifying!”
As soon as these words were uttered, the queen, who had been sipping tea, froze. All the other consorts abruptly lifted their heads, and for a moment, the hall fell into silence.
“Say it again. What exactly happened?” the queen finally reacted, springing to her feet with an expression shifting between shock and disbelief.
She knew well enough that the old eunuch by her side would never dare lie, especially about something involving a noble consort of the palace. Still, she found it incredibly hard to believe that such terrible news could be true.
“This servant saw it clearly. There was no survivor in Yixin Hall. Noble Consort Ji and all her servants appear to have been murdered.”
The old eunuch’s face was equally grim. He himself found the situation hard to believe, yet he had seen it clearly with his own eyes. The gruesome images still haunted his heart even now.
Bowing his head, the old eunuch continued softly, “Your Majesty, as mistress of the inner palace, it will be your responsibility to handle this crisis.”
At these words, the consorts burst into terrified chatter, each face paling in fright. After all, the Great Li Imperial Palace was heavily guarded, a place so secure that not even a mosquito could slip in unnoticed. Yet now, a noble consort had been murdered inside its very walls. Such a thing was beyond belief!
“Quiet, all of you!” the queen sharply commanded. Her expression shifted briefly before she turned back to the old eunuch. “His Majesty has already begun secluded cultivation since last night and must not be disturbed for at least half a month. You must immediately inform Eunuch Li Tian Yi of the Directorate of Ceremonial and have him personally inspect Yixin Hall.”
The old eunuch quickly nodded, but quietly added a caution, “The murderer’s whereabouts remain unknown, and they may still be hiding within the palace. Your Majesty must be cautious.”
With that, he vanished into a gust of eerie wind.
The queen’s expression grew darker. She swiftly summoned several eunuchs, instructing firmly, “Relay my command. Immediately have the palace guards seal off the inner palace, and summon General Shen Wei, commander of the imperial guards, to thoroughly investigate every corner and track down the murderer.”
She then swept her cold gaze over the frightened consorts, adding sternly, “No one is allowed to spread news of this.”
…
Marquis Cang Yuan’s Residence.
Divine Constable Guan Tian Qian stood silently over a pit of ghastly white bones, his expression grave as he stared downward.
Nearby, Fu Yu, head of the Ten Great Constables of the General Yamen, Ji Fei Yun, and other constables stood quietly.
Early this morning, before dawn, a constable on duty at the Six Gates had found Guan Shan Xue unconscious at their doorstep. Upon waking, Guan Shan Xue had been confused, unable to recall why he had fainted. All he remembered clearly was the revelation that Cang Yu Ning was the Flower-Thief.
Alarmed by this, Six Gates immediately sent men to Marquis Cang Yuan’s residence to inquire. There, they discovered this horrifying scene. Given the gravity of the matter, none dared act hastily, and thus the report had reached the higher authorities.
Even Fu Yu was alerted, and Divine Constable Guan Tian Qian himself had arrived swiftly upon hearing the news.
“What do the mansion’s servants say?” Guan Tian Qian finally broke the heavy silence, his brows tightly knitted as he turned to Fu Yu.
Fu Yu shook his head. “The mansion had orders forbidding servants from leaving their rooms at night. Some did hear fighting, but no one dared venture out, so the details remain unclear.”
Guan Tian Qian nodded slightly, then asked, “Has it been confirmed that Cang Yu Ning is indeed the Flower-Thief?”
Fu Yu hesitated briefly, then nodded again. He was about to speak further when Guan Tian Qian’s eyes suddenly narrowed as though noticing something.
“Everyone step back!” he commanded urgently.
Although puzzled, Fu Yu and the others quickly withdrew from the courtyard. At that same moment, Guan Tian Qian rose into the air, effortlessly soaring several feet above the ground. He turned his palm downward and gently struck the courtyard below.
Instantly, an enormous shadow shaped like a giant hand descended from the sky, crashing into the yard. Dust rose wildly, dirt flew up, and deep grooves appeared on the ground, forming clearly legible lines of text.
Guan Tian Qian scanned the words from above, his expression subtly shifting before he slowly descended back down. Fu Yu and the others, noticing the newly formed message, were visibly shaken.
“This…” Ji Fei Yun trembled with shock, stunned by the revelation written clearly in the soil—truths involving the white bones beneath Marquis Cang Yuan’s residence. Yet he could hardly believe the implications pointing directly to a noble consort in the palace.
“My Lord,” Fu Yu hurried forward and asked hesitantly, “should we continue investigating this case?”
Guan Tian Qian glanced briefly at him but didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on the message, “The person who left this message is incredibly powerful. As far as I can tell, he can kill simply with his Qi. Because of this, I cannot determine his martial style.”
Pausing briefly, he continued thoughtfully, “What I can confirm is that he is undoubtedly a Heavenly Union master. Furthermore, leaving these words beneath the ground without a trace means his control over Heavenly Qi has reached the Subtle Stage.”
Fu Yu remained silent, deep in thought.
Shaking his head, Guan Tian Qian said softly, “He clearly left a message to ensure we continue the investigation. Such a person is someone we shouldn’t provoke unnecessarily, wouldn’t you agree?”
“But, if we do this,” Fu Yu hesitated, “we risk offending someone powerful in the palace…”
Guan Tian Qian waved his hand dismissively, “Six Gates investigates according to law. There’s no such thing as offending anyone. Our duty is simply to uncover the truth. After that, matters will be handled by the Ministry of Justice and His Majesty himself. It is beyond our concern.”
He paused, placing a comforting hand on Fu Yu’s shoulder, and said quietly, “I know you have close ties with Marquis Cang Yuan’s residence. But duty is duty, personal feelings aside. Do not disappoint my expectations.”
With these words, Guan Tian Qian turned and departed, unnoticed by anyone holding a small inscribed stone tightly in his hand.
Only after he had left the mansion grounds did he open his palm, revealing a small stone engraved with a single sentence:
“Noble Consort Ji is dead. Investigate thoroughly.”
…
“Interesting,” Guan Tian Qian murmured softly, narrowing his eyes toward the Imperial Palace. “I suppose it’s time to see if Noble Consort Ji really has died.”
The words on the stone carried a faint threat. Guan Tian Qian had never intended to suppress the investigation. Yet, given the influential figures involved, he knew the pressure ahead would be immense. It would be difficult to guarantee he could pursue it to the very end.
He frowned thoughtfully, then shook his head. He himself certainly couldn’t break into the Imperial Palace to assassinate a consort. If someone else could, he would need to seriously consider the gravity of their threat.