Chapter 8, First Attempt at Skill (Part 2)

It is right there

In front of the crowd, Murong Zi took a piece of silk from her bosom to wrap her hand, then examined the corpse of Chun'er. The people standing behind her were so terrified that they forgot to breathe, staring in a daze with their mouths covered by their handkerchiefs.

"Princess, are you certain that Chun'er passed away this morning?"

Did the princess witness the incident with Chun'er herself? Murong Zi continued to ask her

Who could believe that the woman casually handling the corpse before us is Murong Zi

Shangguan Sicheng's reaction was different from others; after Murong Zi finished her last sentence, she simply turned and left with a parting remark

Her decisive words aroused the curiosity of the crowd; the women who had just been trying to avoid the topic all raised their heads to look over, pondering Murong Zi's words while staring intently at the food boxes on the table. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, shock, and confusion.

Murong Ziyang raised her eyebrows and asked, "Are the pastries that Chun'er ate still around?" Although she was not a detective, she had assisted in solving many criminal cases. She did not inquire about the whereabouts of the maid because she was certain that the maid could not be found at this moment. However, the person behind the scenes had malicious intent to frame her, which meant that the pastries, representing the "evidence of guilt," must still be present

If the prince and princess do not believe it, they can certainly wait for the coroner to examine the body, but the premise is that this coroner must be a trustworthy person. After stating her conclusion, Murong Zi did not forget to remind certain individuals. It is evident that someone intends to frame her for Chun'er’s death. In this day and age, there are not many who understand how to conduct an autopsy; most people trust the words of the coroner. Who can guarantee that the coroner, who has yet to arrive, will not be someone who has been bribed?

After examining the corpse, Murong Zi had confirmed certain matters before turning around to approach Lin Xier. It was as if she did not notice the stunned and terrified expressions of the people in the room, and she directly inquired of Lin Xier

Preserve the scene and wait for the coroner to conduct the autopsy, no one is allowed to step into this place again, the princess is to come to my study!

"Your Highness, please do not be anxious, Zi'er has not finished speaking yet." Murong Zi, somewhat annoyed by her interruption, pointed at Chun'er’s neck and said in a slightly cold tone: "After death, different degrees of post-mortem lividity will appear, and it can be used to estimate the time of death. Although the lividity on Chun'er’s body is not obvious, it can be confirmed that she died between the hours of Zi and Chou last night. Furthermore, it is said that Chun'er died from poisoning, but apart from the blackening of her lips, there is no sign of blackening between her nails and skin, indicating that she was poisoned after death. More importantly..." As Murong Zi spoke, she walked towards the table, pointed at the food box, and looked at everyone with a cold smile at the corner of her mouth, "The pastries in the food box smell so foul, yet Chun'er could still eat them. Is she a fool? If you do not believe it, you may come and smell for yourselves to see if you have an appetite to eat them?"

Murong Zi lightly nodded at her, walked to the table, lifted the lid of the food box, and suddenly a strong and unpleasant odor wafted out. She immediately covered her nose and turned to approach Prince Sichen, performing a bow, "Your Highness, Zi'er has something to say."

Lin Xier immediately frowned. Although she felt displeased with Murong Zi's questioning tone, she could only respond reluctantly due to the presence of Shangguan Sicheng. "It was discovered by the maid this morning"

"Why has the prince summoned Zi'er?" Upon entering the study, Murong Zi did not wait for Shangguan Sicheng to speak first, but proactively asked.

Murong Zi blinked her eyelids, unable to comprehend Shangguan Sicheng's reaction. She had already clarified the matters that needed explanation, and she was not afraid of anyone altering anything in the process. Looking at Shangguan Sicheng's cold and rigid back, she pouted, feeling helpless, and could only follow him.

We absolutely cannot allow Chun'er to die in vain, nor can we let certain individuals take advantage of the situation and exploit her for their own gain

Upon hearing Murong Zi directly point out that someone was trying to frame her, many women of lower status lowered their heads, displaying an innocent demeanor of "it has nothing to do with me." Only Lin Xier raised her head, looking at Murong Zi with some astonishment, "What does the princess mean by this? Is it possible that Chun'er’s death..."

Shangguan Sicheng also stared fixedly, not uttering a word to stop it, only a hint of shock flickering in the depths of his eyes. Compared to the reactions of other women, he appeared calm and composed, always exuding an air of unassailable dignity.

Do not speak of how ominous the dead are, making people hesitant to casually associate with them. Even disregarding the bad luck, it still tests a person's courage. The wives and concubines of the King of Chu, when it comes to their background, were all noble young ladies raised in seclusion since childhood. The thought of coming into contact with the dead was something they had never even considered. Murong Zi was no exception; she was adopted by the former Queen of Chu at the age of three, living a life of luxury and not only that, she was also greatly favored by the former Queen of Chu.

Shangguan Sicheng's deep black eyes scrutinized the woman before him, his expression solemn yet tinged with a hint of confusion. After a long pause, he finally spoke with measured words: "Speak." Her unusual behavior today left him perplexed; had he overlooked something?

She is unclear about who wants to harm her, but it is evident that the methods of the person behind this are not sophisticated. Such clumsy and foolish ways to harm others, does he think that Murong Zi has a pig's brain?

"Impossible!" Lin Xier clearly did not believe it

Murong Zi cast a faint glance at Lin Xier, and without hesitation, walked towards the bedside. Pointing at Chun'er’s distorted face and somewhat unnatural posture, she addressed Shangguan Sicheng and Lin Xier, saying: "Your Highness, Your Highness, please observe, Chun'er’s death is gruesome, her eyes filled with terror, clearly indicating that she was frightened before her death." Seeing their gazes follow her finger, Murong Zi's eyes turned slightly cold, and she continued with a serious tone: "Zi suspects that Chun'er did not die from poisoning, but rather was scared to death by someone!"

The prince and princess insist that Chun'er died from poisoning after consuming the pastries gifted by Zi'er, yet they have not witnessed Chun'er taking them, which raises suspicions. Could the princess be intentionally targeting Zi'er? However, Zi'er has just examined the situation closely, and Chun'er's death does not appear to be a deliberate act against Zi'er by the princess; rather, it seems that someone is intentionally trying to frame Zi'er. In the face of Shangguan Sicheng's scrutinizing gaze, Murong Zi feigned ignorance, her plain yet graceful face maintaining a calm demeanor. Even when meeting Shangguan Sicheng's gaze, her clear eyes remained tranquil, devoid of any hint of affection.

Her words snapped Lin Xier back to reality, and she took a sudden step back, her eyes revealing an unmistakable disdain, yet her tone was very assertive. "Yes."

Lin Xier did not know what she truly wanted to do, but in order to prove that what she said was true, she pointed her finger at a food box on the table

Shangguan Sicheng's pupils narrowed slightly, and with a gloomy expression, he scanned the women in the room, his tone cold yet tinged with a hint of confusion: "What do you mean by this?"

She certainly detests Murong Zi and wishes to drive her away, but she has never contemplated taking Murong Zi's life. If anyone dares to exploit the conflict between her and Murong Zi for their own gain, it would be a blatant disregard for her status as the dignified Princess of Chu! Regardless of whether Murong Zi's statements are an attempt to absolve herself of blame, she intends to clarify the matter thoroughly.