This news was a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone stunned.
Zhao Zhao is actually dead?
How did he die?
As the son of Prefect Zhao ngran, his status was significant; no ordinary person would harm him. If it were an illness, he seed fine just a few days ago, so how did he end up dead?
This whole thing is too bizarre!
And if he truly is dead, Prefect Zhao ngran is likely to go mad, right? That was his most cherished son!
"Should we go to the Zhao family to check on them, and maybe... offer our condolences?"
The group pondered, so were willing to go, while others weren’t, so the gathering dispersed.
Xiang Yin groggily followed Qiao Zizhan to Zhao ngran’s residence.
The Zhao family had already hung white lanterns and raised white flags, with servants dressed in white, creating a sea of white at a glance.
In the main hall, there was a fine redwood coffin placed, with people kneeling around it, intermittently letting out heart-wrenching cries.
Zhao ngran was also present, appearing to have aged several years in an instant, tears streaming down his face.
On this festive day of the New Year, having to bury his own child, what an imnse sorrow?
"Oh heavens, how unjust!"
Zhao ngran let out a mournful sigh, overwheld with pain.
This was the scene that Qiao Zizhan and Xiang Yin witnessed when they arrived.
Qiao Zizhan went over to offer a stick of incense for Zhao Zhao, then said to Zhao ngran, "Please accept my condolences, Mr. Zhao!"
Xiang Yin numbly offered incense and uttered, "Condolences," before standing to the side, his gaze sowhat evasive.
This Zhao ngran, Prefect Zhao’s plight was truly miserable; losing a nephew seven years ago and now a son, life is truly sorrowful.
Normally, Xiang Yin would feel sowhat uneasy upon seeing Zhao ngran, especially since he had witnessed his nephew’s death firsthand.
But with Li Qingmu gone, he felt relieved. After all, he was not the killer, so what was done was beyond his control. Even if Zhao ngran questioned him now, he could calmly respond.
"Brother Xiang, I heard that his son died under mysterious circumstances!" a noble youth whispered in Xiang Yin’s ear, "I just inquired, and it seems that while speaking, he suddenly bled from the nose and mouth and died! It was a grim death!"
Xiang Yin was shocked: "How could this happen?"
"I don’t know either, it was just so inexplicable! You see, Prefect Zhao is quite a decent official, how could he end up entangled in such matters?"
"Who knows, perhaps it’s just an unlucky year?"
The crowd whispered cautiously, too afraid to speak loudly, lest Zhao ngran overhear and make things awkward.
There were many people coming to mourn, and Zhao ngran was exhausted from both tending to guests and burning paper money for his son.
Though he had two other sons, everyone is biased, and his youngest son received the most of his affection, so his death felt like losing his very soul.
"My son, if you have a spirit in heaven, tell father who hard you? Who? Even if it costs my old life, I will avenge you!"
Zhao ngran spoke in deep sorrow. At that mont, soone rushed in, speaking in hushed tones: "Sir, at the riverside on the outskirts of the city, we’ve found two bodies; they seem to be servants from the forr Imperial Censor Li’s ho! It was rumored to have been seen that Mrs. Li was at the riverside, suspected to be an act of revenge!"
In an instant, Xiang Yin was dumbfounded!
He was aware that servants from Li Qingmu’s ho had testified against him in the Golden Hall, which led to the case. Yet now, those two were dead!
Has Pang Longyue sought revenge against them?
Zhao ngran was racked with the bitterness of losing a son, with nowhere to vent his anger. Hearing this, he imdiately cursed, "Is this Li family retaliation? Retaliatory murder of witnesses? Soone, summon Li Pangshi for questioning imdiately!"
...
General Mansion.
"The son of Prefect Zhao of Jingzhao Mansion is dead, reportedly dying suddenly in front of his family, and Zhao intends to find the murderer responsible and execute them brutally."
Long Yue was seated at the bedside, fiddling with embroidery threads, making clothing for a child, whether for a boy or girl she did not know, but it was certain red was right for a newborn.
Beside her was Yang Zhuoya, recounting the outside man’s tales.
The lockdown of General Mansion was lifted following the beheading of Li Qingmu, allowing people to co and go freely, though five hundred Imperial Guards continued to watch over the place like a prison.
She’d t so of the noble daughters and socialites before, but those relationships were insincere. Now, in tis of trouble, they refrained from trampling her down; coming to assist was out of the question.
Thus, the loyalty of Yang Zhuoya was precious to her.
More than a month had passed since the execution of Li Qingmu, and Long Yue had sowhat cald, focusing on fetal preservation and crafting small embroideries for her unborn child at the General Mansion, maintaining a low profile.
"Oh, how did he die?"
Long Yue had suffered significant pregnancy reactions in the past month, vomiting frequently and eating very little, losing weight in the wake of Li Qingmu’s ordeal. Her delicate face seed even smaller, her chin sharp and eyes large, becoming even more enchanting and alluring than before.
Yang Zhuoya shook her head: "I don’t know, supposedly while talking to his parents at ho, suddenly blood oozed from his orifices and he died grimly, scaring many witnesses, and Mrs. Zhao fainted on the spot.
The cause of his death sparked heated discussion in Shengjing City; so claid it was poisoning, others a curse, growing more fantastical with every telling."
"Is that so?"
Long Yue frowned slightly, finding the situation truly strange and not understanding how he had died.
Recalling Huanhuan and Wang Xiaoliu, their inexplicable betrayal was also puzzling. With Huanhuan having no family, having a sincere disposition, there was no one to intimidate her, Long Yue simply couldn’t fathom her betrayal.
Wang Xiaoliu had family, with siblings; it seed likely to be soone threatening them, yet upon investigation, his family was perfectly fine, with no apparent issues.
This was indeed strange.
What kind of benefit would lead them to betray her?
Money, power, status?
Surely not; if that were the case, why had they disappeared after testifying in the Golden Hall?
Have they been silenced?
While pondering this, soone suddenly ran in from outside.
It was Cao Xiao, gasping for breath, his face pale. He exclaid imdiately: "Yue’er, bad news, sothing major happened! Bodies of what look like Huanhuan and Xiao Liu were found by the city’s outskirts, and the case was reported to Jinzhao Mansion, and Zhao Prefect demands your questioning!"
Long Yue was montarily stunned, then sneered coldly.
Do they think she targeted those witnesses?
Ridiculous, little did they realize, the enemies planned to silence witnesses!
And why did the incident erupt at this particular mont? Why not earlier? Or perhaps a few months later? Right when Zhao Zhao died, this arises?
It’s clearly an attempt to exploit Zhao ngran’s grief, to concoct another wrongful conviction and take her down too!
Long Yue was aware that if she encountered trouble imdiately following Li Qingmu’s execution, it would inevitably lead to speculation of wrongful accusation.
Yet, the delay appeared more reasonable.
"I have not killed anyone."
Long Yue stated calmly.
Cao Xiao, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, fretted: "But it’s not about your guilt now, soone saw you on that riverbank! Yue’er, co, I’ll take you to see the Emperor, let the Emperor intervene!"
Under these circumstances, only the Emperor could save Long Yue.
But... would the Emperor see her? Who knows, but it had to be tried?
Long Yue simply shook her head: "If they’re summoning , I should go. I’ve nothing to fear, so why not go?"
"Yue’er, don’t be foolish; clearly soone is attempting to fra you!"
Cao Xiao wanted to vomit blood; when did his once fierce and relentless niece beco so easy to bully?
Where was her ferocity? Her temper? Had they faded away with Li Qingmu’s death?
Long Yue paid him no mind, gently rose, and said calmly, "A shao, will you accompany ?"
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