kingnovel Chapter 131 Another Clue
Chapter 131 Another Clue
After eating half a bowl, Shi An shook his head, indicating that he was full.
Chu Ci then ate the rest of the rice porridge in one bite.
After the meal, Shi An seemed to feel a little tired, his eyelids gradually became heavy, and he soon fell into a deep sleep again.
Chu Ci gently covered him with the blanket, then sat quietly by the bed, gazing at his sleeping face with a tender expression in her eyes.
After everyone had fallen asleep, she got up and went to the Dali Temple to get her medicine.
When she arrived at Dali Temple, she wasn't the only one there to collect medicine. Everyone had a joyful expression on their faces and were talking to each other in hushed tones.
When it was Chu Ci's turn, she asked the imperial physician in detail about Shi An's condition and the precautions for medication, carefully memorizing them.
He then rushed home and began preparing the medicine.
After a flurry of activity, Chu Ci finished decocting the medicine around noon.
She carried the medicine bowl to Shi An's bedside, gently woke him up, and patiently fed him the medicine as before.
Perhaps due to the effects of the medication, by the afternoon, Shi An's condition had improved significantly. He was no longer as drowsy as before, and his spirits were much better.
Most importantly, his emotions were no longer as volatile as before, and he became much calmer and more peaceful.
On the other hand, Chu Ci, as an assistant, also made a significant contribution to Zhang Ping's successful cracking of this bizarre case.
After learning that her family had been maliciously poisoned, General Yuchi was very sympathetic to her situation and granted her a ten-day leave so that she could stay at home and take care of her husband.
The palace also showed her great favor, bestowing upon her countless treasures and many precious medicinal herbs.
Chu Ci didn't stand on ceremony with the Empress and accepted everything without question, using the best tonics to prepare medicinal meals for Shi An every day.
Five days later, Shi An had fully recovered and her body was in excellent condition. Her delicate face had regained its former radiance.
Meanwhile, the embroidery workshop reopened to welcome guests, returning to its former liveliness and bustle.
On this day, Chu Ci seized the opportunity when Shi An went to the embroidery workshop for class, and secretly left home, heading straight for the Dali Temple.
Upon reaching the side of Zhang Ping's study, she cautiously looked left and right to make sure no one was around before gently knocking four times on the door.
The volume was just right, not too loud or too soft, so that the people inside the room could hear it.
Not long after, a slight noise was heard, and then the window was slowly pushed open.
Upon seeing this, Chu Ci flashed into the room like a ghost.
After entering the room, she didn't dare to delay. She quickly walked to the desk and placed a letter she had received earlier, delivered by carrier pigeon, steadily on the table.
Looking at the mysterious letter before her, she frowned slightly, her heart filled with doubt, and asked in a low voice.
Why must I come in secret?
"There's a new lead on the Shi family's affairs, but... this lead involves the royal family."
Upon hearing this, Chu Ci was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised but not entirely unexpected.
After all, the various events surrounding the Shi family in recent days had already made her wary, and she was mentally prepared for all sorts of possible situations.
After calming himself down a bit, Chu Ci said, "Go ahead and speak."
Zhang Ping took a deep breath and said slowly, "We obtained an important piece of information through some extraordinary means. Xia Yuanzhi did not die of illness. Before she died, she met a person of special identity who came from the palace."
Upon hearing this, Chu Ci frowned and fell into deep thought.
After a while, she raised her head, stared straight at Zhang Ping, and asked again, "Is this really reliable?"
Zhang Ping nodded solemnly and said firmly, "It's absolutely true, she is indeed a female official who has undergone castration."
Upon hearing this answer, Chu Ci went straight to the point: "Back then, which princesses were actually in the palace?"
After a moment's thought, Zhang Ping replied, "As far as I know, only the Third Princess, the Fourth Princess, and the Eighth Princess remained in the palace at that time. The Crown Princess and the other princesses had all moved out of the palace."
Upon hearing this, Chu Ci remained silent, seemingly processing the information rapidly in her mind.
After a while, as if he had thought of something important, he deliberately lowered his voice and whispered to Zhang Ping, "Her Majesty the Empress...she was in the palace at the time, wasn't she?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ping's gaze sharpened instantly as she stared directly at Chu Ci, warning, "You've always had unique and insightful views, but remember, never to divulge this matter to outsiders! Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Chu Ci smiled slightly, revealing a confident expression, and replied, "Do you think I'm a brainless fool? Don't worry, I know exactly what I'm doing. Anyway, I still want to thank you for providing such crucial information."
After saying this, Chu Ci bowed to Zhang Ping in thanks.
Seeing this, Zhang Ping gently shook her head and said calmly, "No need for thanks. We are just getting what we need from each other and it's mutually beneficial."
Chu Ci changed the subject and continued to ask, "Then do we know who exactly is in this palace?"
Zhang Ping sighed helplessly and replied, "This matter is still under investigation. Once we have definite news, we will inform you as soon as possible."
Chu Ci nodded to indicate that he understood, and once again clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks to Zhang Ping.
After saying goodbye to Zhang Ping, she rushed to pick up Shi An and take him home.
Upon meeting Shi An, she couldn't wait to tell him in detail about the new clues she had just obtained.
Shi An frowned slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "In my opinion, the Third Princess is timid and cowardly, easily flustered by the slightest thing. Such a temperament would hardly allow her to plan and carry out such a world-shaking event. The Fourth Princess, on the other hand, is upright and virtuous, showing no interest in power or status, spending her days immersed in martial arts and spear practice, and completely indifferent to court affairs. It's unlikely she would have done this. As for the Eighth Princess... although she appears to be idle and pleasure-seeking, she is actually quite shrewd and calculating, a level of cunning that is beyond the reach of ordinary people. However, my Shi family has always been loyal to the court, and my mother is an upright and honest official who has never offended anyone and has no grudge against this Eighth Princess. So, who among them is involved in my family's case?"
At this point, Shi An couldn't help but sigh and shake his head with a worried expression.
At this moment, Chu Ci suddenly interjected: "And Her Majesty the Empress, you should know that it was she who issued the decree to exterminate the entire family!"
Upon hearing this, Shi An was stunned.
He had always firmly believed that his family had been framed by villains, which angered the Empress and led to the massacre of his entire family.
This matter has never been associated with the Queen.
After a brief moment of shock, he muttered to himself, "This... how is this possible? Her Majesty the Empress is wise and benevolent, how could she possibly kill my Shi family without a reason? There must be some villain interfering and blinding Her Majesty!"
However, despite saying this, a hint of doubt had already crept into his mind.
Chu Ci put his arm around Shi An's waist and pulled her into his embrace. "In any case, the emergence of this clue is timely. Let's wait patiently for news from Zhang Ping and see if we can find more clues from it."
Shi An leaned against Chu Ci's chest, feeling much calmer. "Alright, let's just wait and see how things develop for now."