"Everyone in the Great Zhou knows that the Crown Prince and His Highness the Third Prince have never gotten along well. The Crown Prince has never shown the grace expected of an elder brother towards His Highness the Third Prince. Do you think the spies he sent were to care about His Highness the Third Prince instead of monitoring him? Hmph! With such irrefutable evidence, you're still trying to distort the truth. Does Her Majesty the Queen think we're all fools?"
Hearing this, Queen Chu sneered and immediately retorted without hesitation, "It seems that Consort Yi has quite an opinion on how I educate my children. If His Highness the Crown Prince has failed to show the grace of an elder brother, has the Third Prince ever behaved like a proper younger brother..."
"Enough!" Feng Linche roared.
His head was about to explode.
Everyone fell silent and raised their heads, waiting for Feng Linche's verdict.
But Feng Linche just wearily raised his hand and said, "Let me see the Third Prince."
Upon receiving the order, the servants quickly carried in Feng Jingxuan, whose body had been barely pieced together, covered with a white cloth.
From afar, a strong smell of blood and char wafted over, extremely nauseating.
The crowd gathered at the entrance of the front hall of the guest room quickly stepped aside, leaving a wide path in the middle. Some timid women tightly closed their eyes, some frowned, and some even covered their noses with their sleeves when no one was looking.
Seeing the stretcher slowly approaching, Consort Yi and Princess Yunxi completely forgot about settling the score with Feng Jingye. They immediately rushed out one after another.
Consort Yi was in such a hurry that she almost fell down the steps. Princess Yunxi quickly reached out and steadied her.
"Mother Consort... be careful."
Princess Yunxi's voice was a bit choked.
Actually, Princess Yunxi and Feng Jingxuan were only engaged and had not yet held the grand wedding ceremony. The term "Mother Consort" was not really appropriate for her to use.
But she still called Consort Yi sincerely.
Consort Yi looked up and stared fixedly at Princess Yunxi.
Their gazes met, and the eyes of these two women who shared the same misfortune both turned red.
Princess Yunxi supported Consort Yi and walked to Feng Jingxuan's body.
"Xuan'er..." Consort Yi slowly knelt on the ground. Her hand that was about to lift the white cloth stopped in mid - air. After trembling for a long time, she finally retracted it and covered her face, sobbing.
Princess Yunxi simply threw herself on Feng Jingxuan's body and cried out loudly. Her cries were so heart - rending that everyone present couldn't help but feel pity.
Hearing the sorrowful cries, Feng Linche stood up and walked step by step, as if his feet were filled with lead, slowly towards Feng Jingxuan's body.
A gentle breeze blew from afar, lifting his somewhat messy hair that he hadn't had time to tidy. Several obvious white hairs glistened in the sunlight.
From the inside of the room to the stretcher, every step he took seemed to exhaust all his strength, just like a grief - stricken middle - aged father who had lost his son.
He finally reached Feng Jingxuan's side. The eunuchs on both sides quickly stepped forward and helped the sobbing Consort Yi away, making way for Feng Linche.
Feng Linche reached out his hand, tremblingly, and lifted a corner of the white cloth, revealing Feng Jingxuan's hideous face.
Just one glance made his whole body tremble violently, and the cloth in his hand fell back.
Everyone on the scene couldn't bear to look any longer.
Once again, sobs began to faintly sound in the Third Prince's Mansion.
Feng Linche closed his eyes for a long time before finally speaking.
"Forget it. The Third Prince has passed away. Bury him with the title of a prince. We'll discuss the rest of the matters after I return to the court. Let's disperse for now."
Hearing this, Consort Yi suddenly raised her head and looked at Feng Linche in disbelief. Just as she was about to say something, she heard a voice from the opposite side - "He can't be buried. Don't leave!"
Everyone looked at the source of the sound in surprise and saw that Princess Yunxi suddenly stopped crying, stood up, and faced Feng Linche.
Because of the previous crying, her face was even paler, but her eyes were stubbornly wide - open, showing great determination.
"Father, the Third Prince is right here. He's watching you and waiting for you, his father, to seek justice for him! He died wrongly, and his great enmity has not been avenged. How can we let him be buried like this and watch the murderer go unpunished?
How can the Third Prince rest in peace in the underworld! In the future, how can I have the face to meet the Third Prince?"
Princess Yunxi asked sharply.
The usually cute and clever Princess Yunxi suddenly seemed like a different person at this moment. Her imposing manner was so intimidating that even Feng Linche was stunned.
"Then what does Princess Yunxi intend to do?" It was Queen Chu who spoke.
She looked at Princess Yunxi coldly, with no trace of emotion in her eyes. "The death of the Third Prince is of great importance, and there are many doubts at the scene. How can the princess make a judgment with just a single word?
Now, all the guests, even several princes and princesses of our Great Zhou, have been trapped in the Third Prince's Mansion for a whole night. Some of them were even injured while putting out the fire and need treatment and rest. Isn't the princess still injured herself?
Most importantly, His Majesty has not slept for a whole night because of this matter. Princess, you feel sorry for your fiancé, and I feel sorry for my husband!
He has been too overworked and needs a good rest. Investigating the case is imperative, but there's no need to do it today or right now. Everyone, go back to your mansions and rest first!"
Hearing this, everyone was extremely grateful.
They had been trapped here for a whole night, unable to go home, and didn't know how much longer they would be trapped. Naturally, they felt resentful. But they also knew that this matter was related to Feng Jingxuan's death and the case was too significant, so they dared not complain.
Now, hearing Queen Chu's words, they were naturally very happy and immediately looked at Feng Linche expectantly.
Feng Linche nodded and was about to speak.
Just then, Princess Yunxi knelt down with a thud.
"Father." Before Feng Linche could say anything, she spoke loudly.
Seeing this, Queen Chu flew into a rage and shouted directly at Princess Yunxi, "What are you doing now? Are you deliberately trying to prevent His Majesty from resting and trying to exhaust him to death?"
But Princess Yunxi seemed not to hear Queen Chu's question. She just looked at Feng Linche with burning eyes and said, "While I was resting in the guest room just now, Brother Lingxiao told me something.
He said that in last night's archery competition, the Third Prince won the championship. Father once promised to fulfill one wish of the winner.
At that time, the Third Prince said that he wanted to give his wish to me as a betrothal gift for this engagement. May I ask, Father, is this still valid?"
Being reminded by her, Feng Linche just remembered that Feng Jingxuan had indeed made this request last night and he had also agreed.
Now that Princess Yunxi had brought it up in front of everyone, he naturally couldn't refuse. So he nodded slightly and replied, "Since I've promised, it's naturally valid."
"Thank you, Father!" Princess Yunxi respectfully kowtowed, "I have a wish now and I hope Father can grant it."
"What wish?" Feng Linche asked.
Princess Yunxi raised her head and said word by word, "I sincerely ask Father to uphold justice, thoroughly investigate the death of the Third Prince, and severely punish the murderer!"