jdhmnovel Chapter 134 Even with the Testimony, We Can't Convict
Chapter 134 Even with the Testimony, We Can't Convict
Gao Wuyong's tactics were very clever. He only said a few words without using any criminal law, and the other party confessed everything.
When Xiyu went there, he just came out of the side room with Yinghong's testimony.
"How about it?"
Gao Wuyong bent down and handed her the testimony in his hand. "You confessed everything. The timeline before and after can be matched with the testimony of others recorded ten years ago."
According to Yinghong, she was punished by Concubine De to the laundry department because she did not take good care of the Sixth Prince. Not long after, Concubine Hui found her and arranged for her to save the Sixth Prince and return to Yonghe Palace.
She had originally thought that after becoming the Sixth Prince's attendant again, she would tell Concubine De about Concubine Hui's plot to bribe her. However, she never expected that Concubine De would let her go back to be a palace maid.
Yinghong was unwilling, but being a palace maid was much better than working in the laundry department. But a few months later, Concubine Hui sent her an embroidery pattern, a finger, a safety lock and a letter.
The embroidery pattern was made by her mother, the fingers were cut from her father's hand, and the safety lock belonged to her brother. The letter said: If she cooperates, she will give her family a large sum of money and live the rest of her life in peace; if she does not cooperate, these three lives will be regarded as a lesson for her.
So she had no choice but to agree to Concubine Hui's request and found an opportunity to secretly bring the Sixth Prince to the rockery in the Imperial Garden. She didn't know what Concubine Hui was going to do, but it was definitely not a good thing, so after leaving the Sixth Prince in the rockery, she pretended to clean the attic and deliberately fell down to escape suspicion.
Later, when the Sixth Prince got into trouble, Concubine De was furious and executed the people who served the Sixth Prince. She also beat most of the palace maids in Yonghe Palace and sent them back to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Although she was spared punishment due to her leg injury, she was also sent back. It was a long time after she recovered from her injury that she was found again by Concubine Hui's people. She worked as a maid in Zhongcui Palace until now.
It does fit in with the timeline she found out.
"No torture at all. How could what she said be true?" Xiyu narrowed her eyes.
"This Yinghong is a smart person. I only told her that Concubine Hui sent someone to kill her, and she understood everything. The condition for her to tell the truth is that we send people to protect her family."
"Protect..." Xiyu's lips curled up into a smile, "It could be surveillance, or even threats. Since her family is so important to her, we are not afraid that she will not cooperate in testifying."
She gave these to Yinzhen, who stared at the paper for a long time with a frown on his face.
"It's been too long. These are all witnesses, and they are not enough to prove Concubine Hui's guilt. If she insists in front of the emperor that we bribed these two people, I'm afraid we will cause the emperor to suspect us of our motives."
"He will feel that the Crown Prince is now under house arrest in Yuqing Palace, and we chose to stir up the incident of the past at this time to remove Concubine Hui from office, intending to affect the position of Big Brother in the Emperor's heart. The ultimate intention... is to take the position of Crown Prince."
Yinzhen looked up from his testimony, his dark eyes filled with seriousness.
"Then hammer this thing to death."
Xi Yu took the testimony from him and placed it on the table, then walked around and sat on his lap, raising her arms to wrap around the man's neck. "If it were anyone else, it might be a little difficult, but the mastermind behind this is Concubine Hui."
Thinking of the gossip she had heard from Yun Ran before, Xi Yu gained some confidence and told him the plan she had been brewing for a long time.
Yinzhen played with her soft palms, listened to her chattering, and occasionally added a few words of his own thoughts.
The summer evening breeze blows the lush branches of flowers in the courtyard, creating waves.
In Tongling Garden, Concubine Hui leaned on the soft couch in front of the window, her brows slightly furrowed, and a hint of anxiety revealed in her eyes.
She rubbed her temples with her hands, as if trying to ease her inner irritability, "I always feel a little uneasy."
Chun Tao, who was standing by, stepped forward and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, Madam. Yinghong has been killed and thrown into a mass grave. I saw it with my own eyes. As for her family, I have also sent people to take care of them. Although it is really troublesome, only by getting rid of them can we eliminate the trouble forever."
She stretched out her palm and gestured at her neck.
The next evening, after Yinzhen and Xiyu had packed up, they went to Kangxi's residence with the evidence they had collected.
After sending all the palace servants away from the room, they stayed in the room for a full hour.
No one knew that Yinzhen and Xiyu had secretly met with Kangxi, and no one knew what they talked about in the room.
The day went on as usual, as if nothing had happened.
However, every late at night, in certain corners of the Old Summer Palace, people could hear children laughing or crying, and some even saw groups of children playing football, not just one. For a time, people were in a panic.
The palace servants privately circulated various versions of ghost stories, but the protagonists who never changed were the children who died unjustly.
If the news spread too much, it would naturally be impossible to hide it from the masters above. In desperation, Kangxi sent someone to summon Yun Weijian, the chief envoy of the Imperial Observatory.
"There have been many strange things happening in the Old Summer Palace recently. Is there something strange in the sky?"
Yun Weijian bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I observed the sky at night and found that the position of Yixiu, the sixth star of the Southern Vermilion Bird, among the twenty-eight constellations, is unstable. This star is also known as the Children's Star, so it will affect children with weaker physical energy and cause their souls to shift."
Kangxi sat at the head of the table, carelessly stroking the teacup in his hand with his fingertips, "Is there any way to resolve this?"
"Soothing incense must be burned every day in the four corners of the palace and Yuanmingyuan. In addition, young princes and princesses should also be watched day and night, and a jade tablet should be prepared for them to carry with them to calm their souls."
Kangxi frowned, "Liang Jiugong, immediately give orders to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make a jade tablet overnight and send it to the Baohua Hall for engraving and soul-calming scriptures."
"Yes."
Within an hour, the news spread to every corner of the Old Summer Palace, big and small, and indirectly confirmed the rumors in the palace.
As early as when she heard the rumor, Concubine Hui had already taken out all the scriptures and Buddhist beads she had prepared to ward off evil spirits.
"My lady, it's late at night, you should go to bed early."
There was silence in the bedroom of Tonglingyuan. Chuntao suddenly spoke, which frightened Concubine Hui so much that her heart stopped for a moment.
She glared at Chun Tao who was waiting beside her, and said with a hint of anger, "Next time, walk louder and talk softer!"
"Yes."
Chuntao felt a little aggrieved. She had just called out softly several times, but the Empress was too focused on chanting the sutra, so she could only remind her loudly.
Concubine Hui turned her head to look out the window and found that it was already late at night. She couldn't help but yawn, wrapped the Buddhist beads around her wrist, and went back to bed to rest.
"My lady, do you want to leave a candle lit today?"
"Leave... two..." After saying this, Concubine Hui fell into a peaceful sleep.