nucmednet Chapter 87 The real killer?
Chapter 87 The real killer?
Moonlight streamed through the mottled windowpanes, illuminating the woman's fair and charming face.
However, when their eyes met, Wei Yiqiu looked into the pair of eyes that were quietly watching her, deep and dark, with a chilling coldness about them.
In a daze, she seemed to see another person on that face.
"No, it's impossible!"
Wei Yiqiu struggled frantically, trying to avoid eye contact, "Let me go, Qiao Qingyin, let me go!"
But Chu Qingyin raised her hand and restrained her chin, not allowing her any chance to dodge.
She smiled at her, but the smile didn't reach her eyes: "Wei Yiqiu, you recognized her, didn't you?"
"No, I don't know you!" Wei Yiqiu shouted in a panic, closing her eyes.
"Ha, I thought that since you hated me so much, you should at least care about me. After all, it was you who ordered someone to pour poison on me here, causing me to bleed from all seven orifices and die with my eyes wide open!"
Chu Qingyin's voice was icy cold, and she spoke each word extremely slowly, stirring up gusts of cold wind outside the door, like a vengeful ghost coming to claim a life.
Wei Yiqiu shuddered as she kicked the ground, feeling a chill creep through her body from behind, her heart filled with fear.
With her eyes closed, she screamed and covered her ears, shouting, "No, I didn't kill you, it wasn't me..."
He looked as if he had gone insane due to extreme shock.
Chu Qingyin looked at her quietly. The overwhelming hatred she once felt seemed to have nowhere to go when she saw her current fate, leaving her somewhat at a loss.
She let go of his hand with a dejected look on her face, and took a step to turn and leave.
"Chu Qingyin!" Wei Yiqiu shouted sharply from behind.
Chu Qingyin turned around upon hearing the voice and saw that she had stood up at some point: "Seeing me in this miserable state, don't you find it laughable? But you're not much better off than me."
Chu Qingyin paused, turning her head to ask, "What do you mean by that?"
"Chu Qingyin, you gained His Majesty's favor, but so what? You're still dead, and even in death you were a confused ghost!"
Wei Yiqiu's smile grew increasingly maniacal. "You are the truly pathetic one. I didn't kill you, but you'll never find anyone who truly kills you in this lifetime."
Who actually killed her?
Chu Qingyin frowned slightly. "Wei Yiqiu, stop playing games."
"Ha, if you think I'm just being mysterious, then so be it. Anyway... I'll be waiting for you in the underworld!"
As Wei Yiqiu spoke, he suddenly gave a sinister smile, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.
not good!
Chu Qingyin realized something was wrong and was about to reach out to stop her when she saw the woman in front of her slam her head against the wall.
"Boom!!"
With that muffled thud, bright red blood splattered all over the ground before my eyes.
Looking at the woman on the ground, her eyes still open but already dead, Chu Qingyin felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, filled with a chill.
What exactly did she mean by what she just said?
If the real culprit isn't Wei Yiqiu, then who could it be?
The witnesses and physical evidence are right in front of us...
The pale moonlight shone on the cold, blue floor tiles. Chu Qingyin looked at the woman who had been fighting with her for nearly five years since the time she was a prince, and felt a chill in her heart.
After a while, she bent down and gently closed Wei Yiqiu's eyes.
"Go in peace."
Chu Qingyin murmured expressionlessly, "If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to fight like this with you."
***
The case of Consort Chu's murder was ultimately closed with Wei Yiqiu's suicide in the palace.
The truth was clear, but Pei Yuanling did not reveal it to the public and strictly ordered everyone not to divulge it. He simply concluded everything with the words, "Consort Wei, reflecting on her mistakes, had no words to face the emperor and thus atoned for her sins with her death."
No one in the palace dared to discuss the matter anymore, and the rumors of Consort Chu's vengeful spirit naturally vanished.
Lying on the soft couch, Chu Qingyin still felt lingering fear as she recalled the tragic scene of Wei Yiqiu's suicide that night.
She understood Pei Yuanling's thoughts all too well; even now, he still prioritized royal power. She was, after all, the descendant of a traitor; to appease General Huwei, what did her posthumous reputation matter?
Even if she gains his favor, what good is it? Before royal power, she is still as insignificant as dust.
Chu Qingyin was like that back then, and Wei Yiqiu is still like that now. It's just ridiculous that the two of them are fighting over each other, and neither of them has gained the upper hand.
But now is not the time to lament these things.
Her brother is still suffering in prison, waiting for her to overturn the verdict and clear his name. Her entire Chu family is still in exile, living in dire straits, waiting for her to rescue them.
She came back for revenge, not to compete for favor. Why would she be so heartbroken over a man?
Thinking of this, Chu Qingyin also perked up and summoned Xianglan to inquire about Pei Yuanling's movements.
Upon learning that Pei Yuanling was recently troubled by the flash flood at Yinduan Mountain, she ordered Xianglan to prepare a calming soup and send it to him.
Inside the Zichen Palace, Chen Zhongliang walked in happily carrying a bowl of ginseng soup.
"Your Majesty, this is a ginseng soup sent by Consort Qiao to nourish your qi and calm your mind. Please take it."
Pei Yuanling glanced at it, slightly surprised.
On second thought, she hadn't rejected him when they were close that day, which showed that she truly accepted him.
A faint smile appeared on his thin lips as he nodded calmly, "Put it aside for now, I'll drink it later."
Chen Zhongliang responded with a "yes" and carefully placed it on the table beside him.
Upon seeing this, Lu Zhiheng, who was at the bottom of the table reporting on government affairs, couldn't help but feel his eyes darken.
Is she so eager to win favor?
Was she truly in love with the emperor? Or did she simply crave that supreme power?
Or perhaps she wants both?
Chu Qingyin, who was waiting for Xianglan's report in Feixue Palace, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
What's going on? Is someone talking badly about her behind her back?
"Your Majesty, it's been raining lately and it's a bit chilly. Shall we put an outer robe on you?" Yu Yan asked with concern.
"Yes, it is a bit chilly."
Seeing her nod, Yu Yan immediately turned around and went to the inner room to fetch a willow-colored outer garment.
As soon as she left, Xianglan returned with a beaming smile: "Your Majesty, His Majesty drank all the soup. I heard from Eunuch Chen that His Majesty was overjoyed to learn that it was you who sent it."
"That's good."
With this gesture of goodwill, Pei Yuanling should understand her feelings. With such a beautiful woman in his arms that night, Pei Yuanling will surely lose control, and then—
Chu Qingyin seemed to have already seen the matter succeed, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Your Highness smile so naturally. It's wonderful," Xianglan said with some emotion.
Chu Qingyin was also touched by these words and said softly, "This is nothing."
She had only dealt with one enemy; the injustice done to the Chu family had not yet been cleared.
"His Majesty should be coming tonight. Go and find the new summer outfit that the Imperial Wardrobe sent. I need to dress up nicely tonight."
Xianglan smiled and agreed, "This servant will go right away."
Watching the little girl's departing figure, Chu Qingyin's smiling eyes gradually lost their smile.
Xianglan, if you knew that the girl you cherished had long since died, and that I, a wronged ghost, now occupied her body, would you still be so loyal to me?