bookrebus Chapter 770 Destroying corpses and eradicating traces
Chapter 770 Destroying corpses and eradicating traces
"Don't dare to say?"
The Emperor frowned, a look of doubt in his eyes, and reached out to take the memorial.
After reading the contents, his expression turned slightly amused. "The Princess Consort of Chu reminded me not to go to the Imperial Garden today?"
It's clearly stated above: do not go to the Imperial Garden, or you will suffer a terrible fate.
"Your Majesty, you promised the Imperial Concubine you would go to the Imperial Garden..."
The head eunuch was astonished. The Princess Consort of Chu was not even in the capital, yet she could predict that the Emperor would go to the Imperial Garden today and even gave him a direct reminder. This ability was truly amazing.
"I really want to know what would happen if we went to the Imperial Garden," the Emperor said with great interest.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
The head eunuch knelt down anxiously, "Your Majesty, it's better to believe it than not. Besides, we all know how capable Princess Chu is. You absolutely must not go to the Imperial Garden!"
Even if it costs me my life, I will never let you go!
The Emperor chuckled lightly, “I know your loyalty. It’s almost time. I was planning to go to the Imperial Garden anyway.”
"Since you've specially sent this memorial, I won't go. Send someone to the Imperial Garden to inform the Consort."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The chief eunuch breathed a sigh of relief and immediately ordered someone to go to the Imperial Garden.
However, not long after, the head eunuch hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty, the bridge in the Imperial Garden suddenly collapsed, and Xiao Yinzi and the others fell into the pond!"
The Emperor's expression changed slightly. "How could that bridge have collapsed out of nowhere?"
"A few days ago, when the eunuchs of Zhongcui Palace were moving the stone lions, they happened to pass by. As a result, the stone lions accidentally fell onto the wooden bridge, which may have damaged the load-bearing wooden structure of the bridge."
No one noticed it then, but it suddenly broke today.
The chief eunuch had now investigated the whole matter thoroughly and was filled with unease.
If it weren't for Princess Chu's reminder, they would probably have fallen into the pond with the Emperor by now. Such a big mistake would have ruined them all!
Princess Chu not only reminded the Emperor, but also saved them!
“My daughter-in-law is indeed capable. It is good fortune that the King of Chu was able to marry such a wife.”
The Emperor chuckled and said, "Reward!"
……
Under the bright moonlight, all the villagers from Mingyue Village who had participated in the sacrificial ceremony were brought back to the village.
The other villagers, who had been sleeping, were awakened by the loud commotion and rushed out of their courtyards.
When they saw the government officials bring back all the villagers who had participated in the sacrificial ceremony, they all showed signs of panic.
The big thing is bad!
"Oh no, have the authorities discovered us?"
"How could the government have discovered this out of the blue? The imperial court has been prohibiting sacrifices for a long time now. What are we going to do about our village?"
Everyone knows in their hearts that sacrifices are absolutely forbidden, but it is precisely because of the existence of sacrifices that their Bright Moon Village is getting better and better.
Back then, their village was the poorest among the nearby villages. They often had to go to other villages to try to borrow food and were always looked down upon.
Later, through sacrificial rites, the village's situation improved, which was the most important secret to them and the hope for the entire village to become stronger and better.
"Village head, what's going on?" the villager asked anxiously.
The village head sighed deeply. Ordinary villagers might not know, but as the village head, he was definitely guilty of an even greater crime!
"Look, aren't those the people who stayed at Zhao Daliang's house today?"
At this moment, someone recognized Song Ruozhen and the other two. In fact, since there were several unfamiliar faces in the village today, everyone was on guard.
However, because of the drug, everyone kept it a secret.
In the past, outsiders were not allowed to stay overnight in their village, especially around the time of the sacrificial ceremony. However, because of this custom, they were almost discovered, so they switched to using sleeping pills afterward.
With this drug, the effects were much better, and there were never any mishaps.
"I knew Zhao Daliang was unreliable. He even attracted the government's attention. He's going to cut off our entire village's livelihood!"
Looking at these ignorant villagers, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said in a deep voice, "Your so-called sacrifices are nothing more than being manipulated by someone behind the scenes."
They use the children of your village to practice cruel techniques, and then give you a little silver, and you actually believe it's the mountain god's blessing? How utterly ignorant!
"If it were truly a mountain god who could protect you, why would it sacrifice children's lives every year!"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review sighed and shook his head. They were just testing the sincerity of the gods and Buddhas and donating some incense money according to their own ability, but they had actually caused so many innocent lives to be lost!
"impossible!"
The villagers shook their heads, not believing what the Minister of Justice had said at all; in their eyes, it was completely impossible.
Song Ruozhen had no interest in explaining all of this. Instead, based on what Chu Junting had said, she began to calculate the situation of the mastermind behind the scenes using her fingers.
On the other hand, Qi Qingyi felt that she had made a great contribution and only wanted to perform well. In front of everyone, she began to explain in detail the inappropriateness of the sacrificial ceremony.
She only felt it was a pity that Mingyue Village was a poor and remote place, and it would be better if there were more people there.
"Your Highness, isn't Princess Liang trying to steal the spotlight from our Princess?"
Yunyang looked displeased. He felt that Prince Liang and Princess Liang were two troublemakers who were always looking for trouble.
They were able to catch the mastermind, but they ruined it. Now they want to take credit for it. It's utterly shameless!
Chu Junting didn't take Qi Qingyi seriously; she was just a woman who loved grandstanding. However, the fact that Prince Liang rushed over so hastily, seemingly innocent but actually deliberately sabotaging the matter, meant that he must be involved.
After calculating the result, Song Ruozhen's heart sank.
"They disposed of the body to cover up the evidence?"
Chu Junting guessed the outcome from his wife's expression.
Song Ruozhen nodded, "They must have realized there was danger, that we would threaten them if we caught them red-handed, so they didn't bother with any further demonstrations and rushed over."
Someone was already waiting at the foot of the cliff; even if people from the Dali Temple went, it would be too late.
"I really didn't expect this matter to involve the fourth brother. All those capable people around him are no pushovers!"
Chu Junting's eyes turned slightly cold. In his previous life, the Dali Temple had intervened in the Tianci Nunnery incident, but he had not joined the Dali Temple in investigating the case.
Because many things have unfolded differently in this life, and he didn't pay much attention to this case in his previous life, he probably didn't involve the matter of Mingyue Village after the death of Abbess Jingchen.
Song Ruozhen nodded, "King Liang has realized something is wrong now, and he will probably cover it up completely. The culprit can't possibly survive."
Destroy corpses and destroy traces.
In that case, it would be difficult to start from this matter again, but the memorial she had the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review send to the palace should be useful by now.