A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 360 Ending (29)

starry night.

Imperial Palace.

The first watch of the night had passed, but Emperor Shen Zhu still had not gone to bed.

Outside the hall, people were bustling about, but inside, it was eerily quiet.

The rain is coming.

The emperor did not show his inner anxiety; he continued to calmly review the memorials.

However, he would occasionally look up at the palace gate, his fingers gripping the vermilion brush tightening imperceptibly.

As the second watch of the night approached, the chief eunuch Zhou Chun bowed and hurried in.

The emperor immediately put down his vermilion brush and asked, "How is it?"

Zhou Chun's voice was low and deep, "Your Majesty, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Cheng Zhi, and the Deputy Chief of the Imperial Palace, Ma Yu, briefly left tonight!"

The emperor's face instantly filled with murderous intent!
“We’ve already tested them three times. The Emperor’s spies have seen those two at Shou Kang Palace, so it shouldn’t be wrong.” Zhou Chun carefully chose his words, proceeding cautiously.

The emperor picked up his vermilion brush again, his gaze falling on the memorial, a chilling aura filling his eyes and brows. "Issue my decree: proceed according to plan!"

Zhou Chun immediately replied, "As you command!"

"Why did Song Shuyu leave the city in the middle of the night? Has the matter been investigated?" The emperor paused, then asked.

Zhou Chun, his face filled with shame, said, "This servant is incompetent. I only know that Master Mu met with Lord Song twice during the day, and his attitude was extremely cold. Especially the second time, when Jiang Huai was with him, Master Mu almost strangled...strangled Lord Song to death! But why Lord Song suddenly left the capital, this servant really cannot find out, nor can I guess Lord Song's thoughts." Upon hearing this, the Emperor snapped the vermilion pen in his hand in two, extremely furious. "Has Mu Qingcheng gone mad? With life and death at stake, is Minister Song just going to let her do this?"

"Emperor calm down!"

Zhou Chun's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly reassured him, "There's probably more to this than meets the eye. Once Lord Song returns, everything will be clear."

The emperor, concerned, lost his composure. After calming down for a moment, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “The two of them work together day and night and have excellent chemistry. I must have been overthinking it. Besides, Minister Song is not a man without sense. At this critical juncture, unless something urgent happens, he would not disrupt the plan and risk leaving the city.”

"Your Majesty is wise!" Zhou Chun's expression relaxed slightly.

……

Dawn breaks.

Mu Qingcheng woke up from a nightmare, covered in sweat.

Bai Zhizhi, who was sleeping in the same bed, heard the person next to her breathing rapidly. She sat up abruptly, put her hand on Mu Qingcheng's shoulder, and asked with concern, "Sister Mu, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell, or were you having a dream?"

"Zhizhi." Mu Qingcheng gasped for breath, her usually calm eyes filled with panic and grief, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I... I dreamt of how my mother died, and the lord... the lord died too. He... he said he would pay for my mother's life, and he pierced his heart with a sword, blood splattering all over his body and face..."

Bai Zhizhi's heart trembled upon hearing this. "Sister Mu, you actually love the Master very much and are reluctant to see him get into trouble, aren't you?"

“Yesterday I saw his hands wrapped in bandages, blood seeping from his knuckles, and I…” Mu Qingcheng lowered her eyelids, a sour feeling rising in her nose, engulfing her heart and stirring up a dense, throbbing pain. “Zhizhi, do you know? I almost couldn’t hold back! He’s such a delicate person, if I give him a cold look, he can cry his eyes out, let alone me… I even choked him, how desperate and heartbroken he must have been, I wonder if he’ll hurt himself again…”

Bai Zhizhi hugged Mu Qingcheng, feeling a lump in her throat, "Sister Mu, I have no right to comment on your family's grudges, nor can I advise you to seek revenge or let go of hatred. But I want to say that I hope you will follow your heart and make your choice. Life is short, like grass in autumn, and being happy is the most important thing."