C27 Part1

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According to Yuan Qiu's confession, she never went to the sleeping hall after she went back to the small dining room to clean up last night.

Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan asked the two court ladies again, and their confessions were similar to those of Yuan Qiu and Yuan Fang.

After that, they came to the small dining room.

The small dining room was on the east side of the hall.

There were not many pots, pans and plates, but they were neatly arranged and spotlessly clean.

It was just a routine look, and they did not expect to find any clues in the small dining room.

Sure enough, nothing was achieved.

Then they went to the side hall and sent the Palace people to the outside of the hall.

Shen Zhiyan inspected the body of Concubine Zhao in details.

Murong Ci watched from the side.

As his inspection continued, scenes of Concubine Zhao's images flashed in her mind, as if she was on the scene and witnessed the whole process...

'Yuan Qiu made the almond butter soup...

Yuan Fang delivered the soup to the bedroom...

Concubine Zhao ate the soup...

She went to bed wearing normal clothes...

She was taken to the scene of the crime...

Zhao was hanged on the Magnolia Kobus tree and struggled to death...'

The scenes were hazy and blurred.

"Based only on the body, one would come to the conclusion that Concubine Zhao hanged herself.

There are no other injuries on her body."

Shen Zhiyan checked from head to toe, and nothing else except the deep purple streak on the neck and the blood on the nail buckle.

The two came out of Jingfu Hall, and Murong Ci said while walking:

"Why did Concubine Zhao's nail break?

If she hanged herself, she wouldn't pull the rope while she was dying."

He nodded in agreement,

"This is a suspicious point.

Secondly, why did Concubine Zhao commit suicide and hang herself?

If she really wanted to commit suicide, why did she eat the almond butter soup like always last night?

Third, if Concubine Zhao really wanted to hang herself, she didn't have to go so far. She could hang herself in the Jingfu Hall."

She continued,

"If Concubine Zhao was killed by someone else, I think it should have been like this:

She ate the almond butter soup and fell asleep last night.

The almond butter soup may have been manipulated by someone, and she was drugged.

So she was not aware and was at the mercy of others.

In the middle of the night, the murderer sneaked into the sleeping hall.

First they fainted Yuan Fang, who was vigilant.

Then they dressed up the unconscious Concubine Zhao in the formal Palace clothes.

The murderer then carried her to the scene of the crime and hanged her on the Magnolia Kobus tree.

Then the drug effect passed.

So Concubine Zhao woke up at the most uncomfortable time.

She was struggling to death and grabbed the rope with her hands, but soon she suffocated to death."

Shen Zhiyan was impressed by Murong Ci's outstanding speech.

She added,

"Concubine Zhao's formal Palace dress was the most beautiful she possessed, and she rarely ever wore it.

Why did the murderer choose to dress her in that formal Palace dress?"

"Your Royal Highness's explanation is reasonable and should be closer to the truth."

Shen Zhiyan frowned,

"The almond butter soup...only Yuan Fang and Yuan Qiu have been in contact with it so they are both suspect."

"Yuan Qiu always prepared the soup so she had plenty of time and all the ways to put drug in it.

It couldn't be easier for her."

"As for Yuan Fang, she took the almond butter soup and sent it to the bedroom right away.

So she had a shorter period of time but it was not impossible either.

If it was her, she must have been quick and smooth in doing it."

'So, whom of the two is the killer?'

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END of CHAPTER 27 PART 1

.....................to be continued