The Great Prince's Mansion 030

  Gu Ling secretly measured the Da Huang Zi Fu, with carved beams and painted pillars, and layers of dark yellow silk curtains hanging down to the ground, revealing the identity of the royal prince.

  The decorations in the hall don't look luxurious at first glance, but they are also not ordinary objects.

  The large hall was much warmer than outside, with a warm feeling emanating from the bluestone floor, which had heating pipes running underneath. The room also had fireplaces and incense burners, with wisps of smoke rising upwards, complementing the plum blossoms in the courtyard that were in full bloom to welcome the cold winter, creating a unique charm.

  The current emperor has seven princes, the sixth and seventh princes are still young and ignorant, but the other five princes have already come of age. The eldest prince is 14 years old this year, although not born to the empress, he is the oldest. As several princes came of age, three years after the eldest prince left the palace and established his own estate, both the imperial court and the harem began to be in an uproar.

  Among them, the most eye-catching are the eldest prince and the fifth prince who share the same mother, both of whom were born to Consort Mei. Although Consort Mei's maternal family is relatively mediocre in terms of power, she has two sons by her side, the eldest prince and the fifth prince, which makes her position in the harem very stable. In contrast, even the eldest prince, who had been neglected by the emperor for a long time, began to attract attention.

  "The Crown Prince has arrived."

  A sharp voice came over, Gu Lingyan narrowed his eyes, retreated to one side, and waited until the newcomer sat down in the main seat before he stepped forward and saluted: "Gu Ling pays respects to the Grand Prince."

  "Are you Gu Ling?" The tone was flat despite being a question.

  "Yes, it is indeed Gu Ling."

  "Sit down."

  "Thank you, Crown Prince."

  Gu Ling sat down beside him, then slowly raised his head to quietly take in the young boy sitting in the main seat. The boy was androgynous, with a clear and beautiful face that seemed somewhat out of place at first glance. However, upon taking a second look, Gu Ling found that the boy's white clothes, simple hairstyle, and cold demeanor made it unlikely for anyone to mistake him for a girl.

  Apparently, the person he was sizing up was also sizing him up.

  Yuanyu Sheng was slightly stunned for a moment, and the two days' fame in Beijing's Gu Ling turned out to be so excellent. His handsome face was majestic and elegant, with an air of refinement and nobility that couldn't be described.

  "Gu Ling ventured forth in a rash manner, and begs the great crown prince to pardon his offense."

  Yuanyou Sheng's gaze turned gentle as he asked, "Father Emperor isn't ordering you to investigate the truth behind Eldest Imperial Sister's death, so what brings you specifically to Xiao Wang's place?"

  "Gu Ling came uninvited today, indeed there are some things I want to ask the Crown Prince, and I hope the Crown Prince will not hesitate to speak."

  Yuanyou Sheng fell silent for a moment, then waved his hand. The eunuchs standing beside him led a group of people to bow and retreat, only then did he say: "If you can help me investigate the truth behind my sister's death, feel free to ask anything."

  Gu Ling seemed to have not noticed the changes in the house, and respectfully turned his body to face the Grand Prince, bowing his hands. His eyes, however, were fixed straight on the white clothes the Grand Prince was wearing: "I heard that the Grand Princess and the Grand Prince had a deep affection for each other as siblings?" In fact, this question did not need to be asked, he had already seen it from the Grand Prince's attire, although it was not mourning attire, but all in plain white, even the golden crown was not worn.

  Yuan You's expression was slightly stunned, but his eyebrows and eyes quickly cleared up: "Xiao Wang and the imperial sister have a deep affection since childhood."

  "Then, in the eyes of the Crown Prince, would the Grand Princess form enmity with someone?"

  Yuan Yousheng looked at Gu Ling in surprise, shaking his head decisively: "Impossible, the Empress's temperament is gentle and kind, even to the palace slaves and maidservants she is benevolent and generous, how could she have such a great feud with someone?"

  Gu Ling continued to ask: "After checking the records of the Imperial Household Department, did the eldest princess come to the Crown Prince's mansion two months ago?"

  Yuanyou's eyes flickered with a hint of fluctuation, as if nostalgic and melancholic: "The imperial sister did come, it was the day before Little Wang's birthday, the imperial sister specially came out of the palace to accompany Little Wang for a small gathering."

  Gu Ling's eyes flashed: "I wonder if the Crown Prince still remembers whether there was anything unusual when the Grand Princess came to the mansion two months ago?"

  Yuanyou Sheng shook his head: "Since Xiao Wang was locked up in the palace three years ago, the Empress would specially come out of the palace to visit him on the eve of his birthday every year. Two months ago, when Xiao Wang saw the Empress, he did not find anything unusual about her."

  Gu Ling's eyes became slightly sharper: "Crown Prince, think again carefully, is there really not even a hint of anything unusual?"

  Yuan Yousheng's eyebrows furrowed slightly, with a hint of displeasure in his eyes, but he didn't erupt.

  "I understand now, I've disturbed Your Highness." Gu Ling said as he stood up.

  The eldest prince waved his hand slightly: "Xiao Wang won't see you off."

  The little eunuch outside the door respectfully bowed and stretched out his hand to invite: "I will see Master Gu off the estate."

  Gu Ling Chao, the eldest son of the emperor, cupped his hands and bowed after finishing speaking, then stepped out.

  As he was about to step across the threshold, Yuan You suddenly said: "Gu Ling."

  Gu Ling's eyes moved slightly as she turned around and respectfully said: "I don't know if the Grand Prince has any other orders?"

  Yuanyu's eyes were cold as he stared at him, silent for a moment before slowly asking: "Do you really have the ability to investigate and find out the truth, and catch the murderer?"

  The polite smile that had been on Gu Ling's face all along faded away, and he looked back at Yuan Yusheng with a very calm gaze: "Gu Ling must investigate the truth and catch the murderer." This may not have been the emperor's original intention for summoning him to the capital, but since he had encountered it, there was no choice.

  Yuanyu stood up and walked down from the main seat, his expression becoming serious and solemn: "If you can really investigate the truth and catch the murderer, I will be truly grateful to you."

  Gu Ling smiled slightly and bowed his hands to the sky, saying calmly: "Gu Ling will certainly do his best not to disappoint the emperor's heavy trust in him."

  Yuanyu Tian walked to the front yard, looking at the blooming plum blossoms, and slightly furrowed his brow, as if recalling something, or searching for words to describe it. After a long while, he whispered: "The Empress that day seemed very... joyful, and also returned to the palace earlier than usual by almost an hour."

  A glint of sharp light flashed in Gu Ling's eyes, but it was gone in an instant.

  "Gu Ling bid farewell."

  ……

  Yu Wuyou handed over the envelope to Xiao Xiangzi: "Pass this letter on to your master."

  Xiao Xiangzi subconsciously raised his head to take a peek, but then quickly lowered it again, took the letter with both hands and silently backed out.

  Yu Zhu on the side did not stop grinding ink and remained unmoved by Xiao Xiangzi's coming and going.

  Yu Wuyou lightly waved his hand, and Yu Zhu stopped grinding ink. Just as he was about to retreat to the side, he heard someone say.

  "We're going to the Temple of Heaven."

  Yu Zhu was taken aback. Isn't this where Chen Mei Ren lives? Every day at this time, the princess would go to the Gui Fo Temple to play the zither.

  Yu Zhu and Yu Cui followed Yuan Wuyou as they walked back and forth outside the main hall.

  The Lai Fei Temple, although called a temple, was nothing more than a dilapidated and worn-out house. The cold wind whistled through it, making creaking sounds, and if the wind were to blow any stronger, it seemed as though it could blow off the roof of the crumbling building in front of them.

  Seeing Yuan Wuyou walk in, Chen Meiren's face changed slightly, her lips moved again and again, but she couldn't make a sound.

  Yu Zhu moved over an old chair, and Yuan Wuyou sat down elegantly.

  Watching Yuan Wuyou wearing a thick brocade cloak, Chen Meiren's eyes flashed with a hint of melancholy.

  "Lai Fei Hall may be old and worn out, but at least it's much better than Shi Xin Hall, isn't it, Zhu Jin Xiang?"

  Chen Mei's face changed drastically, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Yuan Wuyou: "Y...you just said what?"

  Yu Worry smiled slightly, tilting her head as she looked at her: "This name is probably known by very few people nowadays. I didn't realize that Chen Meiren actually had such a beautiful name."

  Chen Mei Ren shook her head repeatedly in disbelief: "No... it's impossible, you can't possibly know."

  Yu Worry smiled silently, but the smile did not reach her clear and beautiful eyes: "As I said, it's often that impossible things can happen, isn't it?"

  Chen Meiren stared at her in a daze, her eyes changing from incredulity to panic and finally to despair.

  "How did you know?" She thought that with Liu Yinghua's death, her past would never be known to anyone again.

  "Does it matter?"

  Chen Meiren knelt on the ground with both knees, despairingly kowtowing: "The princess is right, this doesn't matter anymore."

  "Does it really not matter?"

  "Slave..."

  "Hmm?" Yuan Wuyou raised an eyebrow slightly.

  Chen Mei Ren opened her mouth, but the words she wanted to say could no longer be spoken.

  Yu Worry smiled slightly: "The princess has said that she dislikes people who pretend to be clever the most, and you are exactly this kind of person."

  Chen Meiren's body, which was prostrate on the ground, suddenly trembled: "This slave deserves to die."

  "This princess asks you for the last time, was it Concubine Jade who discovered your identity back then or did you betray my mother?"

  "I, a humble servant, initially had no intention of betraying my mistress. I didn't know what was happening, and then...and then I was favored by the Emperor. Afterwards...afterwards, things were beyond my control. I swear that if there is even half a word of falsehood, I will be struck by five thunderbolts."

  "So you're saying that Yu Fei has discovered your true identity?"

  Chen Mei-ren thought for a moment and replied ambiguously: "I don't know."

  "You've been by Yu Fei's side for five or six years, as her personal maid. It's hard for anything to escape your notice. Tell me, what do you think of this person?"