The standoff dragged on until Nangong Yunshang finally relented, permitting her to tag along on the condition that she not run off causing trouble.
The group headed straight for Temple Deputy Fu’s mansion. White silk banners hung at the entrance, and even the lanterns had been replaced with white ones. The maids and servants knelt in the courtyard, heads bowed as they wept.
“Cry, all of you! Anyone who stops crying, I’ll beat them to death!”
Temple Deputy Fu ranted like a madman, waving a stick wildly in front of the servants.
Tao Siqing frowned. “The Princess has arrived, Deputy Fu. Why haven’t you come out to greet her?”
Temple Deputy Fu snapped out of it as if from a dream. He looked up to see the group striding into the Fu Mansion, and the wooden stick slipped from his grasp, clattering to the ground.
“This official pays respects to Your Highness the Princess! To the Prince Consort! And to the Temple Minister!”
Tao Siqing’s expression remained grim. “We understand your grief over losing your beloved wife, Deputy Fu, but there’s no need to take it out on the servants.”
“Yes, yes, this official was in the wrong.”
Temple Deputy Fu stepped back, bowing deeply in apology as his wits returned.
Nangong Yunshang ordered an inspection of the body. Though Temple Deputy Fu hated the thought of disturbing his wife again, he couldn’t defy the Princess’s command or the Temple Minister’s authority. He had no choice but to lead the way.
The mourning hall had already been set up, draped in white silk with thirteen white candles burning. The coffin, surrounded by fresh flowers, held Madam Fu’s body. Though her face was deathly pale, one could still see the beauty she had possessed in life.
Aside from the bloody wound at the back of her head, there were no other marks on Madam Fu’s body. For now, it seemed the head injury had been the fatal one.
Nangong Yunshang didn’t approach too closely. She turned to Tao Siqing. “How many coroners does Dali Temple have? Have they all examined her?”
Tao Siqing nodded. “In response to Your Highness, Dali Temple has two coroners in total. The female one is away visiting family, leaving only one.”
At that moment, Tao Chuyi slipped quietly behind the coffin while no one was watching, peering intently at the body. She wasn’t scared at all. She even reached out to tug at the corpse’s sleeve.
Temple Deputy Fu suddenly shouted, “Don’t touch Xin’er!”
Tao Chuyi startled and pulled her hand back. Everyone turned to stare at her.
“Chuyi, don’t touch anything.”
Tao Siqing hurriedly pulled her back, hiding her behind him. “My apologies. The young master is just childish and meant no harm.”
Temple Deputy Fu’s face flushed red then drained white. He suppressed his anger and forced a smile.
“No harm done. The Prince Consort is forthright by nature. I understand.”
The coroner had examined the body, and everyone in the mansion had been questioned individually. Nothing suspicious had turned up. It seemed Madam Fu had simply risen too abruptly due to feeling unwell, accidentally struck her head, and bled to death. The report had come only because Temple Deputy Fu, in his love for his wife, refused to believe it was an accident and stubbornly insisted she had been murdered.
On the way back, Tao Chuyi rode in the same carriage as Nangong Yunshang. She fiddled with the rattle drum, making clattering sounds. Nangong Yunshang sat with her eyes closed, lost in thought.
Tao Chuyi grew bored. She had seen something earlier, but no one would listen to her. It was agonizing to keep it bottled up inside. She couldn’t play happily or fall asleep.
She sidled up to Nangong Yunshang and held the rattle drum to her ear, shaking it twice. Seeing the Princess open her eyes, Tao Chuyi grinned triumphantly, then scooted back, eyes wide as she dared her to give chase.
Nangong Yunshang was speechless and merely glared.
Having poked the bear, Tao Chuyi now had to soothe her—a perfect display of her quirky ways.
“Your Highness the Princess, don’t be mad. Chuyi will tell you a secret no one else knows.”
Nangong Yunshang looked puzzled. “What secret?”
Tao Chuyi leaned in sneakily, shielding her cheek with her hand in case of a swat.
“I saw red spots on that person’s arm. There were a bunch of them.”
She gestured as she spoke, patting her own arm and shoulder.
She had spotted them while tugging the corpse’s sleeve. If that nasty Fu man hadn’t noticed, she would have checked elsewhere for more spots. After all, her father had said that red spots on a body could be bug bites or needle pricks.
“These red spots on the corpse didn’t spread out. Daddy said needle marks stay clumped like that.”
With that, Tao Chuyi beamed happily, as if to say, “Aren’t I clever?” She waited expectantly for praise from Fairy Sister.
Nangong Yunshang had no time for compliments. She brushed it off with a vague reply and immediately ordered the carriage to stop. The group turned back to the Fu Mansion, and at the same time, guards from the Princess Mansion notified Tao Siqing.
“This is the coroner who just returned from visiting family, Miss Xu.”
Under Tao Siqing’s introduction, Xu Lianmeng stepped forward to pay respects to the Princess and Prince Consort.
Tao Chuyi poked her head out from behind Nangong Yunshang. Her gaze lingered on Xu Lianmeng for a moment. This sister seemed so cold—her mere stare felt icy, keeping people at bay.
“Very well then. Miss Xu, please begin the examination.”
At Nangong Yunshang’s command, everyone cleared a path. Xu Lianmeng donned gloves and pulled a dagger and various small tools from her satchel.
“What are you doing?!”
Temple Deputy Fu lunged forward in a panic, only stopped by the guards. “You can’t do that to her!”
Xu Lianmeng prepared methodically for the autopsy, glancing up briefly.
“Deputy Fu, this is standard procedure at Dali Temple. As an official there, surely you know the rules?”
Her words brought Temple Deputy Fu back to his senses. He managed a strained smile.
“Grief clouded my judgment. My apologies.”
With no further interference, Xu Lianmeng got to work. Her techniques were swift, precise, and steady, but the process was brutally straightforward—something most people couldn’t stomach.
In less than the time it took for a cup of tea to brew, those around had backed away as much as possible. Only Tao Siqing remained unfazed.
Nangong Yunshang leaned against the railing, hand pressed to her chest, her face ashen. If she’d stayed a moment longer, she might have vomited.
“Your Highness, have some water.”
Yinghong fetched plain water from the Fu steward— no time to brew tea—and offered it.
The water settled Nangong Yunshang’s stomach somewhat. Once composed, she suddenly realized someone was missing.
“Where’s the Prince Consort?”
Yinghong shook her head blankly. “This servant doesn’t know. Oh no! We must have left in such a hurry that the Prince Consort was left inside. The Prince Consort is so timid—he must be terrified!”
Meanwhile, the most “timid” person in question was inside the room, staring wide-eyed at the autopsy with pure curiosity and not a trace of fear.
Xu Lianmeng placed her findings on a silver tray, including a silver needle that had turned black.
“Was the corpse murdered?”
Xu Lianmeng looked up, momentarily stunned. She knew this was the Temple Minister’s child, though it was their first meeting. Young Master Tao was said to be simple-minded, and such children were usually timid, shrieking at the slightest thing. Yet this one seemed fearless.
“The Prince Consort is most perceptive. Madam Fu was indeed murdered.”
“I knew it.”
Tao Chuyi lifted her head proudly, looking for all the world like the smartest person alive.
Tao Siqing, absorbed in the case, only then noticed his child was still in the room.
“Ancestor’s sake, why didn’t you leave? Get out now.”
“No!”
Tao Chuyi darted behind Xu Lianmeng. “I want to watch Sister Xu examine the corpse! I want to!”
Tao Siqing spun in circles, cajoling desperately, but she refused to budge. Finally, Xu Lianmeng spoke up for her, and Tao Siqing relented, allowing her to stay.
The stench of the decaying body filled the air, and several people at the door retched from the smell. Yet the three inside seemed utterly oblivious.
