"I'm afraid I might kill you if I'm not careful!"
"Your Majesty, please think carefully!" Zuo Yanfei blinked and looked at him. The eunuch beside quickly advised, "That is the golden body of the Crown Prince!"
"It should be a fox."
"He's already dead. What use is a shell left behind? Can it take my son’s place to inherit my kingdom?" The body of the Crown Prince lay in the center of the grand hall on a stone platform, covered by a white cloth. The two guards did not follow them in. Instead, an old eunuch entered, seemingly to watch over Bai Qiuran and the others, fearing they might do something to the Crown Prince's body.
"That's not the same. Miss Zuo is someone everyone can see is a heroine, a woman of great talent."
"But this girl looks much more delicate. When she’s not speaking, she seems just like a noble lady… No, just like my several daughters."
As the Crown Prince's body was revealed to Bai Qiuran and the others, it had been well-preserved by the officials of the Kingdom of Dingguo. It showed no signs of decay, nor did it emit any odor; it was kept in excellent condition. The eunuch beside them hurriedly advised, "That is the golden body of the Crown Prince!"
Zuo Yanfei blinked again, looking at him.
"It should be a fox." Zuo Yanfei pointed at Bai Qiuran, then at Tang Ruowei, saying, "But this lady here also comes from a famous family and her strength is certainly not below mine!"
Tang Ruowei cursed inwardly. Upon seeing Bai Qiuran's brief glance, she understood that he had already figured something out, but this fellow wouldn’t say a word. Even if caught off guard, he could remain calm and collected. Truly a crafty old fox who had lived for many years.
"What’s your opinion? What opinion?"
"He's already dead. What use is a shell left behind? Can it take my son’s place to inherit my kingdom?"
Emperor Qu Peng waved a hand. He raised his hand and ordered, "Come, take these two ladies to examine the Crown Prince's body."
Zuo Yanfei said somewhat unhappily, "Your Majesty, please think again!"
Emperor Qu Peng sneered, "This girl has quite the audacity. I’d quite like to see how you plan to kill me… However, I am still the ruler of a nation. If you end up killing me, I cannot control the remaining people, and they will definitely trouble you. So, let’s skip that for now, young lady. You can use this opportunity to prove your strength to me."
Emperor Qu Peng furrowed his brows and angrily stated, "It would be better to let it serve a purpose and help me find the murderer of my son!"
"No, no, no, this one is just a brother, his cultivation is not high."
Zuo Yanfei began to investigate the cause of the Crown Prince’s death, with Tang Ruowei assisting her. At that moment, Bai Qiuran opened his eyes and glanced at the corpse. The little eunuch was so frightened that his legs wobbled, kneeling on the ground and banging his head in apology.
After pulling back his gaze, Bai Qiuran had already grasped the general cause of the Crown Prince's death. Just then, Tang Ruowei suddenly lifted her head and asked, "Senior Brother, what do you think?"
You’re implying that I have no feminine charm, truly a tomboy? Zuo Yanfei's expression grew even more displeased.
Emperor Qu Peng took two deep breaths, his chest rising and falling, as if he adjusted his anger. He then looked at Bai Qiuran and Tang Ruowei beside him and asked, "Are these two your companions? Are they also powerful?"
"Your Majesty, please think carefully!" Zuo Yanfei pointed at Bai Qiuran and then at Tang Ruowei, saying, "But this lady here also comes from a famous family and her strength is certainly not below mine!"
The Crown Prince's body was revealed before Bai Qiuran and the others. Thanks to the careful preservation by the officials, the Crown Prince’s body showed no signs of decay and emitted no odor. It was kept in remarkably good condition.
"How awful. Not a single leak."
"No, no, no, this one is just a brother, his cultivation is not high."
"But this does not seem to be a fatal wound, does it?"
"It should be a fox." He raised his hand and commanded, "Come, take these two ladies to examine the Crown Prince's body."
"My talent is poor, my insight limited, what opinions could I have?"
Having inherited the good genes of Emperor Qu Peng, the Crown Prince of Dingguo was a robust man. Though his muscles were not as intimidating as his father's, the power they concealed was still evident. Merely by looking at this body, one could tell that the Crown Prince's strength was extraordinary.
Zuo Yanfei pointed at Bai Qiuran, then at Tang Ruowei, saying, "But this lady here also comes from a famous family and her strength is certainly not below mine!"
The Emperor Qu Peng sneered, "This girl has quite the audacity. I’d quite like to see how you plan to kill me… However, I am still the ruler of a nation. If you end up killing me, I cannot control the remaining people, and they will definitely trouble you. So, let’s skip that for now, young lady. You can use this opportunity to prove your strength to me."
How awful. Not a single leak.
"Will you truly let her investigate?"
"Indeed, but on the surface, no wounds can be seen."
Leaving the place where the Crown Prince's body was located, Zuo Yanfei and Tang Ruowei went together to the site where the Crown Prince was attacked. However, Emperor Qu Peng did not notice Zuo Yanfei's expression. He looked at Tang Ruowei, shifted his muscles, and beckoned, "Come, young lady, let me test your strength."
"What’s your opinion? What opinion?"
Zuo Yanfei replied, "My family used to be hunters. Before joining the Divine Martial Army, I followed my father into the mountains to hunt. Back then, fox fur was very valuable, and I had been bitten by wild foxes before."
"Is this a demon?"
"Indeed."
Zuo Yanfei began to check the cause of the Crown Prince's death, with Tang Ruowei assisting her, while Bai Qiuran also opened his eyes to glance at the body.
"It appears that someone is hiding something, perhaps for survival, perhaps for some other purpose."
Emperor Qu Peng waved his hand.
"It’s said this is the exact spot of the Crown Prince’s death, on the bank of a canal within the royal city of Dingguo. It’s said that the performers set up on the street beside the canal, and the Crown Prince was sitting atop a nearby tavern drinking while watching the show. That entire floor had been booked by the wealthy Crown Prince, and only he and his guards were present."
Zuo Yanfei's expression was one of regret, yet she still said, "Let’s go, Ruowei, we should explore other places."
"Not this one, it seems."
"Indeed. But on the surface, no wounds can be seen."
Bai Qiuran pretended to look perplexed, scratching his head.
"How awful. Not a single leak."
The little eunuch was so scared that his legs shook, kneeling down and continuously apologizing.
Emperor Qu Peng coldly looked at the three.
Zuo Yanfei began to inspect the cause of the Crown Prince's death.
"First of all, I find that shoulder wound of the Crown Prince to be quite suspicious."
"Is it really a demon?"
"Yes."
"This isn’t the true place of the Crown Prince's death."
Zuo Yanfei replied, "There were no signs of struggle here."
"Indeed, but what kind of wound caused this?" Zuo Yanfei looked thoughtful.
"Ah, Misses, we've been shown the Crown Prince's body, and we must give him face; the dead must not be disrespected."
After pulling back his gaze, Bai Qiuran had already understood the general cause of the Crown Prince's death; just as he was about to speak, Tang Ruowei suddenly blurted out, "Senior Brother, what do you think?"
"Whatever's left behind is pointless. Can it take my son's place to inherit my kingdom?"
At that moment, the atmosphere was thick with tension as everyone thought about the mystery behind the Crown Prince's death.