The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 754 Finally, a Clue Was Found

"Speak!" Zhu Xiong Ying shouted sternly.

The old nanny took a deep breath and slowly said, "Her Majesty the Empress... Her Majesty the Empress did not hang herself..."

"What?!" Zhu Xiong Ying was shocked. "Not suicide? Then what happened?"

The old nanny hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "Her Majesty the Empress... Her Majesty the Empress was... was forced to death by Consort Li..."

"Consort Li?!" Zhu Xiong Ying clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh. "How dare she?!"

The old nanny continued, "When Consort Li learned that her affair with the guard had been exposed, she was afraid that the Emperor would punish her, so... so she... so she sent someone... sent someone to force the Empress to commit suicide..."

"Damn bitch!" Zhu Xiong Ying roared, kicking over the table beside her. "How dare she do such a thing!"

He stood up abruptly, his eyes burning with rage: "Guards! Arrest Consort Li immediately! I want her to be torn to pieces!"

The guards immediately obeyed and left.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood there, her chest heaving violently, her heart filled with anger and sorrow.

He never imagined that Consort Li would be so vicious, willing to force the Empress to her death in order to protect herself.

He never imagined that the empress, who had always been gentle and virtuous, would meet such a tragic end.

He vowed to avenge the Empress!
He wanted to make Consort Li, and everyone involved in this matter, pay a terrible price!
……

Consort Li was bound hand and foot by the guards and brought before Zhu Xiong Ying.

Her face was pale, her whole body was trembling, and her eyes were filled with fear.

"Consort Li," Zhu Xiong Ying looked down at her, his tone icy cold, "how dare you! You actually forced the Empress to her death!"

Consort Li trembled with fear and immediately knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life! I...I am innocent!"

"Injustice?" Zhu Xiong Ying sneered. "Do you think you can still argue? The evidence is overwhelming, what else do you have to say?"

Consort Li raised her head, looking at Zhu Xiong Ying with a pitiful expression: "Your Majesty, I really didn't force the Empress to her death! I just... I just went to persuade the Empress not to be sad because of what happened to me..."

"Persuade her?" A cold glint flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes. "Your so-called persuasion is to force her to hang herself?"

Consort Li quickly shook her head: "No...no...I didn't...I really didn't..."

"Enough!" Zhu Xiong Ying roared. "You don't need to argue anymore! I already know everything!"

He paused, then continued, "I could have spared your life out of consideration for your many years of service to me, but you shouldn't have done that! You shouldn't have forced the Empress to her death! The Empress was my wife, my beloved wife! How dare you kill her! I will never let you get away with this!"

Consort Li was terrified and kowtowed desperately, crying, "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! I truly know I was wrong! Please, Your Majesty, have mercy! Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"

Zhu Xiong Ying felt no pity as he looked at Consort Li's humble and pleading appearance. "Guards!" he shouted, "Drag Consort Li out and beat her to death!"

Just then, a shrill voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, this servant... this servant..."

That voice…so familiar…yet so strange…

Zhu Xiong Ying's heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly turned her head to look...

Zhu Xiong Ying took a deep breath, struggling to suppress his anger. He didn't want Consort Li to die easily; he wanted her to suffer the greatest pain. "Guards, drag her away and throw her into the Cold Palace. No one is allowed to visit her without my decree!"

Consort Li was struck dumb. She had thought that Zhu Xiong Ying would at least give her a quick death out of consideration for their past relationship, but she never expected him to be so heartless. She was dragged away by the guards, and her desperate cries echoed in the palace, but they did not shake Zhu Xiong Ying's heart in the slightest.

Inside the Empress's palace, Zhu Xiong Ying stood alone before the Empress's portrait, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul. He gently stroked the Empress's face in the portrait, and memories of their time together flooded his mind, sweet recollections now turning into excruciating pain.

"Wan'er, I'm so sorry..." Zhu Xiong Ying choked back tears, which streamed down his face. "I failed to protect you..."

He remembered the Empress's gentle smile, her tender care, and the joy she felt when she gave birth to his son. Now, all of that had vanished, leaving only endless regret and sorrow.

"I will avenge you! I will!" Zhu Xiong Ying gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with icy killing intent. He not only wanted Consort Li to pay the price, but also wanted a thorough investigation into the matter, bringing all those involved to justice!

Over the next few days, Zhu Xiong Ying locked himself in the imperial study, tirelessly poring over the files, determined to find all the clues related to the Empress's death.

"Your Majesty, you haven't rested for several days. You must take care of your health!" Wang Dezhong, the personal eunuch, advised cautiously.

Zhu Xiong Ying raised his head, his eyes bloodshot and his face pale, but his eyes burned with a fierce rage, like a wounded beast ready to devour someone at any moment. "I'm fine, you may leave."

Wang Dezhong sighed. He knew that Zhu Xiong Ying was filled with pain and anger at the moment, and any persuasion would be futile. He silently withdrew, silently praying that the emperor could get out of the shadows soon.

Finally, after several days of tireless effort, Zhu Xiong Ying found a clue. He discovered that the rumor of Consort Li's affair with the guard was not unfounded, but deliberately spread by someone. And the person spreading the rumor was none other than Cui'er, the Empress's personal maid.

"Cui'er, why did you do this?" Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Cui'er, who was kneeling in front of him trembling, and said in an icy tone.

Cui'er trembled with fear, not daring to look up at Zhu Xiong Ying. "Your Majesty...this servant...this servant..."

"Speak! I don't want to hear your nonsense!" Zhu Xiong Ying roared, startling Cui'er.

“This servant…this servant was acting under the orders of Consort Li…” Cui’er said, trembling. “Consort Li promised this servant that as long as this servant helped her spread rumors, she would…she would help this servant’s younger brother…get rid of his slave status…”

"So you're willing to betray the Empress for your brother?!" Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes were filled with disappointment and anger. He never imagined that the always loyal Cui'er would do such a despicable thing for her own selfish interests.

"Your Majesty, spare me! This servant knows she was wrong! This servant truly knows she was wrong!" Cui'er kowtowed desperately, her forehead bleeding and blood flowing down her cheeks.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress his anger. "Guards, drag her away and beat her to death!"

(End of this chapter)