Traveling through time and space

"Princess, Princess, you are here. Prince, the prince is dead." When they arrived at the gate of Prince De's mansion, Gu Yuanyuan hurriedly got out of the car. In the light of the lights, Kang Xi knelt beside the gate.

Gu Yuanyuan hurried into the courtyard and ran to the main courtyard. "What happened? Wasn't the prince's condition improving when I left this morning? How did his condition suddenly worsen?" Gu Yuanyuan asked. She had never expected such a thing to happen.

"Princess, please stop asking. Please go see the prince first." Kang Xi was filled with sadness. Gu Yuanyuan followed him into the main courtyard. There were many people there. Some of them looked familiar. They were the imperial physicians.

"Princess, Princess, you're too late. The doctor has confirmed that the prince has passed away." Hua Yi knelt in front of the bed. Gu Yuanyuan ignored him and went forward to look at the person on the bed. The blood-stained bed was very conspicuous under the light. No, how could there be so much blood? Gu Yuanyuan went forward and lifted the quilt. There was a bleeding spot on Prince De's chest, and the blood had already coagulated. Gu Yuanyuan stumbled and took two steps back. Someone blocked her from behind, and Gu Yuanyuan finally stood still. "Hua Yi, your prince didn't go out, how could he be injured by a knife?"

"Princess, can our prince be saved?" Hua Yi did not respond to Gu Yuanyuan's words. Instead, he turned and knelt in front of Gu Yuanyuan. Gu Yuanyuan felt the pulse of Prince De and found that he was indeed beyond saving. He was as silent as death. Gu Yuanyuan shook her head helplessly. She was sure that he had no signs of life. Judging from his complexion, he was also poisoned.

"Princess, please accept my condolences." Someone bowed. Gu Yuanyuan walked out of the inner room in a daze and stood in the yard. This couldn't be the case. When she left in the morning, he could still speak. Gu Yuanyuan felt that this was not possible. He wouldn't leave like this.

"Li Chenglin, it was you who killed the prince. You must pay for his life." Everyone pulled out their knives at a man. Gu Yuanyuan took a closer look and found that the man looked familiar.

"Kang Xi, go to the palace and deliver a letter that Prince De has passed away. Hua Yi, tell me what happened?" Gu Yuanyuan sat on the chair brought by Xiao Maozi and asked weakly.

"Princess, at noon, Li Chenglin and his little apprentice said they would come to check the prince's pulse." Hua Yi looked viciously at the man standing in front of her. Someone kicked him and the man knelt down.

"He's the prince's military doctor?" Gu Yuanyuan thought he looked familiar. "If he's one of yours, why did he poison the prince?"

"Yes, Princess, he is Li Chenglin. He came with his apprentice and said he wanted to see the prince. The apprentice said that the princess had already treated the prince and there was no need to delay his rest. However, Li Chenglin insisted on taking the prince's pulse. At this time, the prince woke up and said that he was fine. He asked him to take his pulse. His apprentice said that the prince's clothes were wet, which would not be conducive to his rest and recovery. He asked the apprentice to bring a basin of hot water and wipe the prince's body. The apprentice looked at the prince, who said nothing. The apprentice thought that the prince also had the same idea, so he went out and asked someone to bring two basins of hot water. The apprentice went to find a change of clothes for the prince."

"If you go out, who else is in the room?" Gu Yuanyuan asked.

"There was only Li Chenglin as his master and disciple. I felt that Li Chenglin was one of my own, so I didn't care."

Gu Yuanyuan gestured for him to continue. "I've found some clothes, and they've brought some hot water into the house. I wanted to clean the prince, but Li Chenglin's apprentice said he could do it himself."

"Is the prince awake at this time?"

"The prince has his eyes closed at this time. I don't know whether he is awake or asleep." Hua Yi took a breath. "Li Chenglin also nodded. I didn't insist any more and left the room. A moment later, the master and disciple left the room, saying that the prince was asleep and not to be disturbed."

"Where did they both go then?"

"In reply to the princess, I took Li Chenglin to the hospital to change the bandages for several injured brothers. Less than half an incense stick later, I felt something was wrong and quietly went in to take a look. I saw blood on the quilt. I felt something was wrong, so I quickly came out to call for help, restrained the man, and went to the palace to fetch the imperial physician."

"Li Chenglin, why did you and your disciple want to kill the prince?" Gu Yuanyuan stood up and asked the person kneeling on the ground.

"Princess, I am loyal to the prince. Today's incident has nothing to do with me."

"Li Chenglin, is this what you call loyalty? Your loyalty killed the prince." Gu Yuanyuan said with a trembling voice. She still couldn't believe it. "He was fine this morning, but now he's lying dead in his bed?"

"People from the palace are here, people from the palace are here." The shouting outside could be heard in the yard.

"Your servant greets the princess. Please accept my condolences." Zhang Wei came over and bowed. Gu Yuanyuan nodded, "Princess, the emperor asked me to come and assist with the prince's funeral and related matters."

"Okay, Eunuch Zhang, thank you for your trouble."

"How would the princess like to handle the prince's funeral?"

"Eunuch Zhang, the prince's death was suspicious and unjust, and he died with grievances. Report this to the government office immediately and conduct a thorough investigation. Give an explanation to the prince, to this princess and the children, and to the soldiers of Qingyang. All members of Prince De's mansion must be detained and interrogated thoroughly. They will not be released until they are cleared of suspicion. As for the principal offender who killed the prince and his descendants, all three clans will be executed and exiled. The next three generations will never leave the exile area. Since they dared to kill the prince and become enemies of the people of Qingyang, they must bear the consequences they deserve."

"Just do as the princess says. Princess, when I came here, the emperor said that the princess will take over everything in Prince De's mansion and that the princess is the most respected."

"That's a story for later. Eunuch Zhang, tell them to get started." Gu Yuanyuan ordered calmly.

"Princess, we will never betray the prince." Kang Xihuayi and the others knelt down.

"This princess believes you wouldn't betray the prince, but it is indeed your negligence that led to his death. Cooperate with the government's investigation and wait until the truth is revealed before discussing other matters. Dongmei, go to the princess's mansion and dispatch half of the palace soldiers. Have Rumei and Qiumei bring the children here tomorrow. Their father is gone, and they are here to see him off for the last time." Gu Yuanyuan felt a headache. Soon, the palace's helpers arrived. They were Xiang Ruiqi, the Minister of Rites, and Lü Duozhi, the Minister of War. They came in to greet Gu Yuanyuan. Gu Yuanyuan stood up and bowed, asking them to take care of the prince's funeral. It just so happened that the prefect, Zhuo Huaixing, had also arrived. Gu Yuanyuan asked him to carefully examine everyone and quickly find out the cause of the prince's death, so that the people could have an explanation and let the prince rest in peace as soon as possible.

"Yes, Princess," everyone saluted. Because there were people who did the work and people who were in charge, the prince was also cleared away. When everyone brought the children, Prince De's Mansion had already begun to set up the mourning hall. Gu Yuanyuan personally held each child and asked them to kowtow, so that those who left could also enjoy the blessings of the children.

"Good boy, you have suffered." Gu Yuanyuan stood in front of the coffin, shedding tears. She would never see this man again. He was the first man in her two lives. She thought she could grow old with him, but now he left on his own, leaving her and her children behind. She was so focused on thinking that she didn't notice the princess came in and hugged her.

"Mom, he left on his own and didn't want Yuanyuan and the children anymore." Gu Yuanyuan felt very aggrieved.

"My dear, it's not your fault. He refused to listen. Mother heard about it. You wanted to take him back to the Princess's Mansion, but he insisted on not going. This is his own fate."

"But, mother, why doesn't he think about Yuanyuan and the children? Just leave like this? How can he bear to do that?" Gu Yuanyuan was a little confused.

"Good boy, you have to be well. If something happens to you again, what will happen to the children?" The mother hugged herself in pain and shed tears.

"Princess, Princess, please accept my condolences." The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly. A group of people came over to pay their respects, and those in the court began to pay their respects.

"Master Xiang, this princess and the children will attend the burial."

"Princess, you..." Gu Yuanyuan's words obviously surprised many people. Xiang Ruiqi lowered his head and wiped away his tears. "The princess and the prince haven't gotten married yet, so there's no need to go to this extent."

"It's okay. I'm the prince's widow." Gu Yuanyuan had already changed into the plain clothes that Dongmei brought.

"No, you've made yourself the prince's widow. How will you marry and live in the future?"

"Mom, Yuanyuan is indeed Zhao Zimo's widow. Although we haven't gotten married yet, we have a son, so Yuanyuan must be the widow," Gu Yuanyuan said with certainty.

"Well, you are worthy of being my good daughter." The emperor's voice suddenly came in, and everyone knelt down and kowtowed.

"Yuanyuan meets father."

"You're a good child. Father wasn't wrong about you. You and the children have accomplished this. I believe the spirits of Zimo and the ancestors of the Zhao family will rest in peace." Father respectfully placed three incense sticks before Prince De's spirit, and Gu Yuanyuan bowed deeply in return. "Good boy, thank you for your hard work. You must take care of yourself, otherwise what will happen to the children?"

"Father, please rest assured. Yuanyuan knows everything. Father, how are you these days?"

"Okay, my father has been using the medicine you left behind every day, and his health is now as good as before."

"Okay, Father, when you're free, I'll go to the palace and take a good look at him for you." Everyone respectfully saw the father off. Kang Xi, Hua Yi, and others came in a group and knelt directly in front of Gu Yuanyuan.

"Have you all been cleared of suspicion?" Gu Yuanyuan looked at the time, which was only about three hours.

"Your humble servant greets the princess." Prefect Zhuo Huaixing bowed. "Your humble servant has investigated everything, and none of these people are suspects."

"Okay, Master Zhuo, thank you for sending them back. With their help, the prince's funeral will go more smoothly."

"You are too polite, Princess. This is what I should do. Please take good care of yourself at this moment."

"Thank you, Lord Zhuo, for your concern. Please also take care of the prince's affairs," Gu Yuanyuan stood up.

"You are too polite, Princess. This is what I should do."

Looking at the group of people kneeling in front of him, he said, "Okay, since you are all no longer suspected, then you must do your work carefully and send your prince off safely and securely. This will also be considered as fulfilling the friendship you have shown me over the years."

"Yes, Princess, please rest assured. Your subordinates will send the prince away properly later." Everyone saluted, and Gu Yuanyuan gestured for them to stand up. With the addition of these people, who were familiar with the affairs of Prince De's Mansion, the arrangements were smoother. Gu Yuanyuan did not return to his own mansion during these seven days. Three days later, Gu Yuanyuan received news that the person who assassinated the prince was indeed Li Chenglin's apprentice, but this apprentice was not the same apprentice. His surname was Zheng and his name was Xiaofan. He was bribed to assassinate Prince De. That person gave the Zheng family many benefits and promises. He and his family could not resist the temptation, so they took the risky action. Of course, his master Li Chenglin did not know his plan, because the temptation was too great. As for the people behind him, there was no need to think about them anymore.

Master Zhuo came to ask for instructions on how to deal with him. Gu Yuanyuan also believed that he was innocent because a group of people kneeling in front of her wanted to plead for mercy. "Whether he is innocent or not, this princess doesn't know, but she can't see any clues. Because of his carelessness, the prince lost his life. Let's put it this way, Zheng Xiaofan and the Zheng family are too evil. Three generations of this family, including the married women, but not as good as the children born to married women, will be beheaded and exiled for three generations, including the children born to married women. The next three generations of the exiled people will never leave the exile place. This princess wants their Zheng family to disappear. As for Li Chenglin, he didn't know how to judge people and killed the prince, causing irreparable losses to our Qingyang. Because he was unaware of the situation, he will be beheaded and exiled for three generations. The next three generations of the exiled people will never leave the exile place. Everyone involved in this matter will be exiled."