The mistress has no feelings, why do you provoke her?

After leaving Qiufeng Courtyard, Gu Huaizhou ordered Steward Song to go to the yamen and invite a coroner to the mansion.

As the commander of the capital and a marquis, he was someone everyone had to give face to.

When the coroner went, Magistrate Qiu had already given him instructions: "Since it's the Marquis who invited you, be careful. You should know what to say and what not to say. Don't say anything wrong that could implicate me, understand?"

"Yes, yes, sir. Don't worry, I will definitely not cause you any trouble."

Magistrate Qiu waved his hand: "Go."

The coroner's surname was Qu, and he was a thin, middle-aged man.

His cheeks were thin, and his triangular eyes revealed shrewdness and ruthlessness.

Upon seeing Gu Huaizhou, he bowed deeply and said, "This humble servant greets Your Excellency."

"No need for formalities." Gu Huaizhou said indifferently, in a businesslike tone, pointing to Xu Shuang'er who was kneeling to the side, weeping uncontrollably, and said, "This maid's mother accidentally fell into the water and drowned. I have ordered you to examine the body to find out the cause of her mother's death, so that this maid can have an explanation."

He spoke without changing his expression, and even seemed somewhat indifferent.

In his eyes, a human life was insignificant.

Having figured things out, the coroner said to Gu Huaizhou, "If you don't know where the body is, I am willing to share your worries, Lord Marquis."

Gu Huaizhou beckoned to Steward Song, who then said to Coroner Qu, "Lord Qu, the body is in the woodshed in the backyard. Please come with me there."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your trouble."

Steward Song led the coroner Qu away, then turned to Xu Shuang'er and said, "You should come along too."

Xu Shuang'er looked terrified and hurriedly shook her head: "This servant doesn't need to go."

Autopsies usually involve disemboweling the body, which is bloody and disgusting. Xu Shuang'er was so frightened that her face turned pale and she dared not go.

Gu Huaizhou took a small sip of tea and said sternly, "Since she is your mother, what is there to be afraid of? If you are not present when the coroner performs an autopsy, what is the point of the autopsy? Besides, wasn't it you who suggested the autopsy?"

Xu Shuang'er's face turned as white as a sheet. She forced a smile and replied, "Yes."

She followed Butler Song with a look of panic towards the woodshed in the backyard.

From afar, you could see Qi's mother's body lying on a board.

She was covered with a white cloth, and even though it was winter, Xu Shuang'er could still smell the stench of rotting flesh.

Xu Shuang'er stopped ten meters away and said to Steward Song, "Steward Song, this servant doesn't need to go any further."

Butler Song was a shrewd man; he knew that Gu Huaizhou intended to make things difficult for Xu Shuang'er, which was why he had her come closer to watch.

He had tried to persuade Xu Shuang'er before, but she wouldn't listen.

He had no relation to Xu Shuang'er, so why would he upset his master because of her?

Butler Song frowned and scolded, "That won't do. The autopsy must be supervised by a blood relative to prevent anyone from tampering with it. Come here right now."

"I...I'm scared...I don't want to get tested..." Xu Shuang'er was almost crying.

"Insolence!" Butler Song roared. "Do you think this is a game of make-believe? You said the master agreed to the autopsy, and now you think you can just refuse? Do you think the Marquis's mansion is a marketplace where you can do whatever you want?"

Xu Shuang'er cried her eyes out, but wouldn't move an inch.

With a wave of his hand, Steward Song immediately sent two servants to restrain Xu Shuang'er.

They led her to Qi's mother's body.

The white cloth was lifted, revealing Qi's mother's ashen face, and Xu Shuang'er was so frightened that her legs began to tremble.

But being held captive and watched closely by others, she couldn't escape even if she wanted to.

Steward Song bowed to Coroner Qu and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Qu."

“It’s my duty,” Coroner Qu replied.

Steward Song gestured for him to leave, then withdrew from the woodshed and went straight out of the courtyard.

He wouldn't stand by and watch an autopsy because it's bloody and disgusting.

Butler Song sat on a stone bench outside the courtyard waiting. Not long after he sat down, he heard a scream coming from inside.

Xu Shuang'er rushed out of the house like a gust of wind, ran to a big tree, and started vomiting.

呕，呕……

Xu Shuang'er vomited so badly that she was dizzy and disoriented, and Steward Song's face twitched as he watched.

It's her own fault; a mere maid dares to defy her master.

If we don't mess with her, who will we mess with?

Butler Song secretly rolled his eyes. He waited until Xu Shuang'er had finished vomiting before getting up and asking, "Shuang'er, you can't just stay inside and keep an eye on things, lest you renege on your promise when the conclusion is reached."

"No, no need..." Before she could finish speaking, Xu Shuang'er vomited violently again, and she had already seen what she needed to see.

As they were talking, Coroner Qu came out of the woodshed.

He had washed his hands, and his clothes were clean and free of bloodstains.

But when Xu Shuang'er saw him, she vomited violently again.

She personally witnessed the coroner, Qu, take a knife, cut open Qi's mother's stomach, and take out her internal organs.

Xu Shuang'er could no longer look at the coroner the same way.

Steward Song stood up and said to Coroner Qu and Xu Shuang'er, "Now that the examination is complete, it is natural to report to the Marquis. Please."

He took the coroner Qu and Xu Shuang'er back to Gu Huaizhou's study.

When Gu Huaizhou saw Xu Shuang'er's ashen face, a cold smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

A mere maidservant dares to try and control him; she's truly overestimating herself.

"My lord," Coroner Qu stepped forward and respectfully said to Gu Huaizhou, "After my examination, I found that Madam Qi's mouth and nose had water and mud, her pupils were dilated, her eardrums were damaged, her lips were purple and her skin was white, which are consistent with the characteristics of drowning. Therefore, I conclude that Madam Qi died by accidentally falling into the water and it has nothing to do with anyone else."

Upon hearing these words, Xu Shuang'er's pupils trembled involuntarily.

Although she was scared just now, she could clearly see that there was no mud or sand in Qi's mother's lungs.

In other words, Qi's mother was already dead before she fell into the water.

The coroner lied.

Xu Shuang'er shouted excitedly, "No, that's not how it is! My mother's lungs clearly didn't have any sand in them, and her mouth and nose were clean."

The coroner was surprised that Xu Shuang'er was so brainless, daring to shout in front of the Marquis.

She really wants to die too slowly.

Gu Huaizhou gave a slow and deliberate "oh," a sinister smile appearing on his face: "So, according to you, this Marquis is lying to you?"

Xu Shuang'er was slightly taken aback, not yet understanding what Gu Huaizhou meant, when she saw him slam his hand heavily on the table and angrily say, "You daring servant! I'm letting you off the hook because you're grieving the loss of your mother, but the facts are right in front of you and you still act so unreasonably. Do you think I have no temper?"

"No, that's not how it is." Xu Shuang'er hurriedly knelt down and replied in a panic, "My lord, please calm down. This servant really saw that my mother's lungs were clean and there was no mud or sand at all. The coroner is lying. Please, my lord, do justice for Shuang'er."

The coroner replied at the opportune moment, "My lord, there is indeed mud and sand in Madam Qi's lungs. If you do not believe me, I can perform another autopsy and provide evidence."

"You, you're lying! Did someone give you a bribe to prevent you from telling the truth?" Xu Shuang'er angrily lunged at the coroner, kicking and hitting him. Her attendants rushed forward to pull her away, but she continued to curse.