Chapter 219 Opening the Coffin

Xiao Zhengnan ignored his son on the ground and instead fixed his gaze sharply on Lu Yan and Shen Jue.

“Gentlemen, the Empress Dowager sent you here to find the killer, not to desecrate the Crown Princess’s memory!”

Xiao Zhengnan’s voice was deep and commanding, carrying the lingering ferocity of years spent leading troops in battle.

“If my daughter-in-law died of a sudden heart condition, then I don’t see why you need to investigate!”

“I will report this matter directly to the Empress Dowager!”

He invoked the Empress Dowager, attempting to use political pressure to force the two to back down.

In this distant southern frontier, where mountains were high and the emperor far away, Xiao Zhengnan was effectively a local sovereign. If things were to escalate, he could afford a showdown—fish or net, death or destruction.

Lu Yan’s expression remained completely calm.

Meeting Xiao Zhengnan’s murderous glare, he did not flinch.

“You are mistaken, Your Highness,” Lu Yan said.

“The Empress Dowager truly did order us to investigate the killer!”

His voice was so cold it could drop ice shards.

“As a prince of a different family, receiving the emperor’s favor, would you shield a murderer hidden within your own mansion?!”

Xiao Zhengnan’s pupils constricted sharply.

The muscles at the corner of his eyes twitched uncontrollably—a subtle yet potentially deadly flaw.

Though only a momentary shift of gaze, it was precisely noticed by the ever-vigilant Su Hewan and Shen Jue.

【Old fox! He really knows everything!】

Su Hewan sneered inwardly.

【Lin Wan’er’s death is definitely suspicious!】

Shen Jue’s lips curled into an increasingly strange arc.

If you want to play this game, then I’ll play along.

“Your Highness, please calm yourself,” Shen Jue said deliberately, brushing his sleeve, his tone dripping with unmasked mockery.

“The Jinyiwei have always investigated cases based on evidence.”

“If Master Lu says there is irrefutable proof, then it naturally exists.”

“Your Highness, if you simply obstruct us, and word reaches the capital, those officials and censors will not hesitate to write… unflattering things.”

“Such as… the Zhen’nan Prince hoards soldiers, disregards human life, and intends… rebellion?”

“How dare you!” Xiao Zhengnan slammed the table.

“Shen Jue! You, a mere eunuch, dare accuse me of treason to my face?!”

“Today, if you cannot produce your so-called irrefutable proof, I will have you both bound and personally escorted to the capital, to seek an explanation directly from the throne!”

Even faced with Xiao Zhengnan’s overwhelming fury, the smile on Shen Jue’s face did not waver.

He turned slightly, giving Su Hewan, who had been calmly observing from behind, a chance to step forward.

“Evidence? Naturally, it exists.”

“Master Su, why don’t you explain to this highly influential prince exactly how the Crown Princess ‘died of illness’?”

Su Hewan did not flinch at being thrust into the spotlight by Shen Jue.

With a calm expression, she stepped forward, her clear eyes devoid of any fear, directly meeting Xiao Zhengnan’s almost predatory gaze.

She raised her right hand, gloved in ice-silk.

“Your Highness, Crown Prince,” Su Hewan said, her voice cool and precise, devoid of any unnecessary emotion.

“The Crown Princess did not die of a heart condition.”

“She was killed by an extremely thin steel needle, or possibly a poisoned acupuncture needle, inserted from this point behind the ear, directly into the deep regions of the brain.”

As she spoke, she extended her index finger, accurately pointing to the Fengchi acupuncture point behind her own ear.

At her gesture, Xiao Yunzheng’s body shuddered violently, nearly dropping the ceremonial sword in his hand.

Su Hewan took in his reaction completely, her tone growing ever colder.

“This kind of death is excruciating.”

“When a needle pierces the scalp, penetrates the skull, and reaches the brain, the victim experiences an extremely brief but violent convulsion.”

“But because the killer’s action is so swift and precise, the victim doesn’t even have time to cry out, and their breath stops amidst the peak of pain.”

“Your Highness, Young Master.”

Su Hewan raised a slight brow, a cold, mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips.

“I wonder, in the moment before the Crown Princess took her last breath, as she looked at the one plunging the poisoned needle into her brain… was she thinking of her devoted, heroic husband?”

Her words struck like a razor-sharp awl, mercilessly piercing the already tattered mask of Xiao Yun-zheng.

“You… you’re talking nonsense!”

Xiao Yun-zheng’s mental defenses finally collapsed completely at that moment.

Like a madman, he swung his sword wildly and charged toward Su Hewan.

“You wretch! How dare you slander me! I’ll kill you!”

Yu Qing screamed in fright, instinctively wanting to rush forward to block Su Hewan.

【Damn! This mad dog’s attacking! Wan-wan, get out of the way!】

But before Yu Qing could take a step, two figures moved like lightning simultaneously.

Lu Yan didn’t even draw his sword; he simply raised a foot casually and, with unstoppable force, kicked Xiao Yun-zheng’s wrist.

“Clang!” The sword flew from his hand and smashed heavily against the wall.

Xiao Yun-zheng screamed in pain, clutching his wrist, stumbling backward, and collapsing helplessly onto the ground.

At the same time, Shen Jue’s crimson figure appeared like a phantom in front of Su Hewan.

His wide sleeves traced a graceful arc in the air, carrying a nauseating scent of blood, and he shielded Su Hewan completely behind him.

Shen Jue slightly tilted his head and cast a cold side glance at the fallen Xiao Yun-zheng.

“Your Highness, if you want to commit murder to cover your tracks, first see if you have the ability to do so.”

Xiao Zheng-nan watched his incompetent, hopeless son, trembling with anger.

He knew that if he forcibly interfered in this situation, it would only confirm the accusation that Zhen’nan Prince Mansion was guilty of murder and cover-up.

He took a deep breath, forcing down the surging rage in his chest.

“Good! Truly a sharp-tongued Eastern Depot female official!”

Xiao Zheng-nan gritted his teeth, each word squeezed out like it came from between stones.

“Since the two of you speak with such certainty, it would make me look guilty if I refused your autopsy!”

He spun around sharply, his wide robe whipping through the air with a cutting gust.

“Very well, I will allow you to open the coffin!”

“But a fair warning: if you dissect Wan’er’s body and cannot find the so-called steel needle and poison…”

Xiao Zheng-nan whirled back, his eyes fixed fiercely on Lu Yan and Shen Jue.

“Even if it costs me this title, I will lead 300,000 troops from the Southern Frontier to the capital to demand justice!”

It was an outright threat of war.

Lu Yan’s cold expression remained unchanged.

Meeting Xiao Zheng-nan’s threatening gaze, he slowly raised his hand in a perfectly formal gesture of invitation.

“Since Your Highness understands righteousness, that is best.”

His voice was icy and rigid, without the slightest concession.

“The Jinyiwei never fear any threat.”

“Whoever obstructs us will be executed without mercy!”

Lu Yan’s long fingers lightly tapped the hilt of his embroidered spring blade, producing a crisp metallic clang.

“Open the coffin!”