Chapter 344: Chapter 346: Master of Bone Reading (Part 1)
Dongfang Mosheng, blind, maintained his usual composure and asked with a smile.
“Has Princess Consort Wu made any discoveries?”
“Prince Wu has found something. One of the skeletons is his nanny, the Ying Family’s, and she’s missing a finger.”
Feng Bailing contemplated Chen E’s matter, thinking that it should be delayed before sharing.
“Among those who had disappeared, there indeed was a Nanny Ying. However, the identities of the others should soon be confirmed as well.”
Dongfang Li hurriedly said.
“It’s that easy to confirm?”
Feng Bailing was astonished. Could it be that in all these years, only these six had disappeared from the Imperial Palace?
“Actually, it’s not easy. Those skeletons have been there for who knows how many years. I’ve checked the rosters of the Internal Affairs Bureau; six people disappeared just last year, and over a hundred in the last decade. As for the confirmation, we owe it to Ninth. He knows how to examine bones. I asked him to check those skeletons, and their identities could be matched one by one.”
“Examine bones? The Ninth Prince knows how to do this?”
Not just Feng Bailing was surprised, even Dugu Wu felt unexpected.
“It’s just some basics. I’m blind, and in my early years, I had guidance from a senior expert, so I know how to weigh and feel bones. Compared to face reading, bone examination is actually more accurate. A person’s facial features change with age, but the structure of one’s bones is determined from birth. Feeling bones can reveal one’s fate and fortune, but because this method is very special, I don’t normally use it. If Brother Seven hadn’t come to me, I wouldn’t have been involved.”
Dongfang Mosheng offered a faint smile.
This Ninth Prince, originally the least noticeable among the nine princes, turned out to know a great deal.
Dugu Wu silently mused.
While they conversed, Dongfang Li led them to the Heavenly Prison.
The several skeletons had been temporarily placed inside the Heavenly Prison.
As soon as they arrived at the Heavenly Prison, they saw a prison guard with a panicked expression on his face.
“Seventh Prince, Zhao Ang has committed suicide by poison.”
Dongfang Li was startled and grabbed the prison guard by the neck.
“Didn’t I order you to check thoroughly and watch him closely to prevent his suicide?”
“We had him strip down, who knew he had hidden poison in his teeth. He died shortly after entering his cell.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
Feng Bailing immediately headed for the cell.
Zhao Ang’s body had already stiffened.
Black blood was flowing from his mouth, nose, and eyes.
“Liver and intestines torn to pieces; it’s Heartbreak Grass.”
After examining, Feng Bailing was inwardly shocked.
“More Heartbreak Grass? Could it be related to the poisoning of Father Emperor?”
Dongfang Li was greatly alarmed.
“Reporting to Seventh Prince, a letter was found sewn into Zhao Ang’s clothing, from Beiqi Kingdom. The letter states that Zhao Ang is a spy for Beiqi. He killed those people over the years because they discovered his identity. In order to silence them, he killed them one by one and tossed them into the fishpond.”
“If I’m not mistaken, Zhao Ang has only been in the palace for ten years.”
But Ying Family had disappeared twenty years ago.
“If Prince Wu hadn’t discovered the identity of his wet nurse, and if they didn’t know that the Ninth Prince could examine bones, this letter would have been enough to settle the dust.”
Feng Bailing remarked.
Zhao Ang’s poison wasn’t there from the start.
Otherwise, when apprehended at the palace gates, Zhao Ang could have committed suicide out of guilt.
“Let’s not report this for now. Brother Seven, take me to see those skeletons first.”
Dongfang Mosheng said.
The group moved to the torture room of the Heavenly Prison.
In the room, the six bodies were laid out in a row.