Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 415: The Truth of Death

Yun Chu had specifically requested all coroners to be summoned precisely because she anticipated that Chu Rui must have bribed one of them.

It was unlikely that all five coroners would bend their principles for mere material gain. Sure enough, this inconspicuous coroner dared to challenge Coroner Zhen.

Just as she was about to speak, Coroner Zhen raised his head and said, "Xiao Wu, you've been a coroner for less than a year. How dare you spout nonsense before His Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, and all the officials?"

Xiao Wu's face was full of defiance, but before he could speak,

Yun Chu said coldly, "Did I not say that no one else is allowed to speak? Someone, slap his mouth."

Qiutong behind her stepped forward and delivered a harsh slap across Coroner Zhen's face.

Coroner Zhen was utterly incredulous but dared not say another word, lowering his head as he stepped aside.

Chu Rui spoke with a cold expression, "As far as I know, experience is paramount in the coroner profession. Having practiced for only a year, how is he any different from an amateur? I suggest Your Majesty heed the words of the other coroners."

"What, is the Regent certain that I wouldn't dare to slap your mouth too?"

Yun Chu's voice was bone-chillingly cold.

The loss of Nie Zhou was like having one of her arms severed.

Nie Zhou's tragic death was a sacrifice made for her and Yu Ge'er.

She must seek justice.

The Moonlit Pavilion fell into complete silence. The women spectators around them hardly dared to breathe.

Xiao Wu also bowed his head, trembling slightly.

Yun Chu softened her tone, "Coroner Xiao, is it? Tell us your findings."

"Your Majesty, although I have only been in this profession for a year, I have no issues with determining such basic causes of death. If Your Majesty trusts me, I will speak frankly." Seeing Yun Chu nod, Xiao Wu mustered his courage and continued, "The deceased has a cyanotic complexion, with fine petechial spots on the face... these are all signs of death by asphyxiation... I believe the deceased did not fall to his death, but rather was asphyxiated first, then thrown from a height to create the false appearance of an accidental fall."

When he was summoned to the palace, he had been completely bewildered, unaware of the situation.

But upon seeing Coroner Zhen brazenly lie, he understood that this was a deliberate murder, and someone had bribed Coroner Zhen to falsify the report.

As a coroner, his duty was to speak for the deceased through the evidence left on their bodies.

He had never forgotten his responsibility.

Though his abilities were limited, he was willing to do what he could within his power to voice the grievances of the dead.

However, not a single person present believed his words.

"Indeed, a coroner with only one year of experience is unreliable. We all saw with our own eyes how Lord Nie fell from the ninth floor."

"Before falling, Lord Nie was sitting on the railing drinking. He clearly wasn't dead."

"That Coroner Zhen has an excellent reputation. His determination of the cause of death must be correct."

"I don't understand why Her Majesty insists on investigating this matter. Wouldn't it be better to let Lord Nie rest in peace sooner?"

"Exactly..."

Despite being questioned, Xiao Wu remained completely unflustered and spoke calmly, "Those who die from asphyxiation have red teeth. This is written in the coroner's canon and cannot be wrong."

A bold individual immediately stepped forward, lifted the deceased's lips, and reported, "Lord Nie does not have red teeth. This Coroner Xiao is simply talking nonsense."

"Could Her Majesty arrange for someone to bring strong liquor?" Xiao Wu requested. "I can prove what I've said."

Yun Chu waved her hand.The palace maid behind her immediately went to fetch strong liquor.

Since a birthday banquet was being held in the palace, strong liquor was readily available and soon brought over.

Xiao Wu knelt on the ground, pouring the strong liquor into the deceased's mouth, allowing the teeth to soak in it.

After a short while, a faint red color actually began to slowly appear at the roots of the teeth.

The scene fell into complete silence.

Xiao Wu turned and asked the other four coroners: "It is written in the book that those who die from suffocation, struggling to breathe in their final moments, experience ruptured blood vessels at the roots of their teeth, causing the teeth to appear red. Do you believe this is incorrect?"

The four coroners remained silent, especially Coroner Zhen.

If they admitted Xiao Wu was right, it would be like slapping themselves in the face.

If they denied Xiao Wu's statement, anyone present could produce the "Coroner's Canon" and ruin their careers.

Apart from silence, he didn't know what else to say.

His attitude made everything clear to the onlookers present.

Almost no one had expected that Nie Zhou had actually died from suffocation rather than from a fall.

This made the situation quite intriguing.

At that moment, Nie Shen suddenly cried out in a hoarse voice: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, my elder brother lived with great dignity and should not be subjected to reckless discussion after death. His body should not be examined and scrutinized. I shall take my brother home for burial first..."

"Guards, seize Nie Shen!"

At Yun Chu's command, the Imperial Guards present were stunned.

The Commander of the Imperial Guards was Lin Qiang, who was from Chu Rui's maternal family and naturally deferred to Chu Rui. The Imperial Guards stood still without moving.

Chu Hongyu puffed his cheeks and put his hands on his hips: "The Imperial Guards are my Imperial Guards! You useless fools, how dare you disobey the Empress Dowager! What use are you? Ministers, look at how the Imperial Guards bully me and the Empress Dowager! Isn't this contempt of imperial authority?"

Lin Qiang immediately gave the Imperial Guards a meaningful glance.

Two Imperial Guards stepped forward and restrained Nie Shen.

Nie Shen fell to his knees with a thud: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I only wished for my brother to be laid to rest as soon as possible. I never intended to show contempt for imperial authority. I beg for your forgiveness, I was wrong..."

"Do you want Nie Zhou to rest in peace quickly, or do you want to destroy the evidence quickly?" Yun Chu said sternly. "It was you who killed Nie Zhou!"

Boom—!

The scene erupted into chaos.

"What? Nie the Second killed Lord Nie?"

"Aren't they biological brothers, born of the same mother? How is that possible?"

"How could the Empress Dowager make such a judgment?"

"..."

Yun Chu spoke word by word: "You all claim to have witnessed Lord Nie falling from the ninth floor with your own eyes. But are you certain? You only identified the person as Lord Nie based on their clothing and appearance. From such a distance, it was impossible to see their facial features clearly."

As these words were spoken, the crowd began to realize.

"That's true, we did identify him by his clothing. From that far away, we couldn't see his face clearly."

"Now that I think about it, I wasn't entirely sure if it was Lord Nie."

"But the person who fell from the building was indeed Lord Nie. I'm confused..."Yun Chu continued, "At the ninth-floor railing of the Moon-Plucking Pavilion, there is a visual blind spot. The person drinking first landed on the ground, then suddenly leaped up and fell from the building. It was at this moment that a switch occurred—a living person was replaced by a dead one. Lord Nie had already died before this and was thrown down to create the illusion of a fatal fall. He thought that by doing this, the palace would not investigate the matter, but a single action exposed his identity."

The crowd couldn't help but press further, "What action?"

Yun Chu raised her hand, "When ordinary people drink, especially alone, they don't pay attention to specific gestures... Yet the person sitting on the railing drinking raised their arm high, as if deliberately putting on a show—trying to convince everyone that Lord Nie had died from excessive drinking and a fall. After completing this act, he immediately stepped down from the railing and pushed his own elder brother over... Nie Shen, am I correct?"