Chapter 578: I Knew It Was Her!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Deng Yuchuan took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
“Now, I’ve told you everything I know.
“Shouldn’t you tell me how you met Li Niang?”
Xiao Juan said truthfully, “The people who really saw Li Niang were Niaoniao and Little Hai. When I saw Li Niang, she was already a corpse.”
Niaoniao was still unconscious and could not speak for the time being, so she could only let Ling Hai do it for her.
When Niaoniao saw Li Niang, Ling Hai was also present. As an observer, he heard the conversation between Niaoniao and Li Niaoniao clearly.
He repeated their conversation word for word.
Deng Yuchuan listened carefully and felt even worse.
His sister was already gray-haired, but she still had to sell red bean soup alone in the temple. It was obvious how difficult her life had been all these years.
She was the eldest daughter of the Deng family and had never done anything since she was young. She should have been pampered and raised by a noble person, but she ended up like this.
How could Deng Yuchuan accept this?
He suppressed the grief in his heart and asked.
“How did Li Niang die?”
Xiao Juan said, “Her body was salvaged from the Imperial River. After examination, she died from drowning. Before she died, she had four knife wounds.”
Lo Pingsha added, “There are scars on her face and body. They’re old. From the color of the scars, they’re at least forty years old.”
In other words, the scar on Li Niang’s body had been there before she left the Deng family.
Deng Yuchuan gripped his walking stick tightly and gritted his teeth.
“Who harmed her?”
Xiao Juan said, “We’re still investigating Li Niang’s case. She left us a clue when she was alive.”
With that, he bent down and reached out to take Niaoniao’s left hand. He lifted her sleeve, revealing the jade bracelet on her wrist.
In order to prevent the bracelet from being lost or damaged, Niaoniao had always worn it on her hand and would not take it off easily. Deng Yuchuan stood up and walked over with his walking stick.
He studied the bracelet in the dim candlelight.
“I’ve never seen this bracelet in the residence. It shouldn’t belong to the Deng family.”
Xiao Juan explained, “It was originally an offering from the palace and was given to Imperial Concubine Meng by the late emperor, but it finally appeared in Li Niang’s hands.”
Hearing him mention Imperial Concubine Meng, Deng Yuchuan immediately remembered.
“In the last letter Li Niang wrote to me before she disappeared, there was a mention of Imperial Concubine Meng.”
“She said that Imperial Concubine Meng was going to hold a flower appreciation party in the capital and had invited many noble ladies.”
“Li Niang and Luo Niang also received the invitation. Coincidentally, the talent show that year was about to begin.”
“They plan to enter the capital to participate in the talent show and take a look at the flower appreciation fair.”
Deng Yuchuan paused and explained in a low voice.
“Luo Niang is the current Empress Dowager’s maiden name. Li Niang’s full name is Deng Yuli. The Empress Dowager’s full name is Deng Yuluo.”
Xiao Juan had a guess in his heart. Back then, after the Deng sisters went to the Imperial Capital, they saw Imperial Concubine Meng at the flower appreciation banquet. Perhaps it was at that time that Imperial Concubine Meng gave her bracelet to the sisters.
After Li Niang left the Deng family, she was still wearing the jade bracelet.
After she gave birth and gave the child to the Feng couple, she left the bracelet for the child as a memento.
That child should be Feng Lianghan. When he grew up, he married and gave the bracelet to his wife, Madam Xie.
This would explain why Madam Xie had that bracelet. Seeing Xiao Juan’s thoughtful expression, Deng Yuchuan asked. “Did Your Highness think of anything?”
Xiao Juan hesitated for a moment before telling him his guess.
“These are all my guesses. There’s no actual evidence. It might not be true.”
Deng Yuchuan believed most of his guess and asked right on the heels of that.
“I wonder where Li Niang’s child is now?”
Xiao Juan said in a low voice, “The entire Feng family has been silenced. Even the fetus in Madam Xie’s stomach was not spared.”
Deng Yuchuan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His vision darkened, and his body involuntarily swayed twice, as if he was about to fall in the next moment.
Xiao Juan reached out to help him.
Deng Yuchuan hurriedly held his walking stick and stabilized himself. Then, he waved at Xiao Juan, indicating that he did not need anyone to help him.
His lips trembled slightly as if he wanted to say something, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat. It was a long time before he forced a sound through his teeth.
“Who did it?”
Xiao Juan said, “We’re still investigating this case. We still don’t know who the real culprit is.”
Deng Yuchuan’s eyes turned red and his voice trembled. “Is it Deng Yuluo?”
He did not even refer to her respectfully and called her by her maiden name.
Xiao Juan said cautiously, “There’s no evidence. I can’t confirm it.” Deng Yuchuan said, “In other words, Deng Yuluo is very suspicious, right?” Xiao Juan nodded slightly and gave an affirmative answer.
Deng Yuchuan tightened his grip on his walking stick, his knuckles turning pale.
His chest was filled with hatred.
“I knew it was her! I knew it was her!”
Xiao Juan reminded him, “Everything is just a guess. There’s no substantial evidence. If we’re wrong…”
Deng Yuchuan interrupted him.
“It’s impossible to be wrong. It must be Deng Yuluo! She had been jealous of Li Niang since she was young and often snatched her things.”
“When we were young, I felt that she was still young, so I did not take it to heart about the conflict between her and Li Niang.”
“I thought that it would be fine when they grew up. Unexpectedly, Deng Yuluo became even worse.”
“She bullied Li Niang when I was not at home and forced her to leave her hometown. Now, he did not even let go of Li Niang’s child.”
“You vicious woman, you’ll die a horrible death!”
Xiao Juan said, “We have to have conclusive evidence to convict the Empress Dowager. ”
Deng Yuchuan said without hesitation.
“I’ll follow you to the Imperial Capital. As long as I can see Li Niang’s body, I can confirm her identity.”
“At that time, I’ll bring Li Niang’s body into the palace to confront the Empress
Dowager and see what else she has to say!”
Xiao Juan said, “If she insists on not admitting it…”
Deng Yuchuan said, “Then I’ll die with her! Even if I die, I’ll drag her to hell with me and make her apologize to Li Niang!”
Xiao Juan wanted to persuade him again, but Deng Yuchuan was determined.
“I’ll get someone to arrange a guest room for you to rest. We’ll set off for the Imperial Capital tomorrow morning.”
With that, Deng Yuchuan walked out with his walking stick.
His back seemed even more hunched than before, and he looked even older.
The death of his biological sister had dealt him a huge blow.
Soon, a steward walked in and said respectfully.
“Your Highness, please follow me.”
Xiao Juan could only carry Niaoniao. Lo Pingsha and Ling Hai followed closely behind. The four of them were brought to the guest room to rest for the time being.
Yu Niaoniao only woke up at dawn the next day.
She opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar bed. She immediately sat up and looked around warily.
Xiao Juan walked over with her clothes.
“How do you feel? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?” As soon as Yu Niaoniao saw him, she immediately released a lot.
“I’m fine. Where are we?”
Xiao Juan said, “This is the Deng family.”
Then he roughly explained what had happened last night..