She mistakenly got into the bridal sedan chair and married a sickly but powerful minister, becoming

Chapter 372 Murderer

The Imperial Guard's words were like a thunderclap exploding over the head of the Northern Qi Emperor.

At the beginning of the new year, the Emperor of Northern Qi heard this news. His face immediately darkened, and he said sternly, "Come in and report."

Liu Gonggong, who had been dozing off while squatting on the footrest, was also startled awake. He quickly got up, holding onto the bedpost, and fetched the crown and robes for the Northern Qi Emperor to wear.

When the Northern Qi emperor came out of the side hall, he saw the commander of the imperial guards standing tall and straight in the center of the hall.

As he walked towards the dragon throne, he suppressed his anger: "The Lin family members are afraid of death, how could they possibly hang themselves? Have you looked into the specifics? What exactly happened?"

The commander of the Imperial Guards reported, "Your Majesty, I have inquired with the jailers. Since the Lin family was imprisoned, they have been protesting their innocence and requesting to see Consort Shu and Prince Xian."

"Yesterday, I didn't think about seeing the Empress and the Prince. They ate all the food that was sent at noon and at night. I would like to ask the jailer to be lenient and send a plate of dumplings to their family today, the New Year's Day."

"Old Madam Lin said that every year at the beginning of the year, the whole family would sit together and eat a plate of dumplings."

"The jailers dared not grant their request. Although Madam Lin was disappointed, she did not show any other unusual behavior."

"The Lin family seemed perfectly normal until the change of guards, and they had even gone to bed. But when the guards returned and began their inspection, they discovered that the entire Lin family had hanged themselves."

Upon hearing this news, the Minister of Justice rushed into the palace to report it. He met the Minister of Justice at the palace gate and they went together to the imperial prison to investigate.

Even now, recalling that scene still leaves me feeling deeply moved.

The Lin family, consisting of thirty-eight people, were imprisoned in four adjacent cells, their names neatly hung on the cell doors.

They took off their outer robes and used them as ropes to hang themselves.

The coroner examined them and determined that they had all died of suffocation, ruling out murder.

The Ministry of Justice officials found no other traces in the prison cell and basically accepted the coroner's conclusion.

The commander of the Imperial Guard continued, "The coroner said it was suicide."

The Emperor of Northern Qi roared in fury, "I do not believe that the Lin family would commit suicide out of fear of punishment. You are all incompetent fools; you can't even find out how the Lin family died!"

The commander of the Imperial Guards knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

"Investigate! Continue investigating until the murderer is found!" The Northern Qi Emperor said sternly. "If you can't find the culprit, you don't need to be on duty anymore."

The commander of the Imperial Guards replied solemnly, "Your humble servant obeys."

After the commander of the Imperial Guards left, the Northern Qi emperor issued several orders, commanding Eunuch Liu to invite the heads of the Three Judicial Offices to the palace.

In addition, he specially sent someone to the national temple to invite the imperial tutor back to the capital.

The Lin family died a violent death, and even the coroner couldn't find a single clue, concluding that they committed suicide.

If he hadn't known the Lin family's character, he would have truly believed they committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

The Northern Qi emperor vaguely felt that the Lin family's extermination was not so much a revenge attack by enemies, but more like a warning and a demonstration.

The more he thought about it, the more restless he became.

This force is too powerful; it comes without a trace and goes without a trace.

The heavily guarded prison was practically useless to them.

People often feel particularly panicked when things are beyond their understanding and control.

The emperor of Northern Qi felt the same way; this fear was like an invisible knife hanging over his head, as if it could strike him at any moment.

He was restless and sent more people to investigate.

-

At the same time, news spread that the Lin family had been brutally murdered in the imperial prison, shocking the court and plunging officials into panic.

People from the Prince Xian's faction, in particular, speculated that Consort Shu and her son had offended someone, which led to the Lin family being retaliated against.

The thought of this possibility made them feel like their heads were hanging by a thread, fearing they would be next.

Suddenly, everyone is in danger.

When the Prince Xian heard the bad news, he was so frightened that he turned pale and went to find Consort Shu in a panic.