Chapter 2: The Fearless Maid

Just as Qin Yu was preparing to enter and examine the corpse, a voice filled with resentment rang out.

"So, the people from the Supreme Court have arrived, have they? Good! You must get to the bottom of this today. Otherwise, even if the Prince doesn't deal with you, I certainly won't let you off!"

Qin Yu followed the voice and saw a middle-aged woman approaching quickly. She was dressed in luxurious attire, possessed a sturdy build, and while not exactly beautiful, she was refined. Fine lines were visible around her eyes and on her neck. Behind her followed eight maidservants, each as robust as a man, with fierce, piercing gazes and weapons in hand; one look was enough to tell they were not to be trifled with.

Qin Yu hurriedly bowed in salute. "Greetings, Your Highness the Princess Consort."

This Princess Consort was no simple character. When Emperor Qianwu first rose to power, she had married Prince Su. She had followed the Prince through over a decade of battles in the south and north. Though she hadn't earned legendary military honors, she was a formidable woman who could ride a horse and lead troops into the fray, yet return home to manage the household and raise their children. Her brother currently held a high-ranking position, commanding three hundred thousand elite troops guarding the border. Among all the women in the Great Qian Empire, her influence was second only to the Empress; even Emperor Qianwu had to show her some respect. This was because the two sons she bore for Prince Su had both died on the battlefield, and she had once saved the Empress's life during a moment of grave danger.

Qin Yu felt a sense of dread deep inside. He suspected the culprit was the Princess Consort herself. If he couldn't solve the case, the Prince and Princess would kill him. If he did solve it and pointed to the Princess, she would surely kill him as well. This was a hopeless deadlock.

"Why are you here?" Prince Su asked, his face darkening with anger.

"You suspect that I was the one who killed this little slut, don't you? Well, I’ve come to see if you really intend to pin this crime on me!" the Princess Consort said coldly.

"Hmph!" Prince Su let out a cold snort, neither admitting nor denying it. He glared at Qin Yu and barked, "What are you standing there for?"

"I shall begin immediately, Your Highness."

Qin Yu bowed slightly and hurried into the morgue. The woman lay on a wooden board; she was quite pretty, with her lower abdomen slightly distended. She was still wearing the same clothes as before, clearly showing that the Prince had no intention of burying her yet.

"Time-reverse this person," Qin Yu commanded the system silently.

The next moment, something like a film reel appeared in his mind, rapidly playing back the events surrounding the deceased over the past twenty-four hours.

One hour. Two hours. Three hours...

As the timeline progressed, the scene remained unchanged. The deceased lay on the wooden board, just as she had for twelve hours.

Qin Yu sighed inwardly. This useless system was truly of no help. Just as he was about to give up, the scene suddenly shifted. A maidservant entered, closed the door, and pulled out a long needle, stabbing the deceased's stomach repeatedly. She kept cursing the woman, calling her a "slut," stabbing her over a dozen times before seemingly satisfied. She then tidied her appearance and left.

Qin Yu’s heart skipped a beat. How deep must the hatred be to commit such an act of desecrating a corpse? The breakthrough in the case surely lay with this maid.

Qin Yu did not show any change in his expression. On the surface, he appeared to be deep in thought while looking at the corpse, but in secret, he was watching the time-reversed video at tenfold speed.

Seeing him stare at the corpse for a long time without a word, Prince Su grew impatient. He brandished his tiger-head saber and said coldly, "Is this how you conduct an investigation? Can you see anything just by staring at a corpse? If you lack the ability to investigate, speak up! I’ll send you on your way and have the Ministry of Justice take over!"

The Princess Consort also watched Qin Yu coldly but remained silent. Just then, Qin Yu finished watching the video.

"I have a lead."

"Speak!" Prince Su’s eyes lit up as he shouted. The Princess Consort stepped a few paces closer.

Qin Yu pointed to the corpse and said, "Earlier, the female official examined the body. The case records state there were no signs of injury from any sharp weapons, and the clothing showed no damage. When I re-examined the body the day before yesterday, I didn't find anything either..."

"Get to the point!" Prince Su frowned, clearly impatient.

"Yes, Your Highness. I just carefully observed the body and found over a dozen tiny, hard-to-spot needle holes on the clothing over her abdomen. I suspect someone may have abused the corpse, and it is possible that this person is the murderer."

"Abusing the corpse?" Prince Su was slightly taken aback, then bellowed, "Pass my orders to seal the estate! From this moment on, not even a fly is to leave! Find out who has been to the morgue in the last three days!"

After saying this, Prince Su looked at Qin Yu and the others. "All of you, get out! I want to examine the body myself to see if someone really did desecrate it!"

Qin Yu and the Supreme Court officials exited the room, but the Princess Consort remained, closing the door behind her with a creak.

The entire estate was now in chaos. Guards began searching for anyone who had visited the morgue. Qin Yu also searched the area, but he did not see the maidservant.

A moment later, *bang!* The morgue door was kicked open by Prince Su. His face was ghastly, and his hawk-like eyes flickered with a piercing, murderous intent.

"Your deduction was correct. There are wounds on the abdomen, clearly from needle stabs, targeting the fetus. Don't let me find out who did this!"

As he spoke, Prince Su subconsciously glanced at the Princess Consort. She reacted with a complex look of disappointment and anger.

"So you really were suspecting me! After all these years I've spent by your side, you don't trust me at all. I must have been blind! If you can prove it was me, I will end my own life right here! But if it turns out to be someone else, you had better think carefully about how you will make it up to me!"

Prince Su’s face changed, but he remained silent, which only deepened the disappointment in the Princess Consort’s eyes, her rims reddening.

Qin Yu kept his head down, remaining silent. It was best to stay out of such matters. At that moment, several guards brought over a maidservant—the very same woman Qin Yu had seen in the vision.

"Reporting to the Prince, according to the gatekeeper of the morgue, in the last three days, other than the people from the Supreme Court, only she has been here," a guard reported while cupping his hands.

*Swish!* Prince Su drew his long saber and pressed it against the maid’s neck. "Was it you who used the needle to abuse her corpse?"

Qin Yu expected the maid to offer some excuse, but to his surprise, she nodded quite readily.

"That's right."

Hearing this, Prince Su’s eyes turned bloodshot. He gritted his teeth and growled, "Why?"

"Because she was a lowly slut who dared to carry the Prince's child! It’s that simple!" The maid didn't show the slightest fear, lifting her chin as she spoke.

Prince Su trembled with rage. "Does that mean you were the one who killed her, too?"

"That's right!"

"Why?"

"Your Highness, didn't I just tell you? Because she was a lowly slut, she had no right to bear your child!"

"Tell me! Was someone behind this? Who ordered you to do this?"

"That's right!"

"Who?!"

"Heh... Your Highness, do you really think I would tell you? Since I dared to commit such an act, I was prepared to die. Do whatever you want with me!" the maid said coldly.

Prince Su roared in fury and glared fiercely at Qin Yu.

"What are you still standing there for? Investigate!"