Forensic Imperial Concubine by Erika Black

With a lollipop propped in her mouth, Harper Chu opened her toolbox skillfully and said to her

colleague, Diego Guo, "This one is

going to be a bit difficult. I am still trying to figure out the best way to cut it open for further

examination."

"Harper, you are a forensic expert. Can't you behave more professionally by avoiding eating anything

while examining the

corpse?" Diego Guo requested and continued to look at Harper Chu expectantly. This was something

he had always wanted to

say.

Harper Chu was a very beautiful woman. But in spite of her beauty, she was still single at the age of

twenty-eight. Men were

pulled towards her instantly when they saw her. However, all of them fled away when they became

aware of her passion for

dissecting corpses.

"Diego, don't you know that sweet sugar is good for activating brain cells? I believe it helps me in doing

my work more

proficiently. In fact, I think you should try one," Harper Chu suggested and rummaged through her bag

to find a lollipop for Diego

Guo. With a cute smile, she handed it over to him.

When he saw that, Diego Guo's face darkened. "No! Forget this and let us get back to work. I heard

this corpse belonged to a

high-ranking official. It's said that he has managed to gain a lot of confidential information. Considering

all this, it seems obvious

that his murder was committed so as to stop him from leaking that information. I don't understand what

our leader was thinking.

Why did he send us here to examine this corpse? I am pretty sure he knew this was a dangerous job..."

"Stop talking!" Harper Chu interrupted him. Quickly, she ripped off the dead man's belly and found a

key in his stomach. "See!

Here is a key."

"What key?" Diego Guo asked curiously and leaned forward to get a closer look.

Harper Chu cleaned the key, looked at it carefully and said, "It's a key to some bank custody. The victim

must have swallowed

the key before being attacked."

"I heard that his house was turned upside down. Could it be that the murderer was looking for this

key?" Diego Guo asked,

sinking deep in thoughts.

"Diego, you should immediately inform our leader about this discovery. But make sure nobody else gets

to know anything about

this," warned Harper Chu, grinding her teeth.

"Okay." Diego Guo immediately turned around and went away, leaving Harper Chu alone with the key

and corpse. In his

absence, she continued the examination as if nothing had happened. Just when she was about to sew

the corpse, a cold gun

was pointed toward her head.

"Give it to me," a familiar voice said, trying to stop her from what she was doing.

"What? Why does it sound like you are involved in this matter, Diego?" asked Harper Chu. She had

instantly recognized that this

voice belonged to her college Diego Guo.

"Harper, I don't want to kill you. Make it easy for me by giving me the key." Diego Guo's hand, which

was holding the gun, began

to tremble. "I am dead serious. If you hand over the key to me, you will be safe. We can go around

pretending as if nothing has

happened..."

Before Diego Guo could finish his words, Harper Chu moved. She used her scalpel to cut his wrist and

knocked off the gun in his

hand. But before she could yell out for help, she felt a sharp pain course through her chest. Blood

began to ooze out of her body,

slowly turning her white uniform into red.

"You promised me you wouldn't kill her!" Diego Guo shouted at the guard who was shooting at Harper

Chu with rage. He

grabbed her limp body before she fell to the floor. She felt a chill creep over her. Then she closed her

eyes and could no longer

hear what her colleague was trying to say.

When Harper Chu opened her eyes again, she saw a ruthless executioner holding a machete. The

scene happening before her

was akin to that of ancient times where a prisoner's head was about to be chopped. Realizing she was

about to be beheaded,

she panicked and was about to struggle. However, her neck was sore and her head was about to

explode. Numerous memories

rushed into her mind and she almost passed out once again.

At a distance, not far away from her, her sister began to let out a cry. She screamed, "Harper, don't

leave us..."

Now Harper Chu carefully and slowly recalled her current situation. She came to realize she had

traveled the time and space.

Her identity was completely changed. Instead of the modern-day forensic expert, she was a daughter

of the head of Chu Clan

from the Bright Dynasty in ancient times. Moreover, she got into trouble while delivering a baby for the

concubine of Maxwell

Jiang, a general. She was framed and slandered for having killed the unborn son of the general.

And her sister, who was desperately crying in front of her, was one of the accomplices who had set her

up.

Maxwell Jiang was furious. The emperor had intended to kill her to soothe his anger. Meanwhile, the

Chu Clan had abandoned

her. And her sister had come here to witness this cold-blooded execution with her own eyes.

"It's noon! Execute the death sentence now!" On the stage, Matthew Jun, the younger brother of the

emperor, gave out the order. He was the officer in charge of the execution. The executioner held up his

machete. Seeing the crisis, Harper Chu cried out immediately. "I'm being wronged... Your Highness,

General Maxwell's concubine didn't get pregnant. It isn't my fault!" Matthew Jun was dressed in a black

robe with dragon tattoos, and his hair was tied up with white jade. He had an imposing

appearance. Besides, he had a well cut and muscular face. His cold and black eyes were as sharp as

the blade, even though he

was an idle and inoffensive prince.

An intriguing smile crept onto his face when he looked at the woman kneeling before him.

Only a while ago she had desperately sought for death. It both puzzled and amused him to watch her

defend herself. 'Did she

just change her mind when she saw the machete hung on her neck?'

"Harper Chu, the imperial edict has been issued, and it's impossible to disobey His Majesty's order. You

are saying that you are

innocent. But is there anyone who can prove it?"

"I can prove it! Your Highness, I have evidence!" Harper Chu turned to look at Matthew Jun. "Your

Highness, I'm willing to pledge

with my whole clan that General Maxwell's concubine deceived me. She pretended to be pregnant and

framed me because she

was afraid that I would expose her secret. Please give me a chance to see General Maxwell and clear

my name. If I can't prove

my innocence, I'm willing to implicate my whole clan."

'She is willing to put her clansmen in such a crisis to prove her innocence. I have heard that the Chu

Clan has abandoned her. I

never expected she would be ruthless enough to drag her whole clan into the matter. She is a

determined woman. If it was

someone else, they would be afraid of hurting their clansmen. But she has the audacity to ask the

entire Chu Clan to die along

with her. Her character is quite interesting!'

Matthew Jun thought. He realized he had to make a quick decision since the machete was close to her

neck.

Outside the execution platform, people were waiting to see the death of Harper Chu to pacify their

beloved general.

Her sister was desperately waiting for her death. Deep down, she was thrilled to take over Harper

Chu's resources in the clan.

In short, everyone wanted her dead.

'Even if Prince Matthew wants to help me, I don't think he can change the situation, ' Harper Chu

thought desperately.

But seeing the despair and determination on Harper Chu's face, Matthew Jun said, "In that case, I'll

give you a chance..."

"Your Highness! The imperial edict has been issued," an official standing beside reminded him.

Matthew Jun raised his hand to stop the official from continuing. "As for His Majesty, I can explain

things to him in person. I'd like

to see whether the Chu Clan will be ruined if Harper Chu doesn't have any evidence."

Harper Chu gratefully looked at him and said, "Your Highness, thank you."

Matthew Jun didn't respond to her appreciation. Instead, he coldly replied, "If you can't prove your

innocence, you will be brought

back into this same situation. Don't go around thinking you can escape."

Although Harper Chu got a glimmer of hope, she knew her life was still not safe. Watching the turn of

events, her sister, Felicia

Chu, became furious. With gritted teeth, she asked, "Harper, how can you gamble on the lives of our

whole clan?"

"Felicia, don't you believe that I am innocent?" Harper Chu looked at Felicia Chu with her sparkling

eyes. The latter nodded with

clenched teeth.

"Of course, I certainly believe you didn't plan on killing General Maxwell's child. However, it was very

selfish and cruel of you to

implicate our clan into your crisis!"

"Can't I be selfish to save myself?" Harper Chu retorted back, flashing a vicious smile.