Chapter 84: The murderer is also very familiar with this place.

——————

Judging from Yan Siqing's judgment of Wei Tingzhong, he is a refined and polite man who will not just focus on his duties and force his way in. Now that there is some noise downstairs, he will inform Xiaoyun and others who live here, and then let Xiaoyun notify him to get dressed, etc.

But, he must have seen the person.

Not only must the person be there, but he or she must also be safe.

Yan Siqing had only been in contact with him for a short period of time, yet he made such a judgment, not to mention Jiang Hui, who had known him since childhood.

The two exchanged glances - if Jiang Hui was in the house, Wei Tingzhong might not notice him.

But if he were to go out, unless he was a Daluo immortal who could turn invisible or escape underground in an instant, otherwise...

Xiaoyun had no idea Jiang Hui was here. Jiang Hui knew his place, and wouldn't act rashly just because he was on the same side as everyone else. Letting people know he was here late at night might be believable now, but what about the future? Or maybe he'd accidentally let it slip through his words or actions.

He himself didn't care, but it was really bad for her.

Yan Siqing usually doesn't like staying up late at night, and she doesn't want her subordinates, who are tired after a day, to revolve around her. Most importantly, she has her own private matters and doesn't want others to serve her for everything.

So Xiaoyun didn’t know.

She is downstairs.

She was also aware of the commotion outside and didn't mind these people coming to protect her immediately, but she was still cautious and told them she would go upstairs first...

Xiaoyun's footsteps were already coming towards the stairs.

Jiang Hui had only one choice - to hide.

Where to hide?

The moment their eyes met, Jiang Hui felt helpless and guilty.

Naturally, the blame was put on him coming tonight.

An accident is an accident, and he is primarily responsible, so there is no other way to shirk responsibility.

Yan Siqing was not the type to hold herself accountable, and her visit tonight was something she tacitly approved and felt was necessary.

Her situation in Chang'an originally relied on the relationship between Prince Yan's Mansion and the emperor, there was no doubt about that, so whether it was for the benefit of her family and country, or for the safety of her mother and daughter, she hoped that the people in front of her would be safe.

Accidents come, troubles come, just deal with them.

Then, both of them came up with a solution to the problem.

For example, Yan Siqing pointed his finger under the bed where he had been lying not long ago.

At the same time, Jiang Hui looked at the wardrobe.

Um?

Um.....

This is the first time we are so out of sync.

Yan Siqing was stunned for a moment, with a slightly strange look on her face, while Jiang Hui was stunned for a moment, then his face was fine. As if he hadn't seen anything, he quietly and carefully opened the wardrobe and hid inside. But when he passed by her, in the candlelight, his little ears were very red.

Yan Siqing saw it but pretended not to see it. After the wardrobe was closed, she turned her face away and bit her lower lip lightly with her teeth, leaving a red mark and her cheeks also turned slightly red.

——————

Xiaoyun didn't know what was going on, so she went upstairs and lit the candle. They knew it downstairs, so she went upstairs and opened the door, and saw that Yan Siqing had indeed gotten up.

He asked a few questions and mentioned what had just happened.

"I heard it. I just woke up. Is it about the royal women? Send someone to ask His Highness what they want."

"Yes, we have sent someone over, but Lord Wei and Jian Shaoqing are downstairs and are worried that thieves may break in..."

Yan Siqing responded with a few words, and soon Wei Tingzhong was about to go upstairs, followed by Jian Wuliang who hesitated for a while and was about to follow him up.

"Jian Wuliang." "Hey, Lord Wei."

"You, are not allowed to go up."

"?"

Jian Wuliang was worried that Wei Tingzhong might not be able to say anything to you with the authority delegated by the emperor.

The Suzaku Envoy does not hold real power.

Maybe it was just a temporary use to stabilize Prince Yan's Mansion. Once Jiang Hui was sent away, we would know the emperor's true intention.

Jian Wuliang was a little worried, so he followed.

So... is there something fishy going on? Could it be that His Majesty is behind this?

The royal family's fathers, sons and brothers were fighting with all kinds of methods, and they basically took advantage of Yan Siqing and her daughter to plot against them. Jian Wuliang became subconsciously suspicious.

"General Wei, I am the Junior Minister of the Supreme Court. His Majesty has also ordered the management of local security. Especially since the Magnolia Festival is implicated in a previous major case, it would be inappropriate for me to ignore it."

Wei Tingzhong saw through the young man's plan at a glance, and he had already started walking up the stairs.

"Lord Jian and General Zhou are two of the Empire's greatest talents. One is the master of the art of self-preservation, while the other obeys Your Majesty's orders. Lord Zhou still holds his own, but why has Lord Jian changed his ways?"

Too straightforward?

Don’t the adults in our family have any shame?

Li Yu and other disciples of the Dali Temple looked embarrassed.

But Jian Wuliang is shameless.

"We can take a different route, but the goal is the same. Besides, Lord Wei is the most trusted and trusted minister of His Majesty. What's wrong with following you?"

"I am a eunuch, are you?"

The Grand Commander's voice was soft and gentle. He didn't even turn his head, only showing his tall and slender back.

“.....”

Jian Wuliang, who had just stepped onto a step, froze.

The group of people below were ashamed.

Who can keep up with this?

But what the governor said is not wrong.

It was the dead of night, and even if he wanted to confirm the details, it was impossible to break into Yan Siqing's boudoir.

She is not an ordinary woman, so how can you investigate her?

Jian Wuliang didn't mean that, but General Wei Tingzhong had heard it, so he had no way to explain and could only stand there with a dark face.

What Wei Tingzhong said fell into the ears of Yan Siqing and Jiang Hui, meaning that he was a eunuch, and entering the room to investigate would not harm her reputation.

Therefore, it was difficult for Yan Siqing to refuse.

——————

Yan Siqing opened the door and saw that only Wei Tingzhong was standing outside, while his other followers were standing in the corner of the corridor outside.

Guard the surroundings.

Even so, those were eunuchs.

Wei Tingzhong didn't let them come over either.

Yan Siqing lowered his eyes slightly and asked about the scream just now.

"We've sent someone to investigate. They're close to where Lord Yan is, so let's make sure they're safe first."

Logically speaking, the most important thing is to comfort the members of the royal family, from princes, crown princes, princesses and so on down to the ministers.

This is what department heads like Wei Tingzhong and Jian Wuliang should do.

But, special times.

On Magnolia Day, during the day there was also the "important case" started by Yan Siqing and Jiang Hui, with rebellions and border wars happening all the time.

The return of Boomerang makes Wei Tingzhong's words and actions seem logical.

They are all old foxes.

Yan Siqing remained calm, "Master Wei, you are so thoughtful. Please come in."

She took the initiative to invite.

Wei Tingzhong's eyes swept over the robe draped over the other person's nightgown.

The waist tie also has a Loulan jade buckle with a long history.

The inside is warm white and the outside is bamboo green. The texture is dark, but it is low-key and elegant, with a sense of ancient charm.

The materials are top-notch, and the people are top-notch too.

As a eunuch who had seen all the nobles and upper-class people inside and outside the palace, he had to admit that power and money were one thing, but appearance, temperament and taste were another.

Lord Yan seems like the kind of good man that could only be nurtured by the grand and majestic atmosphere of the empire.

Wei Tingzhong's expression was too obvious.

Full of appreciation.

Yan Siqing was an extremely delicate person like him. He noticed the connotation of the other party's eyes and felt subtle in his heart. He thought to himself that this great commander-in-chief was also a person who cultivated both inside and outside.

Exquisite and flawless.

But it's also dangerous.

"Lord Wei, are you worried about me, the hidden assassin?"

Wei Tingzhong looked at her and said, "It's dormant, not hiding."

"It can't be that you, Lord Yan, are protecting him from hiding."

Yan Siqing: "It's possible."

Oh.

The two were chatting and laughing, but Wei Tingzhong's eyes had already swept over the bed, wardrobe and other places one by one. He walked towards the wardrobe first.

....

There was light from the candle in the study next door, and I could see the marks on the table and water on the inkstand.

Tick-tick, tick ....

Very subtle sounds and traces.

He shifted his pace.

Walking towards the study, he asked, "Master Yan, are you unable to sleep, lighting a candle so late at night, or is there something you need to write about?"

"I can sleep, but something is wrong."

Yan Siqing walked behind with slow and calm steps.

Wei Tingzhong walked to the table and looked at the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone on it.

His fingers hooked the paper held down by the paperweight.

"There are marks on it, and the handwriting is densely packed. It's obvious that it's already been written. Could it be that Lord Yan has already given the paper to the person he wants to entrust it to?"

"It's so late at night. Only someone Lord Yan trusts very much can let into the house."

Yan Siqing: "What will happen tomorrow morning can only be written tonight."

After she said that, Wei Tingzhong noticed the box next to him, opened it, and saw a few pieces of paper inside.

The writing is very new.

There is a faint scent of ink.

It was obviously meant to be given to someone, but it hasn't been given yet.

Moreover, the message that Yan Siqing, who has now revealed his immense wealth and extraordinary connections, wrote overnight must be about supplies for the border areas, in order to help the prince.

Well, if the person has come, it must have been given.

He raised his eyes and looked at Yan Siqing.

The latter remained silent, leaning against the partition door frame of the study.

Inside the closet, Jiang Hui's fingers touched the paper that Yan Siqing asked him to take out before he came in, and he admired in his heart: How meticulous.

Wei Tingzhong did not go as far as Meng Lang to open the other person's letter to check, and the other party was not a criminal.

So he walked out of the study, lowered his eyes, and looked at the floor and the table...the medicine boxes and other things were neatly arranged.

but.

A bit of fabric was caught under a wardrobe door.

Wei Tingzhong paused for a moment.

Will you take the conversation just now into consideration and be more tolerant?

Or...he walked over.

Yan Siqing was not surprised at all.

How could such a high-ranking official with such experience mess up his duties because of a few words?

Just as she herself never changes her purpose because of what others say or do.

Inside the closet, Jiang Hui had a blank expression on his face, separated by the door.

Yan Siqing didn't react at all, just watched coldly.

With a creak, the cabinet door opened.

There were only clothes inside.

No one.

Xiaoyun was standing at the door. Seeing Wei Tingzhong searching like this, she felt a little dissatisfied. She was about to speak, but Yan Siqing raised his hand to signal her. She stopped talking but was still angry.

Wei Tingzhong looked at the folded underwear inside, frowned slightly, closed the door, and looked towards the wardrobe next to him.

There are two wardrobes in total.

One is unlocked and one is locked.

"What is this?"

Yan Siqing: "Business account books and contracts from various places, as well as copies of case files from this period."

Wei Tingzhong: "Copy?"

Yan Siqing: "I always keep records of everything to avoid any surprises. I always do that."

It’s indeed meticulous.

"Excuse me, Lord Yan."

"Fortunately, I am a eunuch."

Yan Siqing: "Is there any connection?"

Wei Tingzhong raised his eyebrows.

"Lord Yan will comfort me. In your eyes, I am still a man?"

Yan Siqing: "Being a man is not a great honor. Do you have to praise Lord Wei so much?"

"I don't think it's necessary."

Wei Tingzhong laughed.

He glanced at the account books and other things that were indeed not found in the house, and knew that Yan Siqing did have this cautious habit, so he did not touch the other wardrobe and walked towards the door.

"I will go to Qinghuang Courtyard later. Will Lord Yan come with me?"

"Master Wei, please go first."

It's not appropriate for her to dress like this.

Wei Tingzhong calmly agreed and left.

As soon as they left, Xiaoyun seemed to notice something and went outside.

Yan Siqing ignored Xiaoyun and just opened the locked wardrobe.

Inside the wardrobe, Jiang Hui was holding some account books with a few pieces of clothing stacked on top of them, just under his chin and in his arms.

The account books were originally hidden in the box, which was under the clothes.

Just to accommodate him.

It's a mess.

After all, he is such a big living person.

Yan Siqing didn't care much at first, but when she glanced at it, she realized that it was her own underwear.

Jiang Hui looked embarrassed and pointed his finger at the hook above.

"It fell down by itself, don't blame me..."

Feeling aggrieved.

Yan Siqing's head was buzzing. He took a deep breath and let him out.

Jiang Hui came out.

Yan Siqing: "Put the clothes inside." Jiang Hui: "Okay."

Yan Siqing took two steps away without looking at him, "You have to leave. This guy is unpredictable and difficult to deal with."

Jiang Hui: "I know. I guess when he came, he had already sent people everywhere to confirm everyone's movements, not just me, but all the relevant people."

"If something really happens and someone dies, we will be the most likely suspects."

Yan Siqing: "If something really happened, he wouldn't think it was you or me who did it. This is not your or my fault. He came here and was so strict only because His Majesty didn't allow it."

Jiang Hui paused.

Yan Siqing handed the paper over again, unfolded it, and said, "If we get along, in the eyes of the other party, it's more important than the death of a few people."

The more straightforward, the harder it sounds.

She is meticulous, but also cold.

Jiang Hui was silent for a moment and said a few words before leaving.

"Before coming here, I asked Ruoqin to impersonate me. He's a ventriloquist and can imitate my voice."

"Also, His Majesty is not afraid of us getting along, but he doesn't want us, his descendants, to escape his control."

"My father, the King, is still young in his pursuit of power. His Majesty wishes his eldest son to have the best possible marriage and strong support to help him reach the top."

"It has to be Xie."

"After successfully competing for the throne, he became wary of his eldest son's increasing power and influence, and insisted that he cut off his own arm."

"His marriage to my mother was the result of this kind of necessity."

"They say everyone gets what they need, but in reality, they are all trying to save their own lives and futures."

"The emperor's heart is as deep as the sea. He is aloof and cannot bear to see us get what we want. He is like a tiger with wings."

"Although I don't know the reason behind you, but from my understanding of His Majesty, you must be no ordinary person in his eyes."

"Maybe I'm not worthy of you."

He left.

Yan Siqing stayed there silently for a while before changing clothes.

When Xiaoyun came in, she saw her naked back, which was white and delicate, but there was a very shallow red mark on the back.

In fact, it is a light pink, and the flawless and curvy back looks like it has been touched by someone.

It must be a trace of many years.

She was stunned for a moment, then asked with concern: "Has Madam ever injured her back?"

Yan Siqing had his back to her, neither hiding nor concealing anything. He simply said, "I was injured when our family was attacked, but I was young at the time, so I recovered quickly... Why, are there still scars?"

She frowned slightly.

She became an orphan at a very young age, and it was impossible for her other uncles and other relatives to see her back.

My mother is not around.

She didn't like having a maid help her bathe.

Therefore, for many years, she herself could not often see the marks on her back, and not many people saw them.

Maybe there was someone who could do it before.

Later it disappeared.

Yan Siqing's brows were slightly frowned.

"A little bit, not noticeable, can be removed with medicine."

"No need to go."

Yan Siqing turned around, put on his clothes, fastened the belt, and smiled faintly.

"It's better to keep it."

————————

Wei Tingzhong didn't go to the princess at all, but took a shortcut to go to Jiang Hui.

At this time, his subordinates had already tested the sound with Ruoqin inside, but it was not easy to force their way in.

As soon as he arrived, he forced his way through the door.

Inside the door, Jiang Hui, who smelled of medicine, raised his eyebrows and looked at him.

Wei Tingzhong: "Your Highness, something has happened. I am the first one to worry about your situation. I am so glad that you are okay. Let's go and see your aunt and others together?"

The subordinates of the Shen Ce Army and others lowered their heads.

Jiang Hui: “….”

This old fox has so many tricks up his sleeve, why doesn't he help those ladies catch the cheating men?

——————

Yan Siqing arrived at Qinghuang Courtyard, paused for a moment to look at the plaque on the door, and then looked inside. Xie Juanshu and other female relatives were already there.

The female guards stopped the princes' minions and did not let them in.

Yan Siqing stepped over the threshold from under the door plaque and went to the big house with the hot spring pool. When the female family members saw her, they all made way. Xie Juanshu breathed a sigh of relief, and Huai Xuan also put on his coat and was comforting his daughter.

The steam blowing in her face made Yan Siqing touch her nose, and then she looked at the steaming hot spring pool and... the objects placed on the table.

There is cloth underneath.

A bead on top.

Eyeball.

Yan Siqing stepped forward, took a silent look, and listened to Huai Xuan's narration of the previous incident.

In fact, it is very common and there is nothing unusual. It seems like this thing appeared out of thin air.

The little princess was frightened like this.

In fact, no matter who you are, you will be scared to death if you encounter it.

Including Yan Siqing himself.

She used tweezers to check the bloodshot on her eyeballs and turned back: "Can you let the little princess go down?"

At this time, the little princess became tough instead, "No, I won't go down, I was just scared just now, I won't be weak... If you have anything to say, just say it."

"I'm not a coward!"

Yan Siqing: "The eyeball was hooked out while the person was still alive."

Then, a group of palace maids shouted - because the little princess fainted.

Huai Xuan: “…”

"That's good. I don't need to coax her anymore. She can sleep well."

"Come here, take him away."

She is also my biological mother.

I am also concerned about my only daughter's sleep.

Xie Juanshu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but she was still worried. She approached Yan Siqing and whispered, "We just counted the number of people on the female side, and basically nothing happened. As for the men's quarters, we have to wait for Masters Wei and Jiang to call out the names."

"I, Xie, have entrusted the investigation to Lord Yan. I will investigate in any way you say."

Whose eye was hooked?

And if they were hooked out alive, what about that person? In this heavily guarded hot spring resort, how could someone be silently controlled and have their eyes hooked out?

Xie Juanshu felt terrified, but it was difficult for him to make any other assumptions. He trusted Yan Siqing and directly stated that he would give up his power.

Huai Xuan looked at them and raised his eyebrows, "I can only trust Lord Yan."

"......" Yan Siqing really wanted to say that he still had a pile of account books to look at.

She walked towards the hot spring pool and looked around. Just then, Wei Jian and others arrived.

Jiang Hui didn't come in.

He is outside.

Looking inside through the gap in the atrium, you can see Yan Siqing standing by the pool.

When she was working seriously, she would not pay attention to others, but only look at the warm and steaming pool.

Wei Tingzhong: "No one is wrong, everyone is here, even the servants have counted the number of people, no one is in trouble."

"How strange! These eyes belong to an outsider?"

The defense here is very strong, and it is extremely difficult for outsiders to enter or exit. Basically, everyone here is registered and has a name.

Who lost his eyeballs?

——————

Soon, Yan Siqing and the other two looked towards the water outlet of the pool.

Xie Juanshu said, "The spring water is brought down from the mountain. There are guards at the source, and there are patrols today. My Xie family has also specially strengthened the defense by two shifts today. If we say we attack from above, it would be difficult to divert the eyeball from the spring to here, but I have also arranged for people to go up and re-inspect."

"Do you want to drain the water and see the hole below?"

Some indoor hot spring pools are built around natural pools, while others are diverted to artificially constructed pools. Artificially constructed pools have design drawings to facilitate water diversion and discharge, and also have separate waterways. They are very convenient and luxurious, and consume huge amounts of materials and labor.

But when the Xie family was at its peak, the hot spring villa had long been famous. Among the huge villa complex, many had such hot spring pool designs, but the pool on the mountain was more natural.

But our ancestors never thought that eyeballs would be soaked in water.

All three of them acquiesced in letting it go.

After the water was drained, the hole below was exposed. The size of the hole was about the size of a Cuju ball, but it was not difficult for water to flow into an eyeball.

Wei Tingzhong: "Perhaps we can use this eyeball to determine when it was removed?"

Jian Wuliang: "No, I can only confirm that it was scratched when he was alive, and it became engorged with blood."

The people who went to the hot spring mountain to investigate have also returned. Everyone present reported to Xie Juanshu, which was equivalent to reporting to everyone.

"We've been keeping watch up there. There's nothing unusual. The spring is intact, and the guards are all normal, working in three shifts."

Xie Juanshu was very thorough in his work and had not made any mistakes. If he had asked someone to plot against the hot spring villa, then the eyeball must have come from somewhere along the way.

The hot spring mountain is not small. On rainy days and late at night, there are not many people soaking in the hot springs. It is unknown what kind of hidden grudges have broken out where the springs flow, where the patrol team has not noticed.

But this is really an unsolved case. We need to thoroughly investigate the entire mountain. Now that it is raining, what traces can be left?

Everyone suddenly felt depressed.

Yan Siqing's expression was very heavy, and he kept looking at the water inlet thoughtfully.

Wei Tingzhong also watched, and after a while, he said, "Is there a problem with the water output?"

"No, it's a problem with the amount of water entering..."

The opening of the hot spring pool is designed based on the calculation of water inflow and outflow to avoid overflow during drainage. When the water is just released, the outlet is not blocked.

Yan Siqing vaguely felt that the amount of water it took in was not right.

Jian Wuliang observed it and said, "This amount of water is not small, Miss Xie, is that so?"

Xie Juanshu: "It seems about the same."

Yan Siqing: "Normally the amount would probably be this high, but with the rain today, the water volume should have increased significantly. So, the waterway must be blocked now."

block?

What's blocking the waterway?

Jian Wuliang's scalp felt cold for a moment. As someone in his line of work, he really had to think of the worst.

He personally went down to the pool to check the flowing water and had someone block the outlet with a muslin cover.

"If there's something blocking it, some debris might get pushed out, not just eyeballs."

Yan Siqing: "It's not necessarily just in this pond."

Wei Tingzhong was silent for a moment and asked to check all indoor hot spring outlets.

——————

Half an hour later, some cotton covers with the debris filtered out were placed on the table.

At this moment, Prince Ling and others also arrived.

As soon as I stepped in, I saw these fabrics, leaves, petals, and other small pieces. There were not many of them, and they were not very obvious.

But as soon as Prince Ling stepped in, he heard the conversation between them.

Huai Xuan was actually quite courageous and insisted on getting closer. "It's normal to have leaves around. Is this a bug?"

"Bugs are normal, so what about this?"

Jian Wuliang was holding a small piece of something soft, thin, white, and crispy with a pair of tongs.

After watching for a while, Jian Wuliang looked distressed.

No answer.

Xie Siqing frowned but said nothing.

Wei Tingzhong: "Reporting to Her Royal Highness, it is human skin."

There are huge differences between humans and other animals.

With less hair, the skin is smoother and more delicate. Even if the skin of men is rough, it is still much more delicate than that of some animals.

So, he recognized that it was human skin.

Anyone who has killed someone or seen some corpses will recognize that this is human skin.

Jian Wuliang recognized him at first sight, which is why his expression was so grim.

Huai Xuan's body trembled, and he took a step to hide beside Yan Siqing, holding her arm, "Ah, so scary, I was scared~~"

Yan Siqing: “?”

Jiang Hui: “…”

——————

Eyeballs and human skin.

It is likely that the person had been dismembered and the tissue parts blocked the waterway.

Yan Siqing: "Because it's hot spring water, the skin will swell up in a shorter time. But there are some dead insects and ants among these debris. Normally, these small insects can't withstand the heat and will stay away from them. Unless they are attracted by the strong smell of blood and cling to the corpses, they will be thrown into the waterway with them."

Originally, as long as the dead were not among the nobles registered in their books, any murder could be minimized and investigated separately, so as not to interfere with these people and tomorrow's Magnolia Festival.

It's cold and heartless, but that's how the world is.

Ke Yan Siqing and the others all felt that the matter was very serious, because - if the other party could hide the murder and dismemberment from so many guards and avoid being seen by the eyes and ears, then the other party must be no ordinary person.

Since you are not an ordinary person.

Either the person killed was not an ordinary person, or the purpose of killing was not ordinary.

An extraordinary person?

The ones who died were not the nobles here. Compared to them, who else could be extraordinary?

Jian Wuliang: "So throwing the body into the waterway is the purpose?"

No matter what, we have to find out where the blockage is first.

Dig out these body parts.

Prince Ling had already been frightened by this matter.

"How disgusting! I don't want to stay here any longer. I'm leaving immediately. You guys can handle your own investigations."

He turned around and was about to leave the hot spring villa overnight.

Yan Siqing: "Maybe not."

What?

Prince Ling turned around with an unfriendly look, and the other princes and royal brothers who saw this and wanted to leave together also stared at her.

"Yan Siqing, you don't think that just because you are the Suzaku Envoy, you have the right to bypass us princes and prevent us from leaving."

One of the little princes, about eleven or twelve years old, had a bad look on his face and was hostile from the moment he spoke, but he quickly backed down.

Because Jiang Hui walked behind him.

Just right next to each other.

Yan Siqing was not angry, but just said: "This human skin is square, it must have been cut."

"The skin was torn completely, leaving no flesh behind."

"It wasn't a natural process of decay and dissolution. The killer deliberately did it. He caught someone on a rainy day, hooked their eyeballs out alive, and then methodically cut the skin off. He then threw it into the waterway along with the body parts and eyeballs."

"The hot spring waterway cannot be exposed. It is sealed. They knew the location of the waterway and carelessly opened the seal and threw it down."

“That was intentional.”

"Then, the outbreak of tonight's incident, its consequences, and even our current investigation were all within the other party's predictions."

"Your departure may also be the other party's goal."

The little prince was choked and muttered, "What kind of beast is so bold? Is he plotting against us princes?"

Jiang Hui said nothing, frowning in thought.

Prince Ling: "Then we are forced to stay here. Could this also be the other party's purpose? Lord Yan, are you sure you can take responsibility?"

Prince Lie cried and touched the fat on his face. "A lazy prince like us is worthy of being plotted against. Why do I feel like they are targeting someone?"

Many people subconsciously looked at Jiang Hui.

Jiang Hui raised an eyebrow and said, "Look at me for what? Not to mention that we don't know who died now, even if it was one of your uncles, for the sake of border stability and for the will of Your Majesty, I have to rush to the front line and come back to mourn after the battle is over."

This stinky mouth!

I'm so annoyed with him!

No matter what, what Yan Siqing said makes sense. Things are hidden and undecided, so it is best not to make a decision too early.

Wei Tingzhong also found this matter strange and worried that it might involve party disputes.

There are huge hidden dangers whether these people stay or not.

Prince Ling: "What did Lord Yan say? He wants us to stay?"

Yan Siqing: "Your Highness the Twelfth Prince is right. I do not have the authority to interfere with the whereabouts of the royal family."

The little prince: "I....Fourth Brother!"

Prince Lie: "Kid, get out of the way. The Dali Temple..."

Jian Wuliang: "Everything is up to Lord Wei."

Wei Tingzhong: "Prince Lie is the head of the royal family here. What do you think?"

Prince Lie: "I have no real power. I just returned from my fiefdom and don't know the situation. I was frightened by the incident at the White Horse Temple. If we are to talk about sovereignty, it has to be Chi Lin, right?"

Jiang Hui: "Arrest them all."

Everyone: “…”

This person is really sick, very sick.

Jiang Hui: "Why? Arrest them, assign soldiers to protect them, and use one force to break ten methods. If there aren't enough people, then lock them up together. I don't believe that the murderer can do anything to them."

"Why are you looking at me like that? Are you unhappy?"

"Then why are you asking me?"

"Don't ask next time."

A group of uncles and aunts were all very confused.

Yan Siqing was silent for a while and thought to himself: This person said that he has endured it very well, and it may be true.

Look at how he can't stand it at all...

Then look at his close relatives who are so angry that they are standing there in a rage.

If he has been like this since he was a child, then his uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters must have had a very hard time.

——————

"Let's take good care of you all and protect you. We'll check the bodies first."

Yan Siqing glanced at Jian Wuliang, who was stunned for a moment and followed.

Jiang Hui touched his ear, tilted his head and gave instructions to Ruoqin and Ruozhao beside him.

Wei Tingzhong saw it clearly and narrowed his eyes, "I'll trouble you here, Your Highness."

"Please, please protect all the princes, princesses, and royal brothers..."

Jiang Hui really didn't want to take this job. In his opinion, Yan Siqing didn't need to care about it. There were so many dead people in the world. If it really involved big trouble, with her intelligence, she could just avoid it. But she got involved every time. In the final analysis, it was because of her kindness and sense of responsibility.

Otherwise, why would you care about the life or death of these people?

However, after looking at Yan Siqing's departing back, then at Huai Xuan and the others, he rubbed his nose and stepped forward to take care of these people.

He kept calling me a relative by a respectful title, and then locked me up.

Huai Xuan: “…”

But she still cooperated because she had paper in her hand.

It was given to me by the young woman next to Yan Siqing just now.

After returning to his house, Huai Xuan opened the note and his expression changed slightly after reading the paper.

——There are spots on the skin, which may be related to the purpose of the crime. Please pay attention to it. I will ask someone to give you medicine later and look into the details. Don't tell anyone.

Xiaoshan has already received Yan Siqing's instructions to go back and get the relevant medicines first.

Xiaoyun Ruoqin followed Yan Siqing.

——————

When they reached the outer compartment, Yan Siqing turned around and asked Xie Juanshu, who had come with him to take care of the hot spring villa, "Do you have any live poultry or other animals?"

When Jian Wuliang, who was standing behind him, heard this, his expression changed, and Wei Tingzhong's brows suddenly furrowed.

Xie Juanshu was not familiar with this and had not yet reacted, but he also had a bad feeling, "Huh? Yes, there are some in the kitchen."

Yan Siqing used tongs to put the piece of skin into a cup and poured hot water into it.

"Find a young bird, soak it for half an hour, and feed it with water. But it must be kept in a cage and kept separate from other poultry and livestock."

"Wait another half hour. If there's a severe outbreak, observe them. Don't wait for us. Burn them immediately and don't let anyone come into contact."

"Stay hidden and avoid those people."

Who else could those people be?

Once they learn that they may be infected, they will definitely try to escape regardless of any other consequences.

This is the nature of privileged people.

Yan Siqing and Jiang Hui had just exchanged glances before the latter agreed to hold those people down, otherwise he really wouldn't have needed to get involved.

She doesn't need to care.

But she made a discovery.

"Why do you think there's something wrong with that corpse? Could it be infected with a disease? I've looked at the skin, and there aren't any notable features on it. Could it be an eyeball?"

"Or is it because those insects and ants are dead, and you think the corpses are poisonous?"

Jian Wuliang even doubted his ability to investigate the case and was a little overwhelmed.

Yan Siqing pressed his eyebrows, looking very depressed, and said in a low voice: "There is nothing wrong with the skin."

Um?

Xiao Yun Ruoqin, who had just watched Yan Siqing write a note privately, asked: "?"

No, you lied to the princess?

Yan Siqing wiped his fingers with a slightly cold tone.

"That piece of corpse skin is intact, there's nothing wrong with it. Insects and ants can't survive in hot spring water anyway."

“The key is the skill of peeling the skin.”

"Do you know how much skill is required to completely remove the skin and fat? They must be very familiar with the human body, like a butcher cutting up an ox. The remaining fat and flesh will inevitably attract many creatures and insects, and the stench is hard to hide. Even with so many patrols from the Xie family, they didn't notice it. So they must have already set up a relevant site in Wenquan Mountain or Guanzhong City. Even our gathering here today is part of their calculations."

"We knew everyone's whereabouts, determined it would rain today, were able to trap them all in the compound, controlled the Xie family's patrol routes, and completed the deployment. And judging by the way the skinning and soaking were done, we can tell it was all done today. It was all a day's work, but it took a long time to prepare."

"So, going back a bit, you all gathered in Guanzhong City, more than ever before. Is it because of the Snowman Valley case, and so you need to pray and offer sacrifices on Magnolia Day?"

"Then does that mean even the previous case, our investigation results, and His Majesty's instructions were all within their expectations?"

"Would someone like this just kill an unknown individual and dump the body into the hot spring waterway to disgust and scare you all?"

"But this outcome is uncontrollable. For example, Lord Wei hesitated just now, and I hesitated too."

"This is a result that the other party cannot judge."

"Whether the people who have gathered are dispersed or the people who have gathered are trapped here, it both serves the other party's purpose."

"The only thing I can think of is to use some of the diseases that these corpses have contracted to spread them."

"It affects everyone."

"If they disperse, the entire royal family and the ministers' residences will be affected. If they don't disperse, everyone will be trapped here. If the infection gets serious, everyone will be wiped out."

"They can both make the other party feel proud and satisfied."

Yan Siqing spoke in a light voice. After wiping her fingers, her eyebrows drooped slightly, and she looked tired and helpless.

"Regardless of whether this succeeds or not, the other party has already achieved one thing."

What?

Wei Tingzhong's words were silent.

"His Royal Highness can no longer go to the front lines."

Even the worst outcome.

It is inevitable that a great general will die in battle.

Maybe, he really died on the battlefield - died from the disease contracted in the hot spring villa.

So, is the other party using the plague method?

Is the corpse really that powerful? Has the other party really mastered the source of the disease and used the Magnolia Festival as an opportunity to kill all the royal family members and court ministers?

Xie Juanshu was completely paralyzed, her waist limp against the wall. She could almost imagine that the Xie family would suffer a devastating disaster in this incident - the emperor's anger alone was enough to confiscate the family property and exterminate the clan.

She smiled, her eyes a little red.

"I will do it right away. Everything else is up to you gentlemen."

"No matter what the result is, as long as we have done our best, I, the Xie family, will take over."

Her lips moved slightly, not knowing who to ask for help, but also knowing that asking for help would be a burden to the other person, so she didn't say anything, but stood up straight and turned to go back to do her work.

But I heard Yan Siqing add something behind me.

"Don't be too scared. If it's a disease that's incurable, the other party won't be able to control it. If they can, firstly, the poison will take a long time to develop, and secondly, the other party may have an antidote."

"Besides, the other party is among us."

Xie Juanshu turned around, looked at her, thought for a moment, and smiled again, "Actually, even if we think about the worst case scenario, it's not bad to die here with all of you Feng Cai Jue Jia."

Jian Wuliang: "....This is totally unnecessary."

Wei Tingzhong: "...I'm not saying this to you. We're just mentioning it to avoid suspicion."

He looked at Yan Siqing, and then at Xie Juanshu, who was going to die heroically.

Yan Siqing: “….”

——————

As soon as Xie Juanshu left, the three-party investigators took action.

Xie provided the supplies. Fortunately, Jian Wuliang had carried a lot of items with him in order to investigate the case and organize the files. Jian Wuliang was afraid that he would not do his job well and get into trouble, so he was cautious in everything.

I brought enough things.

Xiaoyun muttered, "After all, you can even buy a bunch of big roosters."

Yan Siqing coughed lightly and couldn't help laughing.

Jian Wuliang's face was annoyed, but after looking at it, he was not angry.

Wei Tingzhong suddenly felt that if he had not followed the emperor's orders to guard the area strictly, it would be difficult for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to accomplish anything.

Everything that should be done was done, all the dignitaries were detained, and the inside story was confirmed before taking action.

"We'll find out tonight."

"Whether to release or seal it depends on the body."

——————

The situation was too urgent. It was drizzling in the mountains. Wei Tingzhong and Jian Wuliang still felt that a non-violent person like Yan Siqing did not need to participate in the search. They could just wait for news in a suitable place.

Yan Siqing never showed off his abilities in such matters. Moreover, if such matters really needed to be thoroughly investigated, more people would be enough.

If more people can't do it, it's useless for her to go up the mountain like this.

However, she still offered some advice.

"Previous speculation was that the enemy had staged a murder scene within Guanzhong City. However, whether entering from the official road or the plank road, there were patrol checkpoints and tower sentries at the hot spring area. Whether they were bringing living people or corpses, they would have needed a carriage. Every carriage entering and leaving the city would be subject to security checks and registration. Since there's no record, then the enemy must be a stranger, but one of us..."

"It can be confirmed that the deceased was definitely an outsider and was not brought in. He may have come in on his own."

Come in by yourself?

How to get in?

She also said that the checkpoints are all guarded...

etc!

Wei Tingzhong and Jian Wuliang looked at each other.

——————

Half an hour later, in the rain, a group of people wearing bamboo hats arrived at the cliff at the north side of the spring source at the top of the hot spring mountain.

Most patrol teams won't pass by here because it's impossible for outsiders to come here. Even if they come to patrol, they won't see anyone because there is no road here!

Cliff, who's coming?

Is it a ghost?

but!

Someone did come.

because--

“This is where the slings for the garbage are placed.”

"People responsible for cleaning up the mountain's garbage usually drop the daily garbage from the top of the mountain into a large basket below, and quickly deliver it to the foot of the mountain. Some food supplies can also be brought up via this sling."

"Based on the lifting capacity of the sling, it can probably carry objects weighing around 100 kilograms."

"One person, a thin person, can come up."

Wei Tingzhong looked down coldly at the steep mountain wall and the dim mountain foot below in the rain, his expression grim.

"He is indeed very familiar with this place. The person behind the scenes is no small matter."

Guests who come to Hot Spring Mountain don't care much about this kind of thing, except for a very few who are very thoughtful.

For example, Yan Siqing, she should have been to this hot spring mountain.

For example, the murderer is also very familiar with this place and knows the inside story.

That puts it all together - they all know Xie very well.

Wei Tingzhong was a little confused, but he couldn't think too much about it because he had to start searching based on this place.

If the deceased came up in this way and was not discovered, and was suspected to be carrying a disease, such a weak person was not discovered by the patrol team. It is estimated that he was killed by the person behind the scenes not long after he came up.

The scene must be nearby, and the place where the body was dismembered is also nearby.