Chapter 115 Review, Autopsy Encounters Obstacles

Before Geng Huaiyi could ask any questions, Li Chengxuan patted the official seal on the case file triumphantly and beckoned to Geng Huaiyi with his finger.

"Stop talking nonsense and release him immediately. The Inspectorate wants to re-interrogate him."

Geng Huaiyi swallowed his resentment, took out his waist token, and handed it to Yang Sicheng.

Halfway there, Li Chengxuan intercepted him, saying, "Let me go through the trouble of making the trip. Yang Sicheng is old and frail; by the time we get to the city gate, he'll probably already be on his way."

Yang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, nearly choked on his own blood, but dared not retort to Li Chengxuan. He could only watch silently as Li Chengxuan ran off with the token.

Geng Huaiyi opened the case file and saw the suspicious points of the case written on the first page: On the night of Zhang Da's death, someone heard Zhang Da shouting that he was suffocating and saw Zhang Da pounding his chest and unable to breathe, but he never complained of stomach pain.

He frowned and said, "I have questioned Zhang Da's wife, Wang, in detail. She said that Zhang Da suffered unbearable abdominal pain that night and died before she could go to fetch a doctor."

Zhang Da was usually very healthy and had no illnesses. His neighbors could all testify that they heard him shouting.

Shen Chu said calmly, “Lord Geng has been in the Dali Temple for many years and has rich experience in handling cases. He is also meticulous and cautious. I believe that Lord Geng has naturally questioned the surrounding neighbors carefully.”

But what if neither Wang nor the neighbors are telling the truth?

"Impossible," Geng Huaiyi blurted out. "The coroner's autopsy report also stated that Zhang Da died from a ruptured spleen, which is clearly caused by external injury."

This case is just a simple accidental injury case. Where did you find the witnesses, Mr. Shen?

Shen Chu said, "On the night Zhang Da died, a little beggar happened to sneak into his house, wanting to steal some of the leftover wontons."

Unexpectedly, I witnessed Zhang Da's condition before his death. By sheer coincidence, I found this little beggar.

"How can you believe what a little beggar says?"

Shen Chu stood firm and retorted, "Why can't we believe him? He had no motive to lie. If we can't believe him, why should the adults believe what our neighbor Zhang said?"

Or how could you be certain, sir, that the coroner from the Court of Judicial Review did not make a mistake? Or perhaps he did make the mistake but deliberately deceived you?

Geng Huaiyi's expression changed slightly. "Coroner Qian has served in the Dali Temple for many years and is very experienced. It is impossible for him to make a mistake, let alone deceive me."

Shen Chu chuckled, “If that’s what you say, sir, there’s nothing I can do. But our Censor He of the Censorate has accepted my reasoning and allowed me to review the case.”

From now on, I will take full control of this case.

"Of course, once I have discovered the truth, I will personally come to inform Lord Geng."

"You!" Geng Huaiyi's face turned ashen. "You just want to help your brother get away with his crime, making it sound so high-sounding."

"This is such a simple case of accidental injury; I couldn't possibly have misjudged it."

Shen Chu smiled, “If Your Excellency has made a mistake in this case, I will review all the archived files of the Court of Judicial Review as a special inspector.”

In this way, she could openly enter and exit the Dali Temple without having to apply to Prince Heng to access the case files.

"Heh, quite the boast," Geng Huaiyi sneered. "Young Master Shen, you're speaking too soon. Aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew?"

"It's just a simple accidental injury case. I'd like to see if you can find anything interesting out of it."

"Lord Geng, you'd better open your eyes wide and watch carefully."

Li Chengxuan's voice rang out from outside, and Shen Chu turned and left with the dossier in her hand.

As Geng Huaiyi watched her retreating figure, he murmured, "Could it be that I really made a mistake in my investigation?"

Yang Sicheng said, "My lord, don't listen to his nonsense. He just wants to help Zhou Jun get away with it. Let him do what he wants. If he can't find anything, it will be Chen Chu who will be embarrassed. In fact, it will help you make a name for yourself."

Geng Huaiyi didn't speak, but a strange sense of unease welled up in his heart.

Before leaving the capital, His Highness Prince Heng instructed him to be wary of Shen Chu's patrols. So when Shen Chu came to the Dali Temple in the morning, he became suspicious and didn't listen carefully to what Shen Chu said.

He was confident that with his years of experience in solving cases, he didn't need Shen Chu to interfere at all.

Shen Chu merely used this as an excuse to launch an inspection of the Dali Temple and incidentally help Zhou Jun escape punishment.

But now he suddenly feels a little insecure.

When Shen Chu came out of Dali Temple, she saw Zhou Jun holding Li Chengxuan and crying like a pear blossom in the rain.

"I thought I might die in Yunnan for the rest of my life. I heard that the poisonous insects in Yunnan suck blood and bite people. With my delicate skin, I probably wouldn't survive more than three days before being bitten to death. Waaah..."

Li Chengxuan put his arm around Zhou Jun, patted his back perfunctorily, and looked up at the sky with a very melancholy expression.

The scene was absolutely stunning.

Princess Qinghe, who was originally filled with grief, was also unable to cry anymore. She turned her head and saw Shen Chu coming over, and quickly said, "Thank you, Lord Shen. If it weren't for you, Ajun would have been exiled."

Shen Chu cupped his hands in greeting, “This humble official has done his best, but the case is still unsolved, and Ah Jun will have to remain detained in the Inspectorate for a while longer.”

Princess Qinghe nodded in understanding.

Zhou Jun wiped away his tears, revealing his red and swollen eyes and nose, making him look like a frightened little rabbit.

"With Chengxuan and Brother Shen here, I'm not afraid of being locked up in the Inspectorate, I'm really not afraid... Brother Shen, are there rats and bugs in your Inspectorate's prison?"

Chen Chu... You're not afraid of exile but you're afraid of insects. Isn't your focus a little off?

After sending Zhou Jun back to the Inspectorate, Shen Chu and Li Chengxuan rushed to Zhang Dajia without stopping.

"What? An autopsy?" Zhang Da's wife, Wang, shrieked. "The case is already closed, why do we need an autopsy?"

Shen Chu explained, "There are still some doubts in the case that have not been clarified, so another autopsy is needed."

"My husband has already been buried. You can't possibly dig him up to examine him, can you?"

"Buried?" Li Chengxuan frowned. "Wasn't Zhang Da's body just returned from the Dali Temple? How come it's been buried so soon?"

Wiping away her tears, Wang said, "The weather is getting hotter every day, and we poor people can't afford ice. How can we dare to leave the body at home?"

"Of course, we brought him back and buried him immediately."

Li Chengxuan said, "Although the body has been buried, since there are doubts in the case, a new autopsy is still necessary."

"Are you going to dig my husband out of the house?"

Li Chengxuan said, "We must find out the truth of the matter, otherwise your man will have died a very unjust death."

Wang sat on the ground and wailed, "My dear husband, you died so pitifully. You were already laid to rest, yet people still had to dig you up for an autopsy."

"What are you officials up to? The case is already over, and you still won't let us go. You deserve to be cursed! You've never treated people like this!"

Wang's wailing drew criticism from her neighbors.

"Respect for the dead is paramount. They've already been buried, how can we dig them up for an autopsy?"

"I heard the murderer is a rich young man. They say there are suspicious points, but pshaw, they're probably just trying to get that young man off the hook."

The people were outraged and began to condemn Shen Chu and Li Chengxuan.

Shen Chu and Li Chengxuan exchanged a glance, both feeling that it was a bit tricky.

"Let's retreat first." She winked at Li Chengxuan.

The two left Zhang Dajia and went to Yihuchun Tea House.

Li Chengxuan said with a bitter face, "What if the family members don't allow an autopsy? We can't just dig it up by force, can we?"

Chen Chu drank two glasses of water and said, "I'll go dig tonight."

"Huh?" Li Chengxuan was taken aback. "Digging... digging up graves to examine corpses, isn't that a bad idea? Should we go back and ask Imperial Censor He?"

“What’s wrong with that? The laws of the Great Wei state that if the family members do not agree to an autopsy in a case with doubts, an autopsy can be forced.”

This is called acting first and reporting later. When have you ever seen the Sixth Prince's Flying Eagle Guards arrest someone without first informing His Majesty?

Pei Yuan, who happened to be passing by outside the door, raised an eyebrow slightly.