Chapter 60 Old Case
◎It is his duty to seek the truth◎
Back at the serious crime unit office, Zhao Xiangwan and He Mingyu first washed their faces with cold water, then drank a large enamel pot of mung bean soup. Only then did they feel alive again.
The weather started to get hot in July. I ran outside for almost a whole day and was still quite tired.
The two sat down to rest and found that everyone had not returned yet. Only Ji Zhao was guarding his little world, concentrating on painting.
The location Xu Songling arranged for Ji Zhao was very remote.
The city bureau office building has seven floors in total, with a corridor in the middle and offices on both sides. The Serious Case Unit 1 is the largest office on the east side of the second floor, with windows on the north and south walls, a door in the middle of the west wall, metal cabinets on both sides, a conference table in the middle of the office, and a small movable blackboard against the east wall.
Everyone has a desk. Ji Zhao's desk is located in the southeast corner. There is a low cabinet on the west side. Two pots of vibrant green lotus are placed on the cabinet. The drooping branches block his position tightly. If Ji Zhao does not stand up, outsiders who push the door and enter will not be able to see him at all.
Zhao Xiangwan's desk was facing Ji Zhao's. As soon as she put down the notebook in her hand, Ji Zhao raised her head, smiled brightly, and handed the painting clip in her hand to her.
[You said, the scene is restored.]
The scene is restored? Zhao Xiangwan looked down at the scene in front of him. It was a hot pot restaurant!
Ji Zhao drew the scene of the conflict in the hot pot restaurant last night in the form of a comic strip.
Not to mention the table of the serious crime squad, Xu Songling, Gao Guangqiang, Zhu Feipeng... including Zhao Xiangwan and Ji Zhao himself, everyone's position is clear, and even their clothes, expressions, and movements from yesterday are highly restored.
Fan Hongwei's table was somewhat intriguing.
Fan Hongwei was wearing a gray-black T-shirt and a pair of light gray loose linen pants. He leaned back in his chair, one hand on the table, and the other hand hanging down to his waist. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and the corners of his eyes were slightly blurred. He looked in Ji Zhao's direction intentionally or unintentionally, with a relaxed and casual expression on his face.
Cao Deren was wearing a green shirt with gold flowers. His belly was protruding and the golden belt around his waist almost fell to his thighs. He was holding a beer glass in his left hand, which was seven-tenths full. He was drunk and staggering towards Ji Zhao.
The other three men who looked like gangsters, one was banging the table, one was drinking with his neck tilted back, and the other was pointing chopsticks in Ji Zhao's direction.
Judging from this picture, the time point should be when Cao Deren made a bet to come over and touch Ji Zhao's face.
He Mingyu came over and was attracted by the picture at first sight. She exclaimed "Wow" and pointed at Fan Hongwei's hand on the table and said, "This bastard must be corrupt, wearing such an expensive gold watch!"
After taking a closer look, Zhao Xiangwan's pupils shrank, and he lowered his head to carefully examine the picture. Yes, at first glance, the gold watch on Fan Hongwei's wrist was particularly eye-catching. Even though it was smaller than a fingernail in the picture, thanks to Ji Zhao's hyper-realistic painting method, the gold dial, gold hands, and gold and silver dual-color strap were clearly visible, making people feel that it must be worth a lot of money at first glance.
An idea flashed through his mind, and Zhao Xiangwan said to Ji Zhao: "Have you seen it clearly? Can you make this gold watch bigger?"
Ji Zhao nodded, slowly pulled over another piece of canvas, and began to paint and color.
While waiting, Zhao Xiangwan's eyes flashed with excitement, and he said to He Mingyu: "In the tragic case of the Third Hospital, are there any photos of the lost property?"
He Mingyu's mouth suddenly opened wide, his eyes widened, and he raised his hand in disbelief and pointed at Ji Zhao: "You mean...you mean..."
She remembered that the case file mentioned that Xiong Tao had a watch that he bought in Switzerland when he went abroad. He spent nearly 10,000 yuan on it, which was a very sensational event at the time. Even the police officers in charge of the case were shocked: where did he get so much money?
In the early 1980s, the average monthly salary was less than 100 yuan. Based on a monthly salary of 100 yuan, 30,000 yuan is 8.3 years of salary for one person. Xiong Tao was just the director of a savings bank, where did he get so much money? Although there is this question, when a person dies, no one will investigate the source of the money, whether it is corruption or bribery.
Could it be that Zhao Xiangwan suspected that this gold watch was the one that was robbed from Xiong Tao's house? No way! That would be too bold!
Zhao Xiangwan shook his head: "I'm not sure, let's compare first."
He Mingyu didn't even have time to drink her tea. She hurried to the archives to look through the case files, then ran back with the copied photos and placed them on the table.
Although it was just a detailed picture of a gold watch, it took Ji Zhao a long time to paint it because he used oil painting. When he finished, Zhao Xiangwan took the photo copy and placed it next to the oil painting for comparison.
After a while, Zhao Xiangwan and He Mingyu sighed at the same time: "It's not a watch."
The watch Xiong Tao had should be a Rolex 8385. Each watch has a unique number on its dial. The invoice for the watch was not taken away by the murderer, so it was clearly recorded in the case file. From the photo, Xiong Tao's gold watch has a pure gold strap and the letters ROLEX are clearly visible on the dial.
Zhao Xiangwan had no knowledge of watches, especially brand-name watches of this kind. But even without knowing anything about watches, she could tell that the strap and dial of the gold watch worn by Fan Hongwei and that of Xiong Tao were obviously different.
It's not the same watch. Zhao Xiangwan felt a little disappointed.
He Mingyu comforted her, saying, "It's okay. It's normal that it's not the same watch. After all, no murderer would dare to carry such a conspicuous loot around in public."
At this point, He Mingyu suddenly realized a question and looked at Zhao Xiangwan in surprise: "You, you suspect that Officer Cai was killed by Fan Hongwei?"
Zhao Xiangwan pursed his lips and nodded.
He Mingyu was puzzled: "Why?"
It was just a quick meeting at the hot pot restaurant, it was just because Fan Hongwei and his friends were drunk and flirted with Ji Zhao, and it was just that when investigating Gu Wenjiao today, he learned some things about Fan Hongwei. Why did Zhao Xiangwan suspect that Fan Hongwei was the murderer of this shocking case?
Zhao Xiangwan did not immediately tell He Mingyu what she was thinking. She turned to Ji Zhao and said, "Yes, this is the on-site restoration. If you have time, draw the clothes and attire of the five people in the hot pot restaurant at that time. The more detailed the better."
Ji Zhao can remember everything at a glance. This extraordinary talent, if used in the field of criminal investigation, will definitely be very effective. Zhao Xiangwan had only seen a case of scene reconstruction in a book before, which was a bus bombing case.
A bus on an important route in the city exploded, causing serious damage at the scene. The bus was burned beyond recognition, leaving only a frame. The air was filled with the pungent smell of blood and the sickening smell of burning. The explosion scene was horrible to look at, with human remains everywhere, and parts of human remains hanging on the branches nearby. identified and the motive for the crime was found.
The most amazing thing is the posture analysis diagram at the moment of explosion drawn by one of the criminal investigation experts.
16 people died and 22 were seriously injured. Based on more than 200 pieces of human tissue fragments found at the scene and the statements of the injured, criminal forensic experts numbered the passengers and worked day and night, finally restoring the explosion scene within a week.
Based on this picture, the police finally found the most critical evidence and tracked down the murderer.
This is a landmark achievement in the field of criminal investigation and is often cited by professors in class.
That day in the hot pot restaurant, Ji Zhao used his chopsticks very quickly and hit Cao Deren's back of the hand accurately, stopping him from touching his face and flirting with him. Zhao Xiangwan suddenly had an idea. Ji Zhao's observation and attention were so sharp that it was not enough for him to just be a criminal portrait painter. He should continue to explore his potential.
Why not try to restore it on the spot?
The scene that Ji Zhao drew was lifelike, not only in terms of the location of the objects, but also in terms of everyone's clothing, demeanor and behavior. This skill was truly amazing and useful.
After assigning the task to Ji Zhao, Zhao Xiangwan turned to look at He Mingyu and began to explain his thoughts today.
"Yes, Senior Sister He, I suspect Fan Hongwei is involved in the tragic case of the Third Hospital."
He Mingyu's heart was pounding as she listened to this. She couldn't tell what she felt. Did Fan Hongwei kill someone? Killed Gu Wenjiao's mother? This was too scary! Could it be possible?
Zhao Xiangwan glanced at Ji Zhao who was painting with his head down. His face was calm and his eyes were focused, and her heart suddenly calmed down.
"First, Fan Hongwei is a very purposeful person. What was it about Gu Wenjiao that attracted him so much that he went to such great lengths to marry her?
Second, Fan Hongwei initially worked as a truck driver in a transport company. Although his income was average, he was still a formal employee. Why did he resign and go to the Urban Construction Bureau to work as an unregular driver?
Third, Fan Hongwei has a fierce aura and his education and experience are average. Even the restaurant owner can see at a glance that he is not a good person. Why did Yang Xugang, director of the Urban Construction Bureau, treat him differently and promote him to the position of director of the Demolition and Relocation Office?
What if we assume that Fan Hongwei and Yang Xugang conspired to kill Cai Chang? Wouldn't that explain all these doubts? Think about it, murder is a matter of being shot, and no one dares to tell anyone. This huge secret tied Fan Hongwei and Yang Xugang together, and they would prosper together and suffer together, so they worked together for nearly ten years and helped each other.
Fan Hongwei was still afraid after killing someone, and wanted to find out about the police investigation progress, but he was afraid of alerting the enemy, so he set up a trap to marry Gu Wenjiao. Anyway, Gu Wenjiao would go to the police station every month to question him, right? "
After listening to Zhao Xiangwan's explanation of her reasoning process, first, second, third..., He Mingyu felt that her brain couldn't keep up.
"What's wrong with your brain? There must be something fishy going on, that's for sure. But... to guess that Fan Hongwei was the murderer who broke into Zhou Jinfeng's house and robbed her is a big leap!"
The people in the Materials Department were quite diligent in their work. In the morning, they provided each office with a large pot of cold tea. He Mingyu took a big sip of the cold tea to suppress his surprise and continued to express his opinions.
"Xiang Wan, we can't just make such a bold assumption just because we think Fan Hongwei is not a good person. This, this is too bold! If he killed Zhou Jinfeng, how could he dare to contact the victim's family? Isn't he afraid of being exposed? Maybe he just met Gu Wenjiao by chance and fell in love with her, so he pursued her. As for why he treated her badly later, maybe it was because he was tired of her, so..."
To be honest, He Mingyu did not agree with Zhao Xiangwan's hypothesis. Having been a criminal police officer for so many years, she had seen many guilty criminals who tried desperately to cover up a crime, but ended up committing a bigger crime. However, she had never seen someone marry the daughter of the deceased after killing someone.
How is it possible that someone could be so bold?
Zhao Xiangwan was not in a hurry. Zhu Feipeng and the others had not returned yet, so he could just talk while organizing his thoughts.
She took the hot pot restaurant scene reconstructed by Ji Zhao, pointed at Fan Hongwei in the painting and said, "Think about it, what was Fan Hongwei's attitude when he met Captain Xu?"
He Mingyu frowned and thought for a moment: "He was a bit arrogant when he came over, but when he recognized Captain Xu, his expression changed. He spoke very politely, stretched out both hands forward, and was very respectful. He also tried to make connections, saying something like the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple."
Zhao Xiangwan said: "Yes, Fan Hongwei is not afraid of Captain Xu. But what about when he saw Officer Gao?" Although everyone in the serious crime squad called Gao Guangqiang "Old Gao", Zhao Xiangwan did not dare to be disrespectful and still called him Officer Gao.
"Oh, yes!" He Mingyu suddenly remembered why she felt something was wrong at the time. "After he and Cao Deren recognized Lao Gao, they toasted him with a glass of wine and left in a hurry. It felt like they were running away in a panic. But later I was attracted by Lao Gao's story and soon forgot about them."
Zhao Xiangwan sneered, "Yes! This is how he felt when he fled in panic. He hadn't seen an old friend for ten years, and he was a police officer who had helped him before. Even if he was in the police station because of a fight, he wouldn't run away as soon as he saw Officer Gao, right? Just talk about the past, lament that it was a pity that Deputy Director Cai Chang was killed, and thank the police officers of the police station for letting them go. That's why they are where they are today. That's reasonable, isn't it?"
A voice interrupted: "Xiang Wan, don't use yourself as an excuse to push others down." Xu Songling, dressed in casual summer clothes, pushed the door open and walked in, followed by Zhu Feipeng and a few others who looked depressed.
Zhao Xiangwan and He Mingyu stood up at the same time: "Captain Xu!"
Xu Songling glanced at the files and photos piled on Zhao Xiangwan's desk and asked coldly, "Didn't I say yesterday that we shouldn't investigate this case? Why did everyone run away today?"
Zhu Feipeng, Zhu Kang, Huang Yuande, and Ai Hui visited the Urban Construction Bureau today. As soon as they returned to the Municipal Bureau, they were caught by Xu Songling and taken back to the office. Zhu Feipeng knew that he could not escape a reprimand, so he desperately winked at Zhao Xiangwan.
Zhao Xiangwan received Zhu Feipeng's request for help and explained with a smile: "We mainly want to investigate the history of Fan Hongwei's family. Maybe we can uncover a major corruption case. We investigated the missing gun case out of curiosity."
Xu Songling snorted: "Are you too free? If you are, go and help the Serious Crime Unit 3. They are dealing with a case of a body dumped from a reservoir, and they are having a headache."
Before Zhao Xiangwan could say anything, He Mingyu waved her hands repeatedly: "Captain Xu, please forgive me. I heard that the case has successfully helped the members of the Serious Crime Unit 3 lose five pounds. After being exposed to the stench, I feel like vomiting when I see food. It's terrible!"
Xu Songling said, "Then be quiet!" He glanced at Zhao Xiangwan and said earnestly, "When we police solve cases, we need to understand the criminal's psychology instead of assuming the blame for others."
He pulled up a chair and sat down, intending to teach the young men in the serious crime squad a lesson.
"Fan Hongwei once beat three people to minor injuries and was almost prosecuted. It was Tsai Chang who intervened and settled the matter privately by paying compensation and apologizing. Perhaps Gao was dissatisfied at the time and felt that Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren got away with it too easily. You may also feel dissatisfied and think that good people have a short life and evil people have a long life."
After hearing this, everyone nodded in unison: "Yes!" After coming out of the hot pot restaurant, several young people were still dissatisfied, so they split up today and prepared to investigate Fan Hongwei.
Xu Songling looked at the youthful faces in front of him, and his heart was filled with emotion. Once upon a time, he was also an impulsive and passionate policeman. It is precisely because of this unwillingness to accept that the world will become better and fairer.
However, having seen too many young people who have been beaten to a pulp in society, Xu Songling must teach them to analyze problems calmly, prudently, and comprehensively, and not to act impulsively out of indignation.
"I know the whole process of Tsai Chang's case very well. You are just reading the files without any clue. Why don't you just ask me directly?"
Hearing Xu Songling's words, the young men in the serious crime team looked at each other. Zhu Feipeng bravely asked, "Captain Xu, then tell us about it. I'm actually wondering, too. This case has been hidden in Lao Gao's mind for ten years. Why didn't you think of helping him? We are police officers, and it is our duty to punish evil and promote good."
Xu Songling glanced across the office and said, "Today I asked Lao Gao and Liu Liangju to go to the Legal Affairs Department to handle the follow-up procedures of Tan Xueru's murder case. I just happened to be taking advantage of my free time to talk to you about this case."
After a pause, Xu Songling continued, "Some things are hard to judge right or wrong; some people are half good and half bad. Have you ever thought about why the case of Tsai Chang is so controversial? Why should I stop you from continuing to investigate?"
Everyone was shaking their heads.
Originally I thought that the older you are, the less courageous you are, and I privately complained a few times that Captain Xu was afraid of things and bothered by them. But now looking at his attitude, it seems that there is something else going on?
"Lao Gao said that Cai Chang is a good person, a very kind police officer, he is enthusiastic and willing to help others, and he has a close relationship with Lao Gao, right?"
Everyone nodded. Yes, in Lao Gao's words, the deputy director of the police station who had passed away ten years ago was his best friend, a rare good man, who died unjustly.
Xu Songling sighed: "The dead are gone. Logically, I shouldn't discuss his good or bad qualities anymore, but I'm afraid it will affect your judgment on the issue, so I have to say a few more words. How about this..."
Xu Songling called Zhu Feipeng's name and said, "Xiao Zhu, tell me. If you were to encounter Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren beating someone and causing minor injuries, how would you handle it?"
Zhu Feipeng did not hesitate: "Open a case for investigation, arrest those who should be arrested, and show no leniency. A minor injury of the first degree already constitutes the crime of intentional injury, arrest them and bring them to justice, and prosecute them. As for whether Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren will sincerely repent, that is none of my business."
Zhao Xiangwan nodded secretly. Yes, for evil people like this, we should use the law as a weapon. If they want to repent, they have plenty of time and opportunities in prison.
Xu Songling praised, "Well, so...tolerating the bad guys is punishing the good guys. You must keep this in mind. Last night, Gao mentioned that Tsai Chang said to give people a chance and not waste legal resources. That's nonsense. Legal resources are originally used to protect the masses. There is no such thing as wasting them."
All the young people's eyes lit up and they answered in unison: "Yes!"
Last night, when Lao Gao mentioned Tsai Chang, he was filled with nostalgia. In addition, since he was a colleague who was murdered, the young people in the serious crime team were full of sympathy for him. They really didn't think carefully about whether his handling of the fight between Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren was right or wrong.
Xu Songling continued, "Tsai Chang was promoted to deputy director in February 1982, and was qualified to carry a gun. Logically, he should not have carried it with him, but the management was not strict at that time. In addition, the police station had few staff and the deputy director had a lot of say, so no one questioned Cai Chang's carrying a gun when he went out. It was precisely because of this omission, or...too arrogant and lack of respect for the power of the police, that this disaster happened!"
Ai Hui chuckled and said, "Captain Xu, you should talk about this every year when new detectives join the police force. Please don't say it again."
Xu Songling glared at Ai Hui sternly and said, "We need to talk about respecting police power every year, every month, and every moment! Judging from your frivolous attitude, it's obvious that you haven't taken my advice to heart."
After being criticized, Ai Hui shrank his neck and dared not say anything.
Others were tired of hearing this, but Zhao Xiangwan was listening to it for the first time, and he listened very seriously. As a policeman, you really have to have awe of the power in your hands. Arresting, collecting evidence, interrogating, summoning... Most people would be a little scared when they hear that you are a policeman. After all, to ordinary people, the police have special powers.
If police powers are abused, it will be a disaster for the people.
Thinking of this, Zhao Xiangwan pursed his lips and said with the same serious expression: "Master, I remember it."
Xu Songling pointed at Zhao Xiangwan and said to Ai Hui: "Did you see that? This is the right attitude!"
Ai Hui is physically strong, has strong fighting skills, accurate shooting, and good physical skills, but his logical thinking ability is weak and his personality is a bit silly. When he heard Captain Xu criticize him and praise Zhao Xiangwan, he was not unhappy, but just scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
He Mingyu was cautious and worried that Ai Hui would be embarrassed, so she interrupted him and said, "Captain Xu, didn't you just say that you would tell us why you wanted to stop us from continuing to investigate Tsai Chang's murder? What was the reason? It can't be just because Tsai Chang violated regulations and went out with a gun, right?"
Xu Songling was a bit of a parent, and he never stopped talking about moral principles. When He Mingyu reminded him, he remembered the business, coughed uncomfortably, and finally got back to the point.
"Tsai Chang was hit in the back of the head with a blunt weapon and stabbed in the chest with a sharp weapon, which means there were at least two people who attacked him. The place where the attack took place was in the alley that Tsai Chang had to pass by to go home. It was remote and sparsely populated, and the murderer must have visited the place in advance. The murder was killed with a single blow, and the sharp weapon stabbed into the heart. It was fast, accurate, and ruthless. The murderer was either a martial artist or a trained assassin."
"Oh——" All the young people in the serious crime team sighed.
The first thing to fear in a homicide is a murder in the heat of the moment, and the second thing to fear is a murder that occurs because there is no pattern to follow.
Killing in the heat of the moment is often a matter of a split second, such as passing by or making eye contact in a crowd. How can we find the murderer after the murder is over? In the early 1990s, when DNA testing had not yet been fully promoted and surveillance had not yet spread to every corner of the city, there was no trace of the murderer at all.
If the murderer is the one who committed the crime, it will be even more difficult to detect. The murderer is a trained person with strong concealment and anti-detection capabilities. Unless there is an insider, or the enemy's information is found, and the enemy's account flow is further monitored, it is possible to catch the real murderer, otherwise, it is hopeless.
Zhu Feipeng raised his hand and said, "I have a question. If it's a killer, he shouldn't be a local, right? Why don't you check all the strangers who have recently entered and left Xing City in the surrounding hotels?"
Xu Songling glanced at him and said, "You are so smart!" Countless police forces were mobilized to investigate the case at that time. Not to mention the surrounding hotels, all the hotels, rental houses and hotels in Xing City were checked one by one, but no suspicious person was found.
Zhu Feipeng was a little depressed: "Oh, then it is possible that it was not the murderer, but a local."
He Mingyu said: "After committing a murder, most people would be afraid to run away. Once they run away, there will be traces. Since the police did not find anything back then, it shows that the murderer has a very good psychological quality. After killing people, he acted as if nothing had happened and continued to work and live his life as usual."
Xu Songling sighed, "Yes, we checked all the people who entered and left Xing City ten days before and after the murder, including those on business trips, traveling, and going to school... As long as the murderer is a little nervous, we can catch him. But this time the murderer is very cunning, so it became an unsolved case. It was not until three months later when a burglary occurred that the stolen gun was found, but we still did not find any clues about the murderer."
Zhao Xiangwan said: "In fact, there are clues. The murderers are three men, 168-175 cm tall, 120-140 kg in weight, with a normal gait. Judging from the speed and strength of their attacks, they should be young and have received some training, perhaps serving in the military, or in the militia, or practicing martial arts."
Xu Songling nodded: "Yes, these clues are left by two cases. But Xing City is so big, there are too many young men with such characteristics, and it is impossible to check them one by one."
He Mingyu thought of something: "Isn't there half a fingerprint?"
Xu Songling sighed: "Unfortunately, we can't collect fingerprints from everyone in the city. Besides, the fingerprint is not clear, and there is only half of it."
Zhu Feipeng muttered in dissatisfaction: "To put it bluntly, the workload is still too heavy. It will take forever to complete it if we rely solely on manpower. It would be great if there were a machine that could help, input fingerprints, and automatically compare them."
Huang Yuande said slowly, "What you are talking about is not possible now, but maybe in the future. I have read a science fiction novel that says that in the future, machines will be smarter than humans and can quickly help humans complete many boring tasks."
Xu Songling shook his head: "It's easier said than done. It's just half a fuzzy fingerprint. How long do you think it will take to manually compare it one by one?"
Fingerprints are unique features of the human body. They are different for each person and on different fingers, and are complex enough to provide sufficient features for identification.
The fingerprint left at the scene is half of the fingerprint on the outside of the right index finger. If you want to do fingerprint matching, you must first collect the complete fingerprint of the right index finger. Set dozens of basic feature points and compare them one by one.
The fingerprints are collected on site, confirmed to be effective, and sent to the Criminal Investigation Technology Center for comparison by a dedicated person. It takes at least three hours for each person and each fingerprint.
In 1982, the population of Xing City was nearly one million, including more than 100,000 young men. If fingerprints were collected from all of them for comparison, it would take 400,000 hours, or 46 years.
Forty-six years! Everyone was stunned. It was an impossible task!
Even Zhu Feipeng began to shake his head: "Difficult, difficult, difficult——"
Xu Songling said: "We checked all of Tsai Chang's social relationships and found that Tsai Chang was not as simple, selfless and kind as Gao Guangqiang saw and understood. We found more than a dozen high-end cigarettes, dozens of bottles of good wine, and a lot of cash in his home..."
Huh? The young men from the serious crime squad opened their mouths wide again after just closing them.
He Mingyu said without hesitation: "Corruption and bribery?"
Xu Songling raised his hand to signal everyone to shut up: "With the death of Tsai Chang, all this has come to an end. Tsai Chang acted very covertly, and his colleagues did not know that he was accepting bribes privately. They could not find out who sent the cigarettes and alcohol, and they could not find out the source of the large amount of cash. In the end, the city bureau decided to collect the stolen goods and seal the rest. But this is exactly what made the case more complicated. Who bribed and why? Is it related to Tsai Chang's murder?"
Zhao Xiangwan fell into deep thought.
Is it possible that the reason Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren did not have a criminal record was because the Fan and Cao families bribed them? Could it be that Tsai Chang's asking price was too high, which made Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren dissatisfied, so they committed the murder?
Thinking of this, Zhao Xiangwan raised his eyes and looked at Xu Songling: "Did you investigate Fan Hongwei and Cao Deren back then?"
Xu Songling nodded: "As long as it is a case that Cai Chang has handled, we have checked all the personnel. It has been too long, and I can't remember Fan Hongwei. Logically, we should have checked them all, and there must be no problem."
Zhao Xiangwan raised an objection: "There are too many people to investigate, and the police have limited energy. If someone gives false testimony and makes up an alibi, it is very likely that they can get away with it."
He Mingyu also supported Zhao Xiangwan: "Yes, I remember Pan Guoqing killed someone and he also had a perfect alibi."
Xu Songling looked at his young disciple with a hint of smile in his eyes: "What? Do you have to fight with Fan Hongwei? Come on, tell everyone why you suspect him?" According to his understanding of Zhao Xiangwan, if she didn't have a clearer judgment, she would not say such a thing.
Zhao Xiangwan said, "Master, didn't you say that? Be bold in assumptions and be careful in verification. I just have a vague feeling. How could it be such a coincidence that I met Fan Hongwei in the hot pot restaurant? And why was it such a coincidence that it happened to trigger Officer Gao's thoughts and made him talk about Cai Chang's murder. Moreover...he won't enter even if there is a door in heaven, but he will come even if there is no door in hell. Who made him so blind that he had to make things difficult for our serious crime team? I'll check him out. It's normal."
Thinking of the scene of the battle in the hot pot restaurant, Ai Hui was a little eager to try: "That fight didn't happen, and my hands were itching. Junior Sister wants to investigate him, so let's do it."
Zhu Feipeng's mind flashed back to the time last night when Zhao Xiangwan stood under the bamboo and peach tree and said leisurely: "Do you feel that this world is not fair?"
If the world is unfair, then we will seek justice for the ghosts who died unjustly!
Regardless of whether Tsai Chang was guilty of corruption or bribery, his crime does not deserve the death penalty; the four lives lost in the family building of the Third Hospital are even more innocent.
Zhu Feipeng grinned and said to Zhao Xiangwan, "No matter what your reason is for suspecting Fan Hongwei, I believe you! If you say to investigate him, we will investigate him."
Xu Songling finally nodded: "Okay, let's listen to Xiang Wan and check it out!" Who called me your master? Xu Songling kept this sentence in his heart and didn't say it out loud.
Zhao Xiangwan heard it, stood up, and said with a smile, "Yes! Master."
Xu Songling was a man of swift action. Since he had decided to let the young people investigate, he immediately waved his hand and said, "What did you gain today? Tell me about it."
As soon as the boss spoke, all the members of the serious crime squad started moving.
Zhu Feipeng placed the information in his hand on the conference table and said, "Captain Xu, today we visited the people in the Urban Construction Bureau and found that everyone's evaluation of Fan Hongwei was polarized. Some said that he was selfless and dedicated to his work, while others said that he formed a clique; some said that he was enthusiastic and generous, while others said that he was insidious and cunning."
Xu Songling frowned and said, "You started investigating Fan Hongwei without my consent. Then what identity do you have to ask about him?"
Zhu Feipeng chuckled, "Isn't Group 3 next door investigating the body dumping case? The Urban Construction Bureau happens to be not far from Jiuxiu Reservoir, so we can use the name of investigating this case to conduct the visit. It's justified."
Xu Songling rolled his eyes at him unhappily: "You are a smart kid."
Zhu Kang added with a smile: "Captain Xu, don't worry. We didn't name Fan Hongwei right away. We used roundabout tactics to slowly lead the case to the Demolition Office. After all, although the identity of the deceased has not been found in the reservoir dumping case, there is a piece of land next to the reservoir that is said to be used to build villas, and the people from the Demolition Office are in charge of coordinating. It can be considered as an excuse to ask about the basic situation of the Demolition Office."
Xu Songling's heart skipped a beat: "The Demolition Office? Good fellow! You didn't come here by mistake. Did you find the right place?"
Zhu Feipeng looked a little excited. "Captain Xu, don't tell me, I really have some doubts about Fan Hongwei. I heard that he and his brothers Cao Deren were responsible for the demolition of land for road construction and house building. If they met someone who didn't obey, they would use all kinds of dirty tricks, such as cutting off electricity and water, piling up garbage, and instigating hooligans to make trouble. One time, they even drove an excavator directly to the scene and demolished someone's house. Someone reported it to the Urban Construction Bureau, but Director Yang Xugang defended Fan Hongwei and said that he was considering the overall situation and sacrificing himself."
Xu Songling nodded. "Well, I will ask the third team of the serious crime team to visit the residents whose houses were demolished. Maybe we can quickly confirm the identity of the deceased. You can talk about Fan Hongwei, Cao Deren and others first."
Combining the information obtained by Zhu Feipeng and Zhao Xiangwan, Xu Songling wrote down several key time points in Fan Hongwei's life on a small blackboard.
In October 1981, Fan Hongwei was arrested for fighting at the police station. At the end of the year, he was fired by the transportation company and has been unemployed at home ever since.
In March 1982, Fan Hongwei entered the Urban Construction Bureau as a temporary worker and became Yang Xugang's private driver.
In May 1985, Fan Hongwei met Gu Wenjiao and they got married in December of the same year.
In May 1986, the Demolition and Relocation Office of the Urban Construction Bureau was established, and Fan Hongwei was formally assigned to the position.
Fan Tianbao was born in March 1987.
In May 1988, Fan Hongwei was promoted to deputy section chief.
In May 1990, Fan Hongwei was promoted to director of the Demolition and Relocation Office, a section-level cadre.
Zhao Xiangwan looked at the timeline and remained silent for a long time.
He Mingyu thought of what Zhao Xiangwan had just told her, that he suspected Fan Hongwei was the murderer of Cai Chang and the tragic case of the Third Hospital. She had thought the suspicion was too bold, but now, watching Fan Hongwei rise from a small truck driver to the director of the Demolition Office, she couldn't help but become interested.
Maybe Zhao Xiangwan really guessed it right?
There is a saying that goes, "A random punch can kill the master." So many people have failed to catch the murderer, maybe Zhao Xiangwan hit him by accident, and he has been caught?
Thinking of this, He Mingyu walked to the blackboard and circled Yang Xugang's name with chalk: "Fan Hongwei was able to get promoted because of Yang Xugang. Is it possible that he and Yang Xugang had an improper transaction, so he was willing to help him so desperately?"
The scene quieted down.
Xu Songling frowned and said after a long pause, "Yang Xugang? I have never heard of this name."
Gao Guangqiang's voice came from the door: "Yang Xugang? I know this guy!"
All eyes were on Gao Guangqiang who had just returned from outside.
Gao Guangqiang suddenly received so many looks, and for a moment he felt flattered: "What are you doing? Why are you suddenly discussing Yang Xugang?"
When Liu Liangju, who worked with him, entered the room and saw sitting at the conference table, he quickly found a seat and sat down. Looking at the timeline on the blackboard, he asked curiously, "What case are you discussing? Why don't you wait for me and Lao Gao everyone to come back?"
Zhu Feipeng briefly introduced the results of the discussion. When Gao Guangqiang heard that Xu Songling had loosened his grip and agreed to an investigation into Cai Chang's murder, he was very excited and stood up and said loudly: "Whatever you need me to do, I will do it for you!"
Xu Songling waved his hands: "It's not that serious. Tell everyone first, how did you recognize Yang Xugang?"
Gao Guangqiang sneered: "When I was at the Wufulu Police Station, it should be in 1981. During a crackdown on prostitution, more than a dozen people were arrested, including him. Cai Chang was in charge of registering the information at the time. I don't remember this person at first, but Yang Xu was just among that group of people. His skin was the whitest, even whiter than those prostitutes. I was particularly impressed and took a special look at him name."
Everyone imagined the scene at that time and all laughed.
Among this group of naked people, Yang Xu just stood out like a chicken, attracting everyone's attention. It was really funny.
Zhu Feipeng smiled and said, "Old Gao, it's been more than ten years, and you still remember his name. It seems you are really good."
Lao Gao blushed and chuckled, "There's nothing I can do. The only places where you can see a grown man showing his bare butt are in the bathhouse and when you're cleaning up prostitutes."
Xu Songling wanted to laugh, but the corners of his mouth twitched. Seeing Zhao Xiangwan and He Mingyu frowning and not saying anything, he quickly stopped laughing and coughed twice: "Okay, okay, let's get down to business."
Gao Guangqiang quickly stopped laughing and adjusted his expression: "I remembered Yang Xugang's name at the time, but I didn't take it seriously. This kind of minor violation is easy to deal with, detention and fines are enough. Five years ago, when I was handling a case, Liang Yuankai from Group 3 and I visited the Urban Construction Bureau and met Yang Xugang by chance. He had already taken the position of director at that time and didn't remember me, a small policeman, at all."
Liu Liangju said in surprise, "He was caught soliciting prostitution and detained, but there is no criminal record? He was even promoted? This Director Yang is quite powerful."
Xu Songling seemed to have thought of something and his face looked a little ugly.
[Damn, before Tsai Chang became deputy director, he probably did a lot of dirty things. Maybe the reason why Yang Xugang was able to escape unscathed was because Tsai Chang let him off. Abusing police power is so ugly! ]
Yang Xugang, Fan Hongwei, Cao Deren... all had encounters with Tsai Chang in 1981. In February of the following year, Tsai Chang was killed.
Xu Songling turned his head to look at the small blackboard, his heart was filled with emotions and he felt indescribably uncomfortable.
Cai Chang was killed and his service gun was stolen. The case shocked the whole city. If the service gun had not been found later in the tragic case of the Third Hospital, I am afraid that the Ministry of Public Security would have sent people to supervise the case.
Tsai Chang's relatives, friends, colleagues, and even journalists and media, everyone is saying: He was a good policeman, it's a pity that he died early, and we must redress his injustice.
If this case were to be brought to light now and some truth were to come to light, I wonder what those who lament for Tsai Chang would think.
Shock? Sad? Pain? Disgusted?
Xu Songling is unknown.
But Xu Songling knew that pursuing the truth was his duty.
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