The thieves in Yanjing are extremely strong. Due to the continuous robberies year after year, the people are suffering. Your Majesty is extremely angry and has specially sent additional personnel to the Five Cities Military Department to maintain public order in the capital so that the people can live and work in peace.
Although the results were minimal, it showed the court's determination.
Therefore, in the city of Yanjing, even if there are murders, most of them are impulsive crimes, passionate killings, and the crimes are nothing more than property and love and hatred. There are not many cases as complicated as the one in Yu Yongjian.
As a result, most of the people involved in the case are first-time offenders.
Since it is a first offense and there is little premeditation, there are often sufficient clues at the crime scene and the truth can be uncovered within two or three days.
But this case is obviously different. Not only Jiang Lingyao can see it, but Duan Nanqi can also see the clues.
He said thoughtfully, "If this was a first offense, the murderer would not have acted so swiftly. Jingye Garden is not a closed place like the Yuyong Prison. It is a garden that everyone can go to. Even though it is about two quarters of a mile away from Wanping City, it does not prevent the people from going there for an outing in the summer."
Duan Nanqi had been working in the Jinyiwei for a long time. He joined the Jinyiwei as a captain when he was fifteen or sixteen years old. All his achievements were due to himself. Why did the Jinyiwei's subordinates believe in him so much? It was because he had made outstanding achievements in these years, which no one in the Beizhen Fusi could match.
Therefore, he has much more experience in handling cases than Jiang Lingyao, and his explanation this time was very clear.
Jiang Lingyao watched him slowly drink the chicken soup while saying, "The murderer must be very cautious to dump the body in such an open place with many witnesses. And any human would be nervous. Risking being hit and bruised, he insisted on dumping the body here. It can only mean that the murderer is very familiar with this place and knows when the passers-by and tourists will leave, or he has an obsession with this place that is beyond ordinary people."
"From what we can see now, the scene arrangement is perfect, which means the murderer's plan was successful, and he was quite skilled in arranging the scene after dumping the body."
"Then we are more than 70% sure that he is not a first-time offender, but at least a repeat offender."
Duan Nanqi did not stop for a moment and explained to Jiang Lingyao his inferences after he first saw the scene of the body being dumped. After he finished speaking, he took a breath and said, "I wonder what you think, my lady?"
After listening to Duan Nanqi's words, Jiang Lingyao didn't know why, but she couldn't take her eyes away from Duan Nanqi's serious face. No wonder everyone likes successful men, after all, they have more indescribable charm than ordinary people.
"My husband is right," Jiang Lingyao said, "I agree with you. Besides, I think the so-called mask is also a clue."
Duan Nanqi raised his eyebrows slightly: "Oh? Madam, please speak."
Jiang Lingyao put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and then said in a deep voice: "The detective also said that flour clothes are one of the local customs, but ordinary people will not prepare them in advance. After all, everyone hopes that their relatives will live a long life and will not expect to die young. Therefore, once a boy or girl dies at a young age, the particular families will definitely go to the cloth shop and the show house to buy ready-made ones. After all, the coffin can only be kept for seven days, and it would be really unkind if it is not buried for a long time."
Duan Nanqi hummed, with a hint of smile in his eyes.
The corners of his lips curved slightly, and he said in a low voice: "My lady, you have considered everything."
Jiang Lingyao did not hear his compliment and continued, "The captain also said that poor families have their relatives embroider them, so the embroidery patterns must be very simple. And most of the patterns are based on fortune, wealth and longevity. The peony is very special."
"But look at the peony behind the deceased. It is exquisitely embroidered with complicated patterns. Although I am not good at needlework, I can still draw some simple patterns. It usually takes an embroiderer at least ten days to make such a complicated embroidery. This small piece of embroidery is almost full of embroidery, which also requires the embroiderer's skills."
Duan Nanqi said, "As my lady said, can we start from the Xiu Manor?"
This is a possible direction for investigation. Jiang Lingyao nodded and said, "That's great. We will go to the scene later and confirm the identity of the deceased first."
Duan Nanqi's smiling face darkened slightly, and he whispered, "In cases like this where corpses are dumped, it's usually not easy to find out the identity of the deceased. Only less than 60% of the time, the identity of the deceased can be found, and only 70% to 80% of the time, the real culprit can be found."
"For the Royal Guards, if the case is not solved within a month, it will be relegated to the old files and they can only wait for new clues."
Jiang Lingyao didn't know about this matter. She couldn't help but frown and her expression became solemn.
"Are we just going to let the deceased die unclearly?" Jiang Lingyao's voice was low and hoarse. She lowered her eyes and didn't look at Duan Nanqi.
Duan Nanqi's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.
He turned his head away and only looked at the flickering candlelight in the dining room. The voice was as obscure and indistinguishable as Jiang Lingyao's.
"The world is so big, and there are countless people who have been wronged. We should do our best to investigate those we can, and we can only wait for the right time to investigate those we cannot."
Jiang Lingyao thought of the lifeless eyes in the flower bed.
If the deceased were still alive, she must have been a bright and lovely young girl. Like many other young girls, she would sit in front of the mirror and look at her youthful face after a busy day.
Then he said, "When will I grow up?"
But the ruthless murderer took away all her future. She could only be thrown into the flower bed like garbage, wet by the rain and entangled with the soil.
Jiang Lingyao smiled coldly: "Everyone says that good deeds are rewarded with good, and evil deeds are punished with evil, but I don't think so."
"Good people are always bullied, while evil people are free to do whatever they want. I wonder when the law of nature will prevail and retribution will come true."
As soon as she said this, Jiang Lingyao knew that her emotions were surging. She pursed her lips and clenched her hands tightly, not allowing herself to say another word.
Duan Nanqi slowly withdrew his eyes from staring at the candlelight, and his deep eyes like peach blossoms fell back on his clasped hands.
"That's why I joined the Imperial Guard," Duan Nanqi said in a gentle voice, as if he was just whispering, "No matter what outsiders think, at least I can work hard for it."
Jiang Lingyao's heart shuddered. She bit her lower lip tightly. Warm springs of warmth surged through her heart, soothing her cold heart.
Who isn't?
She didn't know why Duan Nanqi had such an insight. Perhaps it was because of what he saw and heard in the Jinyiwei, or maybe it was because he was sad about his mother's life experience. In any case, the two of them couldn't help but talk about the same thing.
Not everyone can understand the meaning of empathy.
But... that's all.
Jiang Lingyao took a deep breath, not wanting the two of them to be entangled in this dark thought, so she cheered up and said, "I wonder if the coroner can make it today."
Duan Nanqi glanced at the sky outside. It was already past the hour of Xu, the sun had already set, the sky was full of stars, and there was silence between heaven and earth.
After 1:30 am, curfew will be imposed and people are not allowed to go out.
Nearly an hour had passed since the time someone was sent to inform the county government. If they kept running back and forth, it would take another half an hour to arrive.
Duan Nanqi stretched his back lazily, and now he was back to his carefree self, saying, "Oh, I don't know why. I wanted to come to Wanping for fun, but I didn't expect to have a case on the first day."
"My lady, do you think we are unlucky?"
Jiang Lingyao rolled her eyes at him. She had calmed down now and said, "My dear husband, please don't be so selfish. It will only bring bad luck to me."
She said something to Duan Nanqi in a sarcastic tone, and Xingyun hurried into the dining room. Jiang Lingyao stood up quickly and said to Duan Nanqi, "My husband, go and do your work. I will go back and rest."
Duan Nanqi hummed and said, "Then let's meet tomorrow?"
Jiang Lingyao raised her red lips and smiled: "Okay."
When she returned to the bedroom, Jiang Lingyao saw Shen Suning, dressed in a neat and tidy outfit, pretending to be a man.
Shen Suning was as well-behaved as usual. She just stood by the window, neither sitting nor moving.
Jiang Lingyao called her: "Why are you late today?"
She walked over with a smile, took Shen Suning's hand, led her to sit on the imperial concubine couch, and then asked, "Is it hard on this journey?"
Shen Suning shook her head, took the tea she handed to her obediently, held it in her palm and drank it slowly.
"Before I left, I received instructions from Master Yao, who told me that he had written a letter for me to pass on to my senior sister, so that I could continue to serve as a magistrate in Wanping and have access to the files of the Wanping County Office."
Jiang Lingyao was a little surprised: "Did Lord Yao say this himself?"
Shen Suning nodded and said, "This is handwritten, please take a look, Senior Sister."
Jiang Lingyao opened her eyes and raised her eyebrows slightly, this time she was even more surprised.
Because Yao Yuan wrote in his handwritten letter that Shuntian Prefecture Tui Guan Qiao was ordered to go to Wanping to investigate the collection of old cases and to inquire whether there were any unresolved cold cases. He specially wrote a handwritten letter to ask the Wanping County Magistrate to assist in the investigation.
Yao Yuan probably knew about 60% of her true identity, but he didn't ask her in person. She said she was going to Wanping, so Yao Yuan gave her leave without asking any questions and let her do whatever she wanted.
But unexpectedly, Shen Suning still delivered the handwritten letter.
Jiang Lingyao recalled what her father had said, that Lord Yao was a good official and a good man, and she felt more reassured and was not panicked at all.
Yao Yuan was probably like Shen Suning, thinking that she wanted to investigate the old case of her master Qiao Sheng and clear his name of being a corrupt official.
Although the old case of the master had weighed on Jiang Lingyao's mind for many years, the master told her before he left not to overturn his case. He had other important matters to attend to at the border, and asked her to keep it secret and not tell Shen Suning.
But even so, how could Jiang Lingyao be willing to accept it? Her master left with a bad name, and although she heard that her master would not take the initiative to overturn the verdict, she still wanted to know the truth of that year.
Shen Suning saw that she looked a little serious and couldn't help but panic. She asked in a low voice: "Sister, are you also here to overturn the verdict on my adoptive father?"
"But if it means implicating Senior Sister..." Shen Suning bit her lower lip, "Then I will investigate it myself. No matter how long it takes, I will be able to clear my foster father's name."
Seeing her coming quickly, Jiang Lingyao's calm and composed face also became a little more cautious. Her heart softened and she reached out to pat her on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Master knows what's going on, and I also know how to act. This time I came to Wanping for another important matter, and Master Yao probably doesn't know the details."
Shen Suning finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Jiang Lingyao steadily and said, "Sister, you can tell me whatever you want to find out. I don't need to know the exact reason. As long as I can help you, I will do my best."
Jiang Lingyao felt warm at heart. This girl has always been honest and upright. Once she has chosen a relative, she will never change her mind. When she called her "senior sister", she treated her as her own sister in her heart and remained loyal to her.
Jiang Lingyao stretched out her hand, put it around her shoulders, and patted her thin back.
"Then I would like to thank you, Master Shen," Jiang Lingyao teased her with a smile, "I would be nothing without Master Shen."
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