Chapter 59 The Time Was Calculated Wrong
A woman dressed in a light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) stumbled out of the crowd.
Just as she was about to throw herself onto the corpse, she cried out in heart-wrenching sobs, "Master! My master! What happened to you? How could you leave like this!"
The constables were prepared; two of them stepped forward and firmly blocked her outside the circle.
Liu Jingchang frowned, stepped forward slowly, and deliberately softened his tone: "Madam, please accept my condolences. Are you a member of Master Xu's family?"
The woman was half-supported and half-carried by the yamen runners, her lips trembling so badly that she could barely speak, and her words came out in broken sentences: "I...I am Liu, the master's concubine."
This...this really is my husband!
How could this happen... How could someone who was perfectly healthy just suddenly be gone...?
He tried to struggle forward again, but the bailiff gently held him down.
Unable to resist, Liu collapsed to the ground and cried, muttering intermittently, "Master was fine this morning," and "How could this happen?"
Liu Jingchang patiently waited for her crying to subside before pressing her for an answer: "How did you end up here? Did you know beforehand that Master Xu was coming to Yuhuchun?"
Mentioning this, Liu's sobs grew even louder: "I was originally going to come with my husband!"
The master told me early this morning that he was going to meet guests at Yuhuchun with Steward Chen, and he even told me to get ready early!
But... but I took a little longer than usual while I was getting ready, and the master complained that I was too slow and said he wouldn't wait for me and came over by himself.
I was thinking of quickly getting ready and catching up, but who knew... who knew that I heard a commotion when I got to the street corner, so I ran over and saw... and saw the old man..."
Before he could finish speaking, he started wailing again.
Pei Zhiwei stood aside, watching Liu Shi cry sadly, but there was no panic in her eyes. Would an ordinary concubine be like this when she saw her master die tragically?
But then she thought that perhaps this was just Liu's nature, so she didn't delve any further into it.
His gaze returned to the third-floor observation deck, his mind replaying the rope cuts he had just examined and the marks left on the deck floor from wiping.
She gently tugged at Xiao Yunzhan's clothes at the waist, and Xiao Yunzhan leaned towards her without even looking.
"I suspect the perpetrators deliberately exploited the conflict between Xie Shizi and Zhang Xiao."
At that moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the two of them, and no one paid any attention to the observation deck.
He took advantage of the chaos to cut the rope, wiped away the footprints with a cloth, and blended into the crowd of onlookers.
If the scratches had been left earlier, the observation deck would have been trampled to pieces by now, given the constant flow of people.
However, I suspect he miscalculated the timing of the rope's breakage; if it had broken any later, the scratches would likely have been concealed.
Xiao Yunzhan was also pondering this point just now.
Turning to Xie Ji, she asked with a hint of inquiry, "Why did you have a conflict with Zhang Xiao? Tell me in detail."
Xie Ji is now all-seeing and all-hearing, wishing he had more ears and eyes.
Naturally, he also heard Pei Zhiwei's speculation, and the thought that he had been used as a tool by the thugs made him furious.
"I just arrived at Yuhuchun today, and the waiter led me to a private room on the third floor."
When I passed by Zhang Xiao's room, the door to his private room was open, and I saw him dragging a singing girl along, muttering some vulgar and obscene words.
I never intended to meddle in other people's business.
But my private room was right next to his. I had only been sitting down for a short while when that songstress hurriedly burst through the door of my private room and ran in.
Her clothes were torn to shreds, and she was crying so pitifully.
She grabbed my sleeve and begged for help.
She claimed she was a performer, not a prostitute, and begged me to save her.
He looked at him with disdain: "That songstress has come to me for help. Besides, I've always disliked Zhang Xiao's arrogant and self-important attitude."
I tried to stop him, but he immediately ordered his men to attack me and even threatened to cripple me.
You all saw what happened next.
Who would have thought that my meddling would actually help that thug!
Xie Ji grew angrier as he spoke, clenching his fist and punching the air twice, gritting his teeth as he said, "Don't let me find that bastard! Otherwise, I'll make him pay!"
Just then, a yamen runner carrying a booklet quickly walked up to Liu Jingchang: "Sir, the number of dead and wounded has been counted."
Three people sustained minor injuries, all of which were superficial wounds.
Five people were seriously injured. One of them was hit on the head by a wooden pillar and has not yet woken up. The people at the clinic said that although his life is not in danger, he may not fully recover and we will have to see how he is after he wakes up.
The other two were hit in the waist, and the clinic staff said they might never be able to stand up again.
The two deceased were Master Xu and his steward Chen Gong.
This is a list of everyone except the unconscious, seriously injured person, along with their addresses and their accounts of the events leading up to and following the incident.
Before Liu Jingchang could give any instructions, Han, the coroner, had already packed up his autopsy kit and walked over.
His face remained expressionless, but his tone was still calm: "Lord Liu, the preliminary examination has been completed."
Xu Fengyan's skull was sunken in more than three inches, forming an arc shape, which was likely caused by the jade crown on his head being struck by a collapsed wooden pillar.
Butler Chen Gong's skull was sunken in at the back, also in an arc shape, indicating that he was directly hit by the wooden pillar.
Both men were struck on the head by heavy objects and died instantly. No other suspicious circumstances have been found at present.
A detailed autopsy report is needed; the body must be taken back to the yamen for further examination. I will then present the autopsy report to you, sir.
Liu Jingchang grunted in acknowledgment, and the crowd automatically parted to make way for the constables who carried the corpse and proceeded methodically toward the yamen.
A wooden carriage made of ebony came from the opposite direction, passing by the yamen runners.
An elderly man wearing a dark blue brocade robe got out of the car.
Although his hair was already gray and he looked to be over sixty, his back was straight, his steps were steady, and his eyes revealed a shrewd and sharp intelligence.
"Lu Fanghui?" Liu Jingchang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly greeted him, somewhat surprised, "Master Lu, what brings you here?"
Lu Fanghui is the head of the Lu family in Yangdu, and Yuhuchun is a property of the Lu family.
The Lu family is considered one of the most prominent families in Yangdu. Lu Fanghui had just celebrated his 60th birthday at the end of last year and held a grand banquet for all.
He usually stayed at home and rarely went out, only sitting in his residence and rarely concerning himself with outside affairs.
His sudden appearance at this moment clearly indicates that he received news of the accident at Yuhuchun.
Lu Fang first cupped his hands to Liu Jingchang, then his gaze swept over Xiao Yunzhan, Pei Lin and his group, finally landing on the broken wood and bloodstains on the ground.
"Lord Liu, I heard from my servants that the colorful scaffold outside Yuhuchun has collapsed."
They rushed over to check on the injured and fatal accident.
I heard from the servants that the deceased were Master Xu and Steward Chen? What exactly happened?
"It wasn't an accident; it was done intentionally." Liu Jingchang lowered his voice and briefly explained the situation: "The main rope of the scaffolding was cut by a sharp weapon."
"The investigation is still ongoing."
Mr. Lu, the Lu family has deep roots in Yangzhou, and Yuhuchun is one of your family's properties. Has anyone made an enemy of the Lu family recently?
Or rather, is there anyone who wants to harm Yu Hu Chun?
Lu Fanghui pondered, his thumb ring spinning rapidly.
After a moment, he spoke: "The Lu family has been in business for so many years, there are bound to be some competitors, and there are bound to be some grudges."
But if you were to say that someone would use such a method to harm the Lu family... I can't think of one for the moment.
Everyone in Yangzhou knows that Yuhuchun sets up colorful displays for every festival.
Moreover, the Winter Solstice comes right after the Cold Clothes Festival, and this colorful frame is used every year from the Cold Clothes Festival to the Lantern Festival of the following year.
Moreover, as far as I know, this frame was just reinforced this morning, so how could the ropes have been cut suddenly?
This not only harmed the Lu family, but also involved committing a crime in public on the main street of Yangzhou. They were incredibly audacious.
Xiao Yunzhan suddenly spoke up, "Master Lu, has anyone been interested in acquiring Yuhuchun recently?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Fanghui paused for a moment, his eyes filled with doubt as he looked Xiao Yunzhan up and down.
This young man was dressed in a moon-white casual robe and had an extraordinary air about him, but his sudden interruption when Liu Jingchang asked questions was somewhat improper.
He was about to ask about Xiao Yunzhan's identity when Liu Jingchang noticed his confusion and quickly explained, "Master Lu, this is His Highness Prince Rui."
The man next to me is Pei Lin, the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
They came to Yangzhou to investigate a case on the emperor's orders.
"Prince Rui?" Lu Fanghui's expression changed, and he hurriedly tried to kneel down to beg for forgiveness, his tone becoming more respectful.
"This old minister, Lu Fanghui, greets Your Highness."
"I didn't recognize you, Your Highness, and I apologize for my rudeness."
Xiao Yunzhan offered a helping hand: "Master Lu, there's no need for such formalities. Please tell me about the question you just asked."
Lu Fang straightened up, composed himself, and slowly said, "Yu Hu Chun is the 'number one restaurant' in Yangzhou, and its business has always been good. There must be many people who want a piece of the pie."
But to say there's a clear intention to acquire one recently, there hasn't been any.
To be on the safe side, he added, "However... I am, after all, the head of the family, and many trivial matters may not reach my ears on a daily basis."
The day-to-day affairs of Yuhuchun have always been handled by the manager, Zhang Cheng.
Perhaps someone who wanted to acquire it contacted Zhang Cheng first but hasn't had a chance to tell me yet, or perhaps Zhang Cheng felt it wasn't necessary to report it.
"If Your Highness wishes to investigate, I will immediately send someone to fetch Zhang Cheng and ask him if he has encountered anything like this recently."
Xiao Yunzhan: "Alright."
Just as Lu Fanghui was about to instruct the steward behind him to call for help, he heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from afar, accompanied by the coachman's shouts: "Make way! Make way! The Xu family is here!"
Several horse-drawn carriages sped over and stopped at the entrance of Yuhuchun.
A woman wearing a dark green jacket jumped down from the first carriage.
She looked to be in her forties, with exquisite makeup and a solemn expression.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, she rushed straight to the collapsed scaffold without looking at anyone around her.
Two men followed behind her: one wore a dark blue long robe, had a calm expression, and walked steadily.
The other one was wearing a light gray long shirt, looked flustered, and even his steps were a little unsteady.
Before the person even got close, Liu suddenly broke free from the bailiff's grasp.
He rushed to the woman like a madman, tearing at her clothes and crying out, "It's all your fault!"
If you hadn't argued with the master, he wouldn't have been in a bad mood, and he wouldn't have left without waiting for me!
If the master had waited for me to come along, perhaps this wouldn't have happened!
"It's all your fault! You're the one who killed the master!"
Without saying a word, Wang gripped Liu's arm tightly with her left hand, raised her right hand, and slapped Liu hard across the face with a loud "smack".
The slap was extremely powerful, causing Liu's head to tilt to one side and blood to immediately seep from the corner of her mouth.
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