Chapter 17: The Legacy
Jian Anting nodded silently, turned around and stood outside the house, waiting with the other students for the people from the yamen to come.
Qiandeng held his forehead, his eyes unconsciously sweeping over his departing figure, and saw traces of moisture on the hem of his blue clothes, which was slightly different in color from the upper body.
She looked at the sky outside the window and wondered what was causing this.
Ji Linyou pulled Meng Lanxi and pressed him into the chair, signaling him not to move. He walked over and asked Qiandeng if he wanted to leave first.
After all, it was not appropriate for a county lady to sit in the crime room.
Qiandeng shook her head and thought, when Yu Guangling died, she had already been waiting by his side, so what was appropriate or inappropriate?
Ji Linyou noticed that she was looking at Jian Anting vaguely, so he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Look at the hem of his clothes." Qiandeng said casually.
Ji Linyou followed her gaze and said, "Didn't he just pull someone up? He must have washed his hands with ink. Are his clothes wet?"
But after taking another look, he was puzzled: "It's half dry, not wet, and doesn't look like it's been wet. It looks like it's damp. How could someone wear it before it's dried?"
Although it was a bit strange, there was still a dead body in front of them, and the two did not discuss it in detail.
The people from the Dali Temple arrived quickly, and soon the coroner came with all the equipment for an autopsy.
"The deceased was a male, approximately 20 years old, thin and of medium build. There were multiple blows to the back of his head, likely fatal, on his occipital bone. The wounds matched the bloody inkstone found at the scene..."
Everyone's eyes fell on Meng Lanxi's hand, which had held the stone inkstone and was stained with blood and ink.
Meng Lanxi clenched her dirty hands tightly, pursed her lips, and said nothing.
After diagnosing the injuries on the back, the coroner signaled the officers to come up and turn the body over for examination.
As soon as the body was turned over, the onlookers burst into an uproar.
Even Qiandeng, who had been sitting quietly watching, stood up involuntarily.
Because, under the right hand of the dead man who was lying face down, which was pressed by his shoulder, there was a twisted word.
The words were messy and weak, obviously left by the deceased in a dying state after being hit, using the ink on the ground and his own blood.
Although the word was illegible and blurred by the spasming fingers before death, it was still recognizable as the word "Lan".
Orchid, the orchid of Menglanxi.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Meng Lanxi.
"Impossible...Impossible!" Meng Lanxi, who had been trying to maintain her composure, finally collapsed at this moment. She struggled violently, trying to break free from control and see the word herself.
But the officers from the Dali Temple would not let him go forward and kicked him in the knee, forcing him to kneel on the brick floor, unable to struggle any more.
"It seems that the evidence is now conclusive. We have both witnesses and evidence, and even clues left by the deceased before his death. This is an ironclad case!" Jin Baoyi exclaimed immediately, "In my opinion, Meng Lanxi's murder of Zheng Junshan must be related to Yu Guangling's death!"
Meng Lanxi's expression was almost broken, but she still insisted: "The stone inkstone fell from the door. Someone is trying to harm me!"
Qian Deng asked, "You said you came here to check because you heard someone talking about the county lady. So, after you entered the room, did you find anyone inside?"
"I... I don't know." Meng Lanxi tried his best to recall what happened, but it happened so suddenly and he was in such a panic that he couldn't recall any specific details. "I just pushed the door open and went in, then caught the murder weapon. I saw Zheng Junshan lying on the ground covered in blood. Then... someone else came over. I was so scared that I quickly closed the door and tried to hide."
"We arrived right after you closed the door and went into the house, and it was obvious that you were the only one in the house at that time." Qiandeng said, motioning for the officer to "check the window."
The dormitories in the Imperial College were simple, with only a door in the front and a window in the back for entry and exit.
The layout is even simpler, with a narrow wooden bed on the left, a wardrobe and two stacked boxes on the right, and a desk under the window. Everything is clearly visible.
The bailiffs checked the windows, moved things out from under the bed, opened the wardrobe and searched carefully, and even opened the boxes and crates to search, but they could not find the murderer's hiding place anywhere.
"There was no one hiding in the house, and the windows were bolted from the inside. If there were other people in the house at the time, they could only leave through the door."
In other words, the possibility that Meng Lanxi was led in by hearing the sound does not exist.
"Take him away with Jintang and wait for the trial." The Dali Temple Secretary waved his hand.
Knowing he had no way of defending himself, Meng Lanxi gave up struggling. He stretched out his hands and let the guards chain them. But when he was being dragged away by the chains, he turned around and looked at Qiandeng.
Through the misty veil, she couldn't clearly see Meng Lanxi's gaze, but his hoarse voice came through her ears and shook her heart -
"County Lady, it's not me. I wouldn't kill someone like that."
The matter seems to have been resolved, but it still seems to be shrouded in mystery.
After returning to the palace, Qiandeng was still worried. Meng Lanxi's voice kept echoing in his ears and could not be shaken off.
"I wouldn't kill someone like that."
He was right. When they first met on the day of the selection, she knew clearly that he could set up a plan without making a sound and play with others in the palm of his hand.
With such means, would he really kill his classmates again and again in such a cruel and direct way?
Feeling upset and heavy-hearted, she stood up and walked towards the backyard.
Walking along the veranda in the drizzling rain, the sound of raindrops hitting the lush flowers and trees was fine and gentle, mixed with surprised inquiries such as "Is this true?"
She looked up and saw that in front of her was the Liuhua Mountain House where Shi Jingning lived. A group of people gathered there to enjoy snacks, and Shangluo was vividly describing what happened in the Imperial College today.
Even Yan Penglai, a fairy who was not concerned with worldly affairs, was shocked by these two bloody incidents. He frowned and asked, "So, Zheng Junshan accidentally saw Meng Lanxi killing Yu Guangling and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to exchange for favors, and Meng Lanxi took the initiative and killed him...?"
Shangluo nodded, his expression somewhat gloomy: "Alas, but I think Brother Lanxi...Meng Lanxi doesn't look like this kind of person."
"Don't be silly. Whether they look alike or not is just an appearance. People's hearts are treacherous. Who can know their true feelings?" Xue Xiyang said slowly. He raised his eyes and saw Qian Deng walking over. A smile appeared on his face very naturally.
"County Lady." Everyone stood up and saluted her.
Qiandeng nodded slightly at them and sat down in the hall with a heavy heart.
Yu Guangling died, Jin Tang and Meng Lanxi were imprisoned, and now there were only five people standing in front of her.
Shi Jingning presented the tray, and the fragrance of osmanthus filled the air. "County Lady, this is the new Toad Palace Jade Rabbit Cake I made. Would you like to try it and see if it suits your taste?"
Qiandeng actually had no appetite, but seeing that he had made the cake with great care and attention, and the golden osmanthus tree and white jade rabbit on the cake looked lifelike and very cute, he took it and took a small bite.
With the fragrance of osmanthus in her mouth, her mood calmed down a little and she nodded slightly to Shi Jingning.
Shi Jingning sat down beside her and asked worriedly, "I heard that the county lady went to the Imperial College in person, and Meng Lanxi and Jin Tang were also imprisoned. So... who is the more suspicious?"
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