Chapter 323 Tianxiang Tower's Case Investigation: The Truth Behind the Case
"No need. I will be working here at Tianxiang Tower. Summon another victim whose wife has gone missing to come and identify the body."
"Have the coroner examine the body on the spot, and immediately seal off Tianxiang Tower, prohibiting anyone from leaving."
Furthermore, gather all the girls from Tianxiang Pavilion together and place them under special supervision. I will question them after I have finished interrogating Steward Zhao.
Shen Chu immediately issued a series of orders.
Prefect Jiang was taken aback, looking troubled.
"Young Master Shen, Tianxiang Pavilion is, after all, a place of pleasure and entertainment. How can you conduct your investigation here?"
With so many people around, if Your Excellency were to encounter any danger, I, your humble servant, would be obliged to die for you.
Shen Chu raised his hand, "Everyone in Tianxiang Tower needs to be questioned one by one. It wouldn't be right to send all of them to the prefect's office."
Therefore, staying here to handle the case is the most appropriate course of action. Prefect Jiang, there's no need to persuade me further; my mind is made up.”
Prefect Jiang sighed.
"To be honest, Lord Shen, ever since the series of disappearances of young girls in Yangzhou, I have been investigating for a long time without any results."
After reporting to the imperial court, it was thought that the Vice Minister of Justice would be able to uncover the truth, but the Vice Minister was instead retaliated against by the person behind the scenes.
I'm having trouble sleeping day and night. I'm worried that the case won't be solved and that Your Excellency might be in danger.
I'm so worried, look, I've even got gray hairs on my head.
"Very well, since Lord Shen insists on handling the case here, your subordinates and I will remain here and await further instructions."
Shen Chu waved his hand, "The prefectural government must be busy with many official duties. Prefect Jiang, there's no need to waste time with me here."
You may leave now. If necessary, I will send someone to inform Prefect Jiang.
Seeing that he was determined to do so, Prefect Jiang left with his men first.
At this moment, Han Feng had someone carry over Zheng Xin'er, who was covered in serious injuries.
Li Anning was also with him.
Ling Ce waved and asked in a high-pitched voice, "An Ning, are you alright?"
Li Anning looked up at them, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she lifted her skirt and ran towards them.
Ling Ce's ears turned slightly red.
This girl, she's only been apart for half a night, and she's already too excited to see him?
I guess she was scared because she was alone in Tianxiang Tower last night?
Ling Ce felt a sudden tenderness in his heart. Judging from the way she was rushing over, she was probably going to hug him and cry her heart out.
Fine, I'll just give her a hug.
Ling Ce stepped forward and stretched out his arms.
Li Anning passed by him like a gust of wind, heading straight for his back.
Ling Ce...
Did you run past it?
But then Li Anning rushed to Shen Chu in three steps, looking at Shen Chu with excitement, her eyes shining like stars in the sky.
"Young Master Shen, it really is you! When did you arrive in Yangzhou?"
Shen Chu nodded slightly.
"Just arrived in Yangzhou, Miss Li, how have you been?"
Li Anning waved her little hand, "Hehe, I'm fine, I'm perfectly well."
Ling Ce pouted and strolled back to Shen Chu, then reached out and tugged at Li Anning's sleeve.
Aren't you going to ask me if I'm alright?
Li Anning slapped his hand away and pushed him to the side.
"Oh dear, Sister Lingling, don't block my view. I'm talking to Master Shen."
Ling Ce...
Was he ultimately superfluous?
That fickle brat.
Ling Ce said sourly, "What's the point of talking to him? Can't you see he's busy with a case? He doesn't have time to chat with you."
"Oh right, the case." Li Anning suddenly remembered the case and quickly took a step back, looking understanding.
"Young Master Shen, please focus on your case. If there's anything you need me for, just let me know."
"Okay, thank you, Miss Li."
Shen Chu looked at Zheng Xin'er, who had been carried to her side.
Zheng Xin'er was covered in blood, making it almost impossible to tell the original color of her clothes. Her exposed arms were covered with bright red whip marks.
This shows how much suffering she had endured.
Shen Chu sighed inwardly. If he had insisted on taking her away yesterday, she wouldn't have been whipped like this.
Han Feng said, "This girl is stubborn. Her wound was only given simple treatment. She insisted on seeing you first, saying she had something to say to you."
Shen Chu slowly squatted down and said softly, "Zheng Xin'er, what do you want to say to me?"
Zheng Xin'er's eyelids trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.
She stared at Shen Chu for a moment, then her eyes darted around and she looked at Steward Zhao, who was slumped on the ground.
She laboriously raised her hand and pointed at Steward Zhao.
"My lord, I saw with my own eyes that she strangled Bai Lianhua and Sun Yuxiang to death, and then buried them under the crabapple tree."
Manager Zhao's face was extremely ugly. "You're spouting nonsense and making baseless accusations."
Shen Chu's face darkened. "Hongxiu."
Hongxiu understood and immediately took out another fruit to shut Zhao the steward up.
Shen Chu's expression softened, and he said to Zheng Xin'er, "Tell me what happened slowly."
Zheng Xin'er pursed her lips, a look of fear flashing in her eyes, as if her memory had regressed to that day.
"Here's what happened..."
Zheng Xin'er clearly remembers that it was August 16th, the day before was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a festival for family reunion.
Most of the girls at Tianxiang Tower had tragic backgrounds like hers, either having lost their families or not being loved by them.
Therefore, the reunion festival brought them sadness, and the atmosphere in the building was very somber for those two days.
Most of the girls stayed in their rooms and few came out to walk around.
Unfortunately, it rained heavily that day, and the entire building was quiet.
Zheng Xin'er was originally practicing the piano indoors, but as the rain gradually subsided, she decided to take a walk in the rain.
Just as they entered the garden, they suddenly heard arguing coming from Steward Zhao's room.
Almost none of the girls in Tianxiang Tower dared to speak loudly to Manager Zhao.
She became curious and quietly moved closer.
Through the half-open door, she saw that the people talking to Manager Zhao were actually Bai Lianhua and Sun Yuxiang.
These two people had studied with her in the Mingde Class, so they were quite familiar with each other.
However, after the two left the Mingde Troupe, they got married, and she entered the Tianxiang Pavilion, so they gradually lost contact.
The voices of the three people arguing inside the room grew louder and louder.
She heard Bai Lianhua angrily shout, "So many people have disappeared, I don't believe it has nothing to do with you."
My sister definitely went missing after accidentally wandering into Tianxiang Tower. You have to give me an explanation for this.
Sun Yuxiang said, “Lotus, stop wasting your breath on her. I bet Lotus saw something she shouldn’t have seen, which is why she was arrested.”
Manager Zhao, putting everything else aside, we both saw what you did with our own eyes today.
"If we report these things to the authorities, will your Tianxiang Pavilion still be able to stay open?"
Manager Zhao repeatedly protested his innocence, saying, "You've really misunderstood me. Things aren't as you imagine."
"Please don't rush, have a cup of tea and let me explain slowly."
She personally poured two cups of tea for Bai Lianhua and Sun Yuxiang.
The two had been talking for a while and were quite thirsty, so they took the tea and drank it.
Before long, the two of them lost consciousness and collapsed onto the table.
As Zheng Xin'er spoke, her pupils contracted slightly, and even her breathing became rapid.
Upon seeing this, Han Feng quickly took out his silver needles and inserted two needles into her.
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