Just then, Lin Daowei led a group of officials towards them, hurrying towards the brothel.
Lin Daowei was dressed in a constable's uniform, but he wore a white coarse hemp turban on his head and a white hemp belt around his waist, clearly indicating that he was in mourning.
Lin Yajun and her younger brother Lin Songhao exchanged a glance, both wondering: Could it be that the old witch has died? Why didn't Lin Daowei take leave to observe mourning?
As Lin Daowei approached, he saw Lin Yajun and her brother. He stopped a few steps away, his lips twitching as he remained silent.
Lin Songhao pointed to the white headscarf on Lin Daowei's head and asked curiously, "Third Uncle, are you wearing mourning clothes for someone?"
Lin Daowei's face showed sadness. "Third Uncle's mother passed away the day before yesterday."
Because Lin Daoqing and Lin Daowei instructed Shen Qiyuan to come to the Lin residence to propose marriage, attempting to scheme against Lin Yajun.
This incident led to a complete break between the three Lin brothers. After Lin Daoxian's mother died, no one dared to come to the eldest branch to report the death. They knew that if anyone came to report the death, the eldest branch would not send gifts or anyone else.
"Then why aren't you observing mourning?" Lin Songhao looked at Lin Daowei with a face full of shock. There was no one in the world who dared not observe mourning.
“Alas, there are too many backlogged cases in the government office. Our magistrate and the Minister of Justice both want to cancel my mourning period and forbid me from observing the mourning period. The Ministry of Justice even submitted a memorial to the Emperor about this. What can my third uncle do?” Lin Daowei explained helplessly. “I can only work during the day and go back to observe the mourning period at night.”
Lin Yajun understood that no official in the government office wanted to be a head constable. It was dirty and tiring, and most of the time, the investigation involved looking at dead bodies. If the case couldn't be solved, it would affect promotion. It was a thankless job.
The officials did not want Lin Daowei to observe the three-year mourning period, and Lin Daowei himself was unwilling to lose his official position, so he continued to serve under the strict mourning conditions.
Lin Daowei forced a smile at Lin Yajun and her brother, then stepped forward and bowed to Zhao Canchen.
Zhao Canchen nodded slightly to Lin Daowei and asked, "Officer Lin, are you going to the brothel to investigate a case? Do you have any leads?"
Upon hearing Zhao Canchen's question, Lin Daowei shook his head, then stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying, "I'm afraid this case can't be solved." As he spoke, he glanced at Zhao Canchen, his eyes revealing a hesitant expression.
Lin Daowei heard someone come to the government office to report that "the heir of the Duke's mansion was murdered in the bed of a brothel girl."
He listened to the prince's attendant's frantic report and heard the details of the incident: The prince had a favorite prostitute at a brothel, but the Duke's mansion refused to allow him to take her back, so the prince had to go to the brothel every few days. One day, the prince drank some wine with his favorite prostitute, then went to bed with her. Soon after, the prostitute crawled out covered in blood, calling for help. Everyone rushed in and found the prince dead on the bed, his death gruesome, his eyes gouged out.
After the attendant finished speaking, he pleaded in a panic, "Sir, please go to the brothel quickly, maybe we can catch the murderer."
Upon hearing of the gruesome death of the young master, Lin Daowei gasped in shock. He immediately questioned the person who reported the incident, "Whom did your young master offend?"
"Our Crown Prince never offends anyone."
"Who has he insulted without cause?"
"Ah, the young master publicly scolded that, that..."
"Don't say a word about this to anyone else, otherwise..." Lin Daowei immediately understood who he was referring to and quickly gave him a word of caution.
"I understand, I wouldn't dare." The person who reported the incident nodded quickly, terrified out of his wits.
Lin Daowei recalled several other similarly brutal cases that had occurred before.
These cases are all extremely similar in their modus operandi and are exceptionally cruel, yet they remain unsolved to this day.
As the head constable, after investigating and reflecting on each case, Lin Daowei discovered a common characteristic among them: all the victims had insulted one person before the incident—Zhao Canchen.
Among them, the one who impressed Lin Daowei the most was his eldest sister-in-law, Cheng.
Cheng's death was extremely tragic, and as far as he knew, before the incident, Cheng not only cursed Zhao Canchen, but even picked up a stone and threw it at him.
Therefore, Lin Daowei knew that Zhao Canchen's background and power were unfathomable, and he did not want to offend Zhao Canchen because of these cases, which would lead to his death. He never mentioned the evidence he had found to anyone.
Lin Daowei kindly reminded Zhao Canchen, "Young Master Hu's background is far too powerful. Try not to go out these days."
Zhao Canchen understood Lin Daowei's words and nodded, indicating that he would follow Lin Daowei's advice.
Before leaving, Lin Daowei glanced at his eldest niece and then at Zhao Canchen. A thought arose in his mind: These are the two people you absolutely cannot offend in this world.
Offending them will have dire consequences.
One is the ability to strike someone ruthlessly right to their face;
One possibility is that someone poisoned him from behind.
Lin Daowei changed his mind for a moment, looked at Lin Songhao and asked with a smile, "Xiaohao, do you want to see your third uncle investigate a case? How about we go with your third uncle?" His nephew had asked to see him investigate a case many times, but he had refused each time.
Now, Lin Daowei wants to use this method to ease his relationship with the eldest son's family.
Lin Songhao was eager to see the case being investigated. His big eyes looked at his sister with longing in them.
Lin Yajun frowned, wanting to refuse and not let her younger brother go with Lin Daowei.
Zhao Canchen whispered, "You can let him go and see for himself; it will broaden his horizons."
"Then go and take a look, and be careful," Lin Yajun said to Lin Songhao.
"Yes, sister, I'll be back soon," Lin Songhao said with a smile.
He followed Lin Daowei, and the group quickly headed towards the brothel.
Lin Yajun watched Lin Songhao's retreating figure and muttered: Lin Daowei, if you dare to make a move on my brother, I'll kill you!
A little uneasy, she quietly turned the golden dog head and released a fly drone to monitor Lin Songhao from above.
After Lin Songhao left, Zhao Canchen walked side by side with Lin Yajun in the alley. He seemed hesitant, as if there was something he couldn't bring himself to say. Finally, after a moment of silence, he said softly, "Xiaojun, there's something I want to tell you."
Lin Yajun turned her head, smiled at Zhao Canchen, and asked gently, "What is it?"
Zhao Canchen took a deep breath, as if summoning great courage, and quickly said, "Xiao Jun, let's be together." He had made his decision and still chose to spend his life with Xiao Jun.
As for the danger, there is danger whether they are not together or together, so it is better to choose to be together.
"What?" Lin Yajun's voice involuntarily rose eight octaves as she stared at Zhao Canchen in shock. "What did you say about being together?"
Zhao Canchen's face flushed instantly, and he explained somewhat awkwardly, "The princess summoned me just now, and she proposed that I marry you. I thought about it and felt that it wasn't a bad idea. Anyway, you're going to get married and I'm going to get a wife, so why don't we be together? I wanted to ask your opinion before proposing."
Lin Yajun was suddenly stunned by Zhao Canchen's words. She was speechless for a long time before she came to her senses. "But, I..."
Zhao Canchen's heart sank as he recalled her words, "I will never get married."
He quickly said, "If you don't want to, that's fine. I was just saying it casually." His voice was low and heavy, as if he were carrying a thousand-pound burden, and his head was bowed deeply.
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