Chapter 101 Finalization
In early December, a fresh snow fell in Chang'an. After the snow, the weather was good. Ming Huashang's room was warm as spring. She sat in the sun and painted carefully.
Suddenly, Zhaocai rushed in and shouted, "My lady, good news! The murderer who killed people and dug out their bones has been caught!"
Ming Huachang's pen stopped, and a drop of ink fell on the paper, right where the eye was, ruining the whole painting. But Ming Huachang didn't pay attention to the painting, and asked hurriedly, "Who is it?"
"It is said that a monk from Pudu Temple was a thief impersonating him and had been hiding in Chang'an for five years! Jingzhao Prefecture sent people to Qingzhou to inquire about him and brought back a wanted order, which is how we found out!"
"Monk?" Ming Huashang frowned. "Is it Jinghui?"
Zhaocai widened his eyes in surprise: "It seems so. Madam, how did you know?"
It was really him. How could the murderer be caught so easily? Ming Huashang was a little dazed and asked hurriedly, "Where is he now?"
"He's dead." Zhaocai patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Fortunately the murderer is dead. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and there will be the Lantern Festival in two days. I was worried that if the murderer was not caught, I would not be able to watch the lanterns this year. Now it's all right. I don't have to worry about going out anymore."
Ming Huachang's brows knitted even tighter. The murderer was actually dead?
Ming Huashang asked: "Where was he found? Why did he die?"
"I don't know. It seems that he was afraid of being discovered for murder, so he stole the Buddha's treasure and escaped. He accidentally fell down the mountain road and died."
Ming Huashang's heart skipped a beat and she asked, "So, no one heard him admit his guilt?"
Zhao Cai blinked in confusion and said, "My lady, he has killed so many people. Even if he is caught, he will definitely be headed. What difference does it make if he dies early or late? Besides, if he is not the murderer, why is he running away?"
Ming Huashang kept silent. She frowned and thought for a while, then asked, "Where did the news that he was the murderer come from?"
"The government." Zhaocai wondered why his wife kept asking nonsense questions today. "Your Majesty requested that the case be closed before the end of the year, but I didn't expect Jingzhao Prefecture to find the case a month in advance. Now the people of Chang'an are praising Jingzhao Prefecture! Erlangjun is the person who handled this case. Although the case has been taken over by Jingzhao Yin, Jingzhao Yin will definitely not forget Erlangjun when the merits are judged and rewards are given!"
Ming Huashang's eyes widened, and she didn't know what to be shocked about: "Now the case is not under the jurisdiction of Second Brother?"
Zhaocai nodded. She glanced at Ming Huashang's face and comforted her, "My lady, it's always like this in the officialdom. When newcomers do something, the superiors take the credit. It has always been like this. Don't worry, the officials in the court have eyes. Jingzhao Yin will definitely remember Erlangjun's contribution."
Ming Huashang bit her lip, suddenly threw down her pen, picked up her skirt and ran out. Zhaocai was startled and hurriedly chased after her: "Second Madam, where are you going? Second Master is in Jingzhao Prefecture now and hasn't come back yet!"
Guangdefang, Jingzhao Prefecture.
All the officials of Jingzhao Prefecture gathered together. Jingzhao Yin sat at the top. He cleared his throat and said, "The serial murder case that has been making a lot of noise these days has finally been found. I have reported it to the Ministry of Justice today. The Minister of Justice is very concerned. In a few days, officials from the Ministry of Justice will come to investigate, and maybe people from the Historian will come too. Do you know what to say and what not to say?"
Ming Huazhang, who was sitting in the Jingzhao Yin's office, couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard this. Has the murderer been found? Has he even reported it to the Ministry of Justice?
Jingzhao Yin waved his hand and asked someone to pass the wanted order sent back from Qingzhou to everyone. Ming Huazhang was the second most important official after Jingzhao Yin, so the wanted order naturally reached him first.
Ming Huazhang looked down at the portrait. The paper looked quite old, the edges had turned yellow and brittle, and the ink had faded a lot. But one could still see that the man in the portrait had a sullen, gloomy and fierce face. If his beard was shaved off, his skin was whiter and his face was thinner, wouldn't he be the monk Jinghui that the people of Chang'an knew?
Ming Huazhang looked next to the wanted order, which read "Cen Hu, the leader of the official bank robbery case in the fifth year of Tianshou."
Jingzhao Yin said at the right time: "The person who went to Qingzhou to inquire about the news yesterday came back with a wanted order and a letter from the Qingzhou governor. Jinghui is indeed a fake. He is actually a bandit named Cen Hu who robs houses. The official silver under his bed is the evidence. The Qingzhou governor said in the letter that Cen Hu is a murderer and a violent person. When he was a bandit in Qingzhou, he often robbed women. Six years ago, they were so bold as to do something so outrageous. The robbery angered the government, and the governor of Qingzhou sent troops to surround the mountains to suppress the bandits. Cen Hu and his men were defeated and fled. The governor of Qingzhou had been hunting for him for a long time but could not find him. He did not expect that he would pretend to be a monk and parade around Chang'an with more resources. From this point of view, Cen Hu's murders were more far than just these girls in Chang'an. The real monk Jinghui might have also been killed by him. "
It turned out that the person Ming Huazhang sent to gather information had returned yesterday, but Jingzhao Yin was a higher-ranking official and intercepted the information in advance. He announced the result to everyone after he had arranged everything. In this way, the credit for finding Cen Hu naturally belongs to Jingzhao Yin.
Everyone in the hall quietly looked at Ming Huazhang. Ming Huazhang sat upright, his posture as firm as a bamboo, staring at the portrait wanted intently, and did not seem to care about his credit being snatched away.
Everyone in Jingzhao Prefecture secretly sighed that Shao Yin was so well-mannered, and he could handle it even when he was confronted with a slap in the face. In fact, everyone in Jingzhao Prefecture misunderstood Ming Huazhang. Ming Huazhang did not react, not because he was magnanimous, but because he was thinking about other things.
The person who went to Qingzhou to question was sent by Ming Huazhang, and the letter from Qingzhou was directly handed over to Jingzhao Yin, without any third party intervening. The identity of the fake Jinghui was confirmed, and there seemed to be no room for doubt. However, Ming Huazhang always felt that something was wrong.
Why did he always feel that there were invisible eyes watching them? Did Jingzhao Prefecture find out Cen Hu's identity by themselves?
After reading the letter from the governor of Qingzhou, Jingzhao Yin was very proud and said, "With the evidence of the governor of Qingzhou, the truth of this case has been revealed. Six years ago, Cen Hu was wanted for robbing government silver. He met Master Jinghui on the road. I don't know how he killed Jinghui and took Jinghui's identity. Five years ago, he hid in Pudu Temple in the southern suburbs of Chang'an. At that time, Pudu Temple was still called Qingshan Temple. The time he came to Chang'an coincided with the time of the first murder. All the murders that occurred afterwards were related to him.
"I guess that he must have been annihilated by the government and felt resentment towards the government, so he deliberately killed the official's daughter. Four years ago, Huang Caiwei, the daughter of Huang Jijiu, often came to Pudu Temple to burn incense. He took advantage of his status to lure Huang Niangzi to a secluded place and killed her, and then used cruel means to dump her body and dig out her bones. On the tenth day of the tenth month of this year, Chu Chu Jun, a woman from Pingkangfang, went to Pudu Temple to listen to a Dharma meeting. After the meeting, he lured Chu Jun away, killed her, and dumped her body on the official road not far away.
"The most solid evidence is the death of Madam Cheng. On October 22, Pudu Temple went to Qingchan Temple to give a lecture. Everyone stayed together, except him. He must have wanted to steal the Buddhist treasures, so he deliberately stayed behind to guard the gate. After he succeeded, he went into the city to kill Cheng Siyue and dumped her body near the city gate. But this year is different from the past. The investigation of Jingzhao Prefecture is very close. He was afraid of being exposed, so he went back to his old ways and stole the Buddhist treasures and escaped on November 19. The monks of Pudu Temple said that On the 19th, the fake Jinghui was found missing at 3 pm According to his steps, he reached the pass at about 5 pm, when the sun was setting and the light was dim. He was in a hurry to escape and accidentally slipped off the cliff, smashing to pieces on the spot. This was confirmed by the coroner, who found identity documents, money and a broken bone flute on the fake Jinghui, that is, Cen Hu, which was consistent with the Pudu Temple's statement. With both witnesses and evidence, the case can be concluded. "
Everyone nodded as they listened. All the explanations were reasonable, and the cause and effect and timeline all matched. It must be said that Jingzhao Yin had some luck in his career. Four years ago, the murderer was not caught, and many officials in Jingzhao Prefecture were questioned for this. by the governor of Qingzhou six years ago. With such political achievements in hand, why worry about not being promoted in the future?
The officials of Jingzhao Prefecture were full of admiration and envy, and they all praised Jingzhao Yin for his keen insight and divine judgment. Jingzhao Yin stroked his beard and smiled proudly. Amid the cheers of the whole room, only one person remained silent, looking out of place.
Ming Huazhang read the letter from the governor of Qingzhou carefully and suddenly interrupted the cheers in the hall: "Since Cen Hu wanted to steal the Buddhist treasure on October 22, why did he leave Pudu Temple and go into the city to kill people?"
The voices of congratulations in the hall paused, and looked at Ming Huazhang. Ming Huazhang, despite the many stares, still had a cool, self-possessed, and calm demeanor, and asked: "Since he was after money, he should everyone have found a place to hide after he succeeded. Why did he make trouble? If he was deliberately murdering the official's daughter, how could he have known in advance that Cheng Siyue would go to the Imperial College that day, and go to the East Market alone?"
Everyone was stumped by the question. Jingzhao Yin thought for a moment and said with certainty, "He must have stolen the Buddhist treasure and wanted to sell it in the city, but he couldn't find a buyer. He was so angry that he ran into Madam Cheng in the East Market. He recognized Madam Cheng's identity, so he became malicious and killed her to vent his anger."
Ming Huazhang raised his eyebrows and asked, "How do you know all this?"
"We can figure it out with a little deduction." Jingzhao Yin frowned and said with great authority, "He is a bandit who kills and robs people. He has a history of robbing women. Only he can do such a cruel thing. Besides, if it's not him, why is he running away?"
"Just because he has a criminal record doesn't mean he will kill someone in the future; just because he has done cruel things in the past doesn't mean he is the murderer; just because he fell to his death on a mountain road doesn't mean there was no third person present at the time. He could be the murderer, but he could also be the victim." Ming Huazhang spoke clearly and firmly, his words were like silver beads falling on a jade plate, clear and stern, and his majesty was unbearable. After he finished speaking, he realized that he was too aggressive, lowered his eyes slightly, and said with a folded hand: "I don't think it's certain that the murderer is Cen Hu, I hope Jingzhao Yin will think twice."
Ming Huazhang, dressed in a crimson robe, sits under a plaque that reads "A Bright Mirror Hanging High". Even when he is performing a salute, he appears firm and upright, his complexion pure and untainted by dust, like cold snow lingering around pine and bamboo trees. He combines grace, majesty and charm, and is aloof and inviolable.
He is like the wind blowing from the mountains when the ice and snow melt. Even if the world is full of peach and plum blossoms, he is still sober and serious, reminding people that winter is not far away. Just like now, everyone is happy to solve the case, but he is the only one who speaks mercilessly to spoil the fun.
The surroundings fell silent. Jingzhao Yin frowned and said unhappily, "Ming Shao Yin, His Majesty and the people are still waiting for the result. Please don't disturb the morale of the army here."
"I'm not trying to dampen morale, but there are still many doubts in this case." Ming Huazhang insisted, "Since Cen Humu's possession is the Buddha treasure, why did he go into the city to kill people on October 22? Let's take a step back. Even if it was really him, where did he kill people? How did he lure Cheng Siyue away? There were so many people on the street, why didn't anyone notice it?"
There were so many questions that everyone was speechless. Someone shrugged and said nonchalantly, "He is a robber who robs houses. He must have a way."
"What can we do?" Minghua Zhangsi said aggressively, without caring about human feelings. "We have been ordered to thoroughly investigate the serial murder case. If we just find someone to take the blame in order to solve the case as quickly as possible, if the murderer kills people in the city again in the future, how can we explain to the people and the parents and relatives of the victims?"
There was a deathly silence all around, and no one answered. In the hall with candles lit, Jingzhao Yin slowly spoke: "Ming Shaoyin, I know you have made a lot of efforts for this case, but solving the case is not your own achievement. You can't harp on the details just because it doesn't go your way. I have reported this case to the Ministry of Justice. The details will be decided by the officials of the Ministry of Justice."
Jingzhao Yin stood up and left: "The meeting is adjourned."
Jingzhao Yin left without looking back, leaving everyone in the hall looking at each other in bewilderment. Many people looked at Ming Huazhang quietly, without saying a word, and each of them took the people they knew and left.
Ming Huazhang seemed not to notice the stares at him and stood up calmly. Zhao Lian was the last to come. He seemed to want to say something but stopped himself. Finally, he sighed heavily, clasped his fists to Ming Huazhang, and strode away.
When Ming Huazhang walked back to his Shaoyin Palace, he found that the door had been opened and a group of people were coming in and out. The yamen runner saw Ming Huazhang and crossed his arms awkwardly: "Shaoyin, Jingzhao Yin has ordered that all files be moved to the main hall and wait for the Ministry of Justice and the Historic Bureau to check."
Ming Huazhang's clear eyes swept over the crowd, and those who were seen by him lowered their heads one after another, and no one dared to look him in the eye. Ming Huazhang said nothing, and said quietly: "Since it is the order of Jingzhao Yin, then move away."
The yamen runner nodded and signaled his men to move quickly. Everyone in Jingzhao Prefecture was busy and happy, but Ming Huazhang was the only idle person. All the files related to the case were moved away by Jingzhao Yin. Ming Huazhang sat quietly for a while before someone else came to the palace.
Shi Da rubbed his hands together and stood in front of Ming Huazhang awkwardly: "Shao Yin, Jingzhao Yin said that he wants to close the case. We need to entertain people from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple these days, so we are in urgent need of manpower. Let us withdraw all the people from Pingkangfang..."
Ming Huazhang immediately frowned. Pingkangfang was an important arrangement for him to capture the murderer in the Chujun case. If the people in Pingkangfang were withdrawn, how could they catch the murderer who copied the crime? But Ming Huazhang looked at Shi Da's red face and embarrassed and nervous eyes, and he really couldn't say anything that would make them disobey Jingzhao Yin.
Ming Huazhang's expression did not change much, he was still calm and composed, he said: "Since Jingzhao Yin has given the order, you just have to obey. You have worked hard these days, go to the dining hall and drink some hot soup first."
Shi Da obviously relaxed after hearing what Ming Huazhang said. Unlike Ming Huazhang, who was born into a famous family and passed the imperial examination, they were all minor officials with meager salaries. They had no hope of promotion in their lives. All they wanted was to make a living in Chang'an. They were most afraid of being involved in the struggles among the upper-level officials. Ming Huazhang had his family as a backing, so it would not matter if he failed in his fight with Jingzhao Yin, but these small fish and shrimps would suffer. He and his brothers had families to support, and if they lost their jobs, they would not even be able to afford rice in Chang'an.
Shi Da heaved a sigh of relief, clasped his fists to Ming Huazhang, and left with a sense of relief. After leaving, he chatted and laughed with other people in Jingzhao Prefecture. From a distance, he could hear the men's voices imagining how much reward they could get this time. In contrast, Ming Huazhang's palace seemed particularly cold and quiet.
Minghua Zhanghuan looked around the palace. The files had been moved away, and he didn't need to write the closing documents. It seemed that there was nothing he could do. He sat quietly in the palace for a while, then simply packed up his things and returned home early for the first time in his life.
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Ming Huashang sat in Qinghui Courtyard. She had expected to wait until dark, but she didn't expect to hear noise outside the door after sitting for a while. Ming Huashang stood up in surprise and ran to the door quickly: "Second brother!"
Ming Huazhang came out of the corridor wearing a cloak. Before he could push the door, it suddenly opened from the inside, and a figure rushed towards him with a warm feeling. Ming Huazhang subconsciously caught it, and when he saw the person in his arms, he immediately frowned: "Nonsense, who told you to run out without shoes!"
Ming Huashang was wearing indoor soft shoes with only a thin layer of cloth on the soles. It was December now, so standing outside like this was like being barefoot. And her clothes were also light and thin, just a single shirt and skirt, what could they protect her from?
Ming Huashang snorted and said, "It's all to see you. Second brother, why did you come back so early? I heard that the case in Jingzhao Prefecture was closed. What's going on?"
It turned out that what happened today had spread outside. Ming Huazhang sighed and signaled the servant to lift the curtain. He leaned over and gently picked up Ming Huashang, saying, "Come in and tell me."
Ming Huashang saw the attendants behind him and wanted to leave by himself, but before he could struggle, Ming Huazhang suppressed him: "Don't move."
Ming Huashang didn't dare to move. Ming Huazhang put her back on the couch and personally put a heater and a blanket under her feet. Ming Huashang felt a little uncomfortable with her ankles being held. She gently trembled and said, "Second brother, it's okay. I'm not cold."
"Cold starts from the feet, so don't be careless." Ming Huazhang ignored her and wrapped her feet tightly before sitting down beside the couch and saying, "You've been busy practicing painting these days, so why did you come here?"
Ming Huashang looked at him and asked cautiously, "Second brother, about the case..."
Ming Huazhang sighed, "Now the cases of Huang Caiwei, Chu Jun, Cheng Siyue and others have been taken over by Jingzhao Yin. Jingzhao Yin reported to the Ministry of Justice that the murderer was Cen Hu, also known as the fake Jinghui. The Ministry of Justice has sent people to investigate and will close the case soon."
Ming Huashang's heart tightened. She thought it was just a disagreement within Jingzhao Prefecture, but the situation had already reached this point?
This conclusion is full of errors. The serial killer did not intend to kill Huang Caiwei, but Yuyan. This is difficult to see. Not to mention that the Chu Jun case is so different from the other cases, how could it be determined that the same person committed the crime?
Ming Huashang frowned and asked, "Can't Jingzhao Yin see the difference between the corpse of Chu Jun and the other cases? How dare he make such a verdict?"
The whole day of arguing and being powerless seemed to have turned into the concern in her eyes and the warmth in her palms. Ming Huazhang's body unconsciously relaxed, and he said helplessly: "I have reminded them many times, but Jingzhao Yin insisted on doing so, and even withdrew my troops in Pingkangfang. They need a murderer, and they hope that the murderer is a fugitive like Cen Hu who has weight and gimmicks. As for the doubts and clues, no one will listen now. I am in Jingzhao Prefecture, just like a cup of water to put out a fire, I am really powerless."
Ming Huashang rarely saw Ming Huazhang looking so tired. His voice was low and tinged with a hint of sadness, which made Ming Huashang's heart wrench.
Ming Huashang frowned and asked, "What about the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple? Doesn't anyone question them?"
"By the time they find out the suspicious points, it will probably be too late." Ming Huazhang said with a serious face, "The New Year is coming soon. During the New Year, many people will go out to visit relatives and friends. During the Lantern Festival, many women will go out to see the lanterns. The people trust the court and think that Jingzhao Prefecture has caught the murderer, so they dare to go out without worry. If the murderer is still hiding in Chang'an and attacks innocent women again during the Lantern Festival, how can I face the people of Chang'an?"
Ming Huachang was getting more and more worried. There were many suspicious points in the case of Cen Hu, but Jingzhao Yin was unwilling to investigate in detail, and instead decided the case according to their prejudices. During the Lantern Festival, many officials were out of their homes with a lot of money, and there were countless opportunities to take action. If the murderer did the same thing again and tortured and killed a woman, Ming Huachang would definitely be held accountable, and he himself could not forgive himself.
She couldn't just sit there and watch the murderer and the incompetent official destroy Ming Huazhang. She had to find the murderer before the New Year.
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