Chapter 103 The Real Murderer

Ming Huashang and Zhaocai kept bickering as they walked outside Qingchan Temple. As soon as Ming Huashang stepped out of the door, she smelled the fragrance of roasted chestnuts. She and Zhaocai quickly reconciled and went to the stall together to buy chestnuts.

The man roasting chestnuts was a skinny old man. Although his hair was gray, his arms were still very strong, and he was very vigorous when he was stirring the chestnuts. Ming Huashang was bored waiting, so she chatted with the old man: "Uncle, do you set up a stall outside Qingchan Temple every day?"

"Yes, there are a lot of people here. Many young ladies follow the elders to burn incense. When they come out, they can't help but buy snacks. I can also benefit from it."

Ming Huashang vaguely felt that the old man was talking about her. She touched her nose, took out the portrait of Cheng Siyue from her sleeve, and asked, "Uncle, have you seen this woman?"

The old man was busy roasting chestnuts. He took a moment to glance at her and asked, "Why are you asking about the whereabouts of a little girl?"

Ming Huashang asked casually, not expecting anyone to recognize him, but the old man sounded like he knew something. Ming Huashang's heart sank, and she said hurriedly, "Someone said that my fiancé is having an affair and often comes to Qingchan Temple to meet with his lover. I was worried, so I came to ask."

Zhaocai showed a puzzled look and looked at Ming Huashang in surprise. Ming Huashang pinched her hand quietly, signaling her not to speak. The old man said, "Oh, so that's the case. I was wondering why that woman, who looked like she came from a good family, walked so stealthily. She must have come to see her lover. Young lady, if you haven't made an engagement, you should cancel the engagement. If you have been having an affair with another woman before marriage, I'm afraid it won't work out after marriage."

Ming Huashang's pupils dilated. She had not expected that she had guessed it right.

The old man had met Cheng Siyue before. After Cheng Siyue disappeared from the East Market that day, did she come to Qingchan Temple again?

The murderer couldn't be Cen Hu. Cen Hu refused his fellow apprentices and insisted on staying outside the city. It made no sense for him to go to Qingchan Temple to kill Cheng Siyue. The only person who came to Qingchan Temple that day, besides the monks from Pudu Temple, was Lu Du.

Ming Huashang asked hurriedly: "Did she really come? When?"

"I can't remember that. Madam, please ask the monks at Qingchan Temple to find out when the latest ceremony started. I remember that there was a ceremony at Qingchan Temple that day. She came after the ceremony started. There were not many people at the door at that time. She looked around like a thief. She was very conspicuous, so I remembered it."

Ming Huachang's heart began to beat excitedly. She tried hard to maintain her image as someone who caught someone cheating on her and asked, "What was she wearing that day?"

"I don't quite remember, I think it was green."

Green? Ming Huachang frowned. When Cheng Siyue was found, she was clearly wearing red clothes. Could it be that she changed her clothes on the way?

This explains why Jingzhao Prefecture asked for so long but no one along the way knew where Cheng Siyue was. Cheng Siyue changed her clothes, and Jingzhao Prefecture asked based on her clothes and height, it would be strange if they could find her!

Ming Huashang thanked the old man and hurriedly ran back. The old man called out from behind, "Hey, young lady, don't you want the roasted chestnuts?"

"Zhaocai, go get the chestnuts, and let's go to the East Market!"

Ming Huashang hurried back to the East Market and went to the clothing stores that Cheng Siyue often visited, asking one by one. Finally, the proprietress of a store said that on October 22, Cheng Siyue came to their store without a maid, bought a blue skirt and left.

The heavy stone that had tortured Ming Huashang for two months fell, and she knew that the matter had been settled. But she still needed more confirmation, so Ming Huashang rushed to the Chengguo Mansion without stopping. She didn't have time to greet the wife of the Chengguo Mansion. As soon as she entered the door, she asked, "Is Mr. Cheng here?"

Thanks to Ming Huashang's strong social skills, the servants of the Chengguo Mansion still remembered her. The servant replied blankly. A moment later, Cheng Dalang, who was also blankly, was brought in and asked in surprise: "Mrs. Ming, are you looking for me?"

After Cheng Siyue's death, everyone in the Chengguo Mansion was in great grief. Cheng Dalang also asked for leave from the Imperial College and lived at home during this period. Ming Huashang didn't have time to explain and asked, "Dalangjun, who was teaching you on October 22, when Cheng Siyue went to the Imperial College to find you?"

Cheng Dalang looked at her inexplicably: "Dr. Lu."

It was indeed him! Ming Huashang asked again, "What was he wearing that day?"

"Dr. Lu is going to give a lecture, so he will naturally wear the green official uniform."

"Has your sister ever asked about Dr. Lu before?"

Cheng Dalang seemed to sense something and asked solemnly, "Mrs. Ming, tell me the truth, are you related to the murderer who killed Siyue?"

Although the Jingzhao Prefecture had announced that the case had been solved, Cheng Dalang still felt something was wrong. Although his sister was naive, how could she be deceived by an unfamiliar monk on the street? He had a vague sense of violation in his heart, and when Ming Huashang asked about Lu Du today, that sense of violation became even stronger.

Cheng Dalang didn't answer, but his expression had already proved the answer. Ming Huashang couldn't say anything more, she could only look at Cheng Dalang sincerely and said, "I'm sorry, I can't answer you now without evidence. But I can promise you that I will find the real murderer who killed Cheng Siyue."

She said that she would definitely find the real murderer, which means that the person announced by Jingzhao Yin now is not the murderer? Cheng Dalang looked at Ming Huashang and hesitated to speak, and finally said: "Madam Ming, it is not safe on the road now. It is too dangerous for a woman like you to be outside so late. I will take you back."

"No need." Ming Huashang waved her hand, "I brought the maids and guards with me, I can go back by myself."

Cheng Dalang shook his head, very persistent: "The thing I regret most is letting Siyue go alone that day. Let me take you back."

Ming Huashang thought of Cheng Siyue and suddenly lost her words. She did not accept Cheng Dalang's kindness and waited until she arrived at the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. Cheng Dalang watched Ming Huashang enter the door and was about to turn around when Ming Huashang called him.

Ming Huashang ran out holding up her skirt, looked Cheng Dalang in the eye, and said, "Dalangjun, you are not to blame for what happened that day. Even if you sent her back, she would find a chance to escape next time, or the next time, as long as the murderer is still around. It's not your fault, nor is it Siyue's fault. The murderer should be held responsible."

Cheng Dalang's eyes seemed to be moved. He looked at Ming Huashang in shock, his lips moved, and finally he bowed and said, "Thank you."

Ming Hua returned the greeting with his clothes bowed: "My condolences."

Cheng Dalang said goodbye to Ming Huashang for the second time. This time his tone was much more sincere, no longer like before, purely out of upbringing and courtesy: "Mrs. Ming Er, you should go back soon. I know your brother has been running around a lot for Siyue's matter during this period. Thank you very much."

Ming Huashang shook her head and smiled, saying, "This is what we should do. I will go back first, and take care, my dear."

Ming Huashang turned around and went back to her house. This time she did not look back. After Ming Huashang disappeared, Cheng Dalang stood in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's house for a long time before he mounted his horse and left.

Zhaocai followed behind Ming Huashang silently. When there was no one else around, Zhaocai approached and asked, "Madam, is the eldest son of the Chengguo Mansion also unengaged?"

Ming Huashang was simply convinced and glared at her unhappily: "Do you have anything else on your mind? I won't take you with me. Go back by yourself. I'll go to my second brother's courtyard and wait for him."

Zhaocai also snorted in dissatisfaction. Seeing that Ming Huashang really turned around and left, he shouted, "Madam, can you finish so many chestnuts?"

"If you can finish it, I won't give you any more."

"Be careful not to get angry!"

The servants in Qinghui Courtyard were very calm when they saw Ming Huashang coming. They skillfully carried charcoal fire, burned incense, and heated tea. They often suspected that the person living in this courtyard was actually the Second Lady, and the Second Young Master was the guest.

Ming Huashang sat in the house, excitedly waiting for Ming Huazhang to come back so that she could tell him about the great progress made today.

She finally knew why Huang Caiwei, a proud and arrogant lady who was pampered by her parents, went to Pudu Temple frequently. She also knew why Cheng Siyue, a gentle and obedient girl, risked being punished by her elders and went to the Imperial College alone, and why the beggar who had experienced the instability of human nature five years ago followed others. Now she had the answers.

Because Cheng Siyue was not going to the Imperial College to see her brother, but to see her lover! Cheng Siyue often went to the Imperial College, and even her brother's roommates knew her, so it was not surprising that she knew her brother's teacher. She got off the bus halfway, refused to go home, and even changed her clothes on purpose, fearing that her family would find out, all for the purpose of meeting her lover in secret.

Huang Caiwei, such a lively person, suddenly became fascinated with Pudu Temple, not because she was interested in Buddhism, but because she wanted to see the people who were staying there.

That person was well-educated, came from a famous family, was elegant, and even had good literary and musical achievements, but he was mentally unhealthy. His family environment was very bad during his childhood. His father had a tendency to violence. This violence did not necessarily refer to physical violence, but could also be emotional violence or verbal violence. The female relatives who had a close relationship with him must have given him a major blow, causing him to dislike mature women and only like girls between the ages of 14 and 16 who looked childish and had a gentle temperament. Because of this problem, he resisted marriage and lived alone for many years.

He is a devout believer in Buddhism and firmly believes that as long as the bones are made into a bone flute, the deceased can be free from suffering and achieve happiness, and be reborn in bliss. Therefore, he would dig out the victim's tibia, because this part of the bone was the slenderest and most suitable for making musical instruments. When he killed Cheng Siyue, he had no conditions, so he had to do the next best thing and take her finger bones.

Cheng Siyue's fingers are very beautiful, and her middle finger is long and slender. Even if she can't make a bone flute, she can make a bone whistle.

Four years ago, his life changed significantly. It may be that he gained control and the right to speak, or that he gained a higher social status and was respected. These changes greatly relieved his psychological pressure, so he no longer had to rely on killing people to get psychological satisfaction. But in October this year, a clumsy copycat crime brought out the devil in his heart again.

He was an extremely conceited and narcissistic person, and could not tolerate the outside world confusing his imitators with himself, so he easily killed a woman and dumped her body in a dark alley near the city gate where it would be most easily discovered, waiting for the whole of Chang'an to be shocked by him.

A figure gradually emerged on the paper. Ming Huashang put down his pen and looked at him for a long time.

The real murderer of the serial murders of young girls in the past five years is Lu Du, the unmarried doctor who is most favored by matchmakers in the Imperial College.

Ming Huashang put away the paper and waited for Ming Huazhang to come back. However, she waited for a long time with the hot tea in her arms. The tea had been changed several times, and it was long past the time when Ming Huazhang usually returned home, but he was still nowhere to be seen.

Given his personality, even if the investigation was delayed, he would definitely send someone back to report the incident at this late hour. He would not do something so irrational.

Ming Huachang's heart skipped a beat, and she realized that something had happened to Ming Huazhang.