Bone Painting Coroner

Four of them came out after they dressed themselves, and were greeted with a hilarious scene where Ji Yunshu, Constable Zhang and Zhang Xinlan sat on three different benches separately. Wei Yi was the first one to run to Ji Yunshu’s side, hugging her arm tightly while throwing a conceited glance at Jing Rong.

However, Jing Rong’s mind was still occupied with the image of the scar on Wen Lingyang’s waist and did not have the time to care about Wei Yi.

Simultaneously, Zhang Xinlan rushed into Wen Lingyang’s arms and draped herself onto his arm. “Lingyang, didn’t you promise to teach me how to write? I spent so much time waiting for you that last time. You cannot bail on me again this time.”

Wen Lingyang frowned and hissed in pain. Zhang Xinlan quickly let go of him and checked his wrist. She said worriedly, “Did I hurt your hand again? It’s my fault, I grabbed you so hard despite knowing that you have long-standing pain in your wrist.”

Wen Lingyang, who was easily embarrassed, was flustered that Zhang Xinlan had revealed the problem with his wrist in public. Hence, he gently pushed her away and said, “A lot of things have been happening in the yamen recently and I can’t spend much time with you. We’ll talk about this once the cases are settled.”

“But…” Zhang Xinlan was sad but knew that she should not dwell on this and make a scene here. She stared at his wrist with her heart aching.

Mo Ruo walked over, and without saying much, he lifted Wen Lingyang’s wrist that was hurting a moment ago and said, “Don’t move. I’ll check it for you.” Mo Ruo lifted Wen Lingyang’s sleeve and briefly pressed against his wrist. Then, he concluded, “This did not originate from trauma, this is an inherited disease. Do Advisor Wen’s parents have the same symptoms?”

He shook his head, pulled his hand away and hid it underneath his sleeve. “This humble one is an orphan. My parents passed away when I was very young, hence I don’t know much about their health status. The illness in my wrist has been with me since I was born and I’m used to it. It doesn’t affect me much.”

“Advisor Wen must be a very hardworking person. It’s very impressive that you have such beautiful handwriting despite all that pain in your wrist.”

“Young Master Mo has overpraised me.”

He urged, “Remember to boil tea with wolfberry and drink it. It can soothe the pain.”

“Thank you.”

Ji Yunshu then walked over and told Mo Ruo, “Young Master Mo, I may need to trouble you to visit the Li Residence to check on Li Yuan. If it’s possible, please help him regain consciousness by tomorrow morning.”

“Just for this?”

“So far Li Yuan is the only person we are aware of who had been at the Chang Residence that night and he may possibly have seen the murderer. He’s the key to this case. I’ll have to talk to him.”

Mo Ruo contemplated as he got down on one knee and rested his arm on his other. He said, “Teacher Ji, you know that I don’t save just anybody.”

“Three murder cases are involved in this.”

“What does this have to do with me?” he asked as he poured himself a glass of water and took a sip from it.

Jing Rong kicked his thigh, “Don’t they call you the legendary doctor? Aren’t you even more skilled than your father? Have you been boasting all this time?”

Mo Ruo knew his scheme. He flipped his sleeve, “Quit trying to provoke me. There’s no use. Doctors don’t have to solve all cases, nor save every patient. Being a legendary doctor, I have my own principles. Are you saying that I have to take the pulse of every patient in Yuhua Pavilion personally? I’ll die from exhaustion if that’s the case.” He sounded conceited, yet sensible.

Jing Rong sneered, “Just admit that you are not capable. No one will judge you.”

“Who’s not capable?”

“I’m not speaking of you.”

Indeed, Mo Ruo fell into the trap. He stood up promptly and told Ji Yunshu, “Isn’t it just another consultation? Show me the way.”

They left the Lunar Retreat. A few yamen runners rushed towards them just as they stepped out of the door.

“Bad news, bad news… Something’s happened!” They mumbled. All of them were panting and covered in sweat.

Constable Zhang went ahead and asked solemnly, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

A yamen runner raised his arm and vaguely pointed in one direction. Running out of breath, he said, “Someone… Someone from the Li Residence has died.”

“Someone from the Li Residence died? Who?”

“Li Yuan.” The yamen runner was trying to catch his breath.

Everyone was dumbfounded when they heard the news! Ji Yunshu asked, “When?”

“An hour ago. Lord Fang is already on his way there. He ordered me to come over to inform Teacher Ji and the Prince,” he continued, “It was said that Li Yuan was found dead on his bed not long after he arrived at the Li Residence. He was slashed on the throat and died on the spot. His eyes were wide open and the bed was drenched in blood. It was a gruesome death.”

Li Yuan was dead! He was the only person who might have seen the murderer. Was the murderer trying to get rid of the witness?

Constable Zhang ordered the yamen runner to send Zhang Xinlan and Wei Yi back to their residence before the others rushed to the Li Residence.

On their way to the Li Residence, Jing Rong mumbled to Ji Yunshu discreetly, “This Prince saw a scar on Wen Lingyang’s body when we were at the hot spring.”

‘What? You have such a fetish?’ Ji Yunshu shivered at the thought.

Jing Rong could tell that she was having crooked thoughts, hence, he knocked her head with his knuckles. “What are you thinking? I’m saying that the scar looks very similar to the tattoo on the Liu Gang members.”

“What?” Ji Yunshu was surprised.

“Don’t be surprised, it’s true.” Jing Rong was confused as well. “He could be the seventh leader of Liu Gang, but he was only a young kid twenty years ago.”

The idea of him being the leader of the Liu Gang as a toddler was ridiculous. Ji Yunshu thought so too!

She glanced at Wen Lingyang, who was walking in front of them, and said, “Let’s talk after we arrive at the Li Residence.”

In the time it would take to burn half a joss stick, they arrived at the Li Residence. The atmosphere at the residence was gloomy and filled with sorrow. All the pageboys and maids seemed scared and timid. In the backyard, people from the yamen had surrounded Li Yuan’s room to blockade the entrance. Only Fang Mingshan, Li Mingzhou and a young maid were present inside the room. Li Mingzhou sat beside the bed as if he had lost his soul and stared blankly at Li Yuan’s body which was covered with a white cloth. The maid was kneeling on the ground, crying and sobbing, and beside her was a bowl of medication that had been spilled.

Ji Yunshu asked about the case the moment she walked in.

Fang Mingshan replied, “No one knows what happened. When the maid entered the room, Li Yuan was already dead. However, no one from the Li Residence saw anyone suspicious entering the room. There were people on guard outside at all times. Supposedly, no one could enter the room. Did the murderer travel underground?”

That’s weird.

After some contemplation, Fang Mingshan pointed at the maid, who was still kneeling. “Or maybe, she was the killer. She was the only one who had entered the room before.”

The maid was quivering as she made continuous kowtows. She defended herself in tears, “Lord, this humble one did not kill Second Master. This humble one would never have the courage to do so. This humble one only came in to send the medication to Second Master. I do not know what happened. I beg my Lord to prove my innocence.” She wailed.

At this point, Ji Yunshu had walked to the side of the bed and said to Li Mingzhou, “Let this one take a look at the body.”

Li Mingzhou’s head was lowered. He seemed to be turning blind in his bloodshot eyes and his hands gripped tightly at the blood-stained white cloth. He appeared to be sad and depressed, but the veins surfacing on the back of his hands showed more anger than sorrow.

After a while, he lifted his head and said, “Don’t investigate further. You can’t save a dead man. Stop investigating, I don’t want more people to die.” His voice cracked and he sounded helpless as he pleaded.

…

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