Bone Painting Coroner

While Ji Yunshu puzzled over it…

First Madam was already speaking, “Teacher Ji? You must have some uncommon skill if Lord Liu brought you here. The case has already been closed. Why did you still want to open up our Old Master’s body?”

Ji Yunshu replied, “The coroner who visited your residence reported that Old Master Zhang died of Yinshuang Poison. However, it takes ten hours for Yinshuang to kill a person. After this one heard about that, I brought a friend, who is a legendary doctor, to your residence. As expected, the legendary doctor discovered that Old Master Zhang was actually killed by Tea Poison. Since there was only Yinshuang in the Old Master’s cup, where could the Tea Poison have come from? Moreover, Tea Poison is only lethal when it enters one’s circulation. Seeing no wound on the Old Master’s body, I had to make an incision on his throat in order to check his hyoid bone. Eventually, I found out that the Tea Poison was not ingested either.”

In reply to her explanation, First Madam gave a contemptuous smile as she said, “Before I came here, I heard that the legendary doctor was good at checking pulses. He even checked the pulse of a dead person? Is he really that legendary?”

“There’s no doubt that the dead body did not have a pulse. There’s also no doubt that it must be the Tea Poison if the legendary doctor concluded so. If Madam still does not trust us, Madam can find some other doctor to conduct another autopsy.”

Nobody knew how Mo Ruo had come to that conclusion. It was strange to check the pulse of a dead person who had no pulse.¹ Maybe this was what separated a legendary doctor and a quack.

First Madam hesitated for a while before she was convinced. However… “So does that mean you don’t have any answer after all this hassle?”

“That’s not true.”

Ji Yunshu showed First Madam the broken pieces of porcelain that were wrapped in her handkerchief. “These are the pieces of broken porcelain I found on Old Master Zhang’s body.”

“Broken porcelain?”

“That’s right. They were clinging onto Old Master Zhang’s clothes. Besides that, this one found some cat hair on the broken pieces. I suppose that Old Master Zhang saw a cat upon returning to his room and, given his hatred of them, moved to chase it out. The cat was shocked, ran around heedlessly, and broke the porcelain in the room.” What an unnecessary statement!

First Madam said in contempt, “But you have yet to mention where the Tea Poison came from. I reckon that your words are all nonsense. Legendary doctor? Unbelievable.”

“First Madam, you misunderstood this one’s intention. This one was asking you a question.”

“Huh?”

“If Old Master Zhang hated cats, why would a cat appear in his room that night?”

Gasp!

First Madam’s eyes shifted a little, then her gaze fixed on Ji Yunshu again and spoke coldly, “There are usually people who are in charge of keeping that the cats off this area. However, it was Old Master’s birthday yesterday. It’s not strange that they could make a mistake.”

“Of course there was nothing strange. This one merely wants to thank Madam for answering my question,” Ji Yunshu said purposefully. How fishy!

When First Madam was about to speak, when a pageboy hurried over. “First Madam, bad news… it’s terrible…”

First Madam went out immediately with the cat in her arms after she heard the pageboy. She questioned, “What happened?”

“Something… something’s missing. The Guanyin Seal of our residence is missing.”

“What?” First Madam was shocked. She flung the cat from her arms. The cat simply ran around the ground before disappearing from their sight.

First Madam looked at the pageboy with her fierce eyes, “Explain to me in detail. What do you mean by the Guanyin Seal is missing?”

The pageboy quivered in fear, his head lowered, back bent, and both his hands hanging by the side of his body, trembling, as he said, “I went to the memorial hall and I realised that the Guanyin Seal… is gone. I had the people look everywhere for it, but we couldn’t find anything. First Madam, it was crowded at Old Master’s birthday banquet yesterday. Could it have been stolen… during that time?”

First Madam’s face was painted with anxiety and anger. She pushed the pageboy aside and marched rapidly towards the memorial hall.

In the room, Jing Rong walked to Ji Yunshu’s side and asked, “It seems like you’ve left out a lot in your explanations.”

She glanced at him and nodded. “Indeed, there are still some unanswered questions.”

“I assume that it’s time for you to visit the prison.” Without a doubt, Jing Rong was familiar with her procedure after being with her for so long. She replied with a wordless smile.

While the First Madam was away at the memorial hall, Liu Zhiliang explained to Ji Yunshu and Jing Rong about the Guanyin Seal. It was a heirloom of the Zhang Family, and was passed down generation by generation. It was very expensive. Rumour said that the Guanyin Seal could be used to buy no less than twenty Anfu counties! Hence, the Zhang Family kept it in their memorial hall before passing down to the next generation. Now that the seal had gone missing, it was as if the family lost their legacy. It would be bizarre if First Madam wasn’t worried about it. The news of the incident spread across the whole residence in a very short time.

First Madam ransacked the whole residence and punished the people who were in charge of guarding the memorial hall, yet, there was no result. She even spoke to Liu Zhiliang, “Lord Liu, now that something is lost in our residence, as the county magistrate of Anfu County, you’ll have to get the item back for me.” She sounded strong-willed and left no space for Liu Zhiliang to bargain.

Liu Zhiliang replied, “First Madam, but the death of Old Master Zhang…”

“He’s dead and the murderer has been arrested. The most important thing now is the Guanyin Seal of our Zhang Residence. The Yamen has to find me my Guanyin Seal.” She was coldly imperial as she spoke. It was as if her husband’s death was not the least important to her.

Liu Zhiliang did not know how to reply. He could only go to Ji Yunshu’s side and ask, “Teacher Ji, how is this case going? If it’s solved, then this official has to proceed with this case of a lost item.”

“Lord Liu, you can proceed with that case if you want. There is no conflict between two cases.” Ji Yunshu walked to the front of First Madam and said, “Madam, for now, there are still doubts regarding Old Master Zhang’s death. This humble one promises that the murderer will be caught before daybreak tomorrow.”

First Madam shivered slightly.

“…”

Ji Yunshu cupped her hands politely again before she left with Jing Rong’s company.

However…

When they passed by the memorial hall, Ji Yunshu entered. After a short moment, she came out from the hall. Jing Rong did not know what she was doing inside the hall, but he did not question her.

Ji Yunshu only said, “Some evidence must be obtained personally from the mouth of Miss Zhan Mo.”

This girl is trying to create suspense!

Jing Rong was curious, yet, thought that the case was very intriguing. He did not know when he started to enjoy being by Ji Yunshu’s side when she was solving cases. He liked to see her face as she worked hard to carry out investigations. He could not deny her charm.

Submerged in his own thoughts, Jing Rong chuckled. Ji Yunshu overheard him and turned towards him, asking seriously, “Do you think I carry a different scent?”

What?

…

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