Bone Painting Coroner

Chapter 707 - Solving the Case (2)

The strange incidents could be explained, but what about the ghost that was knocking on the doors?

Ji Yunshu had an answer. She glanced at the door and called out, “Zijin.”

Shi Zijin made her way through the crowd wearing a cold expression, with a sword in one hand and a large black bag in her other hand. “I have them here, Teacher.”

She emptied the contents of the bag onto the ground once she received the signal from Ji Yunshu. A set of bamboo megaphones clattered onto the floor. Each piece of bamboo was connected by thin steel wires that were barely visible to the naked eye.

“What are these?” asked Tang Si.

“These are the devices that they used to emulate the sound of a child’s voice. One of these can be found in almost every corner of the mansion, and they were hidden very well. The steel wires were able to transmit the sound well, and this was why voices could be heard even when no one was around.”

A curious Tang Si picked two of the megaphones that were connected together up, placing one by her ear and another against her mouth. She then spoke into the megaphone.

“It actually works!” Tang Si was amazed. She had never seen anything like this in her lifetime. At least not when she was back in her hometown, “But I could’ve sworn I heard someone knocking on my door the other night.”

“The culprit could pull it off easily by attaching a pebble to a string, and pull it back after it was thrown against a door. This, along with the laughter of the child, created the illusion that a ghost was knocking on the door.” Ji Yunshu explained

And thus the truth was finally revealed! Zhou Wen laughed and opened his bloodshot eyes. He stared at Ji Yunshu and spoke softly, “I’ve underestimated you.”

“No, you’ve overestimated yourself.”

“Indeed I have.” He spoke as his gaze drifted to the ceiling, “I brought these counterfeits into the mansion about a month ago. I thought that I could swap them with the real ones by using the hauntings as a distraction, but His Highness brought you along. I then thought I would be able to continue my plan once you left, but Cai Da and Granny Lin just had to die at a time like this. The entire incident was blown out of proportion by their deaths. That was why I took the risk.”

“What happened with Cai Da and Granny Lin?” asked Ji Yunshu.

Zhou Wen chuckled, “He set off everyday for his work as a butcher, and would only return in the middle of the night. He was responsible for all the strange occurrences that happened in the mention because he was the only one with an alibi and would not arouse suspicion. Granny Lin tried to stop him when she found out about it, but Cai Da wanted the money so that he could become rich. He killed his mother by accident in the ensuing scuffle. He was a filial son, so he committed suicide from guilt. Truly an idiot!” He shook his head with a cold sneer.

To the onlookers, Zhou Wen was just too twisted. He masterminded the incident for the treasures, and caused the deaths of Cai Da and Granny Lin. He had even burned the dozen or so who were involved, in order to save his own hide. He was a selfish and twisted man.

The smile faded away from his face after a long while, and he gazed at Ji Yunshu, “If I had known that this would happen, I should have killed you on the way here.” Haha!

“Do you think that you would get away with this if you killed me?”

“At least you wouldn’t be able to solve the case.”

Jing Rong spoke up without warning, “You wouldn’t have been here if you touched her. I would’ve torn you into pieces.” Those who dared to touch his woman did not even deserve to die with a complete corpse.

Ji Yunshu was secretly happy. She had unknowingly grown to like this man’s domineering side.

But Wu Weiwen was a cowardly man who feared death more than anything. He knelt on the ground and began begging for mercy when he realised that the outcome was already set in stone, “Mercy, Marquis! It’s all Zhou Wen’s fault! He was the one who talked me into doing this. I agreed to help him because my judgement was clouded by greed. Please forgive me, Marquis. I’ve served you for so many years. I only wanted the money, not to kill people! Zhou Wen was the one who set the fire. He was the one who wanted you dead! I have nothing to do with it!” He prostrated on the ground, continuously kowtowing.

Marquis Kang felt as if his heart had been stabbed. He walked up to Zhou Wen, but Wu Weiwen suddenly clung onto his foot and continued begging for mercy, “Forgive me, Marquis! I have nothing to do with this! Please!” He was screaming and sobbing himself hoarse.

But Marquis Kang did not even display a single hint of mercy, “Guards! Drag this thing out and kill him.” Blood must be paid by blood!

A few of the marquis’s soldiers immediately dragged Wu Weiwen away.

“Marquis! Marquis!” The man continued howling for mercy until his voice faded away in the distance.

Marquis Kang could feel a deep pain in his heart as he stared with disbelief at Zhou Wen who had been a loyal retainer of his for years. He then suddenly asked, “You didn’t do this for the money at all. So tell me, what were you truly after?”

Eh? It came as a shock. He did not do it for the money? Even Ji Yunshu was caught off guard.

It was as if Zhou Wen had been laid bare on the ground, “As expected, the Marquis knows me best.” He stared up at Marquis Kang.

“You’ve served for decades. I would’ve given you money no matter the amount as long as you asked. There is no way you’d do something like this for the sake of money. Tell me the truth. Why did you do this?”

“I want you dead!” Killing intent and hatred appeared in Zhou Wen’s eyes as he balled his hands into tight fists. He was like a demon that had clawed its way from the very depths of hell with the sheer anger and contempt in his gaze.

Even Marquis Kang faltered for a brief moment. He shook his head. He couldn’t understand why the man before him hated him so much that he wanted him dead. “I treated you as one of my own, and you’re the only one I could trust. You’ve been by my side since I was in the capital. What have I done to you? Why do you want me dead?”

“You killed my son! Of course I’d want you dead!” Zhou Wen roared in anger, his face a mask of red. He stood up, and was immediately surrounded by soldiers with their swords drawn.

Marquis Kang was stunned. His son?

Zhou Wen, you are single. You were not married despite your old age. How would you have a son?

“You son?” asked Marquis Kang, his voice trembling.

“The young master who you pushed into the pond, he was my son.” Zhou Wen spoke through gritted teeth.

Marquis Kang felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He was shocked, but the surprise was relatively mild, “So he was your son.”

Does it mean that Marquis Kang knew that the boy who died was not his son all along? The onlooking crowd was stunned.