A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 211 Headless Female Corpse (5)

Song Shuyu pondered for a moment and said, "Since the murderer knows lightness skills, he must also know martial arts. Even if he is weak, killing a weak woman would not be difficult. But was it necessary to be so cruel? The caning and beheading were too much of a hassle."

Mu Qingcheng nodded, "Yes, that's where the logic doesn't hold. It's possible that the two types of injuries were not caused by the same culprit."

"You should perform an autopsy first; perhaps you'll find something else."

"it is good!"

"Find the head as soon as possible and identify the deceased!"

"Yes!"

"By the way, if you have difficulty finding the source of the body, you can ask Aunt Liu for help."

"Aunt Liu?"

"Yes, Madam Liu has managed the Duke's mansion for many years and knows a lot about the people and affairs of various noble families in the capital. She also has many dealings with matchmakers in the capital, so she should be able to find out about girls from all walks of life. When you conduct the autopsy, pay attention to the method of caning. If the caning is done professionally, it is something that only wealthy families, besides the three judicial departments and our Jingzhao Prefecture, could do. If it is just a random beating without any method, then shift the focus of the search to ordinary people."

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Having received guidance, Mu Qingcheng was immediately filled with confidence. She bowed and took her leave. As she walked to the hall door, Song Shuyu couldn't help but add, "Come back after you finish discussing business with Lu Shaoqing. Let's have lunch together."

She casually replied, "This humble servant is not hungry..."

“It’s noon. Whether you’re hungry or not, you have to eat on time.” Song Shuyu’s eyes suddenly dimmed, and she exuded a lonely aura. “Today is the winter solstice. I don’t want to eat alone.”

Mu Qingcheng discovered that she always felt a sense of reluctance towards Song Shuyu, and Song Shuyu also grasped her psychology, making full use of his expressions and words to show weakness to her and act coquettishly in order to achieve his goal.

Her parents are far too clever!

She smiled and agreed, "Okay."

Song Shuyu beamed with joy; his handsome appearance, even from a dozen steps away, shone brightly and was etched into Mu Qingcheng's heart.

……

The council hall of the former government office.

When Mu Qingcheng came in, Lu Xun was sitting at his desk, writing a letter.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up and instinctively called out, "Qing'er, come here."

The words had just left their mouths when both of them were stunned!
Their eyes met, and Mu Qingcheng's feelings were indescribably complicated. Lu Xun was stunned for a moment, but once he came to his senses, he hurriedly got up from his seat, walked quickly to the hall door, and looked around.

The security at the Jingzhao Prefecture was much tighter than that of ordinary government offices, with sentries posted around every hall and office in the front office.

The council chamber was of utmost importance. Constables Xiao Luo and Xiao Linzi, one inside and one outside, could count the legs of even a fly that flew by.

Lu Xun was unsure whether they had heard him call "Qing'er," and he didn't want to ask them directly. Just as he was feeling worried, Mu Qingcheng walked over and said to the two men, "Officer Luo, Xiao Linzi, I need to have a private talk with Lu Shaoqing. You don't need to stay here."

"Yes!" The two men whose names were called immediately clasped their hands in response. Mu Qingcheng deliberately feigned embarrassment, "By the way, you must keep this a secret for me, lest my colleagues gossip in private and ruin Lu Shaoqing's reputation. If the adults find out later, they will inevitably be angry."

The two men nodded with knowing expressions and then went their separate ways.

Mu Qingcheng then closed the hall door and led Lu Xun to the innermost part of the hall.

"Don't worry, no one will say a word."

Hearing her words of comfort, Lu Xun felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He finally reached out his large hand and gently stroked Mu Qingcheng's face, murmuring softly, "Qing'er."

This was something he used to do. Since their reunion, whenever he saw her, he could only try his best to suppress this impulse, clenching his fists to avoid giving in to his heart and revealing his true intentions.

No matter how many barriers there were, it seemed that in this instant, they had returned to their former familiarity.

Childhood sweethearts, inseparable and understanding.

Mu Qingcheng didn't dodge. She felt the warmth of Lu Xun's palm, looked at his face, which had lost its coldness and solemnity and was now filled with longing. Her eyes flashed with doubt, resentment, and sarcasm, but finally returned to indifference. She lazily said, "Not pretending anymore?"

"I didn't mean it." Lu Xun remained wary, lowering his voice as he whispered, "Qing'er, no matter what my surname is or how my status changes, the bond between you, me, and our godfather will never change! Believe me, okay?"

Mu Qingcheng sighed slightly and asked bluntly, "Mu Xun, I'll call you Mu Xun for now. You've been in my family for eight years. Have you lost your memory and don't know that you are the heir of the Marquis of Huai'an's mansion, or do you know perfectly well in your heart but deliberately hide it from us?"

"I...I haven't lost my memory. I know whose child I am." Lu Xun's eyes drooped, his guilt overwhelming. No matter how many unavoidable difficulties he had, deception is deception, and he couldn't deny it.

Mu Qingcheng turned away, unwilling to look at this person from back then any longer.

She felt a lump in her throat. "Father is getting old and has misjudged us. In that case, I will make the decision for Father. Please ask Lu Shaoqing to convert the expenses of the past eight years into silver and return it to us. After that, we will be even."

"Qing'er!" Lu Xun was heartbroken. "How can we be even? I can explain, I..."

"Since I don't trust you, I have no interest in hearing your explanations." Mu Qingcheng interrupted him, her brows furrowed with impatience. "Remember to return the silver to me, plus interest!"

Lu Xun knew her temperament well and was so angry that he laughed. He returned to his seat, picked up his brush again, and wrote on the paper as he said, "I'll give you the money, but don't think we're even. I wrote a letter to my godfather. When you ask Miss Bai to deliver the letter, please give it to my godfather as well."

"Why are you writing a letter?" Mu Qingcheng frowned. "Aren't you afraid of scaring my father if you come back to life after death?"

Lu Xun widened his eyes slightly, "What do you mean by 'resurrected after death'? Be careful your godfather doesn't scold you."

Mu Qingcheng didn't want to argue with him, and only said, "You deliver your letter yourself, I won't carry it for you. I have no right to forgive you on behalf of Father, and I don't forgive myself either."

Lu Xun paused for a moment, then continued writing, saying, "Alright, I'll ask Miss Bai for help myself. I think that once my godfather knows the truth, he will forgive me. After all, I'm not only his adopted son, but also his son-in-law."

Mu Qingcheng's eyes widened suddenly. She took a few steps forward, snatched Lu Xun's letter, and tore it into pieces without even looking at it!
Lu Xun asked helplessly, "What are you doing?"

"Don't contact my father anymore. He'll come to the capital when the time is right after the New Year." Mu Qingcheng spoke quickly, and then emphasized one point: "Young Master Lu, you are no longer my father's son-in-law. We have no in-laws with the surname Lu in our family!"

(End of this chapter)