A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 269 Headless Female Corpse (57)

To Mu Qingcheng's surprise, Master Bai did not come alone; he also brought He Jiayin's elder brother, He Jiayue, who was Wu Fei's maternal uncle!
“I was afraid that I didn’t know enough and couldn’t explain it to you clearly. It just so happens that He Jiayue has returned from his shipment, so I had him come to the capital with me.”

After finishing speaking, Master Bai pointed outside, "He Jiayue is waiting outside. You can ask him questions at any time."

"Thank you so much for your thoughtful consideration!" Mu Qingcheng bowed respectfully, then instructed Bai Zhizhi, "Master Bai is now the key to solving the case, so you must take good care of him!"

Bai Zhizhi was frustrated and wanted to argue, but when she met Mu Qingcheng's stern gaze, she immediately cowered like a quail, "Okay, I understand."

Master Bai was confused. "Miss Mu, what case is this? Isn't this about getting Wu Fei to help Zhizhi break off the engagement?"

After considering it for a moment, Mu Qingcheng decided to tell the truth, "Actually, the totem of the Hejia family is related to a murder case, but the specific details of the case cannot be disclosed. As for Zhizhi's marriage, Master Bai, don't worry, Zhizhi will tell you in detail later."

Mr. Bai was utterly shocked!

"Miss Mu, was it murder? Then... then Zhizhi's injuries, were they inflicted by the murderer?"

"It was my negligence that caused Zhizhi's injury. I'm so sorry, Master Bai!"

Overwhelmed with remorse, Mu Qingcheng bowed deeply.

The color drained from Master Bai's face!
"Oh dear, what constable doesn't get injured?"

Bai Zhizhi, fearing her father would blame Mu Qingcheng or immediately pack her up and take her away, reiterated, "I decided on the path I want to take, and I will bear the consequences myself. It has nothing to do with anyone else! Mr. Bai, where in life are there no accidents? Falling to your death, drowning, being struck by lightning—who knows how you will die? How long a person lives depends on luck! As for me, I have benefactors in my life, turning water into bridges and misfortune into good fortune. You can put your mind at ease! As for you, you should take better care of yourself. You're only forty years old, but you look like an old man."

Master Bai's attention was successfully diverted. "Hey, you little brat, keep talking like that. Don't you even look at yourself? How dare you complain about your father?"

"Tch, I inherited my mother's beauty. Even if I become paralyzed, I'll still be a sickly beauty!"

"Really?"

Suddenly, Old Master Bai pinched Bai Zhizhi's cheek. "Let me see what's so beautiful about her? Hmm, my precious daughter, Bai Xingzhi's daughter, is as beautiful as a fairy. No other girl can compare."

"pain!"

Bai Zhizhi bared her teeth and grabbed Old Master Bai's beard. "You old geezer, you want to hurt each other, huh? Fine, come on!"

The tense atmosphere inexplicably turned into a relaxed and loving one, and as Mu Qingcheng watched, her eyes quietly welled up with tears.

For the gradually healing bond between father and daughter, and for her longing to see her father after so long.

……

Office of State Affairs.

Mu Qingcheng summoned Lu Xun, Lin Shuban, Dou Zandian, and also invited a painter to the event.

To save time, He Jiayue accepted the questioning, and Master Bai provided the painter with He Jiayin's facial features to match the portrait.

Mu Qingcheng asked, "Does the Hejia family's totem get tattooed on their bodies?"

"Yes, but tattoos are too painful, so very few people get them on their bodies," He Jiayue said truthfully. "Usually, we embroider totems on the hem of our clothes, or on handkerchiefs close to our bodies, and we also engrave them on utensils and amulets."

"Are there any members of the Hejia family in the capital, besides Wu Fei?"

"It's hard to say. At first, they all moved to Jiangnan, but as time went by, their offspring multiplied and prospered. Some went into business, some went to study, and they went to all corners of the country to pursue their own futures."

Is Wu Fei skilled in tattooing?

"Excellent!"

"Has Wu Fei ever tattooed the Hejia family totem on someone?"

"Yes, he got a tattoo. When he was twelve, he got a totem tattooed on his arm."

What is the relationship between Wu Fei and his biological mother?

"Wu Fei was fatherless from a young age and was raised by his mother. The bond between them was extremely deep. Otherwise, his mother would not have risked her life to save Wu Fei's future."

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingcheng remained silent for a long time after pondering the matter.

In the past few days, the words of the aunt had been echoing in her mind: "He Jiayin's totem, it's He Jiayin, she's back, she's actually back..."

She closed her eyes briefly, then suddenly said, "Lu Shaoqing, I'll describe a woman's appearance; now draw it."

“Okay,” Lu Xun readily agreed.

Both sides were painting portraits at the same time. As Master Bai and Mu Qingcheng dictated, the painter and Lu Xun each painted a portrait of the person.

Once everything was completed, the two portraits were placed together, and everyone was surprised to find that the two women looked six or seven parts alike!
In particular, they all have a striking beauty mark under their eyes!

"What... what's going on here?" Lu Xun asked in surprise, pointing at the portrait he had drawn, his eyes full of curiosity. "Master Mu, who is this woman?"

Mu Qingcheng did not answer immediately.

She looked at Master Bai and He Jiayue and said, "You two have worked hard today. I'll have someone escort you back to the guest quarters to rest. Also, this case is of great importance and must not be leaked!"

"Miss Mu, oh no, Master Mu, don't worry, we will follow the rules." Master Bai clasped his hands in a fist salute and left with He Jiayue.

Once only his own people remained, Mu Qingcheng explained, "The woman I had Lu Shaoqing paint is Xu Yuxiao, the illegitimate daughter of Consort Yang, the concubine of Imperial Censor Xu!"

Everyone was shocked!
Mu Qingcheng continued, "Three years ago, I was the one who collected Yang's body for burial. I remember clearly that Yang died of illness, and the Jingzhao Prefecture issued an autopsy report. I also conducted an autopsy on Yang privately. Her cause of death was correct, but she had been bedridden for a long time without treatment and had been dragged to her death. On the night of the burial, Xu Yuxiao came to me, took a bracelet from her wrist and gave it to me, asking me to cleanse and dress Yang. It was this filial act that made me take a second look at her, and coupled with her beauty mark under her eye, it was easy for people to remember her face."

"When I mentioned the Hejia family totem on the shoulder of the female corpse in Suhe, the aunt was agitated and said that Hejiayin had returned! It was this sentence that made me believe that the female corpse was related to Wu Fei and Hejiayin. However, Hejiayin had been dead for many years and could not have come back to life. Moreover, the female corpse had been in bed with a man not long before she died. Therefore, this female corpse must be Wu Fei's woman!"

"Xu Yuying is not only jealous but also vicious. She could do such a terrible thing as selling Liao Ruyi, a concubine who was not yet married into the family, halfway through her marriage. How could a woman who served Wu Fei have a good ending? When I left the Xu Imperial Censor's residence, I suddenly thought of Xu Yuxiao. Although this mother and daughter were not accepted by the main wife, they were still young ladies, and their lives were better than those of servants. This fits the characteristics of the headless female corpse living a wealthy life, and her age is also basically consistent. Therefore, I had the idea of ​​investigating Xu Yuxiao."

"So, the female corpse in the Suhe River is most likely Xu Yuxiao!" Lu Xun suddenly realized. "Xu Yuxiao caught Wu Fei's eye because of her resemblance to his biological mother. Xu Yuying, out of jealousy and hatred, took advantage of Wu Fei's absence on official business and beat Xu Yuxiao to death!"

Mu Qingcheng nodded. "Although it's just speculation, I think we're very close to the truth!"

"Then...why did the man in black cut off Xu Yuxiao's head?" Lin, the clerk, was a little confused. "What does the matter of the Xu sisters have to do with the man in black?"

Dou Zandian poked his temple with his brush, pondering, "Does the man in black have a grudge against Xu Yuxiao?"

“No, wrong, wrong direction.” Mu Qingcheng shook his head and pondered, “Think about Wang Ruhua! The black-clad man’s target should be Liao Ruyi. Taking Xu Yuxiao’s head, dumping Xu Yuxiao’s body on the frozen surface of the Suhe River, and deliberately leaving traces and clues—what does that mean?” Hearing this, Lu Xun had a flash of inspiration, “Could it be that the black-clad man wasn’t trying to provoke the government, but rather wanted to find Liao Ruyi through the government?”

"Who exactly is this man in black?" Dou Zandian was so engrossed in thinking that he almost broke the brush in two by applying too much pressure.

"Lin Jiao!"

"Lin Jiao!"

A man's voice and a woman's voice rang out at the same time!

Everyone first looked at Mu Qingcheng who was speaking, and then they all looked towards the door. There stood Song Shuyu, tall and elegant, his figure bathed in the sunset, as if coated with an orange light.

It's incredibly tempting.

Mu Qingcheng's heart was pounding, and she quickly turned her face away, afraid that someone would notice something was wrong.

"Meet the adults!"

Everyone was taken aback, but quickly stood up and bowed.

Song Shuyu stepped inside, invited everyone to sit down, and said, "Today is New Year's Eve, it's getting late, everyone should go home for the New Year. Before you leave, go to the accounting office to collect your money and New Year's gifts, don't go home empty-handed."

"Thank you, Your Excellency!" the crowd exclaimed with delight.

As expected of their leader, so generous and considerate!

But then Lin, the clerk, thought for a moment and said worriedly, "Sir, Master Mu, the case is basically clear now. Should we arrest Xu Yuying now? What if something goes wrong and she gets away?"

“We can’t arrest anyone yet,” Mu Qingcheng explained. “Our conclusions are mostly subjective speculations with too little empirical evidence, so we can’t act rashly. Otherwise, Censor Xu will turn the tables and accuse you of disregarding the law and neglecting your duties, and we’ll be in a passive position. For now, we can only wait for Constable Liu to conduct a secret investigation, find the servants on the estate as witnesses, and for An Zhong to confess.”

Lin, the secretary, nodded. "I understand. I had oversimplified things."

Song Shuyu waved her hand, "Go back now."

Everyone left one after another.

Until only Lu Xun, Mu Qingcheng, and Song Shuyu remained in the office of state affairs.

The two men stared at Mu Qingcheng with eyes like eagles, making Mu Qingcheng very embarrassed.

She had no choice but to tell him to leave, "Lu Shaoqing, you should go back to the Marquis's residence."

“You’ll come with me,” Lu Xun said.

Mu Qingcheng was taken aback. "What?"

Song Shuyu's face immediately turned cold. He stretched out his long arm and put his arm around Mu Qingcheng's shoulder, saying, "Impossible! Qingcheng is coming back to the Duke's Mansion with me!"

"Brother Song, release Qing'er!" Lu Xun suppressed his anger and reminded Song Shuyu, "A woman's reputation is of paramount importance. How dare you offend her?"

Seeing that things were not going well, Mu Qingcheng quickly pushed Song Shuyu away and said to Lu Xun, "Your parents must be waiting for you to come home for a family reunion dinner. You should leave now. I can't go to the Marquis's mansion with you. I... to outsiders, you and I have no relationship now. I don't want to cause gossip or be suspected."

Lu Xun frowned and said anxiously, "I've already told my parents about you. They want to see you, and besides, it's New Year's Day today. How can I leave you outside..."

“For the past three years, I’ve spent every New Year’s Eve alone.” Mu Qingcheng slowly interrupted him, her expression turning cold.

Lu Xun was stunned.

He gazed at her sadly, his eyes filled with endless guilt and remorse. "I'm sorry, Qing'er, I..."

“It’s all in the past.” Mu Qingcheng shook her head. “For you, I spent three years alone, and Father spent three years alone too. This was our own choice, and we did our best, so we have no regrets. Now, I just want to live for myself and walk my own path. The Marquis of Huai’an’s residence is your home, it belongs to the Lu family, and it has nothing to do with me.”

After speaking, Mu Qingcheng took Song Shuyu's hand and gave him a gentle smile, "My lord, let's go."

Song Shuyu was overjoyed.

Watching them leave hand in hand, a wave of sorrow washed over Lu Xun, his heart pounding with grief. He clutched his aching chest, bent over, and remained bent over for a long time, unable to straighten up…

……

The Duke's Mansion.

Mu Qingcheng didn't say much along the way, and even after entering the mansion, he was still somewhat dazed.

She harbored no resentment towards Lu Xun, nor was she disappointed, but his deception about his past and his faked death ultimately broke her heart.

Besides, since she had chosen Song Shuyu as her life partner, she shouldn't have dragged things out and given Lu Xun hope, and she shouldn't have hurt him like this.

She hopes that Lu Xun can move on and start a new relationship.

"Qingcheng, would you like to rest in my room for a while?"

Hearing Song Shuyu's careful and considerate words, Mu Qingcheng composed herself, perked up, and forced a smile. "No need. It's already late, and the old lady must be getting impatient. Let's go straight there."

Song Shuyu squeezed her hand. "If you're tired or in a bad mood, be sure to tell me."

"Ah."

Mu Qingcheng nodded, letting him lead her, and walked confidently toward the dining hall amidst the astonished gazes of the servants.

Seeing this, the old lady was very pleased. She immediately took off the jade bracelet from her wrist and put it on Mu Qingcheng's hand. She held Mu Qingcheng's hand and refused to let go all night, calling her "granddaughter-in-law" repeatedly and laughing heartily from time to time.

After the New Year's Eve dinner, the two of them accompanied the old lady to set off a few more firecrackers until she said she was tired, and then they took her back to her room to rest.

Afterwards, Song Shuyu took Mu Qingcheng to Luming Academy.

However, just as they arrived at the courtyard gate, the guards from the mansion rushed over and reported, "Second Young Master, the constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture just reported that a man in black has infiltrated the residence of Imperial Censor Xu!"

Upon hearing this, the two immediately rushed to the residence of Imperial Censor Xu.

But it was only a matter of two incense sticks' time. When they arrived, Xiao Linzi, who was in charge of keeping watch, said that the man in black had already left the Imperial Censor Xu's residence!
That night, the Xu Imperial Censor's residence was peaceful and uneventful, and nothing unexpected happened!
Next, on the first and second days of the Lunar New Year, every night, the man in black would make a round of the Imperial Censor Xu's residence. But he would come and go as if he were just visiting someone's home. His lightness skill was so high that Mu Qingcheng could hardly catch the slippery tail of this big fish!

(End of this chapter)