Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 13 Brothers’ tacit understanding
"How was the poison administered?"

In Dongpo Academy, Hai Rui stood alone in the room, recalling the process of the banquet that night and pondering the murderer's method of poisoning.

In the past few days, he worked tirelessly, asking all parties to come forward and assist in the search. After he really caught the Annan woman who was peeping outside the academy, Hai Rui still did not feel that the mission was accomplished. Instead, he went to the government office and used the "Great Ming Law" to persuade officials not to use torture to extract confessions. After learning that the governor accepted the advice, he rushed back to the academy and thought about the murderer's method of poisoning on the spot.

Hai Rui was also present that night. He was very silent and was the only one who had not drunk a drop of alcohol.

He has always been like this, not sharing the joys and sorrows of others, and only thinking that they are noisy, so he was called a "moral scholar".

On the one hand, I affirm his knowledge and think that he is similar to the teacher and can be a teacher to everyone. On the other hand, I also feel that his words and actions are old-fashioned and boring.

Only Haiyue knew that this younger brother might be a little eccentric, but he was definitely not old-fashioned.

Hai Rui would not explain to those who did not understand him. He was just thinking about how to help his brother clear the suspicion.

"There's no time to hesitate. We need to get the answer from the classmates who attended the banquet that night and the guards who protected Li Weining!"

Hai Rui knew that he was from the poorest family in the county school. If it were not for his brother's care, he would definitely be ostracized by his classmates. Now he was being investigated one by one. Regardless of success or failure, he was afraid that he could not stay in the academy.

As for the Annan guards, it was even more difficult to speak.

But he turned and walked out of the house without any hesitation, heading straight towards the school.

However, before entering the hospital, joyful laughter was heard from inside.

"We've caught the murderer!" "Finally caught him! Now no one is a suspect!" "Huh! Great! Great!"

In the past few days, not only the Hai family was busy, but the atmosphere in the academy was also depressing.

The death of a foreign envoy was no small matter; being suspected would ruin one's life. Fortunately, he received news from the government office that a female thief had been captured and brought into the palace. She was from Annan and perfectly met the requirements for an assassin, so he naturally felt relieved.

So, just as Hai Rui entered the school, a student greeted him with a smile, "Master Daoxue! Your brother is saved! He can continue writing the 81 trials!"

Hai Rui thought for a moment, not trying to figure out that the woman might not be the murderer. Instead, he walked into the hall and looked at everyone, "Are you all just going to let this go?"

The students were stunned: "What do you mean?"

Hai Rui said in a deep voice, "Students of Dongpo Academy, disciples of sages and learned scholars, were accused of murder by foreign vassals, causing unrest throughout the academy. After much difficulty in clearing their name, those guards are still in their cells. Are you just going to let it go?"

Everyone woke up as if from a dream, and their faces suddenly changed: "That's right! Those Annan guards insisted that it was the students of my academy who poisoned them. Facts have proven that it is not the case at all!" "Let's go! Go to the cell, we have to question them!" "Let's vent Yue Ge's anger! He will definitely continue to write Journey to the West when he comes back!"

Hai Rui thought of his brother's usual words and offered a six-word mantra: "Be more alert! Don't lose face!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was excited.

Being despised by the Taoist teacher was unbearable. Immediately, a large number of people rushed out of the school and rushed towards the cell.

"Open the door! Open the door! Come out, I know you are here!!"

The door was slammed loudly, and the students' voices grew louder and louder.

The door of Room No. 1 was finally knocked open, and two burly Annan guards looked over warily with ferocious expressions.

The students knocking on the door were unfazed. Relying on their numbers, they held their necks high and shouted, "Where's your leader, Ruan Zhengyong? Let him come out!"

He thought this was the beginning of the questioning, but to his surprise, the Annan guard frowned and started mumbling something in an incomprehensible dialect.

"Speak my Ming language!"

Another Annan guard frowned, pointed at his ears and shook his head.

"You all don't understand what I'm saying? Change someone! Is there anyone who can understand me?"

No matter how the students scolded him, he just shook his head with a confused look on his face, mumbling incomprehensible dialect.

The shouting gradually subsided.

Those who were ready to challenge the accuser looked at each other in bewilderment. How could they question further if they couldn't even communicate?
But they couldn't let them go back in such disgrace. It would be too embarrassing, so they just rushed in: "Ruan Zhengyong must be in there! Let him out!" "And what about that guy named Zheng Wu? He's hiding from us!"

The two Annan guards were forced to retreat and were rushed in by the crowd.

"Barbarians are barbarians. This is the academy of our Daming Dynasty. Do you think you can stop us?"

Everyone entered the yard, as if they had taken a big step towards victory, and rushed into the house in a heroic and confident manner.

However, when I entered the house, the first thing I saw was the wine and food on the table, and five or six strong men standing up.

The food was good, with meat soup, local delicacies, and seven or eight wine glasses, the unfinished wine in them emitting an aroma.

"Isn't this Shanlan?"

Someone sniffed and was immediately shocked. Wasn't it said that Prince Li Weining died of poisoning from drinking Shanlan wine? These Annan people really have no taboos! The body is still in the cell, and he drank it himself?
Hai Rui's eyes moved, and he quietly retreated behind the crowd.

The leaders Ruan Zhengyong and Zheng Wu were not there. They must have gone to the government office after learning that another suspect had been arrested.

The two sides here don't speak the same language, and they are talking at cross purposes. Apart from venting their emotions, there will be no result.

But it was precisely this noisy process that attracted the attention of Annan's guards, which was a good opportunity.

Hai Rui originally fanned the flames in order to let the two sides confront each other while he looked for clues. But now he suddenly changed his mind, withdrew and began to observe the situation in other rooms.

Since the Annan delegation moved into the academy, they have occupied this remote courtyard, which has two rows of rooms, each accommodating four people.

In the center is the room of Annan Prince Li Weining. After Li Weining was killed, the room became a place to store his coffin.

Time was running out, so Hai Rui walked straight towards that room.

However, when he arrived at the house, he found the door closed. He pushed it gently, but it didn't move. He knocked, but there was no response from inside.

'No one is attending the wake?'

Hai Rui was very surprised.

Keeping vigil is a common folk custom in various places. After a person dies, the body must stay at home for a while, which is called "keeping vigil". After nightfall, family members and relatives will stay by the side to show respect and filial piety. The period is basically limited to three days.

Li Weining died suddenly and hastily. The coffin was prepared by the government, but the mourning hall had not yet been built.

But it's only been three days, so at the very least, a few people have to be sent to guard the coffin, keep vigil and pray for the deceased. This is the most basic etiquette.

"When the coroner came to perform the autopsy that day, the Annan guards did not allow anyone to approach, fearing that outsiders might desecrate their prince's body. This was a sign of respect."

"Today, a group of guards were drinking and having fun in the house, and no one was standing guard beside the coffin."

"Is it because the men were lazy after the man's death? Or was the respect they showed that day simply fake?"

Hai Rui pondered silently, and suddenly he felt an urge.

The urge to open the coffin and examine the body.

But after glancing at the room where the quarrel was taking place not far away, Hai Rui rationally gave up his plan.

The windows and doors of the room where the coffin was placed were closed and locked tightly. It would take some effort for him to get in, open the coffin, and examine the body. It would be difficult to buy him that much time because of the quarrel next door.

If they were caught red-handed by the Annan guards while the coffin was being opened for an autopsy, the academy would become the unreasonable party, and even a more intense conflict would break out, implicating their brother who was still in the government office.

He would not take risks or reckless actions.

However, there is still a way to verify your guess.

As expected, there was a commotion in the room over there, and the students came out in a crowd, followed by Annan’s guards.

Just as they were about to separate, Hai Rui suddenly stepped out of the crowd and walked towards Li Weining's mourning hall, even pretending to burn incense: "I want to pay my respects to Envoy Li."

The other party may not understand Chinese, but this action is universal.

However, upon seeing this, the Annan guard's face changed color, and he screamed, blocking the way outside the house with his big and strong body. His ferocity was completely different from his previous tolerance.

There were even two or three people who immediately turned back into the house and, judging by the noise, went to get their weapons.

The students were startled by the sudden fierce gleam in their eyes. They grabbed Hai Rui's sleeve and pulled it back, whispering, "Forget it, forget it! These barbarians are so ungrateful... Let's go! Let's go!"

Hai Rui was half-pulled and half-dragged out of the courtyard of the cell.

"Bang!!"

The courtyard door slammed shut.

After everyone had dispersed, Hai Rui paused, turned around, and took a deep look at the cell. He already had the answer in his mind: "There was no sign of panic after being discovered. Instead, there was a vigilance to prevent anyone from approaching the body."

'I understand what that means.'

The words the woman said when she was arrested suddenly came to his mind. Hai Rui's eyes moved greatly and he hurried out of the academy and headed towards the government office.

As soon as I reached the door, I saw Haiyue coming out, and she was no longer escorted by any officers.

When the brothers reunited, the first words they spoke were the key to the case they had investigated: "Prince Annan is a fake!" "The evidence is on the body!"

The two looked at each other and smiled: "Let's go! Let's uncover the truth!"

(End of this chapter)