The First Criminal Judge of the Zhenguan Era

Chapter 125 The Message from the Master of Floating Life: A Game Across the River of Time!
The moment the restaurant owner finished speaking, Liu Shuyi and Du Gou turned their heads sharply, staring intently at him.

Du Gou didn't recognize the shopkeeper and didn't speak easily. He just looked the slightly chubby, somewhat nervous middle-aged man up and down, wanting to know what his relationship was with Ma Qingfeng and how it was such a coincidence that he knew the answer they needed.

Liu Shuyi then asked directly, "Shopkeeper, who is this person you mentioned who can make Golden Shredded Fish?"

As a businessman, the shopkeeper learned the greatest wisdom of life from his father: to protect himself and stay as far away as possible from anything that might cause trouble. He should not take on any problems himself, nor meddle in other people's business. Only in this way could he survive longer in Chang'an, a city full of powerful and influential people.

The shopkeeper has always approached life and business with this attitude.

But this time, facing the benefactor who had just given him hope and told him that the restaurant his father had passed down still had a chance to be revived, he hesitated again and again, and finally disobeyed his father's instructions for the first time.

While self-preservation is important, having a clear conscience is even more important.

If he hadn't helped Liu Shuyi this time because of his so-called "not meddling in other people's business" mentality, he felt he would spend the rest of his life in guilt.

Moreover, if Liu Shuyi later finds out that he knew the answer but didn't tell him... then Liu Shuyi's hope for him might also lead him to despair again.

Therefore, after much deliberation, he finally took the initiative to speak.

"I do not know this person's name..."

Meeting Liu Shuyi's gaze, the innkeeper said, "He is a customer of our restaurant."

"A diner?" Liu Shuyi seemed to have thought of something and said, "Did Doctor Ma meet this person at your restaurant?"

The innkeeper nodded: "It was about a month or so before the incident involving the Ma family. One evening, after finishing his shift, Ma came to our restaurant for a meal, as he always did."

“Our restaurant has a few signature dishes that Dr. Ma really likes, and he eats them several times a month.”

"That night, as usual, we prepared good wine and food for Doctor Ma. Doctor Ma was enjoying his meal when suddenly someone slammed their hand on the table and loudly complained that the food in our restaurant was terrible and demanded compensation from us."

"Compensation?" Liu Shuyi's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled, "Using the food as an excuse, not only do you not pay for the meal, but you also want compensation. Interesting."

The innkeeper smiled bitterly and said, "I have been running this restaurant for more than ten years and this is the first time I have encountered such a thing. Even if someone said that our food was not good, we would just give them a free meal and let it go... But who would have thought that this person would actually ask us to pay compensation, and even ask us to pay double the cost of the meal."

Even Du Gou couldn't stand it anymore: "Is this person deliberately causing trouble?"

The restaurant also incurred costs, and you, with a subjective review that the food was bad, not only refuse to pay but also demand double the bill. This is not something a normal diner would do.

The shopkeeper said, "He may indeed be here to cause trouble, but he also certainly has the ability to criticize our food as unpalatable."

"Skill?" Liu Shuyi keenly grasped this word.

The innkeeper said, "Since Physician Ma is having a meal, I didn't want to make a scene and disturb him. So I quickly went to find that person and told him that we could waive his bill, but we couldn't offer compensation. After all, he ordered quite a lot of food. Not to mention anything else, the cost of the ingredients alone was several hundred coins. If we were to compensate him double, we would have to pay nearly a thousand coins."

"Moreover, if this precedent is set, who knows how many people will follow suit? How will our restaurant do business then?"

Du Gou nodded, agreeing with the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper's willingness to offer it for free is already quite kind of him.

If you encounter a bad-tempered shopkeeper, you might get a severe beating and then be sent to the authorities.

"But who knew..."

The innkeeper shook his head: "But that man disagreed and kept insisting. He said he had heard rumors that our restaurant's food was delicious, which is why he came here specifically, but the result disappointed him so much."

"I told him that everyone who comes to our restaurant praises our food, and if you don't like it, it's probably just a matter of personal taste."

"The man immediately got angry upon hearing this. He said that he also knew how to cook, and that no one had ever said that the food he made was bad. He said that if he cooked a few dishes, we would understand what real deliciousness is."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shuyi's expression shifted slightly, as if he had already understood something.

He said, "So, you sent him to show off his cooking skills?"

The shopkeeper sighed, "I just want to get rid of him as soon as possible. How could I agree to let him cook anything? But Doctor Ma heard what this man said. Doctor Ma loves food the most. When he heard this man so confidently say that he could make really delicious food, he immediately decided to let this man cook."

"Doctor Ma is a distinguished guest of our restaurant, and I naturally dare not disobey his wishes, so I have no choice but to agree."

"result……"

He looked at Liu Shuyi and Du Gou and said, "This man made three dishes in one go. Each of these three dishes was perfect in color, aroma and taste. Just by being served, the aroma was so enticing. When I saw these three dishes, my heart sank. I knew I was going to lose money."

"After tasting each dish, Physician Ma praised them highly, saying they were comparable to the dishes in our restaurant. But I know that Physician Ma only said that to please us. Judging from the fact that Physician Ma ate almost everything, in his heart, those three dishes were much better than the dishes in our restaurant."

"And the 'golden minced fish and jade slices' that Liu Yuanwailang just mentioned is one of these three dishes."

As Du Gou listened to the shopkeeper's story, his brows furrowed.

He said to Liu Shuyi, "Doctor Ma has always wanted to eat Golden Minced Jade Sliced ​​Fish, but he has never had the chance. As it happened, while he was dining at this restaurant, some people were causing trouble. The troublemakers happened to attract Doctor Ma's attention, and they happened to make Golden Minced Jade Sliced ​​Fish, a dish that Doctor Ma has always wanted to eat..."

"Isn't this too much of a coincidence?"

Even Du Gou, who rarely spoke ill of others behind their backs, sensed something was amiss, so how could Liu Shuyi not notice?

He gently stroked the warm jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips and said, "A normal person who wants to dine and dash will just grab onto one issue and refuse to let go. But this person took the initiative to steer the matter toward cooking and even went to the kitchen to cook for himself... Judging from this alone, his original intention was not to dine and dash."

"Combined with my previous deductions about the banquet that evening..."

"As expected, this is a carefully orchestrated drama targeting Ma Langzhong."

"The purpose is to let Doctor Ma get acquainted with this person and know that he can make special dishes like 'Golden Minced Jade Slices'. In this way, if Doctor Ma wants to invite someone to a banquet in the future, either to save face or to enjoy the delicious food himself, Doctor Ma is very likely to invite this person to the Ma residence to cook for him."

Du Gou's pupils twitched violently a few times, and he said, "So... on the night of the massacre at the Ma residence, the outsider cooking in the Ma family's kitchen was this person?"

Liu Shuyi nodded heavily: "It should be him."

"Then he..."

Liu Shuyi understood Du Gou's meaning and nodded again: "The one who drugged everyone in the Ma family, rendering them unconscious, and thus had their throats slit without any resistance... that was also him!"

Even though Du Gou already had a guess in his heart, he still felt a chill when he heard Liu Shuyi confirm it, and then felt a little emotional.

It has been two years since the Ma Qingfeng family massacre case. In these two years, although no one has dared to continue investigating the case, rumors have never stopped.

Some say that Li Shimin arranged for his most mysterious and powerful shadow guards to secretly infiltrate the Ma residence, drug the people, and then use extremely fast knives to harvest the lives of everyone in the Ma residence as easily as harvesting rice.

Some say that Li Shimin personally visited Ma Qingfeng and others that night, attracting their attention. He then arranged for his trusted confidants to sneak into Ma's residence and take the opportunity to drug and kill them.

The rumors were all quite detailed and convincing, which made him somewhat hesitant. After all, he knew better than anyone how heavily guarded the Ma residence was and how cautious Ma Qingfeng was. Under such circumstances, only the most skilled shadow guards of the Qin Prince's mansion could secretly administer sleeping pills to everyone in the Ma residence.

But now, he suddenly learns that the person who did all this wasn't a mysterious shadow guard at all, but a cook...

And it was this lowly cook who made His Majesty take the blame for two whole years, being wrongly accused by everyone for a full two years...

Just thinking about it made him realize how utterly absurd it was.

But that's the truth!
This is enough to prove how insidious, ruthless, and audacious Yao Guang was in plotting all of this.

He completely fooled everyone, treating them like monkeys. But before today, no one had noticed his presence at all, not even the pawns he had placed there.

This person is truly terrifying!
But even with such terrifying power, Liu Shuyi managed to uncover Yao Guang's deeply hidden pieces one after another in less than half a day...

Du Gou looked intently at Liu Shuyi. At that moment, a feeling of relief welled up in his heart. He was glad that he hadn't competed with Liu Shuyi for the position of doctor. Otherwise, facing an opponent like Liu Shuyi, he estimated that he might have been severely defeated and even felt despair.

Liu Shuyi was unaware of Du Gou's changing emotions. After confirming that this person was the outsider in the kitchen of the Ma family on the night of the incident, he directly asked the manager, "You don't know this person's name, but do you remember what he looks like? Or does he have any special characteristics? Or do any of your diners know him?"

The shopkeeper frowned and said, "It's been over two years, I don't quite remember what he looked like..."

"Moreover, he came to the restaurant alone at the time, and no one else tried to stop him when he caused trouble. Afterwards, no one else claimed to know him. None of the diners in our restaurant should know him..."

"However..." The shopkeeper changed the subject and looked at Liu Shuyi, saying, "When he was cooking, I stood at the kitchen door and peeked, and then I discovered... he was using his left hand to cook."

"He uses his left hand to cook..." Liu Shuyi's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly leaned forward, staring intently at the shopkeeper. "You mean, his dominant hand is his left hand, he's left-handed!?"

The shopkeeper didn't expect Liu Shuyi to react so strongly.

Staring into Liu Shuyi's dark, deep eyes, he felt as if there were whirlpools in those eyes, threatening to suck him in. He swallowed hard, shrank his neck slightly, and said, "After he finished cooking, Doctor Ma invited him to sit down and eat with him. At that time, he was holding chopsticks with his left hand, so... he must be left-handed."

The cook is left-handed!

Wei Ji was also left-handed!
Wei Ji was in the Ma residence that night, and I couldn't understand how Wei Ji, who had no connection with the Ma family, could enter the heavily guarded Ma residence.

So, is there a possibility...?

Wei Ji, that's the cook!
He entered the Ma family mansion as a cook!

He's the one who drugged me!
That evening, Ma Qingfeng was clearly hosting a banquet for distinguished guests, but among the corpses, there were no remains of the distinguished guests.

Furthermore, no news of any officials or nobles disappearing was reported afterward.

Therefore, this distinguished guest is, without a doubt, Wei Ji's accomplice, and may even be Yao Guang himself!

This also fits his previous speculation: Wei Ji did not commit the crime alone; someone else was with him, which is why Wei Ji dared not steal the Ma family's property.

Such a plan to exterminate an entire family, or to frame Li Shimin, would inevitably attract the attention of the entire court. The fewer people involved and the fewer people who knew about it, the safer it would be.

The role of the distinguished guest was to help Wei Ji appear in the Ma family's kitchen with a reasonable excuse.

Wei Ji's role was to successfully administer drugs and knock everyone unconscious after entering the Ma family's kitchen.

After the murder, Wei Ji and this distinguished guest were already enough.

Furthermore, Hu Hebing was providing support from the outside...

Three people were enough to make the Ma Qingfeng family massacre case perfectly executed.

Therefore, it is highly likely that these three people were the only participants in the Ma Qingfeng family annihilation case.

Hu Hebing and Wei Ji have been silenced. If the third person, that distinguished guest, is still alive... then he is very likely Yao Guang!

In other words, as long as we find this distinguished guest, we can find Yaoguang!

Thinking of this, Liu Shuyi let out a long sigh. Starting with the case files, then the on-site investigation, and finally obtaining crucial clues from the restaurant…

The thick fog that had been blocking their view finally began to dissipate at this moment.

Although the final truth behind the fog is still nowhere to be seen, the outline of that truth is gradually emerging before my eyes!

Liu Shuyi looked at the shopkeeper again, and seeing that the shopkeeper was frightened by him, he smiled and softened his tone, asking, "Shopkeeper, have you seen that troublemaker again since then?"

The innkeeper shook his head: "No, he has never come to the restaurant since then."

"Has he ever revealed his identity or where he learned his culinary skills?" Liu Shuyi asked again.

Even the chefs in some high-ranking officials' mansions didn't know how to make this dish, which shows that the method of making it must have been mastered by a few people, as it was their skill for survival.

And this skill will never be easily passed on to outsiders.

How did Wei Ji learn it?
According to Gu Wen, Wei Ji was an uneducated and incompetent person, and his neighbors had a very low opinion of him. How could such a person suddenly become a master chef?

Considering what Wei Ji did afterward...

Liu Shuyi narrowed his eyes. There must be something Yao Guang had done to this.

If we can find out how Wei Ji transformed from an ignorant and incompetent person into a master chef, we might be able to find Yao Guang's whereabouts.

"He prepared the three dishes, and after Doctor Ma tasted them one by one, he was very satisfied with him. Then Doctor Ma asked him to sit down and keep him company. Seeing that Doctor Ma valued him, I did not dare to disturb him, so I did not know much about him."

The shopkeeper sighed and said, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be so clueless as to not even know his name."

"but……"

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "When I was delivering the wine to them, I overheard some disjointed words. I wonder if these words would be of any use to you, sir."

"Oh?"

Liu Shuyi raised an eyebrow and said, "Tell me about it."

The shopkeeper recalled carefully and said, "He said he had many signature dishes and was very distressed that he couldn't find a patron... Oh, right, I also heard him tell Doctor Ma that he was apprenticed by the imperial chef..."

Apprenticed under the imperial chef?

Did he learn his cooking skills from the imperial chefs?
Did Yao Guang bribe all the imperial chefs?

Or is this just a lie Wei Ji used to deceive Ma Qingfeng?

Liu Shuyi's expression flickered. Wei Ji had ill intentions, so what he said was mostly lies and little of the truth. In addition, the shopkeeper had only heard a few keywords intermittently, making it difficult for Liu Shuyi to confirm the truth of the matter for the time being.

However... the imperial chefs should indeed master the preparation methods for dishes like minced fish and jade sashimi.

and so……

Liu Shuyi stroked his chin, having made a decision in his heart.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, he can't afford to miss it.

He cupped his hands to the shopkeeper and said, "Thank you very much, shopkeeper. The information you provided was very helpful to me. I will come back to thank you again after everything is settled."

The shopkeeper quickly waved his hand: "Master Liu has been kind to me, and I should repay him. Please don't say anything about thanking me again, it would be too much for me."

Liu Shuyi smiled and said, "Then that's fine. I'll bring more people to support you next time."

After saying that, he didn't say anything more to the shopkeeper, turned around and went back to the street.

Du Gou, Zhao Feng, and others quickly gathered around.

"How is it?" Du Gou asked Liu Shuyi.

Liu Shuyi's gaze swept over the crowd, and under their expectant yet nervous stares, he smiled and nodded: "A great harvest!"

Zhao Feng, Lu Yangyuan, and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Shuyi continued, "The cook on the night of the incident should be Wei Ji. So next, I plan to go to Wei Ji's residence, meet with Wei Ji's neighbors, and ask them about Wei Ji in person to see if we can find any clues that have not yet been discovered."

"at the same time……"

He looked at Du Gou and said, "Du Sicheng, I need you to go and find Lord Du and ask him to help me investigate something."

Without any hesitation, Du Gou asked directly, "What is it?"

Liu Shuyi's dark eyes met Du Gou's gaze, and he said in a deep voice, "Which of the imperial chefs in the palace can make Golden Minced Fish and Roasted Fish? Two years ago, were any imperial chefs frequently leaving the palace?"

Du Gou's gaze sharpened, and his expression changed slightly.

He understood Liu Shuyi's intention in doing this.

Therefore, my heart immediately became heavy.

He knew very well that if the imperial chefs really had a problem, he could imagine how furious His Majesty would be.

After all, the imperial chefs were directly linked to His Majesty's safety.

The seriousness of this matter is no less than that of the imperial guards protecting the main hall of the palace being compromised.

At that time, the palace will inevitably be engulfed in bloodshed, and a number of people will lose their heads as a result.

This is something that I, at my current level, can do; it truly requires my father's intervention.

He took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Okay! I understand."

Liu Shuyi nodded slightly, then looked at Zhao Feng and said, "Master Zhao, go to the Ministry of Rites and check the records there to see if you can find any information about the Corpse Tower."

The construction of the Tower of Corpses must have had a special purpose.

Such bizarre behavior is often associated with sacrificial or religious rituals.

Therefore, Liu Shuyi planned to send Zhao Feng to the Ministry of Rites to try his luck, hoping that he might be able to find relevant clues.

Zhao Feng nodded quickly: "Your subordinate obeys."

Liu Shuyi then looked at Cheng Chumo: "General Cheng, I'll leave the matter of drawing lots to you."

"rest assured."

Cheng Chumo patted his chest loudly: "I will definitely find the person with the problem for you!"

Liu Shuyi smiled, then looked at Lu Yangyuan one last time. Lu Yangyuan looked at Liu Shuyi with hopeful eyes, waiting for Liu Shuyi to assign him a task.

"Lieutenant Lu, you'll come with me. We're going to investigate Wei Ji."

Lu Yangyuan nodded emphatically. Although it wasn't a solo mission, he was still very satisfied to be able to follow Liu Shuyi around, witness Liu Shuyi's terrifying investigative skills, secretly learn some skills, and then amaze everyone.

The Tower of Corpses, Wei Ji, drawing lots... These are all the paths to the truth that Liu Shuyi has found so far.

He has already made arrangements.

He has done everything he was supposed to do.

Next, it's up to my brothers to see if they can achieve anything.

He took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and said, "I won't waste any more words. I await your good news. After this case is over, we'll drink until we drop."

Everyone nodded emphatically.

Without any hesitation, they mounted their horses, exchanged a glance, pulled on the reins, and galloped off in three different directions.

…………

at the same time.

Inside a certain mansion.

A pigeon swooped down from the sky and landed in a plain white palm.

With a gentle clasp, the hand caught the flying pigeon.

With his other hand, he took the bamboo tube tied to the pigeon's leg.

Upon opening the bamboo tube, a slip of paper was found inside.

The note had a line of small print:
—Is there a risk of exposure in Liu Shuyi's investigation of Ma Qingfeng's case?
The man narrowed his eyes as he looked at the contents of the note.

"Even the original poster has been alerted?"

"However, I am neither that arrogant fool Tianquan, nor that useless coward Kaiyang who acted hastily..."

He tossed the pigeon into the air, and the white pigeon spread its wings, circled once overhead, and then quickly flew away.

No reply means there is no risk.

"Two years have passed. Do you really think you're a god? That you can cross the river of time and find me?"

He shook his head, showing no interest in saying anything more about the matter.

I know my own plans best. If such a perfect plan can still be cracked after two years, I might as well just kill myself.

"Ha, there are always some people in this world who think too highly of themselves, consider themselves extraordinary, and think they are omnipotent."

"But it doesn't matter, harsh reality will tell him everything."

　I wasn't feeling too well today. I finished writing more than an hour later than usual, and I feel a bit tired. I guess I'll need to find some time to rest and relax in the future.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)