A group of soldiers escorted a green palanquin that carried eight people and arrived at the entrance of the Department of Investigations.
This group of soldiers were all dressed like wolf soldiers, but they wore the highest quality podaos. They did not look like they were chieftains or peasants. Such a unique group, in the whole of Chengdu, could only be found by Imperial Envoy Yang Zaitou, and there was no other such group.
However, this innocent Mr Yang had been ridiculed as Yang Zaitou. This was not surprising. Since when did so many things happen to the King of Shu? However, the moment Yang Ling arrived in Sichuan, the Crown Prince became the hostage of the barbarian governor. Soon after, the young princess Zhu Xiang 'er, who was about to become a princess, almost died in the hands of an assassin.
With great difficulty, this Lord decided to return to the capital. The civil and military officials of Chengdu celebrated and went to attend the Lord's welcoming, celebration, and send-off ceremony. In the end, the black-robed Young Master Zhu Rangjin, who was regarded as the number one talent by the people of Sichuan, became a murderer. If he did not sweep the floor, who else would sweep the floor?
Hearing that the imperial envoy had arrived, Sir Lu, the Inspector, led the officials from the Punishment Department, Punishment Department, Slave Labour Department, and the Investigations Department out to welcome him. Yang Ling's sudden visit, but with so many people from the Inspector's Office present, it was clear that they were not waiting for him. There was a murder case in the King of Shu's residence and the suspect was the King's son. Lord Lu naturally gathered all his subordinates and prepared to solve the case overnight.
The Great Ming Dynasty's south, seven north, six thirteen provinces all had their own Division of Supervising and Investigating Emissaries. In terms of position, they were on par with the Division of Administrative Emissaries. However, the rank of Supervising and Investigating Emissaries was one level lower than the Administrative Emissaries; it was a Primary third-grade official. Below them, there were several fourth-grade Deputy Emissaries and fifth-grade Deputy Emissaries.
"This lowly official pays his respects to the Imperial Envoy. If you have anything to say, just send someone to send an invitation. This lowly official will definitely pay a visit. How dare I trouble the Imperial Envoy to come all the way here?" Lu Zheng smiled and cupped his hands. The group of officials behind him also bowed and paid their respects, like a group of monkeys greeting their food.
Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, "Lord Lu is busy with official business. Since something big happened at the King of Shu's residence today, you must be even busier. Speaking of which, I apologize for disturbing you." Yang Ling paused for a moment before continuing, "I came to visit you on official business, but it is also a private matter. I dare not trouble so many lords, Lord Lu …"
"Oh? Oh oh oh, yes yes yes, this lowly official understands. Hearing that the imperial envoy had arrived, all the officials in the residence naturally had to go out to welcome him? My Lord, please come in. Let's talk in the study room, "Lu Zheng hurriedly explained.
Yang Ling entered the yamen and followed Lu Zheng into the inner study. As soon as the host and guest sat down, Yang Ling went straight to the point and said, "Lord Lu, it is not my place to interfere with your manor's case. However, His Majesty has ordered this official to patrol the world, to investigate the military, politics, laws, and customs of the people. The son of a vassal king killed the daughter of a prefectural king. Such a case cannot be considered an ordinary one. Therefore, this official has taken the liberty of coming here to inquire about the details of the matter. I hope that my Lord will not take offense. "
"This … to be dissatisfied with my Lord, this lowly official has just sent people to investigate the case and has yet to find any clues. I really … really have nothing to report to my Lord." Lu Zheng said awkwardly.
Yang Ling smiled and said, "My Lord has misunderstood. Although this official is the imperial envoy, I am neither the victim's plaintiff nor the defendant's relative. It is just that this matter involves two relatives of the emperor. Since this official happened to be here, I should at least understand the situation. Otherwise, if this matter were to spread to the capital and His Majesty asks about it, wouldn't it be a joke if I did not know anything? As for this case, this official has no intention of interfering. Lord Lu, are you treating me as a litigator? "
Lu Zheng could not help but be shocked by Yang Ling's words. He hurriedly stood up and waved his hands, saying, "My Lord's words are too serious. How would this lowly official dare to think so? In reality, my knowledge is limited and I am not clear about the case. I am ashamed to answer your question. Since my Lord wishes to inquire about the case, please sit down. This lowly official will report everything to my Lord. "
A litigator was a litigator. Since ancient times, they were looked down upon and regarded as sinners by the government. The law of the Tang Empire stipulated that those who were caught as litigators would be whipped fifty times. If they were to give advice, their crime would be increased and they would be imprisoned for three years. The Song Dynasty went even further. Every time the yamen closed a case, they would first deal with the litigator.
By the Ming Dynasty, it was the cowherd Zhu Zhongba's turn. He even viewed the litigator as the main culprit of causing trouble. He believed that if there were no such people in the world, there would be no need for the yamen. When the government encountered a commoner who complained, the first thing they did was to stop the lawsuit and try their best to calm the matter down. Litigators wrote complaints and gave advice. Wouldn't they be destabilizing members who specialized in causing trouble for the court?
Therefore, litigators were called litigators. It did not mean that they were eloquent and their words were like knives or rods. Instead, it meant that once the officials found out that they were litigators, they would first be arrested and beaten with water and fire rods. When Yang Ling helped Ma Ang with the lawsuit, if it was not for the fact that Ma Yicheng was an official and Magistrate Min was ignorant of the law, he would not have foolishly gone to the main hall to give advice instead of being a witness. He would have been beaten up.
At this moment, Yang Ling mocked himself as a litigator. It was obvious that he was very dissatisfied with Lu Zheng's prevarication. With his power, how would Lu Zheng dare to offend him? Knowing that Yang Ling was using his power to oppress him, he could only bite the bullet and say some words that were against his will.
Lu Zheng waited for a servant to serve tea. He then muttered, "My Lord knows about the previous situation. This lowly official also summoned two experienced constables before going to the back palace to inquire about the situation. What this lowly official knows is either from asking the relevant personnel or from the constables' investigation! "
Yang Ling nodded and said, "This lowly official knows this. My Lord, please speak."
Lu Zheng said, "At that time, there was a large banquet in the front hall. The wangfei and concubines in the back palace also held a separate banquet to entertain the royal family. Princess Chengping, Princess Huiping and Prince Jingqing's second daughter were guests of honor. There were also some wives of the civil and military officials and the wives of the chieftains present. This lowly official's wife was one of them. "
Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Because there were more guests this way. Princess dressed up and came out late. Those present were all elders. Miss Zhu Mengli must have felt bored and went to the garden alone to take a stroll."
He added, "The concubine of the King of Shu, Lady Liu, is the birth mother of the second prince. She and Princess Jingqing are sisters. The two families have always been close. After Princess Jingqing passed away, Miss Zhu became a frequent guest of the King of Shu's fu. She always treated this place as her own home so no one found anything strange.
This lowly official asked the maids in charge of the back garden at that time. They went from the kitchen to the reception hall and there was an endless stream of people coming and going. Almost everyone saw Miss Zhu looking at herself in the pond and did not say anything. It seemed that she was very unhappy. Later she disappeared, but no one paid much attention to it.
When the banquet officially started, the wangfei discovered that Miss Zhu had not returned. At this time, Junzhu also arrived and volunteered to look for Miss Zhu. In the end, one of the maids found Miss Zhu's body in the chrysanthemum bushes behind the pond. "
At this point, Lu Zheng revealed a shocked expression and said, "The chrysanthemum bushes were about half the height of a person and were very densely packed. They were just behind the green forest by the pond. Miss Zhu's Adam's apple was crushed and she was thrown into the chrysanthemum bushes. She was lying on her back, crushing the flowers in the middle. However, if one did not go close, they would not be able to see her."
He took a breath and said, "If someone lured her to another place to kill her, they would not take the risk of being discovered and move her body back to the chrysanthemum bushes. This is because there is no place to hide people. Therefore, according to common sense, that place should be the scene of the murder.
Her body was in the depths of the chrysanthemum bushes, more than a zhang away from the roadside. The surrounding chrysanthemum bushes were not crushed or broken, so it was impossible for someone to move her body in. It should have been thrown in after the murder. From the position of the body, the murderer should have been standing in the middle of the green forest. That place was lush with vegetation. Unless one walked to the front of the pond and looked carefully into the forest, one would not be able to discover someone standing there.
Although Miss Zhu was light, she was tall and slender. No matter how you looked, she must have weighed more than a hundred catties. It was impossible for an ordinary person to quickly kill someone and then throw her into the bushes so far away. In this way, the suspicion of the female guests and maids in the imperial harem is greatly reduced. This lowly official has asked the guards in detail. During this period of time, the people who entered and left the imperial harem … "
At this point, he pushed over a piece of paper and said, "Your Excellency, please take a look. Excluding the maids in the imperial harem, a total of thirteen people entered and left the imperial harem. There are the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, the eunuch in charge of the seal, the Chief of Internal Affairs, six eunuchs who carried the congratulatory gifts, Miss Yanran, the beloved daughter of Chieftain Tuoba of Jinchuan, and the head of the imperial bodyguards, Tang Jiashan. According to my investigation, among these people, only the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and Tang Jiashan know martial arts. "
Yang Ling was greatly surprised to hear this. He said hoarsely, "The Crown Prince also knows martial arts?" Zhu Rangxu was usually gentle and polite. His behavior was steady and he had never revealed that he knew martial arts. It was no wonder that he was surprised.
Lu Zheng was startled at first. He then said with a smile, "Your Excellency must have thought that the Crown Prince was a weak scholar because he was taken hostage and did not dare to show his face for a long time in Jiusi City. Haha, what use can a single person's martial arts play in the face of thousands of soldiers and horses? In the enemy's lair, no matter how good one's martial arts is, one can only endure for the time being.
The descendants of the King of Shu have always practiced literature and martial arts. The Crown Prince is adept at archery and horsemanship and is highly skilled in martial arts. It is just that the Crown Prince's status is high and he only practices martial arts to strengthen his body. He is too lazy to show off his skills in front of others. "
In this era, literature was valued more than martial arts. If a scholar was proficient in martial arts, he would rather show off a mediocre poem than show off his outstanding martial arts skills, let alone a dignified Crown Prince? Yang Ling could not help but nod his head.
Lu Zheng said, "The Crown Prince's status is high but this matter concerns a human life. I dare not act rashly. Therefore, the Crown Prince is also one of the suspects. Among the three of them, Imperial Bodyguard Tang may have the ability to kill, but there is a great disparity in his status. It is difficult for him to use any reason to make Miss Zhu lower herself and follow him to the back of the forest for a chat. Unless he walks to the edge of the pond and sees Miss Zhu, he will immediately use force to drag her to the back of the forest and strangle her to death before disposing of her corpse.
There must be a reason for killing. How can a mere Prince's military official have any grudges with the King of Shu's niece and the Jun Wang's daughter? Moreover, according to my investigation, Imperial Bodyguard Tang is an honest and upright official. He is diligent in his duties and is neither greedy nor lustful.
The rewards bestowed upon him by the Princes and Princesses are all given to him by the Imperial Bodyguard Brothers. Towards the beautiful maids in the palace, he has never flirted with them. Even when the palace maids actively tease him, he would blush and run away. He is serious in speech and manner, honest and wooden. This person is the least suspicious. "
At this point, he paused and continued, "Based on the Crown Prince's status and the fact that he is Miss Zhu's family, if he wanted to lure Miss Zhu into the forest and kill her, it would be possible. But why did he want to do so?
Today is the day of the Prince's abdication and the Crown Prince must have already known about it. Although the Emperor's edict has not been issued, he is already the King of Shu. Even if there is a personal grudge, won't it be easier for the Crown Prince to settle it as a Prince?
At that time, even if he is found to be the murderer, without the Emperor's edict, no one can bring him to justice. Even if the Emperor knows about it, at most he will be removed from office and put under house arrest. He will not make a Prince pay with his life. What reason does he have to rush to kill and dispose of the corpse, ruining his own plans? "
Yang Ling asked in a muffled voice, "Then does the Second Prince have a reason to kill?"
"No, there is no reason, but there is evidence."
Yang Ling could not help but be speechless. He has always been opposed to interfering in the administration of justice. At present, Zhu Rangjin is indeed the biggest suspect. Can he ignore this and force Lu Zheng to release her? Besides, the victim is not an ordinary commoner. The Jun Wang's daughter died mysteriously in the Prince's Mansion. Who has the power to suppress this matter? Even he couldn't do it.
Lu Zheng said, "After Miss Zhu died, her eyes were wide open and her face was full of surprise. It was as if she did not believe that the murderer would kill her. When my constable examined the corpse, he found that her right fist was tightly clenched and there seemed to be something in her hand. After a lot of effort, he broke her fingers and took out the jade pendant. If it is a frame-up, how can the thing stuffed in after death be so tightly clenched? "
Yang Ling suddenly laughed dryly and said, "Based on the Second Prince's martial arts, if he wants to strangle a woman to death, would he leave behind his own keepsake?"
Lu Daren slowly said, "Daren, martial arts cannot solve everything. In terms of martial arts, the Maitreya Cult's Second Young Master is ten times stronger than Daren, but Daren was tied to the pillar, didn't you still injure this evil cult's sorcerer?
Because there is no evidence, this official does not dare to conclude that the Second Prince is the murderer and only lists him as the biggest suspect. However, martial arts cannot be used as a reason to escape punishment. After all, Miss Zhu is his closest relative. Moreover, they were in a place where people could pass by at any time. If the Second Prince suddenly wanted to kill her for some reason, he must be in a panic and anxious to die. If Miss Zhu had taken the jade pendant from his waist while she was struggling, she may not have discovered it. Practicing martial arts, one's ears can hear six directions and eyes can see eight directions. In a hurry, the sensitivity of one's ears and eyes is greatly reduced. "
Yang Ling took a deep breath and was momentarily speechless. If not for the fact that he had spent more than a month with Zhu Rangjin in the army camp and had a good understanding of the Second Prince's character, actions, and actions, Yang Ling would undoubtedly treat the Second Prince as the most suspicious person if he were the Inspector. Now, the only thing that supported his belief that Zhu Rangjin was the murderer was his understanding of Zhu Rangjin's character. But could this reason be used as evidence?
Could it be that the murderer must be among these three? He did not know that the Crown Prince knew martial arts. The people and guests of the Shu Empress' palace were all wealthy and respectable people. To them, martial arts was also not something to show off. Was there no one here who was hiding their strength?
Yang Ling suddenly remembered that when he destroyed the capital stronghold, Ah Ou, who was guarding the Five Capitals, was a woman. But she was as strong as an ox. When she wielded the steel fork in her hand, she was even more valiant than her husband Liu Lang. He couldn't help but say, "Did any of those chieftain's wives know martial arts …"
Lu Zheng looked at him sympathetically and sighed. "Daren, even if those chieftain's wives know martial arts and could cleanly kill Miss Zhu, how could they obtain the Second Prince's jade pendant? Daren, rest assured, this matter is of great importance. This official does not dare to be careless and treat the innocent unjustly. Although the Second Prince is currently in custody, he is only a suspect. This case will be investigated with evidence and reason before reporting to daren! "
Yang Ling nodded and then shook his head. He sighed and stood up. "That would be for the best. I have already disturbed daren Lu for so long. I will take my leave now."
"Farewell, Imperial Envoy Daren." Lu Zheng cupped his hands and bowed to the ground. Yang Ling's guards of honor left the Imperial Censorate yamen and majestically rushed back to the Field Headquarters.
Yang Ling sat in the sedan chair, feeling extremely agitated. From what he understood from Lu Zheng, he only pointed all the suspicions towards Zhu Rangjin. Could Zhu Rangjin really be the murderer? What was the reason? He was not a lunatic, what was the reason for killing?
Yang Ling felt a headache coming on. The Tartars who were as fierce as tigers, the cunning and barbaric Wokou pirates and pirates, the disciplined Western Navy, the stubborn barbarian rebels, the Maitreya cult, the Bazhou bandits. He had dealt with all these people before. But now faced with a case without a clue, he was at his wits' end.
In war, the enemy is clearly distinguished from friend and foe, the stronghold is strict. But now he could not find an opponent at all. Everyone could be the murderer!
Yang Ling suddenly lifted the curtain of the sedan chair. Wu Hanchao immediately urged his horse to approach. He bowed and said, "Daren."
Yang Ling said in a low voice, "Immediately send someone to inform Liu Biao, tell him not to return to the capital yet. I want him to investigate a few people for me. "
"Yes, I will send someone right away. Who does Daren want to investigate?"
"Investigate …" Which one is not suspicious? One by one, the names hovered in Yang Ling's mind. He finally sighed and said, "Call him to see me. It's hard to explain in a few words."
* * *
"Daren, Daren Lu, the imperial envoy has left." Branch Secretary Luo pulled Lu Zheng's sleeve and said in a low voice. Branch Secretary Luo's name was Luo Luoning, a fifth-level official. He was also the Patrol Commissioner of the Baoning Inspectorate. The people in the yamen and the common people called him Branch Secretary.
Lu Zheng was frowning in thought. Only when Branch Secretary Luo pulled him did he realize he was still standing at the entrance of the yamen. He hurriedly called, "Someone, quickly prepare the sedan chair. We are going to the Prince's Mansion immediately. Hurry!"
The official sedan chair was carried out of the yamen. Lu Zheng straightened his black veil and hurriedly climbed into the sedan chair. He also hurriedly walked towards the other end of the alley.
In the King of Shu's Residence, Zhu Binhan was lying on the bed, his face pale. Zhu Rangxu took a bowl of black medicine and tasted it first to test the temperature. Only then did he help his father up and feed him the medicine mouthful by mouthful.
Zhu Binhan drank a few mouthfuls and shook his head with difficulty. He let out a long sigh and said, "How could this be? How could this be? "
Zhu Rangxu said in a low voice, "Father, please rest in peace. Don't be too agitated. I do not believe that Second Brother would do such a thing. Someone must have framed him."
"That's right! Someone must have deliberately framed Second Brother. Father should not have allowed Daren Lu to take Second Brother away. " Zhu Xiang 'er felt sorry for her good sister, Zhu Mengli, and also felt indignant for her second brother, Zhu Rangjin.
Zhu Binhan laughed bitterly and shook his head. "If a prince breaks the law, he will be punished the same as a commoner. If he really did commit such a heinous crime, I will not let it go. Where is Prince Jingqing? "
Zhu Rangxu and Little Princess looked at each other and said, "Prince Jingqing is very sad. I have already sent someone to bring Uncle to the guest house to rest."
Looking at their expressions, the King of Shu knew that Prince Jingqing must have come to make a scene when he was unconscious. He did not know how the siblings managed to persuade him to leave. He sighed faintly and said, "Our family has been so busy this year. Sigh! I hope Lu Zheng can solve the case as soon as possible. Although Jin 'er is a good-for-nothing, he has no reason to kill Mengli … "
At this moment, an old eunuch with a face full of wrinkles walked in like a cat and said in a soft voice, "Your Highness, Daren Lu requests an audience."
"Oh? Ask him to come in. No, no, Little Lingzi, if you want to invite him, go invite him quickly. "The King of Shu struggled to sit up and said anxiously with his eyes wide open.
The old eunuch's hair was white and his face full of wrinkles. He was older than the King of Shu by more than twenty years, but his name was young. He agreed and floated away like flowing water.
After a while, he hurried back with Lu Zheng. Once Lu Zheng entered the room, he hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Highness, I am Lu Zheng."
"Dispense with the formalities. Daren Lu, is there any progress on the case?"
Lu Zheng wanted to say something but stopped and looked to his left and right. The King of Shu understood and hurriedly said, "Go out, all of you go out. Little Lingzi, guard the door for me."
The imperial physicians and serving maids in the room left one after another. Zhu Rang Xu placed the brocade blanket on his father's back, gave Xiao Junzhu a look and walked out of the door. Zhu Xiang 'er wrinkled her nose and glared at Lu Zheng indignantly. She lifted her chin and strode out.
Little Lingzi closed the door and stood at the doorway. With his sleeves hanging down, he looked like he was sleeping. That skinny figure was like a pattern engraved on the door. If one did not look closely, it would be difficult to notice his existence.
"How is it? Did you find any clues?" The King of Shu asked with a trembling voice.
Although he usually looks down on his youngest son's flirtatious and frivolous behavior, he is after all his own flesh and blood. Besides, the King of Shu has always been virtuous and courteous. They are the best of the vassal kings in the world in terms of education, unlike the vassal kings of Chu, Qi, Xiang, Ning, Dai, etc. Now that his own son has become a murderer, and the victim is the daughter of a Jun Wang, the King of Shu's family has greatly embarrassed himself.
Lu Zheng cautiously said, "Your Highness, there are too few clues about this matter. This lowly official is still investigating, but there is no clear news at the moment. But … I found something during the autopsy. This lowly official feels that this is a serious matter. I should … report to Your Highness first."
The King of Shu's eyes lit up and said hurriedly, "Don't hesitate. Tell me, what did you find?"
Lu Zheng still hesitated and said, "Uh … this … I found … that …"
The King of Shu's face turned red with anger. He hammered the bed and said sternly, "What did you find?"
Lu Zheng lowered his head and said quickly, "I found out that Miss Zhu is pregnant and she has been pregnant for more than two months!"
Little Lingzi, who was half-asleep outside the door, couldn't help but tremble when he heard this news. He opened his eyes and a sharp light suddenly flashed in his eyes. The King of Shu, on the other hand, was completely petrified. After a long while, his body started to tremble uncontrollably. "Pregnant … pregnant? I see. Beast! Beast! Beast that goes against human ethics! He … he and his sister from the same clan … "
The King of Shu's body went limp and he fell onto the brocade quilt. Lu Zheng hurried forward to support him and said repeatedly, "Your Highness, this … can't prove that it is the Second Prince. I have already ordered the servants to keep this a secret. This matter still needs to be investigated in detail …"
The King of Shu smiled bitterly and said, "If it is not him, who else could it be? His mother and Princess Jingqing were born of the same mother. The two of them had always been close. I just didn't think, I never would have thought, that he … that he would actually do something so unethical and humiliating to his ancestors. Heavens, the eight generations of good reputation of the King of Shu have all been buried in the hands of this unfilial animal. "
Lu Zheng murmured, "Your Highness, I've been in prison all my life. I've seen all kinds of strange cases. The current evidence can't prove it … I'll have to investigate further. It'll be better when there's real evidence …"
The King of Shu's tears streamed down his face and he said sadly, "Investigate? What else is there to investigate? Xian King of Shu, hahaha, Xian King, my family is going to become the laughing stock of the world. How can I face my ancestors in the netherworld to raise such a son! "
The King of Shu was heartbroken and his face became paler. Lu Zheng supported him and said, "Your Highness, please calm down. Take care of your body, Your Highness …"
Outside the door, a tall and fat man walked in angrily. The guards followed behind hesitantly. They wanted to stop him but didn't dare to. Obviously, this person had a high status and they couldn't afford to offend him.
He strode to the door, but the short Little Lingzi suddenly stretched out his hand and stopped him. He said in a soft voice, "Prince Jingqing, please wait. It's not convenient for His Highness to meet guests now!"
"Pfft!" Prince Jingqing spat on his face. "Dog slave, who are you to interfere in my Zhu Family's affairs? Get out of my way. Isn't he already awake? I only want him, the Xian King, to give me justice and return my daughter's life! "
Little Lingzi didn't wipe his face and said indifferently, "Your Highness, please calm down. Without His Highness's order, no one can go in. Please go back."
Royal Prince Jingqing roared and grabbed Little Lingzi's collar. He was big and fat, so Little Lingzi's small and skinny body could fit two of him. However, when he grabbed the collar and pulled with all his strength, Little Lingzi was like a nail that was hammered into the ground and didn't move at all.
Prince Jingqing was furious and wanted to hit him. At this moment, the King of Shu's weak voice came from the room. "Is it Prince Jingqing? Little Lingzi, invite the King in. "
With a "clatter", Prince Jingqing was swept into the room with a gust of wind. He was panting heavily. Zhu Binhan, the King of Shu, lay down on the brocade quilt and closed his eyes for a moment. He said softly, "Lord Lu, thank you for rushing over to tell me about this. You should return to your residence immediately. The news about this situation must be strictly controlled. It must not be leaked. Definitely! "
"Yes!" Lu Zheng got up, cupped his hands, and retreated out of the room. The door closed slowly with a creak. He straightened his back and the moment the door was closed, he saw the King of Shu open his eyes. His eyes were as cold as ice and filled with desolation …
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