Chapter 103: Case Details

Xie Daohan had just wanted to fly into a rage, but suddenly saw that there were still Escorts, clutching their blades, pushing their way out from the funeral procession at the very back, all with expressions of grief and indignation!

His heart skipped a beat, and he felt a great sense of foreboding!

These Escorts were all people who had crawled and fought their way up from the paths of the jianghu; if they really started a fight, those Constables who lived lives of leisure in the Ya Men would absolutely be no match for them!

However, he was already in a position where it was difficult to back down!

Just at this moment, Ruan Fengshan suddenly stepped forward a few paces and called out, "Brothers, do not act rashly for now!"

Ruan Fengshan was truly afraid that if a brawl broke out, he, the Manager, being right there on the scene, would likely be saddled with the crime of inciting the Escorts to cause trouble!

Ruan Fengshan turned his head, cupped his hands toward Xie Daohan, and said, "Head Constable Xie, I, Ruan Fengshan, stake my reputation and life to guarantee to you! There is absolutely no criminal inside the coffin!"

Xie Daohan's expression was uncertain, but looking at the wall of blade-light at the city gate, his heart finally eased, and he said, "Weiming! Continue the roll call!"

"Yes!" Weiming said, cupping his hands, his own heart also easing!

If they really had to fight, he did not believe they could best the Escorts of the Yuanshun Escort Agency!

Weiming turned his head and saw that at the city gate, it was still a tense standoff with blades drawn.

Xie Daohan glanced at Ruan Fengshan, and Ruan Fengshan immediately said, "Brothers, put away your blades! Head Constable Xie has already spoken; he will verify and let us pass!"

Those Escorts, upon hearing this, all sheathed their blades but still stood there; only when the Constables also sheathed their blades and returned to their posts did those Escorts slowly depart.

Xiao Yu's gaze swept across the faces of the group of Escorts, her eyes full of gratitude!

Seeing the crisis resolved, Ruan Fengshan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead!

"This old fox!" Xie Daohan glanced at Ruan Fengshan and cursed inwardly.

Duan Rong also sheathed his blade at this time, stood back beside Zhao Mu, and lifted the coffin!

Looking at Duan Rong, a faint joy rose in Xiao Yu's heart; just a moment ago, when the whole world was retreating, only he had stood before her!

And he was merely an Apprentice Escort wearing a set of short-garb!

That roar before the city gate—how heroic it was!

"Little sister, your judgment is good!" Xiao Yu smiled faintly and sheathed her blade.

As soon as Duan Rong stood back, Zhao Mu turned his head to look at him and called out, "Good lad! You truly have guts!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong only chuckled foolishly, like a simpleton; where was there even a shred of heroic spirit?

Duan Rong knew very well why the inspection at the city gate had suddenly become so strict!

Xie Daohan must have already discovered the corpse of Xie Lei!

When it came down to it, this matter had started because of him!

Just a moment ago, he had not only been helping Xiao Yu; he himself could not bear to see Xiao Baijiao's corpse suffer indignity after death!

As Zhao Mu was speaking, he suddenly caught sight of Zhu Xiaoqi standing in front of the coffin!

Zhu Xiaoqi was wearing mourning clothes at this time, which gave her a different kind of prettiness compared to when she wore that red outfit.

But Zhao Mu saw that while Zhu Xiaoqi was holding Xiao Baijiao's spirit tablet, her eyes were flashing with admiration, staring fixedly at Duan Rong behind him.

Zhao Mu was suddenly overcome with jealousy and glared at Duan Rong behind him!

Xiao Yu and Zhu Xiaoqi stood back in front of the coffin, led the pallbearers, and carried Xiao Baijiao's coffin out of the West City Gate!

Weiming continued to verify according to the list, and Xie Daohan stood by the city gate, his sharp gaze sweeping across every face!

Finally, the twenty-plus people in the funeral procession were also verified and left the city. Xie Daohan stood at the city gate, watching the long, dragon-like funeral procession outside, and instructed Weiming, "Weiming, take two men and watch the coffin be buried!"

"Yes!" Although Weiming did not understand the meaning behind Xie Daohan's order, he had become Xie Daohan's confidant by being obedient and following orders.

Just at this moment, a red horse suddenly came whistling over; the person on the horse was a scholar-dressed man wearing a square cap!

Xie Daohan raised his eyes and saw that the person arriving was Clerk Qin!

His heart stirred slightly; before he came to the city gate, he had originally intended to go and report the changes in the case to Shen Yanliu.

Clerk Qin reined in his horse, swept a glance at the yamen runners and Constables at the city gate, looked at Xie Daohan, and said in a loud voice, "Head Constable Xie, the County Magistrate orders you to go to the County Government Office immediately to discuss matters! Do not delay!"

"I was just about to go!" After Xie Daohan finished speaking, he mounted his horse and rode toward the County Government Office!

"Do not delay" meant that he was being accused of delaying.

Here, Clerk Qin saw Xie Daohan ride away, then turned his horse around and headed toward the County Government Office at a leisurely pace!

Xie Daohan rode to the County Government Office, immediately jumped off his horse, ran toward the main hall, bypassed the main hall with flying steps, and walked into the back hall behind it.

As soon as Xie Daohan entered the back hall, he saw that Shen Yanliu and Fan Yuanhai were already sitting there, drinking tea and chatting, seemingly waiting for him?

"Head Constable Xie, you've arrived! Sit!" As soon as Shen Yanliu saw Xie Daohan enter, he pointed to a grand armchair nearby, signaling for Xie Daohan to take a seat!

Xie Daohan gave a slight cupped-hand salute, walked over with hurried steps, and sat down!

As soon as Xie Daohan sat down, Shen Yanliu asked point-blank, "Head Constable Xie, have you heard that there was almost a civil disturbance at the West City Gate just now?"

Xie Daohan's heart skipped a beat; Shen Yanliu's intelligence was so well-informed!

"The County Magistrate is wise! At a time when there is a major change in the case, the Yuanshun Escort Agency suddenly had such a complex funeral procession; I could not help but be on guard!"

"Didn't Ruan Fengshan provide a list? You could have checked according to the list!"

"The number of people in the procession can naturally be checked according to the list. However, my subordinate suspects that there might be something fishy inside that coffin!" Even now, Xie Daohan felt that the coffin might be problematic. "If the criminal were hiding inside that coffin..."

"Inside the coffin, there is only the corpse of Xiao Baijiao..." Shen Yanliu suddenly interrupted Xie Daohan and said.

"How can the County Magistrate be so certain?" Xie Daohan looked at Shen Yanliu with suspicious eyes.

Shen Yanliu stared at Xie Daohan in silence for a while.

Xie Daohan felt a bit uneasy!

Shen Yanliu then said, "Head Constable Xie, you have operated in this Xiangu County for many years! Could it be that you haven't even planted a single informant inside the Yuanshun Escort Agency?"

"My men watched them nail it shut with their own eyes! There is only Xiao Baijiao's corpse in the coffin!"

Hearing this, Xie Daohan was shocked.

He had originally had an informant in the Yuanshun Escort Agency, but unfortunately, a year ago, it was rooted out by Ruan Fengshan. He had thought about planting someone else, but Ruan Fengshan managed the Yuanshun Escort Agency like an iron barrel, and he had not yet found a suitable opportunity!

Fan Yuanhai sat to the side, also looking at Xie Daohan with mockery in his eyes, and asked, "Head Constable Xie, has the corpse of Xu Ruhu been discovered yet?"

Xie Daohan heard this and said with a serious expression, "The Imperial Envoy already knows. Your subordinate was just about to report it!"

Xie Daohan glanced at Shen Yanliu and was about to speak when Fan Yuanhai suddenly turned cold, saying icily, "It seems now that Xu Ruhu must have been abducted from the prison by Xie Lei! I just wonder, Head Constable Xie, did you have a hand in this?"

Xie Daohan suddenly stood up from his chair and said angrily, "What does the Imperial Envoy mean by that?"

"Is it not clear what I mean? You were the one who assigned your own nephew to guard Xu Ruhu! Yet, he was the one who abducted Xu Ruhu from the prison! And now look! Both he and Xu Ruhu have been killed! I suspect that you are the true mastermind behind the scenes, first ordering your nephew to break into the prison, and once successful, killing both Xu Ruhu and Xie Lei to silence them! What a fine display of sacrificing one's own kin for the sake of justice!"

Fan Yuanhai grew more agitated as he spoke, while Xie Daohan was already trembling with rage!

"Enough! The case has not been solved yet, why start infighting already!" Seeing that the atmosphere was wrong, Shen Yanliu spoke up to mediate, "If Head Constable Xie truly had such intentions, he could have simply arrested Xu Ruhu as a petty thief when he first caught him; why would he have needed to expose his identity?"

Seeing that Shen Yanliu's words made some sense, and knowing that his own previous remarks were merely speculation that could not withstand close scrutiny, Fan Yuanhai took a few sips of tea and said nothing more.

Seeing Shen Yanliu come to his defense, Xie Daohan gave him a grateful look.

Shen Yanliu pressed his hand down, signaling for Xie Daohan to take his seat.

Xie Daohan sat down, and Shen Yanliu asked, "In examining the scene, were there any clues?"

Xie Daohan's eyes flickered as he said, "There is one clue; both Xu Ruhu and Xie Lei were struck by Corpse Rot Poison!"

"Corpse Rot Poison?" Shen Yanliu had some impression of this and said, "I recall that in old cases, there seemed to have been traces of this poison!"

"The County Magistrate has a good memory!" Xie Daohan praised, "This poison once appeared in the case of the Whale Tiger Gang!"

"The Whale Tiger Gang?" Shen Yanliu's gaze grew somewhat distant. "That case must have been several years ago, right?"

"Yes, at that time, the case was personally supervised by the County Magistrate!"

Shen Yanliu nodded and said, "Are there any other clues?"

"None have been sorted out for the time being!"

"Then you may go. If there are new developments, report to this official immediately!"

"Yes, County Magistrate!" Xie Daohan cupped his hands and stood up, shot a glare at Fan Yuanhai, and exited the back hall!

Shen Yanliu watched Xie Daohan's retreating back, his eyes flickering; in truth, he also suspected Xie Daohan! But he absolutely would not believe that Xie Daohan would kill his own nephew; over these years, he had been very clear about how much effort Xie Daohan had invested in Xie Lei.

Even a tiger does not eat its own cubs!

(End of chapter)