Chapter 143: A Feint

A Feint

Mo Yujue walked in hurriedly, but upon entering and raising his head, he discovered that Nie Jinxuan was not the only one in the room, so he couldn't help but look somewhat embarrassed.

Mo Yujue felt it was somewhat rude. At this moment, Nie Jinlan, the eldest sister of the Nie family who was talking to Nie Jinxuan, was also stunned upon seeing that the person who arrived was Mo Yujue.

"Second Uncle? Why is Second Uncle..."

A hint of doubt flashed across Nie Jinlan's face, but then she turned to look at Nie Jinxuan, and Nie Jinlan immediately understood, then curled her lips into a smile instantly.

"So Second Uncle is also responsible for this case~!"

"Just helping out."

Toward Nie Jinlan, Mo Yujue was somewhat easygoing. At this time, Nie Jinxuan on the side asked in a low voice:

"Young Master Mo, you just said there is a clue about Wang Fang, what exactly is the clue? Could it be that he has already..."

Frowning slightly, Nie Jinxuan didn't finish the rest of her sentence. But upon hearing this, Mo Yujue shook his head slightly, but then just as he was about to speak, he stopped again, and turned to look at Nie Jinlan and Nie Jinhui, who were curious and puzzled on the side.

Seeing this situation, Nie Jinxuan remembered. Then she turned her head and said:

"Eldest Sister, Second Sister, I have a case here. The content is relatively bloody, so it's not convenient for you to know... How about this, I'll have Xiao Xiu take you two to the room next door to rest for a while, how about that?"

Being her own sisters, Nie Jinxuan was not polite. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinlan smiled slightly.

"Hmm, Third Sister is right. However, I won't need to; let Xiao Xiu take Jinhui over directly, I'll be heading back now. When I have time, I'll come to see you again~! It just so happens I'll find an opportunity to see that Han Concubine. After all, although Third Sister is no longer the Princess Consort of this residence, you came for official business, how can you let them belittle and manipulate you?!"

"So, let Jinhui stay here to accompany you, it just so happens that Father also meant the same. After all, Third Sister will be staying here for a while, if there isn't even a close person by your side, wouldn't it be too lonely?"

Nie Jinlan said slowly, not avoiding Mo Yujue in the room. As soon as these words fell, Nie Jinlan looked at Xiao Xiu and Nie Jinhui, and then the two stood up directly. Subsequently, Nie Jinlan turned her head to look at Mo Yujue beside her.

"Since Second Uncle and Third Sister have official business to discuss, we sisters won't disturb you further. However, as important as this official business is, Second Uncle should still prioritize your health, and go home to visit from time to time, so Father doesn't always worry about you~!"

"Thank you for the reminder, Eldest Sister-in-law, I will find time to go back."

"That's good, then I'll be leaving first, Second Uncle, please take care of your health."

After saying a few words to Mo Yujue, Nie Jinlan raised her eyes to look at Mo Yujue directly, and then went out with Nie Jinhui and Xiao Xiu.

……

The Nie sisters left. Subsequently, as the door was closed, Mo Yujue couldn't help but turn his head to look, and then frowned slightly at Nie Jinxuan.

"What? Is the Third Miss going to live in Chen Wangfu starting today?"

In the morning, it was only said that because there was an inside mole at the Ministry of Punishments, it was decided to discuss the case at Chen Wangfu, but it wasn't said that Nie Jinxuan would stay here. Therefore, just now, listening to Nie Jinlan's words, Mo Yujue realized that he seemed to have missed something.

Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan just smiled slightly.

"It's a long story, in short... yes, I will be staying here temporarily until this case is solved!"

Nie Jinxuan found it difficult to explain the matter between herself and Yin Fengzhan, and seeing that she didn't want to say more, Mo Yujue didn't ask again, but then he still frowned slightly.

"However, listening to Eldest Sister-in-law just now, could it be that... someone in the Prince's residence came over and said something?"

Also being in a prominent and wealthy family, Mo Yujue knew a little about some things in the backyard, but Mo Yujue never cared about them. But Nie Jinxuan was different, so remembering the words Nie Jinlan said just now, Mo Yujue couldn't help but speak again. But as soon as he finished speaking, Nie Jinxuan smiled indifferently.

"Hehe~, it's nothing major, isn't it just them being curious, wondering why I, the divorced Princess Consort, have returned now~! It doesn't matter, let them talk~!"

Nie Jinxuan said it lightly, and after speaking, she took the teacup beside her and took a light sip. But at this moment, Mo Yujue's expression turned stern, and just as he wanted to say something more, seeing Nie Jinxuan's leisurely appearance, he closed his mouth directly.

For a time, the room became quiet. But then, Nie Jinxuan put the teacup in her hand aside and looked at Mo Yujue.

"That's right, Young Master Mo, you just said Wang Fang... what? Was Wang Fang found, or..."

Speaking of business, Nie Jinxuan's expression also became slightly restrained. Looking at Nie Jinxuan's serious appearance, Mo Yujue pursed his lips, and after staring at her for a while, he said in a low voice:

"No, he hasn't been found yet!"

"Oh? Then this is..."

"It has been confirmed that there are no traces of Wang Fang in the capital, so today I led people to expand the search range and searched outside the city, and sure enough, I found some clues in a wooden hut in the forest twenty miles outside the city!"

"What clues?"

"A jade pendant!"

Deliberately lowering his voice, Mo Yujue said word by word. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan's eyes flashed instantly.

"So, is it confirmed that the jade pendant belongs to Wang Fang?"

"Yes, it has been confirmed. And besides that jade pendant, some bloodstains were also found... But there wasn't much blood, and Wang Fang was not found. So now I suspect, is it because of the government's investigation that the murderer was alerted, and thus transferred Wang Fang to another location?"

"Hmm, it's possible... However, why do I feel that there is something strange about this?"

"Oh? Why does the Third Miss feel it's strange?"

"Hmm, rather than saying this matter is strange... I actually just feel that this matter came too suddenly. After all, Young Master Mo, just imagine. For the past few days, Young Master Mo has been searching for people, but there has been no result. And just at this time, Wang Fang's jade pendant suddenly appeared... So, doesn't Young Master Mo think this matter is a bit too coincidental?"

Raising her eyebrows slightly, Nie Jinxuan looked directly at Mo Yujue, who was sitting across the table from her. Upon meeting Nie Jinxuan's eyes, Mo Yujue's expression also turned stern instantly.

"Could it be... does the Third Miss mean that this is all a feint set up by the murderer?"

"Not necessarily. After all, Young Master Mo's repeated searches will certainly have a certain impact on the murderer, so it is reasonable for the murderer to transfer Wang Fang to another location... But based on our previous inference about the murderer, the murderer is a meticulous person, so how could they make such a careless mistake as leaving the jade pendant at the scene? So, just from this point, I feel that this clue is less of a clue and more of something the murderer deliberately let us know!"

"Hmm, that makes sense... But what is the motive? Why would the murderer do this?"

Nodding slightly, Mo Yujue also agreed with Nie Jinxuan's statement. But at the same time, he also asked a key question—the motive!

So, as soon as Mo Yujue finished speaking, Nie Jinxuan also fell silent, staring straight at Mo Yujue, pondering without a word.

Yes, what is the motive?

The murderer is cunning and treacherous; wouldn't it be better not to deliberately leave traces and leave us helpless?! But why did the murderer deliberately leave a jade pendant? What exactly is the purpose?

For a time, Nie Jinxuan also had no clue, and the room fell into silence again... But then, amidst this silence, a voice suddenly came from the doorway:

"What are you doing?"

……

The voice was low and powerful, yet faintly revealed an indescribable coldness. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan and Mo Yujue in the room were stunned almost simultaneously, then turned their heads one after another, and saw Yin Fengzhan standing at the door with a cold expression.

At this moment, seeing Yin Fengzhan arrive, Mo Yujue didn't say anything. But while others couldn't see Yin Fengzhan's expression, Nie Jinxuan could see it clearly, so she couldn't help but glare at him, but then she still pursed her lips slightly and said:

"Young Master Mo found some clues. Some bloodstains and a jade pendant belonging to Wang Fang were found in a wooden hut in the forest twenty miles outside the city..."

Nie Jinxuan briefly explained the matter. After Nie Jinxuan finished speaking, Yin Fengzhan looked at her quietly, then turned his gaze to glance at Mo Yujue, then walked in and sat on the chair on the other side of Nie Jinxuan.

"How could the jade pendant be discovered so suddenly?"

"Sure enough, you also think it's very strange, right?"

Hearing Yin Fengzhan mention the jade pendant in one sentence, Nie Jinxuan's eyes lit up immediately. At this moment, upon meeting Nie Jinxuan's eyes, Yin Fengzhan's thin lips moved, and his gaze shifted.

"The murderer is cunning by nature, and whether it was the crime at Zuixiashanzhuang or the last time Huang Hu's body was discovered, the murderer has done everything flawlessly. So in this situation, it is hard to imagine the murderer would reveal such a big flaw!"

"That is to say, this is a feint by the murderer? Or is it that the jade pendant itself is fake?"

"The jade pendant shouldn't be fake, otherwise it would have no meaning... It's just that the murderer definitely has their reasons for doing this!"

Yin Fengzhan said this quite firmly. Upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan looked at Mo Yujue on the other side, and then Nie Jinxuan turned her gaze back to Yin Fengzhan.

"Then you say, what reason could the murderer have?"

"Not clear!"

He spoke concisely, but after speaking, Yin Fengzhan narrowed his deep eyes and said nothing more. Seeing him like this, Nie Jinxuan also frowned, but then she stood up directly.

"Rather than guessing here, it's better to go to the scene and take a look!"

As she spoke, Nie Jinxuan turned to look at Mo Yujue, and then Mo Yujue also stood up, and the two walked out one after another. At this moment, seeing them both leave, Yin Fengzhan, who was sitting in his seat, had his expression darken instantly, but after sitting sullenly for a moment, he actually stood up and followed them out...

……

The three of them left the city together, and after walking for more than an hour, they finally arrived at the wooden hut in the forest that Mo Yujue had mentioned.

Subsequently, upon getting off the carriage, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but raise her eyebrows and began to examine the wooden hut in front of her...

It turned out that the wooden hut had no windows and only a simple wooden door, looking extremely simple, as if it had been built casually... Surrounded by dense forest and bushes, it was indeed hidden exceptionally well if one didn't pay attention. However, at this moment, several yamen runners were guarding the wooden hut, clearly having been deployed by Mo Yujue to seal it off immediately after he discovered it.

So, after a brief glance, Nie Jinxuan turned her gaze to look at Mo Yujue beside her, and then Mo Yujue walked in first, followed by Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan one after another.

It was very dark inside the wooden hut, and the small space felt somewhat crowded with three people entering at once. So, after adapting to the dimness in the room, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but frown and began to observe the surroundings carefully...

There was no table in the room, only a broken and old chair. Everything else was empty, which was eerily terrifying... Therefore, after carefully checking every corner of the wooden hut, Nie Jinxuan cast her gaze back to the broken chair, and sure enough, she found scattered bloodstains on the armrests and backrest of the chair!

"Young Master Mo, where was the jade pendant found?"

"In the corner over there."

Hearing Nie Jinxuan's question, Mo Yujue walked over and pointed to the corner on the side. At this moment, hearing this, Nie Jinxuan looked in the direction Mo Yujue pointed, and then cast her gaze back to the wooden chair in front of her.

Nie Jinxuan didn't speak, and at this moment, Yin Fengzhan, who had been standing behind Nie Jinxuan without saying a word, narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly said in a deep voice:

"What are you looking at?"

Yin Fengzhan was saying this to Nie Jinxuan. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan looked up at Yin Fengzhan reflexively, but then turned her gaze back to the chair and responded:

"Hmm... nothing, just feel that the bloodstains on this chair... are they a bit too little?"

Frowning, Nie Jinxuan narrowed her eyes and looked at the broken chair in front of her, speaking in a low voice as if to herself. But as soon as she finished speaking, Nie Jinxuan's eyes flashed instantly, and she stood up straight.

"So that's it, the murderer really is setting a feint!"

Nie Jinxuan said loudly. At this moment, hearing this, Mo Yujue, who was standing beside her, raised his thick eyebrows and stepped forward intuitively.

"What? What did the Third Miss discover?"

"Yes!"

Raising her eyebrows, she said firmly to Mo Yujue. Subsequently, Nie Jinxuan looked at Mo Yujue and said in a low voice:

"Young Master Mo, when you walked into this wooden hut, what was your first feeling? Did you intuitively think that this chair was very problematic? Or did you intuitively feel that the murderer had first tied the victim to this chair and then started to torture the victim?"

"Hmm... yes! After all, the bloodstains on it are so obvious, and based on the position of the bloodstains, it can be confirmed that the murderer first tied the victim here and then took action... Furthermore, in the Third Miss's autopsy results, it also indicated that several victims had marks of being tied by their hands and feet. So it shouldn't be wrong!"

"Yes, Young Master Mo is right! And it is precisely because of this that Young Master Mo thought that Wang Fang should have been tied here, but later because the government's investigation was too tight, he was transferred to another place... But, if that were the case, it would be a huge mistake! And all the problems lie in these bloodstains!"

"Bloodstains?! What do you mean by that?"

Mo Yujue was puzzled, and then, he heard Nie Jinxuan move her brows slightly and cast her gaze on the chair again.

"Because there is too little blood! After all, Young Master Mo, think carefully: from the time the murderer started committing crimes until now, not including Wang Fang, a total of five people have been killed. And among these five people, except for the fourth victim, Zhao Liang, who was only whipped, the other four were severely tortured by the murderer while alive! Cutting flesh, breaking hands, picking tendons, and even cutting off heads... Any one of these would make the victim very painful and would cause a lot of blood to flow!"

"But Young Master Mo, look at this chair. Although there are bloodstains on this chair, there aren't many. Therefore, the previous actions certainly wouldn't have happened here, otherwise, this chair couldn't have only this little blood... But, it was right here that Wang Fang's jade pendant was found, and the wooden hut itself was arranged so hiddenly, so besides the murderer setting a feint, I can't think of a second reason!"

"Of course, I don't deny that the murderer might not have committed crimes in a designated place, for example, the third victim, Zhou Si, was found in his own backyard... But even so, I still believe that everything in front of us was deliberately arranged by the murderer!"

Finally, Nie Jinxuan stated her judgment. But then, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips and changed the subject.

"It's just that, although we can be sure the murderer is setting a feint, I still don't understand what the murderer's motive is... Such little blood, and the jade pendant, if these are all deliberately arranged by the murderer, what exactly are they trying to convey to us?! Is it just to tell us that Wang Fang is in their hands? Or is there something else?"

Nie Jinxuan fell into her own thoughts again. But just then, Yin Fengzhan, who had been standing behind her without saying a word, lowered his eyes slightly and suddenly said:

"The murderer is telling us that Wang Fang is still alive!"

……

In the wooden hut, Yin Fengzhan spoke suddenly. As soon as he said this, Nie Jinxuan and Mo Yujue were startled at the same time. Subsequently, Nie Jinxuan turned around abruptly and stared straight into Yin Fengzhan's eyes.

But then, before Nie Jinxuan could ask, Yin Fengzhan explained in a low voice:

"There isn't much blood, which means it's not enough to be fatal. The jade pendant proves it belongs to Wang Fang. And everything in this wooden hut indicates the murderer's crime process and environment... Or rather, the murderer is already directly saying, this is how I killed the victims! Therefore, on this basis, adding the previous two points together: I am the murderer of that serial murder case, and now Wang Fang is in my hands, but he is still alive!"

Yin Fengzhan said word by word. After speaking, he shifted his gaze from the chair to Nie Jinxuan. At this moment, upon meeting Yin Fengzhan's eyes, Nie Jinxuan was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't help but ask in a low voice:

"Then... what about the motive? What is the murderer's purpose?"

"Don't know!"

He spoke concisely, but then Yin Fengzhan narrowed his eyes again.

"But behind this, the murderer's true purpose is definitely not as simple as just telling us that Wang Fang is still alive!"

Returning from the wooden hut outside the city, the sky was already getting dark. And because of Yin Fengzhan's words in the wooden hut earlier, on the way back, Nie Jinxuan, Yin Fengzhan, and Mo Yujue didn't say anything, and even the carriage driver carefully lightened his movements, not daring to make a sound... The eerie atmosphere continued all the way to the Prince's residence!

But then, when the three walked into the Prince's residence and headed straight for Ningxiang Yuan in the backyard, they happened to run into Concubine Han Luoxue.

At this moment, Nie Jinxuan was walking in front, so upon seeing Han Luoxue walking over, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but pause. At this time, Han Luoxue also saw Nie Jinxuan, and then hurriedly stepped forward to talk:

"Hehe~ Third Miss, I heard today that the Third Miss had come, and I thought about going to see you, but I heard it was for official business, so I didn't want to disturb... I truly didn't expect to meet you here~!"

This was the first time Nie Jinxuan had run into Han Luoxue since leaving Chen Wangfu. And compared to Qin Yuxia in the afternoon, Han Luoxue clearly performed well... At least in her words, nothing could be seen. So, as soon as she finished speaking, Nie Jinxuan curled her lips into a smile.

"Yes, it's truly a coincidence~! It's been many days, I hope Concubine Han has been well?"

Nie Jinxuan didn't say anything. Hearing this, Han Luoxue smiled as well. But at this time, just as Han Luoxue wanted to say something, she saw Yin Fengzhan and Mo Yujue behind, so Han Luoxue had to say a few simple words to Nie Jinxuan, and then stepped forward to greet Yin Fengzhan.

Han Luoxue appeared generous and graceful. Subsequently, after a simple conversation with Yin Fengzhan, she left directly. Her delicate and gentle appearance clearly looked like a virtuous wife and mother.

So, seeing her like this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but raise her eyebrows, and then returned to Ningxiang Yuan directly. Seeing everything in front of her, Mo Yujue, who was standing at the very back, couldn't help but look back at Han Luoxue, who had already walked far away, after Nie Jinxuan turned and left, and a flash of brilliance instantly crossed his firm eyes...

At this moment, after Han Luoxue left, Yin Fengzhan also walked away. But just then, Mo Yujue, who had been behind him, flashed and blocked his path directly.

"His Highness Prince Chen, there is something I would like to remind you of!"

Mo Yujue spoke in a low voice, his usually rigid face now faintly revealing an indescribable seriousness. At this moment, looking directly into his eyes, Yin Fengzhan's lips moved, and he said in a deep voice:

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing special! I just want to remind His Highness Prince Chen that since you are the one who kept the Third Miss at Chen Wangfu, you had better think more for the Third Miss!" ===== CHAPTER 144 =====