Chapter 75: Panic in the Whole City (2)

Lv Jin and Cheng Hang could be considered students he had brought up with one hand. Lv Jin was meticulous and steady, and he already had quite a few techniques in examining corpses. Cheng Hang, although a bit lazy on weekdays, was very energetic and persistent in doing things. Calling them back was also because this case was too tricky!

"Lv Jin, Cheng Hang, leave this to you first." With their experience and ability, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Yes."

Taking off his gloves, Dan Yulan strode out of the door. Lv Jin and Cheng Hang looked at each other, both a bit worried for him.

In the Imperial Study, Yan Hongtian sat on the dragon throne, his face was terrifyingly dark, and all the servants in the room had their heads lowered to the ground, not daring to breathe. Dan Yulan walked into the Imperial Study, and he wanted to know why the Emperor summoned him today.

"Greetings to the Emperor."

Sure enough, before Dan Yulan finished speaking, Yan Hongtian didn't tell him to rise, and asked directly in a cold and hard voice, "When can the heart-plucking case be solved?"

Dan Yulan hesitated for a while, and could only reply truthfully, "Official, I don't know."

"Bastard!" The roar was accompanied by two dark red memorials thrown at Dan Yulan's feet. Yan Hongtian stood up from the desk, pointed at Dan Yulan and scolded, "If it goes on for a few more days, all the civil and military officials will be sick with grief because of the loss of their beloved daughters, and they won't have to go to court or handle official business at all! The celebration is coming soon, and such a case has occurred in the capital, causing panic. Where is Qiongyue's face?" The raging voice resounded through the Imperial Study, and all the eunuchs and palace maids knelt on the ground.

Dan Yulan stood with his head lowered, facing the scolding that came over his head, he had nothing to defend himself. It had been two months, and they actually hadn't found any useful clues. The murderer was still committing crimes, and as the head of the Criminal Justice Official, it was his dereliction of duty.

What he wanted was a way to solve this case. Silence was what he least wanted to see. Sitting down angrily, Yan Hongtian didn't look at Dan Yulan anymore, and said coldly, "I will give you one month. No matter what method you use, or who you appoint, you must solve this case. If you can't solve this case within the one-month deadline, don't be the Criminal Justice Official anymore, solve your own official hat, and go to prison for three years!"

"Official accepts the decree." Without any hesitation or defense, Dan Yulan accepted the decree calmly.

His attitude made Yan Hongtian's anger subside a little, and he didn't make things difficult for him anymore, waving his hand, and said impatiently, "Retreat."

Dan Yulan turned and left, but his face was more solemn than ever before.

Having been lying in bed for many days, Zhuo Qing could finally get out of bed and walk around. Every morning in the past, Lou Xiwu would come to chat with her and talk about the styles of wedding dresses and phoenix crowns. Today it was already afternoon, and she still hadn't seen her shadow. With nothing to do, Zhuo Qing decided to go see her.

Just after walking out of Lanyue Lou, she saw Jing Sa and more than twenty people dressed as guards talking about something. Before long, they divided into two groups and walked in two directions, looking like they were patrolling.

But there had never been guards patrolling the Prime Minister's Mansion? Curious, she walked up and asked, "Jing Sa, what are they doing?"

The wedding invitations had already been sent out, and the marriage between Zhuo Qing and Lou Xiyan had already been spread throughout the capital. There was no doubt that Zhuo Qing was the mistress of the Prime Minister's Mansion. Jing Sa couldn't talk about liking or disliking this new mistress, but since she was the master's wife, Jing Sa's attitude was more respectful: "Madam, the celebration is approaching. At that time, there will be many people in the capital, and the master is worried about the safety of the Prime Minister's Mansion."

Zhuo Qing was a bit unaccustomed to Jing Sa's change, smiled awkwardly, and replied, "Alright, I know, then you go ahead."

She couldn't adapt to the ancient concept of superior and inferior for a while, and even Xue Xianxin, who had always been looking for trouble with her, had been exceptionally good to her during this period, calling her Ling'er Ling'er every time she saw her, which gave her goosebumps.

Walking all the way to Lou Xiwu's courtyard, Zhuo Qing found that there were not only the two teams of guards she had just seen, but also many patrols suddenly appearing in the mansion. She always felt that something was strange.

Entering Lou Xiwu's courtyard, her maid Su'er immediately greeted her. Zhuo Qing made a shushing gesture to her, because she saw Lou Xiwu sitting in the pavilion, staring blankly in one direction, wanting to tease her. Zhuo Qing sat down beside her and suddenly laughed, "Who are you thinking about? How can you be so dull!"

Lou Xiwu looked like she had been startled, but she didn't scold back as usual. Instead, she supported her chin, and there were even faint tears in her eyes.

The little girl was not right. Zhuo Qing sat beside her and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"I only found out today that Princess Anning was actually killed the night before last! She died so miserably! When we were young, we often played together, and I saw her at the cloth shop last month. I didn't expect..." Last time they met, she said she would give her a fine silk handkerchief. This morning, she asked Su'er to send it, but got such a result. Recalling the past when the two often played together, Lou Xiwu couldn't help but cry.

One moment they were still looking forward to the future together, and the next moment they were already separated by life and death. What was even more tragic was that she died an unnatural death. She had seen too many such partings. She wasn't very good at comforting people, so Zhuo Qing could only pat her shoulder and comfort her, "Don't be too sad, the yamen will find the murderer who killed her and won't let her die unclearly."

Sniffing, Lou Xiwu whispered, "Who knows if it was done by a human?"

"What did you say?" Zhuo Qing thought she had misheard.

Lou Xiwu took the silk scarf handed by Su'er, and while wiping her tears, said in a low voice with some fear, "The capital is now in panic, especially the noble families and descendants of famous families. Anyone who has young ladies at home is worried about encountering accidents. I heard that three or four young ladies have been killed. When they were discovered, they were all on their own beds, the bed and the floor were full of blood, and there were no wounds on their bodies, except that their hearts were gone?"

"What?" Zhuo Qing frowned. No wounds but the heart was gone? This was impossible. Either the murderer's suturing technique was very good, or Lou Xiwu heard it from hearsay. But at least one point could be determined: several homicide cases targeting young ladies of noble families had occurred in the capital, and the murderer's means were cruel, and it was very likely a serial murder case.

No wonder the guards of the Prime Minister's Mansion suddenly became so strict. Xiwu was also the group attacked by the murderer.

But was this murderer only targeting young ladies of noble families, or was there something the same on them that triggered the murderer's motive for killing?!

Zhuo Qing was pondering when Lou Xiwu suddenly approached her and whispered extremely mysteriously in her ear, "The hearts of all the dead young ladies are gone. Not to mention anything else, the guards at the Prince's Mansion were so strict, and the guards didn't have any unusual situation, but Princess Anning still had her heart plucked and died in her own room. Outside, it is rumored that it was not done by a human, but by some kind of evil ghost specializing in eating human hearts."

Zhuo Qing scoffed, "Absurd. So-called ghost killing is just that the murderer's killing method is cruel or strange, making people feel fear, and because they couldn't find the murderer for a while, people who were afraid fabricated it."

Zhuo Qing's face was full of disdain. Lou Xiwu shrank her shoulders and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you afraid?" Although she didn't believe in any heart-eating ghosts, she still felt very scared when she heard it!

"Afraid of what?" Zhuo Qing laughed, and replied jokingly, "If you are talking about ghosts, then I am not afraid. There is righteousness in heaven and earth."

Her eyebrows raised slightly, and a sharp edge flashed in her eyes. Zhuo Qing laughed coldly, "If you are talking about the murderer, I am very interested in knowing what method this heart-plucking thief uses to pluck hearts!" Being able to take away a human heart so perfectly, this person was either a professional killer or a doctor.

Lou Xiwu sat a little to the side in fear. She suddenly felt that this sister-in-law was also strange sometimes. She was actually full of interest in such a terrible thing.

Zhuo Qing was lost in her own thoughts. In this case, the murderer's killing method was very special. Those who chose this special killing method to commit serial crimes were either provoking the police; or creating a terror atmosphere to satisfy some purpose; or for some perverted hobby. She was still quite interested in this case, but Dan Yulan didn't come to ask her for help. It seemed that the case was not very tricky.

Of course, she didn't know that Lou Xiyan had given an order not to let anyone disturb her rest and recuperation, and Dan Yulan had come once but was turned away.

Both of them were lost in their own thoughts, and neither noticed a cold and tall figure appearing outside the courtyard gate. Su'er saw who it was and hurriedly said, "Miss, Young Master Su is here."

Lou Xiwu and Zhuo Qing came back to their senses and looked toward the gate. Both of them were a bit distracted. In the summer sun, Su Mufeng walked slowly in white. He was just like his name, like a clear breeze. It seemed that there was always a clear and cold atmosphere around him, and the hot and impetuous seemed unable to get close to his body. That kind of cold and ethereal temperament made people afraid to get close but unwilling to stay away.

Su Mufeng felt Zhuo Qing's probing gaze and nodded lightly to her. Zhuo Qing also returned the salute politely.

Looking at Lou Xiwu, Su Mufeng smiled indifferently, "Miss Lou, no need to be polite." He was the most elegant and talented man she had ever seen—no, he was the most elegant and talented man besides her brother. From the bottom of her heart, she admired him.

Zhuo Qing was more curious about him. A person could have many temperaments, but there were not many who could combine coldness and alienation with gentleness and politeness so well.

Su Mufeng seemed to be used to such retention, and did not show the joy of being praised, just replied indifferently, "Your fingering techniques are all very proficient, I have nothing left to teach you."

Lou Xiwu was unwilling to miss such a good opportunity. She really liked playing the zither, and sometimes she would write some tunes herself, but they were always not very good. It was not easy for Young Master Su to come, but why did he have to leave so soon? Lou Xiwu still couldn't help but retain him again, "But my fingering is not smooth enough, and I have a few tunes that I want to ask for your advice. You should give me a few more lessons! Okay?"

Lou Xiwu looked at Su Mufeng with full expectation, but she didn't know that the dark-skinned man outside the door was now black with anger.

"Cough, cough!" Zhuo Qing coughed fiercely, and said in a very low voice in Lou Xiwu's ear, "Jing Sa is outside the courtyard."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 76 =====