Chapter 486: A Grave Robber Who Was Beaten to Death Alive and Then Dumped

"Oh?"

Chen Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc, his tone carrying a touch of inquiry: "Grave robber?"

He paused, tapping his palm heavily with his fingertips, "Isn't that a grave-robbing thief?"

Upon hearing this, Coroner Chu bowed and replied without hesitation: "Exactly!"

Feng Xiao Yan's eyebrows furrowed tightly. He took half a step forward, his gaze falling on Coroner Chu, and asked: "Coroner Chu, what is your basis for making this judgment?"

Coroner Chu turned to Feng Xiao Yan, bowed and cupped his hands, his tone respectful yet certain: "First, the thick calluses on the deceased's palms and fingertips cannot be formed by ordinary labor..."

"Ordinary farmers holding hoes or porters carrying goods have calluses mostly concentrated on the palms or shoulders and backs, while this person's calluses are dense and hard, covering the fingertips and knuckles, which is the trace of holding iron shovels, crowbars, and other digging tools for many years and grinding them repeatedly..."

"Second, the old soil remaining in the fingernails is dark in color, sticky in texture, and mixed with some rotten wood chips, which is completely different from the yellow soil and sand in Chang'an streets..."

"On the contrary, it matches the characteristics of rammed earth that has been soaked in moisture for hundreds or thousands of years in an ancient tomb!"

"Third, the old bruises and scars on the deceased's knees and elbows are interlaced in depth, layer upon layer, obviously caused by long-term kneeling for digging and crawling through narrow tomb passages!"

The interest in Chen Yan's eyes grew stronger. He stepped on the snow and walked to the corpse. He looked down at the tattered cotton jacket that had been patched and reinforced, then straightened up and took over the conversation: "And the special patching and reinforcement at the elbows and knees were definitely not done casually..."

"It is because when digging, one needs to kneel and lean forward, and the elbows need to borrow force. Coarse cloth is wear-resistant, which is just to adapt to the movements when grave robbing!"

"As for the wax oil remaining on the waist of the clothes, the smell is dark and the solidification is tight. It is definitely not ordinary household lamp oil. It should be used for lighting with pine resin lamps when sneaking into ancient tombs at night. This kind of lamp candle is durable and has little smoke, which is most suitable for use in narrow tomb passages."

Coroner Chu's pupils constricted upon hearing this, his face revealing difficult-to-mask shock. He immediately stepped forward and bowed, his voice full of admiration: "Exactly! Everything the Lord said is perfectly correct!"

Feng Xiao Yan and the others were shocked upon hearing this, their eyes full of disbelief.

The professionalism of their own Lord was not inferior to Coroner Chu at all...

This was even more shocking than the identity of the deceased!

Gao Jiong took two more steps forward, looking at Chen Yan with surprise, and couldn't help but ask: "My Lord, you even know this?!"

Chen Yan smiled indifferently, raised his hand and pressed it, saying lightly: "I know a little!"

Once when he was idle, he occasionally read "Grave Robber's Notes" and "Ghost Blows Out the Light"...

He still remembered what the mantra was:

Seeking the dragon and dividing the gold, look at the winding mountains; one layer of winding is one layer of pass.

If the pass gate encounters eight dangers, it does not come out of the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams shape.

Liu Mu Zhi's eyebrows furrowed tightly, his fingertips twisting his beard and falling into thought, his gaze falling on the corpse, murmuring to himself: "In other words, this is a grave robber who was beaten to death alive and then dumped..."

His tone carried a touch of realization and a touch of gravity.

Chen Yan pursed his lips, took over the conversation, and said in a low voice: "And it is very likely that he was killed after the donkey was ground, just after robbing the tomb!"

Gao Jiong and Feng Xiao Yan looked at each other and couldn't help but nod, agreeing: "The subordinate also thinks so!"

Chen Yan tightened the collar of his fox fur, put one hand behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the crowd standing in the courtyard, his tone steady and powerful: "Then let's follow this clue and investigate..."

"See what tomb has been robbed around Chang'an, and then follow the vine to find the melon!"

He paused and ordered: "Also arrange for people to investigate his identity..."

"As you command!" Everyone responded in unison.

Duke of Wei Mansion.

Night.

The snow had stopped for the most part, with only sporadic snow particles occasionally knocking on the window lattices of the mansion's study, making a fine sound.

The house was burning with silver silk charcoal, warm and comfortable, dispelling the cold outside, and a faint pine ink fragrance floated in the air.

Half a scroll of map was spread out on the desk, and the wolf-hair brush was slanted beside the inkstone, the ink already slightly congealed.

Chen Yan was dressed in black casual clothes, leaning on a chair padded with fox fur, his eyes closed slightly, as if closing his eyes to rest.

With a "creak," the study door was pushed open gently, and the cold wind wrapped in snow air surged in, then was melted by the warmth in the house.

Pei Suiwan, wearing a white fox fur, walked in slowly, her nine-month-pregnant belly bulging high, making her moon-white skirt look round, every step she took was extremely gentle.

The maid Rong'er followed closely behind, holding a gold-painted lacquer box in her hand.

Pei Suiwan approached, her voice as soft as melted snow water: "Husband, come and try the winter clothes I just made for you!"

Chen Yan's eyes snapped open, the deep composure in his gaze instantly vanishing, leaving only urgency and heartache.

He stood up from the chair almost immediately, strode forward, grabbed Pei Suiwan's hand that was reaching out, his tone full of reproach yet unable to hide his worry: "My Suiwan, my wife!"

"You are about to give birth, why are you still worrying about these things!"

He held his wife's hand with slight force, carefully guiding her toward the brocade stool, his voice softening: "Your top priority now is to rest well and nourish the fetus, don't worry or tire yourself for me anymore."

"Quick, sit down and rest for a while, watch your feet."

During the conversation, he had already supported Pei Suiwan's waist and let her sit steadily on the soft-cushioned brocade stool.

He also tightened the fox fur on her shoulders and brushed the fine snow particles on her hair with his fingertips.

Pei Suiwan looked at her man's nervous appearance, the corners of her mouth slowly curling into a smile, the corners of her eyes curving into gentle crescents, saying: "There is still some time..."

She paused, her gaze falling on the winter clothes in the lacquer box, her tone carrying a touch of fine joy: "Just choosing the fabric to make winter clothes doesn't take much effort."

Chen Yan frowned slightly, his tone carrying an unquestionable determination, blurting out: "That won't do either!"

Chen Yan knew his wife very well; she would not only make them for him but also for others in the mansion, without any omissions.

It would be fine on ordinary days, but now she couldn't be careless, and she couldn't be tired at all...

Having said this, he turned to look at Rong'er standing on the side and called softly: "Rong'er!"

Rong'er immediately stepped forward, bowed and responded: "This servant is here!"

"In these days, watch the Madam well, don't let her handle anything..." Chen Yan instructed, his gaze sweeping over Pei Suiwan and then turning to Rong'er, emphasizing his tone, "And in terms of food, you must watch it even more carefully!"

Rong'er bent her waist lower, her voice crisp and without hesitation: "This servant obeys the Duke's orders!"

As soon as the words fell, she straightened up and looked at Pei Suiwan, as if she had received an imperial sword, her tone still respectful: "Madam, the Duke has spoken, you should rest well..."

In fact, Rong'er had already advised her before, but she couldn't overcome her own Madam.

Pei Suiwan was amused by Rong'er's "fearless" appearance, deliberately rolled her eyes at her, her tone carrying a touch of reproach: "You girl!"

She paused, her tone shifted, and she teased with curved eyebrows: "It seems I can't keep you. Tomorrow I will entrust someone to find a good family and marry you off magnificently..."

As soon as Rong'er heard this, she panicked, her face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly took two steps forward, gently grabbing Pei Suiwan's arm, her voice carrying a touch of urgency: "Don't, Madam! Rong'er won't marry! Rong'er wants to serve you for a lifetime!"

"I don't want to be separated from you at all!"

Saying this, she also shook Pei Suiwan's arm lightly, full of urgency.

Seeing this, Chen Yan's smile grew stronger, and even the fine lines at the corners of his eyes were dyed with warmth, laughing loudly: "Take good care of the Madam, and I will find a scholar for you in Chang'an in the future!"

"At that time, I will arrange an official position for him in the mansion..."

Upon hearing this, Rong'er's eyes lit up with surprise. She hurriedly let go of Pei Suiwan's hand, bowed deeply to Chen Yan, her voice full of excitement: "Thank you, Duke!"

Chen Yan waved his hand with a smile, signaling Rong'er to get up, then turned and walked to Pei Suiwan, squatting down carefully.

His movements were light, his gaze falling on the bulging belly, full of tenderness: "Come, let me listen to whether the two little ones are obedient today..."

Having said this, he leaned his ear lightly against Pei Suiwan's belly, even his breathing becoming extremely light.

The silver silk charcoal in the house crackled, and the warm light fell on his hair, adding a touch of warmth to the ordinary family.

Pei Suiwan looked at her man's focused appearance, a shallow smile on her lips, and raised her hand to stroke his hair gently.

Her fingertips rubbed gently through his hair, the tenderness in her eyes seeming to overflow.

Just at this moment, the study door was pushed open gently, and Zhu Yi walked in, saying in a low voice: "Young Master, County Magistrate Gao is here!"

"Says he found the robbed tomb..."

"And the identity of the employer!" ===== CHAPTER 487 =====