Record of Washed Grievances Chapter 61: The Throwing Knife’s Mystery

Over 3,800 words in this chapter…

This chapter was edited by Din2.

“The deceased had thirteen sharp injuries, four places on the arms, six places on the legs, two places on the abdomen and one place on the chest. The dimension of the wounds were about an inch by an inch, incisions were neat, the wounds did not have distinct enlargements. The deceased’s fatal wound was on the left chest to the heart, it was a penetration that pierced through the wound, the length of the wound was about an inch and caused by the cross sectional view of the wound, the lethal weapon should be a double edge sharp tool.”

Piling up with ice cubes in the inside of the icehouse, the cold air was pressing, a row of an open coffin made people unable to bear to swallow saliva. An oil lamp on the table seemed to feel this negative air, there was no wind but the oil lamp was shaking violently. One haggard man was laying down inside the coffin stiffly, there was a pair of fine hands inspected and measured every wound on his body conscientiously. A clear and cold woman’s voice was talking indifferently and thoroughly, this kind of environment was somewhat making one’s blood run cold.

“The deceased’s cause of death was the rupture of the inside vein on the chest that reached up to the heart, serious internal bleeding, the lung collapsed under pressure to cause the the dislocation of the diaphragm, this lead to breathing and circulatory failures and death.”

Finding out the position of the mortal wound in the heart, Zhuo Qing stretched her hand and said: “The throwing knife.”

A young minor government official who was at the side and busy recording hurriedly handed over the throwing knife, soon after, his hand held the writing brush tightly once again, extremely cold……..##.

Comparing for a moment, Zhuo Qing lowly said: “Dan Yu Lan, come over here and see.”

Dan Yu Lan walked towards Zhuo Qing’s side, only saw that she put the throwing knife on the lateral side of the heart simultaneously, approached the cross section slowly to compare it, the width of the cross section’s wound was bigger than the throwing knife by a lot. When he was doing the dissection at that time, he also discovered this finding so he could consult with her. “The myocardium’s wound was a lot bigger than the murder weapon, this explained that the stabbing on the deceased’s heart was not caused by the throwing knife?”

Zhuo Qing shook her head, with a cold sound answered: “I can not be certain, the icehouse’s temperature is not low enough. The corpse was delivered in the evening, the internal organs already appeared to slightly dissolve on their own. Moreover, the double edged blade of the sharp weapon created the internal organs’ injury, it was also possible that the wound would have an enlarged appearance.”

This, this, this temperature……….. was still not low enough #.

While admiring to look towards the woman who was standing in front of Prime Minister Lou, he took a thick cloak to drape it on her body. He put only a thin robe on his own body, and he had stood inside the icehouse for almost half a shichen (1 hour) and his face did not even change any color, was he not cold?!

Zhuo Qing returned the throwing knife to Dan Yu Lan, strangely asked: “Why did you think that this wound was not caused by the throwing knife?”

“The deceased had 13 wounds like this on the body, but the bailiffs at the scene only discovered 12 throwing knives, and these wounds looked as if they were indeed caused by the throwing knives, but regardless of the strengths and locations, all of his other wounds were rather different than this mortal wound on the chest.” The other wounds were distinctly light and located at the hands and feet so they were not fatal, why only put this one knife in the middle of the heart, the strength was great so it was actually pierced the body!

Zhuo Qing agreed with his analysis, this was indeed somewhat strange. Her shoulder was draped by Lou Xi Yan’s cloak, Zhuo Qing did not feel articulately cold but he…….. Looking towards Lou Xi Yan who was behind her, Zhuo Qing was somewhat embarrassed, let he, himself accompany her to Criminal Prison Division’s office and she still caused trouble to him to make him foolishly waiting for half a shichen (1 hr) inside the icehouse. Zhuo Qing took off the gloves and said: “The information on the corpse can only be like these temporarily, we go out first, ok.”

Three people went out of the icehouse, the always silent’s Lou Xi Yan suddenly said: “Official Dan, we want to see Qian Jing, is it possible or not?” Zhuo Qing slightly looked distracted, she wanted to go and see Qian Jing but she originally planned to go tomorrow on her own, unexpectedly, he actually said first………

“Of course, you can, please follow me.” Lou Xi Yan was in charge in the Ministry of Justice and he had already asked, Dan Yu Lan did not have any reason to decline.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

The autopsy room was originally not too far from the Ministry of Justice’s prison, three people approached the gate of the prison where the criminal was locked up. They saw one man, one woman and one young official who appeared to have a small dispute. When they saw Dan Yu Lan’s silhouette, the official was relaxed clearly, urgently walked to his front and said: “Official Daren, the people from the General’s manor have said that they want to see the criminal, what do you think?”

Dan Yu Lan had not replied yet, a loud and clear sound of a man already took the lead and echoed: “Official Dan.”

Su Yu looked at the person who was behind Dan Yu Lan, his brows were unconsciously wrinkled, his mouth still called out respectfully: “Prime Minister Lou.” Why was Lou Xi Yan here also?!

After being greeted, Lou Xi Yan lightly nodded, unlike Su Yu’s outer appearance that was clearly amazed, Lou Xi Yan’s face could not be seen any slightest difference.

Dan Yu Lan slightly cupped his hands to greet and answer: “General Su Yu.”

Su Yu walked towards the front of Dan Yu Lan, perhaps this was the distinctive of the soldier’s imposing manner, even though his voice did not count as loud, but his words were still somewhat threatening: “The one who died this time was the General manor’s Lieutenant General. I hope that I can hear the case publicly, Official Dan will not oppose to it, right?”

Dan Yu Lan’s complexion did not change, unhurriedly answered: “Of course, this small official will handle and judge the case impartially, if General Su is interested, please join us.” How many people was ‘concerned about this’, this case did not seem easy to handle.

Dan Yu Lan and Su Yu walked ahead, but the woman who was beside Su Yu did not catch up with him, she was rather waiting for Zhuo Qing to come over.

Gu Yun who was full of vigor, standing to wait for her, Zhuo Qing smily said: “You are really an action activist.” She was not even doubtful with regard to this, this was Gu Yun.

However, Gu Yun did not pay attention to Zhuo Qing at all, a pair of bright eyes were looking up and down at Lou Xi Yan without restrained, with a somewhat smiling expression, Gu Yun lightly asked: “Lou Xi Yan?”

The eyes of the woman who should perhaps be called a tiny girl, were not like an ordinary woman with her hair was rolled up in a bun recklessly, it was not like man’s hair that was set into a crown but rather it was bound tightly with a blue ribbon. Jet black’s hair was swinging behind casually, a simple azure cheong sam covered her up tightly, her figure was conspicuously more petite but it did not look frail. Very special woman, Lou Xi Yan gently nodded and answered: “I am.”

“Qing Mo.” Gu Yun introduced herself while her heart was grading this man, the facial features were handsome, cultured and refined, tall and straight, the temperament was brilliant, the common saying was just wealthy and powerful, stylish and rich, very well, she would give him 99% mark.

This woman’s expression was hardly flickering, as if it entered straight into the person’s heart, looking face to face with these kind of eyes, it needed an absolute courage, the Qing family’s sisters appeared to be out of the ordinary. Facing to look closely at Gu Yun’s, Lou Xi Yan generously answered with a smile and asked: “Is Miss Qing’s health a little better now?” She was still being carried on a stretcher to go to the Prime Minister’s manor in the afternoon, she was already in great spirits now, Qing Ling’s medical expertise was really so exceptional or………

“Many thanks for your concern, I am already much better.” Gu Yun answered calmly, did not have any trace of frenetic.

Walking for a while and discovering that Gu Yun had not caught up with him, she was rather talking cheerfully and wittily with Lou Xi Yan, Su Yu had a trace of black on his face. He was staring at her, lowly roared and said: “Hey, enough with the long winded talk, are you or are you not walking ah?!” Once she woke up, she was dragging him to come to prison urgently, and yet how could she chat leisurely with other people now!!

Gu Yun faced Lou Xi Yan and nodded slightly, then advanced towards Su Yu to walk, once she passed his side, she punched Su Yu’s abdomen suddenly and unexpectedly. Gu Yun continued to walk forwards as if nothing had happened, Su Yu covered his abdomen with his hand, his mouth was cursing continuously but still following her obediently.

Lou Xi Yan and Zhuo Qing saw this scene entirely, both people looked at each other and smiled, and followed them to walk in, but Zhuo Qing’s eyes swept past her helplessness, Lou Xi Yan’s eyes passed through a trace of pondering.

Passing through one channel, there was finally one prison cell inside, one slender man laid down on the slab bed, his one tall leg was over his other leg, swaying lightly and frequently, his mouth was chewing a dry grass, relaxed and contended face as if he was not laying on a firm slab bed inside the prison, but rather on a high warm bed and pillow.

The door was opened, a groups of people came in, the prison cell was not small luckily, otherwise it wold be somewhat crowded.

Qian Jing got up and sat with his cross legged, he looked at the group of people who came in, laughed out loud and said: “How is tonight so lively?” His gaze swept over to Zhuo Qing’s face for a time, Qian Jing’s eyes flashed through bewilderment for once but it disappeared very quickly.

“Qian Jing, what did happen last night after all, why were you at Yang Liu’s family, also why did you punch him? It will be best that you tell the truth about this matter entirely.”

Casting a sidelong glance at Dan Yu Lan earnestly and holding a dry leather, Qian Jing answered impatiently: “I had already said it many times that the reason why I went to his home was because I was at the Wan Li money farm (a type of bank in the ancient time) first. I was not careful and bumped into his Madam in front of the manor’s door, he would not listen to any of my excuse, then an altercation happened between two people. During the shoving, I discovered that he put bank notes that were as thick as a pocket tablet on his bosom unexpectedly. He was only a Lieutenant General so how much salary he could make in a month. Guessing that he was surely a scheming person, I followed him secretly right at that time. Who would have imagined that he discovered me at his home at that time, he just hit me without even saying any sentence. I released my throwing knives merely for self defense, noting more, I absolutely did not want to murder him, I also did not know why the knife would hit his chest!! The matter was just like this.”

It seemed that if he did not ask, he would not tell in detail, Dan Yu Lan continued to ask: “At that time, besides you and Yang Liu, who was also inside the room?”

“His Madam and also one thin male.”

Dan Yu Lan looked towards the side of the official, the official immediately answered: “Answering to Daren, he was saying the truth, the male’s name was Li Zhi, he was guarding the east gate’s city wall together with Li Liu and they had known each other for a lot of years. His personal character should be regarded as honest, but he liked to gamble and had not yet married until now.”

Dan Yu Lan continued to ask: “After Yang Liu fell, who had approached the corpse?”

“At that time……. #. The man went to support him with his hand, there was still a sound of fighting and his Madam’s shrieking sound drew out two males, the room was in disorder and there were many people.”

Gu Yun leaned against the closest outside door of the prison, leaned against the stone wall, both hands were on her chest, a pair of sharp eyes were observing the surrounding and Qian Jing’s every facial expression secretly, listening to Qian Jing and Dan Yu Lan’s dialogue silently. Gu Yun stood up suddenly, moved away from the outside door of the prison, when Zhuo Qing saw this, she also followed to go out. She was convinced that Yun should have some clues.

Following by her side, Zhuo Qing asked: “What is it?”

After walking for a few distance from the prison door, Gu Yun moved sideways slightly, made people inside the prison unable to see her face or unable to read her lips, Gu Yun used extremely low voice to say: “He was hiding something, maybe we should look for a time to meet with him alone.” Qian Jing mentioned something without elaborating as if to say, in fact, nothing to say it clearly that he did not trust those officials, he wished that he would trust Qing.

Behind everybody’s line of sight, it seemed that Gu Yun did not pay any attention evidently, she continued to ask: “What did you find on the corpse?”

“The deceased had thirteen knives’ injuries, the deceased’s mortal wound was on the left chest right at the heart, it was pierced through the wound, the cause of death was the vein that was inside the heart that was ruptured, the severe internal bleeding caused the death. The corpse had thirteen wounds but the bailiff reported that they only found twelve knives at the scene, there was still one knife that was missing oddly.”

Missing oddly? In other words, the real murder weapon was missing! Gu Yun’s feet stated walking, Zhuo Qing urgently said: “Where are you going?”

Gu Yun without looking back, said: “Crime scene.”

Looking a glance inside the prison that still continued on with the interrogation, Zhuo Qing strangely said: “Now?” Did they not need to interrogate first?

Finally turning her head around, Gu Yun floated a glance at the prison cell, immediately answered: “They asked anything but could not get the answers, only wasted their time.” What Qian Jing wanted to say, he already said it earlier, if he did not want to answer the question truthfully, they would never get the answers.

Finished speaking, Gu Yun advanced towards to walk out of the prison once again, Zhuo Qing lightly raised her eyebrows. Not caring that the people who were inside the prison cell were still hearing the inquiry, Zhuo Qing went out to chase after Gu Yun and asked: “Which direction are we going?” Did she know where the crime scene was located?!

Gu Yun lightly smiled, somewhat raised her hand and answered: “Just ask the people behind us and we will know.”

Zhuo Qing stared blankly, who to ask ah?! Turning her head around, she only saw that Su Yu who was still inside the prison cell a moment ago, not knowing when he had already came over to follow them. Behind him was Lou Xi Yan who was always walking neither hurriedly nor slowly.

Only an outstanding male who was originally still crowded inside the small prison cell, only to pierce down three baffled people who looked at each other in dismay, the official looked towards the complexion of Dan Yu Lan carefully that was slightly heavy and asked lowly: “Daren?”

His intuition informed him that girl surely sensed something that he did not know, and he was very curious!

Abandoning the bewildered official, Dan Yu Lan was also chasing after their back figures.

The young official scratched his head, what finally happened tonight?!

The inside of the prison cell became quiet all of a sudden, Qian Jing’s mouth was biting a dry grass, agilely turned over to lie down on the cold and hard bed. Both of his hands were on the back of his head, the phoenix eyes slightly flashed through one trace of radiance, where did the least bit of sloppy manner go also.

********

Inside the dining room of the small courtyard of the peasant family, a delegation of people were standing.

Dan Yu Lan turned towards the Owner and cupped his hand slightly and said: “Madam Yang, please forgive me to ask to disturb you boldly so late.”

The married woman slightly returned the greeting, her eyes showed a thin mist, with soft voice she answered: “Daren, you spoke too humbly, this small married woman only requests to Daren to investigate the case as quickly as possible and bring that evil person to be executed, to return a justice to my husband.”

Watching attentively at the top of the wall where the throwing knife left a mark, turning back towards the Madam, Gu Yun said: “Can you say the whole matter again?”

The married woman turned her head around to look at the strange young woman who was looking around immediately once she was inside the room, she did not understand what she was doing but Daren did not put a stop either. Even though she felt somewhat strange in her mind, but she still answered in detail: “My health was not good, my husband said that he wanted to give me a proper recuperation. I and my husband were at the Wan Li money farm to exchange banknotes yesterday afternoon. After we were about to leave, there was a bold man who bumped into me and made me almost fell down. My husband was an impetuous person and caused a disturbance with that person and they were both were shoving each other. I was afraid that they would punch each other so I persuaded my husband to walk away right away. I originally thought that this matter was already in the past, who knew that during the evening time, my husband’s close friend, Li Zhi arrived at home to have a meal, just barely arranging the chopstick properly, that person appeared suddenly. Without saying any sentence, he already raised his hands, my husband and Li Zhi were not well matched with him. I was extremely afraid at that time and could only run out to shout to people, it just happened that I encountered the Imperial bodyguard of the General’s manor, Huang Yi and Wang Wei, these two big brothers. At the time that the three of us returned back, we saw that my husband fell down!” Squatting in the middle of the dining room floor, not knowing what she was looking at, Gu Yun without lifting her head, asked: “Was there any confession transcripts from the three people?”

Confession transcripts? Guessing her meaning, Dan Yu Lan answered: “The three people’s confessions were already signed, they were actually identical with Madam Yang’s words.”

Slowly lifting her head, Gu Yun was looking at the married woman, carelessly asked: “At that time the deceased fell right here, right?”

The married woman stared blankly and nodded to answer: “Yes.”

Dan Yu Lan’s complexion was cold, Lou Xi Yan’s thin eyes slightly fluttered, this woman was rather complicated. The bloodstain on the floor was already cleaned up neatly, the wall on the top of the dinning room had marks of the throwing knives everywhere, also the deceased’s sword left behind some marks. When she entered back to the inside of the room, it was less than a quarter hour period, how could she speak out the exact position of the deceased when he died?!

All of the people were watching closely at Gu Yun, only saw that she finally got up, with a clear voice, she said: “I think__ my belly is very hungry!”

What?! ()

Belly was hungry?!

Originally, the group of people wanted to hear her explanation urgently and after hearing her answer, their facials were somewhat twitching suddenly.

Zhuo Qing simply laughed immediately.

Stretching her waist, Gu Yun walked to the front of Su Yu, nonchalantly asked: “Do you not say that there is a noodle family store that is really good, is it open now?”

Su Yu was somewhat at a loss, but answered her: “Eh, it should be open.”

“Then, what are we still waiting for?” Not regarding that there were countless of eyes that were watching her, Gu Yun grabbed Su Yu’s sleeve and pulled him to walk outside for a few steps. She suddenly turned around again, smiled towards Lou Xi Yan and said: “Xi Yan, do you want to join us to eat noodle together ah?”

Zhuo Qing’s head filled with sinister lines immediately, Xi Yan….. She still dared to call that name.

Lou Xi Yan lightly smiled and answered: “Ok ah.”

Gu Yun and Su Yu walked ahead, Lou Xi Yan and Zhuo Qing walked on the back, the four people just wondered away unhurriedly like this. Only Dan Yu Lan’s dark complexion and the blank eyes of Madam Yang who were left behind in the room……… Leisurely walking during early summer night wind, watching ahead the two people who were walking very fast, Lou Xi Yan looked towards Zhuo Qing, smily said: “Your younger sister is very interesting, she seems to have knowledge towards the investigation of the case.”

How could she answer this?! Pretending to look at the horizon blankly, Zhuo Qing forced one and two hollow laughs and answered: “Hehe, I am not clear about this, I have amnesia~~”

A good amnesia~~