If the murderer was indeed Shen Xuan, did Princess Shouyang know anything about it?
Did the local officials who handled the four previous cases know something?
Was it that they truly lacked evidence to proceed with the investigation, or did they choose to abandon the case due to some pressure or temptation, thus treating human lives with reckless disregard?
If it was the latter, then the problem was serious.
The rain fell harder and harder, causing water to pool on the ground due to poor drainage, with water flowing in streams. The strong wind violently shook the window panels, causing the joints to creak under the strain with unbearable sounds. Xie Yu slowly exhaled, stood up, and went to shut the window, saying, “Lack of evidence.”
Fang Bao sighed as well, “Yes, we have no evidence.”
To put it bluntly, all their previous deductions were based on his own preconceived assumptions. To be even more direct, he had long held prejudices against the imperial son-in-law Shen Xuan, and since Shen Xuan happened to be present this time, he simply assumed he was the murderer.
Multiple coincidences were indeed suspicious, but where was the concrete evidence?
Fang Bao had none. It was just an instinct, the instinct accumulated over years of handling cases.
He himself could believe in this instinct, and even his colleague Xie Yu and others might choose to believe it. However, without solid evidence, it would be impossible to detain even a prince consort of the current dynasty, let alone an ordinary citizen.
Yuanpei frowned and said in a huff, “If only there were a way to take a look at his private parts.”
Isn’t it because the victim might have resisted before her death, thus provoking the murderer to kill her?
Then there might be wounds there.
No one responded because they all knew it was unfeasible.
Even among men, stripping someone’s pants without reason would be a great humiliation. If the person refused to cooperate, they would be helpless.
Furthermore, what if the person agreed to it, confident in his innocence?
Would they still look?
If there were no wounds, then of course nothing needed to be said, but then the entire Kaifeng Prefecture, including Governor Tu, would be embarrassed.
But even if there were wounds, how could they prove that the wounds were caused by the deceased?
If the person claimed it was just a random injury from casual play, what then?
The dead cannot testify, and that’s exactly the situation they were in.
If only Tian Shu were still alive, the murderer would inevitably be on edge, and a little intimidation or bluffing might easily expose his slip-up.
Xie Yu pondered for a moment. “What I said just now, we can only discuss privately. We mustn’t let it out publicly yet since there’s no evidence. If someone with ill intentions hears it, it will surely cause a big uproar.”
He stood up, paced a few steps, and lightly tapped a vase with his knuckles. “If we are to investigate thoroughly, we must investigate everyone. All the men in the entire temple must be checked.”
Earlier, he had reviewed the relevant documents and found that there were 149 registered monks at Fuyun Temple, and 68 male pilgrims staying in the temple in these days.
The fingerprints left on the victim’s face were from the right hand, judging by the size, it should be an adult man. Someone who could easily drag an adult woman must be very strong and physically fit.
Therefore, excluding the 16 novice monks under the age of ten among the monks, the 7 children among the pilgrims, the 6 elderly men over the age of seventy, and also excluding Tian Bin and the two attendants who left earlier, as well as himself, Yuanpei, and another guard, there were still 55 people left.
In other words, there were potentially 182 suspects.
Before there was any clue directly pointing to Shen Xuan, any of these 182 people could have committed the crime.
“We can focus surveillance on Shen Xuan, but we cannot ignore the others,” said Xie Yu.
Fang Bao nodded. “That’s right.”
What if he was mistaken and missed the real culprit?
Fang Bao thought for a while. “Well then, since everyone knows someone has died, we don’t need to hide anything. I’ll have people question everyone one by one later to see where they went and what they did during the time the victim disappeared. Let’s narrow down the number of suspects first.”
With over a hundred people, if they were all under scrutiny, it would take forever to get anywhere.
Besides, if one wants to keep a secret, one shouldn’t do it in the first place. Perhaps someone actually saw Tian Shu with the suspect!
Whoever refuses to cooperate must be hiding something and thus becomes a suspect.
Xie Yu nodded. “Good idea. Let’s do it that way.”
Just as they were speaking, a guard stationed outside knocked on the door. “Sir, Tian Bin has returned. Since Director Fang is not there, he’s coming this way.”
Xie Yu hummed. “Let him in when he arrives.”
It was also a good opportunity to inquire about Tian Song’s condition.
Fang Bao was startled, only then remembering he had forgotten about Tian Bin.
“Why is he so slow?”
Fuyun Temple was indeed a bit out of the way, but they had sent someone to inform him early in the morning. A whole day had passed in between, which was enough time for several round trips.
Zhang, the assistant beside him, coughed dryly and reminded him, “Tian Song.”
“Oh!” Prompted by him, Fang Bao finally realized belatedly that Tian Song was ill!
He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “It’s truly pouring when the roof already leaks. Nothing bad ever happens alone. He’s just plain unlucky.”
It was said that his parents had been ill for several years, and now the man was sick and his daughter had died. Who knew how they would bear it…
About a quarter of an hour later, a knock sounded outside, saying that someone from the Tian family had come to visit.
The guard, who had already received prior permission, opened the door and saw three soaked individuals standing outside.
The rain had come suddenly. When Tian Bin left home, it was just overcast. In his anxious haste, he hadn’t thought about the possibility of rain later and came out bareheaded.
Then halfway through, he was completely drenched.
In just a day’s absence, Tian Bin had become much more gaunt, his cheeks sunken.
Usually meticulous about his appearance, his hair was now disheveled, with strings of water droplets falling from his temples, chin, sleeves, and robe hem. Just standing there to bow in the hall, a puddle had already formed at his feet.
“Greetings to Director Xie and Director Fang,” his voice was hoarse, yet his mood was eerily calm. “Have you caught the murderer yet?”
It wasn’t that he didn’t care about his sister, but the initial breakdown had passed, and now he felt numb.
His father had gone mad, his sister had died, and his mother was still ill. He hadn’t dared to tell anyone yet.
His several half-brothers were watching like hawks, each scheming, yet none could handle the pressure… It seemed as if in just a few short hours, the entire burden of the Tian family had been thrust onto his shoulders, making him almost unable to breathe.
When he first heard of his sister’s murder, Tian Bin even felt an unrealistic absurdity.
How could she just die?
How could she die like this?
Not long ago, his sister had still been complaining and crying to him about not wanting to get married…
Even before he left Fuyun Temple, everything had seemed fine.
How could everything collapse in just a short while?
Even though they usually didn’t get along, Xie Yu couldn’t help but admit that Tian Bin was in a pitiful state now.
He waved his hand, calling someone to bring a dry towel. “Wipe yourself off.”
Tian Bin’s condition was very abnormal; his eyes were somewhat vacant.
He stared at the towel for a while before seeming to come to his senses, stiffly accepting it and thanking him in a daze.
Fang Bao sighed. “Your sister’s body has already been brought back, but it’s somewhat unpleasant to look at. Would you like to see her?”
Tian Bin’s eyelashes trembled violently, and a string of raindrops fell with it.
His lips moved a few times, and he said dully, “Will it help if I see her?”
No one spoke.
After a while, Tian Bin asked again, “Have you caught the murderer yet?”
Fang Bao shook his head. “There are too many people in Fuyun Temple and too little evidence. Not yet.”
He paused, then added, “My condolences.”
Tian Bin didn’t respond. He just took the steaming ginger and jujube tea and drank it all at once, not even minding the heat, which made Yuanpei wince.
He just stood there, neither sitting nor moving, like a wooden or clay statue, feeling that everything happening around him was so unreal.
Even now, he was still somewhat dazed.
He always felt as if it might be a dream, and when he woke up, his father would be fine, and his sister would be fine too…
But his reason told him otherwise.
It was not a dream.
The reality was indeed this bad.
His father had collapsed, his sister was gone, and the Tian family…
Could he really shoulder the responsibility of that so-called family all by himself?
For the first time in his life, Tian Bin was deeply doubtful and worried.
He didn’t know how long had passed before his thoughts were interrupted by another voice, “How are your father and mother doing?”
Tian Bin looked up at the sound of the voice; it was Xie Yu.
Looking at Xie Yu’s still impassive face, for a moment, Tian Bin’s thoughts weren’t really there anymore.
In the past, no—even up until now, though he spoke respectfully of Xie Yu, he had always harbored a sense of unwillingness to concede.
They were of similar age, inevitably compared by others, and he had always been slightly inferior. But Tian Bin actually wasn’t very convinced, always feeling that the other person was just lucky in birth, and that he himself wasn’t much worse.
If his father were still in power, he wouldn’t have to bow and scrape like this.
But now… he seemed to have even lost that competitive spirit.
“They’re fine…” Just a bit of remaining pride made Tian Bin conceal the true severity of his father’s illness.
The room fell silent again.
The warmth from the room gradually warmed his body, which had been frozen by the cold rain, and Tian Bin’s reason seemed to return as well.
He blinked slowly, then bowed deeply to Fang Bao and Xie Yu. “I beg you.”
He looked at Fang Bao. “Director Fang, I would like to see Ashu one last time.”
He already knew about Xie Yu’s avoidance, so he asked Fang Bao directly.
Well then, see her.
After all, the next time he wanted to see her, it would only be in dreams.
Fang Bao nodded and readily stood up. “This official will personally take you there.”
He nodded to Xie Yu and was about to leave.
Tian Bin followed behind.
His wet clothes clung tightly to his back, outlining the thin spine, making him look pitifully thin.
Fang Bao had already stepped out the door first. Tian Bin had lifted one foot when he suddenly seemed to remember something, or rather, made a firm decision.
“Marquis,” he placed one hand on the door frame, his hoarse voice mingling with the sound of rain, somewhat unclear. “The illness my father suffered from came on strangely. Before he fell ill, he had received a letter. I suspect he was poisoned. Could you help find the person who delivered the letter?”
He revealed half the truth and concealed the other half.
After all, the news of his father’s illness wouldn’t be hidden for long. Rather than letting people guess later, it was better to let out a bit of information now.
Although he didn’t fully understand his father’s past when he was young, the Tian family’s current status couldn’t have been achieved solely through legitimate means.
Combined with Prince Su… he was certain that back then, the two of them, and even more people, must have conspired to do something terribly wicked.
The person he had sent, as expected, failed to meet Prince Su. However, when that person, following his instructions, simply described Tian Song’s symptoms, the steward of Prince Su’s mansion slightly changed expression.
Therefore, Tian Bin deduced that Prince Su must have also been affected, although the symptoms might not be as severe.
Why?
Why were the symptoms varying in severity?
On the way here, Tian Bin had repeatedly thought about many possibilities.
Was it because his father had been exposed for a longer time?
Or was it… due to different personalities? Or perhaps due to different roles they played in the past events?
His father was naturally sensitive and suspicious, easily startled by the slightest disturbance, and was frightened into a heart ailment by a mere letter, which was still understandable.
But Prince Su was thick-skinned and stubborn, the kind of person who wouldn’t give up until he reached the Yellow River. A mere verbal description would never have such an effect.
Perhaps the letter was just the trigger, and his father was already guilty, so he was struck down immediately!
But Tian Bin didn’t want to get involved in the past events, nor did he have the strength to do so.
Victors and losers, nothing more. Right or wrong was ultimately unimportant.
But now, his father absolutely could not fall, and no matter what, the culprit must be found!
The doctor had said that mental illness required mental treatment. Now, he was not yet fully fledged, and with his own strength alone, he could do nothing but rely on external help.
However, Tian Bin had not expected that he had indeed asked the right person.
Often, things in the world are just this coincidental.
Xie Yu looked at Tian Bin deeply and meaningfully said, “Lord Tian had also contributed greatly to the court. Now that such a matter has occurred, the court will certainly not stand by and do nothing.”
You can rest assured. The events of the past will definitely be thoroughly investigated and clarified.
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