Xie Yu’s words not only stunned Liu Chunlan, but also surprised Ma Bing.
She realized once again that solving cases was indeed not something everyone could handle.
If she were to chase and kill someone, she could confidently say that few within the Kaifeng government office could rival her.
But if asked to investigate someone’s death, she really wasn’t quite up to it.
Take the case of the missing Gao Kuaitui, for example.
Liu Chunlan had heard from her husband Erxi that Gao Kuaitui had died, so she believed he was dead. Ma Bing herself had heard the same from Liu Chunlan and had not doubted it further.
How similar.
But upon closer examination, there was room for doubt.
First, although the possibility was low, could Erxi have conveyed incorrect information?
He was just an ordinary, honest man, probably lacking the courage to observe carefully. So, was the body he saw back then really Gao Kuaitui’s?
Or even, was it a corpse at all?
Second, and the most serious possibility, was whether Erxi was truly aligned with his wife throughout this entire matter.
Judging from the current clues, all these scenarios were possible.
Yet Ma Bing had instinctively overlooked them.
Returning to the question of whether Gao Kuaitui was truly dead.
Was Liu Chunlan’s kick sufficient to kill?
In theory, as long as the force was strong enough, it was possible to kill someone without drawing blood.
But Liu Chunlan was merely an ordinary woman. Even in a state of panic, did she really have such strength?
Moreover, according to her account, at the time, Gao Kuaitui had not staggered or vomited immediately, only feeling slightly dizzy, suggesting the situation wasn’t particularly severe.
He had even carried his goods out of the city smoothly, checked into an inn outside the city walls, and complained to the innkeeper…
While waiting for the constables to bring Erxi back, Ma Bing shared her thoughts.
Xie Yu nodded, “During my time in the imperial guards, I also saw soldiers hit on the head during martial arts contests or ball games, showing similar symptoms. Some recovered fully after resting for several days or even months, while others forgot many things or even lost control of their limbs, but none of them died.”
Ma Bing said, “Strictly speaking, there indeed is a possibility of death. But since we can’t see the injured person now, we can’t definitively conclude that Gao Kuaitui didn’t die from this.”
As they were speaking, Erxi arrived.
He wasn’t tall, but because he frequently worked at the docks loading and unloading grain, his skin was deeply tanned. His eyes were big and clear.
When asked about Gao Kuaitui, Erxi gritted his teeth and defiantly said, “It was this commoner who killed him!”
Xie Yu and Ma Bing exchanged glances, feeling both admiration and helplessness toward this man.
He might not be a completely virtuous citizen, but he was indeed a good husband.
“Are you sure?”
Erxi dared not look up, “Yes, that day when I went home, I caught Gao Kuaitui harassing my wife. In a fit of rage, I kicked him. He hit his head and died.”
“What about the body?” Xie Yu asked.
Erxi was momentarily stunned, his mind unable to keep up.
This was his first time in court—he lacked experience. Before coming, he hadn’t even considered this detail.
If Gao Kuaitui had died on the spot, where was the body?
But if he had died later at the inn, wouldn’t that implicate the innkeeper?
Xie Yu had already sensed his lie and immediately slammed the gavel, “Speak!”
Erxi trembled in fear, his mind going blank. He had no choice but to confess, “At that time, he actually revived, got scared, and ran away. Later, after leaving the city, he died at the inn. The innkeeper came to inform me, and I dared not turn myself in, so I gave him silver and asked him to handle it.”
Indeed, he was an honest man.
Xie Yu sighed, “But your wife claims she was the one who kicked him to death.”
“What?!” Erxi was utterly stunned.
He had thought the officials had only arrested him, not realizing…
“My husband…”
Liu Chunlan emerged from the inner room, tears streaming down her face, “Why must you do this?”
Erxi looked at her, his mouth opening and closing, finally slamming his fist on the ground with a sigh.
Liu Chunlan knelt beside Erxi, grabbing his arm and weeping, “It must be my bad fortune to encounter such a situation…”
How could she let him take the blame?
Erxi tightly gripped her hand, his dark-red face full of grief and anger.
Suddenly, he crawled forward on his knees and started kowtowing, “My lady, my lady! My wife didn’t do it on purpose. It was indeed Gao Kuaitui who committed the crime first. She had no choice but to defend herself. I beg you, my lord, to see the truth and show mercy!”
Each word was sincere and heart-wrenching.
Liu Chunlan also kowtowed, sobbing uncontrollably.
Xie Yu hurriedly had people stop the couple, “The truth is not yet clear, so it’s too early to say such things. Besides, if it indeed happened as you described, there will naturally be room for leniency, and I, along with the other officials, will handle it with discretion.”
According to the laws of the Great Green, women who harmed others while resisting rape were to receive a reduced sentence. If the evidence was solid, there were even precedents for complete exemption from punishment.
However, this case presented two main difficulties:
First, Gao Kuaitui was likely already dead, and there was currently no direct evidence proving that Liu Chunlan had acted in self-defense.
Second, Liu Chunlan and Erxi had not reported the incident immediately after it occurred. Instead, they had actively asked someone else to help dispose of the body…
In any case, they still needed to visit the inn.
Considering that Liu Chunlan and Erxi had confessed willingly, and that they had elderly and children to care for at home, and since it couldn’t yet be determined that Liu Chunlan had directly caused Gao Kuaitui’s death, Xie Yu allowed them to temporarily return home and resume their work.
The couple had thought they were about to be imprisoned, so this unexpected turn of events delighted them greatly, and they kept kowtowing.
Xie Yu told them to stop and added a serious warning, “But one thing—before this case is officially resolved, neither of you may leave the city and must be available whenever summoned. If you attempt to flee, your punishment will be increased, and your family will be charged with harboring criminals.”
The couple solemnly agreed, tearfully bowing, “Yes.”
Xie Yu gestured for them to rise, “But Erxi, you must first take the officials to that inn. Do you still remember what the innkeeper looked like?”
After all, it had been over half a year, and if the inn had changed hands in the meantime, it would be unfortunate.
Erxi quickly stood up and nodded repeatedly, “I remember, I remember. I’d recognize him even if he were burned to ashes.”
Xie Yu smiled, “Now you’re exaggerating.”
If one could recognize someone even when burned to ashes, half the unsolved cases in the world would be solved!
Within just a few hours, Erxi and his wife had experienced extreme sorrow and joy. Now seeing the magistrate acting so kindly, they felt flattered and surprised, even laughing foolishly along.
Suddenly, their hearts felt less desperate.
The group prepared to leave the city and encountered Wang Heng and others returning from a medical mission at the courthouse gate.
The old man, seeing their haste, was greatly surprised, “Another case?”
Ma Bing replied, “Right, I’ll stir-fry the preserved pork later when I get back!”
They had planned to eat garlic sprouts stir-fried with preserved pork, which the old man had been craving for days.
Wang Heng kept nodding, waving his hand, “Alright, alright, I know. Look at you, always worrying. Go on, get busy.”
Saying that, he walked inside with his hands behind his back, but after a couple of steps, he stopped and turned back awkwardly, “Should I wash the garlic sprouts in advance?”
Previously, the girl had bought several pieces of preserved pork. They looked dark and scary at first, but after washing and slicing, the fat and lean parts were clearly separated. When stir-fried with soy sauce and garlic sprouts, the fat parts turned translucent and the lean parts were delicious, glossy and appetizing.
Well, he had actually grown fond of it.
Ma Bing mounted her horse, smiling, “No need. It’s hot these days, and washed vegetables spoil easily. I’ll do it when I get back.”
Look at how anxious the old man was.
On the other side, there was a donkey temporarily assigned by the courthouse to escort the witness, trotting behind the horses, quite briskly.
Liu Chunlan went home first, while the others headed directly out of the city, following Erxi’s guidance to the inn.
After leaving the city and traveling about seven or eight miles, they could see a large open area with several rows of houses. There was no sign, but passersby all knew it was an inn.
Erxi pointed there, “That’s the one. The innkeeper surnamed Liu, everyone calls him Master Liu or Manager Liu, though I don’t know his real name.”
The attendant A De said, “Previously, we checked the household records. The innkeeper who paid taxes last year was indeed surnamed Liu, named Liu Shan. He is thirty-five years old this year, with a yellowish complexion and a small beard. There’s a mole on his right jaw and neck. The innkeeper hasn’t changed since then, unless he hasn’t reported to the courthouse, in which case it must be Liu Shan.”
Erxi immediately nodded, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly what he looks like.”
This inn was quite simple, mainly catering to commoners and lower-class merchants passing through. The food was filling and generous, though not particularly delicious.
Accommodation was also cheap. In fact, many people from nearby villages who came to Kaifeng for work couldn’t afford city housing and paid to sleep in the dormitory-style rooms here.
They would go into the city early in the morning for work and return in the evening to eat. If paying monthly, the daily accommodation cost was only eight copper coins, with cheap meals, making it very cost-effective.
When Xie Yu and the others arrived, they saw a strong man with his upper body bare, raising his knife and swiftly slaughtering a fat pig.
Someone nearby had already placed a large basin to collect the pig’s blood. Once the blood had drained, they would add a little salt to the blood bucket, then pour in water and stir. After a while, it would solidify into blood curd.
Later, it could be sliced and used for stir-frying or stewing.
Because it was cheap, filling, and tasted good, nobles might dislike it for being unclean, but commoners loved it.
Seeing the arrival of government officers, the butchers were somewhat frightened, pushing each other hesitantly until finally one timidly asked, “Officers, what brings you here?”
These people wore clean official robes, looking dignified and imposing, which contrasted sharply with the dirty and chaotic surroundings, making them intimidating.
A De stepped forward and said, “Is your innkeeper named Liu Shan?”
The man nodded, “Are you looking for our manager? He is at the back, counting accounts with the manager’s wife. I’ll go call him right away.”
Saying that, he quickly ran off.
Quite clever.
The group entered the main hall, immediately hit by a wave of mixed smells—food, sweat, and even the stench of livestock—making Ma Bing feel helpless.
Having an acute sense of smell was truly a burden.
After entering Kaifeng through this city gate, the nearest place was the livestock market in the western district, so many livestock traders stopped here before and after entering the city.
She could even tell which table was occupied by pig traders and which by sheep herders…
As Ma Bing was applying some ointment under her nose, suddenly the light dimmed, and a faint fragrance like pine after snow gently covered her, slowly and steadily replacing those unpleasant odors.
Looking up, she saw that Xie Yu had somehow moved to the upwind side of her.
Ma Bing pursed her lips slightly, her eyes filled with joy.
Perhaps it was just a small matter, and even if he hadn’t come, she had ways to cope. But the feeling of being constantly cared for was truly wonderful.
Soon, Liu Shan hurried out from the back.
He wore a dark brown satin robe with coin patterns, had two neatly combed mustaches, and looked healthy and radiant, clearly different from the dusty customers in the main hall.
“Several officers,” he started bowing from afar, “I’m sorry for not welcoming you properly. Please come to the back courtyard.”
He shouted at the counter, “Quickly, serve tea, good tea!”
Unconsciously, his gaze swept over Erxi’s face, paused briefly, then quickly moved away.
Xie Yu, who had been observing his expression all along, caught this moment.
The main hall was noisy, with many diners looking curiously, their mouths still with food residue—definitely not the place to discuss serious matters. Xie Yu led the group through a doorway, and upon raising their heads, the scene opened up.
The inn was roughly divided into three parts: the front was the dining area, a row of rooms for accommodation, and behind were several courtyards. The largest and best one was where Liu Shan and his family lived, occasionally used for entertaining guests.
Other courtyards were used as stables or storage for miscellaneous goods, grain, and hay. Though not luxurious, everything was neatly arranged.
Following Liu Shan, the group entered his courtyard, which was simple and rustic.
Xie Yu sat down first, casually patting the upwind seat next to him and glancing at Ma Bing.
Ma Bing slightly pursed her lips and sat beside him.
Soon, a young waiter brought in several pots of hot tea. Liu Shan asked him to bring stewed meat, but Xie Yu stopped him.
“Manager Liu,” Xie Yu pointed at Erxi and got straight to the point, “Do you recognize this person?”
Liu Shan instinctively touched his mustache, squinting and pretending to examine Erxi for a moment before nodding, “He does look somewhat familiar. Was it because he stayed here before?”
Erxi grew anxious, “Master Liu, have you forgotten? At the beginning of the year, you came to my house with Gao Kuaitui’s satchel, trying to extort money from me by threatening to report to the authorities, and only left after getting fifteen taels of silver. I even accompanied you to see the corpse!”
Concerned about his own fate, Erxi, being a straightforward person, spoke quickly and urgently. Liu Shan tried several times to interrupt but failed, his face turning green.
Damn it! Accusing me of extortion in front of the officers—how can I continue my business after this!
Liu Shan cursed silently in his heart, then stroked his mustache once more and forced a smile, saying, “This… well…”
Xie Yu looked at him with a half-smile, “Manager Liu, you still haven’t remembered?”
Liu Shan reached for his mustache again but halfway through, forced himself to wipe the cold sweat dripping down his forehead.
He had dealt with officers before, but they always approached indirectly. Who would come straight in like this!
Actually, he had recognized Erxi the moment he saw him, his heart sinking, and had prepared several explanations.
He never expected this young officer to act so unpredictably, and Erxi, being a blunt man, had thrown a flurry of punches, leaving all his careful plans useless.
Now that things had come to this point, Liu Shan could no longer feign ignorance. He could only hunch his shoulders and hang his head low, saying, “Please forgive me, Master Officer. There are simply too many people passing through here every day, so I didn’t recall immediately at first. This…”
He gritted his teeth, appearing extremely remorseful, “That day, I indeed let greed get the better of me and shouldn’t have extorted money. I will return the silver to Brother Erxi right away!”
Ade scoffed from the side, “You didn’t even know him a moment ago, and now you’re calling him Brother Erxi already. You sure changed quickly.”
Liu Shan’s face turned alternately green and red, then he pretended to reach for the silver.
“Stop,” Xie Yu said. “There’s no rush about the silver. Let me ask you first—how exactly did Gao Kuaitsui die, and where is the body?”
“This…” The flush disappeared completely from Liu Shan’s face, leaving his yellowish complexion even more sallow.
Wiping sweat from his brow, he replied, “My Lord, I was indeed despicable. Actually, Gao Kuaitsui isn’t dead. That day, I overheard him complaining while drunk, and in a moment of foolishness, I had ill intentions. We conspired together, and since it was almost New Year, we decided to pull off a scam. I took his satchel and went to Brother Erxi’s house.”
“He isn’t dead?!”
Erxi exclaimed in shock.
Xie Yu, Ma Bing, and others were both surprised and delighted.
If he really wasn’t dead, then the matter involving the couple Liu Chunlan would naturally be resolved.
“Are you certain he’s alive?” Xie Yu asked again.
Liu Shan frantically wiped the sweat from his face. “He’s definitely alive.”
However, Ma Bing noticed that Xie Yu’s eyes had quickly narrowed, and his index finger resting on his knee had lightly tapped twice.
It was a habitual gesture when he made a discovery.
Could it be that Liu Shan wasn’t telling the truth?
Erxi grew anxious, rushing forward to grab Liu’s collar and curse, “You, you’re despicable! Then, what about the corpse that day?”
He had even boldly poked it! It was definitely cold.
With the officials present, Liu Shan dared not act rashly, and with a bitter expression, he said, “Gao Kuaitsui wanted you to believe he was dead, so he stayed outside in the cold for a long time beforehand, making his body cold and his face pale. That day, you were simply frightened and didn’t dare approach to check his pulse, so you were deceived…”
Erxi was stunned.
So that’s how it was?!
He instinctively let go, stood there dazed for a moment, then suddenly slapped himself a few times. “Ah, I’m such an idiot!”
Ade and the two constables who had accompanied them were equally stunned.
You planned it pretty thoroughly!
Gao Kuaitsui must have been really determined to extort some silver!
Ma Bing looked at Xie Yu, then at Liu Shan, suddenly asking, “Where did Gao Kuaitsui go? Why didn’t he return to Kaifeng?”
As Liu Shan was just about to raise his hand, Xie Yu suddenly said, “Don’t touch your beard anymore.”
Interrupted in the middle of a familiar gesture, Liu Shan suddenly looked flustered, his right hand frozen mid-air, unsure what to do.
Xie Yu slowly stood up, walking to stand in front of Liu Shan with one hand behind his back, staring into his eyes, and said, “When we first came in, you recognized Erxi immediately. Later, when I asked if you knew him, your first reaction was to touch your beard, and then you lied.”
Liu Shan’s eyelids twitched violently, but he dared not utter a word.
Xie Yu seemed to scoff lightly, or maybe not, as he circled around Liu Shan twice, continuing:
“When Erxi recounted the events of that day and asked if you remembered, you touched your beard again and still didn’t tell the truth.”
Liu Shan’s heart pounded like a drum. Suddenly feeling unbearably hot, he quickly broke into a sweat.
As the words fell, Xie Yu had already circled behind Liu Shan.
He reached out and suddenly slapped Liu Shan hard on the back, saying, “Perhaps you yourself haven’t even noticed—every time you’re about to lie, your eyes also tremble slightly.”
Liu Shan was so frightened that his legs gave way, and he dropped to his knees with a thud, drenched in cold sweat.
“My Lord!” Liu Shan wished he could bury his head in his chest as he cried, “My Lord, I truly don’t know why Gao Kuaitsui never returned to Kaifeng… Wait, since he faked his death, naturally he couldn’t return to Kaifeng anymore. This, this…”
A grown man sobbing uncontrollably with tears and snot streaming down his face, Xie Yu couldn’t even see his expression clearly anymore.
Xie Yu slightly frowned. “Wipe your face clean.”
Sniffling, Liu Shan wiped his face, his two eyes quickly swelling up.
This guy… Xie Yu looked down at him. Was it intentional or unintentional?
In principle, even if someone’s habitual gestures were pointed out, it would be difficult to change them immediately. But now…
“Say again, you claim Gao Kuaitsui isn’t dead. When did he leave?” Xie Yu sat back down. “Did anyone see him check out?”
Liu Shan shook his head. “Many guests just leave after staying for a while. The attendants know someone has checked out when they don’t come to pay again, so they clean the room themselves. Therefore, whether anyone saw him leave, I really can’t say.”
This was something Xie Yu already understood during the previous investigation into the “imperial examination fraud case,” so it wasn’t unexpected to hear this now.
“Do you know Gao Kuaitsui well?”
Liu Shan honestly replied, “Not really. He occasionally stayed here a few times, that’s all.”
“Where is he from? What’s his real name? Where does he usually live?”
Liu Shan shook his head again. “I rarely ask guests about their family matters. I really don’t know where he lives.”
Xie Yu looked at him. “Lift your head and answer while looking into my eyes.”
Liu Shan looked with his swollen eyes for a while, then quickly looked away. “I vaguely remember he seemed to have an accent from the southwest area.”
Xie Yu turned to Ade, who looked at another constable behind him.
This constable worked in the Household Registration Office and was familiar with the distribution of local households.
After thinking for a moment, the constable nodded. “There are indeed several villages and towns southwest of Kaifeng where many people surnamed Gao live.”
But there was an issue:
Gao Kuaitsui was a traveling merchant who spent most of the year on the road, and it was common for such people to rarely return home.
Therefore, even knowing his hometown might not help much.
What they needed to find was his regular resting place after traveling to various places to sell goods.
Xie Yu looked at Liu Shan again and said to Ade, “Go gather all the staff from the inn, including the cooks, stable hands, and laborers. Question them one by one to see who saw Gao Kuaitsui around those days and who knows his true identity.”
They must first find out Gao Kuaitsui’s real name. Only then could they check household registration records or rented accommodations.
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