Chapter 29: Bloodstains

“Big sister?”

Yuan Yuan froze instantly, her small face turned deathly pale, and her voice trembled slightly.

“Don’t be afraid,” Ma Bing said soothingly. With her other hand, she gently patted Yuan Yuan’s back. Looking around, she saw everyone’s expressions changing and the crowd beginning to get restless. She immediately raised her voice, “What are you panicking for? It’s not like there’s a ghost here. I’m from the Kaifeng Prefecture, everyone stay calm!”

Hearing this, the crowd thought, that’s right, it’s someone else who died, not me, what’s there to fear?

Seeing them calm down slightly, Ma Bing selected a maid from Yuan’s entourage who appeared more alert and composed compared to the others. She ordered, “Go immediately to the boat rental place and ask whose boat this is, when it was last rented out, who rented it, who boarded it then, and where the boatman has gone.”

Boats on Jinze waters had to pay taxes to the government and were required to register before launching, with numbers marked on the hulls, so that responsibility could be traced in case of incidents.

Yuan Yuan immediately said, “All of you follow Big Sister’s orders.”

The maid hesitated for a moment, showing a brief moment of panic, but quickly regained her composure. After a brief pause, she proactively asked, “If they refuse to answer, may I reveal the truth?”

People might not respond if approached randomly without cause.

Ma Bing looked at her approvingly. No wonder Yuan had brought this maid along; she indeed had courage and insight.

Thinking for a moment, Ma Bing removed her identification badge and handed it over, “Tell them the truth. Ask them to come here to report, and if possible, bring the boatman as well.”

Although Ma Bing’s badge was only an ordinary access badge from the Kaifeng Prefecture and not an investigative authority, commoners would instinctively revere the words “Kaifeng Prefecture” and cooperate, especially upon hearing about a murder case.

The maid acknowledged, bid farewell to Yuan Yuan, and immediately ran off with the badge.

Ji Fang also regained his senses and, seeing Ma Bing’s command, felt increasing admiration. He bravely stepped forward and asked, “Miss Ma, should we report this to the authorities?”

He knew Ma Bing worked for the Kaifeng Prefecture, but she was just a physician. Now that someone had died, surely she couldn’t bring the dead back to life?

Ma Bing looked at him and nodded, “Yes, we need to report it. Does your retainer ride a horse, Master Ji?”

Ji Fang: “? ?”

Wait, what do you mean, does my retainer ride a horse? I’m right here, a living, breathing person, won’t I do?

Ma Bing was thinking about how Ji Fang had recently publicly clashed with Xie Yu on the polo field, which was likely already common knowledge in the entire capital. The constables would naturally dislike Ji Fang by association, and might treat him poorly.

Besides, Ji Fang had no experience in such matters. Rushing back to report might not convey the situation clearly, and if the attending constables were rude, Ji’s hot temper might flare up. Even if it didn’t escalate, it would waste time. It would be better to send an unfamiliar retainer instead.

Ji Fang didn’t realize all the considerations Ma Bing had made in an instant, and couldn’t help feeling a bit upset. But then he thought, if he sent his retainer to report, wouldn’t that mean he could stay behind? Perhaps he could show off a bit, playing the hero rescuing the damsel in distress…

Thinking this way, Ji Fang quickly regained his spirits and immediately sent his most clever page to report the incident.

After the arrangements, he wanted to persuade Ma Bing to go rest, thinking about how to comfort her.

Before he could even speak, however, he heard her say bluntly, “Thank you, Master Ji. You may leave now.”

Ji Fang: “? ?”

His stunned expression was completely unguarded. Ma Bing was momentarily taken aback, feeling an unusual sense of guilt for using him and then discarding him, “I mean, the fun here is over anyway. Master Ji might as well go elsewhere to rest.”

Ji Fang felt she was brushing him off, and muttered unhappily, “Do you think I’m useless?”

Ma Bing’s gaze flickered. Suddenly, she turned her head to Yuan Yuan and others, “Help your young mistress back to the carriage to rest. Remember to take a pill to calm her nerves before heading home.”

Ji Fang: “!!”

You hesitated! You hesitated!

That was exactly what she meant!

She didn’t even bother to lie, completely ignoring him now!

Yuan Yuan spoke softly, “Big sister, let’s go together.”

It was scary with a dead body around.

Ma Bing patted her head, “I’m from the Kaifeng Prefecture. I don’t know when the constables will arrive. I need to stay here and keep watch.”

Some clues might disappear if not found quickly.

Yuan Yuan struggled inwardly for a moment, knowing she couldn’t persuade Ma Bing, and didn’t make a fuss, “Alright then, I’ll go back, so you won’t have to worry about me. But I want to leave two people here to help you feel at ease.”

What if the murderer hadn’t gone far?

Ma Bing was just worried about not having enough people to command and immediately agreed.

Yuan Yuan then sent for two strong young servants who were guarding the carriages and horses, gave them instructions, and left reluctantly.

Ma Bing asked them to guard the perimeter, not allowing any unauthorized people to approach, to prevent footprints from being trampled, and to check for any suspicious individuals.

She had heard that many murderers returned to the scene, and if he came, they could catch him on the spot.

After arranging all this, Ma Bing was surprised to find that Ji Fang, who had been ignored, was still there, standing by the tree with a resentful expression.

Ma Bing: “…”

“Uh,” she pinched her brow, helplessly, “If Master Ji has time, please also assist in guarding.”

The lakeshore was winding, with many bushes and large trees providing hiding places, so there were many spots where people could hide.

Besides… what if he was the murderer?

Ji Fang didn’t know Ma Bing’s thoughts, but visibly perked up, immediately standing tall and taking the last remaining retainer to stand guard.

Watching his retreating figure, Ma Bing couldn’t help but wonder: why did this young master Ji seem so clueless?

The constables from the Kaifeng Prefecture might arrive at any time, but Ma Bing didn’t plan to wait for them and decided to examine the crime scene first.

Jinze was a famous recreational area outside Kaifeng city. The roads were well-maintained, and the small piers for tourists to disembark were paved with patterned stone slabs.

But there were none here. Whether it was because the people on the pleasure boat had deliberately stopped here to talk and enjoy the scenery, or the boat had drifted here after the incident.

Since this wasn’t a disembarking spot, the shore was covered with lush grass, soft and thick underfoot, leaving no footprints from normal walking.

Ma Bing almost crawled on the ground looking around, but couldn’t find any suspicious traces.

But this didn’t mean nothing was found.

Because when people run in a hurry, they unconsciously increase the pressure under their feet. Since there were no traces here, it meant either the pleasure boat wasn’t originally parked here, and the murderer didn’t leave from here, so no traces were left.

Or the murderer wasn’t particularly heavy, or had an excellent composure, walking steadily even after committing murder, so the grass quickly returned to its original state after being stepped on.

Due to this delay, the pleasure boat had drifted about ten feet towards the center of the lake. Ma Bing took a few steps back, ran forward, and lightly jumped onto the boat.

Inside the boat was very clean, with no mud or obvious footprints on the floor. The air still retained a faint scent of sandalwood.

Ma Bing walked further inside, using a handkerchief to open the incense burner in the corner. Indeed, there were some remaining sandalwood ashes.

This type of small pleasure boat had limited interior space, open from front to back, requiring only one boatman to operate. The deceased was lying on his back in a large armchair by the window.

He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face and well-dressed, wearing a jade belt around his waist. Although the jade wasn’t of the highest quality, the craftsmanship was good, worth at least twenty or thirty taels in the market.

The murderer didn’t take the jade belt, and there were no obvious signs of rummaging on his body, suggesting it wasn’t a robbery.

Ma Bing approached for a closer look and noticed his face and lips were pale, clearly from severe blood loss. A pool of blood had gathered beneath his feet, seeping through the gaps in the boat’s wooden floor.

The blood hadn’t completely coagulated, partly due to the warm weather, but also indicating the death wasn’t long ago.

The murderer… was likely still within Jinze!

But where was the wound?

Ma Bing walked to the back and saw a nearly round bloodstain about the size of a palm on the left chest area. The blood continued to spread downward, like a long tail, all the way down to his buttocks. It had first pooled on the chair, soaking almost the entire lower half of the body, then dripped down the chair legs to the floor, forming the blood pool Ma Bing had initially seen.

Such a large amount of blood loss in a short time made Ma Bing initially think of a blade wound. However, upon closer examination, she found the clothing surprisingly intact?

No tear?

Could it be that the murderer changed his clothes after killing him?

That didn’t make sense!

She crouched down and tried to move the body slightly, “Ah!”

Behind the backrest of the chair was a very small round hole, from which blood was continuously seeping out.

Right at the heart.

The victim had been struck through the heart, so although the wound was small, the blood loss was massive and rapid.

Ma Bing then roughly examined the rest of the body and was basically certain there were no other external injuries.

She stood up.

A round wound… what could have caused it?

As she was pondering, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.

Ji Fang was diligently keeping watch when he suddenly heard a group of people and horses approaching. Thinking it might be the constables from the Kaifeng Prefecture arriving, he instinctively took a couple of steps forward to greet them.

But when he looked up:

Xie Yu?!

Wasn’t he on patrol inside Kaifeng city?

Why was he here?

Xie Yu, sitting high on his horse, asked coldly, “What are you doing here?”

You’re blocking my way.

Ji Fang stiffened his neck and said, “Miss Ma asked me to keep watch, no idle people are allowed to approach. Hey hey hey, you…”

Xie Yu dismounted swiftly, casually threw the reins to a retainer, and strode forward.

Seeing Ji Fang following, he didn’t even turn his head and ordered, “Drag him away.”

Ji Fang was stunned, and an officer grabbed his arm and started pulling him away.

He was shocked, struggling and shouting, “You can’t do this, I’m here because…”

Xie Yu frowned, “Gag him.”

Ji Fang: “Mmm…”