Lin Xiao shook his head upon hearing her words, "No, that's also the strange part of the case. The deceased were all young girls, none of whom were violated. No money was lost, and yet we still don't know why the killer murdered them."
Ye Qingcheng also frowned in thought. People who study medicine tend to have good logical thinking. Ye Qingcheng had also enjoyed reading various mystery novels since childhood. The killer in this serial murder case wasn't killing for money, nor was it out of lust. The three victims didn't know each other and had no connection between them. What was the killer's motive? He wrote down "Xiu" and did he want to say he was a "xiuer"? He also transmigrated from modern times and knew what "xiuer" meant?
Ye Qingcheng shook her head, trying to clear the jumbled thoughts from her mind, "Have the Prince and the others figured out the killer's motive?"
"No, precisely because of this, the case has made no progress."
"Have they investigated the anesthetic and the red thread used by the killer?" Ye Qingcheng spat out a sunflower seed shell and continued to ask.
"They've identified some of the components of the anesthetic. The medicinal herbs used are not difficult to find, except for one that is relatively hard to acquire. However, the Prince has investigated, and not many people have bought this particular herb recently. Prince Ye has investigated everyone and found no suspicious individuals. The silk thread is also commonly used by embroiderers and can be bought anywhere," Lin Xiao said in one breath.
After hearing what he said, Ye Qingcheng couldn't find any leads and told Lin Xiao to inform her if there were any new developments. Then, she took Bi Xi to the streets. Lin Xiao did not follow, reportedly because Xiao Wangye had other matters for him to attend to.
Ye Qingcheng hired several people to write and post notices around the streets, stating that she specialized in treating difficult and complicated illnesses and that patients with such conditions could come to her, provided they paid her silver.
The notices had been posted for two days, but no one had come to seek her help. Bi Xi asked anxiously, "Wangfei, do you think the notices you posted are really effective? Why hasn't anyone come to see you?"
"No need to rush. It's only been two days. Many people still don't know."
The address Ye Qingcheng had left was the Hot Spring Villa. Today, she was at the villa with Bi Xi, overseeing the land she had asked Xia Mei to turn over earlier, planning what medicinal herbs to plant. At this moment, a servant walked in, "This humble servant pays respects to Wangfei."
"Rise. What is it?"
"Reporting to Wangfei, there is a person outside who says his village chief has been suffering from joint pain for a long time without improvement. Hearing that there is a divine doctor here, he specifically came to find you."
Ye Qingcheng, accompanied by Bi Xi, went to the gate and saw a scruffy, burly man who looked somewhat simple and honest. Ye Qingcheng walked forward, "Is there a patient in your home who needs treatment?"
The burly man looked Ye Qingcheng up and down, "Are you the divine doctor, little girl?"
"Yes, I posted that notice." Ye Qingcheng calmly looked at the bearded man in front of her.
The burly man looked again, "Then come with me. My elder brother is still waiting in the village."
Ye Qingcheng and Bi Xi got into the carriage brought by the burly man. On the way to the village, Ye Qingcheng learned that the burly man and his companions were bandits. Their mountain stronghold was called Black Cliff Fortress, located on Black Cliff Mountain. The burly man's name was Hu Xiaohu. Hearing his name, Ye Qingcheng almost burst into laughter; she didn't expect his name to be so different from his appearance.
After about half an hour of carriage ride, they arrived at Black Cliff Fortress. Hu Xiaohu led Ye Qingcheng and Bi Xi into the stronghold. Along the way, people they encountered stopped to size them up and asked Hu Xiaohu who they were.
"This is the divine doctor I found for my elder brother down the mountain."
Bi Xi was very frightened by so many people and stayed close to Ye Qingcheng throughout the journey. Soon, they arrived at a house in the center of the stronghold. This house was the best they had seen in the entire mountain stronghold, and Ye Qingcheng guessed this was probably where their leader lived.
Hu Xiaohu led them inside. In the center sat a man, who was the leader of Black Cliff Fortress, Hu Xiaohu's elder brother, named Hu Fei. He also had a beard, but it wasn't as long as Hu Xiaohu's. He looked to be in his thirties. Sitting there, Ye Qingcheng could tell he was well-built. Hu Xiaohu brought them to him and said, "Elder brother, this is the divine doctor Ye I found for you."
Hu Fei appraised Ye Qingcheng, "Xiaohu, is this the divine doctor you found for me, or a wife for the fortress? I've never seen such a beautiful doctor before."
"Elder brother, this Divine Doctor Ye is said to specialize in treating all sorts of difficult and complicated illnesses. Please let her examine you first."
Hu Fei was clearly a bit skeptical, but he still let Ye Qingcheng examine him. Hu Xiaohu mentioned that Hu Fei had been suffering from joint pain for some time, had seen many doctors, and taken a lot of medicine without much effect.
Ye Qingcheng stepped forward, asked him a few questions, and then asked him to roll up his trouser leg to examine his leg. Ye Qingcheng had a general idea of his condition.
"Divine Doctor Ye, can you treat my elder brother's condition?" Hu Xiaohu asked from the side.
"Chief Hu, I can treat your joint pain."
"Oh, you can really treat it?" Hu Fei was almost driven mad by this joint pain. The doctors he had seen before all just prescribed medicine for him to try; no one had dared to say they could definitely cure it.
"Divine Doctor Ye, whatever medicine is needed, just say it, and I can buy it for you." Hu Xiaohu was very happy to hear her say this, and his respect for her grew considerably.
"No need for any expensive medicine. I'll write you a prescription, and you can buy it from the pharmacy. I can start by giving the Chief acupuncture to alleviate some of the pain."
"Can you do the acupuncture now?" Hu Fei's face showed some joy upon hearing her words.
Ye Qingcheng asked Hu Xiaohu to fetch paper and a brush, wrote down a few medicinal ingredients, and sent someone to fetch them. She then took out her silver needles and began to perform acupuncture on Hu Fei.
After the acupuncture, Hu Fei felt less pain than before and was very happy. He ordered that Ye Qingcheng be treated to good food and drink.
Ye Qingcheng treated Hu Fei with acupuncture and medicine, curing his long-standing leg pain. He was overjoyed and immediately gathered all the brothers of the stronghold, saying, "Today, I want to announce something to everyone. Divine Doctor Ye is now our second-in-command of the stronghold. Everyone should treat her with the same respect as they treat me."
Ye Qingcheng couldn't refuse and had to agree to Hu Fei's request. She was having such a good time at Black Cliff Fortress that she didn't even want to return to the Prince's manor.
"Wangfei, when are we going back?" Bi Xi asked with some worry.
"Bi Xi, do you want to go back to the Prince's manor? I think this place is better than the manor," Ye Qingcheng said, stretching her arms.
"But Wangfei, these are all bandits. I'm scared just seeing them."
"Xiao Wangye, that pervert, is even scarier."
Hearing Ye Qingcheng call Xiao Wangye by his full name, Bi Xi looked at her as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Say what you want to say, no need to be like this." Ye Qingcheng found her expression amusing and patted her head.
"Wangfei, you're really not like your old self at all."