Case One: Twin Corpses in the Flower Bed
"Vanished suddenly?" Ren Wenshu didn't understand Zhong Li's meaning at first. It wasn't until he saw the few cups and dried tea leaves on the table in the room that he began to agree.
To confirm his thoughts, he walked to the table and opened the lid of the purple clay teapot. A strong smell of mold immediately assailed him. He frowned, looking at Zhong Li, who was watching his actions.
Zhong Li didn't look at the teapot. From Ren Wenshu's expression alone, she knew the result.
She turned her head, gazing at the neatly arranged clothes in the wardrobe, her hands quickly sifting through them. Then she walked to the window and looked at the small orchids on the windowsill, which were about to bloom. Her gaze swept around the room again, and her steps led her directly to the low cabinet next to the luohan bed.
Zhong Li's fingertips lightly brushed the surface of the low cabinet. She narrowed her eyes, thought for a moment, and said to Ren Wenshu, who was following her, "Let's go to the backyard and take a look."
The backyard of Han Dong's residence had a few plum trees. Like those in the front, the flower buds of the plum trees were a bit shriveled.
Zhong Li circled a plum tree and was about to squat down to examine the soil beneath it when Ren Wenshu, who had followed her, cried out as if he had discovered something extraordinary, "Zhong Si Zheng, quickly come and see what this is."
Zhong Li withdrew her hand, stood up, and walked to Ren Wenshu's side. He was holding a shoe, which he had pulled from a corner where discarded items were piled in the backyard.
"Zhong Si Zheng, do you think the pattern on the sole of this shoe is the same as the one you found in the firewood pile at Miao Fenghua's residence before?" Ren Wenshu asked.
Zhong Li did not reply. She opened a box and took out the rubbings of footprints.
Ren Wenshu quickly took them, first comparing the patterns, then the size. "It is indeed Han Dong who was at the residence before. So, if we catch Han Dong, this case will be solved?"
Zhong Li took the long boot from Ren Wenshu's hand, glanced at the stains on it, and said, "Not necessarily. Don't forget, Miao Fenghua said she gave the key to Han Dong half a month ago. It's normal for Han Dong's footprints to appear in the residence."
"But!" Ren Wenshu frowned deeply. "If we follow what Zhong Si Zheng says, why would Han Dong throw his shoe here? This shoe is clearly still wearable, and why is only one left? Isn't it because he's guilty and trying to cover his tracks?"
How could Zhong Li not have noticed that only one shoe was found in the pile ofๆ็ฉ? She turned and looked deeply at Ren Wenshu, then stood up and walked towards the outside of the residence, leaving behind the words, "No! It's too obvious."
"What do you mean?" Ren Wenshu, hearing her words ambiguously, followed Zhong Li, wanting to clarify.
Zhong Li's pace was fast. By the time Ren Wenshu caught up with her, she was already in the carriage, pulling the curtains tightly shut.
"Zhong Si Zheng..." Ren Wenshu was a bit unwilling to give up. He knew he had been involved in this case from beginning to end. If it could be successfully solved, his nickname in Jinzhou, "relying on his father for a living," would be debunked.
"I dare guarantee that Han Dong is the murderer of these two people. We must quickly send people out of the city to arrest him, otherwise, it will be too late," Ren Wenshu said, reaching out to pull at the carriage curtain.
Zhong Li abruptly pulled open the carriage curtain, looking at the man's arm frozen in mid-air, her expression icy.
Ren Wenshu was startled. Knowing he had been rude, he turned his head away as if unconvinced.
Zhong Li looked at him deeply, recalling Ren Zhong's disdain when she first entered the yamen. She had thought that besides being a mama's boy, Ren Wenshu was somewhat reasonable. Now, seeing this, she realized that like father, like son. He had never truly respected her.
"Fine, if Young Master Ren wants to go catch him, then go ahead."
As soon as she spoke, Ren Wenshu's face lit up with joy.
However, before he could utter his command, Zhong Li's next words were like a bucket of cold water: "Does Young Master Ren know where the person ran? Where to catch him? Is it inside or outside the city? If outside, north or south? Or has he already gone out to sea?"
Ren Wenshu's lips parted and closed, but he couldn't utter a word.
Zhong Li coldly pulled the curtain shut and said to the driver, "Drive."
With the horses' neighing, the carriage sped towards the adjacent alley.
At this moment, Miao Fenghua, who had been sitting in the carriage watching the interaction between Zhong Li and Ren Wenshu silently, spoke, "Did Zhong Si Zheng investigate Han Dong's house?"
Zhong Li, tired from the past few days and not feeling well, finally found a moment to rest. At the question from the person opposite her, she slowly opened her eyes, which had just closed, and looked at her.
Miao Fenghua smiled awkwardly. Just as she was about to apologize, Zhong Li said, "I did."
Miao Fenghua, realizing Zhong Li was not angry, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Is he at home?"
"No."
"Judging from what Young Master Ren said just now, are you certain Han Dong is the murderer?" Miao Fenghua asked again.
A moment passed.
Seeing that Zhong Li had no intention of answering her for now, Miao Fenghua said with a look of regret and sorrow, "I have known Han Dong for many years, and he has helped with my business quite a few times. I never expected him to be such a ruthless person. It's one thing that he has run away, but I don't know how I will deal with this residence in the future. Alas..."
Zhong Li glanced at the street outside the carriage, then at Miao Fenghua, who was constantly complaining. "You've known Han Dong for a long time?"
"Yes!" Miao Fenghua nodded. "About three years, if I recall correctly."
"You live quite close to where he lives," Zhong Li said casually.
"Yes, I do a lot of business, and it's more convenient in the city than in the suburbs. Besides, as I said, the house in the suburbs is large, and I was afraid of missing my late husband living alone, so I rented it out and rented a small house in the city."
As Miao Fenghua spoke, her eyes followed Zhong Li's gaze towards the outside. Seeing that they were only a few steps away from her own door, she quickly said, "I've arrived. Please stop the carriage, driver."
The carriage stopped as requested. Miao Fenghua, pulling her outer cloak tighter, quickly got out.
She had only walked a few steps when she remembered something and was about to turn back to bid Zhong Li farewell. To her surprise, Zhong Li was standing directly behind her. If she hadn't reacted quickly, she would have fallen flat on her rear.
"Zhong... Zhong Si Zheng... you..." Miao Fenghua stammered a bit.
"Did I startle you?" Zhong Li asked.
"No... no," Miao Fenghua replied. "May I ask why Zhong Si Zheng is following me?"
Zhong Li glanced at the house in front of her. It was a common family home, one room and one kitchen.
"Han Dong has escaped, and you are the only one who knows about his affairs. I am worried about your safety and have decided to escort you back to your house." Zhong Li said.
Hearing her explanation, the tense expression on Miao Fenghua's face eased slightly. She waved her hand. "It's fine. Zhong Si Zheng might be overthinking. If Han Dong wanted to kill me, he would have done so already, wouldn't he be in a hurry now? Please go back..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she realized that Zhong Li had already walked past her and was heading towards the house.