Zhong Li had anticipated his rudeness, but she hadn't expected Lu Wuxie to make such a flippant remark as he took the case file and autopsy report from her hand. She already disliked men of his dissolute disposition.
As soon as the words left his mouth, a frost appeared on her usually placid face.
Lu Wuxie, however, cast her a half-amused, half-mocking glance before continuing to flip through the case file and autopsy report with his head propped in his hand, as if he hadn't seen anything.
Lord Zhang, standing beside them, mistook Lu Wuxie's perfunctory attitude for a sign that the case was simpler than he had imagined. He had just drawn a handkerchief from his robe to wipe the sweat from his brow when his gaze inadvertently fell upon Lu Wuxie's profile, and his heart leaped into his throat.
He leaned closer, his eyes following Lu Wuxie's grim gaze to a particular paper—Xie Xiaoyun's autopsy report. He quickly explained, "Your Highness, it's like this..."
Lu Wuxie raised his eyes, waiting for Lord Zhang to continue.
"There's quite a significant age difference between Xie Xiaoyun and Jia Kun, and their incompatibility wasn't a recent development. But who would have thought Jia Kun would go so far as to harm Xie Xiaoyun so brutally? However, rest assured, I've invited the best师傅 in the entire Southern Yue Kingdom to restore Xie Xiaoyun's body, guaranteeing that I will present Your Highness..."
As Lord Zhang spoke, his eyes darted to Lu Wuxie's face. Realizing he had spoken amiss, he chuckled sheepishly and changed tack, "I guarantee to present the Xie family with a lifelike Xie Xiaoyun."
Hearing this, a flicker of disdain appeared in Lu Wuxie's eyes.
Lord Zhang, thinking he wasn't believed, quickly pulled Zhong Li, who was watching his pretense of obedience from the side, towards him. "Your Highness, don't disbelieve us. Miss Zhong possesses remarkable skill. It was she who handled the case of the headless corpse in Anding County a few years ago..."
"Tell this Highness, what was Jia Kun's motive for killing Xie Xiaoyun?" Lu Wuxie seemed somewhat impatient with the garrulous Lord Zhang. He tossed the case file onto the table, and the autopsy report slid along the edge, falling with it. His seemingly casual words pierced Lord Zhang's ambiguity like a sharp sword.
"Your Highness, I am ignorant, may I ask..." Lord Zhang was confused. He picked up the autopsy report from the floor and, upon seeing that Xie Xiaoyun was four months pregnant, his eyes nearly popped out.
This wasn't right. How could this autopsy report be different from the previous one? And this handwriting...
Realizing this, he quickly turned to look at Zhong Li.
Receiving Lord Zhang's questioning, confused, and wronged gaze, Zhong Li stepped forward a few paces, bowed, and replied, "To Your Highness, this autopsy report was not written by the county's coroner; it was written by this humble woman."
Hearing this, Lu Wuxie raised his eyes to look at the woman respectfully answering his question opposite him. At this moment, only her clear eyes were visible, appearing serene yet carrying a hint of arrogance.
Zhong Li knew he was waiting for her to continue, so she went on, "Most of the coroner's office consists of men, so they are generally hesitant with female corpses. When I was restoring Xie Xiaoyun's body, I discovered she was pregnant. Furthermore, due to the body's decomposition, post-mortem delivery had occurred. Therefore, I felt there were still questions about the case, so I rewrote the autopsy report to inquire with Lord Zhang. I didn't expect to encounter Your Highness by chance."
"Is that so?" Lu Wuxie raised an eyebrow, his gaze appraising Zhong Li.
Zhong Li's expression was indifferent, her gaze unwavering.
After a long while,
Lu Wuxie chuckled lightly, drawing out his words, and said coyly, "Since that is the case... then you..."
He casually pointed at the woman opposite him and said, "I give you three days to be responsible for investigating the case clearly. Do you understand?"
Lord Zhang followed Lu Wuxie's指尖 towards Zhong Li. Upon realizing what had happened, he quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, this... this is absolutely unacceptable! Investigating cases is the衙门's responsibility. To put it bluntly, Miss Zhong is merely someone who handles corpses, and she holds no official position. If this were to get out, it would damage the court's reputation in the future..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Wuxie casually placed the Biluochun he had been drinking halfway down on the table. Simultaneously, a man in black behind him spoke.
"Since when did Lord Zhang begin to question our Highness's decisions?"
Lord Zhang's body trembled. He glanced at Lu Wuxie, and seeing his usual indifferent demeanor, he turned to face the man who had just spoken.
The man's eyes were like cold falcons, his face stern. It was none other than Lin Jin, the bodyguard who had been following Lu Wuxie.
"Guard Lin," Lord Zhang reacted quickly, making a gesture with his little finger. "This official meant no such thing. This official meant that if a mere woman were to get involved in investigating a case, and it got out, the people of Anding County would..."
"Hmph," Lin Jin snorted, "Our Highness is an imperial censor personally appointed by the Emperor, responsible for the final judgment of cases. Do you, a minor local official, dare to question him?"
"This... this... how would this official dare..." Lord Zhang said, not forgetting to slap himself.
"Or is it that Lord Zhang fears that investigating this case will uncover some trickery..." Before Lord Zhang could finish, Lin Jin questioned impatiently.
"No, Guard Lin, you cannot make such false accusations!" Lord Zhang reacted, waving his hands. Then, he shifted his gaze to Zhong Li again. "It's just that Miss Zhong is not part of the court, and whether she is willing to investigate... this official is truly..."
"I will investigate," Zhong Li responded before Lord Zhang could finish, stepping forward to accept. "However, this humble woman has one request. May I ask if Your Highness can grant it?"
As she spoke, Zhong Li's gaze moved from Lin Jin to Lu Wuxie opposite her.
Lu Wuxie raised his eyebrows at her words, his intention clear.
Zhong Li's gaze slowly fell to Lu Wuxie's waist, saying, "This humble woman desires something from His Royal Highness's waist."
Lu Wuxie stared at her, appraising her from head to toe. Though her waist was slender and graceful, it couldn't conceal the washed-out plain robe and the unfashionable wooden hairpin in her hair. He scoffed dismissively,
"Speak, then. How much silver do you want?"
"I want..." Zhong Li couldn't help but notice the dismissive cynicism in his eyes. She deliberately prolonged her speech, saying, "The jade pendant at Your Highness's waist!"
"How dare you! Do you know that His Royal Highness's pendant is..."
Lu Wuxie raised a fingertip, halting Lin Jin's words behind him. Then, he lazily raised his eyes to look at Zhong Li opposite him, casually unfastened the jade pendant from his waist, and placed it on the table. "You may have it. It's just a plaything. I have plenty of silver. However, before that, I hope you can give me a plausible motive for Xie Xiaoyun's murder. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Zhong Li raised her eyes to meet his, her tone chilling.
Lu Wuxie leaned forward slightly, his gaze falling to the delicate, boneless fingertips resting on her chest. He tutted and said, "I have traveled a long way and am weary. Let your hands serve me by assisting me in my bath. The requirements are..."
He paused, his voice deepening and roughing as he added, "From top... to bottom!"
As soon as Lu Wuxie finished speaking, everyone standing around blushed. Although they all knew that the 世子 of the Wise Prince's estate had always been a rake, such public teasing and toying with a woman was truly in poor taste.
"Alright," Zhong Li hooked her lips in agreement, her eyes appearing calm as if completely unaffected by Lu Wuxie's words. She replied,
"However, this humble woman's hands... have touched countless dead bodies, easily numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. As long as Your Highness does not mind, you can decide where to wash."
Lu Wuxie froze, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on Zhong Li's hands.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly let out a hearty laugh, tossed aside a sentence, "It's a deal," and turned to walk out of the estate.
Lin Jin followed behind Lu Wuxie. After taking a few steps, he seemed to recall something and approached Zhong Li, cupping his hands in a salute. "Tomorrow morning, please wait here, young lady. His Highness will go to the Jia Mansion and escort you to investigate the case."
When only Zhong Li and Magistrate Zhang were left in the hall.
Magistrate Zhang finally straightened his stooped posture, took out another handkerchief from his robe, wiped the sweat from his brow while looking at Zhong Li beside him, and feigned a lecture. "I say, Ah Li... your..."
"Magistrate Zhang, Xie Xiaoyun's body is only half restored. Zhong Li shall take her leave first." Zhong Li interrupted Magistrate Zhang and turned to walk quickly towards the autopsy room.
In the carriage.
Lu Wuxie removed his emerald cloak, picked up a cup of clear tea from the table, and took a few sips. After the carriage had traveled for quite some time, he finally shed the cynical expression from his face and said to the person outside,
"Have you investigated? Was that woman's death truly an accident?"
Lin Jin quickly rode his horse closer to the carriage window, cupped his hands, and replied, "To my master, according to the scouts we sent out earlier, Xie Xiaoyun was indeed killed suddenly. As for her pregnancy, your subordinate, like you, has only just learned of it."
"Oh? That's strange." Lu Wuxie narrowed his eyes at the words, his fingertips tapping rhythmically on the small table before him.
The carriage traveled a bit further, and Lin Jin's voice came from outside again.
"Your Highness..."
"..." The carriage remained silent.
Lin Jin knew his master's nature and that he was waiting for his subsequent words. He said, "Your jade pendant... are you really planning to give it to that unknown young girl?"
Lu Wuxie opened his seemingly closed eyes. Now, with his roguish demeanor gone, his face held a hint of cold frost. "I heard that person, after living in seclusion in Anding County, also took a wife and family."
"Your Highness means..." Lin Jin was stunned.
Lu Wuxie curled his lips, his gaze falling to the jade pendant in his palm, and said, "Lin Jin, not many people appreciate true value."