Zou Chengyi ignored Nan Shiying's request to examine the body, instead asking, "Do you think Liu Ling did not die from a wound infection, but was murdered?"
"For what purpose?"
Nan Shiying replied, "Did he have enemies, or was it a frame-up?"
"Who knows!"
Nan Shiying shrugged, not committing to anything.
Zou Chengyi understood what she was implying: that she had nothing to do with Liu Ling's death. As for the coroner who examined Liu Ling's body, Zou Chengyi knew him well; he was a stubborn old man who stuck to his principles. Once, some shady dealings within the Ministry of Justice had offended him, and he had stoutly resigned. Later, Wang Sheng heard of the man's skills and invited him to the Metropolitan Prefecture.
He… Zou Chengyi did not believe he would lie about this matter, so after the Ministry of Justice received Liu Ling's body, they did not re-examine it. However, Zou Chengyi had to admit that Feng Luan's words held some truth; wound infections did not suddenly cause death.
But letting her examine the body was out of the question, as she was involved in the case!
Seeing Zou Chengyi's silence, Nan Shiying suddenly asked, "Sir, is Liu Ling's body still at the Ministry of Justice?"
Zou Chengyi frowned but did not conceal it. "Yes!"
"And have you seen Liu Ling's wound, sir?"
"No!"
"Then would you be willing to take a look, sir?"
"I am not a coroner!"
Would a single glance clear her of suspicion?
Nan Shiying smiled and said, "Just take a look, sir. Look at one thing: his wound."
Zou Chengyi remained silent for several seconds before finally rising and going to the inner hall. He glanced at the wound on Liu Ling's body, and upon seeing it, Zou Chengyi was slightly stunned. He immediately understood Feng Luan's meaning.
Liu Ling's chest wound had already festered and ulcerated, indeed appearing like a fatal wound infection. Yet, it was precisely this point that indicated Liu Ling could not possibly have died from infection.
Such a festering, ulcerated wound was normal on a beggar, but it was absolutely abnormal on the legitimate son of a high-ranking official.
A beggar might develop a festering wound due to lack of money for treatment, but Liu Ling's father was the Minister of Rites. Even if they had sought help from the Imperial Hospital, the imperial physicians would have shown some respect and visited for diagnosis. How could he have died from an infection from such a wound?
Before, Zou Chengyi had not looked at Liu Ling's body, merely assuming that the infection was caused by the iron hook of the birdcage, the murder weapon, and not such an ulceration.
Upon returning to the hall, Zou Chengyi asked Nan Shiying, "How did you know?"
"This commoner does not know!"
"But you know now!"
Nan Shiying truly did not know. The secret guards of the prince's manor had only reported the incident. Neither she nor the prince had ordered an examination of Liu Ling's body, so the secret guards naturally wouldn't have taken it upon themselves. However, wound infection was most directly indicated by wound festering. She hadn't elaborated to Lord Zou earlier simply because she was uncertain. But seeing Zou Chengyi's reaction now, Nan Shiying was convinced.
Zou Chengyi remained silent, feeling intensely resistant and dissatisfied with being led around as if by an invisible string. This Feng Luan, who appeared refined and gentle, possessed an inherent arrogance that looked down on the world and a nobility that came from a high position.
Truly, seeing was believing.
"Sir, since there are still doubts about the matter, I implore you to clear this commoner's name!" Having said this, Nan Shiying decisively retracted her sharp demeanor, clasped her hands respectfully, and bowed to Zou Chengyi.
She knew when to stop and how to advance or retreat.
Zou Chengyi gained a new perception of her.
"That is natural. However, during this period, I hope Young Master Feng will not leave the capital and will be available for questioning at any time!"
"This commoner understands!"
Leaving the Ministry of Justice, Nan Shiying slowly made her way towards the Tongji Pharmacy. She encountered Nan Yujin, who was rushing towards her. Upon hearing that Feng Luan had been taken away by the constables of the Ministry of Justice, Nan Yujin could no longer focus on his recovery. He rushed out without even taking the time to harness his horse, intending to do whatever he could to protect Feng Luan. To his surprise, he saw her buying candied hawthorn by a stall on the street corner.
Nan Shiying, holding a candied hawthorn, met Nan Yujin's gaze as he arrived, panting and pale.
"Young Master Nan, out for a stroll!"
Nan Shiying took a bite of the candied hawthorn. The thin, crisp sugar coating mingled with the sour and sweet red fruit, stimulating her taste buds and causing an abundance of saliva. Nan Shiying's molars protested, and her nervous system promptly sent a signal to her brain – she was so sour that her features contorted.
Nan Yujin looked at her, feeling a sharp pain in his chest.
The wound, which had finally healed, had reopened. Nan Shiying merely blinked, and then she saw bright red blood once again staining Nan Yujin's robes.
He gritted his teeth, his voice carrying a dangerous edge, as if hiding a weapon: "You didn't go to the Ministry of Justice?"
Nan Shiying glanced at his blood-stained clothes, then at the candied hawthorn in her hand, and suddenly understood something—Nan Yujin wasn't out for a stroll!
"I did!"
She said, "But I am not a murderer!"
Nan Yujin clutched his chest, unsure if it was due to exertion or the pain from his wound. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead as if beads from a broken string.
Nan Shiying felt that he might have been stunned by her stupidity!
"Then you continue your stroll. I'm leaving now!"
Nan Shiying waved goodbye to Nan Yujin without any guilt. Her treating him previously was already an act of great kindness. If it were someone else, they might have mixed something else into his wound medicine, especially since Nan Yujin and his mother had caused Nan Shiying considerable trouble after Nan Yuqing's death.
Watching Nan Shiying's receding back, Nan Yujin's chest hurt even more. The servant who arrived late saw Nan Yujin's condition and his eyes immediately turned red with worry. Catching sight of the figure clutching the candied hawthorn in the distance, the servant wished he could stuff the entire candied hawthorn stall into her mouth!
What kind of person was she? The young master's wound had reopened for her, and yet she just left like that?
"Young Master, he..."
"It's alright, help me back to the manor!"
To Feng Luan, he was merely a relative of a patient. His hurried arrival today was simply out of fear that Feng Luan would be implicated, which would then delay the treatment for her mother. Since he had a request and a motive, why should he expect her to be grateful or thankful?
Nan Shiying did not care what Nan Yujin thought. What Nan Shiying cared about was what the person who killed Liu Ling wanted. Was it simply to frame her, or was there another agenda?
As she thought, Nan Shiying tightly closed her eyes.
Damn it, why was this candied hawthorn so sour? Her teeth were about to fall out from the sourness!