When Constable Fei of the刑房 (Xingfang - Punishment Office) arrived with yamen runners and the coroner, the elder doctor had already stopped the bleeding and bandaged Zhan Lao Er.
"The person died by suicide," the coroner stated after a brief examination, drawing out a dagger.
Bloodstains were visible on the hilt. Comparing this with the old woman's right hand, blood was present on her palm and fingertips, and her hand was still in a gripping posture. The coroner concluded it was suicide.
Constable Fei nodded, glancing at the bowls, chopsticks, and bamboo tubes on the table. "Judging by the bloodstains on the ground, the injured person was facing away from the deceased at the time."
The bloodstains beneath the stool were more extensive, having dripped from the injured person's wound. The splattered blood droplets around the old woman's body indicated the dagger had been pulled out and thrust in again, flicking blood.
"Brother Fei, the bloodstains are confined to this area and haven't spread. There shouldn't be a third person in the room," Constable Ma inspected the scene, noting the absence of bloodstains elsewhere in the room or at the doorway.
If there had been another person, they would have carefully avoided the bloodstains on the ground. However, the young medicine boy had only seen the deceased and Zhan Lao Er upon arrival, confirming no third party was present at the scene.
A young constable nearby asked in surprise, "Uncle Fei, this old woman was clearly frail due to her age. The first stab might have been unexpected, but why didn't Zhan Lao Er resist?"
The two bamboo tubes used for the wontons were about half a foot long and stood upright on the table. If Zhan Lao Er had resisted, he would have bumped the table, causing the bamboo tubes to fall. However, the bowls and chopsticks on the table were all neatly arranged.
"Do you know the injured person?" Constable Fei asked in return.
Constable Ma quickly replied, "The injured person is Zhan Lao Er, from the Zhan family in Jinlin Village. He usually works at the North Street pier, hauling goods."
"Who is the deceased? Did she have a grudge against Zhan Lao Er?" Constable Fei pressed. It wasn't surprising that Constable Ma's men would recognize Zhan Lao Er, as they patrolled the streets.
"I'm not sure." Constable Ma was also startled when he learned that the person nearly killed was Zhan Lao Er, but he didn't recognize the old woman or know if they had any enmity.
"Zhan Lao Er's niece is also here. Perhaps she knows something." Constable Ma mentioned Zhan Feiyu. Seeing Constable Fei's lack of immediate interest, he quickly explained, "That young girl was praised by the official as a child prodigy. It's said she learns more in a month at a private school than others do in half a year."
Constable Fei's seemingly calm gaze swept over Constable Ma. "You two take the body back to the yamen. You come with me to the backyard."
Zhan Feiyu, the medicine boy, and the young couple being treated for burns were all standing in the courtyard, guarded by a constable.
Unlike the pale-faced medicine boy, Zhan Feiyu, though younger, appeared calmer, standing expressionless.
The young woman, likely frightened, had her husband patting her back to comfort her.
"Xiao Zhu, you speak first." Constable Fei sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard, his legs crossed like a rider on a horse. At first glance, he looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, but there was a sharp, menacing aura about him that made one feel exposed.
"Yes." The medicine boy, only twelve or thirteen years old, began to speak haltingly. "The old woman was brought here by the shopkeeper of Wenxing Bookstore..."
After the medicine boy finished, Constable Fei asked, "Was there anyone else in the room at the time?"
Recalling the bloody scene, the medicine boy shook his head fearfully. "No, no one else. I was standing at the door, and then Master and the others arrived."
The young couple, whose hands were burned, spoke next. "We heard shouting and went over with the elder doctor. We didn't see anyone else at the time. This young girl was the last to arrive."
Seeing all eyes on her, the silent Zhan Feiyu looked up, meeting Constable Fei's sharp gaze directly. She showed no panic.
"Second Uncle couldn't find me at Wenxing Bookstore, so he bought wontons and came to Huichuntang." Zhan Feiyu continued without pause. "After eating the wontons, I played outside for a while. Before I could go to the latrine, I heard shouting and ran back."
There were no issues with the testimonies of Zhan Feiyu and the other three. At the time of the incident, only the old woman and Zhan Lao Er were in the room. Now, there were two lingering questions: First, why did the old woman want to kill Zhan Lao Er? What was the enmity between them?
Second, Zhan Lao Er, a strong man who hauled goods for a living, possessed considerable strength. Why didn't he resist? After all, it wasn't a fatal blow.
"Brother Fei, Zhan Lao Er has a habit of napping. He does strenuous work at the pier, so it's possible he fell asleep at the table after eating wontons," Constable Ma whispered. He was good friends with Zhan Lao Er and knew his habits well.
Constable Fei remained silent, tapping the stone table rhythmically with one hand.
A moment later, two constables strode into the backyard and cupped their hands in greeting to Constable Fei. "Uncle Fei, we're back."
"Xiao Zhao, you speak first." Constable Fei looked at his tall, thin subordinate.
"Yes." Xiao Zhao had gone to the South Street to gather information. "The old woman fell at the entrance of Wenxing Bookstore. Many people saw it. The shopkeeper of Wenxing Bookstore and passersby..."
After Xiao Zhao finished, another constable continued, "Qian Si, who hauls goods with Zhan Lao Er at the pier, said Zhan Lao Er was going to pick up his niece at noon, so he left after only two trips. Zhan Lao Er has a kind personality, makes friends easily, and speaks thoughtfully. He hasn't offended anyone."
"Could the deceased be a madwoman?" Constable Ma glanced at Zhan Feiyu with a complex expression. She had shown kindness and saved someone, but it almost resulted in her second uncle's death.
Once the elder doctor confirmed that Zhan Lao Er's life was not in danger, he came out to report, "He was stabbed seven times in the back, but because the blind old woman lacked strength, his life was saved."
Constable Fei suddenly stood up. "Does the elder doctor recognize the deceased?"
"She lives in Locust Alley. People there call her the blind old woman," the elder doctor replied. He hadn't recognized her at first, as her clothes were dirty and foul-smelling, and her face was covered in grime. At a glance, she looked like a beggar.
The elder doctor remembered that not long ago, the blind old woman had visited the clinic for a cold, accompanied by her daughter.
Although the mother and daughter wore simple clothes, they were clean and spoke politely. Who would have thought that in less than a month, she would be completely depleted?
"Xiao Zhao, you two go to Locust Alley." Constable Fei then turned back to the elder doctor and asked, "Since the wounds were not deep, why didn't Zhan Lao Er resist?"
If it had been a fatal blow, it would have been understandable. But this was seven stab wounds. Anyone not dead would have resisted.
With a sigh, the elder doctor looked worriedly at Zhan Feiyu before replying, "One of the stab wounds was to the哑门穴 (Yamen point), and it was the deepest of the seven."
Given the blind old woman's depleted physical state and her previous fainting spell, after taking medicine, she had regained consciousness, but her strength was certainly lacking. The deepest stab was undoubtedly the first one.
Seeing that Constable Fei and the others were confused, the elder doctor explained again, "The Yamen point is on the midline of the back of the neck, right here."
The elder doctor pulled the medicine boy over and pointed to the back of his head. "Being struck in this acupoint can cause muteness, dizziness, and unconsciousness."
So, Zhan Lao Er didn't resist because he was unfortunately struck in the Yamen point, causing him to fall unconscious at the table. The blind old woman then proceeded to inflict the remaining six wounds. Fortunately, her lack of strength meant that despite multiple stab wounds, she didn't kill him.
"How long until Zhan Lao Er wakes up?" Although the motive of the blind old woman was still unclear – was she truly insane, or did she have a grudge against Zhan Lao Er? – Constable Fei could only wait for him to regain consciousness to ask.
"Due to excessive blood loss, and one stab wound affecting his lungs and heart, he will wake up within two hours at most," the elder doctor said, looking at Zhan Feiyu with concern.
What the elder doctor didn't say was that damage to the lungs and heart would lead to lung disease. Not only would he be unable to do strenuous work, but he would also require lifelong medication and would often cough, affecting his lifespan.
If there was a grudge, it would be one thing. But if this was a misfortune, and the man who supported the household became sickly, even though this young girl wasn't the killer, the incident started because of her. The elder doctor worried that Zhan Feiyu might be beaten to death by her family.
Having asked all the necessary questions, Constable Fei instructed Constable Ma to stay and wait for Zhan Lao Er to wake up. He then dispatched men to Jinlin Village to notify the Zhan family before leaving Huichuntang with his subordinates.
"Xiao Yu, this was an accident, not your fault." Constable Ma patted Zhan Feiyu's head to comfort her. "Your second uncle and I are good friends. If your grandparents blame you, Uncle Ma will stand up for you."
"Thank you, Uncle Ma," Zhan Feiyu replied, lowering her head. She seemed dispirited.
Constable Ma didn't say anything further. He had previously wanted Zhan Feiyu to marry his nephew, Da Yong. However, Zhan Lao Er couldn't make the decision, and with the interference of Landlord Zhu's family, Constable Ma planned to bring it up again after the situation calmed down.
Since Zhan Feiyu was still young, he hadn't expected Zhan Lao Er to be almost killed by the blind old woman. However, Constable Ma thought this might be for the best, a calculating glint flashing in his eyes. If Zhan Feiyu offended the Zhan family and he offered his help, she would surely be grateful to him in the future. After she and Da Yong were engaged and married, she would definitely side with his family.