In the study, Zhan Feiyu, who was reviewing her homework, had no idea that something had happened to Zhan Laoda on the very first day the results were posted.
In the main hall of the front courtyard, He Nuan placed the tea on the table. “Constable Zhao, please wait a moment. Miss will be here shortly.”
“Thank you, miss,” Constable Zhao said quickly, his gaze anxiously scanning towards the door.
However, upon thinking that Zhan Feiyu now owned such a refined small farm, he figured she must have truly apprenticed herself to Scholar Gu Daxue. With this thought, Constable Zhao’s worries subsided.
Zhan Feiyu put down her book and hurried over. She planned to return to Jinlin Village after the county examination results were posted, so she was staying at the manor for a few days. She hadn’t expected any trouble.
“Xiao Yu,” Constable Zhao said, immediately getting up to greet her upon seeing Zhan Feiyu.
The two were quite familiar with each other. Constable Zhao quickly recounted Feng Er’s situation. “Constable Fei initially believed Feng Er died of a heart attack. He didn’t expect there to be bruises on his body from a struggle.”
“He snatched my mother’s money pouch, and my father got into a fight with Feng Er. Feng Er was found dead in his house by a neighbor this morning?” Zhan Feiyu’s eyes turned icy, and an aura of killing intent permeated her.
If this matter were directed at her, Zhan Feiyu wouldn’t be particularly angry; it would simply be a matter of meeting force with force.
However, the mastermind had implicated Zhan Laoda and Li Shi. A playful smile appeared on Zhan Feiyu’s fair, rosy cheeks, and her voice rose slightly. “So, you’re saying my father will be charged with accidental killing?”
Looking at the smiling Zhan Feiyu, Constable Zhao inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine. Why did her smile feel so eerie?
“Lord Chen said that Xiao Yu has been adopted out, so this matter won’t affect you much,” Constable Zhao quickly added. It was fortunate she had been adopted out; otherwise, it would indeed be a big problem.
Zhan Feiyu frowned in thought. This matter was definitely aimed at her. “I’ll go to the county yamen with you.”
“Lord and Constable Fei went to Feng Er’s house. After the murder, Lord Chen sent me over. I don’t know the specific details,” Constable Zhao said, having come in a hurry and only knowing the general situation.
West Street, Gourd Alley, led directly to Feng Er’s home, which was actually just two dilapidated huts on the verge of collapse. Previously, they had been the woodsheds for the neighboring household. No one knew what methods Feng Er had used to acquire them, half by force and half by purchase.
“Constable Zhao, you go in first. I’ll avoid the crowd and enter from the back of the house.” Zhan Feiyu’s suggestion was met with an understanding nod from Constable Zhao.
He Sheng, driving the carriage, circled around and stopped beside Feng Er’s two dilapidated huts.
After alighting from the carriage, He Sheng was about to help Zhan Feiyu climb over the wall into Feng Er’s house when he saw Zhan Feiyu suddenly take a few steps back.
Estimating the height of the wall, Zhan Feiyu used her momentum to run, kicked off the wall with her right foot, and as her body leaped upwards, her hands immediately braced on the top of the wall. With a graceful leap, she flipped over the wall.
“Who’s there!” a furious shout erupted simultaneously. Constable Fei immediately stepped in front of Magistrate Chen, drawing his saber with a whoosh.
Zhan Feiyu, who had landed after flipping over the wall, met Magistrate Chen’s stunned expression and couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. “My lord, this student has offended you.”
“You?” Magistrate Chen looked at the wall. It wasn’t particularly high, but Zhan Feiyu was small. Her agility was remarkable.
Constable Fei sheathed his saber. Magistrate Chen, a scholar, only saw that Zhan Feiyu’s movements were quick and agile. However, Constable Fei, a martial artist, saw something more. The moment Zhan Feiyu landed, her stance was very stable. She had clearly been trained, and for at least several years.
“Don’t be reckless next time!” Magistrate Chen said, but he didn’t reprimand her. “Since you’re here, come in and take a look.”
“Yes.” Zhan Feiyu surveyed the dilapidated courtyard.
The courtyard was piled with杂物 (miscellaneous items). To the left was a kitchen, its door hanging precariously. It was evident that Feng Er rarely entered the kitchen.
The adjacent room was Feng Er’s living space. Even though the weather was still quite cold, the room exuded a musty odor. A table and two chairs were covered in dirt. On the table were unwashed bowls and an empty wine pot.
The quilt on the bed looked quite thick, but it was clearly rarely aired out, and the quilt cover was covered in dark stains.
Shoes that emitted a foot odor were casually tossed in front of the bed. Two long benches were placed at the foot of the bed, holding a large wooden chest, likely Feng Er’s wardrobe. It was truly a case of "家徒四壁" (a home with bare walls, meaning utterly destitute).
Magistrate Chen and Constable Fei watched as Zhan Feiyu calmly surveyed the room. This was hardly like a nine-year-old girl. Even the constables from the yamen would show some disdain upon entering this room that reeked of mildew, odor, and decay.
“My lord, I heard from Constable Zhao that Feng Er was a habitual thief with a severe heart condition,” Zhan Feiyu estimated that the body had already been sent back to the yamen. After all, he had been dead for three days, and even in the current weather, the body might have begun to decompose.
After Magistrate Chen nodded, Constable Fei began to explain in detail to Zhan Feiyu. “Feng Er was likely abandoned on the streets of Shangsi County when he was about four years old. Later, he was taken in by a beggar. When he was ten, the beggar died of illness, and Feng Er began to engage in swindling and deception to support himself. Later, he learned to steal and made a living from it. Because he had a heart condition, even when caught by the victim, he didn’t dare to retaliate.”
The heart condition was like a life-saving charm. Feng Er relied on it to establish himself in Shangsi County. Even local ruffians didn’t dare to provoke him much. Fighting and brawling were one thing, but causing a death would be troublesome.
“My mother is quite alert, so it’s not surprising she discovered Feng Er stealing her money pouch. But how was my father able to catch Feng Er?” Zhan Feiyu voiced her doubts.
Although Zhan Laoda had strength, his reaction time wasn’t that fast. Feng Er, on the other hand, was a habitual thief and was certainly familiar with the terrain, making it easy to evade Zhan Laoda’s pursuit.
Magistrate Chen nodded in agreement. Since Feng Er made a living by stealing, his greatest skill was undoubtedly escaping.
Magistrate Chen had also met Zhan Laoda; he was just a simple, honest farmer. By the time he reacted, Feng Er would have long since fled, easily shaking him off by taking a few turns.
“Feng Er ran into a dead end, which is how your father managed to corner him,” Constable Fei replied.
There was nothing suspicious in Feng Er’s room. Constable Fei changed into plain clothes and then led Magistrate Chen and Zhan Feiyu to the scene of the incident.
“Your subordinate asked Zhan Wencheng. After Zhan Laoda and Li Shi saw the posted results, they planned to go to the cloth shop on West Street to buy fabric,” Constable Fei said, standing at an intersection. Turning right ahead and passing through an alley would lead to West Street.
“Please lead the way, Constable Fei. I’d like to see that dead-end alley,” Zhan Feiyu said, looking around. Passersby occasionally walked by, and there were several shops not far away. Finding eyewitnesses wouldn’t be difficult.
A moment later, Constable Fei led Zhan Feiyu and Magistrate Chen to the alley.
Zhan Feiyu calculated the time. It took less than half a stick of incense to run from the intersection to this alley. Feng Er, with his heart condition, couldn’t run fast, so it would be at most three to four minutes.
“Xiao Yu, have you figured anything out?” Magistrate Chen asked Zhan Feiyu, with a hint of testing in his gaze.
More than academic talent, Magistrate Chen valued Zhan Feiyu’s thinking and judgment when encountering people and events, her ability to get to the heart of an issue rather than blindly studying and becoming a bookworm.
“When we were coming over just now, I noticed that the alley to the left, as it turns, seemed to lead to a residential area,” Zhan Feiyu said, turning to look towards the front left. West Street had many shops, but compared to the exorbitant prices on East Street, the goods on West Street were definitely good value for money.
West Street was also home to many people. Because their families were not wealthy, their houses were not large. Houses stood in continuous rows, and the small alleys were intricate. If one were not a resident, they would likely get lost.
“After Feng Er stole the money pouch, this would have been the best place to escape,” Zhan Feiyu stated her first doubt.
Turning into the alley leading to the residential area on the left would be like a fish entering the sea. No matter how slowly Feng Er ran, he could have easily shaken off Zhan Laoda pursuing him.
Zhan Feiyu added, “If he continued running forward, he would enter West Street. There are many shops there, many small carts selling goods, and even more passersby. It would have been easy to hide.”
The most prosperous street in Shangsi County was East Street, but the liveliest was West Street. Zhan Feiyu knew this situation, and Feng Er, the habitual thief, couldn’t possibly not know it. Yet, he had run into this dead-end alley and been cornered by Zhan Laoda.
“Magistrate Chen, if Feng Er’s death was a setup, then there must have been a problem on both of those routes at the time, forcing Feng Er to run into this dead end in a panic,” Zhan Feiyu said. She still didn’t know who the mastermind was, especially since Feng Er was already dead, and the clues were broken.
However, if someone had deliberately cornered Feng Er into a dead end, then whether it was the alley leading to the residential area or the intersection leading to West Street, there must have been an issue. This, conversely, could be the breakthrough to solving the case.
“My lord, I will immediately send people to investigate secretly,” Constable Fei couldn’t help but marvel at Zhan Feiyu’s intelligence. Even he hadn’t thought so deeply.
“Go, but don’t alert the snake,” Magistrate Chen signaled Constable Fei to leave. After all, three days had passed since the incident. If they didn’t hurry, the clues might be lost.
There were still three more exams in the county examination. Although Zhan Feiyu could directly participate in the prefectural examination, it was not appropriate for her to appear in public with Magistrate Chen, the chief examiner.
After bidding farewell to Magistrate Chen, Zhan Feiyu planned to return to Jinlin Village. As she lifted the curtain of the carriage, a slender hand reached out from inside.
Zhan Feiyu grinned and placed her chubby paw into Yin Wuyan’s hand, using his strength to board the carriage. “Big brother, why are you here?”
Yin Wuyan placed a hand warmer into Zhan Feiyu’s hand. “Are there any clues?”
“Feng Er’s death is full of peculiarities, but there are no useful clues. Magistrate Chen has already asked Constable Fei to investigate secretly,” Zhan Feiyu said, her round eyes looking at Yin Wuyan. Her thick, dark eyelashes blinked like fans, exuding an indescribable cunning and intelligence. “Big brother, actually, it doesn’t matter if there are clues or not.”
Seeing the little girl with her chin held high and a smug expression, a smile flickered in Yin Wuyan’s eyes. He followed her lead and asked, “What do you plan to do?”
“Pull the rug out from under them!” Zhan Feiyu declared decisively, acting as proud as a little wildcat that had stolen fish. “Feng Er had a severe heart condition, and he had no relatives or friends. Even if he died, it wouldn’t cause any ripples. As long as Magistrate Chen treats Feng Er’s death as a normal death, I’d like to see what the mastermind can do!”
Zhan Feiyu intended to act shamelessly!
Even if Feng Er’s death was related to Zhan Laoda, without any relatives to file a complaint, as long as the county yamen directly ruled it as a death from a heart attack, the mastermind’s prior arrangements would be in vain.
“Since the mastermind set up this scheme, they naturally have a counter-move,” Yin Wuyan said in a deep voice.
“The more you do, the more mistakes you make! Feng Er is dead. If someone impersonates his family and files a complaint with the yamen, Magistrate Chen will catch them red-handed! If the mastermind doesn’t act, and only spreads the news of Feng Er’s death.”
Zhan Feiyu giggled. “Feng Er was a habitual thief, and the people of Shangsi County detested him. Let alone the mastermind not having concrete evidence to accuse, even if they did, how many people would believe it?”
Yin Wuyan unceremoniously poked the little girl’s smooth forehead and said coldly, “This is a last resort. Think of something else.”
Zhan Feiyu, who had been so proud moments ago, instantly deflated. She tilted her head and looked at Yin Wuyan pitifully. “I can’t think of anything. My brain is only good for studying.”
In essence, Zhan Feiyu was indeed not a pushover. If someone dared to harm her, she would definitely chop off their claws without hesitation!
However, when it came to her actively setting traps and harming others, Zhan Feiyu felt her brain wasn’t enough. She was a passive defense type and not good at active offense.
“Big brother, can you give me a hint?” Zhan Feiyu reached out and tugged on Yin Wuyan’s sleeve obsequiously.
He took her hand, which was playfully fiddling with his sleeve, and found it soft, like a small ball of cotton. Yin Wuyan’s heart softened. “Whether it was Mao Zhengfeng framing you for hiding crib notes in your examination cell, or Feng Er’s death, it seemed like it would lead to your utter ruin. In reality, as long as Chen Weibin favors you, it can be resolved.”
“Hmm, it is indeed malicious, but the plan is not thorough enough, and it doesn’t show much understanding of officialdom,” Zhan Feiyu agreed and nodded. She suddenly remembered something and smiled. “No, the other party might have thought that Magistrate Chen is upright and incorruptible and would never bend the law. In that case, these two plans would indeed succeed.”
If it were an inflexible, pedantic, and stubborn magistrate, since Mao Zhengfeng had made the accusation, he would definitely search the examination cell. Feng Er had bruises from a struggle, and someone had witnessed Zhan Laoda and Feng Er fighting, so Zhan Laoda would be a suspect of murder.
Her eyes suddenly widened. Zhan Feiyu looked at Yin Wuyan inquiringly. “Big brother, could this be the work of an inner-chamber lady? Is it Qin Shi?”
Ordinary commoners had limited access to information. Their understanding of Magistrate Chen came from rumors. However, ordinary people didn’t have the means to bribe Mao Zhengfeng, nor did they have the money to meticulously plan Feng Er’s death.
Wealthy individuals were usually merchants. However, merchants were generally shrewd and cunning. Zhan Feiyu had previously dealt with Sun Fu, the younger brother of Tong Tongzhi, who was the largest merchant in Nanxuan Prefecture. With this precedent, absolutely no merchant would dare to scheme against Zhan Feiyu.
Furthermore, Zhan Feiyu had not offended any merchants. And rumor had it that the Xiangyizhi shop, which was making a fortune nowadays, had some connection with Zhan Feiyu’s teacher. Many good merchants…
With this elimination, only Qin Shi remained. Feeling wronged, Zhan Feiyu asked in confusion, “Is she trying to get revenge for Wan Yunhao? But Wan Yunhao was poisoned by Liu Jian!”