Master Fu was actually indifferent to the cause of Fu Langhuan's death. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. Even though she was his beloved youngest daughter, she would eventually be married off. Master Fu's focus was on his sons who would carry on the family line.
Of course, if Fu Langhuan had truly married Yang Xu, even as a concubine, Master Fu and the Fu family would have treated her with utmost reverence, as if she were an ancestral spirit. There would be no question of "a married daughter is like spilled water."
However, Fu Langhuan's tragic death had also brought unknown dangers and troubles to the Fu family. Master Fu even harbored some resentment towards his deceased daughter lying in the coffin.
Upon hearing the coroner's words, Master Fu's eyes gleamed, and he immediately said, "Lord Zhu, according to Coroner Tao's findings, the perpetrator who harmed my daughter is someone else. In that case, Miss Zhou is also an innocent victim."
Magistrate Zhu stroked his beard and nodded with a composed demeanor. He glanced at the relieved Master Fu, a look of disdain and contempt appearing on his fleshy face.
Even though both young ladies had been drugged, leading to their delirium and even madness, the bedroom doors and windows had been tightly shut. Ultimately, it was Miss Zhou who had strangled Fu Langhuan. With Master Fu's current grateful attitude, did he intend to go to the Zhou family to apologize?
Regardless of his inner contempt for the merchant Master Fu, Magistrate Zhu also wished to conclude the case as quickly as possible. Adopting an official air, he declared, "Although Coroner Tao identified the Gui Cao, there is absolutely no clue as to who administered the drug. It will be difficult to find the real culprit."
"Lord Zhu, my daughter's tragic death grieves me deeply. My elderly parents have fallen ill upon hearing the devastating news," Master Fu said, bowing to Magistrate Zhu and feigning grief. "I implore Lord Zhu to permit me to bury my daughter first, so she may rest in peace."
Master Fu wished for this case to become a cold case, never to be solved, so that the Fu family would not have to worry about offending someone they could not afford to offend.
Beneath the tree outside the courtyard, Zhan Feiyu listened to Master Fu and Magistrate Zhu, her eyes filled with immense mockery and coldness. They said a tiger wouldn't eat its cubs, but Master Fu was worse than a beast.
Sensing the icy chill in the young girl's clear eyes, Yin Wuyan reached out and gently stroked her head. Having spent many years in the Imperial Dragon Guard, Yin Wuyan had witnessed too many scenes of such familial discord.
Casting a cold glance at the obsequious Master Fu, Yin Wuyan was certain that if Magistrate Zhu granted permission for the burial, the Fu family, to eliminate any future trouble, would not bury Fu Langhuan at all but would instead burn her to ashes.
Later, if anyone investigated the case, with no body to be found, the Fu family could escape unscathed. A dead daughter was far less important to the Fu family and their wealth than themselves.
Magistrate Zhu also understood Master Fu's eagerness for the burial. He glanced at Zhan Feiyu, who was not objecting, and then said, "Very well, take advantage of these clear days and let the young lady be laid to rest."
"Thank you, Lord Zhu, for your consideration. I am deeply grateful," Master Fu said, suppressing his inner joy and bowing to Magistrate Zhu again.
If it weren't for the presence of Zhan Feiyu and Yin Wuyan, Master Fu would have definitely slipped Magistrate Zhu some silver as a token of his gratitude. However, there was no rush. He could personally visit the county office in a few days. Magistrate Zhu was incompetent and greedy, and Master Fu had no shortage of money.
A moment later, outside the Fu family's main gate, the gathered onlookers had not all dispersed.
With a murder case occurring so close to the New Year, and the victim being the Fu family's daughter, with the yamen even opening the coffin for examination, it was no wonder the people of Xiangwu County were curious, preferring to endure the cold wind rather than leave.
"Miss Zhan, I still have official duties to attend to at the yamen, so I will not escort you back," Magistrate Zhu said with a fawning smile. The thought of Qiu Zongxi's fiery temper made Magistrate Zhu absolutely unwilling to disturb him.
Moreover, even with the coroner's examination, there were still many subsequent issues to handle, and Magistrate Zhu indeed had a lot of work to do back at the yamen.
Master Fu and the male members of the Fu family, who were seeing them off, walked at the very back. Seeing Magistrate Zhu's obsequious and flattering attitude, they exchanged glances. It was a pity that Langhuan was dead. Otherwise, if they could have befriended this young lady, it would have brought countless benefits to the Fu family.
Thinking of Fu Langhuan's three nephews, the eldest being eleven and the youngest eight, their ages were also suitable for Zhan Feiyu. Moreover, the family had hired tutors to educate them. If a good marriage could be arranged, the Fu family might even be able to change its fortunes.
But the thought of Fu Langhuan being dead meant the Fu family had no way to curry favor with anyone. Not only was Master Fu lamenting in secret, but Fu Langhuan's brothers and uncles also wore looks of disappointment, regretting that Fu Langhuan had died at such an inopportune time, thus cutting off the Fu family's path to prosperity.
"Lord Zhu is busy with official matters. I can return on my own," Zhan Feiyu replied politely.
The results of the autopsy had come out. Fu Langhuan had indeed died of suffocation, strangled. There were no other fatal injuries on her body, so Zhou Shuyao was undoubtedly the murderer.
Of course, if she hadn't been drugged with a large amount of Gui Cao, she wouldn't have committed the murder. Zhan Feiyu's current concern was who had administered the drug.
"My Lord, something has happened..." Just as a group of people exited the Fu family's main gate, a constable ran over like a madman, slipping and falling to the ground with a thud.
Seeing the constable fall face-first, Magistrate Zhu kicked him angrily, "You useless disgrace! Get up quickly!"
"My Lord, it's bad news." The constable ignored the pain and dared not get up from the ground. He tilted his head up and reported to Magistrate Zhu with a mournful face, "Miss Zhou is dead!"
"What did you say?" Magistrate Zhu's voice suddenly rose, as if he had been struck by lightning.
Fu Langhuan's death was one thing; she was merely the daughter of a merchant. If the Fu family hadn't tried to scheme against the soon-to-be reinstated General's mansion, Fu Langhuan wouldn't have been involved and wouldn't have suffered this misfortune.
But Zhou Shuyao was dead! Magistrate Zhu's scalp was about to explode. With consecutive deaths occurring in his jurisdiction, this time it was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Zhou family, the niece of Assistant Magistrate Zhang.
Magistrate Zhu abandoned all pretense of official dignity and authority. He bent down, grabbed the constable by his collar, and roared hysterically, "Tell me clearly, who is dead?"
"My Lord, Miss Zhou is dead," the constable repeated. They had followed the Lord's orders to guard the別院 (biéyuàn - separate residence/villa). Although they were all frozen like dogs, it was the Zhou family's eldest daughter.
Magistrate Zhu didn't even dare to bring the person back to the yamen. They, the minor constables, could only guard the別院 from the outside to maintain appearances. But who would have thought that Miss Zhou would slit her own throat? It was said that blood had sprayed all over the wall.
Zhan Feiyu was also stunned. She turned to Yin Wuyan and asked, "Big Brother, Zhou Shuyao is dead?"
Yin Wuyan was also unsure. He said coldly, "Let's go and see."
Magistrate Zhu, unable to care about anything else, quickly got into his sedan chair and rushed to the Zhang family's別院. The thought of Zhou Shuyao being dead made Magistrate Zhu wish he could resign immediately and flee.
After this incident, Magistrate Zhu decided to visit a temple and offer more incense money.
...
The Zhang family's別院 was already surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. Zhang Minxian and Zhang Minhua were both inside, and the servants were in a state of panic. Naturally, no one came out to disperse the gathered crowd.
Fortunately, the few constables stationed nearby dared not enter, fearing the wrath of Assistant Magistrate Zhang. They were diligently maintaining order outside the gate.
"I heard the deceased was the murderer?" A passerby, standing in a sheltered spot, craned their neck to look towards the別院, proudly showing off their well-informed status to those around them.
Indeed, a plump auntie, rubbing her frozen hands, couldn't help but ask, "What murderer? Big brother, what exactly happened?"
"Yes, little brother, tell us," the people next to her chimed in. This別院 looked extremely exquisite. The stone drums at the entrance, the towering walls, and the eaves visible through the treetops – this was the residence of a wealthy family.
After piquing the curiosity of everyone around, the bearded man finally spoke, "Don't you know about the murder case that has occurred in the county town these past few days?"
"I know that. I heard that the Fu family's daughter died of a sudden illness," someone interjected. In this freezing weather, even if one lived in the county town, they wouldn't go out unless necessary. Upon going out, they heard someone say the Fu family's daughter had died.
Of course, some also said the Fu family's daughter was murdered by evildoers, while others claimed she had encountered a flower thief. There were all sorts of rumors. The neighbor to the east had one version, and the neighbor to the west had another. Ordinary people took it as a bit of amusement. As for how the person actually died, they didn't know.
"I'll tell you," the bearded man said, pointing his finger at the別院 not far away. His thick, long finger looked strong and powerful, and the tiger's mouth had a thick layer of calluses.
However, as everyone else was straining their ears to listen to gossip, no one noticed that the bearded man's hands looked different from those of ordinary men. Those calluses were from years of gripping a knife.
"The Fu family's daughter was murdered, and the murderer is someone from this別院. And she committed suicide to avoid punishment." As soon as this inside information was revealed, the surrounding people were stunned for a moment before erupting into a clamor of murmurs.
The plump auntie couldn't help but say, "It's almost the end of the year, and two young girls have died consecutively. My heavens, they're deliberately preventing us from having a good new year."
"As the old saying goes, if the King of Hell wants you to die at the third watch, he won't let you live past the fifth. Anyone who is meant to die dies before the New Year. If they survive past the New Year, they won't die," an old woman in the corner muttered.
The onlookers all nodded in agreement. Those with seriously ill elders at home believed this saying even more, as most would die before the New Year and not drag it out until after.
"I heard that the Fu family's daughter was still a young girl," said a soft-hearted woman.
If it were an adult, with some enmity or grievance, it would be normal for a life to be lost. But a young girl who hadn't reached her coming-of-age ceremony, only ten years old, at most they would have a few arguments. How could it lead to a death?
The bearded man sighed, "Yes, I heard the killer was also a young girl. These officials are different from us common folk. They disregard human life at the slightest provocation. They've killed countless indentured maids and servants in their homes."
At these words, many felt a pang of sorrow. That's why they said the rich were unbenevolent.
Because many people were gathered on the road, the carriage moved slowly. Zhan Feiyu, sitting in the carriage, frowned upon hearing the discussions outside, "This news is spreading too quickly."
Here, Zhou Shuyao had just died, her body was still warm, but the news of her suicide to avoid punishment had spread throughout the streets and alleys.
"It should be aimed at Yang Xu," Yin Wuyan had received news when he was at the Fu family. Yang Xu had gone to the別院, but with He Sheng accompanying him, Yin Wuyan hadn't paid much attention.
But now, with Zhou Shuyao's death, the conspiracy was self-evident.
Yin Wuyan was even certain that if He Sheng hadn't been accompanying him, there might have been another locked-room murder case, with Zhou Shuyao as the victim and Yang Xu as the killer.
Zhan Feiyu nodded. The Yang family had not yet been reinstated, and these hidden forces were already desperately attacking Yang Xu. If Yang Xu were ruined, even if the General's mansion were reinstated, there would be no successor. Those loyal to the Yang family might waver and be easily swayed.
Zhan Feiyu's identity was known to the Zhang family's servants, so they did not stop her. Instead, they led Zhan Feiyu and the others towards the rear courtyard where the incident had occurred.
From a distance, they could hear mournful cries. Zhan Feiyu recalled her visit to the Fu family. Even though a mourning hall had been set up, it was merely for show to the living. Few were truly saddened by Fu Langhuan's death.
But listening to Zhang Minhua's heartfelt cries now, Zhan Feiyu also felt a heavy sadness in her heart. They said misfortune should not befall children. Zhou Shuyao, despite her arrogance and assertiveness, was like Fu Langhuan, merely an innocent victim caught in the crossfire and losing her life.
"Miss Zhan?" Zhang Minxian, having been informed by a servant, hurried out. Her eyes were red, indicating she was trying hard to suppress her emotions.
Zhan Feiyu offered the most pale and powerless words of comfort, "Lord Zhang, please accept my condolences."
"Shuyao..." Zhang Minxian was naturally a taciturn, stubborn, and even somewhat aloof person. But at this moment, her throat was hoarse, and she couldn't finish her sentence, only managing to tilt her head slightly, forcing back the stinging tears that welled up in her eyes.
After a moment, having regained some composure, Zhang Minxian said, "I have lost my composure. Miss Zhan, please come this way."
As for Yin Wuyan, even without knowing his identity, his presence beside Zhan Feiyu and their extremely close relationship indicated that he was of considerable standing.
However, Yin Wuyan's aloof and noble demeanor, which kept people at a distance, made Zhang Minxian hesitant to inquire about his identity. She could only entertain Zhan Feiyu, treating him as if he weren't there.
The small reception hall was only a few rooms away from Zhou Shuyao's bedroom, so the sound of Zhang Minhua's mournful cries could still be heard.
The servants of the Zhang and Zhou families were well-trained. Despite such a major incident, the small hall still had charcoal braziers, and maids brought tea. However, the tea lacked its usual fragrant aroma due to the improper brewing.
"I went to the Fu family with Magistrate Zhu earlier and heard the constable's report," Zhan Feiyu explained briefly, assuming Lord Zhang was aware of Magistrate Zhu's decision to open the coffin for examination.
Originally, the autopsy results would have been more favorable to Zhou Shuyao. Her sudden suicide at this time, in such a tragic manner, by cutting the veins in her neck with sharp scissors, was concerning.
Thinking of the rumors outside about her suicide to avoid punishment, Zhan Feiyu's eyes turned colder. These people were too eager to shape public opinion.