"This..."
Though aware it had nothing to do with her, after so many similar incidents, Lin Qingge couldn't help but suspect if she truly possessed some supernatural ability.
"My lord, your power seems to grow stronger with each passing day~
Whenever a murder occurs, they all vanish in batches!"
"Hmph, if I truly possessed such ability, I would send Master Hua away myself in the first instance!"
Upon hearing this, Hua Jinrong feigned sorrow and said:
"My lord, I have accompanied you on this journey. Even if I haven't earned merit, I have at least endured hardship. How can you bear to..."
"Enough!
Have someone move Yin Tao's body to the funeral parlor and keep it under strict guard.
Also, the blockade on Jubao Zhai can be lifted. However, before everyone leaves, have them register their names and addresses with the authorities.
Furthermore, bring Qin Han and Constable Yan along."
"Yes, my lord~"
Because Lin Moyuan had overexerted himself earlier, worsening his already nearly healed internal injuries, Lin Qingge had sent him back to rest.
Lin Moyuan refused. Leng Ningyue, who seemed displeased, didn't say a word and directly drew her dagger, holding it to his neck.
However, Lin Moyuan was not angry. Instead, he looked as if he was extremely honored, saying, 'I knew you cared about me, you were worried about me.'
Feeling that this fellow was seriously ill, and quite severely so, Lin Qingge quickly rushed forward and, before Leng Ningyue lost control and struck a killing blow, forcibly pulled him away.
"I say, Madam, even if it's for Mo'er, please keep him with you for a while longer."
Upon hearing Lin Qingge's words, Leng Ningyue snorted displeasedly: "It's not as if their family is completely wiped out.
Aside from those few who are neither good-looking nor useful, isn't there still the Tenth Prince?"
Hua Jinrong, eavesdropping intently, walked forward fanning himself and cheerfully ordered:
"An Yi, hurry and escort our Master back to rest!
If our Master loses even a single strand of hair, you will be held responsible!"
Lin Moyuan: ...
An Yi: ...
Soon, Lin Qingge and her entourage arrived at Steward Li's mansion.
Using Yan Tinghao's identity as the Zhennan King, Lin Qingge, personally welcomed by the Jingzhou county magistrate, swaggered through the gates of Steward Li's mansion.
"Where is the deceased, Steward Li, at this moment?"
"Replying to this lord, my master passed away in his study."
The speaker was Steward Wen, the butler of Steward Li's mansion.
Thus, led by Butler Wen, everyone arrived at the study.
To their surprise, the space behind the desk was empty.
Lin Qingge peered around curiously.
It turned out that a warm chamber for resting had been set up beside the study, and a figure could vaguely be seen within.
Upon approaching, Lin Qingge saw Steward Li lying on the couch, utterly devoid of breath.
Before Lin Qingge could give any orders, Qin Han stepped forward to examine the body.
As Steward Li had no bleeding external wounds, Yan Tinghao, having recovered from his bouts of vomiting, surprisingly participated in the investigation.
Lin Qingge ordered him to gather everyone in Steward Li's mansion, dismissed the obstructing Jingzhou county magistrate and yamen runners to help maintain order, and then had Hua Jinrong interrogate them one by one.
She and Leng Ningyue remained to examine the scene.
"A discovery here!"
Leng Ningyue suddenly exclaimed. Lin Qingge quickly walked over and, mimicking Leng Ningyue's posture, crouched down.
She spotted what seemed to be a tiny, semi-transparent object beneath the bookshelf. It didn't look like debris and faintly carried a hint of crimson.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a broken fingernail!
"Uncle-in-law, when will you fulfill the promise you made to me last time?"
Before the speaker arrived, his voice preceded him.
A young man clad in embroidered silk robes burst into the study. Upon seeing the unfamiliar man and woman within, he paused for a moment before asking with an unfriendly tone:
"Who are you? Why are you in my uncle-in-law's study?"
Clearly, this person had just returned from outside and had missed the assembly.
Lin Qingge took out a clean handkerchief and quickly picked up the broken fingernail, wrapping it carefully.
Having done so, she smoothed her not-so-disheveled clothes and proudly lifted her chin:
"Hmph, who is this insignificant nobody that dares to inquire about my name?"
Indeed, seeing many yamen runners in the courtyard upon arrival, the man mistakenly thought a high-ranking official had visited and quickly cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your student, Xing Wanli, greets Your Lordship!"
"Student?
Are you of scholarly status?"
Lin Qingge scrutinised Xing Wanli from head to toe.
Although this person was dressed in finery, he had a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks, and his demeanor was restless, lacking any of the refined air of a scholar, hence her question.
"Reporting to Your Lordship, your student was a successful candidate in the provincial examinations."
Xing Wanli replied, looking up, his brow furrowed with pride.
"Juren?"
Concealing the doubt in her eyes, Lin Qingge clenched one hand into a fist, covered her mouth, and coughed softly, saying:
"I ask you, what is your relationship with Steward Li?"
"Replying to Your Lordship, Steward Li's wife is my aunt."
"Then what was it that Steward Li promised you that you just mentioned?"
"This—"
Xing Wanli opened his mouth, but for a long time, he couldn't articulate anything.
At this moment, Qin Han, having finished examining the body, approached and reported:
"Reporting to Your Lordship, Steward Li's time of death was approximately between the second刻 of midday and the first刻 of late afternoon. There were no external injuries on the body, and the cause of death should be attributed to sudden cardiac arrest."
"I can understand sudden cardiac arrest...
But what do you mean by 'should be'?"
Lin Qingge seized upon the contradiction in Qin Han's statement.
"Replying to Your Lordship, the symptoms displayed by Steward Li's body are indeed very similar to sudden cardiac arrest, commonly known as heart disease.
However, what I find strange is that this illness often strikes suddenly. The patient abruptly loses consciousness, collapses, and stops breathing, followed by a change in complexion from pale to cyanotic, and their limbs grow cold.
But Steward Li was lying on the couch as if he had been prepared for it, which is highly irregular."
"You mean to say that Steward Li knew he would experience an episode and lay down on his bed... to await death?"
Lin Qingge felt it was a bit far-fetched even as she said it.
But Qin Han nodded affirmatively, "My lord, given the deceased's condition, this should be the case."
"Then, according to this, Steward Li died suddenly due to a relapse of his heart condition, and it was not a murder?"
Leng Ningyue stated the crucial point, as 'homicide' and 'suicide' were entirely different concepts.
"Wait, what are you saying? My uncle-in-law is dead?"
Xing Wanli, realizing the situation belatedly, widened his mouth, his eyes filled with disbelief.
After a moment, he murmured to himself:
"Impossible! Uncle-in-law promised to meet me today, how could he have died inexplicably?"
"Xing Wanli, do you know if Steward Li suffered from heart disease during his lifetime?"
"Replying to Your Lordship, your student does not know!"
Xing Wanli shook his head mechanically, then suddenly slapped his forehead:
"Right, Uncle-in-law was injured when he was young, which left him with a chronic ailment. Perhaps..."
He trailed off at this point, suddenly silencing himself.
Lin Qingge's eyes sharpened, and she continued to press:
"Injured? Where was he injured? When did it happen?"
"This—"
Xing Wanli's expression flickered. He hesitated to speak, then stopped, appearing deeply regretful, as if he was extremely vexed by his own careless remark.