Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Luo Dachun returned in the afternoon. Since I was a witness at the scene, it was only natural for me to be called in.
As expected, Night Phantom's mission was to ascertain the cause of the Victim's death. Meanwhile, one of the other two had gone to the deceased's home to gather information, while the other spent the morning talking with Zhang Erlang.
What I wanted to know was what benefits Zhang Erlang could possibly gain if he were the one who committed the murder.
"Liuying, you are quite perceptive! This Zhang Erlang is definitely suspicious!" Luo Dachun said with a smile.
Luo Dachun visited the Zhang Family in his capacity as an official, which made it nearly impossible to uncover any deeper information. He brought some consolation gifts and expressed that, given such an incident, the local magistrate could not escape responsibility for negligence, so it was only right for him to come and offer condolences.
The news of the Eldest Son's death had already reached the Zhang Residence, causing chaos within the household. Fortunately, there were still several men in the family who managed to hold things together during this unfortunate time.
Luo Dachun was both eloquent and skilled in his performance. Of course, given such a tragedy, he likely felt some genuine sympathy in his heart. In any case, after some comforting words, he managed to move the Zhang Family deeply with just his speech, calming their emotions significantly. Through their conversation, he had already grasped a general understanding of the Zhang Family's situation.
The Zhang Family was the largest timber merchant in the county, with business extending to the provincial capital; they were undoubtedly a wealthy household. The head of the family, Zhang Yuanwai, had even donated to become an official during his tenure as magistrate and had been doing well in business ever since. Zhang Yuanwai had four sons and six daughters; they all lived harmoniously together.
What good is this information... it's utterly useless! I scoffed inwardly but couldn't show it on my face. I had to control my tone and softly said, "It seems that with such a harmonious family, there shouldn't be anything suspicious."
"Don't be hasty. While my official approach may not yield results, I naturally have someone infiltrate among the servants and kitchen staff to gather information that isn't heard in plain sight."
It turned out that Luo Dachun had sent someone else with consolation gifts into the kitchen and helped out for a while. As they chatted, some revealing remarks came out.
Zhang Yuanwai had one wife and four concubines; he had only one legitimate son—Zhang Dalang. This Zhang Dalang was gentle and frugal by nature and not very competitive, making him somewhat unsuitable for business. Therefore, when Zhang Erlang was still underage, he began assisting his father with business affairs. Zhang Erlang was clever and skilled at business; as he grew older, he managed to run the family business successfully and won his father's favor.
Unfortunately, Zhang Erlang's mother was of the lowest status among the concubines; she had come from a background of servitude. Although everyone appeared harmonious on the surface, there were underlying tensions.
"Don't be fooled by how close the Zhang brothers seem on the surface; in reality, there has been discord between Zhang Dalang and Zhang Erlang for quite some time. A servant attending to Erlang once overheard him cursing his elder brother to die early!"
"Could it be a conflict between legitimate and illegitimate heirs? But why would someone choose this moment to strike? Is it due to deep-seated grievances or…"
"I actually didn't get to see the master this time," Luo Dachun said slowly. "He is quite ill—very seriously so—and we can't let him know about this incident; otherwise, it would hasten his demise."
My heart lit up. With the master gravely ill, the question of who would take over the family business loomed ahead. The younger brothers were still too young to do anything. Although Zhang Erlang was capable, he was always overshadowed by his elder brother, the legitimate heir, making it a hurdle he could never surpass.
So, it would be best if the elder brother died now, before the father.
Perhaps this was the motive.
The story wasn't particularly exciting, nor did it have any unexpected twists. In general, the dark thoughts that dwell in one's heart tend to be like this; when greed takes over, one can do some crazy things. Wearing a mask of hypocrisy while committing unforgivable sins makes it even more detestable.
However, the Luo Dachun virus was still quite powerful; as I listened, my mind wandered once again.
"Brother Luo, you are in plain sight while your brother stays at the county office talking with Zhang Erlang. So, who is the one that infiltrated Zhang Residence and gathered so much information?" This question intrigued me even more than Zhang Erlang's murder motive itself.
"Heh heh, Liuying, you are indeed sharp and have discovered the crux of the matter! This has been something we’ve been quite proud of lately. Your brother found a talent in his official position at the county office and has brought him along to assist; he’s been very useful! This time, I borrowed him for this." Luo Dachun said proudly.
Is it him?
I immediately recalled the case file that Night Phantom had shown me a few days ago. Before we arrived at Yichuan County, an obscure constable had recorded an old case file that was remarkably impressive even by modern standards, successfully helping a scholar named Liu Danqing clear his name from wrongful imprisonment. If Night Phantom had already been promoted by Qiu and brought to his side, then Luo Dachun must be referring to him.
"By the way, I realized you haven't met him yet!" Luo Dachun suddenly realized and turned to shout outside, "Lin Jiu!"
The door creaked open slightly; the sound was very soft as the person stepped in quietly. I looked at the newcomer in surprise; he wore a standard constable uniform but had an unusually delicate face for a man. He was quite young, only slightly older than me, slender in build and appeared rather fragile.
Lin Jiu glanced at me and hesitated for a moment before politely bowing and saying, "Greetings, Sister Liu Ying."
"We haven't met before, have we? How do you know I'm Ye Liuhui?" I asked in astonishment.
Lin Jiu lowered his head shyly and smiled, revealing two shallow dimples: "There’s also Sister Melan; I’ve already met her."
Implying that he was well aware of who accompanied the new official showed he was perceptive.
As a top student encountering another top student often breeds mutual admiration; I couldn't help but praise him: "Your documentation is simply exquisite; you truly are a rare talent. My brother is fortunate to have your assistance."
As the words fell, everyone was left in confusion, while I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. In my moment of excitement, I completely forgot that I shouldn't have seen any of the documents he had recorded.
"I... I've actually heard a lot about your reputation. You're quite capable, and well, your records are impressive," I stammered, struggling to find my words.
In such an awkward situation, I wished fervently that Nie Qiuyuan wasn't there. But he seemed lost in thought, not paying attention to my bizarre ramblings, and instead managed to steer the conversation elsewhere.
"I spoke with Zhang Erlang today for a while. He truly is sharp; not a single flaw slipped through his words. What we lack now is evidence," Nie Qiuyuan said calmly.
"My lord, there's something I wonder if I should mention," Lin Jiu said, lifting his head with a hint of hesitation.
"Feel free to speak your mind; there's no need for such reservations."
It seemed Lin Jiu always spoke so politely.
"When I infiltrated Zhang Residence, the information I gathered made me feel that Zhang Erlang... seems to have a strong belief in the Demon God!" Lin Jiu remarked.
Believing in the Demon God? To think that someone would still commit such heinous acts! The malice within humans is indeed terrifying.
However, this was certainly a line of thought worth pursuing; I assumed my brothers had already grasped the implication.
Comment 0 Comment Count