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Yu Yan knelt down slowly, leaning over to examine Xue Cen's corpse with a focused and sharp gaze. Noticing the disheveled cuffs of his trousers, a subtle smile crept onto his lips as he gently removed Xue Cen's boots, his movements careful and deliberate. Indeed, there was dust on Xue Cen's white socks!
Nodding slightly, Yu Yan ordered the body to be prepared for burial and summoned all the civil and military officials in the residence.
After a round of identification, among the numerous officials present, only four military officers had not witnessed the fight between Lin Quan and Luo Zuo. They were General Zhao Yuan, Liang Zheng, Hu Guang, and Vice Minister of War Sun Guozheng, along with Qianzong Liao Shujun.
General Liang's eyes flickered as he claimed that he had been sleeping in his room during the brawl, with a maid fanning him as a witness. Commander Lin remained calm and stated that he was bathing, with the guards at the door able to confirm his alibi. Deputy Minister Sun spoke with a composed demeanor, saying he had been playing the guqin in his room; though no one was present, someone passing by had heard the music. Only Liao Qian openly stated that he had been feeding horses in the stable, with no one to see him.
Yu Yan's sharp gaze fixed on him as he asked, "Does a dignified commander really need to feed horses himself?"
Liao Shujun smiled in response, "My horse Lei Lin is a rare steed; it must be fed by me personally..."
The group proceeded to the stable, where indeed general Liao's horse was munching on its evening feed. Calling over the stable hand from the Marquis Residence, he respectfully confirmed, "It is true; only general Liao feeds his horse. He personally adds feed every night without fail..."
Yu Yan's expression grew serious as he instructed them to bring chairs and have all four men remove their boots. His eyes scrutinized their feet closely; at first glance, none bore any dust...
Lost in thought again, Yu Yan pondered: "Xue Cen was known as Xiao Luban; could it be that such a skilled craftsman did not clean himself properly? Or was it that the one who removed the boots and stole the sword was not an official from this residence? But if it were a servant stealing for money, why go through such trouble to kill Xue Cen instead of simply taking the sword?"
With these thoughts weighing on him, Yu Yan bowed slightly in apology before the four officials returned to their quarters.
The night was heavy with tension; the sky held no light, resembling a vast black curtain draped over the earth. The stable hand hurriedly fed the horses while carrying a lantern. As he approached a white horse, Yu Yan's previously weary eyes suddenly brightened. He noticed that there was much red soil caked around this horse's fetlocks and stepped forward to inquire, "Whose mount is this?"
Startled by Yu Yan's sudden movement, the stable hand quickly replied, "This horse belongs to Lin Quan, Commander Lin." Yu Yan took the stable hand's lantern and held it high, surveying the area before returning to his room with noticeably heavier steps.
Another murder case occurred in the manor, causing widespread panic among the people. The rumors about Yu Chang devouring his master spread like wildfire.
In the palace, the Regent Prince was taken aback after reading the letter from Yu Yan addressed to Yang Shiqi. He immediately contemplated issuing an edict to inform the Yongle Emperor, who was currently on a military campaign, about the Duke's murder, and then have the case reviewed by San Si.
Yang Shiqi advised from the side, "Your Highness need not act so hastily... Many of the soldiers in the northern campaign are former subordinates of the Duke. If this matter is reported, it will surely dampen our troops' morale. The method of reviewing by San Si is also unwise; this case is quite peculiar. After much effort, if we fail to identify the culprit, it would be difficult to explain to Your Majesty. It would be better to allow Yu Hanyun to handle it as he proposed..."
"What if Governor Yu cannot uncover the truth either?"
"From what I know, no one in our dynasty, from the highest officials down to minor clerks, can match Yu Hanyun when it comes to investigating cases and adjudicating disputes. Moreover, since this incident occurred in Yanzhou, he, as a local governor, should be responsible for the investigation. Even if Your Majesty inquires about it later, Your Highness would have a valid reason."
The Regent Prince weighed the pros and cons and promptly issued an edict granting Yu Yan special authority over this case, instructing a messenger to hurry to Yanzhou.
With seven days of mourning approaching, Yu Yan felt increasingly troubled as he paced back and forth in his room with a furrowed brow. When the time came for the family to mourn, he feared there would be no excuses left.
Although there were some clues regarding the case, there was still no solid evidence.
Seeing that Yu Yan was downcast, Luo Zuo gently tugged at his sleeve and suggested, "Sir, why not take a walk outside? It might help lift your spirits."
Yu Yan nodded slightly, and the two of them left the manor to take a stroll outside.
The Yanzhou Market was bustling with activity; merchants came and went in a steady stream. Dressed in casual attire, Yu Yan walked among the crowd and felt his mood lighten considerably as he observed the lively scene.
Suddenly, he noticed a large crowd gathered at a street corner as if they were watching something. Waves of astonished gasps echoed from within the throng.
Curiosity piqued, Yu Yan quickened his pace and approached the crowd. Among the common folk, some recognized the Prefect and knelt in reverence. Yu Yan hurriedly waved his hand, urging them to rise, and stepped into the throng. There, he discovered a middle-aged man selling fish.
Upon closer inspection, Yu Yan noticed a small fish, less than a foot long, shimmering with golden light in a copper basin at the man's feet. As the fish swam leisurely, the golden glow transformed into hues reminiscent of dawn, creating a stunning sight.
A glimmer of surprise flashed in Yu Yan's eyes, prompting him to have Luo Zuo take the man to his residence for questioning. The man, confused and frightened, turned pale and knelt before Yu Yan, repeatedly bowing his head and trembling. Yu Yan bent slightly at the waist and smiled, "Who are you? What is your name and profession?"
"I am He Yuan, a local resident and a carpenter..."
"Get up and answer me. Where did you find this fish?"
"On Qingming Festival, I went to pay respects at my father's grave. When I returned, it was already late, so I stayed overnight at a friend's house. The next morning, as I passed by the East City Water Channel, I suddenly saw shimmering lights in the water. Thinking it was treasure, I approached to take a look, only to find this strange fish. I caught it and brought it home to feed it. Neighbors came to see it; no one had ever seen such a peculiar fish before. On a whim, I decided to sell it in the street..."
"I will buy this fish from you. Can you take me to where you found it?"
He Yuan dared not refuse and immediately nodded eagerly, leading Yu Yan and Luo Zuo to the East City Water Channel.
Yu Yan carefully examined the surroundings, nodding thoughtfully before giving He Yuan five taels of silver as he sent him home.
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