Chapter 120: Bloodstain Analysis

The entire Yuyang Mountain was placed under lockdown, and the news of Abbess Feng’s death was contained within its borders. Every visitor who arrived to pay their respects to the Abbess was met by the Saintly Aunt, Ruan Qinglian, who merely claimed that the Abbess had gone on a pilgrimage and would not be returning for some time. However, such a secret could not be kept forever; somehow, word leaked out, sparking fervent discussion throughout the capital. In the inner courtyards of noble households, in particular, people speculated wildly about the cause of the Abbess’s death, fearing that she had been silenced for knowing too many secrets.

Ji Changge tidied up several spare rooms in the Lingyun Hall to serve as a temporary office. Since the hall had originally been occupied by the Abbess alone, this arrangement allowed for a thorough investigation without disrupting the lives of the other Taoist nuns.

The bodies of Abbess Feng and Mingxi had already been removed. Wen Jing carefully examined the room; the footprints on the floor were chaotic, making it impossible to collect a single complete print.

Dongsheng watched Wen Jing darting about with visible impatience. He found her conduct and speech shocking—she lacked the gentleness and grace expected of a young lady of standing. She had dared to talk back to him previously, and now she was meddling with a crime scene. If not for his respect for Ji Changge, he would have chased her away long ago. He truly wondered how that old man, Wen Qiran, had raised his children.

Oblivious to the disdain in Dongsheng’s eyes, Wen Jing focused on the bloodstains on the wall. During her time at the medical academy, she had studied bloodstain pattern analysis, a discipline of immense importance in solving crimes.

"The perpetrator's height is likely between 1.50 and 1.52 meters, and she is most likely a woman," Wen Jing said calmly.

Dongsheng shot her a glance and snorted. "How can you be so certain of the killer's height? You cannot simply make such claims; if you are wrong, it could lead to a miscarriage of justice."

Wen Jing smiled faintly without arguing. She pointed to a patch of blood and said, "This must be the primary scene of the murder. Look at this large splatter—it would have been caused when the victim's carotid artery was severed. This blank space here... it must have been blocked by the killer's body. Brother Ding, would you mind measuring the height of this area?"

Ding Wu measured the clear space and replied, "Two feet and one inch."

"The killer was crouching when she cut the Abbess’s carotid artery. For someone who is four feet and five inches tall, a crouch would result in roughly this height."

Seeing that the others remained skeptical, Wen Jing turned to Qingliu. "Qingliu, come here. Brother Ding, measure her height."

"Four feet and four inches," Ding Wu announced after measuring.

"Qingliu, crouch down," Wen Jing instructed.

As Qingliu crouched in the corner, Wen Jing produced a large fish bladder filled with ink. Lacking modern tools like plastic bags, she had spent quite some time thinking of an alternative; she remembered how, as a child, she loved to step on fish bladders whenever they butchered fish. Given the primitive conditions, this was the only way she could think to test her theory. Had she been in the modern world, she could have achieved greater precision, but this was her first time using such a crude method.

Ji Changge was already accustomed to Wen Jing’s eccentric investigative methods, but Dongsheng was utterly baffled. What did filling a fish bladder with ink have to do with an autopsy? Ding Wu and the others watched with curiosity; last time she had boiled bones, and now this?

Wen Jing tied off the punctured bladder and told Qingliu to close her eyes. Qingliu complied, and a moment later, there was a sharp pop. A cool, fishy-smelling liquid splashed across her face. Everyone stared in astonishment as Wen Jing stepped on the bladder, causing it to burst and spray ink everywhere. Qingliu was covered in black ink, only her wide, blinking eyes remaining visible.

"Hahaha!" A few of the guards couldn't help but laugh, but a cold glare from Ji Changge forced them to stifle their mirth.

Ji Changge stepped forward to examine the distribution of the ink on the wall. Though it differed significantly from blood, the previously blank area remained largely untouched by ink, confirming that the killer’s height was indeed similar to Qingliu’s.

"A fish bladder is quite different from a human body; blood has pressure and would have splattered further and more densely," Wen Jing explained. She stepped forward to inspect the area and added, "The killer must be much stouter than Qingliu, as some of the ink was not blocked."

The killer was a stout woman, four feet and four inches tall. Ji Changge’s eyes lit up; this significantly narrowed the scope of their search. Dongsheng, however, flashed a look of contempt, clearly unimpressed by her "parlor tricks."

"What makes you say this isn't Mingxi’s blood?" Dongsheng challenged.

Wen Jing walked to the door and pointed to a large patch of blood elsewhere on the wall. "This is Mingxi’s blood."

"How can you tell?" Dongsheng asked aggressively.

"The killer had subdued the Abbess and was about to strike when Mingxi knocked. The killer hid by the door. After Mingxi entered and realized someone was behind her, she turned around. Upon being discovered, the killer panicked and stabbed Mingxi in the abdomen. Mingxi clutched her wound, her hands covered in blood, and left these bloody handprints as she leaned against the wall for support. That stab wound was not fatal; Mingxi did not die immediately. Look at these circular bloodstains—these are from blood dripping vertically onto the floor while Mingxi was standing against the wall," Wen Jing explained, pointing to the droplets on the ground.

Dongsheng looked, and though he remained skeptical, he could find no reason to refute her.

"This is also why the Abbess had no defensive wounds, while Mingxi had a stab wound to the abdomen. The killer was familiar with the Abbess’s habits; after dark, she disliked being disturbed. The killer had no intention of killing Mingxi and never expected her to come. Mingxi died in vain—had she not come last night, she likely would have survived."

"Why would Mingxi come to see the Abbess last night? It must have been urgent, or she wouldn't have risked the Abbess’s displeasure. When she arrived, the Abbess was still able to speak. She should have left, yet she insisted on barging in. It must have been something critical," Ji Changge reasoned.

Wen Jing nodded. "That is for you to determine. Look at these elliptical bloodstains. After being stabbed, Mingxi leaned against the wall to rest, then turned to see the Abbess still alive. She struggled toward her. The killer calmly shut the door, walked over to them, and cruelly cut out their tongues to prevent them from calling for help. Then, noticing the Abbess had closed her eyes, the killer was seized by a new malice and sliced off their eyelids, forcing them to watch each other. The killer slowly cut their faces, severed their arteries and veins, and made them watch as their lives gradually ebbed away..."

"Ah!" A scream rang out from outside the door.

Ji Changge’s eyes turned cold. He flew out of the room and dragged a young nun back inside. The girl struggled desperately, staring at Wen Jing and shrieking, "It was you! You are the killer!"

Wen Jing looked at the young nun. "I have no grudge against the Abbess. Why would I kill her?"

"Mingxia, what are you doing here? Get out!" Mingqing appeared, looking furious, and shouted at the girl.

The young nun, Mingxia, cried, "Sister Mingqing, I know it's her! The way she described it so vividly—it must have been her! Ever since she arrived, Master has died. She even argued with Master yesterday. I’m telling you, it’s her!"

Mingqing looked at Wen Jing with suspicion, seemingly finding merit in Mingxia’s words.

"Your master had an argument with the Seventh Miss Wen yesterday?" Dongsheng stepped forward to ask.

Ji Changge’s expression flickered as he glanced at Mingqing.

Mingqing lowered her head. "Yes. Yesterday, the young lady was to be punished by Master for wasting steamed buns. Later, because she possessed a holy relic, the punishment was waived. Although the argument was heated, it was merely a verbal dispute; surely the young lady wouldn't..."

"This gentleman was there at the time; he can bear witness," Mingqing said, glancing at Ji Changge, who remained expressionless. She quickly looked away.

Wen Jing felt a jolt of alarm. She observed Mingqing without drawing attention to herself. This seemingly dull, stout nun was actually quite cunning; she had subtly cornered her. It seemed that yesterday, Mingqing had never truly believed the object in her hand was a holy relic—she had merely feigned belief to save face for Ji Changge. And the Abbess, she realized, had likely felt the same.