Chapter Sixty-Four: The Suspect

This chapter was written in haste and has since been revised, though the word count remains unchanged and the price is the same. I apologize for any inconvenience and hope for your understanding.

—

A man lay face-down over his desk, half his face obscured by long hair soaked in blood, rendering his features indistinguishable. His white robe was nearly drenched through with blood, and a large pool of it on the floor made for a ghastly sight. The heavy scent of blood pervaded the room.

Ji Changgé stepped forward to examine the man. Confirming that he was already dead—if he had even a breath left, the blood loss alone would have left him beyond saving—Ji turned to Wang Sinian and asked, “Uncle Wang, how many people are currently residing in Carp Garden?”

“Nineteen examinees awaiting their tests, and with the maidservants and attendants, a total of forty-eight,” Wang Sinian replied after a moment’s thought, having previously tallied the numbers due to concerns about provisions.

“Someone, come here!”

“Master Ji!” Seven or eight guards from the Court of Justice entered, addressing Ji Changgé.

“Send men to seal off all the exits from Carp Garden and count everyone present. Until the truth comes to light, not one of these forty-seven may leave the grounds,” Ji ordered one of them.

“Yes, sir.” Guard Captain Ding Wu accepted the order and hurriedly led his men to begin the headcount.

Wang Sinian looked puzzled. “Nephew, weren’t there forty-eight? Why did you say forty-seven?”

“One person need not be counted,” Ji Changgé replied meaningfully, glancing at the corpse. Wang Sinian felt a touch of embarrassment, realizing he’d forgotten about the deceased.

Moments later, all the examinees and attendants were herded into the center of Carp Garden.

“Uncle Wang, go tend to Master. Leave this matter to me,” Ji told Wang Sinian.

Wang Sinian nodded. Ordinarily, the death of an unrelated examinee would not have warranted a second glance, but this time it had happened inside his own manor. Regardless of circumstances, the Wang family’s reputation would suffer. Yet, since it had already occurred, there was nothing to be done but hope the culprit was caught soon, lest rumors spread further. The day after tomorrow was the autumn examinations; his father, Scholar Wang, was originally presiding as chief examiner, but due to ill health, he had recently been replaced.

“Who was the first to discover the body?” Ji Changgé asked those gathered outside.

“It was I,” a candidate raised his hand from the back.

“What is your name?”

“My surname is Zou, my given name Guangqi, style name Yi—”

Ji waved to cut him off. “Has Ding Wu arrived?”

—

“Sir, I’m here,” a burly man stepped forward.

“Take Zou Guangqi into custody and search him thoroughly—leave neither fingernails nor hair unchecked,” Ji Changgé ordered abruptly. In his experience, nine times out of ten, the person reporting the crime was the perpetrator.

“Master Ji, I—I didn’t kill anyone!” Zou Guangqi’s face changed dramatically, panic overtaking him.

Two guards walked over and lifted him as easily as a chick, taking him to a corner, affording him a modicum of dignity.

“I… I’m a licentiate, I have an official title! You cannot use force against me!” Zou Guangqi protested, crossing his arms over his chest.

The guards ignored him and began to strip him down. The other candidates fell silent, cowed by Ji’s decisiveness and swiftness.

With the scene under control, Ji Changgé instinctively glanced toward Wen Jing, only to see her turn away, clearly unwilling to get involved in the autopsy; she had already promised her father not to do so.

Ji laughed at himself inwardly—how odd that he had come to rely on her.

Wen Jing, though not participating in the examination, could not help but investigate; her instincts as a former forensic doctor compelled her to observe the case. She quietly withdrew to a spot that gave her a good vantage point yet attracted little attention, carefully watching the candidates.

These examinees came from both rich and poor backgrounds, but all were frail scholars. Many looked pale and frightened, but to Wen Jing’s disappointment, they seemed more terrified of the corpse than guilty of any crime.

Suddenly, one candidate collapsed to the ground. He was promptly seized and stripped by the guards.

“He’s not the murderer, only fainted at the sight of blood,” Wen Jing said coolly as she walked over.

Meanwhile, Ji Changgé reentered the crime scene. Upon close inspection, he found seven or eight wounds on the body. Judging from their length, the killer had likely used a dagger or similar weapon.

The chaotic footprints left by the examinees’ earlier rush into the room rendered them useless as evidence, and Ji Changgé frowned. For the moment, there were no valuable leads in the room; he could only hope Ding Wu would find something.

By now, Zou Guangqi had been thoroughly searched. As Ji Changgé emerged, Ding Wu shot him a look indicating nothing had been found.

“Zou Guangqi, answer my questions,” Ji said.

Tears and snot streaming down his face, Zou Guangqi no longer cared for decorum. “Ask whatever you wish.”

“How did you discover the body?” Ji Changgé questioned.

“Zou Ming and I are both from Zoujia Village in Tongcheng County. We traveled together to the capital for the provincial exam. After lunch, Zou Ming said he was going back to his room to rest and asked me to wake him in half an hour so he could review his lessons. When I came to knock, I found the door unlatched, pushed it open, and saw Zou Ming lying in a pool of blood,” Zou Guangqi choked out.

“So, Zou Ming has been dead for less than half an hour,” Ji Changgé mused aloud. There were no signs of a struggle; had there been a fight, the neighboring examinees would surely have noticed. This suggested the killer was someone familiar. For a stranger to approach Zou Ming without arousing suspicion would be difficult. If he had died less than half an hour ago, the murderer might still be among the candidates.

“Search thoroughly, and bring back any useful evidence,” Ji instructed the guards.

—

“When did you all move in?” Ji Changgé continued.

Zou Guangqi sighed and lifted his head. “Today is the fifth day.”

“Has Zou Ming had any disputes with others recently?”

Zou Guangqi thought for a moment. “Brother Zou was forthright and well-liked, never one for quarrels. However…”

Ji Changgé pressed him, “However what?”

“However, yesterday he did have an argument with someone.”

“With whom?” Ji’s eyes lit up; this person might be the murderer.

“With Wang Jue from Jinling.”

Another Wang, and Scholar Wang was also from Jinling—could they be distant relatives? Ji Changgé wondered.

“Bring Wang Jue here,” Ji ordered a guard, then turned to Zou Guangqi. “Lead the way.”

“Alright,” Zou Guangqi replied and stepped out.

Wen Jing also walked out. Since she could not conduct the autopsy, there was little point in remaining at the scene amidst the searching guards.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw her father, Wen Qiran, hurrying toward her.

“Father,” Wen Jing said in surprise. Had he come specifically to prevent her from performing the autopsy? On second thought, that seemed unlikely unless he had followed her the entire way.

“Master Ji, I heard a candidate has died?” Wen Qiran asked anxiously.

“Yes, a candidate was found dead in his room,” Ji Changgé replied.

(To be continued...)

PS: Book title: The Formidable Wife, Book Number 3118290

Synopsis: Wealth and glory, a formidable wife’s sweet favor