Coroner's Diary

When Huang Momo arrived at the Lotus Pavilion with the clothes retrieved from Deer Pond, Lu Youxin had already arrived earlier!

Seeing that Huang Momo had indeed retrieved the clothes, she was astonished and even more convinced of Qin Guan's remarkable foresight.

Huang Momo said, "We searched the two wells first but found nothing. Then we had everyone search in Deer Pond, and unexpectedly, we really found it. The pond has been frozen over these past few days, with only the center still open. The clothes were thrown there. If not for the princess consort's suggestion, we servants would never have thought of it, no matter how hard we racked our brains."

The weather was bitterly cold, and though the clothes had been retrieved only moments before, by the time they reached the Lotus Pavilion, they had frozen into a solid lump again.

Qin Guan ordered someone to fetch a felt blanket and placed the clothes indoors to thaw. Observing Qin Guan's methodical approach, Lu Youxin gazed at the clothes and remarked, "These clothes have been soaking in water for so many days. It's unlikely much evidence remains..."

Qin Guan nodded, "That's true, but this is one of the material evidences. It's always better to find it."

Watching Qin Guan's calm and confident demeanor, Lu Youxin felt a twinge of shame. Relying on her seniority and experience, she had initially underestimated Qin Guan. The rumors about solving cases seemed vague and unreliable to her, and she had assumed any accolades were merely to legitimize granting Qin Guan a title. Yet, to her surprise, those rumors turned out to be true.

As she reflected, Lu Youxin saw Qin Guan roll up her sleeves and unfurl the wet garment without any concern for its filth.

The clothing was made of the finest Huzhou silk—a sapphire-blue outer robe embroidered with bamboo patterns, paired with a navy-blue belt adorned with elephant motifs. Having been submerged in the muddy pond for so long, the garment was now speckled with stains. Beyond the dirt, the tears in the fabric were also clearly visible.

The tears were strip-shaped, evidently caused by friction against something sharp, consistent with the bloodstains Qin Guan had observed in the Plum Garden.

Qin Guan carefully examined each part and after a moment said, "This matches the bloodstains I saw in the Plum Garden. I suspect Lu Jingcheng was killed in the Plum Garden and then his body was moved to the Green Pine Courtyard. The clothing has many stains and blood marks, but there are no other more definitive pieces of evidence."

After being in the lake for so long, and likely inspected by the murderer as well.

Frowning, Lu Youxin asked, "Guan'er, I still don't understand how Jingcheng actually died."

Qin Guan had only mentioned that Lu Jingcheng died of suffocation but hadn't elaborated on the specifics. Hearing Lu Youxin's question, Qin Guan explained, "Initially, I wasn't entirely sure, but after visiting the Plum Garden, I formed an idea. I believe Lu Jingcheng was pressed into a snowdrift and smothered to death."

Lu Youxin's eyes widened in shock, "What? How could that be..."

Qin Guan shook her head with a faint smile, "Lu Jingcheng had no other significant external injuries, but there was a severe bruise on the back of his neck, likely caused by forceful pressure or impact. Additionally, small snow particles were found in his ear canals, mouth, and nose, which supports my speculation.""Outside the Taoran Pavilion in the Plum Garden, there were areas with deep snow accumulation as well as spots near the bamboo grove where the snow was thinner. I suspect he was meeting the murderer at night when the perpetrator unexpectedly pushed him to the ground, then pressed his face into the snowdrift to suffocate him. Blocking someone's mouth and nose—regardless of the method—will eventually cause suffocation over time. Given the recent cold weather, snowdrifts can become accomplices to murder. While being restrained, Lu Jingcheng struggled and naturally came into contact with the snow, which is why snow particles remained under his fingernails. Although he was found lying on his back in the room, the cadaveric spots were more numerous and prominent on his thighs and abdomen. This indicates he was lying face down when he died, a fact further supported by the friction wounds on his knees and thighs."

Qin Guan articulated each point with clear logic, compelling Lu You Xin to trust her analysis. "Jingcheng was, after all, a grown man. It wouldn't have been easy for the murderer to kill him this way."

Qin Guan nodded. "Indeed. Even with one arm incapacitated, he was still an adult male. Simply forcing him into a face-down position would have been difficult. Therefore, I suspect Lu Jingcheng had no guard up against the murderer, who took advantage of his unpreparedness."

After a moment's thought, she added, "Moreover, the act was likely committed in a fit of rage rather than being premeditated. Although the murderer subsequently moved the body, arranged the room, and took Lu Jingcheng's clothes, the setup wasn't flawless. Had it been planned in advance, Lu Jingcheng might have truly died under mysterious circumstances."

Initially skeptical, Lu You Xin found Qin Guan's reasoning increasingly convincing, realizing that deductive reasoning in criminal cases differed greatly from everyday social wisdom. She stopped questioning and simply listened.

"If Lu Jingcheng went to the Plum Garden to meet this person, their relationship could fall into several categories. First, the perpetrator might be a servant in the estate, forced to comply with his demands. Second, Lu Jingcheng may have held leverage over them, or they had requests that put them under his control. During their first two meetings, Lu Jingcheng was likely pleased, leading to complete trust by the third encounter. However, something discussed then provoked the murderer to kill."

Lu You Xin glanced at Huang Momo, who stepped forward promptly. "I've questioned the servants. Given the time we've been here, the fourth young master's temperament led him to reprimand many, but most are typically honest and dutiful. No highly suspicious individuals have been identified yet. As for whether he held leverage over anyone, I wouldn't know."

Qin Guan instructed Baiying to dry and preserve Lu Jingcheng's clothes as evidence, then remarked, "Those who appear honest and dutiful aren't necessarily so. The cadaveric spots on Lu Jingcheng's body indicate he remained face down for some time after death. This might have been when the murderer, having just committed the act, hadn't yet cooled down. Yet they quickly composed themselves, cleaned the body's surface, silently moved it back, arranged Lu Jingcheng to appear as if he'd frozen to death, and cut off the Earth Dragon. These details suggest the perpetrator isn't timid but rather shrewd and calculating.""Such a person, if they usually wanted to pretend to be honest and harmless, could very easily deceive everyone."

After Qin Guan finished speaking, the images of Lu Jingxiu and Lu Jingcheng flashed through her mind. For some reason, Lu Jingxiu had originally been her prime suspect, but now, recalling Lu Jingcheng's behavior, her suspicions of him had almost completely vanished. After a pause, Qin Guan added, "How is Second Uncle's side?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Youxin sighed. "Last night, both of them were threatening to take their own lives, forcing me to go over. But after these past couple of days, their energy has been worn down, and they probably don't have the strength to cause trouble anymore. Grief has taken over again, and they look quite pitiful. This morning, I allowed them to visit Green Pine Courtyard once, and my second sister-in-law fainted on the spot. Now that I'm neither retreating nor yielding, they have no choice but to listen to me. I told them I would find the murderer before the New Year."

Qin Guan thought for a moment and suddenly said, "For some reason, I feel that Lu Jingcheng's case isn't so simple. Usually, scolding or beating servants shouldn't be enough to become a motive for murder." Thinking of this, she suddenly asked, "Recently, has Lu Jingcheng had any ideas about the Lu family's business?"

Lu Youxin and Huang Momo exchanged a glance. Lu Youxin shook her head and said, "Not at all. My second uncle and his wife know he's useless, so they keep the business firmly in their own hands. Even if they want him to inherit, it's only so they can meddle in the affairs of the main branch. If they really want Jingcheng to become the family head, they'll have to discipline him properly first."

Qin Guan frowned slightly. The conflicts among the various branches of the Lu family were her main focus of suspicion. Even if someone killed in a fit of rage, which ordinary servant would dare to do such a thing?

Moreover, the killer was able to calmly move the body afterward. With such composure, even as a servant, they would have to be someone in a high position of authority like Huang Momo.

Her train of thought hit another dead end. Qin Guan sighed and said, "I sent Bai Feng to Jianzhou City. He should be back today. If he can bring back useful information, I might be able to find a new direction. Right now, everyone living in the estate is from the Lu family, and I can't show my face easily, which makes things quite difficult."

Lu Youxin couldn't help but grasp Qin Guan's hand. "Guan'er, you've worked hard. I originally thought this matter would be simple, but I never expected there to be so many twists and turns. I'm afraid we can only rely on you now. I can handle business and clan affairs well enough, but these subtle details are difficult for me to figure out."

Qin Guan quickly replied, "Since I'm here, if I can help ease your burden, it's my pleasure. But since I can't show my face, I'm afraid it won't be resolved quickly."

Lu Youxin hurriedly comforted Qin Guan again. Finally, Qin Guan said, "I have a feeling that this incident might be related to the conflicts within the clan. Aunt, could you please check if the second branch has had any unusual business dealings recently, especially those involving the other branches?"

These people had all come to fight over the family inheritance. The Lu family's wealth was indeed the most likely cause of conflict.

Lu Youxin agreed immediately and stayed with Qin Guan a while longer before leaving.

Qin Guan remained in the Lotus Pavilion and carefully examined Lu Jingcheng's outer robe again. The robe had dried, making the stains on it even more visible. She spread the garment flat on the felt rug and studied the tears in the fabric closely, trying to reconstruct the scene of Lu Jingcheng's death...In winter, thick clothing often bore the brunt of external injuries. Qin Guan examined the garments for a moment and noticed numerous fine creases around Lu Jingcheng’s right sleeve—marks left by friction, likely from someone gripping his hand and pressing it against the ground...

Qin Guan stood beside the clothes, mimicking the motion with her own hands a couple of times. After a brief pause, a faint gleam of understanding lit her eyes.

Having formed a hypothesis, she waited only for Bai Feng’s return. Yet, evening fell without any sign of him.

Qin Guan couldn’t help but worry. Though she had complete confidence in Bai Feng’s capabilities, his solitary trip to Jianzhou City was not without risks.

As the night deepened and Bai Feng remained absent, Fuling and the others, especially Baiying, grew increasingly anxious.

With Bai Feng still missing, Qin Guan had no intention of sleeping. She waited in the Warm Chamber until the second watch of the night. After a moment’s contemplation, she was about to dispatch the remaining guards to search for Bai Feng in Jianzhou City when he finally returned—

Overjoyed, Qin Guan rose personally to greet him!

Bai Feng entered the room, bringing with him a chill from the cold outside. "My apologies for keeping the princess consort waiting!"

Baiying breathed a silent sigh of relief, while Fuling exclaimed, "Why were you gone so long? We’ve been waiting and worrying ourselves sick!"

Though Fuling’s voice was loud, her tone was filled with genuine concern. Even Bai Feng, usually stoic and reserved, felt a warmth in his heart and hurriedly offered his apologies. Qin Guan waved her hand dismissively and urged him to sit. "It’s no trouble. I was only afraid something might have happened to you. Have some tea to warm yourself."

Bai Feng complied, drinking half a cup of tea before catching his breath and explaining, "I had intended to return this afternoon, but while investigating the matter of the Fourth Young Master, I came across additional information, which delayed me—"

Qin Guan raised an eyebrow. "More clues related to the case?"

Bai Feng replied promptly, "I’m not certain, but I thought it best to gather as much information as possible."

Qin Guan’s expression brightened with anticipation. "Exactly. What did you find out?"

Bai Feng straightened his posture, his expression turning serious. "The princess consort tasked me with investigating the Fourth Young Master’s activities in Jianzhou City. I’ve uncovered all of them. As you suspected, his visits to Jianzhou were largely spent in pleasure quarters. He entered the city eleven times in total, ten of which were spent at the Huamanlou tavern, where he even reserved a courtesan to accompany him twice. Additionally, he became involved with a woman named Hongxiu, visiting her four or five times afterward. Apart from that..."

Bai Feng had been speaking rapidly, but at this point, he hesitated, as if struggling to voice something unspeakable.

Qin Guan pressed, "Apart from that, what else?"

Bai Feng pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and finally confessed, "Apart from that, the Fourth Young Master also kept a male opera performer."