"That was clearly referring to you..."
Chu Chu didn't know how she ended up agreeing, only that when she heard he was seriously ill, her heart felt unsettled. Even if he wasn't particularly clear-headed in solving cases, she still felt he didn't seem like a bad person.
Perhaps he hadn't intentionally wronged Boss Xu either—maybe he just hadn't figured things out yet.
Or maybe... Boss Xu had actually done something bad.
Before going out, her brother had reminded her: bad people don't wear their wickedness on their foreheads.
Thinking this, Chu Chu quietly positioned herself behind Xiao Jin Yu.
Xiao Jin Yu waited until he could no longer hear any movement from Wu Jiang or Jing Yi before speaking softly to the frosty-faced woman. His voice, faint to the point of frailty, carried genuine concern. "How has Shi Niang been lately?"
The woman addressed as Shi Niang showed no intention of appreciating his concern. Coldly, she stated, "I'll give you one ke. Save the pleasantries."
Chu Chu stared wide-eyed at Shi Niang. How bold she was! Wasn't she afraid this person might get angry and spank her?
Xiao Jin Yu's expression darkened slightly. "Very well..." Supporting himself with his left hand, he straightened his back in the wheelchair, sitting upright with formal dignity before speaking with restored calm. "Today I intend to arrest the criminal Xu Ru Gui and bring him to justice. I inform the Pavilion Master face-to-face, and apologize for any offense or disrespect."
Before Xiao Jin Yu had even finished speaking, Xu Ru Gui thudded to his knees at Shi Niang's feet. "Pavilion Master, please see clearly! I have served you loyally for over ten years, always performing my duties within bounds, never overstepping. This is a tremendous injustice!"
"Injustice?" Shi Niang knitted her elegant brows. "If it's an injustice, why kneel?"
Xu Ru Gui froze, then scrambled to his feet. "Yes, Pavilion Master..."
Chu Chu glanced at Xiao Jin Yu, who remained completely unperturbed. "Out of respect for the Pavilion Master, I can hold court here for Boss Xu, giving him a chance to proclaim his innocence before the Pavilion Master... But Boss Xu should think carefully—any case I personally adjudicate will have no opportunity for appeal or retrial."
Xu Ru Gui looked at Shi Niang, but she was watching Xiao Jin Yu. Xu Ru Gui slowly exhaled and said, "Your Highness, please proceed."
Chu Chu stared at Xiao Jin Yu in astonishment. No judge's bench, no justice tablet, no 'Upright and Illuminating' plaque, no paddles, whips, or bamboo clamps—not even any bailiffs. Was this really holding court?
She leaned down close to Xiao Jin Yu's ear and whispered, "Should I shout 'All Hail Authority' for you?"
"...That won't be necessary."
Xiao Jin Yu coughed twice before regaining his deep, cool tone. He said slowly, "The background of this case is too lengthy, so let's begin with the last victim... During the shen hour today, Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Jing Yi reported that Gu Yao had committed suicide." Xiao Jin Yu looked calmly at Xu Ru Gui. "Lord Jing told you the same, correct?"
"Exactly."
Xiao Jin Yu raised his hand and picked up the corpse manifest he had earlier placed on the table before him. "The coroner's examination confirmed Gu Yao indeed died from excessive blood loss due to slit wrists, but it was not suicide."
Chu Chu had been listening with full curiosity, but upon hearing this, she grew instantly anxious. Forgetting all about caring for the patient, she rushed from behind Xiao Jin Yu to stand in front of him. "I didn't say that! I never said it wasn't suicide!"
The astonishment that hadn't yet faded from Shi Niang's brow froze at Chu Chu's outburst. She gave Chu Chu a cold appraisal. "Is this the new coroner you hired?"Before Xiao Jin Yu could open his mouth, Chu Chu repeatedly waved her hands and retreated to his side, "Ah? No, no, I'm not, I didn't pass the exam..."
Shi Niang curled her lips into a faint smile and looked at Xiao Jin Yu, "So that means all the examinations she conducted for this case cannot be presented as evidence in court, correct?"
Chu Chu was taken aback—was there really such a rule in the capital's yamen?
Did that mean all her previous corpse examinations were in vain?
Suppressing a cough, Xiao Jin Yu returned an even fainter smile to Shi Niang, "Correct. I'm impressed the Pavilion Master still remembers my rules for handling cases... It doesn't matter if it can't be used as evidence in court, as long as the truth is uncovered through examination." Xiao Jin Yu turned to Chu Chu, "Since you didn't conclude that Gu Yao died by suicide, what did you determine as his cause of death?"
"I only wrote that Young Master Gu Yao died from excessive blood loss. There was only one wound on his right wrist—narrow, long, neat, and uniform in depth—caused by a broken piece of porcelain from a teacup on the ground. That's all." Chu Chu pursed her lips and looked at Xiao Jin Yu with a wronged expression, "I'm a coroner. I have to report exactly what the corpse shows. Making unauthorized inferences would get me caned."
Xiao Jin Yu felt a pang in his heart and nodded gently, speaking earnestly, "The inference was mine to make. I apologize for not explaining clearly."
Both Shi Niang and Xu Ru Gui were stunned. Who was this girl to make Xiao Jin Yu offer such a solemn apology over such a trivial matter... and how dare she accept it?
Not only did Chu Chu dare to accept it, she did so with complete seriousness, replying just as earnestly, "If your reasoning makes sense, I'll forgive you."
Xiao Jin Yu smiled faintly, "Actually, it's already quite evident—hardly counts as an inference... Those who typically slit their wrists usually hold the sharp object in their right hand and injure their left wrist. As the pain intensifies, they tend to withdraw, resulting in a deeper wound at the start and a shallower one at the end... Yet the corpse manifest states that Gu Yao's injury was on his right wrist, with a narrow, long, neat wound of uniform depth." Xiao Jin Yu lifted his gaze to Xu Ru Gui, "Boss Xu, earlier when we were outside, we saw Gu Yao use his right hand both to pour tea for Jing Yi and to attempt untying Jing Yi's sash—and he certainly didn't seem like someone who could endure pain... So it couldn't have been suicide."
"True, Young Master Gu Yao really did use his right hand..." After pondering, Chu Chu nodded gravely, "Your reasoning makes sense. I forgive you."
Xiao Jin Yu smiled wryly; he hadn't realized he could be so eager for validation.
Xu Ru Gui cleared his throat to assert his presence, "Even if Wang Ye's reasoning is sound, this matter has nothing to do with me. I merely followed Wang Ye's instructions to deliver the tray of items found on Gu Yao to Lord Jing's room. I handed them to Lord Jing and left immediately—I never saw Gu Yao, let alone killed him... Wang Ye can verify this with Lord Jing. I didn't even step inside the room."
Xiao Jin Yu nodded gently, "Jing Yi did confirm that. However, he also mentioned that the time you knocked on his door was a full two ke later than I estimated you should have arrived... Even someone as physically limited as me wouldn't take that long to make the trip. May I ask, Boss Xu, what other matters did you attend to on your way to Jing Yi's room?"
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