Zheng Youde was in excruciating pain from the impact, drenched in cold water, and pinned under the heavy fishbowl. Fuming with rage, he yelled, "What are you two standing there for? Come help me!"
Chu Chu initially wanted to rush over but changed her mind before even lifting her foot, instead nestling close to Xiao Jin Yu while blinking her dewy eyes at Zheng Youde.
Serves him right for insulting Wang Ye!
The circular fishbowl rested perfectly on Zheng Youde's rotund body. Unable to get up or push it off, he resorted to wiggling his belly from side to side, trying to shake the fishbowl off.
When the registrar arrived with several yamen runners upon hearing the commotion, they found their county magistrate soaked to the bone, lying on the ground while hugging a massive fishbowl and vigorously rocking it back and forth. Meanwhile, Chu the girl stood beside a white-robed man in a wheelchair, both watching with keen interest.
Unable to grasp the situation, the registrar gestured for the runners to wait outside while he cautiously approached Zheng Youde. Leaning in, he whispered, "Y-Your Honor... this humble one is perplexed... What are you doing?"
The fishbowl was large and thick, and Zheng Youde was nearly exhausted. Gasping for breath, he glared at the registrar's pale, pointed scholar face. "What the hell do you think I'm doing with a fishbowl on top of me!"
The registrar trembled at the scolding and hastily waved the runners inside. As they frantically lifted the fishbowl away, the registrar strained to help the dripping wet Zheng Youde to his feet while devoutly muttering, "Abundance every year, peace through breaking..."
Chu Chu watched Zheng Youde grimacing in pain and couldn't resist mumbling, "The fishbowl didn't break."
"My bones are broken!"
"Oh..."
The registrar was tall and slender, standing next to Zheng Youde like a fried dough stick paired with a large pancake.
Xiao Jin Yu faintly frowned. Having only eaten one meal yesterday morning, he was indeed hungry...
"If there's nothing urgent, we should have breakfast now."
Zheng Youde clung to the registrar's bony shoulders, making the bamboo-like frame creak under the strain. His face was dark and wet as he stared wide-eyed at Xiao Jin Yu's faint smile. "Where are you from?"
Xiao Jin Yu replied unhurriedly, "The capital."
Zheng Youde froze. "Are you the tea merchant?"
"Do you need tea?"
Zheng Youde shuddered, nearly dragging the registrar down with him.
At this point, Chu Chu was the only one in the room still focused on their original purpose. "County Magistrate Zheng, what exactly happened to Brother Jing?"
"Lord Jing is fine... This official needs to see Lord Jing!"
Xiao Jin Yu continued watching him calmly. "What matter?"
Zheng Youde was so infuriated he nearly twisted his nose, forgetting all about the capital businessman. "This is official yamen business! How dare a commoner like you ask about it!"
Xiao Jin Yu smiled lightly and drew Chu Chu closer. "I'm asking on her behalf... If she cannot inquire either, we'll go eat now and stop troubling you here." He even reached up to smooth Chu Chu's disheveled hair. "Hungry?"
Before Chu Chu could nod, Zheng Youde urgently interjected, "No! Chu girl can't leave!"
Chu Chu pouted. Now that Wang Ye mentioned it, she really was hungry. "Why not?"
"Your father and brother are busy... You must stay to examine a... no, examine a piece of corpse!"
Chu Chu's eyes widened instantly. "There's another new corpse?""I have no idea if it's new or old..."
Chu Chu momentarily forgot even her hunger, "Where is it? I'll go examine it right away!"
"At the government office, against the eastern wall in the backyard..."
Chu Chu paused, "Isn't that where the kitchen is?"
"No, north of the kitchen... in the pigpen..."
Chu Chu frowned, "Even if the morgue is full, you can't put it in the pigpen!"
Zheng Youde's face darkened, "Tell that to the person who dumped the body there!"
Xiao Jin Yu finally slightly furrowed his brow, "The corpse was thrown into the government office's pigpen by someone?"
"Of course! You think the two sows dragged it there themselves?"
Xiao Jin Yu wasn't surprised by another corpse appearing. The killer had been murdering continuously for one or two years - either addicted to killing or pursuing some important goal. In either case, they wouldn't stop just because a dumping ground had been exposed.
According to the guards' description, while Phoenix Mountain wasn't particularly high, it was full of venomous snakes and insects. The cave was located halfway up the mountain - even skilled martial artists would find it somewhat difficult to climb up, let alone while carrying a corpse.
For someone to choose such an inconvenient place to dump bodies, and continue doing so for one or two years, there must be a reason.
Either they had no other choice, or it was the best option available.
That's why while having one guard keep close watch on the Prince of Wu's Estate, he had sent another to monitor the cave.
There had been no unusual activity at the cave, yet now a body had been dumped at the county government office.
And in the pigpen of all places...
While Xiao Jin Yu was still pondering, Chu Chu had already quickly tied up her hair and straightened her clothes, saying energetically to Zheng Youde, "I'm going right now!"
Xiao Jin Yu said, "I'll go with you."
Before Zheng Youde could open his mouth, Chu Chu had already spoken his line for him, "No! You can't go!"
Xiao Jin Yu reached out to hold her waist, "I'll just watch from the side..."
"That won't do either!"
"It's been a long time since I've watched you conduct a corpse examination. I'd like to see."
Wang Ye's words were spoken particularly gently, making Chu Chu's cheeks flush slightly, "Well..."
Hearing Chu Chu's resistance softening, Zheng Youde quickly interjected, "That still won't do!"
Chu Chu pouted, "Then I won't conduct the examination!"
Xiao Jin Yu smiled faintly, "That's fine too, let's go eat."
"Okay!"
"Wait!" Zheng Youde said through gritted teeth with a dark expression, "Go! Everyone go!"
The pigpen was located in the northeast corner of the county government office's backyard. Chu Chu pushed Xiao Jin Yu's wheelchair while the registrar and yamen runners supported Zheng Youde on either side - the magistrate was soaked through and wrapped in a blanket. While Chu Chu and Xiao Jin Yu had already arrived, Zheng Youde was still grimacing and slowly shuffling along.
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