When he was too ill to get up, Chu Chu had often helped wash his body. Sometimes he was conscious during these moments, and he thought he had grown accustomed to being cleansed this way. Yet now, as Qin Ye wiped him with the same meticulous care, he felt no warmth or refreshing comfort—only waves of nausea, disgusted by his own body that seemed to grow filthier with each stroke.
Qin Ye scrubbed diligently while speaking casually, "Later, we discovered that the other ailments afflicting the Prince of Wu Commandery also affected the treatment of his spinal injury. So, we employed an ancient acupuncture technique that damages meridians and vessels, injuring the internal organs of those whose spines were broken to the same extent as his... At first, we lacked precision—many died during trials. But gradually, we succeeded. However, people vary; the Prince of Wu Commandery endured for so long, while these others couldn't last nearly as long. Thus, every so often, we had to find a new subject to start over..."
Xiao Jin Yu allowed him to manipulate his limp body and replied calmly, "Over a year... more than a hundred people. Did no one report them missing to the authorities?"
"They were all vagrants, beggars, or destitute men from nearby—no one cares if they live or die. Dying to aid the Prince of Wu Commandery's treatment is like their ancestors' graves emitting lucky smoke... What I'm curious about is, even the county office didn't notice. You've only been here a few days—how did you know those people died by my hand?"
☆ 57 Four Happiness Meatballs (16)
Xiao Jin Yu smiled faintly, "From the moment I learned over a hundred corpses had been dumped in the mountains, I started thinking... Entering those mountains is difficult, climbing to that cave is even harder, and carrying corpses makes it nearly impossible... Choosing such a place to discard bodies must mean the person is extremely familiar with Phoenix Mountain."
Qin Ye wiped Xiao Jin Yu's numb legs as if scrubbing a table, sneering, "That mountain is vast—many people know Phoenix Mountain well."
"True... but this mountain is special. The paths are treacherous, filled with snakes and insects—most don't dare enter. If someone frequently went in and out over a year or two without attracting attention or suspicion, they could only be a few types... woodcutters, snake catchers, herb gatherers..."
After finishing the front, Qin Ye gripped Xiao Jin Yu's shoulder and side to flip him over, handling him like a piece of meat on a cutting board. Xiao Jin Yu nearly slammed onto the bed, the dull thud of bones hitting the plank clearly audible. Xiao Jin Yu frowned tightly, uttering no sound, but his body trembled uncontrollably from the sudden, unbearable pain in his joints.
Qin Ye rinsed the towel in the now-cold water and began wiping Xiao Jin Yu's still-quivering back, asking with interest, "Reasonable. Go on... With so many possibilities, why suspect me?"
Xiao Jin Yu's voice noticeably weakened but remained steady, "Because of the dismemberment..."
Qin Ye ran the cloth over Xiao Jin Yu's sharply protruding spine, his thick hand lingering with satisfaction between the first and second lumbar vertebrae before remarking carelessly, "Wouldn't a woodcutter's blade work better?"
Xiao Jin Yu waited for Qin Ye to remove his hand from his spine before responding, "It's not about the blade—it's the reason for dismemberment..."
"What reason?""I always believed there were only two reasons for dismembering a body: either to conceal the corpse, or to hide the victim's identity... Since that cave could accommodate over a hundred dismembered bodies without blocking the water flow, it meant there was ample space for disposal, making dissection unnecessary before dumping... All the recovered heads showed no deliberate facial mutilation, and nearly all bodies could be reassembled, clearly indicating the purpose wasn't identity concealment... It wasn't until this morning when a dead arm was thrown into the county office's pigpen that I finally understood... You dismembered them for portability..."
Qin Ye felt irritated—not because the man had uncovered the truth, but because of his calm, detached tone, as if they were casually chatting on a bedside.
Qin Ye wiped roughly behind him, then grabbed his shoulders and deliberately flipped him over with force. Xiao Jin Yu's spine slammed hard against the wooden board, the pain so intense his vision darkened and his brow furrowed tightly, yet he stubbornly refused to make a sound.
When the pain subsided, Xiao Jin Yu curved his lips into a faint smile at Qin Ye. "Be gentler. I'm not as resilient as the Prince of Wu Commandery... If I die, your efforts in tending to me would be wasted..."
Watching Qin Ye's stiffened lips and darkened forehead, Xiao Jin Yu closed his eyes serenely. "I examined the bodies moved from the cave—a leg that hadn't begun to rot... The front of the thigh, shin, and instep all had cross-shaped abrasions... Just like the pattern on that bamboo basket you keep in the corner... The bodies weren't carried up the mountain whole—they were transported piece by piece... stuffed into bamboo baskets and carried up. The mountain path is bumpy, and the corpses rubbing against the baskets inevitably caused abrasions... The only one frequently going up the mountain with a basket would be a Doctor gathering herbs."
"There are other mountains around Zizhu County. Why must I be gathering herbs in Phoenix Mountain?"
"Last time I visited, I noticed a herb labeled 'Beauty's Eyebrow' in your front hall's medicine cabinet... Grandpa Chu said I shouldn't feel ashamed for not recognizing it, as this herb only grows on Phoenix Mountain..."
Qin Ye's voice deepened. "I heard you're a tea merchant."
"After enough dealings with officials, one inevitably gains some insights..."
Qin Ye fell silent for a while. His footsteps retreated then approached again. Standing by the bed, he snorted coldly. Xiao Jin Yu suddenly felt a cold, sharp sting and opened his eyes to find a silver needle inserted below his left collarbone. Qin Ye's lips curled slightly. "If I wanted to dispose of bodies, there are plenty of places I could use. Throwing one into the county office was just to frighten those officials."With a sour smile, Qin Ye placed another needle on his left chest." "Officials are cowardly and cling to life, but their minds aren't as sharp as yours. Scaring them confused will keep them from meddling..."
Seeing Xiao Jin Yu's expression remain calm and detached, Qin Ye inserted a third needle below his ribs, twisting it deep with force. Instantly, Xiao Jin Yu felt his stomach tearing as if multiple hands were pulling it in different directions. A sweet, metallic taste surged up his throat. His upper body involuntarily curled up, legs immobilized, leaving him trembling in a distorted posture.
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