Wife, I need a coroner – Chapter 08

Chapter 08

Glossary

Given the limited experience in criminal investigation among those present, and their potential lack of understanding of her explanations, Ji Chan requested the butou’s cooperation in reconstructing the sequence of events involving the killer’s entry into the manor, the perpetration of the murder, and their subsequent departure.

The two servants that were beaten were also the catamites of Ren Feiyu, but he never allowed them to stay overnight with him.

After fooling around together, the two young servants went back to their quarters in the small annex, while Ren Feiyu slept alone in the western room.

Since there were no outsiders residing in the manor and guards patrolled at night, the door bars on Ren Feiyu’s and the servant boys’ rooms were left unlatched.

The murderer entered the manor through the garden wall and proceeded directly to the servants’ quarters. Using the door bar, he rendered them unconscious, then made his way to the living quarters. (The door bars were confiscated by Shuntian Prefecture as evidence)

Ren Feiyu was knocked unconscious, a sock was used to gag his mouth, and his hands were bound behind his back. He was then dragged from the bed, physically assaulted, and forced to kneel in front of the Eight Immortals Table. The murderer used a knife or dagger to slit his throat.

Marquis Wu’an granted Ji Chan permission to undress Ren Feiyu’s trousers, in order to validate the theory of the kneeling position. Upon close examination, she indeed found light bruises on his knees, including one behind his right knee as well — indicating that the killer had kicked Ren Feiyu.

Marquis Wu’an was finally convinced.

Ji Chan had now concluded her autopsy and the remaining work belonged to Shuntian Prefecture.

Forensic doctors of this era held no social status, leaving no room for Ji Chan to butt in regarding the follow-up case analysis. 

The head butou personally sent Ji Chan off.

He said, “Xiao Ji, thanks to you, we now have a better understanding of this case. It’s not the right time now, but when you return to the capital, make sure to visit me, Lao Dong, at Shuntian Prefecture. I’ll treat you to a meal with meat and alcohol!”

Ji Chan laughed heartily, “Thank you, Brother Dong. I will certainly trouble you when I visit again.”

Their voices broke through the silence, startling those in the guard room.

Plumpy ran out from inside, silently clutching Ji Chan’s coattail, looking curiously at her and Lao Dong.

Ji Chan, who still hadn’t washed her hands, smoothed the boy’s hair with the back of her hand and said, “Dad’s hands are dirty, so you should put your hat on by yourself.”

Zhu Ping and Xiao Ma also rushed outside.

Zhu Ping asked Ji Chan, “How did it go?”

Lao Dong interjected, “This case has significant implications, and our superiors have asked for confidentiality. It’s not appropriate for Mr. Ji to go into details.”

Feeling embarrassed, Zhu Ping bowed and said, “I won’t pry then.”

Awkwardness suddenly filled the air.

Ji Chan intervened, “Brother Dong must have a lot to do, we’ll take our leave now.”

Lao Dong nodded, “Alright. Don’t rush to return to the capital and consider staying overnight, just in case a Daren decides to inquire about you.”

Ji Chan agreed, and the group left through the side gate.

They were leading their horses out of the hutou and were about to reach its entrance when a large door suddenly opened. Lao Zheng appeared behind it and said, “Mr. Ji, Daren Zhu has prepared a room for you at Heaven’s Blessing and is waiting. Please, follow me.”

“Thank you, Brother Zheng.” Ji Chan had XiaoMa carry Plumpy, while she carried her post-mortem case. They followed Lao Zheng out of the hutou and turned left, heading north along the street.

Heaven’s Blessing, the top inn-restaurant in the western part of the capital, was only a short distance away — about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

They dismounted their horses in front of the establishment, and a few workers came out to welcome them and lead the horses to the stable.

Old Zheng said to Ji Chan, “Daren Zhu has reserved a table for the banquet. Mr. Ji, you can first go to the room and freshen up. Lao Zhu will be waiting for you downstairs. I will inform Daren first.”

Ji Chan asked, “Is Daren Si also here?”

Old Zheng nodded.

Understanding, Ji Chan asked the attendant to lead the way, and she went upstairs with Xiao Ma and Plumpy.

“Son, you’ll get to see your dad in just a moment, are you excited?” Ji Chan washed her hands three times with soap, dried them with a towel, and took out a set of dark-colored men’s clothing from her luggage.

“Mom, do I look like him?” Plumpy retorted instead of answering.

Ji Chan examined him closely, “Not right now, but you should in the future. Children’s features are different from adults’, and besides, Plumpy is very chubby.”

“I see.” Plumpy gave an exaggerated sigh, “If we did look alike, Xiao Ma and Uncle Zhu would have already noticed it.”

Ji Chan gave him a thumbs up, commending his logical analysis.

“Then let them not notice it,” Plumpy said as he opened the snack box on the square table with his left hand and pulled out a piece of dried pork with his right hand, eagerly beginning to chew on it.

“Why?” Ji Chan asked, puzzled; why not disclose it when you have met each other? “Weren’t you jealous of Juzi for having a dad?”

Acting mature, Plumpy responded, “Juzi has three people disciplining him every day, but I only have you, Mom, so my ears are less noisy.”

Ji Chan was momentarily stunned; this kid really had a knack for words. If it weren’t for the fact that he used to gnaw on his toes as a baby, she would suspect he was a transmigrated person.

The mother and son went downstairs hand in hand after changing their clothes.

“Master.”

“Mr. Ji.”

Xiao Ma and Zhu Ping heard footsteps coming down the stairs and turned their heads together, greeting her in unison.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.” Ji Chan apologized.

Zhu Ping responded, “No problem at all, Mr. Ji. Let’s go. This way, please.”

They exited the inn, headed to the back yard, and entered a small, inconspicuous courtyard.

As soon as Ji Chan stepped in, two servants rushed out to welcome Ji Chan and Plumpy to the main room, Zhu Ping and Xiao Ma went to the western wing room.

“Mr. Ji.” When the mother and son walked in, Si Qi and Zhu Ziqing stood up at once.

Si Qi gave a deep bow, “Thank you for your help.”

Ji Chan greeted him and replied, “No need to be so polite, Daren Si. It’s my duty. How did the matter fall out?”

Zhu Ziqing laughed aloud, “The murderer is right-handed, while Daren Si happens to be a left-hander. Mr. Ji’s contribution brought great results!”

Ji Chan glanced at the chopsticks on the side of Si Qi’s right hand, and said with a laugh, “County Magistrate’s praise is highly appreciated, it makes me glad to have been able to help.”

Si Qi understood her implication, and raised his right hand, “I eat and write with my right hand, but everything else I do with my left hand.”

“The innocent have nothing to fear. Come, please, Mr. Ji, have a seat.” While speaking, Zhu Ziqing beckoned to the chubby child, “Come here, Plumpy, Uncle Zhu bought something delicious for you.”

On the table in front of him lay a beautifully delicate lacquer box and a wooden box filled with delicious pastries.

Plumpy had met Zhu Ziqing a few times so he wasn’t shy with him. He sneaked a glance at Si Qi, flashed a sweet smile, and ran towards Zhu Ziqing.

“Please have a seat.” Si Qi didn’t look at Plumpy and gestured to a spot next to him.

“This child is too young, this one will sit here to help him.” Ji Chan sat next to Plumpy, which meant having a seat between herself and Si Qi. 

Si Qi: “…”

The dishes began to arrive.

The restaurant specializes in Huaiyang cuisine. Wensi tofu, meatballs made of minced crab meat, shredded tofu in chicken broth, salted pork jelly, and roasted pork head along with other dishes continued to be served.

A fragrant aroma filled the entire room.

Plumpy eyes sparkled, and he glanced at Si Qi with an unclear meaning in them.

Si Qi still hadn’t turned to look at him. He held his cup with his left hand and said, “Brother Shenlan, Mr. Ji, a toast to you two, cheers!”

Zhu Ziqing raised his cup and clinked it against Si Qi’s, then emptied it with one gulp.

Ji Chan courteously replied, “Daren is too polite.” She waited for Si Qi to empty his cup before finishing her own.

Plumpy watched for a moment, then picked up a piece of jelly pork closest to him and placed it on Ji Chan’s plate ––he did it with his left hand, despite usually using his right.

This cute chubby boy was the most eye-catching person at the table. Apart from Si Qi, the eyes of Zhu Ziqing, Ji Chan and the two servers were all on him. 

Zhu Ziqing curiously asked, “Oh my! Is Plumpy also a left-hander? Has Mr. Ji not corrected him?”

Ji Chan laughed inwardly. To say she doesn’t care about it would be an oversimplification; no matter how smart he seemed, he was still just a child.

She answered, “Regularly using your left hand can help train the right side of the brain. The right brain is responsible for visual thinking, music, imagery, holistic thinking, and spatial recognition. It is better at processing complex relationships than the left brain. Children who often use their left hand tend to be more intelligent.”

Only then did Si Qi look over, his gaze sweeping over Plumpy before settling on Ji Chan, “And what about the left brain? Do you have any evidence to support your claim, Mr. Ji?”

“The left brain is responsible for language and abstract thinking. As for evidence… Well, the evidence is not particularly strong. It’s just that my master and his master conducted continuous surveys on the characteristics of left-handed and right-handed people for decades.” Ji Chan fabricated a story on the spot.

Plumpy switched the chopsticks back to his right hand and skillfully picked up a piece of Wensi tofu for Ji Chan, “Dad, I can use both hands, does it mean both sides of my brain are powerful?” He only called her dad in front of strangers.

Ji Chan laughed, “That’s right, my son is the best!”

Plumpy smiled proudly and lowered his gaze, focusing on eating his favorite pig’s head meat.

Si Qi looked at his left hand as if lost in his thoughts, still not paying attention to Plumpy. He switched his chopsticks back to his left hand, “It sounds like the right brain is more useful.”

Zhu Ziqing burst into laughter, “No wonder Yujing ranked first in the imperial exam while I didn’t. The answer lies here!”

After two rounds of drinks, the three began discussing the case of Ren Feiyu.

Zhu Ziqing asked Si Qi, “Now that you’ve been cleared of suspicion, this case will probably be entrusted to you. Where do you plan to start?”

Si Qi replied, “Marquis Wu’an won’t allow me to get involved. I’ll start by looking at the case files from Qin Prefecture.”

Zhu Ziqing said, “The murderer was well-acquainted with Ren Feiyu’s circumstances. Perhaps the investigation should start with the people around Ren Feiyu; servants, friends, family, ohh…” He suddenly lowered his voice at this point, “Do you think it could be Marquis Wu’an? He’s had a bone to pick with Ren Feiyu for a long time, after all.”

Ji Chan paused, recalling her encounter with Marquis Wu’an. His reaction seemed genuine, neither excessively mournful nor disinterested—just like any ordinary person would act upon losing a child.

Si Qi shook his head. “If Marquis Wu’an wanted him dead, he wouldn’t need such an elaborate scheme. He could have faked an illness and sent him to the countryside to recover.”

“That makes sense.” Zhu Ziqing served a meatball to Plumpy while listening with great interest.

Si Qi remarked, “Mr. Ji’s hypothesis suggests that the killer is bold and calculating, which doesn’t fit the profile of a spoiled young master. No one among Ren Feiyu’s social circle seems capable of such a crime. And it’s not hard to understand Ren Feiyu and the inner workings of that courtyard. For example, I know some of his personal business. So, if someone genuinely wanted to target him, it would be relatively easy to uncover that information.”

He looked at Ji Chan, his thick eyebrows tightly furrowed. His piercing, intense gaze seemed to scrutinize her thoroughly.

“Mr. Ji, do you have any useful suggestions?”

Subconsciously, Ji Chan leaned back, replying, “The killer may not be a close friend, but someone he knew is still a possibility. They’re not very strong, have a vigilante mentality, and are quite meticulous about cleanliness. They took a tooth from the victim as a souvenir from the crime scene, a way to remind themselves of their disturbing masterpiece and derive satisfaction from it.”

Zhu Ziqing exclaimed in surprise, “Is the killer a lunatic?”

Plumpy suddenly spoke up, “My dad says people like that are called psychopaths.”

His childlike voice contrasted with the gravitas of his words, capturing the attention of Zhu Ziqing and Si Qi.

Zhu Ziqing asked, “What’s the difference between a lunatic and a psychopath?”

Ji Chan explained, “A lunatic is not a sane person; their actions lack logic. Psychopaths, on the other hand, are inherently cold but adept at pretending, often disguising themselves as friendly, outgoing, witty, and likable.”

Si Qi grasped the concept and remarked, “Listening to you is more enlightening than a decade of study. The position of a coroner doesn’t do justice to your abilities, Mr. Ji. How about joining me at the Supreme Court?”