Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Is it Chapter 772?

Upon hearing the result, Xu Huaiyi's face darkened: "Are you sure?"

The coroner said, "This is the result of the preliminary autopsy, but since there are abnormalities in the body, it should be examined more carefully."

Xu Huaiyi nodded. He had already sent a document to the local government office before he arrived, so this was just a formality. He looked at the clerk beside him, who understood and said, "I'll go right away."

After the old coroner finished his most important report, a hint of hesitation flashed across his face as he looked at the Xie family members.

"Don't worry," Xu Huaiyi said, "I'm here."

Hearing this, the old coroner felt relieved. Exhuming a body for examination was a rare occurrence, especially with so many filial sons and grandsons kneeling beside him. If anything went wrong, his ancestors would be cursed. Now that they were trying to delay, one could only imagine what would happen to the Xie family...

After giving his instructions, Xu Huaiyi turned around and walked to Xie Yuyan and Old Master Xie Si's side.

Old Master Xie was about to stand up when he felt a sharp gaze directed at him, so he had to kneel down again.

Xie Yuyan looked at Xu Huaiyi: "Are there any results from the autopsy?"

Xu Huaiyi said, "The body is severely decomposed; it will take another day or two to confirm."

"Does Vice Minister Xu mean that my grandmother cannot be reburied today?" Xie Yuyan asked.

Before Xu Huaiyi could speak, Old Master Xie couldn't help but interject, "My eldest brother was re-encoffined after only one day, why can't my sister-in-law?"

"We are here..."

He looked at the clansmen kneeling on the ground. If the body could not be placed in the coffin today, it would mean that they would have to guard the coffin and continue to kneel and worship tomorrow.

Upon hearing this news, the Xie family members also began to make a commotion.

Xu Huaiyi remained unmoved.

Seeing this, Xie Yi, who was standing nearby, tentatively asked, "Could it be that there's something wrong with Aunt's body? Could it be that Aunt was murdered?"

These words caused an immediate silence to fall over the surrounding area.

Xie Yiwang looked at Xie Yize: "Don't talk nonsense. Aunt clearly died of illness. A few days before she passed away, her heart disease suddenly worsened. Uncle even sent someone to invite a renowned doctor, but unfortunately it was too late."

A casual remark caught Xu Huaiyi's attention, and he asked in a deep voice, "Is this really true?"

“Of course,” Xie Yiwang said. “My mother also had this ailment and was cured by a skilled doctor. My uncle came to inquire about it, and my father and I were both present.”

“My father didn’t come, otherwise it would also confirm that this is true.”

Xie Yi frowned: "Heart disease is true... but that doesn't prove... no one took advantage of the situation to do something..."

Even before the autopsy, Old Master Xie had already suspected Xie Yizhi. Hearing Xie Yize's words, his eyes darted around: "Could it really be..."

Xu Huaiyi ignored Xie Si and Xie Yize, and looked at Xie Yiwang instead: "Do you know which young man the old Prime Minister Xie invited to treat the old lady Xie?"

Xie Yiwang thought for a moment: "There are only a few top-notch doctors in Bianjing. My aunt usually uses Physician Xun."

Before investigating Madam Xie's case, Xu Huaiyi had made preparations by visiting Physician Xun. However, the physician had mentioned that Prime Minister Xie had not come to invite him before or after Madam Xie's serious illness.

“Oh, right, there’s also Chen De,” Xie Yiwang said. “Chen De is the one from the Chen Family Clinic. My aunt used to see doctors there when she was young. Later, Chen De’s father was cheated by his sworn brother, which not only landed him in a lawsuit but also threatened to destroy the clinic. It was my aunt who stepped in to help, allowing the Chen family to seek justice. That’s why my aunt trusts the Chen family so much…”

Xu Huaiyi suddenly looked at Old Master Xie: "Is this true?"

Old Master Xie clearly didn't want to speak, but when forced into a corner, he could only nod: "What Brother Wang said is the truth."

Xu Huaiyi asked, "Where is the Chen family's pharmacy?" Old Master Xie sighed, "After my sister-in-law passed away, the Chen family moved away, saying they were going back to their ancestral home. But I heard that they encountered bandits on the way and the whole family was wiped out."

Xu Huaiyi's expression grew increasingly cold. Those who had been by Madam Xie's side for years were either missing or had met with misfortune. Even the family of the doctor who treated her had died. Who was the one who had secretly done this? The Chen family's pharmacy was doing well, so why did they have to leave Bianjing? Either Chen De knew something, or it was all related to him.

Even though a person is dead, their case files can still be accessed. Furthermore, some cases don't necessarily require finding anything in order to make progress.

Xie Yiwang told him everything he knew, and Xu Huaiyi said, "I will stay at the manor until dark. If you think of anything, just come and find me."

Instead of kneeling outside burning paper money, it was better to go inside the village to talk. No one dared to leave easily, for fear of being troubled by Xie Yuyan in the future. However, if they went to report to the temple official, Xie Yuyan would not make things difficult for them.

Everyone who considered these things readily agreed.

Xu Huaiyi returned to the manor to rest with two constables. The constables waited outside the gate, and Xu Huaiyi went in alone.

Upon hearing the commotion, the clerk inside the room immediately put down his writing brush.

"How is it?" Xu Huaiyi asked.

The clerk shook his head: "He won't admit to anything."

Xu Huaiyi sat down and ordered, "Bring the man up."

A moment later, two constables brought a man to Xu Huaiyi.

Xu Huaiyi handed over the body compartment: "This is the result of the coroner's autopsy. You might as well take a look and see if it's the same as what you saw back then?"

After being released by the constables, the man stepped forward, pale-faced, to take the body compartment. Even though he was prepared, he trembled even more violently when he saw the words "poisoned".

After a long pause, he said in a trembling voice, "Sir... I really don't know... what I saw that day..." He couldn't continue.

When Madam Xie passed away, the Xie family reported the incident to the yamen, and it was this coroner, Cao, who came to the Xie family to examine the body. Xu Huaiyi had already questioned this man about the autopsy process back then, but the man insisted that there was nothing unusual about Madam Xie's body, so Xu Huaiyi simply brought him along to the Xie family estate.

"Still not going to talk?" Xu Huaiyi said. "Then do you know Chen De?"

Coroner Cao's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Xu Huaiyi to find Chen De so quickly. He wanted to deny it, but he was too nervous and could only open his mouth without making a sound.

"Have you thought this through?" Xu Huaiyi said. "Now that it has been determined that there are other hidden circumstances surrounding Madam Xie's death, I will investigate to the end."

Coroner Cao kept his mouth tightly shut.

Xu Huaiyi continued, "Even if Xie Yizhi confesses, I will continue to investigate unless there is concrete evidence to prove who the murderer is."

Upon hearing this, Cao the coroner finally couldn't help but kneel down.

“Xu, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices,” Cao, the coroner, said with a sob in his voice, “why do you have to investigate further? Wouldn’t it be better to close the case like this? Some things… it’s better for everyone to stay in the dark.”

"The person is already dead. What difference does it make whether we find out the results or not? If you keep pressing on this, it will only... it will only..."

Xu Huaiyi stood up and looked down at Cao the coroner: "What can you do?"

The coroner, Cao, shook his head and refused to continue.

Xu Huaiyi walked up to him: "Let me guess, you want to say..."

"You mean the murderer is already dead... If I keep pursuing him, it will only ruin his reputation, right?"

(End of this chapter)