Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 160 Find a new way
Chen Jiyuan, who was holding a needle and thread, heard Zhou Zhao's voice and it was like hearing celestial music. He jumped up, put down his needle and thread, and rushed out.

He was running so fast that he kicked a wooden box containing case files, which made him wince in pain.

However, Chen Jiyuan didn't care at all. He hopped on one foot and, holding onto the doorway, jumped to Zhou Zhao's side.

"Sister Zhao, did you call me?"

Zhou Zhao nodded and led Chen Jiyuan outside. "Why aren't you looking at the case files? Why are you sewing at your desk? Did Xu Jin bully you again?"

Chen Jiyuan touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly, "It's nothing. I disobeyed him before, and he was acting like a senior! I'm used to it. Sister Zhao, you don't need to stand up for me and go against Xu Jin. I know you're not afraid, but I'm fine. I'll just take it as a way to cultivate my character."

Zhou Zhao glanced at Chen Jiyuan with some surprise.

To be honest, her impression of Chen Jiyuan was only that he was incompetent, talkative, and cowardly.

But she didn't expect the child to be so timid.

"There's a saying you've probably heard: 'A kind person is often bullied, and a good horse is often ridden.' What law says that habit is always right? If a murderer has a habit of killing, can we say he's innocent?"

Zhou Zhao stopped there, saying that everyone's path is different.

Most people, like Chen Jiyuan, endure the hardships of being a newcomer, then gradually rise through the ranks, and finally gain their own place in the world.

"I have something I'd like to ask for your help with. I need you to pass on a message."

Chen Jiyuan blinked his big eyes. He was a quick-witted person, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to become an official in the Court of Justice. "Sister Zhao means that she wants me to spread the word about something to everyone. I can do that. There are many old men and women coming to the Court of Justice every day to watch the excitement."

They usually eat the offerings from the younger generation in their families, and when they have nothing to do, they take their grandchildren for a stroll. They would come here to listen to the adults solve cases and hear many strange and wonderful stories, which they would then tell their neighbors.

Not to brag, but their favorite person is Wu Qingshan Wu Wenshu, and their second favorite is me!

Zhou Zhao looked at the young man in front of him, whose baby fat had not yet faded, and whose face was flushed with excitement. He also thought about how the young man had become an official in the Court of Justice at such a young age, and how he always had a smile on his face. Wasn't he the grandson of his grandparents' dreams?

"Wu Qingshan, then why?"

Chen Jiyuan chuckled, revealing two cute dimples. "Wu Wenshu knows where to pray to the gods for the best results, and he always embellishes his stories with dramatic flair, making them very appealing to the elderly!"

Zhou Zhao's lips twitched, and he didn't continue the topic.

"Go to the Court of Justice's treasury and check a case file from four years ago. The case file is called 'The Head Play.' Reveal the contents of the case and say that the Head Play has recently reappeared. Everyone who comes out carrying a wooden head sculpture will die one after another... Seven people have died so far."

Chen Jiyuan was taken aback, and the connection immediately came to mind.

He quickly covered his mouth. "Sister Zhao, are you saying that the seven people who were eaten by pigs were killed because of the same old case?"

Zhou Zhao didn't explain to him, "You'll know what I'm talking about once you've seen the case file. Remember to do it immediately, the sooner the better, so there won't be an eighth victim."

She had wanted to do this before, but she wanted to use this case to "lure the snake out of its hole" in order to find the mole in the Northern Army and make him mistakenly believe that one of his brothers, who were in single-line contact and did not know each other, was practicing killing and causing trouble.

Now that the mole has been identified, we can immediately begin investigating the case.

“It will be very difficult for us to identify the seven dead, and it won’t be something that can be done overnight. If this continues, there will be more victims, so we must find another way.” The bodies were all shattered to pieces, and not a single relative came to report them missing.

Furthermore, news of the murder in the pigsty had already spread, yet no one had come forward to identify the body.

Finding the person through those items was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Chen Jiyuan solemnly cupped his hands to Zhou Zhao, "I will definitely do a perfect job and guarantee that the news will spread throughout Chang'an within an hour."

Even carrier pigeons and beacon fires can't keep up with the quick tongues of the old folks!

Chen Jiyuan deeply understands this point.

Because if he gets old, he'll be the most talkative old man.

Zhou Zhao smiled at Chen Jiyuan, "Once the case is closed, I'll treat you to Tianxiang Pavilion."

Chen Jiyuan's eyes lit up, and he smiled at Zhou Zhao, "I don't want to eat at Tianxiang Pavilion. If possible, Sister Zhao, could you lend me some books?"

The Zhou family was a family of court officials, and Zhou Zhao's family had a more complete collection of books than the Court of Justice, and these books contained annotations by leading Legalists. In their minds, these books were practically the Bible.

Zhou Zhao was taken aback, then nodded, "Of course, I'll bring you a scroll tomorrow."

She will be getting married and leaving Chang'an tomorrow night, and she will definitely return to the Zhou family.

Chen Jiyuan was overjoyed. He bowed to Zhou Zhao and skipped towards the archives. Just looking at his back, you could see his delight and joy.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhao's mood improved somewhat.

"I didn't realize you were such a soft-hearted person! Chen Jiyuan's aptitude is quite average. Even if he studied hard for thirty years, he wouldn't achieve much."

Upon hearing the mocking tone, Zhou Zhao knew that Min Zangzhi was standing behind him.

"To mock a scholar like this is hardly gentlemanly behavior, is it? The laws of the Great Qi Dynasty are upheld by millions of Chen Jiyuans. They are the true pillars of the state. Min Wenshu, who only cares about showing off, would never understand this."

Min Cangzhi snorted coldly and shook the feather fan in his hand.

"Hu Ji's identity has been found. Her name is Yan Ji, and she is a girl who dances the Hu Xuan dance at Tianxiang Tower. There are a total of nine dancers in that tower. Apart from the top courtesan Xiang Rong, the other eight all live in the same room."

I found three witnesses who all testified that they had seen Yan Ji wearing a red rope around her neck with a human head sculpture hanging from it.

As Min Cangzhi spoke, she asked curiously, "I haven't even told you yet, but you've already had Chen Jiyuan link the two cases together and spread the word. Aren't you afraid of making a blunder, with Sun Yang being the only exception?"

Zhou Zhao shook his head. "Sun Yang has a severed head hanging around his neck. What does that mean? It means that in places we don't know about, there was indeed a murder case. Some people killed someone together to save their own lives. They didn't come to ask the Court of Justice for protection, but to turn themselves in."

If she can't reach the mountain, she lets the mountain come to her.

"Now you have confirmed our previous suspicions that the two cases are indeed the same case. Killing one person to escape is not the end, but the beginning of the killing."

Those people won't sit still after hearing the news Chen Jiyuan released; after all, everyone fears they'll be next to die.