A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 172 The Truth Revealed to the World (58)

Song Shuyu is a very clear-headed person. Protecting his subordinates is important, but tricking Bai Zhizhi into working for him is even more important.

After all, Mu Qingcheng was injured, and he couldn't bear to tire his wife out. Otherwise, why would he bring his rival out and needlessly cause himself trouble?

Song Li had never met Bai Zhizhi before, but seeing that she had an innocent and cute baby face, he didn't take it seriously. He bowed politely and said, "My name is Song Li. I didn't mean anything by it just now. Please don't take offense, young lady."

Bai Zhizhi's expression was sincere, and her tone was gentle: "It's not my fault, it's not my fault. Sister Mu said that I am the most understanding Zhizhi. How could I hold a grudge against a delicate man who was defeated by a woman?"

Song Li was stunned!
Bai Zhizhi's appearance easily gives people the illusion that she is innocent, kind, and guileless, so much so that people who meet her for the first time do not put their guard up against her.

Therefore, whenever she makes a move, she can deliver a fatal blow!

Song Shuyu was genuinely worried about Song Li. Having suffered "serious injuries" from two women in succession, he estimated that Song Li would be left with severe psychological trauma and would not even dare to marry a wife!

"Zhizhi, you mustn't be rude to Guard Song!"

Fortunately, Mu Qingcheng, the only one capable of controlling the little witch, appeared in time and saved the poor Song Li.

Bai Zhizhi obeyed immediately and bowed, apologizing, "I'm sorry, Zhizhi was talking nonsense and offended Guard Song. Please forgive Zhizhi, Guard Song."

Song Li's lips twitched; he truly didn't know what to say. He was indeed incompetent, having his face ripped apart by Xia Yu, a woman who couldn't even kill a chicken. He was utterly humiliated.

Mu Qingcheng also said, "Guard Song, her name is Bai Zhizhi, and she is my best friend. Zhizhi is straightforward, willful, and mischievous, and she doesn't know how to speak properly, so you don't need to pay attention to her."

Song Li sighed deeply: "Miss Bai is right. I really didn't handle this mission well."

Song Shuyu frowned. "This is due to your lack of experience. In the future, you should interact more with women and learn how to get along with them. Then you will be able to handle this kind of task with ease."

"No, no, no! From now on, I would rather die than take on such a job again!" Upon hearing this, Song Li looked as if a great calamity was about to befall him, his face filled with fear and refusal.

Song Shuyu was speechless and disgusted. "Look at your pathetic self, you're a disgrace to your master!"

"Alright, let's go see Xia Yu first."

Mu Qingcheng came to the rescue in time. She looked around and saw a carriage parked on the official road behind the teahouse. She then pulled Bai Zhizhi and walked towards the carriage.

Song Shuyu did not go with them. He sat down in the teahouse, ordered a pot of tea, and listened to Song Li's report on the details while sipping his tea.

……

Inside the carriage, Xia Yu, dressed as a nun, huddled in a corner, clutching a knife, her mind on high alert, her eyes warily fixed on the carriage door.

Mu Qingcheng lifted the carriage curtain and, seeing this scene, paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "I am Mu Qingcheng, the coroner of the Jingzhao Prefecture, in charge of investigating Li Yunyao's suicide case. Xia Yu, I heard you stabbed yourself. I brought a female doctor with me so we can help you apply medicine, okay?" Xia Yu's pale face was almost devoid of color. She bit her chapped lips and remained silent.

"Believe me, we mean no harm, we just want to help you." Seeing this, Mu Qingcheng reiterated her stance, "I think if your young lady knew in the afterlife, she would not want you to follow in her footsteps."

Mentioning Li Yunyao touched Xia Yu's heartstrings. She finally moved her lips and uttered a hoarse voice, "Coroner Mu, did you collect the young lady's body?"

Mu Qingcheng nodded and said, "Yes, I have examined the bodies of Li Mu and Li Yunyao. Once the case investigation is over, the bodies will be returned to their families for burial. However, according to our investigation, there are no relatives of the Li family in the capital. If no one claims them, the Jingzhao Prefecture will handle the matter according to regulations."

"I..." Xia Yu's expression showed a hint of anxiety, "Can I claim them? Can I take Master and Miss to Suzhou and bury them in the Li family's ancestral cemetery?"

Mu Qingcheng pondered for a moment and said, "How can a weak woman like you carry two corpses on the road? You should talk to the old steward of the Li family. As long as you are determined to claim them, I can plead with the Prefect of the Capital to grant you a favor."

"Thank you so much, Coroner Mu!" Xia Yu was extremely grateful. Before she knew it, she had let down her guard and developed a good impression of Mu Qingcheng.

Mu Qingcheng seized the opportunity to say, "Xia Yu, the cases of Li Mu's murder and Li Mu's drug-related murders have both been concluded, and the truth your young lady sought has surfaced. However, the details of Li Yunyao's suicide still require an explanation to the government and the world!"

"I'm sorry, I... I can't attend class." Xia Yu turned her head away, her body trembling slightly.

Mu Qingcheng asked, puzzled, "Why? Did Li Yunyao go to such lengths to arrange your escape from Qingzhou to keep a trump card for the future?"

Xia Yu pursed her lips tightly and did not answer.

Mu Qingcheng persisted, pressing further: "Li Yunyao deliberately chose to commit suicide in the outhouse of Yuntai Temple, using the phrase 'observing all things in silence, like the moon illuminating the heart' to guide us to Qingzhou to find you. She must have instructed you to become her spokesperson, to speak out for her injustice, right?"

Xia Yu's swollen eyes slowly welled up with tears, and she said indistinctly, "Yes, that's how Miss arranged it."

"Are you going to let your young lady down?" Mu Qingcheng couldn't understand and raised her voice.

Xia Yu nodded and then shook her head. "I promised Miss, and I don't want to let Miss down, but I... I can't do that!"

Mu Qingcheng gradually lost her patience. "What is the reason? Xia Yu, you must explain yourself, or you will be letting down Li Yunyao who risked her life to seek justice!"

“How should I put it? The Liu family did indeed harm the master, harm the madam, and ruin the young lady’s life. But the young lady is not a saint, nor is she weak and easily bullied. She will fight back and seek revenge. She has also done some bad things. If I were to go to court and fully recount the young lady’s suffering, it would surely ruin her reputation. How would the world view the young lady? They would turn their sympathy for her into insults and abuse, and might even say that the young lady was a viper and that this end was retribution…”

Xia Yu covered her face and wept bitterly, unable to speak.

Mu Qingcheng suddenly understood the answers to many unsolved mysteries.

She pondered for a long time, and only after Xia Yu had cried herself to sleep and calmed down did she speak again: "Xia Yu, even if you keep it a secret, how could I, as the investigator, not know what evil things Li Yunyao has done? However, Li Yunyao is an upright person. Since she asked you to speak for her, she is not afraid of the world's judgment. Right and wrong, merit and demerit, are all things she has experienced in her life. She can bear the light and also endure the darkness. When she was alive, she may not have been a gentleman, but at the moment she decided to die, she chose to be a gentleman with an open heart."

(End of this chapter)