Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 71: Visitors from Bo's Mansion
Gao Yuntian straightened up and asked, "If, as you said, we didn't find Zhang Yu the first time we went to the workshop for some reason, does that mean Zhang Yu isn't my real name? The murderer and the jade shop owner know my real name, and probably what I look like."

Jia Chuan quickly took advantage of Gao Yuntian's intelligence to help him expand his thinking and continued to hypothesize:

"The file says Zhang Yu wasn't a craftsman, so it's very likely he wasn't using his real name. Small workshops might hire people with skills but no household registration, so they might secretly hire them. But this is the capital, and the owner of the small workshop never showed up, only saying he wasn't in the capital. Shuntian Prefecture couldn't find out what household Zhang Yu was from, and he came alone from out of town. Even after his death, we won't know his real name or a pseudonym. But the fact that he liked to take leave and go out is intriguing. If this inference is correct, doesn't it mean Zhang Yu must have had a purpose for lurking in the capital, and that this purpose was discovered, so they killed him in advance?"

Chen Mo leaned forward and asked, "There's something I can't figure out."

"You said."

"We've all seen small workshops. It's easy for the murderer to kill someone, just one knife. But how did they move the person back to the bed in another room without being seen and cover up the bloodstains?"

"Good question!" Jia Chuan was in high spirits.

Dong Yuanyuan, who was squatting not far away, turned her head to look at Gao Yunduo, who was hiding by the wall, and wanted to say: "Come over and squat with me." But Gao Yunduo made a shushing gesture at her, and Dong Yuanyuan remained silent.

Logically, Gao Yunduo shouldn't have come to the front yard, but she wanted to hear what conclusion those people could come up with. She didn't want this marriage in the first place. The person she wanted to marry should be a martial artist like her and upright. But she had heard that this illegitimate grandson of the Anping Marquis's Mansion was not only weak but also had questionable character. She didn't understand why her father agreed to this marriage.

Now that time has passed, she should no longer have any connection with the Anping Marquis' Mansion. She is just curious and wants to know whether the Anping Marquis' Mansion is really related to this case.

But there are differences between men and women after all. It was late at night, and even though they were in the yard and her brother was present, Gao Yunduo still felt it was not safe to show up, so she started listening at the wall.

At this time, Jia Chuan was enthusiastically analyzing the crime process of the first case.

"...If the murderer had struck with his knife, blood would have splattered everywhere. It would have been practically impossible to leave no trace without provoking resistance from the deceased. However, the coroner said he wanted to find where the victim was killed. Furthermore, the government officials and the other people in the workshop are all knowledgeable. If there were a lot of blood in any room, they would have discovered it immediately. With so many people witnessing it, it's not something that can be easily silenced..."

Chen Mo added, "If there had been bloodstains, the deceased wouldn't have been discovered the next day."

"That's why I inferred that the crime scene was in the small room used as a bridal chamber. However, the deceased wasn't sitting at the table at the time. The room wasn't big. There was a long table under the window. It was L-shaped, uh, it turned a corner. There was another table under the wall to the right of the bamboo chair, connected to the one under the window. There was a bamboo chair in front of the table, and various tools on it. If blood was spilled, it would be quite troublesome to clean up. But the rest of the room was open space. So after the jade shop owner and the 'attendant' confirmed Zhang Yu's identity, they must have led him to the open space in the small room first..."

Gao Yuntian interjected, "The jade shop owner was talking to the deceased when the attendant walked up behind Zhang Yu and attacked him!"

"The old master said that the deceased Zhang Yu was slightly shorter than me and quite stocky. This means the attacker behind him would have had to be taller than him and have had the ability and strength to deliver a lethal blow. Furthermore, when the blood splattered, it wouldn't have splashed all over the jade shop owner. I asked the coroner, and the blood on the deceased's upper body was both splattered and flowing, and most importantly, on his shoes. This means he couldn't have been killed while sitting at the table."

Gao Yuntian continued, "The table would have blocked the splattered blood. The floor of that room is compacted earth, not bricked. If there were bloodstains, it would be hard to tell without a close look. But how did the two of them move the body to the resting place without being discovered? There are people in the front and back yards. From that small room to the room where the deceased was found, I measured it to be at least ten steps..."

Dong Yuanyuan shouted, "The jade shop owner should just find a reason to send everyone in the courtyard elsewhere in advance."

Jia Chuan slapped his thigh:
"Party A... The jade shop owner works for the workshop, so his words carry some weight. However, he probably came out to send the people in the backyard away after the murder. While waiting for them to leave, the victim's blood had almost drained out. The two men quickly carried the body into the house, and there must have been blood in the process. But the ground is just soil, and the government office is open the next day. Not to mention that they didn't handle the case rigorously, even if they did, they might not have found bloodstains in the yard. The craftsmen were busy all the time, so they were more likely to be careless."

"That follower must have been wearing a black robe. How could there be no blood on his body after all this trouble?" Gao Yunduo couldn't help but say.

They only heard voices but didn't see anyone. Among the people sitting in the yard, only Jia Chuan stretched his neck to look for someone.

Chen Mo nodded and said, "Not only is this attendant wearing a black robe, but the jade shop owner's clothes are also dark."

"It's a pity that I didn't take the case at that time." Jia Chuan sighed.

Shunzi asked, "Even if everything is as you inferred, why didn't the people in the workshop look for Zhang Yu after the jade shop owner left? Why did they just wait until the next day to start work?"

Jia Chuan said:
"The old master in the workshop said that although the owner of the jade shop went to supervise the workers every day, he sometimes went at dusk. I suspect that the murderer went at dusk this time, or at least very close to dusk. This craft is not easy to do with a lamp. If you miss the target, the jade in your hands will be wasted. So it is very likely that the owner of the jade shop found an excuse to delay for a while afterwards and left after dark. Someone who lived in the same room with Zhang Yu saw Zhang Yu lying on the bed, and he must have been covered with a quilt. He called out twice but didn't respond, so he left him alone. It makes sense that he delayed until the next day. It shows that Zhang Yu didn't get along well with others on a daily basis."

"As long as the body is found the next day, we can put the blame on someone else, and the jade shop owner will no longer be a suspect." Shunzi said in summary.

"Yes!" Dong Yuanyuan shouted in approval.

Chen Mo asked, "Even if you can deduce what this case should be like, there is no evidence to implicate the Earl of Anping in this case. What can you do when you go to the Earl of Anping's mansion tomorrow?"

"Why don't I tell you about this? I originally wanted to go directly to Anping Bo and see if I could get something out of him. But after all this talk, I think I need to go to the workshop again tomorrow. So far, the only people who have seen the entourage are those in the workshop. Now that I know their approximate height and appearance, I can secretly ask someone to ask the servants in Anping Bo's mansion. Who knows..."

Before Jia Chuan could finish his words, he heard hurried footsteps. He quickly stopped and looked toward the courtyard gate. A Jinyiwei flagman hurried in, stopped, and bowed, saying, "Shuntian Prefecture Governor Zheng Daoning is here."

Jia Chuan thought the Jinyiwei would set up defenses, so he spoke so brazenly in the courtyard, but he didn't expect that even the prefect could stop him. Chen Mo stood up and said, "The prefect is here to see you, so let's not stand here anymore. Let's go back to our rooms. After the prefect leaves, we can discuss tomorrow's itinerary."

Shunzi groaned inwardly upon hearing this. This captain clearly had no intention of leaving and wanted to sleep in the same room with him tonight. Shunzi had just sighed softly when he heard Dong Yuanyuan say, "You can't pull me out by yourself."

Shunzi turned his head and saw Gao Yunduo trying hard to pull Dong Yuanyuan up, so he quickly ran over to help.

Dong Yuanyuan looked up and said to Shunzi with a silly smile: "My legs are numb from squatting."

……

Zheng Daoning came in a hurry because he was frightened by the grief and anger that Lu Feng expressed after returning.

He was not afraid of keeping the coroner. Now that the corpse had turned into bones, no matter what the coroner said, there was no way to verify it. Moreover, the longer the coroner stayed at the Gao family, the less worried he was. Even when he appeared before the emperor, he dared to raise questions: Why did the coroner change his mind?
But what shocked Zheng Daoning was that Jia Chuan really went to the workshop and the jade shop that day. Judging from Lu Feng's words, Jia Chuan did not give Shuntian Prefecture any face.

Officials in the capital, regardless of rank or grudge, had to give face to Shuntian Prefecture when dealing with them. Jia Chuan had spent an entire day walking around Lü Feng and then chased him away, a humiliation to the officials of Shuntian Prefecture. How could he dare do this? Was he relying solely on the Emperor's support? Would he no longer be involved in officialdom? Or...

Zheng Daoning thought about it and felt that Jia Chuan's behavior was more likely due to his rookie arrogance rather than indifference due to confidence. He also felt that he might want to pass on some information to him. However, he only checked for one day, and everything was arranged by him, so what could he find out?

Zheng Daoning did not dare to delay and did not go to Zhang Lian to discuss. He got into the sedan chair and went straight to Gao's house.

Since it was curfew, it was normal for Zheng Daoning to be stopped and questioned, but when he arrived at the Gao family's door, he was stopped by the Jinyiwei. Zheng Daoning couldn't help feeling a little panicked.

If the Jinyiwei were only responsible for helping Jia Chuan investigate the case, Zheng Daoning would be uneasy but not afraid. He would not come forward even if he wanted to talk about the rules. But stopping his sedan chair and asking him to wait would not only facilitate the investigation.

Zhang Lian's words rang in Zheng Daoning's ears: The emperor has just ascended the throne, and the previous emperor was in power for a short time. Stability is of paramount importance. This case is not a major one. The emperor just wants to take this opportunity to warn Shuntian Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, and Anping Earl. When that young man can't find out the truth, we will all surrender to the emperor, and the matter will be over. We just need to be more careful in investigating cases in the future.

Zheng Daoning felt that it made sense. The emperor's re-investigation of the case stemmed from the accusation that the Earl of Anping was "arrogant and perverting the law". This was not the first time that the Earl of Anping was brought before the emperor. He had been accused once during the time of the previous emperor, but the matter was not brought up again because no evidence was found. Zheng Daoning felt that the Earl of Anping was a meritorious official in the Jingnan Campaign. Although his daily behavior was indeed inappropriate, the Earl of Anping was not dead yet. If he really wanted to clean up the Earl's mansion, he would have to wait a little longer.

Zheng Daoning mustered up his courage and stepped into the Gao family's yard.

Jia Chuan was waiting in the courtyard, or rather, he didn't move at all. After seeing Zheng Daoning bow, he pointed to the stool under his feet and said, "Don't be disgusted, Prefect Zheng. This is the most comfortable place at this time of year. It's very refreshing with a gentle breeze."

Zheng Daoning was stunned. After all, he was a third-rank official, but he had never heard that Jia Chuan had a rank. He even dared to let him sit in the yard. Just for the crime of neglect and disrespect, Jia Chuan could be beaten with a stick.

Zheng Daoning hesitated for a moment. Not to mention that he didn't bring any yamen runners with him, even if he did, there would definitely be Jinyiwei people in the courtyard. Could he defeat them?

"I've been an official for many years, but this is the first time I've sat on a bench in the yard and talked to someone." Zheng Daoning said in a deep voice with a cold face.

"What we often do isn't always right." Jia Chuan pointed to a stool and sat down first. He then said to himself, "I, Jia, am not talented enough to understand the purpose of the Lord's visit. I have no rank and no status, and yet you have bothered me to come to visit you empty-handed. I really can't figure out why. I hope you can help me solve this puzzle."

Zheng Daoning's butt had already touched the stool. He was annoyed by Jia Chuan's words "you came to visit empty-handed". A picture flashed through his mind: if he had brought something, he would be warmly welcomed into the house by Jia Chuan.

At this moment, Jia Chuan asked with a smile: "Does your Excellency feel comfortable in the courtyard? Sometimes it feels stuffy in the house, and I really need to go to the courtyard to get some fresh air, otherwise my mind will get confused."

Zheng Daoning sat down, turned his head and looked around, pretending not to hear what Jia Chuan said. He asked, "Where is the coroner resting?" "Oh, the governor came here for Han Si. Look at my memory, I actually forgot about this. The governor is here to punish me? Then I'm afraid I'll have to argue with the people from the Pacification Office."

"If you feel there's something wrong with the case, you can re-investigate it. Keeping the coroner here makes it seem like the government office is at fault. Furthermore, Lu Feng is a sixth-rank prosecutor. I will report to the emperor what you said and did to him today. What's your intention in bringing up the Pacification Bureau? The emperor ordered you to investigate this case, but he never ordered the Pacification Bureau to be involved. Are you trying to use the name of the Pacification Bureau to intimidate me?"

Jia Chuan did feel that he should bring up the Pacification Office to scare the leader, and he also wanted to show his power by sitting in the courtyard. With such a senior cadre sitting in front of him, Jia Chuan couldn't call Xu Gong to accompany him to give him courage.

Sitting in the dark courtyard like this, and then moving out of the Pacification Office, Jia Chuan felt more at ease.
But he didn't expect that Zheng Daoning, the big leader, had his own aura. No matter where he sat, the majesty was still captured by the sensitive Jia Chuan in the dark.

Didn't Zheng Daoning want to scare Jia Chuan? He would slap him until it hurt, then help rub it, and then he would obey.

Jia Chuan raised his hand and stroked the back of his neck. He was so tired after a long day that the area felt a little stiff.

Zheng Daoning frowned and wanted to see Jia Chuan panic-stricken, but he didn't expect to see him looking lazy.

Jia Chuan also used this action to hide his nervousness. He tried not to look at Zheng Daoning and said casually:

"I seem to understand what the Lord said, but I also seem not to understand. I cannot stop the Lord from saying anything to the Emperor. But if the Lord wants to forcibly take the coroner from me, I would rather die than obey the Lord. I only listen to the Emperor. I will do whatever the Emperor tells me to do. I don't understand anything else."

Zheng Daoning took a deep breath and said:

"When it comes to loyalty, the officials in the court are not necessarily inferior to you! Moreover, following the rules is a sign of loyalty to the emperor. A coroner is a menial servant in the government office. The Ministry of Justice must report to you before they can transfer him. You also know that you are of no rank. The emperor values ​​your talent and orders you to the Ministry of Justice to investigate the case. Have you gone to the Ministry of Justice to meet with your superiors? Have you gone to Shuntian Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice to find the person who handled the case in detail? I have seen many young and frivolous people, but this is the first time I have seen someone as frivolous as you! I don't understand how you can rely on the emperor's trust to break the rules and regulations and treat the law as a joke?!"

The hat was a bit too big, and Jia Chuan immediately straightened his back and asked, "Such a serious crime? Is the Lord intending to arrest me?"

Zheng Daoning was choked. He wanted to see Jia Chuan panic, and then persuade him gently. He knew that there must be people from the Pacification Office in this yard, but he always spoke very carefully. He was confident that the Jinyiwei would not misunderstand him, and he could also make Jia Chuan understand some truths.

If it were easy to be a lone minister, why were there so few of them since ancient times?

But Jia Chuan's unfazed demeanor made him look like a street thug in Zheng Daoning's eyes. He couldn't help but scold him, "If you don't repent, we'll meet at the government office soon!"

Jia Chuan waved his hand and said, "It's fine, as long as we don't meet in the imperial prison. Does the Lord have anything else to say?"

"The Emperor values ​​you so highly, your future career will surely flourish. However, if you misbehave and the Emperor learns of it, even your remaining favor will be completely extinguished."

Jia Chuan was a little annoyed. Talking to these officials was not as good as chatting with the villagers. At least there was a chance to get useful clues. Talking to officials was a pure waste of time. If the big leader in front of him knew that he was just a brick and the emperor would use him wherever he was needed and even hit the heads of dignitaries when necessary, if the prefect could think this through, would he still say such words?

"Master Fuzun, please go back. I, the coroner, will never let you take me away, and you can't arrest me either. There is no point in saying more."

Zheng Daoning was suddenly flustered. Was this little rascal's attitude due to his ignorance of official etiquette, or was it because of something the emperor had said to him? Zheng Daoning was unsure.

Jia Chuan stood up, looking too lazy to say anything and wanted to see him off. Zheng Daoning could only leave angrily, and he even forgot to say any threatening words before leaving.

……

Chen Mo walked out of the house and said, "Prefect Zheng has hit a snag this time. He'll definitely find a way to stop you from investigating the case when he returns tonight. You either need to find evidence quickly, or go to the palace and ask the emperor for permission to order the Royal Guards to investigate..."

"Do you think there's something wrong with him?"

"I don't know if the case is related to him, but the fact that it was handled this way is definitely related to him. Officials care most about their official uniforms. They are a sharp weapon for making money. How can they not cherish them?"

"Is this how much you cherish me? If you really do, then don't do anything illegal!"

"You don't understand. In their view, what affects their official position is never what they do, but what the higher-ups want. As long as they follow the right trend and maintain a stable foundation, they'll be fine."

Jia Chuan pondered for a moment with his hands behind his back and asked, "The stability of the lower plate is the network of favors they have woven, right?"

Chen Mo nodded.

Jia Chuan looked up at the starry sky. The Jinyiwei had been established, not just for the selfish ends of those in power, but also to cut through the dense web of officialdom, wasn't it? Unfortunately, human nature was unpredictable.

Jia Chuan let out a long sigh and said, "What's the point of having a stable lower body? It's the head that's being chopped off."

Zheng Daoning sneezed in the sedan chair. He touched his chest, which was a little palpitating, and always felt a sense of foreboding.

In the courtyard, Jia Chuan walked towards the door after saying this. Chen Mo quickly asked, "What are the rules for tomorrow?"

Jia Chuan stopped, turned around and said:
"Tomorrow, have someone go back to the workshop and ask about the attendant's appearance. Also, send someone to various jade shops in the capital to inquire about the owner's past. In particular, remember to ask if anyone knows Zhang Yu, the craftsman in the workshop. Tonight, I'll have to inconvenience you by sharing a room with Shunzi and the coroner. I'll send the coroner back tomorrow afternoon."

"What are you going to do tomorrow? I'm not saying anything bad, but you have to be quick!"

"Tomorrow you will follow me to the Anping Marquis's Mansion!"

……

The next morning, Jia Chuan got up and did some radio gymnastics in the yard. Gao Yunduo saw it unintentionally, and then she laughed so hard that she didn't even have breakfast.

Dong Yuanyuan was puzzled and kept asking what was so funny. It would have been fine if she hadn't asked, but as soon as she asked, Gao Yunduo's mind flashed with the image of Jia Chuan holding his head high and flying high with wings spread, and she started laughing again. Dong Yuanyuan was so anxious that she went to call Gao Yuntian over.

Gao Yuntian naturally also saw Jia Chuan's radio gymnastics. Gao Yunduo just made two gestures, and he knew what his sister was laughing at. For a martial artist, Jia Chuan's weak stretching exercises were really a bit unsightly, but Gao Yuntian still gave him a serious reprimand, and his argument was: You can't laugh endlessly just because it's funny, Jia Chuan is also a person who cares about face.

Gao Yunduo seemed to be possessed by a demon. No matter what her brother said, even pinching her thigh was useless. At this moment, Shunzi hurriedly ran to the backyard and said, "Someone from the Anping Marquis' Mansion has come. He said he wants to discuss marriage with the Gao family."

Gao Yunduo stopped smiling. She suddenly felt a sense of sadness after being overjoyed. She looked at her brother nervously. Gao Yuntian frowned and said, "Don't worry, I know what's going on. Besides, we still have Jia Chuan."

……

The person who came to the Anping Marquis’s mansion was Li Ming, the second son of the Anping Marquis and the biological father of his illegitimate grandson.

Gao Yuntian sat with his back straight in the small hall of the main house in the front yard. Li Ming sat opposite him, and Jia Chuan listened.

Chen Mo suggested that he should not show up for such family matters. He had explained the reasons to Gao Yuntian several times in the past two days. If Gao Yuntian was still stubborn, Chen Mo felt that there was nothing he could do.

Jia Chuan was different. He remembered what Zhu Zhanji had said: Forget about this marriage.

Although he had no relationship with the Gao brothers and sisters, he was also gossiping on orders.

The servants brought by Li Ming stood in the yard, surrounding a pile of large and small boxes as if they were afraid that someone would snatch them away. This was even after Gao Yuntian stopped them from moving them into the yard, as some of them were still on the carriage outside the yard.

Dong Yuanyuan was very curious about what was in the box, but she knew she couldn't move it now, so she stayed beside those people, waiting for them to leave so that she could go forward and take a look.

(End of this chapter)