Under everyone's attention, Miss Li couldn't help but hide behind Young Master Li.
Li Gongzi was a little unhappy: "Sir, no matter who the murderer is, it has absolutely nothing to do with our brothers and sisters. My sister is timid, so don't scare her."
The county magistrate looked at Li Gongzi, and suddenly smiled: "This official has handled the case for many years, but I have an experience. A murder case happened, but anyone connected with this case will never be completely irrelevant. I hope Li Gongzi and Miss Li will cooperate well."
"It's said that someone is messing around with letters, otherwise how could we get involved!"
"But there are so many good men and women who come to Lingwu Temple to offer incense, why are they sending letters to the Li family?" The deceased Liu Sheng, right?"
Miss Li shivered all over, her face pale.
"Sir, what do you mean by that? How could Shimei know the deceased!" Li Gongzi accentuated his dissatisfaction.
Although the folk customs are open, it is not a new thing for young ladies in towns such as Qingniu Town and Dayang Town to date their favorite men. Even if it is too much, people will turn a blind eye, but it is involved. It would not look good to be cross-examined by an official man in front of so many people in the face of a murder case.
The county magistrate didn't care about Young Master Li's attitude and smiled slightly: "Miss Li, this officer wants to hear what you have to say."
Miss Li bit her lip, her face was pale, her dry lips kept shaking, and she seemed to be struggling.
"My lord, my sister is just a girl. I'm already scared to see this kind of thing. Don't ask her any more!"
The county lieutenant finally turned cold, raised his hand and pointed at Jiang Si: "This little lady is also a girl, why is she so calm?"
His words were originally a rhetorical question, so as to block Li Gongzi's mouth, he did not expect the girl who was accused to smile softly and calmly say: "Because I have a clear conscience. I don't do anything wrong in the daytime, and I won't be surprised if I knock on the door in the middle of the night. The woman is not guilty, she only feels sorry for the victim when she sees this kind of thing, how can she feel scared?"
"Well said!" Jiang Zhan only felt that his sister spoke quickly and patted his hand.
Yu Jin bent his lips to hold back a smile, his eyes fell on the girl's face and he was reluctant to move away.
The county lieutenant was stunned, gave Jiang Si a serious look, and praised: "The girl really said it well."
Cough cough, I didn't expect that I was lucky enough to meet such a sturdy little girl today, but it blocked the mouth of the Li family's child.
The little girls have said so, and if the Li family's children stop him from being questioned, that is Miss Li's conscience.
Sure enough, after Jiang Si said that, Young Master Li opened his mouth for a long time and could not speak, but Miss Li finally spoke after her face changed: "Little girl... I really know Young Master Liu..."
Seeing the county lieutenant listening carefully, she bit her lip and explained, "I just know..."
"I don't know how Miss Li got to know you?"
"I often come to Lingwu Temple for a short stay. Sometimes I meet the young master of the Liu family in the temple, and I get to know him slowly..." Miss Li gave the county magistrate a panicked look and said hurriedly, "We don't know each other well!"
The county captain looked at Xuanci and other monks: "Does Liu Sheng often come to Lingwu Temple?"
The acquaintance monk said: "Sometimes I will come and stay for a few days."
"Since Liu Sheng is from Qingniu Town, why does he still live in the temple?"
Monk Zhike couldn't help but look at Xuanci.
Xuanci explained: "Some pilgrims like the cleanliness of the temple, and some like to taste the vegetable soup in the temple, so the people of this town also live in small places from time to time."
When he heard the word "vegetable soup", not only Jiang Zhan's face turned pale, but the expressions of several pilgrims in the accommodation became even more tragic.
"My lord, the work has been preliminarily tested."
"Call in."
After a while, Zuo Zuo walked in: "I have seen adults."
The county lieutenant nodded, indicating that he could speak.
Zuo Zuo was obviously familiar with this kind of scene, and he didn't look at other people. He said succinctly: "The deceased's eyes were protruding, there were obvious strangulation marks on his neck, and stones were entangled in his back. It was initially determined that he was strangled and tied to a stone to sink the corpse. The killer should be a man."
"How do you know it's a man?"
Wu replied, "The deceased's fingernails were broken, and he obviously struggled fiercely. It is very difficult for a woman to have the physical strength to strangle a young man like the deceased alive and tie a stone to his body."
"What about the time of death?"
"Probably between yesterday afternoon and You Hou."
Jiang Zhan was a little nervous when he heard the county magistrate ask about the time of death, and he couldn't help but smile when he heard the answer.
Fortunately, this county lieutenant and Zuzuo were not scumbags.
"Okay, you go to check carefully again."
Zuzuo retreated.
The county lieutenant swept the crowd one by one, but there was no clue on his face: "Since the time of death has been roughly determined, then Jiang Er can rule out the suspicion for the time being—"
Si Hai couldn't help interrupting the county captain's words: "Maybe Jiang Er came here yesterday. There are so many pilgrims who come to Lingwu Temple every day, and it is difficult for him to mix in."
Jiang Zhan sneered: "Nonsense, we came to Qingniu Town only yesterday, and we have the inn shopkeeper and clerk as proof. By the way, on the way to Qingniu Town yesterday, there was a melon shed about ten miles away from Qingniu Town. , We have bought a few melons from the melon farmers. If you are in doubt, you can check these."
The county lieutenant nodded, looked at the monks and said, "They are traveling together, and they will definitely leave traces along the way. These will be known at a glance. This official has temporarily ruled out Jiang Er's suspicion, and the most important thing is that he can't find his motive for the time being. , and the motive is the key to the murder. Besides, this official has observed that it will be relatively hidden from the guest room in the temple to the back mountain. If the pilgrims without accommodation want to go to the back mountain without being noticed by the temple people, it is very difficult."
"Then who is the murderer?" Xuanci asked with a solemn expression.
"According to the clues currently available, the murderer must be familiar with Houshan, then—" the county lieutenant paused, "Monks or pilgrims in the temple are most likely."
"Amitabha, I hope the adults will investigate carefully, and the monks of my temple will be innocent." Xuanci folded his hands together.
"It's natural, this officer is going to inquire alone now, and I also ask Master Xuanci to arrange a room." The county captain smiled at Jiang Zhan and the others, "You can go to rest first, if there is something, the officer will send someone. call you."
The separate room was quickly vacated, and Jiang Si and his group were standing on the corridor. No one was sleepy at this time.
"Fourth sister, Yu Qige, you see, the first person to be summoned was a pilgrim overnight." Jiang Zhan, who got rid of the suspicion, looked relaxed and lively.
Yu Jin smiled: "We have all been asked once, and it is time to ask these pilgrims. But this lord is really interesting. Let everyone understand the basic situation first, and then ask for details separately. Maybe there is something to gain."
As he said, he touched his chin lightly and looked at Jiang Si: "I have a question and I'm going to ask the young man who is staying in Li, will we go together?"