The next morning, Murong Ci rushed to Dali Temple immediately after eating breakfast.
It's a pity that she and Shen Zhiyan have no clue about Cao Mama's death. They went to the crime scene to investigate again, but still found nothing.
On the way back to the city, they decided to go to the inn where Lan Mengse and Madam Cao stayed.
The shopkeeper of the inn warmly entertained them, he knew everything about their questions, and arranged for his staff to take them to Lan Mengse's guest room for inspection.
After carefully inspecting the guest room and going up to the roof, no clues related to the murderer were found.
They asked all the guys to question one by one, and all the guys said that they didn't notice anything wrong that night.
They went back to Dali Temple disheartened, and saw a yamen servant sneaking in at the door.
"Which Yamen are you from?" Shen Zhiyan asked.
"The young one belongs to Jingzhao Mansion." The yamen servant carefully identified him, "My lord is Shen Shaoqing, Master Shen."
"I am. What's the matter"
"It's like this, Master Lu sent a young man to report to him."
"Another homicide happened." Shen Zhiyan was almost a conditioned reflex.
"No, Master Jiang sent someone to send a letter early this morning. He resigned from Mr. Lu and took his wife back to his hometown to avoid disaster." The yamen servant said.
"Master Jiang took his wife, Concubine Lan, away."
Surprised by Murong Ci, he also understood that Mr. Jiang would rather return to the countryside with his wife and live a peaceful life than worry about fear in the capital.
After entering the Yamen, Shen Zhiyan pondered, "Will the murderer let Lan Fei's sex go?"
As she walked, she thought, "Lan Feise is far away from the capital, and she will not reveal Lan Bise's secrets. She should be safe. Lan Feise is very smart, and she gave up the prosperity and wealth of the capital to save her life. Master Jiang also loves her very much." , to give up his official career for his wife."
He nodded, hoping that Lan Bise would stop.
It was already past lunch time, and they were drinking tea while sorting out the case after dinner, when they saw a yamen servant rushing in, "Your Highness, my lord, another homicide has occurred."
"Where is it?" Shen Zhiyan jumped up.
"In the eastern suburbs." The yamen servant replied.
Murong Ci rushed out quickly, Qin Ruo also followed.
Riding horses to the woods in the eastern suburbs, the officials and police officers of Jingzhao Mansion have sealed off the scene of the crime. Since it is in the suburbs, there are not many people onlookers.
Shen Zhiyan went to see the corpse first, and Murongci asked Butou Wu; "Who found the corpse?"
Wu Butou said that he was a vegetable farmer who went out of the city. He was in a hurry when he came here, so he went to the woods to solve it. Unexpectedly, he saw a female corpse and was so scared that he immediately peed.
Afterwards, the vegetable farmer panicked and went to Jingzhao Mansion to report the crime to him.
She turned her head to look, and saw the vegetable farmer sitting outside, with fear still on his face and sighing.
Shen Zhiyan preliminarily inspected the headless corpse, and said to His Royal Highness: "The way of death is the same as that of the Lan sisters and Madam Cao. The incision on the neck is very smooth, and the head was cut off with a sword. The clothes on the deceased are neither dirty nor messy." , was killed around five watch."
"The most important thing right now is to confirm the identity of the deceased." Murong Ci's expression was heavy, he didn't expect another headless female corpse to appear so soon.
"Whether there are easily identifiable birthmarks on the deceased can only be found out after going back for a detailed inspection." He turned his head and asked Wu Butou, "Are there any things left by the deceased or the murderer around?"
"I've searched for lowly jobs, but I haven't found them." Wu catcher replied.
She poked around in the nearby grass, and found no trace of the murderer, nor any signs of a fight, just like the place where Madam Cao was buried.
Afterwards, the yamen servants of Jingzhao Mansion sent the headless female corpse to Dali Temple, and posted a notice that if anyone matched the characteristics of the female corpse, they could go to Dali Temple to identify the corpse.
Shen Zhiyan examined the female corpse in detail, and found that the way of death was exactly the same as that of Mammy Cao and Sister Lan.
When Lan Mengse heard that it was a headless female corpse, she rushed to the morgue, but dared not go in, and looked inside, her heart clenched tightly.
Miss Huang accompanied her, her heart was also tugging, "Miss Lan, maybe it's just a coincidence, not someone you know."
Lan Mengse's face was pale, and her apricot eyes were full of tears, full of worry, "I'm afraid"
"Why don't I go in with you." Miss Huang suggested.
"Okay." Lan Mengse seemed to have made up her mind.
Murong Ci said softly: "Miss Lan, take a good look."
Lan Mengse looked down from the shoulders of the female corpse, her eyes moved slightly, and her eyes fluttered slightly like the wings of a butterfly.
When she saw a light blue silk handkerchief next to the corpse, her expression changed drastically, "This silk handkerchief"
Miss Huang took the square silk handkerchief, saw the green bamboo embroidered on one corner, and asked, "Do you recognize this silk handkerchief?"
Lan Mengse snatched Sipa hastily, staring at the green bamboo, because she squeezed Sipa too hard, the knuckles of her knuckles turned white.
Big and big teardrops fell down, she wept uncontrollably, and murmured hoarsely: "Bise"
Murong Ci was taken aback, "You said the deceased was Lan Bise"
Shen Zhiyan was also confused, how could the deceased be Lan Bise
"I embroidered the bamboo on this silk handkerchief with my own hands and I won't admit it." Lan Mengse cried, with tears streaming down her face, distraught, "This is the blue silk handkerchief."
"Lan Bise is dead." Murong Ci looked at him in surprise. Could it be that their guesses were all wrong
"Miss Huang, help Miss Lan go back and rest first." Shen Zhiyan said softly.
After they left, Murong Ci said solemnly: "Miss Lan should not admit her mistake, this headless female corpse is Lan Bise, who is the murderer?"
He is also at a loss, "Our investigation and deduction are all in the wrong direction."
Immediately, they overturned the case and reorganized the case.
The murderer may or may not be from Zhuijinfang in Yangzhou, but he must be an old acquaintance with the deceased and Lan Mengse, and these deceased should know the murderer's dark secret, which is why he committed the murder.
The murderer may or may not be from the palace, but the high-strength martial arts allow the murderer to enter and leave the palace as if walking on the ground. The murderer's method of committing the crime is very clever and cruel, and he will kill those who know his secret at all costs.
It can be inferred from this that the secret of the murderer is quite amazing.
"Bengong suddenly remembered, have we overlooked a crucial point?" Murong Ci frowned.
"What?" Shen Zhiyan asked.
"Yangzhou Jinfang."
"Your Highness means that these cases of headless female corpses are related to Zhuijinfang"
"Boss Duan of Zhuijinfang made a lot of money, so he must have had some dirty dealings with some rich people and officials. But Lan Mengse and the few deceased knew about these activities, and they came to the capital again. The boss was worried about them Inadvertently revealed the secrets of Zhuijinfang, and then killed people to silence them. Only the dead will never open their mouths to reveal."
"As long as you pay enough silver taels, you can invite a killer with strong martial arts. Killing a weak woman who has no strength to restrain a chicken is not the same as chopping vegetables."
"This killer is elusive and has strong martial arts skills. It is easy to hide, but it is very difficult to catch him."
"There is also a possibility that Beijing officials who have dirty dealings with Zhuijinfang are worried that the secret will be leaked, so they plan to kill people in advance."
"There are so many Beijing officials in the capital, if you want to investigate, it is tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack."
They are in a desperate situation. No matter how much deduction and analysis there are, it is just talk on paper. There are no clues, no evidence, and everything is useless.
At dusk that day, Deng Fei, a middle-aged man who claimed to be a wealthy businessman, came to Dali Temple to identify the corpse.
Seeing the headless female corpse, Deng Fei wept loudly, crying earth-shatteringly, very miserable.
Shen Zhiyan made him cry for a while, and asked, "Master Deng, are you sure this is your wife?"
Deng Fei wiped away his tears with his sleeve, and cried, "Of course I recognize it, it's my wife."
"How do you know that this female corpse is your wife?"
"This dress belongs to my wife, Bi Se often wears it, of course I recognize it."
"Is your wife's boudoir name Lan Bise?" Murong Ci thought about it.
"Yes. How do you know?" Deng Fei couldn't restrain his sad tears and asked hoarsely.
"Besides the clothes, do you remember that your wife has obvious moles or birthmarks?"
"My wife has no birthmarks or moles, but her third toe is longer."
Shen Zhiyan took a look, it was indeed so, both feet were like this.
Deng Fei sadly said: "Why is my wife's head missing? Is it the murderer?"
Shen Zhiyan said: "My condolences, Mr. Deng. By the way, your wife is from Yangzhou, isn't she?"
Deng Fei nodded, "My wife is a Yangzhou skinny horse. I bought it for three thousand taels."
Murong Ci frowned, and then asked: "According to Lan Bise's sisters, Lan Bise married a Beijing official back then, and it seems that she was not from a wealthy businessman's family."
"The two adults don't know. Lan Bise did marry a high official as a concubine five years ago, but the high official's wife was a shrew who bullied and beat Bise every day. Bise was beaten With bruises all over her body, and lack of food and clothing, and having to do rough work all day long, she was unbearable to be humiliated, so she escaped from the side door while the guards were not paying attention." Deng Fei said sadly.
"There is such a thing." She was dubious.
"What next?" Shen Zhiyan asked.
"Bise escaped and bumped into me like a headless chicken. I felt sorry for her and wanted to take her in. At that time, the official's guard chased her out. I took Bise to discuss with the high official. In the end, I bought Bise for three thousand taels. Half a year later, Bise’s injury has healed and she will marry me.” Deng Fei cried again, “I agree with Bisex, and we love each other even more. I didn’t expect that today she would be misfortune to Mrs. , you died a terrible death."
Murong Ci and Shen Zhiyan looked at each other, Lan Bise had encountered such a thing.
Lan Bise married a wealthy businessman in the end, so their speculation that Lan Bise was the mastermind and murderer was all wrong.
Deng Fei cried miserably, "My lord, why is my wife's head cut off by the murderer, my lord, my wife died so unjustly, you must avenge my wife's injustice."
Shen Zhiyan comforted: "Master Deng, don't worry, I will do my best to find out the truth and arrest the murderer."
Murong Ci calmly asked: "Master Deng, when was the last time you saw your wife?"