She took several deep breaths and slowly calmed herself down.
"Xiao Sun, bring some water!" Murong Jie shouted when he saw that she was not so excited.
Xiaosun and Nanny Yang had been waiting outside, awaiting instructions. When they heard the prince calling, they came in immediately.
She poured a cup of hot tea and asked worriedly, "Princess, are you too tired?"
Zi'an looked at Xiaosun's worried face and forced a smile. "Maybe, I'm just too tired."
"Don't go hiking in the future." Xiaosun said, handing over the tea. Murong Jie took it, waved his hand and told her to leave.
"Come, have a drink of water." Murong Jie handed the water to her lips and said gently.
Zi'an took a big sip, breathed a sigh of relief, and his mind seemed to become much clearer.
She looked up and saw Murong Jie looking at her worriedly, so she asked him to put the water down, threw herself into his arms, and said softly, "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Well, I'm glad you're okay. Come, lie down and get some sleep." There was some suppressed emotion in his voice, but he controlled it well and didn't show it.
Zi'an lay down and looked at him quietly. His mind calmed down a little, but questions kept popping up in his mind.
"Go to sleep quickly, I'll stay here to watch over you." Murong Jie stroked her face and said softly.
Zi'an slowly closed her eyes. She knew something was wrong, but she couldn't figure out what it was.
Slowly, she fell asleep again.
Murong Jie sat beside her bed the whole time. After she fell asleep, he went out and told Nanny Yang to take good care of Zi'an. He then went to the yamen in person.
As an expert swordsman, he could tell at a glance that there was something wrong with the pregnant woman's wound. Moreover, poisonous snakes would not attack people without reason unless they were threatened. After biting someone, they would immediately run away. How could they stay in the woodshed
Unless someone deliberately created the illusion of a poisonous snake biting someone, and then caught the snake and took it back. Since this poisonous snake was not the one that bit the person, it would lurk there temporarily.
The man rushed in and scared the snake, so it escaped.
"Your Majesty, you have come in person, is it about the murder case in Aotou Village?" Lord Liang hurried to greet him when he saw him coming.
"Have the bodies been examined? What have been found?" Murong Jie sat down and asked.
Lord Liang waved his hand, and a coroner in gray clothes walked in.
He stepped forward respectfully, knelt down and saluted, and replied: "Your Highness, after a preliminary examination, I found that Zhou San was bitten by a poisonous snake and died of poison. There are now blue bruises on his face, in the shape of a hand covering his mouth. It should be that after he was bitten by the poisonous snake, someone covered his mouth and did not allow him to call for help."
"Well, I also saw the bruises you mentioned, but they were not obvious at the time, which shows that the death was not long ago. What about the pregnant woman?" Murong Jie asked.
He raised his hand, motioning him to stand up and answer.
The coroner thanked him and stood up, saying, "The pregnant woman only had one scar on her neck, and it was fatal. The wound was very large, and the murder weapon was the kitchen knife."
"The murder weapon?" Murong Jie nodded. "So you also think it was murder?"
"Suicide is basically ruled out. She killed him because the kitchen knife was left on the chopping board. There were no footprints of the pregnant woman on the open space leading to the chopping board. The ground was wet. If the pregnant woman had walked there, she would have left footprints. This means that the kitchen knife was not taken by the pregnant woman herself. Someone jumped up and took the kitchen knife to kill the pregnant woman. This can also be seen from the wound. There is also a faint footprint on the stove."
"I also believe that he was murdered, not committed suicide. Have you asked the neighbors nearby? Have you seen any strangers coming in and out?"
"I have asked," Lord Liang replied, "I have asked all the neighbors around, and they said they didn't hear anything unusual. My neighbor, Aunt Zhou, who was sitting next door to them, said that when Zhou San came back, he greeted her and said he was going home to cook for his wife. Zhou San brought back a bundle of firewood and gave her half of it, so she said she wanted to send Zhou San eggs. After she settled her family affairs, she took the eggs over. It was probably more than half an hour before and after."
"I was there when she found the body." Murong Jie pondered for a moment, "Did anyone see anyone suspicious enter the village?"
Lord Liang was about to speak when the head constable came in and said, "Your Majesty, sir, I have just asked all the villagers. One villager noticed that when Zhou San came back, there was a man following him. This man was wearing black clothes, about 27 or 28 years old, and about 5 and a half feet tall. But at the time, he was not sure that he was following Zhou San. Now, after thinking about it, I think this man was heading towards Zhou San's home, and was following Zhou San at a distance of about 30 feet."
"Do you have any weapons?" asked Lord Liang.
"To answer your Excellency's question, he was not carrying any weapons. The man did not seem to be just passing by, but rather to be following us on purpose. His steps were very light, and he did not look around."
After listening to their report and analyzing it himself, Murong Jie was basically certain that this was a murder case.
"Go and investigate to see if Zhou San has any grudges with other people?" Murong Jie said.
"Yes, Your Highness. I will investigate it right away." After saying that, he turned and left.
The coroner hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Highness, I actually know Zhou San. He is a filial son. His mother was bedridden for a long time and passed away last year. Over the years, he and his wife have been taking care of their old mother. The neighbors all know that they are filial. Moreover, Zhou San is a kind and honest person who is afraid of trouble. He never takes the initiative to cause trouble. Even if he encounters trouble, he will mostly endure it and will not make enemies with others."
Lord Liang glanced at him and said, "Although you know him, you don't know how he relates to others personally. Some things can only be known after investigation."
"Yes, yes!" said the coroner with his head lowered.
After leaving the government office and returning to the mansion, Murong Jie ordered the secret guards to conduct a covert investigation.
This matter is not that simple. He feels that these two lives were taken aimed at him and Zi'an.
After Zi'an fell asleep, he had another nightmare.
She dreamed that Murong Jie was hacked to pieces and covered in blood in order to save him. She wanted to run over to save him, but she couldn't run.
"Zi'an, Zi'an, wake up!"
She suddenly opened her eyes, already covered in cold sweat.
Facing Murong Jie's worried eyes, she was stunned for a moment and said in a hoarse voice: "Is this a nightmare again?"
"You kept calling me in your dream." Murong Jie covered her forehead with his big hand and kissed her lips, "I'm fine, and you're fine too. Don't worry, I'm here for you no matter what."
"Seventh Brother, what time is it now?" Zi'an propped himself up and felt that he could not distinguish between reality and dreams. This place was almost the same as a dream, everything was so real and yet so unreal.
"It's 3 p.m."
"Seven o'clock in the afternoon? The murder happened yesterday?" Zi'an didn't even know how long he had been unconscious.
"Yes, it happened yesterday." Murong Jie gently helped her up, "Eat something first."
"I don't want to eat!" Zi'an knocked his head and felt dizzy.
She thought for a moment and said, "Seventh Brother, please help me get the needle bag. I think I've been poisoned."
(End of this chapter)