The throat-cutting wouldn’t cause instant death. The killer’s technique was skilled – they didn’t cut the windpipe but directly severed the carotid artery on the side.
It was the work of an experienced hand.
In Xu Qi An’s previous life, severing the carotid artery was a fatal injury that even divine intervention couldn’t save – death was certain.
However, it wouldn’t cause immediate death.
Yet this banner officer had collapsed directly onto his desk and died, without struggling or splattering blood everywhere. From this, it could be deduced that the cause of death wasn’t the throat-cutting.
What truly caused his instant death was a fatal injury to the brain, with no chance to react or struggle before dying on the spot.
The killer had shattered his frontal bone, then swiftly cut his throat… Staring at the shallow depression on the victim’s forehead, the scene played out in everyone’s minds.
Xu Qi An felt the victim’s body and observed before saying, “Rigor mortis has spread throughout the body, lividity is fixed, and the corneas are quite cloudy. The death occurred over 17 hours ago. In other words, the killer struck at night.
“I suggest investigating these aspects: One, night passes issued by the government office recently. Two, ask the Imperial Guardsmen if they encountered any suspicious individuals nearby. Three, question the night watchmen responsible for patrolling this area. Fourth, inquire about the deceased’s recent social interactions with family members.”
No one spoke for a while. Lü Qing and the others stared at him blankly.
Was that it? Had he already given direction?
In such a short time, he had made clear and definite deductions and used them as a basis to point out the direction of the investigation.
Although they knew Xu Qi An was skilled at solving cases, everyone still felt it was “too fast”.
Lü Qing thought for a moment, then said, “Let’s have the coroner examine him first.”
Generally, when encountering homicide cases, the constables would bring along a coroner to conduct an initial examination. This allowed for better reasoning by combining the clues at the scene.
The coroner’s findings were similar to Xu Qi An’s judgment, though not as detailed as the latter’s.
Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao were fine, but Lü Qing and the other government runners developed a sense of admiration for Xu Qi An.
“What a pity, he’s already a night watchman. The government office can’t recruit him…” Lü Qing sighed regretfully to herself.
Having such an excellent and outstanding colleague to apprehend criminals and solve cases with her would truly be one of life’s joys.
Lü Qing called over the runners questioning people outside and asking about their findings.
The conclusions were: The deceased had not made any enemies recently; there were no visitors last night; the deceased’s mental state had been good lately.
Unable to find a lead for the moment, Lü Qing frowned deeply.
“The deceased was only a minor banner officer. If we rule out revenge killing, what reason would make the killer break in at night to murder him?” Xu Qi An said softly beside her.
Lü Qing had rich criminal investigation experience. Hearing this, her eyes lit up. She immediately called over the deceased’s first wife and asked, “Did the family suddenly come into money recently? Or did Liu Han tell you anything?”
The pretty-faced woman thought hard for a long while, then said mournfully, “A few days ago, my husband did say he wanted to take us away from the capital to live a carefree life elsewhere.”
Lü Qing and Xu Qi An exchanged a glance: “How many days ago exactly?”
“About ten days or so.” The woman couldn’t remember clearly.
…
On the way out of the courtyard, Lü Qing said in a low voice, “He accepted a bribe and was silenced.”
Xu Qi An nodded. This was a very reasonable deduction, and he thought the same.
Song Tingfeng frowned and said, “But what would a minor banner officer be silenced for?”
Xu Qi An thought for a moment, as if catching onto something, and asked, “If I remember correctly, the Jinwu Guard is responsible for the east gate of the inner city and the east gate of the imperial city?”
When he said this, everyone’s expressions changed slightly.
Xu Qi An said, “Perhaps we should go see Liu Han’s direct superior. Let’s return to the yamen to report this matter first, get an official warrant, then go ask questions.”
Liu Han’s superior was a Jinwu Guard centurion. Although both were centurions, the status of the Jinwu Guard was much higher than that of the Imperial Guard. The latter were unit security guards, while the former were the leaders’ bodyguards.
For Xu Qi An and the others to go question him, they needed an official warrant issued by the yamen as proof. It was similar to a search warrant in his previous life.
Returning to the night watchmen’s yamen, they reported this matter to Li Yuchun. Brother Chun took it very seriously and said thoughtfully, “This matter is quite strange. However, the imperial city’s defenses are strict. A small banner officer can’t stir up much trouble. Just question him as usual, and the Jinwu Guard will investigate themselves. Also, the day of His Majesty’s ancestral worship is approaching. We should focus on that matter.”
He immediately gave them the warrant.
After waiting a while at the night watchmen’s yamen, Lü Qing and the government runners hurried over. The group then went to the east gate of the imperial city.
Centurion Zhou was out on patrol with his men. They waited for an hour before he returned. Learning that night watchmen and government runners had come looking for him, he immediately came to meet them.
Centurion Zhou had a thick beard, triangular eyes, and a face full of horizontal flesh – he looked like someone difficult to get along with at first glance.
Song Tingfeng said, “Centurion Zhou, do you have a banner officer named Liu Han under your command?”
Centurion Zhou was about to answer with a displeased expression when he suddenly saw one of the bronze gong bearers take out a piece of paper from his bosom and ignite it with qi.
The next moment, his pupils were tinged with a clear light.
Aura-viewing technique? Centurion Zhou concealed the irritation between his brows and said impassively, “Yes.”
“He’s dead,” said Song Tingfeng.
“What?” Centurion Zhou couldn’t hide his surprise.
Lü Qing asked, “Has Liu Han shown any unusual behavior recently?”
“No.”
“Were there any suspicious people or objects entering or leaving the imperial city while he was guarding the east gate?”
“No.” Centurion Zhou shook his head. “Many soldiers are guarding the imperial city. Bribing just one person is useless unless you bribe everyone, which is impossible.”
Zhu Guangxiao said, “What if they bribed you?”
Centurion Zhou’s face changed and his suppressed irritation surged again: “What do you mean by that?”
Song Tingfeng smiled and said, “It’s just routine questioning. Why is Centurion Zhou angry? His Majesty’s ancestral worship is approaching. We don’t want anything to go wrong at this critical time either.”
They asked a few more questions. With an aura-viewing bronze gong bearer watching from the side, Centurion Zhou answered all questions and suppressed his fiery temper.
When Xu Qi An’s aura-viewing technique duration ended, Song Tingfeng smiled and said, “Thank you for your cooperation. We’ll take our leave now.”
On the way back with Lü Qing and the others, Xu Qi An said, “He wasn’t lying.”
Song Tingfeng narrowed his eyes: “Perhaps Liu Han was silenced for some other unknown reason.”
Zhu Guangxiao said in a deep voice, “Let’s put this case aside for now. The ancestral worship ceremony takes precedence.”
The day after tomorrow was the emperor’s ancestral worship day. Everything else had to be postponed.
After bidding farewell to Lü Qing and the others, Xu Qi An pondered the entire process in a side hall. Finding no results, he put Liu Han’s matter aside.
…
In the year of Gengzi, on the fifteenth day of the tenth month, the day of Jiazi.
Suitable for praying for blessings, holding Taoist rituals, and worshiping ancestors.
Soon, the day of the royal family’s ancestral worship arrived. Xu Qi An was not unfamiliar with this. Every year at this time, the gates of the inner city would be closed. As a centurion of the Imperial Guard, Second Uncle would be transferred to impose martial law in the inner city today. Inner city residents were required to stay at home and not go out.
There was a similar ritual in early spring – worshiping heaven to pray for favorable weather and peace for the country in the coming year.
Starting yesterday, the inns in the inner city were inspected one by one, driving all jianghu wanderers to the outer city. Restaurants were closed, and inns were not allowed to accommodate guests.
As a night watchman, Xu Qi An was assigned to stand guard at Sangbo Lake.
Sangbo was a small lake adjacent to the imperial city. Willow trees were planted along the shore, though the willow leaves had not yet sprouted in this season.
A winding corridor was built over the water surface, connecting to a white jade platform in the center of the lake. On the platform stood a temple, its plaque inscribed with four gilded characters:
Eternally Guarding Mountains and Rivers!
This was the location for the ancestral worship.
Sangbo was no ordinary lake. It had a history that people loved to talk about, related to the founding emperor of Great Feng.
Legend had it that “Sangbo” was anciently called Xuanwu Lake, home to the divine beast Xuanwu.
Once, when the founding emperor of Great Feng failed in his uprising and fled to Sangbo with his remnant forces, they were out of ammunition and food.
Just as they were in despair, the lake water boiled and Xuanwu came cleaving waves. On its back was stuck a divine sword that could cut through heaven and destroy immortals.
Xuanwu said it had been waiting here for hundreds of years for a person of heavenly mandate.
After saying this, it presented the divine sword and left treading on waves.
The founding emperor obtained the divine sword and attained enlightenment in the lake for three years. When he emerged, he regathered his forces and was victorious in every battle thereafter, overthrowing the corrupt previous dynasty.
After unifying the Central Plains, Great Feng established its imperial capital at Sangbo.
As the place where the founding emperor of Great Feng attained enlightenment, Sangbo held extraordinary symbolic significance. Therefore, the Great Feng royal family held annual ancestral worship ceremonies at Sangbo.
The temple on the lake enshrined the dharma image of that founding emperor.
“Even Liu Bang had the uprising of slaying the white snake. I wonder how much of this legend is exaggerated…” Xu Qi An gazed at the platform in the middle of the lake, inwardly grumbling.