On the twelfth day, two more days had passed, and the vast net cast for Meng Chuan’s case was slowly tightening.

On one hand, Tu Jinxiong followed Wang Huai’an’s wishes and conducted a city-wide hunt for the green-eyed murderous cat. On the other hand, with Meng Rui’s help, he gathered evidence at the suspicious valley cliff. Investigating around the blood-stained green jade hook they had found, Meng Chuan’s case gradually became clear.

Qiu Dadan had sent An’wa back to Jinxia County Yamen and temporarily detained him in the prison. The young hunter’s face was full of worry. Upon seeing Meng Rui again, he threw himself at the cell door and shouted his innocence: “Why did you lock me in prison? I’m innocent! I didn’t do anything. Please, sir, let me go.”

Meng Rui ordered the jailer to open the iron door. His gaze, dark as a blade, fixed upon An’wa. An’wa unconsciously lowered his head, as if afraid to meet Meng Rui’s eyes.

“Did you see someone kill someone?” Meng Rui asked slowly.

“I, I was too scared and spoke nonsense,” An’wa said with downcast eyes, denying his previous words.

“Oh.” Meng Rui tossed two items at the doorway—An’wa’s gauze boots and pouch. An’wa’s expression immediately became grave. Meng Rui grew increasingly cold: “Both the gauze boots and the pouch are stained with blood, and neither item belongs to you. I have sufficient evidence to suspect a murder occurred in the Qin River basin. Since you claim you were speaking nonsense before, then you’ve become the prime suspect in this murder case.”

“No, these two items are mine, and the blood on them is mine too.”

“Hmph, the purple gauze long boots are quite valuable. Only two shoe shops in the entire county sell them, and all sales are recorded. Furthermore, the pouch has its true owner’s name embroidered inside.” Meng Rui’s face was stern and expressionless. “Do these two items still belong to you?”

“I, I—”

“Forget it. Since you’re determined not to tell the truth, go cry your grievances before the King of Hell yourself.” Meng Rui turned to leave.

“Don’t go! I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything! I really did see someone kill someone!”

His footsteps stopped abruptly. Meng Rui took a deep breath and crouched back down in front of the cell: “Tell me carefully and in detail.”

An’wa hastily began to recount everything.

At the end, Meng Rui asked him: “Who exactly was chasing you that night?”

An’wa’s face immediately filled with fear, his teeth chattering as he said: “The thing chasing me was covered in green fur and had a pair of green eyes—I’ve spent three years in the old mountain forests and seen plenty of fierce birds and beasts, but never has any animal made me feel such bone-chilling terror from the bottom of my heart. It was as if it could catch me at any moment and devour me whole.”

“But one thing I can be certain of—’it’ is a person.” An’wa’s eyes widened.

Meng Rui walked out of the prison thoughtfully, immediately running into Tu Jinxiong. Tu Jinxiong opened his mouth right away: “Lord Meng, what are you doing here? I’ve been looking for you for ages.”

“What is it?”

“Hey, the young master of the Gong Manor finally filed charges against Gong Sihai, accusing him of being the murderer who killed Meng Chuan.” Tu Jinxiong stroked his bushy beard, full of energy: “The Gong family members have all arrived at the main hall. Lord Wang sent me to fetch you.”

“The young master of the Gong Manor, Gong Le.” The image of the pale youth’s determined yet stubborn eyes suddenly floated before Meng Rui’s vision. He said to Tu Jinxiong: “Let’s go to the main hall.”

Jinxia County Government Yamen main hall.

Gong Le and Gong Sihai knelt in the hall, glaring at each other with fury. Wang Huai’an had arranged a chair for Old Madam Gong, who sat with closed eyes. A maidservant in blue stood beside her, revealing nothing of the old madam’s inner thoughts.

When Wang Huai’an saw Meng Rui arrive, he invited him to sit at the side of the hall. Then he proclaimed loudly: “Gong Le before this court, you accuse Gong Sihai of murdering Meng Chuan. This is no trivial matter. Do you have conclusive evidence?”

“I do.” Gong Le’s voice wasn’t loud but was extremely firm. “Before Achuan died, Gong Sihai sent two groups of people to Hidden Village to inquire about his situation. After that, Achuan mysteriously disappeared. It must have been Gong Sihai who first abducted Achuan, then cruelly killed him.”

“Heh heh, ha ha, what a joke!” Gong Sihai said with his mouth twisted: “My lord, don’t listen to this bastard son of the Gong family spouting nonsense. I did send people to inquire about Meng Chuan, but that was only because Gong Le had never had any friends before. He’s inexperienced in worldly matters, and as his uncle, I worried he was being deceived by someone with ulterior motives, so I sent people to investigate the truth.”

“Your friends are the ones with ulterior motives! Achuan was my best friend. He was better than everyone here—you’re the one with a wolf’s heart! When you got drunk at the manor, you said you wanted to kill Achuan, didn’t you!” Gong Le’s voice suddenly rose, though his face grew even paler. On Old Madam Gong’s side, she still kept her eyes closed, neither hearing nor asking.

“Hmph, you yourself know those were words spoken while drunk. How can drunken words be taken seriously? Besides, that Meng Chuan wasn’t any good person either. Not only was his personality withdrawn and violent, but he was also afflicted with a terrible disease. Only someone like you would befriend such a person—birds of a feather flock together.” Gong Sihai responded with cold, sarcastic words, going toe to toe.

“Shut up!” Gong Le’s lips turned purple, his eyes bloodshot. “Achuan was actually dragged down by me. The one who should have died was me!”

Having said this, Gong Le suddenly pulled something from his bosom and threw it onto the hall floor, his expression desolate: “My lord, the person Gong Sihai actually wanted to kill was me—this arrowhead was left behind two years ago when Gong Sihai sent an assassin to kill me in secret. At that time, I was severely injured and unconscious. It was Achuan who saved me from death’s door. Afterward, Gong Sihai bore a grudge against Achuan and desperately wanted to kill him. Uncle, am I wrong?!”

Gong Sihai stared at the arrowhead, his face twitching. Suddenly he shook his head and sighed deeply: “Gong Le, your uncle has always thought of everything for your sake. Who would have thought you’d frame me for the sake of a madman. Fine! You say your own uncle wants to kill you—then bring out the evidence. Just based on this piece of scrap metal?”

“The arrowhead has a character ‘Mei’ carved on its back—it’s the assassin’s alias.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Where is the assassin? Without the person, this arrowhead means nothing.” Gong Sihai wore a mocking smile.

Tu Jinxiong also spoke up: “Your uncle is right. Gong Le, have you found that assassin?”

Gong Le gradually lowered his head and shook it blankly: “I tried to find him, but—I didn’t succeed.”

“Ha ha ha, ha ha ha!” Gong Sihai laughed wildly. “My lord, he has no witness. Now I counter-accuse this bastard son of the Gong family of the crime of false accusation. I implore your lordship to investigate clearly.”

Wang Huai’an was taken aback and rubbed his hands: “Well, this matter—”

“Wait.” A slow but undeniable voice rang out, and everyone turned toward the sound to look at Old Madam Gong. She had opened her eyes at some point, her murky gaze shifting from Gong Sihai to Gong Le’s face. She let out a long breath and said: “Lord Wang, the assassin is outside the hall.”

“Outside the hall?” Wang Huai’an glanced at Tu Jinxiong. Tu Jinxiong waved his hand: “Someone, bring the assassin in.”

“Sister-in-law, you!” Gong Sihai’s face instantly turned deathly pale. When he saw clearly who entered from outside the hall, he felt his vision darken and nearly fell backward.

The person who entered from outside the hall was in his forties, with a rat-like mustache and yellow complexion, head hanging low.

Tu Jinxiong stared for a moment and asked: “Who are you?”

“This commoner is Mei Zichong.”

“Two years ago, did someone instruct you to assassinate Young Master Gong Le of the Gong Manor?” Tu Jinxiong continued asking.

“Yes.” Mei Zichong admitted it.

“Who instructed you?” Tu Jinxiong glanced toward Gong Sihai.

Mei Zichong didn’t even raise his eyes, simply pointing at Gong Sihai: “It was him.”

“You, you’re lying!” Gong Sihai’s face twisted as he anxiously denied it.

“Lord Gong, the banknote you gave me back then is still in my possession. It bears your seal.” With one sentence, Mei Zichong shattered Gong Sihai’s false facade. Gong Sihai dejectedly retreated two steps, then looked at Old Madam Gong, whose face was grave as still water. He suddenly nodded and said: “So sister-in-law was prepared all along. You found this Mei Zichong long ago to deal with me, ha ha!”

Old Madam Gong sighed softly: “Calamities sent by Heaven may still be survived, but calamities brought upon oneself cannot be escaped.”

“Fine, even if I once wanted to eliminate Gong Le, he didn’t die and is still standing here perfectly well. You cannot sentence me to death. And my assassination attempt on Gong Le cannot prove that I killed Meng Chuan!” Gong Sihai finally admitted to the attempted assassination of Gong Le but still denied any involvement in Meng Chuan’s brutal murder.

“Do you have any more evidence?” Gong Sihai looked coldly at Gong Le and Old Madam Gong. Both remained silent. Suddenly another person in the hall spoke up: “They don’t, but I do.”

The speaker was Tu Jinxiong.

Tu Jinxiong said slowly: “The authorities have found the cliff where Meng Chuan fell and discovered signs of a struggle there, as well as a piece of evidence the murderer left behind.”

Tu Jinxiong clapped his hands. Someone from outside the hall brought in a wooden tray bearing the green jade hook Meng Rui had found. At the sight of the green jade hook, Gong Sihai’s whole body trembled. He said in utter astonishment: “How is the green jade hook here?”

“Does Lord Gong find it familiar? Just before you arrived at the county yamen, I had already sent officers to your manor. The servant girls in your household have testified that this green jade hook is an item you commonly use.” Tu Jinxiong stared at Gong Sihai and continued: “The officers also found a blood-stained blue-patterned brocade robe in the woodshed. Bring it in.”

The blue-patterned brocade robe was also presented to the hall. The robe was tattered inside and out, as if from fighting and struggling. On the left side of the blue-patterned robe were several small patches of dark bloodstains. Tu Jinxiong placed the green jade hook and blue-patterned brocade robe before Gong Sihai and said sternly: “Gong Sihai, you had long wanted to kill Meng Chuan, so you abducted him or secretly followed him to the valley cliff. After a struggle, you heartlessly pushed him off the cliff. Do you still want to argue?”

Gong Sihai stood in a daze, then suddenly screamed as if awakening from a nightmare: “My lord, I’ve been wronged! I don’t know how the green jade hook ended up at the cliff—but this isn’t true, it can’t be true!”

“Hmph, the ironclad evidence in Meng Chuan’s murder case leaves you with no defense.” Tu Jinxiong ordered the officers: “Someone, temporarily detain Gong Sihai in death row and await the death sentence document from the prefecture.”

“Wait, my lord! I’ve been wronged, I’ve been wronged!” Gong Sihai was dragged away. Gong Le stared vacantly at Gong Sihai’s disappearing figure, murmuring: “Revenge, Achuan—the villain who killed you has been captured, hmm hmm, ha ha ha ha.”

Gong Le climbed up from the hall floor, walked forward a few steps, then suddenly collapsed with a thud. Old Madam Gong called for servants to carry Gong Le onto the carriage. Old Huang the coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage hurried away.

Wang Huai’an descended from the hall exhausted, rubbing his head: “Trying cases is too mentally draining. Don’t hold any more trials recently. That Gong Sihai’s shouting made my ears ring so loudly I nearly fainted to death. Someone, let’s go, let’s go.”

The great magistrate of Jinxia County was helped back to the rear hall by attendants. Tu Jinxiong and Meng Rui looked at each other. Tu Jinxiong looked up at the sky and sighed: “The world has no constant state, and no one is truly free. How is it that such an idle and mediocre person became an official? Laughable indeed.”

Tu Jinxiong clasped his fists and was about to leave when Meng Rui suddenly grabbed him. Tu Jinxiong looked astonished: “Lord Meng, is there something else?”

“There’s still An’wa in the prison. I think you should go see him.” Meng Rui suddenly smiled, looking mysterious.

“That young hunter who stole someone’s gauze boots and pouch? I heard from Qiu Dadan that you personally arrested him, Lord Meng. Ai yo, these past two days I’ve been so busy with Meng Chuan’s case that I’ve been dizzy and confused. I actually forgot to go interrogate him. Rest assured, my lord, I’ll go to the prison shortly.” Tu Jinxiong promised.

Meng Rui glanced left and right, then lowered his voice: “He’s not an ordinary petty thief.”

“Ah?” Tu Jinxiong showed a puzzled expression, as if he didn’t understand Meng Rui’s meaning. But Meng Rui didn’t enlighten him further. Instead, he changed the subject: “Chief Tu, I’d like to borrow Qiu Dadan again.”

“No problem.” Tu Jinxiong nodded.

During the trial of Gong Sihai, Meng Rui hadn’t said a single word. His mind was actually preoccupied with another incredible case—the serial bird killing case.

Qiu Dadan handed the list of bird owners to Meng Rui. Meng Rui glanced at the four or five names listed, his eyes shooting out a cold, piercing light: “Let’s go. Start with the first household.”

The first bird killing occurred in a study. Meng Rui came to the bird owner’s study. There was a scratch mark on the study desk. The pet bird had its belly slit open and heart removed.

The second bird killing occurred in a flower hall. A scratch mark was found on a screen in the flower hall. The pet bird had its belly slit open and heart removed.

The third bird killing occurred in a side room. A scratch mark was also found on the leg of the incense burner table. The pet bird had its belly slit open and heart removed.

The fourth bird killing occurred around the same time the floating corpse was discovered in the Qin River. This was the case at Squire Huang’s household that Wang Huai’an had once ordered Tu Jinxiong to investigate. Squire Huang’s beloved canary had been killed in his study. Meng Rui quickly found a deep scratch mark on one side of an antique wooden shelf. This scratch mark seemed somewhat different. Meng Rui examined it carefully—the latter part of the scratch appeared to suddenly bend, with some twisting and deviation.

If all the scratch marks were left by fingernails, then the bend could possibly be—a broken fingernail.

“Search inch by inch around the antique shelf for anything unusual,” Meng Rui commanded. Qiu Dadan immediately stuck his bottom up and began searching. A maid bringing in tea was startled by the two officers with their bottoms in the air. After searching for who knows how long, Qiu Dadan finally called out: “My lord, there’s something here.”

Qiu Dadan carefully picked up a small section of green fingernail from beneath a calligraphy jar. Meng Rui’s face lit up with joy: “That’s it.”

“It?” Qiu Dadan was confused.

On the way back to Jinxia County Yamen, Qiu Dadan hesitated for a long time before saying: “My lord, although these several bird killing cases aren’t major cases, they truly leave one completely baffled. Previously, County Magistrate Wang said it was a murderous cat’s doing, but I don’t think so.”

“What do you think? Let me hear it.”

“All right.” Qiu Dadan had been a constable for over ten years and could be considered an old hand. He immediately began analyzing methodically: “These several bird killing cases all have several common points: First, the cases all occurred in wealthy households. Second, the victims were all valuable pet birds. Third, scratch marks about an inch long were left at every scene, probably left by fingernails. Fourth, all the pet birds had their bellies slit open and hearts removed.”

“A cat that eats birds couldn’t do these things,” Qiu Dadan concluded.

“You’ve also overlooked one point—at the time of each incident, both the owner and the bird were in the same room.” Meng Rui slowed his speech. “Wealthy households, pet birds, same room, belly slit and heart removed—repeating the same case again and again and again requires harboring tremendous hatred.”

“I can understand what you mean, my lord, but harboring such great hatred just to kill a few birds?”

“That’s not his goal.” Meng Rui’s eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s, and he said slowly: “If my speculation is correct, he’s merely searching.”

“Searching?” Qiu Dadan seemed to half-understand.

“Searching for his true target.”

As they spoke, they had already arrived outside Jinxia County Yamen. Tu Jinxiong had been waiting there. He immediately pulled Meng Rui aside, found a secluded corner, and said urgently: “Lord Meng, that An’wa, he said—”

“Shh—” Meng Rui signaled Tu Jinxiong not to speak it aloud. “Be patient and calm. Right now, we only need to do one thing.”

“What thing?” Tu Jinxiong asked hurriedly.

“Wait.” Meng Rui squeezed out a single word from between his teeth.