Gong Le returned home, and Gong Sihai was also released. Jinxia County Magistrate Wang Huai’an was completely confused. After hearing Tu Jinxiong’s explanation, he became even more bewildered. Tu Jinxiong sighed with emotion: “So Meng Chuan was a figure conjured from Gong Le’s imagination, who sacrificed himself to help Gong Le escape the walls built by Gong Sihai and Old Madam Gong. Meng Chuan’s plan was to drag Gong Sihai down, then deal with Old Madam Gong afterward, right?”

“What are you even talking about? I only know the dead person wasn’t Meng Chuan, so who exactly was he?” Wang Huai’an said loudly.

Tu Jinxiong scratched his head: “Still don’t know.”

Wang Huai’an looked toward Meng Rui. Meng Rui had been lost in thought all this time. At this moment he came back to his senses and said: “Actually, finding out the deceased’s identity is quite simple. Since clothing and a pouch remain, start with these items to search.”

“Right! How could we forget about those things!” Tu Jinxiong jumped up and said, “I’ll go right now.”

“No need. I’ve already found the deceased’s identity from the embroidered characters in the pouch. The deceased was named Chen Shi, a medicine merchant, thirty years old, whose ancestral home was right here in Jinxia County, Qingzhou.” Meng Rui said. “Chen Shi had no enemies.”

“So does that mean Chen Shi lost his footing and fell to his death from the cliff?” Tu Jinxiong stroked his bushy beard again as he spoke.

“Not so. He was killed by someone.” Meng Rui said decisively. He looked at several people. “Everyone, please come with me.”

Meng Rui led everyone to the dark room and lifted the corpse cloth, revealing the true deceased Chen Shi’s body. The corpse had already stiffened, making the wounds on the face and chest even more bloody and grotesque. Meng Rui pointed to the inch-long penetrating wound on the neck: “Don’t you find this wound very familiar?”

Qiu Dadan had also been summoned. He squinted his eyes and suddenly said: “My lord, this is very similar to the scratch marks in the serial bird killing case.”

“Precisely. Both are slightly over an inch long, and the incisions are almost identical.”

Meng Rui took out a silk handkerchief. Inside was wrapped the small half-section of green fingernail found at Squire Huang’s house: “This is physical evidence left behind by the true culprit of the serial bird killing case.”

Wang Huai’an was stunned: “Weren’t the birds killed by a murderous cat? How did a true culprit suddenly appear!”

Tu Jinxiong said in a low voice: “My lord, I’ll explain it to you later.”

“I also found the other half of the green fingernail, hidden deep within Chen Shi’s penetrating wound.” Meng Rui said. “This penetrating wound wasn’t suspected, so the green fingernail remained hidden within it all along.”

The coroner in the dark room lowered his head in shame. This was due to his negligence.

The two sections of green fingernail fit together perfectly. Qiu Dadan clapped his hands: “The culprit in the serial bird killing case and Chen Shi’s case is actually the same person! I really didn’t expect that! But as long as we catch the murderer, we can kill two birds with one stone.”

“The green-eyed criminal commits so many cases without leaving a trace, like a ghost. How easy could it be to catch him?” Tu Jinxiong said calmly.

Meng Rui’s eyes gradually gathered a cold edge: “People do everything with a purpose. As long as we know this, everything becomes much simpler.”

“Do you remember what I said, Qiu Dadan?” Meng Rui suddenly asked. Qiu Dadan was startled, thought for a moment, and said: “The murderer killed the birds to find his true target.”

Qiu Dadan hit the nail on the head. Meng Rui nodded approvingly: “Several bird killing cases seem simple, but actually conceal a shocking conspiracy of vengeance. Several key words: wealthy household, pet bird, same room, belly slit and heart removed—the murderer’s true target is hidden in the thread connecting these words.”

“But there’s one thing I can’t figure out.” Meng Rui looked at the green fingernail on the stone table. “The murderer left scratch marks at every bird killing scene, showing he was restraining his anger and didn’t harm innocent people. But why did he deal such a vicious blow specifically to Chen Shi, determined to kill him?”

“Could Chen Shi be his enemy?” Tu Jinxiong opened his mouth to say, but quickly shook his head again. “That’s not right either. Chen Shi doesn’t seem to connect with any of the key words.”

“In any case, Chen Shi’s situation has suspicious points. We need to investigate his entire past.” Meng Rui looked at Tu Jinxiong. Tu Jinxiong immediately said: “Qiu Dadan, this is your task. Dig out Chen Shi’s entire ancestry for me.”

“Yes.” Qiu Dadan responded and had already rushed out of the dark room.

At the eighth hour, Fuyun Temple.

A pale yellow full moon hung on the treetops. Meng Rui silently returned to the side room of the Daoist temple. The day’s cases had already exhausted him. His mind was muddled and confused. He wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep, but Meng Rui only closed his eyes for a moment before standing up again. He still needed to check on Niu Sao and Meng Wanxiang.

The night wind blew gently. Meng Rui suddenly felt a chill at his back, as if a pair of viper-like eyes were staring from behind. Meng Rui whirled around abruptly, but apart from the pitch-black side rooms and an old jujube tree, there was nothing.

For some reason, these past few days Meng Rui’s spirits had been in a trance, as if he was particularly sensitive to every rustling movement.

The lamp in the side hall was still lit, its dim light seeming to flicker uncertainly. Meng Rui pushed open the door. Niu Sao’s face appeared from behind the door. Her eyes were full of bloodshot veins. Meng Rui was somewhat worried: “Niu Sao, you haven’t slept at all these past few days, have you?”

Niu Sao lowered her head and rubbed her hands: “I dozed off for a while during the day.”

“This won’t do. Your body will collapse if this continues.” Meng Rui gazed at Niu Sao. “Don’t be too nervous. The matters in Jinxia will end soon.”

Niu Sao suddenly raised her head, wanting to speak but hesitating.

“What do you want to say?” Meng Rui saw Niu Sao’s expression. Niu Sao said miserably: “These past few nights, I keep feeling shadows moving outside the side hall. As soon as I go out, the person disappears. Perhaps I’m being overly suspicious, but I really can’t feel at ease.”

Am I not also suspicious and seeing ghosts? Meng Rui sighed inwardly.

“Just a few more days.” Meng Rui said with certainty. “We’ll leave Jinxia.”

That night, Meng Rui fell asleep very late. He had a strange dream. In the dream, countless pairs of deep green eyes gathered around him, watching him, staring at him—every pair of green eyes seemed to hide a version of himself within.

The fifteenth day, light rain.

Although Qiu Dadan’s name was rough, he worked efficiently. He mobilized contacts from both the legitimate and underworld circles of Jinxia County to investigate Chen Shi’s background. In just one day, there was news.

Jinxia County Yamen.

Meng Rui, Tu Jinxiong, and Wang Huai’an waited for the information Qiu Dadan had obtained.

Wang Huai’an showed little interest. Tu Jinxiong asked urgently: “Hurry up and speak. What’s the situation?”

“I’ve investigated Chen Shi. Turns out eight years ago this fellow was actually a servant at the Gong Manor. Later he suddenly came into some money and became a traveling merchant himself.” Qiu Dadan said, full of suspicion.

“Who was his master?” Meng Rui’s mind lit up with a glimmer.

“Gong Sihai.” Qiu Dadan replied.

As expected. Like this, piece by piece, scene by scene, everything should fit together.

“It’s him.” Meng Rui said with complete confidence. “Chief Tu, immediately surveil the Gong Sihai residence. Remember to maintain distance—observe from half a street away.”

“Then send people to secretly interview the servants in Gong Sihai’s residence. Find out if anyone was punished by Gong Sihai eight or nine years ago over matters related to pet birds, or even lost their life.” Meng Rui arranged the tasks one by one, then said slowly: “Once these are done, what remains is to lure the tiger into the trap.”

In a secluded alley three zhang away from the Gong Sihai residence, filthy and disgusting garbage pooled everywhere, with fleas and flies jumping about wildly. Tu Jinxiong, Meng Rui, and several constables persevered in this environment for two days, but the green-eyed true culprit never appeared.

Qiu Dadan brought some dry flatbread. The nose was filled with the smell of decay—being able to eat two bites was already good. Meng Rui chewed on a piece. Qiu Dadan said hesitantly: “My lord, just received news that another bird killing case occurred on South Street.”

Meng Rui made an expressionless “mm” sound. Tu Jinxiong asked: “Should we go take a look?”

“No need. South Street isn’t the green-eyed true culprit’s target. At most a bird will die, but people will be fine.” Meng Rui said with certainty. “Just guard Gong Sihai properly.”

“Did you find out anything from questioning the Gong Manor servants?”

“We did. I was just about to tell you, my lord.” Qiu Dadan pursed his lips and said: “Two old servants from the Gong Manor said that eight years ago, an outer courtyard servant accidentally fed a valuable plumed bird to death. Gong Sihai beat the servant with one hundred long rods. The servant cried out his innocence while being beaten. Gong Sihai was enraged and flipped the servant over to beat him fifty more times. The servant was already old and was beaten to death just like that. Afterward, someone touched the beaten servant—his bones and internal organs had all been pulverized.”

“When someone died, Gong Sihai also panicked and hastily buried the servant. Then he ordered his confidant to send away the servant’s wife and children.” Qiu Dadan paused and said: “At that time, Gong Sihai’s confidant was Chen Shi.”

“What about the servant’s wife and children?”

“They were driven out of Jinxia County. What happened after that is unknown.”

“What was the servant’s name?”

“He was called Mao Desheng, and his son—was apparently called Mao Tou.” Qiu Dadan said.

“Lord Meng, are you suspecting the green-eyed murderer is Mao Desheng’s son, Mao Tou?” Tu Jinxiong couldn’t help but ask.

Meng Rui’s eyes burned brightly: “It’s eight or nine out of ten.”