Despite the arrival of the autumn equinox, frost had not yet fallen, and the temperature remained moderate. Wearing two layers of autumn clothing was sufficient to ward off the cold. Under normal circumstances, these corpses should have significantly decomposed within three to five days.
Surprisingly, the bodies were well-preserved, showing no signs of decay. There were only faint postmortem lividity marks, and rigor mortis had not yet set in. Their appearances remained unchanged from when they were alive, as if they were merely sleeping rather than deceased.
“These bodies were left untreated, correct?” Zhu Yan furrowed her brow, finding the situation highly unusual.
The coroner stepped forward. “As instructed, we didn’t examine the bodies after they arrived. I must admit, I find it strange as well. Could they have become jiangshi?”
However, other corpses in the mortuary were decomposing normally, and this phenomenon was not observed elsewhere. The coroner was at a loss to explain it.
Zhu Yan nodded and, donning protective gloves and a mask, gently pressed Wang Buzui’s exposed forearm. The skin rebounded like that of a living person, without leaving any bruising.
Xiu Xiu’s body exhibited the same condition.
After a moment’s contemplation, Zhu Yan untied Xiu Xiu’s clothing. The coroner and others turned away respectfully.
The skin was in good condition, save for the fatal wound inflicted by Wang Buzui’s knife and some lingering grip marks from the day of the execution. No other injuries were visible.
Zhu Yan examined one of Xiu Xiu’s hands. The palm had calluses, as did the fingertips, which had formed over time. This was not unusual for Xiu Xiu, the top courtesan at Xiuxiang Pavilion, who regularly practiced various arts.
Returning the hand to its original position, Zhu Yan produced a dissection knife and made an incision in the abdomen.
A peculiar aroma filled the room, affecting everyone present – the coroner, the mortuary attendants, and even those who had come to claim other bodies. It was a blend of fragrant rice, pine, sandalwood, agarwood, and borneol, mixed with other scents. The aroma permeated their senses, leaving them feeling intoxicated.
Drawn by the scent, people gathered around the two corpses, unknowingly surrounding Zhu Yan.
Everyone was astonished. Not only were the bodies free from the stench of decay and decomposition, appearing as fresh as the living, but they also emitted this strange fragrance. It was highly unusual.
Moreover, the scent closely resembled the incense used in Buddhist temples, inducing a sense of calm. However, likely due to its origin in human bodies, it wasn’t entirely the same as temple incense. It carried a slightly cloying quality that made it addictive to inhale.
As people continued to breathe in the aroma, their expressions began to change.
Zhu Yan, oblivious to this, reached into Xiu Xiu’s abdominal cavity and extracted a handful of undigested food. She placed it on a tray with tweezers, intensifying the fragrance in the room.
She recalled that when she first met Lai Luofu, then known as Madam Tang, she had carried this same scent.
Could they have been consuming these spices raw in their daily lives?
This seemed implausible. Humans require a diet of grains and vegetables; it’s impossible to subsist on spices alone. How did they manage this?
Furthermore, did the other Half-Faced Ghosts also consume spices like tea snacks? Why? Was it merely to mask the scent of death?
If a person isn’t dead but carries the scent of death, it’s usually because they’ve consumed human flesh. Was this true for all the Half-Faced Ghosts?
Zhu Yan noticed that the fragrance permeated not just the abdominal cavity but other organs as well. This confirmed that Xiu Xiu had been consuming these spices for a long time, likely related to the Fire Moth Party’s claims of resurrection after death.
After suturing the incision, Zhu Yan examined other parts of the body but found nothing unusual.
Having finished with Xiu Xiu, Zhu Yan turned her attention to Wang Buzui. As the deputy leader of Guangchun Hall, he had likely consumed these spices for even longer. His body was expected to be better preserved, with a stronger fragrance.
To verify this, she unfastened Wang Buzui’s clothes. The men present widened their eyes, stealing glances at Zhu Yan.
Maintaining her composure, Zhu Yan swiftly made an incision in the abdominal area. As expected, the aroma intensified.
Zhu Yan’s brow furrowed slightly as she used tweezers to extract the undigested food, placing it on a fresh tray.
Upon examining other organs, she found them thoroughly permeated with the fragrance.
Comparing the contents from both bodies, the scents were similar – a mixture of pine, resin, and floral notes typically found in temple incense. The only difference was in the intensity.
A man who had been standing in the shadows couldn’t help but furrow his brow.
“What is this scent?” he asked.
At his words, everyone except Zhu Yan turned towards the source, startled by his presence.
“Why are you here?” Zhu Yan recognized Jing Lin’s voice but didn’t look up, continuing her examination of Wang Buzui’s body. “Shouldn’t you be with Pan Chi, organizing affairs in the city?”
The man finally stepped out of the shadows, holding a sword, his gaze fixed on Wang Buzui’s body.
“I’m not skilled in managing prefectures, so I left that to Pan Chi. I was ordered to protect you,” he explained.
The order, of course, came from Shen Du, though it didn’t need to be stated explicitly. This meant that the earlier gossip about Zhu Yan had likely reached this man’s ears.
She hoped it wouldn’t reach Shen Du’s ears as well.
Jing Lin dismissed everyone else from the room, leaving them all on edge.
“So, what is this fragrance?” he asked, approaching closer and finding the scent even more potent.
Zhu Yan didn’t look up at him, instead staring thoughtfully at the tray on the stone table. “More than identifying the fragrance, I’m curious about why Wang Buzui, despite being imprisoned for so long, doesn’t seem to have eaten prison food. How did he manage to consume these spices while in custody?”
Jing Lin frowned, recalling reports from the jailers. “They said he ate very little.”
That explained it. Lai Luofu must have been bringing him these spices as food. How else could there be spice residue in his digestive tract?
“So,” Jing Lin pondered, “Lai Luofu had already arrived and was lurking in secret.”
The answer was obvious.
Jing Lin was puzzled. “But what’s the purpose of eating these things?”
Aren’t grains and vegetables fragrant enough?
“I have a theory about this,” Zhu Yan replied. “They use spices as food, which holds great significance for the Fire Moth Party.”
She had long known about the borneol scent on Lai Luofu’s body, initially assuming it was to mask the scent of death. Now, it seemed there was more to it.
“Could the Fire Moth Party be connected to temples?” Jing Lin offered his guess, habitually scratching his head. He couldn’t make sense of it.
“Who would eat spices like candy? Spices might smell good, but they don’t taste pleasant,” he added.
Zhu Yan shared his thoughts. “That’s why I initially believed it was to mask Lai Luofu’s scent of death. But now I’ve discovered something more intriguing.”
Jing Lin looked at her expectantly. Zhu Yan continued, “First, Buddhist temples are crowded with worshippers. If they were using temples as bases, it would be difficult to avoid detection.”
With the Great Zhou Dynasty favoring Buddhism over Taoism, even the smallest Buddhist temple would attract numerous devotees to burn incense and pray. It wouldn’t be an ideal location for Come Party activities.
Having dismissed this theory, Jing Lin pondered, “Could these spices serve a special purpose?”
Zhu Yan nodded. “Judging from the human preservatives, it’s likely preparation for their claimed resurrection after death. Look at these two bodies – perfectly preserved without any signs of decay. What does that tell us?”
Jing Lin had noticed this earlier. “Could they have arranged to become mummies even before their deaths?”
This elicited a laugh from Zhu Yan, though Jing Lin didn’t understand why and dared not say more.