With silver thrown down, the problem was quickly resolved.

Qiao Zhao walked under the tree and heard someone shout “Lift!” followed immediately by Coroner Qian’s scolding voice: “Don’t let the umbrellas sway!”

She stood on her tiptoes to look, but her view was blocked by the people holding umbrellas, and she couldn’t see anything.

The crowd of onlookers not far away stirred restlessly.

“They’re opening the coffin for autopsy? These young people are too bold. Aren’t they afraid of disturbing the peace of the dead?”

“Didn’t you hear? Lord Qiao appeared in Marquis Guanjun’s dream, saying he might have suffered a great injustice!”

“Hiss, you mean the Qiao family fire wasn’t an accident?”

“If it was an accident, why would he appear in his son-in-law’s dream?”

“But didn’t an official from the capital come to investigate not long ago? He even questioned us, and the conclusion was that it was an accident.”

“Maybe that official didn’t investigate thoroughly. Otherwise, why would Lord Qiao appear in his son-in-law’s dream?”

The idea of ghostly dream visitations had more market in such a small mountain village than in places like the capital.

Listening to the villagers’ discussions, Qiao Zhao knew Shao Mingyuan had made the right move.

Suddenly, it grew dark before her eyes. Qiao Zhao looked up to see a tall, thin man standing in front of her.

The man’s features were quite handsome, but his cold temperament diminished this handsomeness considerably.

Based on intuition, Qiao Zhao determined that the man before her was from the Jinlin Guards.

Though she had such suspicions in her heart, her expression remained unchanged, only gazing at him calmly with her clear, moist eyes.

“Miss Li?” the man said.

“You are—”

The man’s cold gaze enveloped Qiao Zhao’s face as he smiled slightly: “I am Jiang Wu of the Jinlin Guards.”

He was very curious why his adoptive father had them pay attention to a young girl. Looking now, she was just an ordinary girl.

“So you’re Lord Jiang Wu.” Qiao Zhao smiled, secretly sighing that it was indeed as expected.

Speaking of which, Jinlin Guards Commander Jiang Tang had adopted thirteen sons – truly, you could encounter them wherever you went.

Jiang Wu smiled: “I don’t dare accept such a form of address from Miss Li. You can call me Brother Jiang Wu.”

His adoptive father’s thoughts were unfathomable, so it was better to be cautious in his attitude toward this Miss Li.

He had originally been sent to this godforsaken place for making mistakes. If he caused his adoptive father further displeasure, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to return to the capital.

Brother Jiang Wu?

Qiao Zhao immediately thought of Jiang Shiran’s “Thirteenth Brother” when addressing Jiang Yuanchao.

She’d better not risk her life offending that little young mistress.

“Then I’ll call you Lord Jiang.”

“Miss Li, please do as you wish.”

Qiao Zhao smiled: “Then could Lord Jiang please step aside?”

Jiang Wu was startled.

Qiao Zhao calmly explained: “You’re blocking my view of the coffin opening and autopsy.”

Jiang Wu: “…” Very well, he retracted his earlier conclusion. A young lady who enjoyed watching coffin openings and autopsies was indeed somewhat special.

Jiang Wu moved aside.

Coroner Qian’s unhurried voice came over: “The body is charred, no carbon dust or ash deposits in the throat… scratch marks remain on the neck bones…”

The mountain air gradually filled with a strange odor that made people feel nauseous. Coroner Qian finally straightened up and firmly concluded: “The person died from throat cutting. That is to say, the subsequent fire was only to conceal the true cause of death by burning the corpse!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd of onlookers immediately erupted in uproar.

Magistrate Wang’s expression darkened as he sneered: “Nonsense, utter nonsense! You old scoundrel speaks recklessly and creates alarm. What exactly are you trying to achieve by disturbing the people’s hearts like this?”

Coroner Qian’s face darkened: “Does the magistrate doubt my conclusion?”

Magistrate Wang flicked his sleeves and laughed coldly: “What are you? Just a lowly corpse examiner, and you dare speak before this official?”

In any place, examining corpses was the most menial job. Coroners who did this work had extremely low status, and many common people looked down on them.

“Magistrate Wang’s words are mistaken. Coroner Qian was invited by this Marquis, and this Marquis naturally trusts his conclusions.” Shao Mingyuan spoke.

Magistrate Wang looked disapproving: “Your Lordship, this humble official dares to say you’re being too hasty. How can you randomly find some lowly person and let him speak nonsense? How about this – this humble official will have the coroner from the Jia Feng County Office summoned. Let an officially recognized coroner re-examine everything. Only conclusions reached that way can convince the masses.”

Shao Mingyuan looked at Magistrate Wang with an indifferent expression, his smile not reaching his eyes: “Convince the masses? Coroner Qian was invited by this Marquis. His conclusions only need this Marquis to believe them – that’s sufficient. Why do they need to convince the masses?”

Magistrate Wang was stunned.

This wasn’t what he had expected. Why was Marquis Guanjun so willful and domineering in style?

Accustomed to the smooth and tactful ways of officialdom, Magistrate Wang had trouble adapting for a moment. After a while, he said: “Surely Your Lordship hasn’t forgotten that Lord Qiao was still a court official. If he died by accident, that would be one thing, but if he was truly murdered, that’s a serious matter. This humble official must report to the court, so we absolutely cannot be careless.”

“Well, that’s Magistrate Wang’s business then. This Marquis is the aggrieved party. The coroner I invited concluded that my father-in-law’s family was murdered, so this Marquis will investigate based on that conclusion.” Shao Mingyuan said righteously.

This was telling Magistrate Wang that regardless of what he thought, as the aggrieved party, he was determined to investigate.

At this moment, Coroner Qian suddenly coughed, drawing everyone’s attention.

“The magistrate thinks my conclusion cannot convince the masses?”

Magistrate Wang looked at Coroner Qian with a dark expression.

This old thing from who knows where dared speak to him in such a tone, relying on nothing but Marquis Guanjun’s backing. Hmph, when Marquis Guanjun returned to the capital, he would have his chance to deal with him!

Coroner Qian took out an object from his chest with an expressionless face and handed it over: “Please examine this, Magistrate.”

The object was long and thin, wrapped in cloth of indeterminate color. Magistrate Wang frowned in disgust: “What is this?”

Coroner Qian smiled: “Evidence proving that this old man’s conclusion isn’t nonsense!”

“You!” Magistrate Wang’s face turned green with anger at being cornered by a lowly person.

Yang Houcheng lowered his voice to Chi Can: “This Coroner Qian usually sounds annoying when he talks, but it turns out he was talking to the wrong people. Listening to him today is much more interesting.”

“Of course.” Chi Can tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Usually, he annoyed them, but now he was annoying someone else, so naturally it was interesting.

He was very curious about what object Coroner Qian had brought out. Judging by the length and width of that object… thinking of a certain possibility, Chi Can found it incredible, and his eyebrow twitched.

“Doesn’t the magistrate want to look?”

Magistrate Wang snorted coldly: “What is this thing of unknown origin?”

“The magistrate says this is a thing of unknown origin?” Coroner Qian’s cloudy eyes widened somewhat, his gaze showing mockery.

Magistrate Wang flew into a rage.

He couldn’t afford to offend Marquis Guanjun, but did he have to take anger from a lowly person, too?

Magistrate Wang directly brushed away the object in Coroner Qian’s hand and said to Shao Mingyuan: “Your Lordship, as the parent official of Jia Feng, this humble official still must have a coroner re-examine everything. I hope you can understand.”

Before Shao Mingyuan could answer, Coroner Qian sighed lightly: “Good thing it didn’t fall to the ground, otherwise this magistrate wouldn’t be able to continue as parent official.”

He pulled away the cloth wrapping the object, revealing a yellow corner.