Investigating Magistrate Liu shook his head. “There’s no list. The truth is, there are far too many female visitors to Tianyuan Temple. When the female corpse was discovered, she’d already been dead for some time—there was simply no way to investigate starting from the worshippers.”

“Merely deducing the murder weapon to be a hairpin based on wounds on the female corpse’s body cannot rule out the monks of Tianyuan Temple as suspects. Not to mention that hairpins are too easily obtained, men also use them for binding their hair, and there are quite a few sharp objects similar to hairpins…”

Investigating Magistrate Liu thought to himself that the Heir of Prince Jing spoke quite directly indeed. Because of the disparity in their statuses, he couldn’t summon any resentment. “All the monks at Tianyuan Temple were questioned. Unfortunately, the person had been dead at least a month before being discovered. To this day we haven’t been able to determine her identity. Wanting to discover a suspect through systematic investigation is simply impossible.”

Qi Shuo’s gaze shifted from the case files. “The deceased discovered yesterday was killed not long ago. Are there any leads on her identity?”

Investigating Magistrate Liu smiled bitterly. “Because she has no head, determining her identity is difficult for the moment.”

“Has Magistrate Liu asked the counties under your jurisdiction, particularly the two capital counties, whether any citizens have recently reported family members missing? If so, and if the missing person’s age and gender match the headless female corpse, they could be summoned to identify the body.”

Investigating Magistrate Liu’s face showed shame. “Yesterday I was busy searching for clues at the scene until nightfall before returning. I haven’t had time to inquire yet.”

He immediately arranged for people to go question the two county offices.

Official constables continued investigating at Tianyuan Temple. Qi Shuo didn’t rush to the scene but instead waited with Investigating Magistrate Liu for news from the county offices.

Both county offices were within the capital city. Before long, replies arrived.

East City County reported five missing person cases within three months. West City County reported three missing person cases within three months—eight missing person cases total. Missing young children accounted for four cases, young women for two cases, one adult male, and one elderly woman.

Setting aside other circumstances, the two who had reported missing young women were quickly invited to the prefecture office.

“Greetings to the just and honorable magistrate.”

Investigating Magistrate Liu gently told the two to rise.

Of the two who’d filed reports, one was an old man over fifty, the other a woman in her thirties.

“Old uncle, please first describe your granddaughter’s situation.”

The old man rubbed his eyes, his voice carrying bitterness. “This humble citizen’s granddaughter is called Lanhua. She’s sixteen this year. Five days ago, Lanhua said she’d arranged to pick wild vegetables with a friend. She didn’t return even after dark. This humble citizen went to her friend’s house to inquire. That girl said Lanhua had picked a basket of wild vegetables and left first… This humble citizen searched everywhere for her but couldn’t find her, so I reported it to the authorities…”

As the old man spoke, he knelt down. “Lanhua’s parents died early. I only have this one granddaughter to depend on for my remaining days. I beg Your Honor to help this humble citizen find my granddaughter…”

After Investigating Magistrate Liu offered some consolation, he questioned the woman.

The woman’s eyes were swollen, clearly having spent these days washing her face with tears. “This humble woman’s daughter is called Yan’er. She’s fifteen this year. The day before yesterday she said she was going out to play and never came back. This humble woman asked the friends she usually plays with—they all said they didn’t see her that day…”

The woman’s sobbing filled the hall.

Investigating Magistrate Liu glanced at Qi Shuo. Seeing that he had no intention of speaking, he sighed inwardly and said, “Yesterday a female corpse was discovered at Tianyuan Temple. The estimated age is between fourteen and twenty years old—”

“Is Your Honor saying this humble citizen’s granddaughter met with misfortune?”

“Yan’er, my Yan’er!”

Investigating Magistrate Liu hastily said, “Please don’t become agitated, both of you. We’ve asked you here to identify the body.”

The old man and the woman exchanged glances, both looking at Investigating Magistrate Liu.

That gaze made Investigating Magistrate Liu unable to bear looking longer. He tactfully reminded them, “It’s just that the corpse is rather horrifying. Both of you should prepare yourselves.”

“How horrifying?” the woman immediately asked.

The old man also stared intently at Investigating Magistrate Liu.

Investigating Magistrate Liu hesitated, then said slowly, “She has no head.”

No head?

After the old man and woman comprehended this, their faces turned deathly pale. One swayed unsteadily, the other covered her mouth and wept.

The group arrived at where the body was temporarily stored.

Though the sun blazed brightly outside, inside the morgue it was chillingly cold, making one’s heart tremble.

Investigating Magistrate Liu stopped without approaching further. “It’s right there. Both of you may go take a look—”

The old man walked a few steps but couldn’t continue, his entire body trembling violently.

Instead, the woman, though clearly terrified beyond measure, dragged her heavy steps closer and closer until she reached the body covered with white cloth.

A bailiff reached out to lift the white cloth but was stopped by the woman. “I… I’ll do it myself…”

The bailiff looked toward Investigating Magistrate Liu. Seeing him nod, he silently retreated a step.

The woman stared fixedly at the body through the white cloth, her eyes growing redder and redder. Finally gathering enough courage, she pulled away the shroud.

Despite having prepared herself mentally, the moment she saw the headless corpse, the woman couldn’t help crying out in alarm and retreating repeatedly.

That old man closed and opened his eyes, actually seeing the corpse’s appearance first.

“It’s not Lanhua!” The old man’s shout carried joy.

Investigating Magistrate Liu immediately asked, “Why is old uncle so certain?”

The old man was somewhat excited yet forcefully suppressed his emotions, causing his expression to become somewhat distorted. “My Lanhua grew up dark and sturdy!”

Though the female corpse had already decomposed, one could still discern a person’s fundamental characteristics. This headless female corpse had slender hands and feet and delicate skin—one could imagine she’d been a fair-skinned, graceful young woman.

“Lanhua is very sturdy. This isn’t Lanhua, not Lanhua—” The old man spoke incoherently. Seeing the dazed woman, he suddenly fell silent.

The woman, as if waking from a dream, rushed over and braced herself against the wooden board, staring fixedly at the corpse.

In just a few breaths’ time, she began wailing loudly. “Yan’er, Mother’s Yan’er! How could this happen to you, how could this happen!”

Seeing the woman about to throw herself onto the corpse, the bailiff quickly and deftly restrained her.

Qi Shuo walked over. “Elder sister, are you certain this is your daughter?”

“There’s no mistake.” The woman covered her face with both hands, tears flowing through the gaps between her fingers. “Yan’er has a birthmark on her wrist. The position and shape are exactly identical…”

Qi Shuo nodded to Investigating Magistrate Liu.

Investigating Magistrate Liu understood and ordered his subordinates to escort the old man and the woman back to the hall.

The woman kept crying. After his initial relief, the old man also became silent.

Even if the corpse identified today wasn’t his granddaughter, that didn’t mean she was safe. Moreover, watching a mother who’d lost her daughter, no one felt comfortable.

“Old uncle may return home first. This magistrate will arrange for people to investigate your granddaughter’s whereabouts.”

“Many thanks, Your Honor.” The old man kowtowed to Investigating Magistrate Liu.

In the capital city, quite a few people went missing every year, particularly young children. Hoping for the authorities to find them was nearly impossible, and many people didn’t even report to the officials.

As for murder cases, in fact there were more unsolved than solved.

The old man departed, leaving only the woman crying bitterly. Investigating Magistrate Liu tried to question her several times, but seeing Qi Shuo waiting quietly, he also patiently allowed the woman time to vent her emotions.

Finally, the woman stopped crying and fell to her knees before the two men with a thud. “I beg both Your Honors to definitely find the murderer who killed my daughter!”

Qi Shuo helped the woman to her feet and asked gently, “Elder sister, do you still remember the specific time your daughter went out?”