The autopsy complete, Liu Qingsong quickly wrote down the autopsy report and handed it to County Magistrate Song, then he and Ran Yan got into the carriage and left.
Wan Lu had vomited until she was depleted. Once she got into the carriage, she fell unconscious. Ran Yan took her pulse, saw there was nothing seriously wrong, then asked, "Did you perform the autopsy?"
"How could I do such a thing on my own!" Liu Qingsong immediately denied, but then added, "His intestines were all over the ground; I merely helped put them back and took the opportunity to open him up and take a look."
As Liu Qingsong spoke, his complexion also appeared somewhat unsightly. Yesterday, Ran Yan had told him about finding clues through the contents of the stomach, so he couldn’t wait to try it today, and after he cut open the corpse’s stomach, he nearly wanted to die. At that moment, he truly began to admire Ran Yan; being a forensic doctor was truly not something ordinary people dared to attempt.
"Did you find anything interesting?" Ran Yan asked with great interest.
Liu Qingsong suppressed the discomfort in his heart and said, "You wouldn’t know until you look — it’s quite shocking. This Feng Zhao really could eat! And he had stuffed his stomach with all sorts of good stuff, the food mostly in its original shape, and there was a strong smell of alcohol. Among the stomach contents, I could distinguish a dish of broiled quail called ’Chopstick Spring,’ a dish from one of the highest standard banquets."
Ran Yan’s eyes brightened. Her usually calm eyes shimmered with excitement, "This means he had dinner in town, then came here, and met his end within half an hour!"
There’s no larger county nearby. Half an hour, even if he had ridden a horse at full speed from Luoyang after dinner, he wouldn’t have made it. He must have dined in town. However, Jushui County is not big; this big meal had to have been had either at a restaurant or at some wealthy household’s home—it wouldn’t be difficult to investigate.
This truly was an exhilarating clue!
"Should we tell County Magistrate Song about this?" Liu Qingsong asked.
Ran Yan leaned against the wall of the carriage, indifferently saying, "Up to you."
She was progressively losing her sense of justice now, simply taking this matter as a puzzle to pass the time. In Great Tang, the lack of a driven future and this sense of drift had made her increasingly perplexed, slowly losing herself.
Even Liu Qingsong could see her mood, "Didn’t you say you wanted to conquer Great Tang? Why have you so quickly given up?"
Ran Yan glanced at him and said, "When you’re normal, you’re not obnoxious either."
Wan Lu woke up groggily in the carriage, swaying as if she was about to start vomiting again. She promptly grabbed a bowl from inside the carriage, not knowing what it contained, and clung to it as she vomited violently.
"Hey, when have I ever been abnormal!" Liu Qingsong propped his hands on the chest, feigning vulnerability, "You are my pillar of survival; you can’t fall so quickly! Even if the seas dry up and the stones rot, the land turns over and the times change, Ran, the forensic doctor...you must stand undefeated like a pillar supporting the sky! I depend entirely on you!"
Wan Lu’s vomiting became more severe. Weakly lifting her head, she said, "Dr. Liu, my wife... can’t bear your celestial burden, you better spare her the agony, ugh—"
As the carriage neared the inn, suddenly the sound of horse hooves rang from behind.
After a moment, someone outside said, "Dr. Liu! The County Magistrate invites Dr. Liu and the master teacher."
The position of County Magistrate is higher than that of a County Sheriff. It hadn’t been a while since Feng Zhao’s death had shocked the County Magistrate? Liu Qingsong lifted the curtain and saw a familiar arrest officer, then asked, "The County Magistrate? Official business or personal?"
"The recent case has extensive connections; the County Magistrate wishes to consult both of you. It is surely official business. However, the County Magistrate is swamped with public duties and cannot come personally to invite you both, so we hope for your understanding!" the arrest officer said with a bow.
Liu Qingsong looked at Ran Yan. Seeing no objection from her, he said, "Lead the way."
The carriage took a turn towards the east of the city.
"Looks Feng Zhao had quite a background!" Liu Qingsong smacked his lips.
Ran Yan leaned on the wall of the carriage, eyes slightly closed for rest, and slowly said, "Could Feng Zhao’s background be deeper than yours?"
Her implication was that the County Magistrate’s invitation to Liu Qingsong wasn’t just about the case; it was also about using the case as a pretext to connect with Liu Qingsong.
"It’s nice to enjoy the shade under a big tree!" Liu Qingsong said with a suggestive smile, "In fact, this big tree would love to have you lean on it. Just give a nod, and you can lean wherever you want."
"Is that so." Ran Yan replied nonchalantly. She knew Xiao Song was interested in her, but she never overestimated herself; just a few meetings weren’t enough to develop any profound feelings. It was completely unreasonable.
In ancient times, when a man liked a woman, he naturally would protect her, but if only as an accessory, Ran Yan would rather be on her own.
"I find Jiulang quite attentive to you. I know times are different now, but circumstances have changed too. You say I’m close-minded, but by sticking to this, aren’t you also failing to see reality? When in Rome..." Liu Qingsong had the demeanor of someone experienced.
Ran Yan opened her eyes and stared at him, "When in Rome? It’s your business if you plan on having three wives and four concubines. Sharing a husband with other women is absolutely out of the question for me."
"I don’t want that!" Liu Qingsong yelled out, then seriously said, "Don’t you know what court intrigue is? Women desperate for love are fierce as wild beasts. Firstly, I don’t want to risk a palace fire; secondly, I don’t want to be drained of life, and most importantly... most people can’t afford multiple wives and concubines."
Even with her composure, Ran Yan couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him, disdainfully saying, "It’s mainly the last point, isn’t it."
Liu Qingsong secretly felt his gossip skills had declined. When it came to Ran Yan, he always found himself led by her in conversations.
As the carriage gradually slowed down, the voice of the arrest officer came from outside, "Dr. Liu, we’ve arrived at the County Government."
Liu Qingsong casually opened the curtain to look out and saw that the carriage had already entered a residence, definitely not the County Government! Two rows of imposing, black-clad men stood by the carriage, each looking formidable, not at all like ordinary government officials.
Ran Yan noticed the change in Liu Qingsong’s expression and cast an inquiring look.
Liu Qingsong signaled with his lips: It might be a trap. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast a recommendation ticket or a monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)