Zhu Yu took a deep breath, steadied himself, walked to the corpse, and slowly squatted down, carefully turning the body over.
The deceased seemed to be nearing fifty, with gray hair, eyes tightly shut, and body extremely stiff, making it feel like a wooden plank when Zhu Yu turned him over.
The torchlight flickered, making everything in front seem to tremble slightly along with it.
Zhu Yu squatted there, squinting slightly, carefully inspecting the face and neck of the deceased, without finding any obvious wounds. He then swiftly untied the deceased's sash, pulling open the blood-stained inner garment to reveal the chest.
This action genuinely startled the newly promoted mistress, Fu Wen, who instinctively looked at Lu Qing.
Lu Qing's gaze followed Zhu Yu's actions, focused, seemingly intending only to quietly observe, without any intention to interrupt or interfere.
So Fu Wen suppressed her surprise and continued steadily holding the torch to illuminate for Zhu Yu.
Zhu Yu tore open the deceased's inner garment and found the skin on the chest deathly pale, with no bruising even when pressed with a finger. Further down, on the right abdomen, there was a round wound, not large, thinner than a little finger, seeming like it was pierced by something akin to a thin bamboo stick. The flesh around the wound was slightly everted, with some dried blood remaining.
The inner garment where the bloodstain was heaviest was also at this position.
Zhu Yu retied the deceased's inner garment, even retying the knot back to its original form, took the torch from Fu Wen, and hunched down to carefully trace the direction of the blood trail along the stone slab gaps.
Fu Wen looked puzzled at Lu Qing, whose gaze was moving along with Zhu Yu's actions, with an expression that seemed to carry exploration and curiosity.
After taking approximately ten steps, Zhu Yu stopped, as the blood trail ceased and went no further.
"Any findings?" Lu Qing asked as he saw Zhu Yu return to the body.
"The body is extremely stiff, likely dead for over a day but less than three." Zhu Yu handed the torch back to Fu Wen, sighed softly, "This person was lying face down, yet there's no blood pooling beneath nor are there any livor mortis marks, and the pallor is severe, suggesting that he bled out most of his blood before dying.
Strangely, there are no knife or sword wounds, nor any internal injury bruises, only a small puncture wound on the right abdomen. The inner garment is stained with blood only near the wound, and there's just a fine blood line on the stone slab.
And that wound, with the flesh everted, indicates it was pierced by a sharp object while alive. No signs of struggle or resistance are present on the body or hands, suggesting he was likely unconscious before the attack."
As Zhu Yu spoke, intending to examine the body more closely, the torch in Fu Wen's hand flickered and went out.
The dilapidated temple was instantly plunged back into darkness.
Fu Lu quickly opened a flint, which emitted a faint glow.
Fu Wen looked at the torch in her hand; it was old, clearly left by someone long ago, and the oil-soaked cloth at the tip had burned away, leaving only a bare stick.
"Master, there are torches in our carriage, I'll go get them now!" Fu Lu, seeing the flint's light was clearly insufficient, promptly volunteered.
Lu Qing gestured for him to wait: "No need. If the killer intends to move the body, then a rainy night is the best opportunity. Broad daylight would make it difficult.
Since that's the case, Fu Wen, stay here tonight. If the thief appears, capture him.
If not, report to the local government office at dawn.
Fu Lu, escort me and the madam to the post station. Tomorrow, we'll hear what the government office has to say."
"Yes," Fu Wen and Fu Lu responded in unison.
Fu Lu quickly dashed into the rain and soon brought the carriage over.
After a bumpy half-hour, they finally arrived at a post station.
The old post house manager, well past seventy, with faded eyesight, likely had few visitors in such a remote station, especially on a rainy night like this.
The sudden arrival of visitors startled him immensely, especially seeing the three dressed in oil-skin clothes and conical hats, faces obscured, with one exceptionally tall and robust, sending him into further panic.
Fu Lu pulled out a waist card from his bosom to show him, which relieved the old post house manager, who hastily let the three in, summoned the teenage helper to prepare some hot water and simple food, and arranged three rooms for them to stay overnight.
After returning to her room, Zhu Yu felt tired, yet lying in bed, sleep eluded her. Her mind brimming with unanswered questions made rest difficult.
Though people say it's rare wisdom to feign ignorance, smart people should sometimes pretend to be clueless to glide through life effortlessly, like a content fool.
But... the circumstances have unfolded to such an extent, clearly denying her the chance to be a carefree, idle insect.
Zhu Yu sat up.
In that case, leave it to fate!
If Lu Qing had already retired, she would continue to feign ignorance with him, but if he hadn't, then she would confront him openly.
Zhu Yu got up from bed, stepped out, and indeed, the oil lamp in Lu Qing's room was still lit.
She took a deep breath, steadied herself, walked over, and knocked on the door panel.
Lu Qing had keen ears, and responded after Zhu Yu lightly tapped twice.
"Why aren't you asleep at this hour? Is something the matter?" Lu Qing sat at the table, a book spread out before him, holding a brush, seemingly jotting something down. He looked up as Zhu Yu entered, showing no sign of surprise, gesturing for her to sit at the table, and put the brush aside.
As Zhu Yu sat down, she glanced at the book, seeing the elegant small script filling the pages.
Keeping in mind the principle of "do not look at inappropriate things," she quickly diverted her gaze to Lu Qing.
Since she was there, she might as well be direct.
"There's something I truly can't figure out, tossing and turning, wondering if the Prince could enlighten me?" Zhu Yu met Lu Qing's eyes, "Today in the dilapidated temple, it wasn't a coincidence, was it?"
"Oh?" Lu Qing showed no surprise at her query, as if anticipating it, "What makes you think so?"
"I've never had a problem with excessive sleeping. Yet today, I was perfectly fine in the morning, but after having some tea and snacks on the carriage, I became unbearably drowsy, sleeping all the way to the shrine where I was awakened. This was already strange.
Along the journey, though drowsy, I didn't lose consciousness or sleep completely.
I could sense that the way to the shrine was smooth, with few slopes, not bumpy.
But on the return trip, there were many slopes, the road was rough, bouncing us around like a completely different route.
Additionally, I noticed the tea and snacks in the carriage were all prepared at your direction, yet you didn't touch any of it yourself.
Perhaps... it was prepared specifically for me?"