Chapter 3: Investigating the Cause

When A-Feng awoke, dawn had only just broken. He washed and dressed early, putting considerable effort into playing his role as a humble errand boy at the tavern. After bustling about to tidy up, he opened the doors to welcome the day’s first customers.

As usual, the morning brought a crowd of poor folk seeking breakfast, and the early hours passed without incident. Just as it was nearly time to close, three more men entered, each ordering their meal.

“Have you heard? This morning, Boss Zhang found Young Master Feng knocked out in the mourning hall, and the old Master Ouyang’s corpse had been stabbed again.”

“Of course I’ve heard! The whole household is abuzz—they say some old enemies came for revenge, not even sparing the dead.”

“Exactly. I heard they even took the jade thumb ring from the body.”

Their words reached A-Feng’s ears, and he froze, mind whirling. He glanced over and saw that all three wore the uniforms of Ouyang Manor’s guards—clearly, this was no idle rumor.

“Boss, hurry up and bring us some mutton soup and flatbread! We’ve been up all night and are starving here!” the men called.

The tavern owner, Old Jin, quickly replied, “Right away!” Then he shot A-Feng a glare. “What are you standing there for? Go fetch their food!”

“Ah—yes, right away!” A-Feng snapped back to himself and hurried to the kitchen.

Soon, he brought out three steaming bowls of mutton offal soup and six golden, crispy flatbreads. The men dug in hungrily, still gossiping.

“I have no idea what happened last night. Did someone really sneak in just to stab a corpse?”

“There’s so much wealth in the house, but all they took was the jade ring. That thing must be really valuable.”

“Do you think the old master offended someone and they sent an assassin after him?”

“But he was already dead. Why stab the corpse? Isn’t that pointless?”

“If you ask me, there must’ve been more than one killer, and they weren’t working together.”

“All right, enough. Let’s just eat. We still have work to do. I heard Captain Chen has taken over the case, and he’s sharp—and ruthless. Best not to cross him.”

“Yeah, yeah, less talk, more food.”

A-Feng listened intently. The more he heard, the more certain he became—he was being set up as a scapegoat. The jade ring had vanished, and his own mission required him to secure that ring and ensure Ouyang Xun’s death. But now, someone had acted ahead of him, framing him for the deed.

He realized this wasn’t aimed at him personally, but at whoever accepted the job. He hadn’t made a move, yet someone else had already taken action. Just then, Old Jin’s voice broke his reverie: “A-Feng, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up and clean up.”

A-Feng looked around—the customers had already left, and he’d been lost in thought for some time. He quickly got up to clear the tables and wash the dishes.

Busy work filled the next half hour. When all was in order, Old Jin called A-Feng over. “A-Feng, things in the city have been unsettled lately, especially with the trouble at Ouyang Manor. I’m closing up for a few days and heading to the countryside. You stay here and watch the shop for me.”

“Of course, boss,” A-Feng replied.

Old Jin packed up some valuables, gave A-Feng a few more instructions, and left town.

A-Feng carefully checked the shop but found nothing amiss. He locked up and returned to his room to collect his thoughts. His situation as an assassin was now precarious, all because of Ouyang Xun. But Ouyang Xun was dead. He needed more information to unravel what had happened. Since someone had impersonated him to kill and steal the ring, they would surely try to silence him as well—he was now the loose end to be eliminated.

A cold light flickered in A-Feng’s eyes. He had been used as a pawn, ready to be discarded. Calming himself, he left his room and headed into the streets, making for Ouyang Manor.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Zhang Hu’s discovery of Young Master Feng unconscious and Master Ouyang’s corpse stabbed had thrown the household into chaos. Steward Ouyang Fu rushed to the scene, secured the area, and went to seek instructions from the Old Madam. With her approval, he reported the incident to the Prefect.

The Prefect dispatched Captain Chen Hong, who led a team of constables straight to Ouyang Manor. They were met at the gate and ushered directly to the mourning hall.

Chen Hong greeted Ouyang Fu with a bow. “Steward Ouyang, official business leaves little time for pleasantries. Was the scene well preserved?”

Ouyang Fu replied, “Captain Chen, things were in disarray when we discovered the situation, but we protected the site as best we could. Please, see for yourself.”

Chen Hong wasted no time and entered the mourning hall. There, the three soul-summoning incense sticks had been relit, and the room showed little sign of disturbance. Circling the coffin, Chen Hong spotted a black mark on the floor to the left—a trace of burnt paper. He also noticed some disturbed dust nearby.

He instructed his men to search thoroughly, and sure enough, they found more ashes near a window. Examining the coffin, Chen Hong saw blood on the old master’s chest and noted the hand as if something had been forcibly removed. He took in every detail.

Glancing around, his eye caught a faint mark high on a support pillar. He moved closer, then looked up at the beam above, and told two men to fetch a ladder. Climbing up, they found the marks fresh, just as he had suspected.

Without betraying his thoughts, Chen Hong ordered his subordinates to collect all evidence and document the scene. He then left the mourning hall and sought out Ouyang Fu.

“Steward Ouyang, is the Old Madam well?”

“She is in good health, Captain Chen. Have you reached any conclusions?”

“I have some leads, but there is one matter that requires the Old Madam’s permission before I proceed.”

“And what might that be?” Ouyang Fu asked.

“An autopsy.”

Ouyang Fu led Chen Hong through winding courtyards to the Old Madam’s residence. Inside, a dignified elderly woman sat, attended by two young maids.

Ouyang Fu stepped forward. “Madam, this is Captain Chen Hong, the Prefect’s chief investigator. He wishes to discuss something with you.”

Chen Hong bowed. “Captain Chen Hong, at your service, Madam.”

The Old Madam, already briefed on the situation, spoke softly, “What brings you here, Captain?”

Chen Hong replied, “By the Prefect’s order, I am investigating this case. There is no official record of an autopsy, yet the corpse has now been stabbed, and there are other peculiarities at the scene. I request your permission to conduct an autopsy.”

He watched her closely for any reaction.

The Old Madam answered calmly, “What have you discovered so far, Captain? May I hear it?”

Chen Hong lowered his head, pondering. “Madam, I found two sets of footprints in the mourning hall, both entering from outside. One person hid in the rafters, the other entered through the window, both interested in the old master’s corpse. One even stabbed the body. This is highly unusual, and only by determining the cause of death can we proceed.”

“In that case, do as you must, Captain Chen. Catch the killer and give my son justice,” the Old Madam replied.

Chen Hong took his leave with Ouyang Fu. As they walked out, Chen Hong asked, “Steward Ouyang, there is one thing I do not understand. Why does the Old Madam show no sign of grief at her son’s death?”

Ouyang Fu fell silent, then sighed. “You may not know, Captain, but our master was headstrong in his youth and disliked restraint. After the old master passed away from illness, the Madam, devastated by her husband’s death, blamed her son. He never argued, but instead devoted himself to the family, building our house into one of the most prominent in Qingyang over the last twenty years.”

“There is no great fault in that,” said Chen Hong.

“True. All was well until the master’s first marriage. His bride came from a once-prominent, now-fallen scholarly family. They were childless for two years. One night, after drinking, the master favored a maid, who bore him a child but died in childbirth. That child was raised as the wife’s own. Five years later, the wife also passed away. The master did not wish to marry again, but the Old Madam insisted, arranging a match with the well-known Zhang family. Thus came the second wife. Yet the rift between the master and the Old Madam only deepened—they were polite in public, but estranged in private.”

Chen Hong bowed in respect. “Who could have guessed there were such stories behind these high walls? Thank you for enlightening me.”

“You’re welcome, Captain. If it helps you find justice for the master, that is all this old servant asks.”

With that, they returned to the mourning hall. Chen Hong summoned the coroner, cleared the room, and personally oversaw the examination of the body.

Half an hour later, the coroner reported, “The chest wound was inflicted postmortem. The mark on the left hand indicates a thumb ring was forcibly removed. There is a contusion on the back of the head from a heavy blow, which would have been fatal. The stomach contains traces of medicinal pills and alcohol; the pills were sugar-coated, but when mixed with alcohol, they became highly toxic.”

“So, he was poisoned?” Chen Hong asked.

The coroner nodded, then shook his head. “He was indeed poisoned, but the blow to the head would also have been fatal. Both contributed to his death.”

Chen Hong narrowed his eyes. “This grows more intriguing. Bring Steward Ouyang and all the young masters here—I have questions for them.”

His men hurried to obey, while Chen Hong stared coldly at the re-covered corpse of the Ouyang patriarch, a chilling laugh escaping his lips.

To be continued.