CHAPTER 197: CHAPTER 166: THE CASE

Li Ang held the Bitter Realm Lotus, making a few turns around the bedroom. The flower part of the Bitter Realm Lotus still pointed eastward, as if it were firmly attracted by something far away.

"That *Central Earth Zen Sect* only mentioned that it could foretell auspice and menace," Li Ang said, a slight frown creasing his brow. "It never mentioned this kind of situation..."

After hearing that Chai Chai had finished heating up the meal, Li Ang put away the Bitter Realm Lotus. Having eaten with Chai Chai, he made an excuse to take a walk and left Golden City Square.

It’s in... this direction, Li Ang thought, concealing the Bitter Realm Lotus inside his wide sleeve and heading eastward, passing through workshops such as Taiping and Wuben, until he reached East Market.

The festivity of the Dragon Boat Festival had not completely subsided, with some shops by the road still decorated with Mugwort and Calamus. On the few large trees in the middle of the road, symbolic of East Market, hung wallets, five-colored silk threads, and lanterns. The stream of carriages and pedestrians was incessant, with goods from all over the world converging here, enveloped by sounds of string and woodwind music, peddlers’ cries, and noisy conversations.

Li Ang stood by the roadside, noticing that the deviating effect of the Bitter Realm Lotus in his sleeve gradually faded, and the lotus petals returned to their original state.

Had the thing causing the Bitter Realm Lotus to change disappeared? Or had it already ended? He took a few rounds around the vicinity, but the Bitter Realm Lotus in his sleeve remained unresponsive. Instead, he came across an acquaintance in a dark, narrow alley.

"Wu Shiqi?"

Li Ang looked on with mild surprise at Wu Shiqi who, once a member of the Shuai Ran Gang in Chang’an and now a constable of Wannian County, was squatting in the corner of an alley with a lamp, examining the dark gray stone wall.

"Mr. Li?"

Startled, Wu Shiqi stood up with his lamp. He was not dressed in the bad people’s uniform.

"What are you doing here?"

Li Ang glanced at the wall Wu Shiqi had been inspecting—it was covered with green mold from long neglect and dark red traces—which looked like dried bloodstains.

"I was entrusted to investigate some matters." Wu Shiqi hesitated for a moment, then suddenly bit his lip. "To be precise," he said, "I’m investigating a case."

"Investigating a case?"

Li Ang’s eyebrows rose. As a constable of Wannian County, Wu Shiqi was responsible for investigations and arrests. However, his past gang associations seemed to have hindered him; he was still just a lowly constable.

Wu Shiqi spoke softly, "Have you heard, Mr. Li, about the murder case that happened in East Market during the Dragon Boat Festival?"

"Is it the one involving the Nie surname?"

"That’s correct."

Wu Shiqi nodded and continued, "The victim was named Meng Ying, a female of fifteen years, the daughter of Meng Chengye, Steward of the Liu Guang Bank in Chang’an County.

"During the evening of the Dragon Boat Festival, she and some friends had watched the dragon boat races. Afterwards, they were separated at the southern entrance of East Market due to the crowded streets.

"At the time, with the parade carriages and dense crowds, it took a while for her friends and guards to regroup, only to find she had disappeared, prompting them to search everywhere. They also sought the help of the bad people, the garrison, and the Imperial Guard who were in East Market at the time.

"However, during festivals, when the common people of Chang’an collectively leave their own workshops to revel in the streets, various incidents occur frequently.

"Fires, water accidents, theft of property, lost elderly and children... These overwhelmed the bad people and the garrison, leaving them with little manpower to spare.

"Additionally, the streets were replete with mixed smells, complicating the search for the fine dogs.

"According to witnesses, the last sighting of Meng Ying was her getting into a carriage.

"The garrison and others followed the direction in which the carriage departed. By the time they found Meng Ying, she had already been dead for a while in this alley. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. She showed signs of struggle and resistance before death, and her face was marred by her own jade hairpin."

Wu Shiqi pointed to the spot of blood on the wall, his voice heavy, "Aside from her in the alley, there was only one young man, Nie Shilei.

"Nie Shilei was from Xinghua Square, twenty years old, naturally simple-minded and slow-witted, with a gentle disposition and a fondness for vacuous laughter.

"On the night of the Dragon Boat Festival, his father, Nie Gao, accompanied by him and his sister Nie Yuhuan, came to East Market to set up a stall, selling bamboo baskets, bamboo cages, and bamboo toys.

"Nie Gao, due to stomach pain, went to relieve himself, leaving his daughter Nie Yuhuan to watch over his elder brother.

"Nie Yuhuan, attracted by a floral palanquin, left the stall alone.

"When the pair returned, Nie Shilei had also disappeared.

"The father and daughter hurriedly searched. Together with the garrison and others, they arrived at both ends of the alley at the same time. At that moment, Nie Shilei was disheveled, tears streaming down his face, kneeling on the ground, and trying to tidy Meng Ying’s messy clothes."

Li Ang remained silent, hearing out Wu Shiqi’s account of the case, and suddenly asked, "Before Meng Ying died, did no one look into this alley?"

Wu Shiqi shook his head. "No. This alley is low-lying and always filled with stinking water, so people rarely walk through it. And on the night of the Dragon Boat Festival, both ends of the alley were blocked by various items from the shops on either side. Passersby were obstructed by the items and couldn’t see inside."

He paused for a moment, adding, "Nie Shilei not only had scratch wounds on his arm, but his clothes were disheveled, and there were traces of seminal stains on his trousers—from the fine dog’s reaction at the time, the seminal stains on his trousers and on Meng Ying’s clothes had the same scent.

"With conclusive evidence and witnesses at the scene, the soldiers of the garrison immediately captured him and sent him to the Ministry of Justice Prison.

"From every aspect, Nie Shilei was the prime suspect, and with the heinous nature of the case, he was to be executed after the autumn..."

"But?" Li Ang asked calmly. If the case were really that simple, Wu Shiqi wouldn’t be investigating this alley late at night, nor would he be wasting time telling Li Ang all this.

"But, I think, there are too many doubts."

Wu Shiqi said with a wry smile, "First are the witnesses. More than one person saw Meng Ying, before her death, willingly get onto a luxurious carriage. Whose carriage was that? What was the relationship with Meng Ying?

"Secondly, although Nie Shilei is a fool, he is gentle and friendly. Even the mischievous children from Xinghua Square can’t bear to bully him.

"Why would he inexplicably harm a woman he did not know?"

Li Ang squinted and asked, "Do you think someone framed him?"

"Yes."

Wu Shiqi nodded his head, and spoke in a grave tone, "The deceased Meng Ying’s father, Meng Chengye, is the steward of Liu Guang Bank in Chang’an County. He and Yu Country’s number one merchant, Jin Wusuan, were as close as brothers.

"Had it not been for this accident, Meng Ying might well have been set to marry Jin Wusuan’s second son in the future.

"After the case occurred, Jin Wusuan immediately mobilized his resources. He pushed the Ministry of Justice, Wannian County, and others to speed up the investigation and trial of the case to seek justice for his niece."

Li Ang furrowed his brow. Jin Wusuan, the owner of Liu Guang Bank, might be Yu Country’s or even the world’s number one merchant—not including the Gate Valve Clans like the Five Families and Seven Hopes. Nobody knew how extensive his connections were in the shadows, or how many high officials and Cultivators he had befriended. In the Chang’an Market, there’s a rumor that to offend Jin Wusuan, there are only two methods: one is to pray for his personal forgiveness, the other is death.

"If Mr. Li is interested," Wu Shiqi bowed and said, "the day after tomorrow, the Ministry of Justice will hold a public trial for this case."

"Hmm." Li Ang nodded, not committing to whether he would attend or not, and turned to leave East Market.

Watching his figure gradually receding, Wu Shiqi let out a long, melancholy sigh.

"He’s gone?"

A deep voice sounded from nearby, and Wu Shiqi, stunned, turned his head, only to see a bearded, weathered Big Man stepping out from the corner of the street.

Zou Han, a Prisoner of the Ministry of Justice, was a life-and-death friend of Wu Shiqi.

"You’ve been here all along?!"

Wu Shiqi was first surprised, then furious. "Why didn’t you come out just now? I came to wade into these muddy waters for you!

"Do you know who that man was just now?

"He is Mr. Li Ang from the Academic Palace, the Academic Palace Top Scholar, the Founding County Marquis, the Little Medicine King God who saved countless common people! Didn’t you say you wanted to investigate this case? Just now was the best opportunity to ask for his help in seeking justice..."

"I know, but..." Zou Han took a deep breath. "In the evening, I saw the Commandery Prince’s carriage heading to his residence."