The Killer’s Real Mark On The Victims

Everything had gone according to Wen Yuansi and Song Caitang’s plan for the Madam Liang case, so it could be closed and it was no longer a cold case. Zhao Zhi’s side, however, ran into a bit of trouble.

After he was done investigating Zheng Kanghui, he came with Qi Yan to Liu Zhenghao’s home, which was also the home to Luanze’s pacification commissioner, Liu Qinian.

“You’re here to search for something and you want me to cooperate?” Liu Zhenghao snorted. “Does Surveillance Commissioner Zhao suspect that I’m the killer now?”

Zhao Zhi’s expression did not flinch and remained stern. “It is a necessary part of the investigation, that’s all.”

“Sure,” Liu Zhenghao agreed after giving it some thought. “Where would you like to look?”

Zhao Zhi responded, “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to look in every part of the house.”

Liu Zhenghao’s eyes widened as though he was extremely surprised. How could the surveillance commissioner say something so rude?

“Don’t you think… that’s a little inappropriate?”

Qi Yan knew that Zhao Zhi was a little aggressive and really pushing the limit, but they didn’t have a choice. The case needed this piece of evidence to move on!

“What’s inappropriate about it? The Zhengs allowed us to take a look, but you’re not allowing us to? What’s wrong? Feeling guilty? Hiding something?”

Liu Zhenghao said, “Of course I’m not…”

Qi Yan rolled up his sleeves and snapped fiercely, “If you’re not, then show us what you have!”

“Is Surveillance Commissioner Zhao trying to search my home?”

An extremely displeased voice resounded as Liu Qinian marched over and stared straight at Zhao Zhi. “Do you have any official documents or a search warrant or a decree from the emperor?”

Zhao Zhi remained seated on his chair without budging at all. He didn’t even raise an eyebrow, never mind his butt. “No.”

“You don’t have any of those?” Liu Qinian smiled. “I am a court official, so, even if a more senior official wants to arrest me, they have to prove that I’m guilty first. You’re merely a surveillance commissioner, a grade five official, plus you’re only from the royal family but not a direct descendant of the emperor himself. How could you act so arrogantly? Don’t you think you’ve crossed the line?”

“If you search my house, Her Majesty will certainly find out about it. I would advise you to be a little more careful about the way you do things.”

That was obviously a threat. Qi Yan stood up with a start. “Pui! Trying to use Her Majesty to bully us?”

Pak! Zhao Zhi put a lid over his teacup. The sound was frighteningly bright.

“Liu Qinian, I would advise you to watch your words. You shouldn’t live so audaciously.”

Liu Qinian’s eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. Zhao Zhi was the one being audacious here, for crying out loud! Why was he pointing a finger at him now?

Zhao Zhi slowly rolled his sleeves up. “You say that you’re a court official, but when faced with such a situation, instead of mentioning the emperor, you only mention the empress. What sort of relationship do you have with the empress?”

Regardless of the situation, as long as it was a question about a man and a woman’s relationship, it would be seen through a romantic lens.

Actually, Liu Qinian was not wrong to mention the empress. He had been able to become the pacification commissioner because he had buttered up to the empress and was her lackey. But when Zhao Zhi put it this way, it sounded wrong.

Qi Yan burst out laughing. “Mr. Liu, don’t you dare play the victim here - you might think that your relationship with the empress is doing well, but she might not think the same way!”

Liu Qinian was so angry, his beard was shaking. “How dare… what nonsense are you spouting! It’s true that the aggressive are also wicked! Of course the emperor is always on my heart, but a small matter like this…”

Zhao Zhi stood up with a start. “You call this a small matter? This is a case that’s been ongoing for ten years, with 31 bodies uncovered! Their murderer still at large! Is that still too few victims for you to care about, Commissioner Liu?!”

He was tall, so he cast a huge shadow on everyone else once he stood up. His gaze was frosty and his expression murderous, so he looked more like a moving killing machine now. As he took a step forward, Liu Qinian subconsciously took a step back.

Zhao Zhi snorted. “Then again, all the victims are women, so that’s definitely a small matter to you. Who knows how many such cases are hiding beneath all those chastity plaques you’ve given out… Liu Qinian, don’t you have nightmares when you sleep at night? You’ve never dreamed about someone trying to kill you?”

Liu Qinian took another step back. “Don’t come any nearer! I’m warning you, if you continue to behave like this, I’ll report you to the higher ups!”

“You want to report me? Sure, go ahead. Report me, you fucking dog.”

Even when he cursed, Zhao Zhi remained as arrogant yet elegant as ever.

Qi Yan unfolded his fan with great gusto and smirked, “That’s right! Do it, you fucking dog!”

Zhao Zhi went on, “You’ve been disrespectful to me many times. Is it because you’re very sure that I’m about to lose my position? Who told you that? The empress you are so close to?”

Liu Qinian’s expression was nasty but he did not speak.

Zhao Zhi did not insist on getting an answer. He rolled his sleeves and spun around. “I AM going to search your place today. Go ahead and tell that empress of yours about it right now if you dare, and get her to stop me from doing so!”

“Men! I suspect that a spy from Liao is being hidden here! Search the place!”

All of a sudden, a huge group of uniformed soldiers appeared from nowhere. Good heavens knows where they were hiding earlier. It didn’t take long for them to surround the entire estate, including every gate, wall and window.

Once Zhao Zhi gave the command, they replied with a “yes, sir” and streamed into the house to start searching.

Liu Qinian shook from how angry he was. “You… you… this is disregard for the law! Zhao Zhi, I’m definitely going to report you!”

Zhao Zhi didn’t even bother to look at him.

Qi Yan fanned himself with an irritatingly smug look on his face.

This was nothing! This was his Brother Zhi, the King of Chaos! This was the man who had done many crazy things in the capital and attracted so much attention for it, after all, so this wasn’t anything to shout about.

He knew that Zhao Zhi would not step over the line unnecessarily, but he still helped to add, “Don’t get too carried away and frightened the ladies in the house!”

“Yes, sir” could be heard from all corners of the house.

Results of the search arrived very quickly.

But it wasn’t what they were hoping for.

Someone happened to find a storeroom that was filled to the brim with women’s jewelry. Pearls, jade, agate and more on everything from hair pins to earrings – there was everything one could possibly think of, and in all sorts of designs.

There was so much in there, it could bury the person who stepped into the storeroom.

Most accessories used by women were quite small, so it was going to take a long time to search through them one by one. In any case, they weren’t going to find what they wanted by the end of the day.

Qi Yan’s jaw dropped at the sight.

Zhao Zhi narrowed his eyes as he stared at Liu Qinian.

“I have many women in my family, so I like to buy them little presents from time to time. Is there something wrong with that?” Liu Qinian smiled faintly as he sat in a relaxed manner on the chair with a smug look on his face. “I know what all of you say about me behind my back. You say that I’m mean to women, that I don’t care for them. Actually, I dote very dearly on them, I just keep it in my heart…”

Qi Yan nearly puked when he heard these words.

Liu Qinian sipped his tea. “Is there anything else you want to say, Surveillance Commissioner Zhao?”

In other words, if Zhao Zhi had nothing else to say, he had to leave now!

Qi Yan noticed that something amiss about Zhao Zhi’s expression. He tapped his head with his fan, then looked at Liu Qinian, “You’re just helping with an investigation, so there’s nothing disreputable about that, and you wouldn’t feel guilty if you’re not the killer - do you really have to be like this?”

“I don’t,” Liu Qinian smiled, “but since someone here doesn’t want me to live in peace, then I’m not going to let him live in peace either. It’s a matter of pride now!”

Zhao Zhi narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Liu Zhenghao, then turned back to Liu Qinian. “You’re so protective of your son. What a good father you are.”

Liu Qinian replied, “Of course. I’ve always been a good father.”

Throughout the entire thing, Liu Zhenghao remained silent. He obediently stood next to his father, kept his eyes on the floor and put his hands in front of him with no expression on his face.

Things had come to a standstill.

Just then, a messenger arrived and said that Zhao Zhi had told him to investigate some matters earlier and he was here to report his findings.

Zhao Zhi waved an arm and walked to one side so that the messenger could whisper his findings into his ear.

This… was truly a significant finding.

Zhao Zhi narrowed his eyes. His expression was very different from before now.

Qi Yan approached him. “Brother Zhi…”

Zhao Zhi pointed a finger at the house. “Recall everyone. We’re not searching the house anymore.”

Qi Yan didn’t understand why Zhao Zhi was calling the search off, but he had always listened to Zhao Zhi’s instructions without question, so he leaped out of the door to send the message to the soldiers.

Zhao Zhi stood in the room and continued to observe the expressions of this father and son.

Regardless of whether they were angry or annoyed or calm, they had not displayed any behavior that was out of line.

They were not nervous, not furious, not panicky. As though they didn’t care about what was happening in the house at all.

As though none of it had anything to do with them, regardless of whether the case had any evidence against them or whether there were any advancements in the case.

Qi Yan seemed to have sensed the same, so after they left the house, he secretly tugged at Zhao Zhi’s sleeve. “Brother Zhi, I don’t think he’s the one. How can a killer be so calm?”

Zhao Zhi’s reply came after a long time and it was very soft.

“Perhaps.”

After walking a long way, Qi Yan continued following Zhao Zhi around. “Where are we going next?”

Zhao Zhi frowned. “Shouldn’t you get going?”

Qi Yan got angry. “I’m trying to help you with the case, Brother Zhi!”

Zhao Zhi did not speak.

“Or else…” Qi Yan looked to his left and right, “why don’t I secretly check out the Liu family residence tonight? If Liu Zhenghao is the killer, then he wouldn’t hide something in his own room, right? That would be too obvious.”

It could be with one of the women of the family for all they knew!

Zhao Zhi whacked his head with his knuckles. “You tried sneaking into the Zheng’s last night to find that it was heavily guarded to prevent people like you from getting in. Aren’t you afraid that you might end up having a gunnysack thrown over your head and getting beaten badly?”

Qi Yan’s eyes widened. “Who would dare to do that!!”

“Don’t do that again tonight.” Since the younger man was unwilling to leave, Zhao Zhi couldn’t do anything about it, but he still had to continue with his plans. “Come with me to visit Song Caitang.”

Qi Yan got excited. “Ooh! Tangtang!”

Pak! Zhao Zhi’s knuckles struck his head again.

But this time, it really hurt.

Qi Yan quickly made the switch, “Miss Song! It’s Miss Song!”

Song Caitang was surprised to find one more unexpected guest besides just Zhao Zhi.

Zhao Zhi flung a small bag of cooked peanuts through the window. Song Caitang smiled merrily at the sight of the peanuts, then…

…stretched a hand toward Qi Yan.

Her slim and fair fingers seemed to glow in the dark night.

Qi Yan looked confused as he slowly turned to stare at Zhao Zhi.

Zhao Zhi didn’t tell him that he needed to bring an offering to see the almighty Miss Song!

Song Caitang wasn’t purposely trying to embarrass him and just wanted to tease him. She retracted her hand and got down to business. “Found the earring?”

“We didn’t!” Qi Yan quickly answered first. “It wasn’t in Zheng Kanghui’s house. Brother Zhi searched the front and I searched the back, but we didn’t find anything. But earrings are very small, so we can’t say for sure if it’s really not there… we couldn’t search Liu Zhenghao’s house at all, but he’s got an entire storeroom of jewelry in the house!”

Zhao Zhi whacked his head and he realized that he had been speaking too loudly. His eyes darted about sneakily.

He hoped he hadn’t alarmed anyone else in the house!

At the same time, he realized how bold his Brother Zhi. He had barged into the inner house of a prominent family’s residence where a woman was living. Wasn’t he afraid that someone would catch him red handed and beat him up?

Then again, they were here on official business, to discuss a case…

Qi Yan became serious again.

“The killer isn’t Yu Mingzhi,” Zhao Zhi started, “He said he was sleeping during both the Double Seventh and Ghost Festival events, so he doesn’t have an alibi for those two days, but he wasn’t in Luanze when the other victims we found locally died.”

Song Caitang nodded. She wasn’t surprised by this finding.

“But as for the earrings…” Zhao Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly. “Wenxiang’s and Yuetao’s aren’t the only ones with mismatched earrings. Every earring found with the bodies of the earlier victims don’t seem to match with any of the other accessories found with them.”

Song Caitang frowned.

So, this wasn’t something special, but… something they had in common?

The killer had definitely misled Wenxiang and Yuetao, but that had nothing to do with the time the earrings were exchanged or the earrings themselves.

So, what was going on with these earrings?

Song Caitang paused to think very carefully about what Yuetao looked like when she was found, the clothes and accessories Wenxiang was wearing when she died…

She lined them up in her mind.

A set… a set…

Suddenly, she realized something!

Yuetao’s hair accessories were green and blue, but her earrings were red and gold. The red and gold earrings had tiny osmanthus flower carvings and were elegant and delicate on their own, but they failed to match the rest of her clothes and accessories.

Wenxiang’s hair accessories were red and gold, but her earrings were translucent crystals. They were bright and sparkly, but did not match the rest of her outfit.

But if she placed Yuetao’s earrings on Wenxiang’s ears instead…

They would both be gold jewelry with red inlays!

“Zhao Zhi,” in her hurry, she grabbed hold of Zhao Zhi’s sleeve and shook it slightly, “do you remember Wenxiang’s hair accessories? They were all gold with red jade and ruby inlays, right? Do you remember if there were any flowers carved into the jewelry?”

Zhao Zhi’s eyes grazed past the soft and fair little hand on his sleeve even as he focused on recalling these details, “Yes. There were osmanthus flowers. The gold part of the hairpins had mostly osmanthus flowers carved into it.”

“That’s it then!” Song Caitang removed her hand from his sleeve, her gaze burning brightly as she tried to contain her excitement. “We were misled by the butterfly hair accessories - those were just something that the killer fancied, but it’s not the actual mark he leaves on his victims. What he really does for all of them is to take off the earrings of his previous victim to put it on his next victim!”

His sleeve had no hand tugging at it, but Zhao Zhi didn’t pull it back. In fact, he leaned even further forward.

Of course, he hadn’t missed Song Caitang’s analysis.

If the killer had a habit like that…

He narrowed his eyes slightly. “In that case, he must be keeping Yuetao’s earrings somewhere very carefully while waiting for his next victim.”

The one with those earrings would be the killer!

Song Caitang smiled. “That’s right. I had been misled earlier, but I’m very certain this time!”

Qi Yan got it too. He used the handle of his fan to strike his palm and said, “So, the most important thing right now is still to find Yuetao’s earrings?”

Song Caitang said, “Yes!”

Zhao Zhi stared at how his sleeve was still left untouched and shoved Qi Yan to one side in annoyance.

Qi Yan was speechless.

What was that for?

There was plenty of space. Why did Zhao Zhi push him?

“There’s also the issue with Yuetao. She’s still a special case.” Zhao Zhi took a step forward to take up most of the space, ensuring that if Song Caitang wanted to tug at someone’s sleeve, it would definitely be his. At the same time, his mind continued to think, “The two cousins had worked very hard for each other and they were both very smart young ladies.”

“I always wonder if Wenxiang would have left Yuetao some clues to help her find the right person.”

He really thought that way, and felt that he had overlooked something.

But what was it?

Zhao Zhi had a faraway look in his eyes that resembled the vast night sky. It was a look that could either help one to calm down immediately, or to feel an invisible pressure weigh on their shoulders.

A hint…

A clue left behind…

Song Caitang suddenly shuddered as her mind cleared up and she thought of something.

“I got it! I know who the killer is!”