The Case Is Mine Now

The men in the yard fought each other hard and were rolling about on the ground. Their clothing and hair were a mess, and they kicked up so much dust. The quiet residential section of the temple was suddenly filled with people, and even the bright sun in the sky seemed hotter than usual.

The two who were fighting were prominent figures, so nobody dared to pull them apart.

The atmosphere was getting heavier, and the crowd was getting more and more restless as they wondered what they ought to do. Just then, someone walked out from a room diagonally across the passageway.

This person was tall with a muscular waist and long legs. His muscles were full of energy, as though he might burst right through his own clothes. His gaze was sharp and arrogant, and attracted a lot of attention. But despite looking so demanding and arrogant, nobody looked irked by him. Regardless of whether it was his handsome eyes or the way he walked, everything about him exuded power and the air of an aristocrat.

This man was Zhao Zhi.

And trailing behind him was Governor Li.

Strangely enough, nobody noticed Governor Li. Everyone’s eyes were on Zhao Zhi.

“Tsk. You two.”

Zhao Zhi snorted as he glanced indifferently at the two men who were still tumbling on the ground as they fought.

He marched toward them.

Governor Li deliberately increased the distance between himself and Zhao Zhi.

His gaze flickered.

Since a while ago, he could vaguely sense that he had walked into a trap.

He had reached an agreement with Zhao Zhi and should have felt relieved, but he was still annoyed by the situation and was hoping to see Zhao Zhi in a difficult situation. Zhao Zhi was the only one with a standing high enough to control this mess, but if he failed to keep the situation under control, he was going to become the joke of the century. Not only would that prove that Zhao Zhi had not only fallen out of favour with the emperor and was useless, but he also wouldn’t be punished for not fulfilling his prefectural governor duties.

He really, really wanted to see Zhao Zhi get himself into a bigger mess.

Madam Ji and Madam Ge did not know who Zhao Zhi was and just felt that his appearance was very sudden, but he also looked like someone they should not offend… So, the two women kept their eyes to themselves and did not do anything.

Fu Xiuxiu threw Zhao Zhi a slightly curious glance but was soon distracted by someone else. Her face reddened as she looked toward Wen Yuansi, who was standing a short distance away.

Wen Yuansi arrived not too long ago. He had heard about the commotion and came together with Governor Zhang.

They hadn’t seen the argument between Fu Xiuxiu and Song Caitang, but they had seen quite a bit of the fight between Qi Zhaoyuan and Gao Zhuo. They were both rather surprised at Zhao Zhi’s appearance and instinctively turned to exchange glances.

Governor Zhang observed that the timing and energy of the surveillance commissioner’s arrival didn’t look like he didn’t want to have anything to do with the case. But at the same time, when he tried to talk to him two days ago, Zhao Zhi did not agree to take the case and did not agree to recommend Song Caitang to be the head coroner of this case.

But Wen Yuansi fell into deep thought and reminded Governor Zhang that the surveillance commissioner had merely not given a confirmed answer and had not flatly refused their requests.

So…did that mean that this man had plans of his own and had just been waiting for the right time?

Anyhow, Governor Zhang was so happy to see how Governor Li trailed behind Zhao Zhi with his head bowed, his arms humbly placed in front of him and walked cautiously.

He definitely deserved it!

Why wasn’t he telling Zhao Zhi how efficient and capable he was? Clearly, it was because Zhao Zhi had taught him a lesson and put him in his place!

Coroner Sun didn’t understand what was going on and felt that this surveillance commissioner was behaving in an overly arrogant and flashy manner, and didn’t look like he was here to really take care of things. But Judge Guo had better judgement of the situation and threw Coroner Sun a dirty glare.

Most of the people thought that since Gao Zhuo and Qi Zhaoyuan were caught up in such a violent fight, Zhao Zhi would have to resort to violence himself to tear the two apart. And he did look like someone who would do something like that.

But Zhao Zhi did not do that.

He barely moved, in fact. He reached toward them, grabbing one and pushing the other so that the two men, who seemed inseparable, were separated in moments.

“Who the hell…” Qi Zhaoyuan’s eyebrows shot up when he realized who was in front of him. He was rather surprised, “Zh-zhao Zhi?” He instinctively stopped throwing punches at Gao Zhuo and punched Zhao Zhi’s arm instead.

Gao Zhuo frowned as he panted heavily. He narrowed his eyes and glared at Qi Zhaoyuan for a while but did not try to attack the other man.

Zhao Zhi held each man’s arm with one arm and finally let go after they obediently stopped fighting.

The entire process happened extremely quickly. It ended as abruptly as it had started. Nobody knew how to react.

Song Caitang watched everything closely and suddenly had a bold thought…

This Qi Zhaoyuan seemed very familiar with Zhao Zhi. Their actions and the way they looked at one another seemed a little coordinated, which was something only long-time friends would be capable of doing. But that was real surprise in Qi Zhaoyuan’s eyes, so he probably really had no idea that Zhao Zhi was here and that Zhao Zhi could use his status as a surveillance commissioner to take over his wife’s case.

So…

Was Zhao Zhi making good use of his connections?

Was Zhao Zhi involved in making Governor Li receive incorrect information about how Qi Zhaoyuan didn’t care about the case and wouldn’t come?

How long ago had this surveillance commissioner laid his plans down?

Her own appearance in this place, Fu Xiuxiu blocking her way, the arrival of Madam Li and Madam Ge, followed by Gao Zhuo and Qi Zhaoyuan. There wasn’t a single person here without any connection to the case. How much of that was quietly coordinated by this man? And how was he able to do this at all?

Was she an important part of this whole coordinated effort?

Song Caitang’s gaze flickered slightly as she started thinking very quickly.

Zhao Zhi stopped the fighting with little fanfare and didn’t mince his words either, “I saw what happened earlier. All of you are really…” he scanned the people around him frostily and glared exceptionally frostily for a few additional moments when he reached Coroner Sun and Judge Guo, “…must have nothing else better to do.”

His expression was just as frosty, with a look of contempt that seemed to say: “Instead of spending time on things that matter, you think quarrelling and fighting will solve the case?”

Coroner Sun and Judge Guo both looked upset.

If Governor Li hadn’t pushed them so hard, as though the sky would collapse if they didn’t solve the case, they wouldn’t have done things in such a hurry.

“I am Zhao Zhi, a surveillance commissioner sent by the royal palace. From today onwards, I will take charge of the Yun Nianyao case.” Zhao Zhi glanced at Governor Li and smiled faintly, “Is that right? Prefectural Governor Li?”

Governor Li was in a bit of a daze. He didn’t understand what was going on now. Gao Zhuo and Qi Zhaoyuan weren’t fighting anymore, but they weren’t saying anything either. What was going on?

So, they were alright with this arrangement? Or not?

But there was too little time for him to think and he had no choice but to nod his head, since he had already agreed to give this case to Zhao Zhi, “You are the surveillance commissioner and you have the right to take the case. As a lower-ranked official, I wouldn’t dare to fight with you over this.”

Zhao Zhi nodded and looked at Coroner Sun and Judge Guo, “The two of you get it, right?”

Governor Li had already nodded in agreement, so regardless of what they really thought, they couldn’t argue in public, “Yes, we get it.”

“But I don’t really get it.”

Zhao Zhi looked very seriously at the two men, “And I would need the two of you to answer my queries.”

His expression changed completely from being as cold as the snow on high mountains to the bright morning sun. It was clear and earnest, his arrogance gone. His aristocratic demeanour was more obvious and he looked even more handsome. Logically speaking, he looked much friendlier now, but both Coroner Sun and Judge Guo felt a chill down their spine as they shuddered in unison.

“Please ask your questions.”

“You suspect that he,” Zhao Zhi pointed at Gao Zhuo, “is the killer?”

Judge Guo didn’t say anything.

Coroner Sun had a determined glint in his eye as he took a step forward, “That’s right!” He clenched his fist and talked about the evidence he had found again, “The light yellow tassel on Gao Zhuo’s flute was found in the victim’s sleeve…”

Zhao Zhi waved a hand to stop Coroner Sun from going on.

“What’s the motive?”

Coroner Sun replied, “It’s a crime of passion! Gao Zhuo had been in love with the victim for many years and his love turned into an unhealthy obsession. If he couldn’t have her, he didn’t want anybody else to have her either—”

“So, Coroner Sun, if that’s what you think, are you saying that Gao Zhuo had made preparations to kill her?”

Coroner Sun was confident, “That’s right!”

“So…Madam Ji gave a false statement?”

Coroner Sun glanced at Madam Ji and hesitated for a moment before nodding confidently, “That’s right!”

Madam Ji nearly lost it, “Why, you…”

“And how did it happen?” Zhao Zhi cut Madam Ji off and continued questioning Coroner Sun, “How did Gao Zhuo kill the victim?”

“He used poison! He met with the victim secretly in the night, then tricked the victim into drinking spiked wine—”

“What poison did he use? How strong was it? When was it consumed, when did it take effect and how did it manifest itself?”

The string of questions made Coroner Sun freeze for a moment or two, “There are…so many different types of poisons with different complexities. It’s hard to say what poison the victim got.”

“So, you don’t know?” Zhao Zhi snorted and continued asking, “You say that Gao Zhuo poisoned her. Where did he put the poison? Into the wine? Where’s the wine? Where’s the wine cup? What sort of cup was it? Was it from the temple or elsewhere? Where did the poison come from? Did he carry it with him or did he buy it on his way here? If he carried it all the time, someone close to him would have noticed it. If he bought it from somewhere, someone would have seen him buy it…Did you investigate all of these things thoroughly?”

Coroner Sun was a little giddy from all the questions.

“But the tassel…”

In the end, he had nothing else but this one piece of evidence.

“Tsk,” Zhao Zhi scoffed, “Does Coroner Sun think Gao Zhuo is an idiot?”

Coroner Sun blinked in confusion.

Zhao Zhi pointed at Gao Zhuo, “He was born and raised in the capital and was given royal training since he was a child, which is why a lot of people say he’s a very intelligent man. If he had planned ahead of time to kill someone, did you think he would be so dumb as to bring some flute over and leave behind some tassel for the investigation team to find?”

The motive and evidence were both really flimsy.

If Gao Zhuo were really the killer, then his motive and method would definitely be much harder to discover than this. It couldn’t be some flute tassel stained with wine.

Gao Zhuo was lovesick, but his brain wasn’t faulty.

Coroner Sun complained, “If it weren’t so hard to determine what poison it was, I wouldn’t be here making accusations instead of just hauling him away immediately…”

He didn’t say anymore after that. A breeze blew past and a solemn silence filled the air.

Song Caitang had been watching and judging the situation so far, and she felt that it was a very good time for her to take a step forward now.

Since she wanted to do it, she ought to. She glanced at Zhao Zhi’s broad back, then raised her chin and walked into the light with a smile, “That’s not great coming from you, Coroner Sun.”

Coroner Sun didn’t dare to get angry with Zhao Zhi, but he didn’t hold back when he saw that it was Song Caitang. He snorted and said, “What, you think you can determine a poison that not a single coroner in the entire prefecture can?”

He was hoping to pressure her with the weight of the entire team of coroners on the case?

She wasn’t afraid of that at all.

Her teeth shone brightly as she stood facing the sun, “You can’t determine the poison because you’re not capable enough. The frogs sitting in a well can only see the sky above the well opening and they think that the world is only so big. Coroner Sun, I think it’s time you jump out of your well to take a good look at the world outside.”

“What are you trying to say?!” The veins on Coroner Sun’s forehead bulged and his tone of voice was filled with disdain, “How dare you insult me! You mean you can differentiate poisons? Just because you know how to slice through meat and cut through bones like a butcher?”

Song Caitang remained calm. She didn’t get angry and didn’t raise her voice. Her smile was bright and warm.

“Oh my, you’re totally right, Coroner Sun! I really can!”