Chapter 12: The Murder in the Library

Feng Ze was the adopted son of General Chu Pingchuan, the Defender of the West, and had long been stationed at the frontier post of Jinyang Pass in the northwest. He was born in a small town along the border, and when he was eight years old, both his parents were killed by the iron cavalry of Xiliang. By chance, he encountered Chu Pingchuan, who at that time was leading his troops against Xiliang.

Chu Pingchuan, though married for several years, remained childless. Deeply devoted to his wife, he steadfastly refused to take a concubine and so adopted the orphaned Feng Ze. From the age of fifteen, Feng Ze followed Chu Pingchuan in guarding Jinyang Pass, rarely returning to the capital. It had been ten years already. Lady Chu, growing older, yearned for her son, and Feng Ze, nearing twenty-five, was still unmarried. At her urgent request, Chu Pingchuan petitioned Emperor Mingde to transfer Feng Ze to a post in the capital.

Emperor Mingde, grateful for Chu Pingchuan’s dedication to the northwest, summoned Feng Ze to the capital and granted him the title of General of Martial Prestige, putting him in charge of the Left Golden Guard—a unit responsible for maintaining order and conducting patrols in the city. In modern terms, it was akin to the captain of the imperial capital’s security brigade. Shen Qianmo, recalling Feng Ze’s stern and upright demeanor, thought the old emperor of Dasheng truly had a talent for recognizing and appointing worthy people.

When Shen Qianxue learned that Shen Qianmo not only escaped danger in the alley but also became acquainted with General Feng Ze, she was so furious she nearly ground her teeth to dust.

Although Feng Ze was not Chu Pingchuan’s biological son, the Chu family treated him as their own. Rumor had it Lady Chu was unable to bear children, and given Chu Pingchuan’s unwavering devotion, it was unlikely he would ever take another wife. Thus, Feng Ze was the only heir to the Chu family. The Defender of the West’s mansion had guarded the northwest border for generations; while not as illustrious as the former Prince Xuan’s household, it still held considerable status.

Had she known, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to lure those ruffians into the alley! The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She seized a glass bowl from the table and smashed it to the floor. Now, all she could hope was that she was worrying too much and Shen Qianmo hadn’t discovered her pregnancy. Otherwise, why had so many days passed without any movement from Shen Qianmo?

If Shen Qianmo knew what Shen Qianxue was thinking, she would certainly say: You’re overthinking things. She was not someone who sought vengeance for every slight. As a forensic examiner, she had grown accustomed to life and death, developing a calm and carefree nature. She never dwelled on the past, focusing instead on the future. She would not harm others without cause, but if anyone sought to hurt her or those close to her, she would never back down.

Besides, she had plenty to do. The triennial imperial examinations were approaching, and scholars from all corners of the realm gathered in the capital to participate. The business at First Rank Pavilion and Jadefall Workshop suddenly became bustling, and it was only right to seize these lucrative opportunities.

Feng Ze was even busier; public security in the capital was crucial during the examinations, and he could afford no mistakes. Having just returned from the northwest and unfamiliar with the capital’s affairs, he needed time to adjust to the Left Golden Guard. Thus, since their last meeting, Feng Ze had not seen Shen Qianmo again. Naturally, he was unaware that she was the very woman the emperor had decreed to marry Prince Xuan.

As a young general brimming with ambition and promise, how could he concern himself with rumors about whom the emperor had matched in marriage? As long as the recipient wasn’t himself, he cared little.

Just as Shen Qianmo was reveling in the delight of waking naturally, counting money until her hands cramped—a life so carefree—a sensational piece of news thundered through the capital: a candidate had died, and the murderer was Feng Ze.

The trouble began with the rivalry between the civil and military examination candidates. Since Emperor Mingde’s accession, Dasheng had pursued a policy valuing both civil and military talent. This was undoubtedly wise, but over time, friction developed, and disputes between civil officials and military officers were not uncommon.

On that day, at the most bustling restaurant in the capital—Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion—a group of civil exam candidates and a band of military candidates quarreled. The argument began with words, but the scholars, masters of debate, wielded their eloquence like hidden blades, confounding the martial candidates. For those trained in martial arts, honor was paramount; once angered, they resorted to violence. The scholars did not shrink back, and soon both sides were embroiled in a brawl, frightening the proprietor into calling for help.

By the time Feng Ze received word and arrived, the situation was out of control. He had no choice but to use force, separating them by martial strength. The military candidates respected Feng Ze and, seeing him intervene, ceased fighting. But one scholar, having taken several blows from a martial candidate and nursing a grudge, waited until his opponent relaxed and stepped back to salute Feng Ze. Seizing the moment, he picked up a celadon vase and struck the martial candidate’s head from behind.

Feng Ze, seeing this, was enraged. He already had little patience for these pedantic scholars, and now, witnessing such treachery—a sneak attack from behind—he pushed aside the martial candidate and, with a swift blow, knocked the scholar to the ground.

But the scholar never regained consciousness after falling; he died on the spot!

Feng Ze was astounded. He hadn’t used his full strength, and the scholar didn’t appear frail, so how could he die so easily? Yet the facts were undeniable: the scholar died after Feng Ze struck him, and everyone present could testify to it. The crowd of scholars grew larger, their voices raised in condemnation. The military candidates wanted to defend Feng Ze but were powerless. The capital’s magistrate, arriving in haste, had no choice but to arrest Feng Ze.

Given Feng Ze’s status and that of the Defender of the West’s mansion, the magistrate knew he could not make the decision himself and reported the matter to the Ministry of Justice. Minister Dong Runian, a crafty old fox, saw the difficulty and deftly handed the case to Assistant Minister Lu Ziqing. Lu Ziqing was the son of the Prime Minister Lu Hengshan; who else could take it?

Dong Runian smiled benignly at Lu Ziqing, but Lu Ziqing cursed inwardly. No matter how troublesome the case, he had to accept it. As the prime minister’s son, young and holding a crucial post, too many eyes watched him. He had no choice but to resolve the case smoothly.

Yet Lu Ziqing hadn’t expected to encounter trouble right from the start. The entire Ministry of Justice lacked a competent coroner!

The previous chief coroner, Qin Lin, had retired to his hometown due to old age, and the new coroner hadn’t yet taken up the post. Currently, the role was filled by Qin Lin’s apprentice, Qin Niansheng, whom he took on three years ago.

Three years ago, Qin Niansheng was twelve, living among the beggars of the capital—a typical delinquent, fighting daily. That winter, he offended a local thug, was beaten nearly to death, and left barely breathing in the snow. Qin Lin rescued him, and since then, Qin Niansheng clung to him, becoming his apprentice and learning the skills of post-mortem examination.

But his nature was unruly and unstable; he stayed with Qin Lin mostly for food and shelter rather than a genuine interest in the craft. After three years, he barely learned the basics and could only assist Qin Lin. Now told to conduct an autopsy alone, he was hopeless.

The incoming coroner was delayed by illness, but with the imperial examinations imminent, the case could not wait. Thus, Qin Niansheng spent his days under Lu Ziqing’s stern gaze and in the gloomy mortuary, each day dragging by.

One day, while poring over Qin Lin’s old case files hoping for inspiration, a guard reported someone was at the door. With his messy hair and bleary eyes, Qin Niansheng stepped outside to see a handsome youth in a gray robe smiling at him. He searched his memory, realizing he didn’t know the boy, and curiously asked, “Are you looking for me?”

The youth grinned, “You are Young Master Qin Niansheng, correct?”

Young Master Qin? Qin Niansheng was amused; he liked the sound of that—no one had ever called him ‘young master’ before. Pretending to be mature, he replied, “That’s me. What brings you here, little brother?”

The youth smiled again, “Young Master Qin, my master wishes to see you. Please follow me.”

Such a polite servant surely had a respectable master. Qin Niansheng considered for a moment and followed the youth to a carriage parked at the street corner.

The youth stood outside the curtain and announced, “Master, Young Master Qin has arrived.”

“Mm,” came a gentle reply from within the carriage. The curtain lifted, and a gentleman in white stepped down. His demeanor was as serene as the moon, refined and ethereal, his face half-covered by a white jade mask, lending him an air of mystery and detachment. Qin Niansheng was momentarily spellbound.

“I apologize for calling you out so abruptly. Please forgive my impertinence,” the white-clad gentleman’s voice was gentle and calm, leaving Qin Niansheng dizzy and disoriented. He hesitated, then asked, “Do we know each other, sir?”

“Isn’t fate the most important thing between people?” The gentleman smiled. “I am Mo Xin. I hear you’ve encountered a difficult problem recently, and I happen to be able to help.”

In truth, this gentleman was Shen Qianmo disguised as a man, and the gray-robed youth was Green Bamboo. Shen Qianmo had heard of the incident at Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, and knew Feng Ze had been detained by the Ministry of Justice. She couldn’t believe Feng Ze would act so impulsively; as a martial artist, he should have excellent control over his strength, and the likelihood of killing with one blow was extremely low—unless the scholar had underlying health issues.

Yet without seeing the body, any speculation was futile. She tried to find out the coroner’s verdict, only to learn that the Ministry currently lacked an experienced coroner, and young Qin Niansheng was struggling.

In Dasheng, coroners were not highly regarded, and few were willing to take up the role—most were impoverished, without family, seeking stable work and income. Rarely did anyone treat it as a vocation or scholarly pursuit. It was no wonder; anyone with options would avoid spending their days among the dead.

Women, even less so. Shen Qianmo was certain that if she, as the eldest daughter of Duke Shen’s household, requested to examine corpses at the Ministry, Prince Xuan’s mansion would seize the chance to withdraw the marriage, and she might be cast out by her family. For the legitimate eldest daughter of a noble house to work as a coroner—what a blatant disgrace! So, after much consideration, she decided to disguise herself as a man to meet Qin Niansheng.

“You can perform autopsies? You’re a coroner?” Qin Niansheng eyed the elegant, scholarly gentleman before him with disbelief. This man looked like a refined scholar, not someone accustomed to dealing with corpses.

“Believe it or not, you’ll see once I examine the body. Rest assured, I won’t harm you—only help you.” Shen Qianmo sought to ease his doubts, then continued, “The scholar died two days ago, correct? Did you preserve the body properly? Have you investigated his medical history, and what he ate before death? Have you performed a dissection or tested his organs for toxins?”

Qin Niansheng was astonished. He knew that dissecting the body was the most effective way to find the true cause of death, but his skills weren’t up to par—he hadn’t learned it yet! But this gentleman seemed genuine, and since he himself couldn’t manage it, he might as well take a chance.

Thus, Qin Niansheng agreed to let Shen Qianmo assist in the autopsy, under the guise of being his senior brother.