Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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This large-scale autopsy lasted for three whole days, keeping all the coroners and midwives in the yamen extremely busy.
With the New Year approaching, the entire prefectural yamen was in a frenzy.
The yamen runners were out searching for the deceased’s families every day, registering and compiling records, while the coroners worked through the night to organize the autopsy reports, verifying them repeatedly.
The clerks were practically working non-stop just organizing the materials submitted by the yamen runners.
This investigation had created a huge mess in Weizhou Prefecture.
Some ordinary people were still kept in the dark, only knowing that a ruthless killer had appeared in the prefectural city and that the yamen was currently investigating the matter.
However, some well-informed aristocratic families and wealthy gentry in Weizhou Prefecture had managed to glean some inside information from various sources. But because the matter involved the face of the imperial family, everyone kept silent, not daring to speak out.
Two days later, Governor Yu finally followed closely behind Chen Buyu to the Mu residence to report on the progress of his work.
Governor Yu hadn’t slept a wink for the past five days.
He was filled with worry. In his eight years in power, Liang Wang had caused him eight years of chaos, and now Heir Mu had unearthed such a massive injustice.
Liang Wang was dead; so the court would surely hold him accountable!
And now, Liang Wang was involved in so many murder cases. Just thinking about it brought tears to Governor Yu’s eyes; he felt his governorship was probably over.
The heir sat behind his desk, accompanied by Lu Qian.
Governor Yu stood closely behind Chen Buyu, too ashamed to even raise his head.
“After days of intensive excavation and examination, the constables unearthed a total of twenty-one female corpses. If we include Wang Baitian’s sister, the total should be twenty-two.”
“The coroners have repeatedly examined and inspected the remains, discovering several commonalities. First, the wrist and arm bones all show signs of bending and friction, and the leg bones are abnormally twisted. Second, bone examination revealed that fifteen of the victims had circular patterns on their backs, caused by being struck more than ten times before death.”
“Third, the lower bodies of the victims all showed burn marks, indicating they had suffered inhuman torture.”
“Fourth…” Chen Buyu took a deep breath, “The victims all showed signs of pregnancy. Although some foetuses had detached, the eyes, ears, and noses were still formed. Miss Yu and the coroners speculate that the foetuses were all over six months old.”
“Fifth, after repeated examination, Miss Yu discovered that seventeen of the skeletons had white powder left on their throat bones. Upon careful grinding and comparison, it was found to be the ash of the Spirit Incense.”
Chen Buyu clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. “Miss Yu said that after comparing a series of pieces of evidence, it can be deduced that Liang Wang must have had a special secret room for his pleasure. The wounds left on the bodies of the deceased, in addition to burns, also included various fractures and impact wounds on their arms and torsos. This indicates that the deceased may have been bound or suspended before their deaths, for Liang Wang’s amusement.”
“Your Highness!” Chen Buyu could no longer suppress his anger and bowed, angrily saying, “Please allow me to lead the constables to search the entire Liang Wang’s residence.”
Lu Qian lowered his eyes, “Liang Wang is a member of the royal family, the current emperor’s uncle. If Your Highness issues this order today, you may be impeached by the Censorate tomorrow. The emperor’s face will probably be…”
“Search!” Mu Zhao declared forcefully. “This is the imperial edict given to me by the Emperor before I left the capital. Seeing this edict is like seeing the Emperor himself! Chen Buyu, I now entrust it to you. You must thoroughly investigate the entire Liang Wang residence. If the Liang Wang residence obstructs you, you may execute them and report later. I will take full responsibility for everything!”
“Yes!” Chen Buyu excitedly accepted the imperial edict from Mu Zhao and hurriedly ordered Wu Yong and his group of constables to leave.
Seeing this, Governor Yu hurriedly bowed and took his leave, sweating profusely as he followed. His heart was filled with despair…
Lu Qian stood up and looked at Mu Zhao, sighing, “Have you decided how to write the memorial?”
“I’ll write it tonight, and I’ll send an urgent report back to the capital first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll definitely need to consult with them.” Mu Zhao remained calm, showing no sign of the impending storm.
“Huaizhi!”
“I know.” Mu Zhao patted him. “Don’t worry, things will work themselves out. Everything will be resolved.”
….
That night, tensions rose in Weizhou Prefecture.
Some well-informed relatives of noble families had already learned that Chen Buyu of the Demon Suppression Bureau had led a large number of constables to search the Liang Wang Mansion like wolves.
Smart people were secretly warning their unworthy descendants to keep a low profile and not to go out seeking pleasure, lest they run into trouble.
Late at night, torches lit up the Liang Wang Mansion.
Ye Wuchen sat in a wheelchair, his face ashen as he was pushed to the garden by a servant.
“Chen Buyu, do you know what you’re doing?” Ye Wuchen sneered as he looked at the constables searching the mansion.
Chen Buyu had probably emptied the entire governor’s mansion; hundreds of constables had all made their appearance!
“Mu Zhao, using the imperial decree, is searching my Liang Wang residence. If you find nothing, be careful, I’ll submit a memorial to the capital and report to His Majesty that you’ll be punished for disrespecting the royal family!”
Chen Buyu sneered. “The corpses have been dug up from the ground— twenty-two female corpses, all of them pregnant. If this is reported to His Majesty, what do you think His Majesty will do to the Liang Wang residence?”
“My grandfather would never do such a thing!” Ye Wuchen suddenly became agitated. “I’ve lived here for eight years and never knew there were any filthy secret rooms hidden in the residence!”
Chen Buyu snorted. “It’s normal that you don’t know, young prince. After all, you’re usually not very mobile and rarely go to the old prince’s courtyard. How would you know what inhuman things the old prince does inside?”
“You’re being insolent!!!” Ye Wuchen was so angry that he almost fell off his wheelchair, and the servants hurriedly reached out to support him.
“Although my grandfather was somewhat fond of women, he had a dozen or twenty concubines in his household. Why would he need to buy married women from outside? And many of them were pregnant! What evidence do you have that these pregnant women died at the hands of our Liang Wang mansion?”
“Heh, as long as we find the Liang Wang’s secret chamber, we can give the young prince the answer he wants!”
“What if you find nothing?” Ye Wuchen raised his voice and shouted sharply, “Our Liang Wang mansion would have lost all face, and the royal family would have lost all face. Can you, Chen Buyu and Mu Zhao, bear this responsibility?”
“I can!” Mu Zhao’s cold voice came, followed by a large group of Mu family guards.
“Go and help the constables search! Search until you find it, continue if you don’t. I don’t believe that under the bright sun and moon of the Great Qi, what filth and grime can’t be dug up!”
“Yes!!” The guards obeyed and quickly left.
“Mu! Zhao!!” Ye Wuchen roared in anger.
A moment later, Chang Qing rushed over, then cupping his hands, reported, “Your Highness, Lord Chen, we found Steward Liang Quan escaping through the dog hole in the west wall. After some interrogation, Liang Quan promised to lead us to the secret room to investigate.”
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