The Famous Detective of the Red Mansion

Chapter 451: Three Monks Have No Water to Drink

This was strange. The clothes that were hanging out in the yard were still in chaos.

Until Sun Shaozong took his leave, Baoyu was still rubbing his hands and declaring that he wouldn’t give up until the thief was discovered.

In fact, if Sun Shaozong had to personally investigate, it was estimated that the case would be solved in just a few minutes. What was lost were only a few pieces of clothing, and it was likely that it was the act of a thief from the Rongguo Mansion. Sun Shaozong naturally didn't want to go into a big fight about it.

When he left Rongguo Mansion, the sky was already covered with dark clouds and thunderous waves. After walking out of just two streets, it rained cats and dogs.

Originally, Sun Shaozong was still thinking about going to the homesteads owned by Sun Chengye and Yu Qian to prepare two suitable housewarming gifts in advance. However, since the weather was not perfect, he had to give up his original plan and return home without hesitation.

He got off the carriage and walked back to the house along the corridor. However, halfway through, he saw a dozen servants from the mansion shouting and making noise in the mud, braving the rain.

Sun Shaozong was puzzled and stopped in the corridor. Just as he was about to take a closer look, he saw one of the servants dressed in a coir raincoat quickly approaching him. He picked up his bamboo hat in the corridor and showed a clean oval face, which was Yuanyang, who had just been assigned to Yingchun's side.

“Second Master.”

She reported in a crisp voice, "Because during the Double Ninth Festival last year, there were no chrysanthemums in our mansion, so the Elder Master specifically instructed us to arrange them in advance this year. However, we just planted a batch yesterday, and it rained heavily today. Now we have to dig them out and temporarily pile them up in the corridor pavilion. We will replant them tomorrow.”

Yuanyang has quite a sense of respect for the Masters, unlike Qingwen, who thought of herself as a temporary tenant with Sun Shaozong.

“Actually, these flowers and plants are not worth much silver.”

Sun Shaozong explained, "You people are busy working in the rain; don't get caught a cold.”

“Don't worry, Second Master.”

Yuanyang hurriedly said, "I had already asked Siqi to bring two rough women and boil a large pot of ginger soup to ward off the cold. I also prepared towels, hot water, and clean clothes to ensure that nothing went wrong.”

After all, she was the first big maid who served the Old Lady Jia. Being able to stabilize Siqi was an unexpected pleasure.

Seeing that she was well organized, Sun Shaozong didn't ask any further and went to the Second Sister You's room. He spent half a day fooling around, and in the evening, he washed and dined at Ruan Rong's place, sharing his feelings for the night.

Early the next morning.

A slow horse with four hooves wrapped in straw and coarse cloth, treading on the muddy ground, carried Sun Shaozong and Sun Chengye out of the side door of Sun Mansion.

Sun Shaozong first mentioned that Jia Baoyu would bring Jia Lan to the door tomorrow to hire Yu Qian as his teacher. However, he saw that Sun Chengye was feeling a bit down in spirit and couldn't help but wonder, "What's wrong with you? Have you encountered any difficulties in the past half month? Didn’t I instruct you, if you encounter any indecisive matters, put them on hold temporarily aside?”

Sun Chengye shook his head and said, "It's not that there's a problem. It's actually that Assistant Magistrate Wei has encountered a difficult and unresolved case. In recent days, he often traveled around with Lord Lin. Therefore, I have to bear more responsibilities for the major and minor affairs in this office.”

As he spoke, he couldn't help but yawn.

Has Wei Ruolan encountered an unresolved case?

Upon hearing this, Sun Shaozong became interested. Although Wei Ruolan himself was not a skilled investigator, Private Advisor Qi, who was beside him, was an experienced senior who had been working in the Criminal Department for many years. It was unusual for him to be unable to handle his case.

Having the intention to inquire with Sun Chengye, it could be seen that his overworked appearance was not likely to be disturbed at present.

Speaking of which...

It seemed necessary to urge Liu Xianglian to marry the Third Sister You as soon as possible so that he could report to work at the Criminal Department.

Just thinking about these things, Sun Chengye took the initiative and said, "Actually, this case was originally handled by you. It was only in the blink of an eye that the ”Crown Prince Assassination” case occurred, and it was then transferred to Lord Lin...”

“Lin Delu is in charge?”

Sun Shaozong couldn't help but be surprised when he heard this, because Lin Delu was in charge of logistics work in the Criminal Department. Even if he followed him out of the scene, he only assisted on the side and never investigated the case alone.

Why did this matter suddenly provoke him and even exceeded Wei Ruolan?

Wait!

At first, he was responsible for the investigation himself…

Was it the case of the death of a virtuous monk in Fayuan Temple on the day of the solar eclipse?

If it were this case, it would make sense to cross over Wei Ruolan and directly hand it over to Lin Delu for investigation, as Wei Ruolan was also considered one of the suspects in this case.

“It was precisely this case.”

Sun Chengye nodded first, but then shook his head and said, "However, the person who is being killed right now is not only Jie Xian. Since then, as suspects, Jie Chi and Jie Ming have also died one after another.”

It turned out that after Sun Shaozong went to the Crown Prince's Residence, the case of Jie Xian was temporarily handed over to Lin Delu.

However, how could Lin Delu possibly find out the truth about a case that even Sun Shaozong couldn't solve for a moment?

So it was unclear and delayed for a few days, with no progress at all. Coupled with the constant pressure from Fayuan Temple, Lin Delu and Wei Ruolan discussed and had to let the monks go back to the temple first. And if clues were discovered, they would be sent back to the Yamen for questioning.

Who would have thought that not long after these monks returned, Jie Chi, who hit the midwife with a wooden basin, was inexplicably strangled to death in his meditation room.

Since he died in the Fayuan Temple this time, the suspicion of Wei Ruolan was ruled out. Therefore, after receiving the report, Wei Ruolan led the investigation.

This investigation was on May 6th, but before they could fully understand the cause of Jie Chi's death, the same suspect, Monk Jie Ming, was nailed to death by iron chisels outside the mountain gate of Fayuan Temple.

Now even the abbot, Master Zhichan, couldn't sit still. He went to the government office to have a heartfelt conversation with Jia Yucun, urging the Central Judicial Office to solve the case as soon as possible, so as not to panic the people in the temple.

This foolish Zen Master was the Master who frequently visited the palace of the Supreme Emperor. It was said that even the Empress also paid tribute to him. Jia Yucun was now at a critical moment of ”wanting to accelerate,” how would he dare to offend this foolish Zen Master?

However, Prince Beijing was behind Wei Ruolan, so he also couldn't afford to offend him.

Therefore, he promised to solve the case as soon as possible, but on the other hand, he didn't rush too much. He has been worried for the past two days and even lost his hair. If this continued, perhaps he would become a ”monk” instead of being the Minister.

“In my opinion, after you arrive at the government office today, Magistrate Jia will definitely entrust this case to you for investigation. Do you want to push or respond? Please prepare early.”

Tch!

Sun Chengye was indeed lacking in experience. He should have told himself earlier about such news.

If Sun Shaozong had known the current situation, he would have only taken a day or two off and continued to hide in the Crown Prince's Residence. After seeing enough of Jia Yucun and Wei Ruolan's appearance, he would then come out to clean up the mess.

But now…

He has been to Rongguo Mansion before. Didn’t it seem too deliberate not to go to the office for a walk?

Anyway~

Left and right in the Crown Prince's Residence, apart from boasting and gossiping... Well, it might be more appropriate to use wrangling here.

Anyway, he was in a leisurely panic at the Crown Prince's Residence, and now he could go and solve this unsolved case and change his mood.

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