Chapter 220
The on-site investigation was conducted by Lord Hu, who led the yamen runners and the coroner. Later, I reviewed their autopsy report and the on-site investigation records.
The conclusion that the Liu family's daughter-in-law committed suicide was based on the following points: the deceased's toes were naturally pointing downward, and there were no external injuries on her body.
There was only one strangulation mark on her neck, slanting upwards in a pulling shape.
There was a footstool beneath the deceased, lying not far from the body. The hemp rope used for the suicide was tied in an ordinary dead knot.
The room was clean and tidy, with no signs of a struggle and no missing valuables."
Yue Fuguang nodded. After a moment of thought, he asked again, "Then, Lord Wei, have you verified the relationship between the Liu family's daughter-in-law, her husband, and other relatives?
Was the height of the footstool exactly reaching the position beneath the deceased's feet? Have the scratches on the crossbeam been examined?"
Seeing that Yue Fuguang cared a lot about this case, Wei Ping couldn't help but ask, "Does the Junior Preceptor feel that there is something suspicious about the Liu family's daughter-in-law hanging herself?"
Yue Fuguang did not hide anything and directly voiced his doubts, "Lord Wei mentioned that Madam Liu had two daughters and loved them dearly.
Madam Liu's husband is the only son in the family, and he has three older sisters who are already married.
However, her parents-in-law, as well as the children's father, did not like the two girls.
Madam Liu should have been very clear that if she were gone, her two daughters' lives would only suffer more harsh treatment.
It is said that a mother's love makes her strong. Without a fatal reason, Madam Liu would absolutely not abandon her two daughters and choose to die.
Furthermore, on the day of the Lantern Festival, she even took her children to the lantern fair, bought lanterns for her two daughters, and bought a wooden hairpin that she liked for herself.
Her eldest daughter once said that her mother had bought gifts, and they had agreed to take them back to their maternal grandparents' house the next day.
Also, the wooden hairpin she bought was found in her embrace, not on her head.
All of the above indicates that it was impossible for the Liu family's daughter-in-law to suddenly want to commit suicide.
In my opinion, this should be a murder disguised as a suicide."
Hearing Yue Fuguang's analysis, Wei Ping suddenly felt it made perfect sense. They had only focused their attention on the visible evidence on the surface.
But they forgot to carefully investigate the deceased's various behaviors before her death, which were completely inconsistent with someone so desperate as to commit suicide!
'Little Zhu, help me check if this Liu family's daughter-in-law was murdered?'
[Master, wait a moment, it will be done soon!] Fortunately, this case happened in the capital city, Shangjing, and the data of its Gossip System had been restored a little bit, so it wouldn't cost it much energy.
The recess had not yet ended when the system's message arrived. As soon as its voice saying [Master, I found it!] came out, some people who were originally chatting instantly quieted down.
The Seventh Prince and the Eighth Princess even returned to their seats and silently picked up a book.
Seeing this, the Fourth Prince, who had just come in from outside, couldn't help but sneer, "Seventh Brother, I have only heard of reciting backwards fluently, but I have never heard of reading backwards fluently! Hahahaha."
Hearing him say this, the Seventh Prince realized that he was holding his book upside down!
His face immediately flushed with embarrassment, and he turned his head away, ignoring the mocking Fourth Prince.
Seeing his silent demeanor, Xie Zhiwei suddenly felt bored.
This Seventh Brother was a bit strange today. If it were in the past, he would have definitely argued with him a few times. Being so well-behaved today, could it be because...
He glanced toward Yue Fuguang's position and felt even more bored, instantly shuffling back to his seat feeling a bit down.
Even his fifth and sixth brothers had gone to the next class, while he, as an older brother, was still studying with little kids. Xie Zhiwei suddenly felt that his life was bleak!
'Little Zhu, how did the Liu family's daughter-in-law die?'
Having read so many detective novels in his previous life, he finally had the opportunity to put what he had learned into practice this time. Yue Fuguang couldn't help but feel a bit eager. Was armchair strategy actually useful?
[Master guessed right, the Liu family's daughter-in-law died from murder!]
Before it could continue, Yue Fuguang immediately expressed dissatisfaction with the system's wording, 'System, I wasn't guessing, it was deduction, deduction!'
[Alright, alright, the host is deducing, not guessing, okay!]
[Master, who do you guess the murderer is?]
'Someone from the Liu family, or rather, her husband?'
[How did Master guess... deduce that?]
The gossip-loving crowd, including Wei Ping, was also very curious. The Junior Preceptor seemed to already have an answer in his heart.
'Didn't Wei Ping say it? The room was clean and tidy, no valuables were missing, and the deceased had no defensive wounds.
The Liu family can be considered a moderately wealthy household, with servants and a gatekeeper. Outsiders generally wouldn't be able to sneak in.
Even if they managed to enter the Liu family, it wouldn't be just to kill a daughter-in-law who had no say in her in-laws' house.
Therefore, I presume it was committed by an acquaintance, and the deceased's husband is the most suspicious. Little Zhu, just tell me if your Master is right or not!'
[Hehehe, Master is completely right. The murderer is the deceased's husband, Liu Dalang, Liu Hong. That night, while his wife was fast asleep, he sneaked from his study into his wife's room.
He used a pillow to smother her until she fainted, and then hung her up to create the illusion of suicide by hanging.
If Wei Ping goes to check the scratches on the beam and compares the height of the footstool as you said, he will find the clues.]
After a burst of joy in his heart, Wei Ping felt a wave of shame and embarrassment. He prided himself on being very skilled in interrogating and investigating cases, but he never expected to be blinded by such a small case!
Just as he was thinking, he heard Yue Fuguang say, 'It seems that Wei Ping's professional skills need to be improved. I remember you have quite a few relevant books there.
He probably wouldn't understand the overly advanced ones. Give me the Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified written by Song Ci. I'll find a chance to give it to him to read, so there will be fewer unjust and false cases.
I like the phrase "Speak for the living, assert the rights of the dead" the most.'
[This is simple. In two days, it will be Wei Ping's thirty-fifth birthday. Master can give him the book as a birthday gift.]
Yue Fuguang nodded and praised, 'Good idea!'
Wei Ping was even more ecstatic in his heart, secretly giving a thumbs-up to the Lord Divine Artifact, and thanking the Little Immortal Lord over and over again!
Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified, being highly praised by the Little Immortal Lord, was clearly no ordinary book.
Grinning from ear to ear with his teeth showing, while his heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat in anticipation, Wei Ping wished tomorrow could be his birthday.
Wearing this grinning and teeth-baring expression, before he even reached the Dali Temple office, the news that Lord Wei Ping was suspected of having contracted a strange illness had already spread like wildfire.
Previously, there was Huang Shouping who kept passing foul-smelling gas, and Zhang Tingji who had to take a leave of absence because his whole body was itching. Now came Wei Ping. Some of the lords accepted it well, but others couldn't help feeling anxious and panicky!
Lord Wei had just returned from teaching at the Hongwen Pavilion. As for who was at the Hongwen Pavilion today, it went without saying for everyone.
Wu Yong, Feng Tang, and the others rolled their eyes at their colleagues who were acting like easily frightened birds. Their Junior Preceptor would definitely not take the blame for Lord Wei's condition.
In order to clarify the situation, they coincidentally headed towards the Dali Temple and happened to run head-on into Cai Xian, who was hurrying over.
The few of them cupped their hands in greeting. Without needing to say much, they all knew each other's purpose for this trip.
As soon as Cai Xian entered the door and saw Wei Ping's look, he couldn't help but say, "I thought the rumors were wrong, but it turns out they're true! What did you hear from that person to make you put on such an expression?"
Feng Tang said with a hint of condemnation, "No matter what Lord Wei heard, you are being too frivolous. Now there are rumors outside that your illness was caused by the Junior Preceptor!
Hurry up and think of a way to clear the Junior Preceptor's name!"