Chapter 165 - 106: Young Master Xiao, Please Conduct Yourself with Dignity
The atmosphere inside the room was hauntingly quiet, to the point of being startling. The most unaware of the tension certainly belonged to Xiao Song and Ran Yan. One retained a casual yet imposing demeanor, while the other, hidden behind the mask, lowered her eyes and calmly stared at her own tiptoes, oblivious to the fact that everyone else had long since been sweating profusely.
Footsteps sounded from outside, accompanied by Liu Pinrang’s inquiring voice. Promptly, Liu Pinrang, dressed in a red robe, hurried in. Seeing Xiao Song, he clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Inspector, we found a pair of cloth shoes in Master Jing Yuan’s room. The pattern on the sole of the shoes closely resembles the mark on the first victim’s chest, and there is dried mud from the back mountain on the shoes, which likely adhered there a month ago."
Jing Yuan did not hold authority in Yingmei Temple, and Ran Yan had only seen her once. In her recollection, Jing Yuan was a nun in her forties, not particularly good-looking, but she exuded a sense of serene composure. Beyond that, Ran Yan found it hard to recall any specific features.
"Inspector Liu will make the decision," Xiao Song replied.
"I plan to conduct interrogation within the temple. Only if we cannot clear the involvement should we take the person back to the Government Office," Liu Pinrang said, not immediately taking anyone away, as if he were cautious about something.
Xiao Song nodded, and said, "Then let’s go."
Liu Pinrang appeared calm and unruffled, but inside he was a bundle of anxiety. The impact of this case was terrible. The Emperor had sent the Inspector over, clearly giving him a chance. If he could crack the case beautifully, the matter would most likely be glossed over. However, if he failed to solve it, it would be adding insult to injury.
Xiao Song walked to the door but then halted. He turned to Ran Yan and said, "Seventeenth Wife might as well come along and listen."