Forensic lady champion husband

Chapter 71

Although the bones in the box were divided into two piles, there was only one complete skull.

Cheng Dutou explained: "When the coffin was not collected in time, wild dogs had eaten a lot of the bones. In addition, there was no one to take care of them in the past 30 years, and some parts were lost. It looked like one, but actually there were two. It was made of two pieces. Different grasses swept over the buried."

Then, he picked up a broken rib and continued: "There are twelve ribs in total, and the baby only has eight, which proves that there are at least two children."

Ming Shu has long known that the ancients had many misunderstandings about bone structure. For example, in the forensic work "Washing Injustice Collection" written by Song Ci, a criminal officer in the Southern Song Dynasty, it is recorded that "the bones of men are white, and the bones of women are black". It is a pseudo-scientific argument. After all, human beings have made progress by overthrowing the theories of the predecessors generation after generation. As a foundation, the experience of the author is respectable, but the corruption in it should indeed be corrected.

Ming Shu shook her head and said, "Whether young or old, male or female, there are twelve ribs."

As soon as this remark came out, the audience was in an uproar. These government officials may not have seen bones, but they have more or less heard the truth about the twelve ribs of men, the fourteen ribs of women, and the eight ribs of babies. Mingshu’s words are not only denying Cheng Dutou was challenging the common sense of everyone present.

Everyone looked at each other in dismay, discussing what she meant by her words, could it be possible to treat the people in the yamen as fools?
Yan Ziqin waved his hand to stop the noise, but he couldn't stop the people's slander. It's not hard to guess their unhappiness from the distrustful eyes. Sometimes unspoken accusations are more depressing than stern scolding.

Ming Shu put on the gloves calmly, and it was not the first time that she started working amid suspicious gossip, so there was nothing to be anxious about.

"Let's not talk about the ribs, let's talk about this part." She picked up a white bone shaped like a butterfly, "This is the pelvis, located at the hip, and it is the hardest part of the human body. It broke in two, and besides, the cut surface is so smooth."

She put the pelvis from the two piles of white bones together, and they were actually butt-jointed perfectly.

"It's clear that the shattering was caused by the use of a sharp object and one would like to think that both children were murdered."

There was silent silence all around, years of cognition was overturned so easily, the dissatisfaction hidden in the hearts of the yamen servants was turned into a speechless blank, the so-called convincing is the current scene.

Cheng Du was stunned for a while, then said in a low voice, "The surviving child is the biggest suspect, we need to find him as soon as possible."

Yan Ziqin said: "Not necessarily, he can't do such a thing alone. Is there any result for the roster I entrusted you to compile this morning?"

Cheng Dutou immediately ordered the yamen servants to present the list of executioners. Like Mingshu, Yan Ziqin was immediately attracted by Yu Haiqing who was listed first, and when he heard that his younger brother Yu Haiquan was the driver , Yan Ziqin felt a chill behind his back, got up almost immediately and said, "Hurry up and arrest this person!"

Cheng Dutou still didn't know why, but listening to Master Yan's words was always right, and without hesitation, he led his brothers to the southern suburbs to arrest people. That's where the execution ground was. The executioners gathered outside the execution ground to drink and gamble every day.

But his people were in vain. It turned out that Yu Haiqing went to the city on leave ten days ago because his younger brother had a sudden illness and no one was taking care of him.

Both brothers have no wives and children, the older brother lives in the execution ground, and the younger brother rents a hut outside the city. These two are like a pair of redundant brothers in the world. For each other, Cheng Dutou's men set up an ambush at Haiquan's residence, and sure enough they caught them all.

After returning, Cheng Du smugly boasted in front of his subordinates: "Don't dare to say anything else, but when it comes to arresting people, Grandpa, I still have some skills!"

As soon as the words were finished, Yan Ziqin came in, and a group of out-of-shape yamen servants either leaned on chairs or rode on tables, stood silently and quickly restored the messy room to its original state.

Cheng Dutou dared to boast because Yan Ziqin was not around. In terms of admiration, Yan Ziqin was the person he admired the most. In less than four days, a major case was solved, and Yu Haiqing and Yu Haiquan had already confessed.

"Master Yan, how did you spot the murderer?" Cheng Dutou asked.

Yan Ziqin said: "It's very simple. Let's start with their occupations. Earlier, my wife analyzed the wounds on the two heads and determined that there were two murderers. One was good at killing, and the other was incapable of killing. I suspect that one of Yu Haiqing and Yu Haiquan is an executioner and the other is a coachman, wouldn’t it just fit? When I saw their resumes, everything made sense.”

Cheng Dutou suddenly realized: "So that's the case, but I still have a question—didn't Mrs. Yan say that the Xue family's twin brothers died forever, but Yu Haiqing and Yu Haiquan are two people. How can this be explained?"

Yan Ziqin said: "So, I am here today to interrogate the Yu brothers and clarify the last question."

Cheng Dutou generously took a bunch of prison keys from the dark cabinet, and said with a smile, "Of course! Please follow me."

This is the first time that Yan Ziqin has personally entered the prison of death row prisoners. It is more depressing than he imagined. The gaps are covered with moss, and the lighting can only rely on sporadic torches that burn weakly. It seems that they will be extinguished in the next second, and the narrow and deep corridor will be plunged into darkness.

Cheng Dutou worried that this young adult would not be able to stand such an environment for the first time. After all, there is no ventilation and it is full of dying people who don't care about the filth. An adult who dragged the red and purple, desperate to survive, frightened the adult with his crazy shouts and ugly face, so he showed his official knife, opened his tiger eyes, and escorted him from the side.

But Yan Ziqin did not change his face from the beginning to the end, but said softly to Cheng Du: "I have reviewed many cases in Dali Temple, and some of them have doubts, which have been dismissed and forwarded to the Ministry of Criminal Justice. In the hands of Mr. Feng, I also ask Cheng Dutou to persuade you, as a parent official, don't wrong a good person or misplace a wicked person for petty gains."

Most of the prisoners did deserve their crimes, but there are also many unjust cases. The wrongly sentenced death row prisoners cried loudly after hearing the news. Only then have the motivation to survive in this living purgatory.

The cell of the Yu Haiqing brothers was at the end of the corridor, and the jailer locked their hands and feet, and then opened the door to invite Yan Ziqin in.

In the middle was a large folding chair, accompanied by several government servants and jailers lined up on both sides, holding high the crackling torches, Cheng Dutou invited Yan Ziqin to take his seat.

In front of him were Yu Haiqing and Yu Haiquan who were sitting on the ground. Yan Ziqin sized up the two of them. Their appearances were surprisingly similar. If they were not twin brothers, no one would believe them.

But are they really Xue Hanliang's sons?If it wasn't for Xue Hanliang's son, why would they take the risk of killing someone?
"You grew up in the relief hall?" Yan Ziqin asked.

Brother Yu Haiqing said: "Your Excellency, you don't need to ask. I used to be half of the yamen. I knew that killing people paid for their lives, but my father's life is not life! The profiteers killed my whole family, and made me and my younger brother live in the rivers and lakes." , 47 human lives plus changing the fate of two people's lives, we only let the two culprits Liang Kuan and Li Weiyong pay for their lives, isn't that enough restraint!"

Yan Ziqin said: "Now is no longer the era of advocating revenge by blood relatives. You have disregarded human life and killed more than two people who you think deserved their crimes. Can't you see more evil consequences?"

"The Liang family provided food and grass for the defenders in the north who fought against Xixia. You killed Liang Kuan, and the transportation of food and grass fell into chaos. Now is the season of shortage. How many soldiers in the north went to the battlefield enduring hunger, and how many people were shrouded in horse leather? If the defense line If you stick to it, there will be more than a thousand dead people! If you don't kill Boren, Boren will die because of you."

The two bowed their heads in silence.

Yan Ziqin sighed and said: "The reason why the law exists is because it is a rule, a dead line, which makes people calm and rational. If everyone is like you, killing and grabbing by will, and everyone lives in fear, would you like it?"

Yu Haiquan said angrily: "Why did our Xue family get wiped out for no reason? Could it be that we are being wronged to sink to the bottom of the sea?"

Yan Ziqin said: "The case from 30 years ago will be handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for decision again, and will never be shelved due to the passage of time. In the same way, you will also be punished for your actions."

Yu Haiqing smiled wryly, looked at his younger brother and said, "We two brothers are already prepared to die, don't be afraid."

Yan Ziqin said: "Actually... I sympathize with you very much, but it's useless to say such things. I have another question - when the crime happened, you were still in your infancy. Who told you about your life experience and family feud."

Yu Haiqing was silent for a long time, and said: "More than three years ago, a man surnamed Yu claimed that his father had served my grandmother and left a sum of money for our brothers. We dare not restore the old surname, but also feel grateful for his loyalty. So we pretended to be surnamed Yu, we dare not spend the bequests of our elders, we hid them under the bed in my brother’s place, it’s useless now, take it and bury it with the bones of my ancestors.”

When Cheng Dutou dug under Yu Haiquan's bed, there was indeed a bundle. When he opened the worn-out bundle, there were more than a dozen pieces of yellow gold inside, which looked like gold coins that were round on the outside and square on the inside. Press hands.

"Hey, it's the real thing! Do you think these two brothers are stupid, guarding these treasures, but living in a dilapidated thatched hut that leaks from the wind and rain?" Cheng Du was puzzled.

Yan Ziqin took a gold coin and played with it in his hand, but suddenly became vigilant, clutching the gold coin tightly and said: "Not good!"

Cheng Du was puzzled and said, "What?"

The next moment, Yan Ziqin had galloped back home, pulled Ming Shu who was sorting out the records with Du He, held the gold coin in front of her, and panted, "Look at this."

Ming Shu frowned and studied for a moment, then said, "The gold coins are written in Khitan script! This is something from the Liao Kingdom!"

Yan Ziqin said: "Do you still remember who induced Yu Haiqing and Yu Haiquan? It was a man named Yu! Do you understand?"

Ming Shu and Du He blurted out: "Yu Qing?!"

Yan Ziqin said: "Maybe someone sent by Yu Qing, I should have thought of it a long time ago." He paced the room anxiously as he spoke, "Liang Kuan's death is not that simple, the transportation of grain and grass in the north has collapsed, If we want to continue to investigate the case of 30 years ago, the Liang family will still be in chaos. They control [-]% of the rice harvest in the Song Dynasty. No other businessman has the strength to take over the errand of delivering grain and grass for the frontier army... In a few months, the early rice will also be gone. Mature, if the Liang family doesn't recover, this year's rice supply will also suffer..."

Seeing that his footsteps were chaotic, it was obvious that his mind was complicated. Ming Shu said: "You said before that Yu Qing defected to the Liao Kingdom. Based on his understanding of the business circles of the Song Dynasty, there are countless ways to disrupt the people's livelihood of the Song Dynasty."

Du He said: "What's even more frightening is that Liang Kuan's line was laid by them three years ago. How many conspiracies are still lurking in the dark. Will Da Song still have their people?"

Ming Shu said: "It goes without saying, there must be many, but we can't see it."

Yan Ziqin said: "I want to ask to go into the palace and explain to the officials face to face."

Before the emperor received Yan Ziqin, he had to rearrange his appearance outside the palace gate, which was the custom of the Song Dynasty.

The two little yellow gates helped him to adjust the already neat skirts of the court clothes. At this moment, a young eunuch with a dust whisk came in to salute. Obviously his status was higher, and the two little yellow gates bowed their knees to salute.

Yan Ziqin saw the face of the person behind him clearly in the mirror, it was actually Li Xian who had served him that day outside the palace gate, Li Xian smiled sincerely and bowed: "Greetings to Lord Yan."

Reunited again, more or less an old friend, Yan Ziqin smiled and said: "The nobleman has been promoted, and he has changed into the clothes of the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

Li Xian was originally an errand outside the palace, but now he has entered the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and being able to stay in the palace is no less than a scholar who has won a Jinshi, so it is gratifying to congratulate.

Li Xian smiled embarrassedly: "It's thanks to you. Last time you asked me to deliver a letter in the Hall of Compassion and Ning, when the empress dowager was angry, the slaves tried to persuade me clumsily. It's the empress who is merciful, and I don't blame the slaves." , keep the slaves by your side."

Yan Ziqin said: "Minghe can fly high by itself. The nobles are smart people, so naturally they won't stay under others for a long time."

Li Xian didn't refuse either, and still said with a smile: "I don't know why Lord Yan entered the palace to meet the saint?"

Yan Ziqin said: "Did the Empress Dowager send you here?"

Li Xiandao: "She also cares about the officials and wants to share their worries."

Yan Ziqin said, "It's nothing more than a disagreement on the facts of the case."

Li Xian said with a smile: "Okay, what do you say, my lord, how do you respond to my slaves, please rest assured, my lord."

Yan Ziqin cupped his hands and said, "Thank you."

After the two said their farewell, Yan Ziqin was able to enter the Zichen Palace, first saluted in front of the door, and after the emperor ordered him to be leveled, he walked to the front of the holy car.

(End of this chapter)