Tang Dynasty detective

Chapter 237 Swamp Carrion Corpse
Xiao Wu carefully fiddled with the withered grass around him with a bamboo pole, while his nose twitched slightly, looking for the source of the smell of corpses.

After about an incense stick, the two found a corpse in a swamp.

It is more appropriate to say that it is a corpse than a corpse.

The corpse was lying in the swamp with its head south and feet north and south. The skin of the corpse had festered badly. In some places, yellow and white bones were exposed. Large pieces of carrion hung down on the skeleton, and it was covered with black blowflies.

Both legs of the corpse sank into the mud of the swamp, half of the body was wrapped in a long gown, and corpse worms were constantly wriggling in the two dark eye sockets.

Kang Xu and Xiao Wu were considered to be determined people, but they still felt sick when they saw this corpse.

It wasn't the strange appearance of the corpse, but the stinking corpse and the buzzing blowflies. The multiple impacts of sight, smell, and hearing made the two of them vomit one after another.

The two of them almost vomited out their gall, and after a long time, they gradually regained some strength.

Kang Xu first took out the sounding arrow and sent a signal at the edge of the swamp, and then helped Xiao Wu drag the bones out of the swamp.

Fortunately, the corpse was lying on the edge of the swamp, and it didn't sink much. Even so, the two still spent a lot of effort.

Kang Xu went to a pond not far away, got some clear water with a bamboo tube, then melted the Pi Hui Dan that Xiao Wu carried with him into the water, then tore off his sleeves and soaked them, and covered his mouth and nose to prevent inhalation of bad smell.

After doing all this, Xiao Wu began to put on his gloves and start the autopsy.

The deceased was an adult man with a height of six feet five inches. Due to the severe decay of the bones, the cause of death has not yet been found.

However, judging from the face of the deceased with the torn skin still attached, it can be seen that the expression of the deceased was distorted, as if he had been tortured before his death.

"Brother Kang, this corpse is in a semi-decomposed state, and many traces have been destroyed by flies and insects. I can only detect so much at the moment." Xiao Wu said in frustration, holding back the sour water in his stomach.

Kang Xu curled his lips, he was standing beside Xiao Wu during the autopsy, the surface of the corpse was rotten, and the internal organs were in a mess, even though he shouted Pi Hui Dan, it still almost made him faint.

He patted Xiao Wu on the shoulder, indicating that he had done his best and didn't need to take it to heart, then he turned his head and took a deep breath, squatting beside the corpse to observe.

At this time, there was a sudden sound of chaotic footsteps behind him.

Soon, Tao Ruozhu and the others came to the edge of the swamp. They covered their noses with their hands at first, but when they saw the corpse, they burst into tears from the stench of the corpse, squatting on the ground and throwing up.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu hurriedly handed out the anti-filth pills he was carrying to everyone, and asked them to keep them in their mouths to clear away the filth.

The others are fine, but Tao Ruozhu is just a frail scholar, when he saw such a scene, he was out of breath, his face was as pale as a dead person.

"Brother Li, Li, how... how could there be such a badly rotten corpse here?" Tao Ruozhu said, feeling that his stomach was turning upside down again, and hurried to the side to vomit.

Among the crowd, Guard Zhao was the most determined. He didn't wait for Kang Xu's reply, but squatted beside Kang Xu with a livid face, observing the bones.

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of the long gown that was thrown aside, and he jumped up immediately.

"My... my lord!" Guard Zhao rushed over suddenly, grabbed the gown in his hand, and let out a mournful cry.

Hearing the cry of mourning, everyone was stunned.

Tao Ruozhu, who almost spat out the bile, didn't care to wipe the acid water hanging from the corner of his mouth, and staggered over.

He grabbed the long gown in Guard Zhao's hand, looked at it carefully for a long time, and let out a shrill scream, then passed out.

Kang Xu and Xiao Wu looked at each other, their hearts sank, and they thought to themselves, could it be that this worst ending really made me guess right?

"Zhao Shiwei, do you think this gown belongs to Master Shangshu?" Kang Xu asked with a frown as he looked at the gown tightly held by Tao Ruozhu.

Guard Zhao's eyes were bloodshot, and he kept roaring like a wild animal. Kang Xu could clearly see the furious veins on his forehead.

"Who killed my lord?" Guard Zhao's voice was cold, and the killing intent emanating from him made everyone shudder involuntarily.

"Zhao Shiwei, how are you sure that this gown belongs to Lord Shangshu?" Kang Xu was not afraid at all, he asked seriously every word.

"Who killed your lord?" Guard Zhao didn't answer him, but kept repeating this sentence.

No one answered him, and there was no other sound except the whistling wind and the disturbing chirping of insects.

Xiao Wu opened his mouth and was about to speak, but was stopped by Kang Xu.

Guard Zhao half-kneeled on the ground, staring at the gown with bloodshot eyes, as if he was asking and answering himself.

"Who killed your lord?"

"Who killed your lord?"

"Trash! You don't even need to ask? Whoever wants your lord to die the most is the murderer!"

Guard Zhao muttered to himself for a while, and suddenly he kowtowed vigorously to the corpse, then plunged into the woods and disappeared.

The rest of the people stared at Zhao Shiwei's leaving direction in dumbfounded, a little at a loss.

"Why are you still standing still, why don't you bring the bones back to the Yamen?" Kang Xu looked at the bones in front of him, then at Tao Ruozhu, and then ordered.

Only then did everyone come to their senses, and hurriedly helped Xiao Wu weave a stretcher, and brought the bones and clothes back to the Yamen.

Kang Xu crossed his arms and looked at the busy crowd, suddenly a trace of doubt arose in his heart.

Judging from Zhao Shiwei's distraught expression and muttering to himself just now, it seems that he knows the identity of the murderer. If this corpse is really Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, since he knows the murderer, why didn't he remind Cui Huan in advance?
After pondering for a while, Kang Xu said to the two guards who followed Tao Ruozhu, "You should bring more people and find the whereabouts of Guard Zhao as soon as possible."

The two didn't hesitate at his words, and immediately took orders to leave.

In Yizhuang, Zhengyang County, several government servants endured the stench and carried the bones into the dark hall. After getting Kang Xu's nod, they ran out of Yizhuang like crazy, breathing fresh air desperately.

At this moment, they realized that the air, which they had never cared about before, was so important.

Kang Xu and Xiao Wu were both covered with veils, with Pi Hui Dan in their mouths, and eight incense burners were placed around them, and light smoke wafted from the incense burners, instantly filling the whole room with haze.

The strong body odor mixed with sandalwood produced another strange smell, which made one feel tight in the chest, but also made one feel somewhat comfortable.

Kang Xu took a light breath, but was choked by the breath and coughed.

"Brother Kang, don't breathe hard. Although sandalwood can neutralize corpse poison, it will also produce another poisonous gas. We need to be careful." Xiao Wu patted Kang Xu on the back and said softly.

Kang Xu grinned, and said to himself, such a strange breath, I'm afraid he will never forget it in this lifetime.

Shaking his head, putting aside distracting thoughts in his mind, he signaled Xiao Wu to examine the corpse again.

(End of this chapter)