Chapter 335: Strange Case
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The head constable was tall, unsmiling, and very dignified. When he glared at those people, they immediately shut up.
“We haven’t caught the murderer yet. This means that everyone is suspicious. No one is allowed to leave. If anyone wants to force your way out, we’ll take it that you are guilty.”
“So you’re going to lock us up forever until you catch the murderer?”
The head constable didn’t answer. “You just have to cooperate. You don’t have to worry about anything else.”
“You’re just a head constable. What right do you have to talk to me like that?”
The head constable looked over and said in a deep voice, “Why are you in such a hurry to get out? Did you kill him?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. 1 haven’t left my seat the entire night. These people can testify for me.”
The head constable said coldly, “Everyone says that they didn’t kill him. Could it be done by a ghost?”
“How would I know if there’s a ghost? Anyway, 1 didn’t kill him.”
The head constable stopped talking to those people and instructed his subordinates behind him, “If anyone else makes a fuss, arrest them and lock them up.”
The constables behind him replied in unison, “Yes, head constable.”
Chu Xujin observed his surroundings and saw that there was nothing unusual. He said, “Brother head constable, let’s go to the crime scene.”
The head constable nodded and brought them to an open room on the west side of the second floor.
There were two constables guarding the door, and faint cries came from inside…
Chu Qingzhi walked in with everyone. The room was decorated like a typical woman’s boudoir. It was mainly red and there were some tools and paintings that were meant to arouse one’s desire. It exuded a strong seductive vibe.
A man in his thirties lay flat on the ground. Blood kept flowing from the corner of his mouth until it formed a pool on the ground.
A woman with disheveled clothes was curled up in a corner, crying softly.
In the room, other than the messy bed, the rest of the room was very clean.
“Third Brother, what did you see?” Chu Qingzhi observed her surroundings and asked Chu Xujin.
“There are no signs of a fight in the room, and the victim’s body doesn’t have any external injuries. He didn’t die from a weapon,” Chu Xujin said as he observed.
“Looking at the black blood he spat out, 1 think he most likely died from poisoning…” Chu Xujin looked at the wine on the table. “Fifth Sister, is there poison in the wine?”
Chu Qingzhi walked over to take a look. “It’s not poisonous. There’s no poison in the wine, and the wine glass is not poisonous either.”
Chu Xujin frowned and said, “The man was obviously poisoned, but there’s only one pot of wine in this room and the wine is not poisonous…”
Chu Qingzhi continued, “That means he was fed something poisonous.”
Chu Xujin analyzed, “But if that’s the case, the man will definitely resist, but there are no signs of resistance at the scene…”
“That means he took the poison without knowing it,”
“That’s strange…” Chu Xujin thought for a moment and said, “The only possibility is that the man didn’t know that it was poisonous when he ate it.”
Chu Qingzhi also found it strange. She squatted down and checked the victim. “His body is still warm. The time of his death was within two hours…”
She looked at the girl in the corner. “Tell me what you did after you entered the room with the victim.”
The girl was very afraid. She said in a trembling voice, “This is a brothel. Other than doing that, what else can we do?”
Chu Xujin walked over.
Chu Qingzhi said, “Third Brother, you do the questioning. I’ll look around at the scene.”
Chu Xujin nodded. “Okay.”
He sized up the girl. She was naked with only a piece of clothing to cover her private parts. Her exposed skin had these red marks. The marks were clearly new. The girl was not lying.
“I want to know everything that happened during the time you saw the victim and the time he died.”
The girl hugged her legs tightly with a terrified expression. She recalled for a while and said, “He’s my regular guest. He comes once every two months. This time, he’s no different from usual.”
“However, he seemed to be in a very good mood this time. As soon as he saw me, he hugged me and kissed me. After entering the room, we drank a glass of wine before going to bed.”
“Just as he finished taking off his clothes, his face suddenly turned pale. He grabbed his throat and wobbled. Then, he fell to the ground and died.”
Chu Xujin turned around and looked at the victim. He suddenly noticed that the man was not a local. From his clothes, he seemed to be from the eastern border.
People from the eastern border had a thin beard and small eyes. They liked to wear clothes embroidered with grain patterns. This was the style the victim was wearing.
At this moment, the head constable walked over. “Xujin, this person isn’t from Shuiyun County. He’s a traveling merchant from the eastern border. He comes every two months and stays at Yuelai Inn every time. He stays three nights at a time. One of the nights will be spent in the brothel.”
Chu Xujin instantly smelled a conspiracy going on. It was definitely not normal for a traveling merchant from the eastern border to be poisoned to death in a brothel. “What else did you find?”
The head constable said, “There are two people traveling with him. They’re missing now, but their luggage is still at Yuelai Inn.”
Chu Xujin thought for a moment and ordered, “Send people to find these two immediately.”
The head constable said, “Alright, I’ll give the order immediately.”
At the same time, Chu Qingzhi found out the poison that the victim had been poisoned with. “Third Brother, he was poisoned with snake poison. There’s basically no cure for this poison.”
Chu Xujin said thoughtfully, “Looks like it’s a premeditated murder.”
Chu Xujin analyzed, “There are normally three motives for killing. Killing for love, killing for benefits, and killing for vengeance. Which one can this case be?”
Chu Qingzhi frowned slightly. “We’re not clear about how he was poisoned in the first place.”
Chu Xujin wanted to say something but hesitated. “Fifth Sister, there were only the two of them in the room…”
“That girl is not the murderer.” Chu Qingzhi glanced at the girl. The fear and panic in the girl’s eyes were not fake. Moreover, this man often patronized her and there was no reason for her to kill him.
She suddenly walked towards the girl and reached out to lift her chin. Her lips were not poisonous.
She did not apply the poison to her lips in advance…
It was really strange.
Chu Qingzhi walked to the window. There was a thin layer of dust on the window. It was obvious that it had never been opened.
“Who reported the case?” Chu Qingzhi suddenly asked.
The girl said, “At that time, I was scared out of my wits and screamed loudly, attracting a guest who was passing by outside. It was the guest who reported it.”
Chu Qingzhi looked at the head constable and asked, “Where is the guest?”
“He’s outside.” The head constable walked out and brought him in. “Miss Chu, he’s the one who reported the case.”
Ge Lihua walked over and said, “I’ve already asked him. He said that he passed by the aisle and heard a miserable scream. He rushed into the room. When he came in, he happened to see the victim falling to the ground. He immediately reported it to a group of patrolling constables..”
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