Chapter 512: Jade Bracelet
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xiao Juan took the arrow and looked at it. His expression changed slightly.
Wei Liao also saw the arrow and could not help but frown. “The standard of this arrow is very similar to the arrows in the army.” Xiao Juan said in a low voice, “It’s just a resemblance.”
Wei Liao took a closer look and realized that this arrow was actually a little different from the ones in the army.
He pressed, “Did you find anything else?”
Yan Nanguan said, “There’s still a lot of money hidden on the ship. We checked and found that the money should have been plundered by the pirates. In other words, that ship was indeed owned by the pirates.”
Wang Yue could not help but interrupt.
“Could that group of pirates have been retaliated against by their enemies? They rob passing merchant ships for a living. People like them must have a lot of enemies.”
Xiao Juan looked at the arrow in his hand and said slowly.
“Someone who can use such an arrow must not be an ordinary person.” Wei Liao continued.
“The other party only kills and doesn’t want property. This means that they don’t care about that money at all.
How could a group of pirates provoke such a powerful enemy?
Could it be that not only did they rob merchant ships, but they also robbed official ships?”
Wang Yue immediately shook his head.
“That won’t happen. These pirates aren’t crazy. How would they dare to rob an official’s ship?
If they dared to attack the official ship, the Imperial Court would have sent troops to destroy them long ago.”
Lo Pingsha said thoughtfully, “There’s one more thing. If it’s really for revenge, they just have to kill them. But what about the corpses?
Why isn’t there anyone on the boat?” Wei Liao laughed softly.
“This is getting more and more interesting.”
Wang Yue did not find it interesting at all. He rubbed his arms, looking afraid.
“Don’t tell me those who were once killed by them turned into malicious ghosts to take revenge on them?”
Yan Nanguan was speechless. “With your imagination, it’s a pity not to write a storybook. ”
Wei Liao suggested, “Those pirates often move around this area, which means their nest should be nearby. Why don’t we look for their nest?”
Wang Yue shouted in fear.
“There’s no need for that, right? Can’t we pretend that nothing happened?
Anyway, those pirates are not good people. They deserve to die. Leave them alone.
Xiao Juan did not care about the lives of the pirates, but he cared very much about the origin of this arrow.
The person who could create such an arrow was very likely related to the military.
He made a quick decision.
“Investigate.”
Wang Yue was extremely unwilling, but Duke Lang’s status and reputation could not be disregarded, so he did not dare to disobey.
The merchant ship slowed and searched along the riverbank.
In the end, they really found traces left behind by the pirates.
There was a small jetty by the river. Because it was blocked by trees, one would not notice its existence unless one looked closely.
The reason why they could set up a jetty in such a remote place was most likely to make it easier for the pirates to rob.
Yan Nanguan brought the Eagle Guards close to the jetty in a small boat and ashore from that jetty.
The others stayed on the boat and waited.
Everyone waited for a long time before Yan Nanguan and the others returned.
Yan Nanguan’s expression was ugly.
“Your Highness, we found the nest of the pirates, but they’re all dead. Their corpses and houses were burned clean, leaving no one alive.”
Wei Liao became even more interested and planned to go ashore personally to take a look.
Xiao Juan also decided to go to the event location to take a look.
The boat set off again.
Xiao Juan and Wei Liao went ashore from the small jetty.
They walked along the mountain path and found the vegetation by the roadside stained with blood.
On closer inspection, he could see streaks of blood on the ground. They must have been marks left behind when the bodies were dragged.
Wei Liao clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk, it’s fine if they kill people, but they have to drag the corpses back and burn them. These people have a strange hobby.”
When they found the village where the pirates lived, they saw that it was charred. The entire village had been burned to ruins.
Peeling open the collapsed beam, he could see the charred corpse that had been burned beyond recognition.
These charred corpses were all gathered in one place.
This meant that after those people killed the pirates, they specially dragged the corpses here and burned them.
Wei Liao stroked his chin. “Why would they do that?”
Xiao Juan looked at the ruins in front of him and was silent for a long time before saying.
“Maybe it’s to make it easier to count.”
Wei Liao understood. “That’s right. With so many pirates and their families, there must be a lot of them. In order to prevent anyone from escaping, those people will definitely count the number of corpses.”
He praised Xiao Juan for once.
“As expected of Duke Lang. He’s so good at guessing the hearts of murderers.” Xiao Juan ignored this guy’s sarcasm.
His gaze lingered on one of the charred corpses for a long time. He realized that the charred corpse’s right hand was clenched into a fist. He could vaguely see a little green between its fingers. It was like he was holding something in his hand.
Xiao Juan walked over.
He pried open tne cnarred corpse’s nngers Witn tne NO Return saber, and an emerald jade bracelet rolled to the ground.
Xiao Juan wrapped the bracelet in a handkerchief and picked it up.
At this moment, Wei Liao came over.
“The texture is transparent and clear, and the color is bright and green. It’s good stuff!”
Xiao Juan turned the bracelet around and his gaze stopped on the inside of it. His eyes narrowed slightly.
Wei Liao immediately asked, “What did you find?”
He reached out to take the bracelet and look at it.
However, Xiao Juan avoided his hand, wrapped the bracelet, and put it in his sleeve.
“Nothing. Go back.”
Wei Liao was very dissatisfied. “Hey, you clearly found a clue. Why didn’t you tell me? You can’t be so selfish and petty!”
Xiao Juan could not be bothered with him. He squatted down and checked the charred corpse in front of him.
Male, medium build. Cause of death was an arrow pierced through the heart.
Because the corpse was burned too badly, Xiao Juan could only take note of this for the time being.
He instructed the Eagle Guards behind him.
“Take this body back.”
“Aye. ”
The Eagle Guards made a simple stretcher out of tree branches at the event location and carried the male charred corpse down the mountain.
Seeing that they had finally returned, Wang Yue heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to urge them to leave this troublesome place quickly, he saw that the Eagle Guards had actually carried back a charred corpse!
Wang Yue gasped in fear and almost fainted.
“W-w-w-why did you bring this back? Throw it off the boat!”
Xiao Juan said calmly, “This is important physical evidence. You can’t throw it away.”
With that, he ignored the anxious and afraid Wang Yue and turned to instruct Lo Pingsha.
“I’ll let you examine this body. Give me a result as soon as possible.”
“Aye. ”
Then, Xiao Juan walked straight to the cabin.
Wang Yue shouted impatiently, “Set sail, quickly!”
The merchant ship set sail again. After leaving the small jetty, it continued along the original route.
In the guest room, Niaoniao heaved a long sigh of relief when she saw that Xiao Juan had returned safely.
Yu Niaoniao asked why the boat was stopped.
Xiao Juan told her about the pirates’ murder and took out the jade bracelet wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve.
“This isn’t an ordinary bracelet. It came from the palace..”
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