mesbooks Chapter 16 Clues
Chapter 16 Clues
Seeing that Magistrate Liu did not respond for a long time, He Qiong became impatient. "Liu Xinian, the Prefect's order is not a joke. Why don't you carry it out immediately?"
Liu Xinian snapped out of his reverie and asked, "Lord He, would it be convenient for me to take a look at the prefect's official document?"
Having already traveled all night, He Qiong impatiently handed the document to Liu Xinian.
A moment later, unexpectedly, Magistrate Liu refused to comply in public.
"Lord He, the case files for these two cases can be accessed at any time. However, the key criminals in this case, Ge Yuniang and Chen An, are both frail and sickly, and their health may not be able to withstand the relocation. Therefore, they cannot be transferred to Cangzhou. Please bear with us, Lord He."
Liu Shanlai had anticipated that this trip would encounter resistance. "May I ask, sir, one is a woman who makes a living by running a noodle stall year-round, and the other is a militia instructor who has practiced martial arts for many years. You say these two are frail and sickly? Could it be that you tortured them during interrogation?!"
"Insolence!" Liu Xinian immediately bristled and glared.
"What rank are you? How dare you act so presumptuously here. I, the official, hereby declare to Lord He, how dare you be so disrespectful?"
Liu Shan had done his homework on the way here, specifically to deal with people who refused to cooperate.
Moreover, Liu Shan felt that such a high-handed bureaucracy was a disease that needed to be cured!
"Is the magistrate so obstructing this because he has a guilty conscience? Otherwise, why would he refuse to transfer the suspect to Cangzhou?"
Having served as a county magistrate for so many years, Liu Xinian had long since mastered the skill of distorting the truth.
He retorted, "I have served as an official for decades and handled at least a hundred cases, if not a thousand. Every case was handled in accordance with the laws of this dynasty, without the slightest transgression. How dare you slander me like this?"
Then, he looked at He Qiong, cupped his hands in indignation, and said, "Lord He, this man's words are so rude, I advise you to discard him as soon as possible."
"Liu Xinian, are you trying to teach me how to do things?"
He's casual remark left Liu Xinian speechless.
That's so satisfying! That's fucking satisfying!
Liu Shan almost clapped and cheered!
Liu Xinian was, after all, a seasoned official who knew when to yield and when to stand firm. He immediately softened his stance and said, "This official dares not, Lord He has misunderstood."
Taking advantage of the situation, He Qiong once again requested that the suspect be transferred.
Seeing that he couldn't get away with evasion, Liu Xinian changed his tune and said, "Lord He, the suspect's current physical condition is indeed not suitable for transfer. How about... we arrange for you to meet with the suspect?"
He Qiong's round face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and she directly questioned, "Magistrate Liu, do you know that such actions will inevitably lead to your disgrace in your later years?!"
Although Liu Xinian looked apprehensive, he showed no sign of backing down in his words. "Lord He, what are you saying? By this time next month, I will be retiring to my hometown. How could I possibly tarnish my reputation in my later years?"
He Qiong was almost laughing in anger. How dare he try to play delaying tactics with him?
Just as Liu Xinian was gloating and grinning from ear to ear, Liu Shan pulled out another official document from his pocket.
On the way there, He Qiong specifically handed the second document to Liu Shan and instructed him to read it aloud in public if Liu Xinian refused to cooperate.
"Your Excellency, this is the second document written by Prefect Yin. I will read it to you: 'If suspects Chen An and Ge Yuniang cannot be transferred to Cangzhou, He Qiong may interrogate them on the spot... Liu Xinian is ordered to cooperate fully and must not shirk or obstruct, otherwise, he will be severely punished!'"
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Xinian looked as if he had lost his parents!
"Would Lord Liu also like to read this document?"
After saying that, Liu Shan tossed the official document in his hand to Liu Xinian.
"no, I'm fine."
Liu Xinian said he didn't need it, but he stared intently at the document, scrutinizing every word from the first character to the final signature and seal.
Not long after, Liu Xinian sighed and looked up again, his old face full of smiles, like a chrysanthemum that had withered.
"It was all my oversight. You have come from afar and must be quite tired. I will now prepare a welcome dinner for you both. Please come this way, Lord He?"
"No need for a welcome feast. I would appreciate it if Lord Liu could immediately send someone to deliver all the case files of Yang Lian'er and Wang Pinlian to the post station. I hope I can see their files when I arrive."
He Qiong had no intention of giving Liu Xinian a chance to refute her, so she turned around and left the county government office with her men.
……
Upon arriving at the post station, after a quick wash, Liu Shan was summoned by He Qiong to review the case files.
He had just sat down at his desk when a servant brought the food into the room.
"Nephew, let's eat together."
He Qiong invited Liu Shan to have a meal together, because in his opinion, nothing was more important than eating.
Liu Shan glanced at the time outside; it was just past 9 AM. What kind of meal was it at this inconvenient hour? Breakfast or lunch?!
"A person needs to be well-fed to have the strength to work."
After saying that, He Qiong handed a plate of meat buns to Liu Shan's desk, and casually picked up two meat buns and stuffed them into her mouth.
Liu Shan wasn't hungry at first, but since He Qiong had started eating, he, a mere clerk, naturally had to join in.
He simply closed the file and started stuffing buns into his mouth along with He Qiong.
While stuffing the food in his mouth, he muttered, "I must say, it's actually quite delicious."
"Right? Hmm..."
As He Qiong spoke, she stuffed three meat buns into her mouth, leaving Liu Shan stunned.
After the steamed buns were finished, He Qiong handed over a cup of hot tea, saying, "A cup of tea after a meal, happiness is like that of an immortal."
"Thank you, sir." Liu Shan took the teacup and took a small sip.
“Don’t be shy. You’re eager to investigate the case and save lives, and I’m eager to close the case and go home. We’re in the same boat. Besides, you’re Lieutenant Li’s son-in-law, so just go for it. I’ll back you up when it matters.”
Liu Shan grinned; this Manager He was indeed a straightforward person.
The rest of the time was very monotonous.
He Qiong was seriously drinking tea and taking a nap, while Liu Shan was diligently reviewing the case files.
When it comes to investigating cases, Liu Shan's only experience comes from TV dramas and novels from later generations. Although he has advanced experience that is ahead of its time, most of this experience is detached from reality and not very useful.
Fortunately, the case files weren't too boring; you could treat them like reading a storybook.
Although he didn't know the specific trial procedures of the Xia Dynasty, Liu Shan still knew the basics.
Upon closer reading, he quickly discovered the oddity.
"Lord He, there's a problem here!"
"Cough cough~"
He Qiong was sipping his tea when a sudden exclamation made him choke.
Liu Shan held the dossier and placed it directly in front of He Qiong, pointing to a section of the record, "Sir, take a look."
"..."
“Nephew, you are unaware of the following: the laws of the Xia Dynasty stipulate that an autopsy must be performed twice, namely, a preliminary examination and a follow-up examination. The preliminary examination and the follow-up examination must be conducted by different personnel, and the two personnel must not meet or communicate with each other, in order to ensure the objectivity and accuracy of the results.”
He Qiong put down her teacup and continued, "According to the records in the case file, Ding Lu was responsible for the first examination of Wang Pinlian's body, and Tian Fugui was responsible for the second examination. There is nothing wrong with that."