PFC Chapter 42 Sensation
Chapter 42 Sensation
The sun was high in the sky when the prefect and his officials, who had disturbed everyone's sweet dreams early in the morning, finally returned from outside the city.
The carts that were empty when they took them away were covered with white sheets when they returned. Underneath those white sheets, the outlines of human bodies were clearly visible.
The discovery of several bodies of courtesans in a mass grave outside the city was like a thunderbolt, unexpectedly shattering the seemingly peaceful facade of Yongcheng.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys, causing a huge uproar in the entire city of Yongcheng.
On the streets and alleys, people whispered and talked amongst themselves, fear and doubt hanging over everyone's hearts.
"So many women were murdered and buried in mass graves without any explanation! No wonder there are female ghosts there."
"Yes, yes! Nobody goes there usually, so it went unnoticed. But how did our prefect find out?"
"Who cares how they knew? The problem is that there are still such terrifying criminals in our Yongcheng! They've killed so many people that I'm too scared to go out now."
"Hey! What are you afraid of? Didn't you see that all the victims were women from brothels? They should be the ones who are afraid."
"Alas, yes, I never imagined that my Lady Lengyu would also be murdered. I thought she had eloped with someone, and I was sad for quite a while!"
"What is the perpetrator after? Is he a man who was hurt by a courtesan and is now seeking revenge?"
"No, no, no, I heard the murderer was an incredibly ugly woman who killed them out of jealousy..."
Amidst the escalating commotion, the main characters in people's conversation—the brothels that were always bustling with customers day and night—had all quietly closed their doors.
This was Xie Yan's third time meeting Tang Shicheng.
After spending a few days in jail, the guy looked somewhat haggard and had lost a lot of weight. He was currently curled up on a broken wooden bed, sleeping.
Ning Liang cleared his throat and said, "There are many suspicious points in the case of Hua Ran's murder. When this person was arrested, he admitted that he had sneaked into Hua Ran's room at night after getting drunk, but he had no recollection of what he did."
Upon hearing the sound, Tang Shicheng immediately sprang from the bed, rushed to the wooden fence, and cried out to Ning Liang, "My lord! I really didn't do anything! I cherish Hua Ran so much, how could I possibly kill her?!"
"My lord! I'm innocent! I really had drunk a lot of alcohol, and I passed out as soon as I entered that room!"
"Shut up." Ning Liang frowned and glared at him. "Answer what I ask you, and don't say anything unnecessary."
Tang Shicheng gripped the wooden fence, shrinking back in fear. Only then did he realize that the prefect was accompanied by two strangers.
"If you're not lying, you were already so drunk that night, how could you have managed to sneak into Hua Ran's room?"
One of them asked him a question.
Tang Shicheng swallowed hard. He must have told Ning Liang and the others many times before, because without thinking, he blurted out, "I remember, that night I was humiliated, and on the way back I got angrier and angrier. Later, I couldn't stand it anymore, so I went around to the back door of Xunfang Pavilion, and seeing that there were no guards there, I sneaked in..."
The man interrupted Tang Shicheng, "Has there never been a guard at the back door of Xunfang Pavilion?"
"Ah? No, no." Tang Shicheng shook his head upon hearing this. "There used to be someone watching the back door, but that night the person disappeared."
"It's strange, not only at the back gate, but also in the backyard, there were no maids doing chores. So, I didn't encounter a single person on my way to Hua Ran's room."
“But I drank too much. Before I could even say a word after I pushed open her door, I passed out. And then, when I woke up, I was here.”
Xie Yan nodded thoughtfully and asked him, "After you opened the door, did you see Hua Ran herself?"
But Tang Shicheng immediately shook his head like a rattle drum, "I don't know, I really don't remember anything after that."
"is it?"
Xie Yan's voice was gentle and soothing, giving the impression of persuasion: "Think back carefully. Ever since Hua Ran was elected as the Flower Goddess, she has been incredibly popular, with the Xunfang Pavilion filled with music and revelry every night. Why were you so certain that Hua Ran was in her own room that night?"
Tang Shicheng began to hesitate: "This..."
"For example, did you see the light on in her room, or did you see a shadow go in?"
After Xie Yan's prompting, Tang Shicheng immediately nodded, "Yes, yes, when I came in through the back door, I didn't know where to look for her. I only went over after I saw candlelight in her room."
Xie Yan nodded and then said, "You just said you pushed open her door. Was Hua Ran's room unlocked?"
"Okay, it seems not. I just pushed it open, and then..."
Suddenly, Tang Shicheng stopped talking, as if he had suddenly remembered something, and his face immediately lit up with excitement.
"I remember now! I heard Hua Ran say something to me before I collapsed!"
Ning Liang's expression immediately turned serious. Clearly, this was the first time he had heard Tang Shicheng mention it, and he quickly asked, "What did she say?"
"She said... how could it be you?"
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned for a moment, but Tang Shicheng reacted the fastest.
His face practically popped out from behind the wooden fence as he shouted joyfully, "I knew it wasn't me! The real culprit is someone else, gentlemen! The person Hua Ran was waiting for is the murderer!"
Indeed, if Tang Shicheng wasn't lying or if his memory was correct, then Hua Ran's words indicated that she had arranged to meet an unknown person that evening, which was why she hadn't locked her door.
Ignoring Tang Shicheng, who was still shouting, the three of them walked out of the prison.
Perhaps knowing that Chu Ling might still have some questions, Ning Liang reported to him before he could speak: "Regarding Tang Shicheng's statement that there was no one in the backyard that night, I later sent someone to inquire as well."
The two stopped and looked at him.
"The gatekeeper said that a guest invited everyone in the building to drink that night, and even the gatekeepers were called in and given several jars of wine. The maids were called in to help. That's why Tang Shicheng was able to sneak into the building so easily that night."
Chu Ling lowered his eyes and pondered carefully, remaining noncommittal about Ning Liang's words.
"and many more."
At this moment, Xie Yan, who had been listening silently, suddenly spoke up, "Lord Ning, you should have missed asking one of the gatekeepers."
Ning Liang was shocked. "How could that be? I immediately sent my men to interrogate those people after Tang Shicheng gave his confession."
Chu Ling looked at Xie Yan approvingly, smiled slightly, and said, "Because one of the gatekeepers suspected that he had seen something unclean at night, and he fell ill that very night."
Ning Liang: "What?!"