Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Another Case Has Come
286 Another Case
Seeing Zhao Zhitong happy with her work, her maternal grandparents and uncles had tacitly agreed to it.
This current visitor likely meant there was another case at the County Government Office.
Sure enough, when the Yamen clerk reached Zhao Zhitong, he respectfully saluted and said, "Miss Zhao, there’s a new case at the office. The County Magistrate requests your presence."
"Alright, let me get my tools."
Zhao Zhitong didn’t refuse. She nodded, turned towards the backyard to retrieve her autopsy tools, called out to her grandfather and uncles, and then left with the Yamen clerk.
When Zhao Zhitong reached the crime scene, Qiao Muchen and Zhao Yue happened to arrive at the same time.
At this moment, Advisor Wang was attempting to deduce the case, emulating Qiao Muchen.
He first approached the deceased, who was hanging from a roof beam. He righted a stool that lay overturned on the ground, compared the distance between the stool and the deceased’s feet, then nodded. "This meets the conditions for suicide by hanging."
"However, according to the neighbors, Liu Mazi married into the Cheng family and was long oppressed by his domineering wife. Early this morning, Liu Mazi’s neighbor even heard him arguing with his wife."
"It’s not impossible that, in a fit of rage, he might have strangled his wife and then faked a suicide scene to escape the blame."
Liu Mazi knelt, weeping and kowtowing repeatedly. "My Lord, I’ve been wronged! I truly didn’t kill anyone. I only discovered my wife hanging from the beam when I returned home from work."
Magistrate Han pursed his lips, thinking silently. Just then, he looked up, saw Zhao Zhitong and the other two, and quickly came out of the room to greet them. "Ah, you’ve finally arrived! Quick, come and take a look."
Qiao Muchen observed the crowd gathered in the courtyard, the chaotic footprints covering the room’s floor, and the various discarded items.
He frowned and said, "Lord Han, how did the scene get compromised like this? There are messy footprints and discarded trash everywhere. Any useful evidence would have been destroyed."
Magistrate Han glanced at the surrounding mess, nodded, then turned and ordered his subordinates, "From now on, if a murder scene is discovered, immediately disperse the crowd and rope off the area to secure the scene."
"Yes, Your Lordship!"
Only then did Magistrate Han turn his attention back to the trio.
Advisor Wang approached them and asked, "Little Master Qiao, was my earlier deduction correct?"
He then looked at Qiao Muchen expectantly, his expression clearly seeking praise.
Qiao Muchen didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he observed Liu Mazi, who was constantly wiping away tears and sweat. Liu Mazi was thin, kneeling and trembling on the ground. As Qiao Muchen’s gaze swept over him, he deliberately focused on Liu Mazi’s right hand, which hung limply at his side.
Then he glanced at the deceased. She was obese, easily twice Liu Mazi’s size.
Advisor Wang prompted, "Little Master Qiao?"
Qiao Muchen snapped out of his daze. "What?"
Advisor Wang chuckled. "So, how was my reasoning earlier?"
Qiao Muchen shook his head. "That’s merely speculation. We must wait for Tongtong to examine the body before drawing any conclusions."
Lord Han quickly urged, "Miss Zhao, please examine the corpse."
Zhao Zhitong walked over to the body. After a brief initial inspection, she ordered for the corpse to be lowered from the beam.
Putting on gloves, she began her examination. "The deceased’s face is swollen and cyanotic; her lips and fingernails also show cyanosis."
"There are subconjunctival hemorrhages. Petechiae of varying sizes are visible on the skin of her face and neck. Clear ligature marks are present around the neck. There are no obvious external injuries to the body. The cause of death is neck compression—either manual or ligature strangulation."
"Medicinal residue is present at the corners of her mouth. The deceased ingested medicine before death."
Advisor Wang, who had been watching eagerly from the side, nodded. "Correct, correct! Liu Mazi’s wife had a cold. She got medicine from De Ren Tang yesterday. The empty medicine bowl is still in the room, not yet cleared away, and there are medicinal dregs in the kitchen."
Qiao Muchen stood to one side, gazing at the corpse thoughtfully. Why would someone intending to commit suicide take medicine right before?
Advisor Wang chimed in quickly, "Exactly! So, it’s definitely not suicide!"
He then turned to Liu Mazi. "Audacious Liu Mazi, still not confessing? Your wife clearly didn’t commit suicide!"
Liu Mazi felt as if his world had collapsed. "Your Lordship, I’ve been wronged! I really didn’t kill anyone! When I returned, my wife was already hanging in the main hall."
Qiao Muchen was somewhat displeased with Advisor Wang’s haste to jump to conclusions. He frowned slightly and said, "Advisor Wang, you’re jumping to conclusions."
Advisor Wang was puzzled. "Haven’t we determined it’s murder, not suicide?"
Qiao Muchen shook his head, stood up, walked over to Liu Mazi, and extended his hand. "Here, grip my hand with your right hand."
Liu Mazi was startled. He looked up at Qiao Muchen, somewhat bewildered, but did as instructed.
After a moment, Qiao Muchen nodded. "Alright, you can let go."
Advisor Wang, trailing beside Qiao Muchen, looked utterly perplexed.
Qiao Muchen stood up, took out a handkerchief, wiped his hand, and said calmly, "Liu Mazi didn’t kill her."
Advisor Wang, following Qiao Muchen, asked in confusion, "Why?"
Qiao Muchen replied, "It’s simple. Liu Mazi’s right hand has no strength at all. Never mind whether he could overpower his stout wife; he would even have difficulty hoisting a person up to hang them."
At this, some neighbors recalled something and began to speak up.
"That’s right, that’s right! A year ago, Liu Mazi argued with his wife, and she injured his right hand. Since then, his right hand has been useless; he can’t exert any force with it."
Hearing this, Magistrate Han nodded. "In that case, the murderer must indeed be someone else."
Qiao Muchen returned to the corpse’s side and asked, "Tongtong, did you find any other details on the body?"
Zhao Zhitong nodded. "Yes."
As she spoke, she pulled open the collar of the deceased’s clothing, pointing to a mark on the throat. "Look here."
Zhao Yue, along with Qiao Muchen, leaned in for a closer look. They exclaimed almost in unison, "Fingerprints!"
Zhao Zhitong nodded. "Correct. The victim was manually strangled first, then hanged with a rope to stage a suicide."
"However, although the ligature marks from the rope partially concealed the fingerprints, the killer still slipped up."
Zhao Zhitong turned the deceased’s head to another angle and continued, "The killer wore a thumb ring on their right hand. This ring left an impression on the deceased’s neck."
Zhao Yue scoffed. "This murderer thought he’d been so clever and concealed everything, but he still made a critical oversight!"
With these details and evidence, the search for the murderer was significantly narrowed.
Liu Mazi recalled that his wife had a younger paternal cousin who was an uneducated good-for-nothing. He spent his days carousing, gambling, and indulging in all sorts of vices.
He was an out-and-out ruffian.
Before this cousin’s father died, he had entrusted him to Liu Mazi’s wife’s family.
As a result, the cousin frequently visited their home. Liu Mazi then recalled that this cousin of his wife indeed wore a thumb ring on his right hand.
And just like that, they had their prime suspect.
Magistrate Han immediately dispatched men to make the arrest. When they caught him, he was still indulging in the pleasures of a brothel.
After his arrest, he remained stubborn and refused to confess. However, after Zhao Yue bluffed him a few times, he let the truth slip.
With the real culprit apprehended, Liu Mazi was spared. He brought his two sons and daughter to kneel before Zhao Zhitong and her companions, kowtowing to each of them in profound gratitude.