On the night, inside the guest room of the county yamen.
Lin Ji lay on the bed, while Lu Zhao'er sat beside him, looking speechless.
"Is this your method? Meeting that evil spirit in your dreams?"
"What else can we do? Without understanding the situation clearly, how can we handle the case with just a few words?"
Lin Ji yawned and shifted to a more comfortable position.
"Thank you, Lu Youxing, for keeping watch. If anything unusual happens, wake me up."
Lu Zhao'er nodded without saying anything more.
She was not a sentimental girl, nor did she care about being alone with a man. If not for what Chang Huai had said, that the women in the county had not been troubled by the evil spirit, Lu Zhao'er would have preferred to sleep alone and let Lin Ji keep watch.
Not long after, Lin Ji's snoring filled the room.
Lu Zhao'er remained vigilant, afraid that something might happen to Lin Ji.
The night passed without any incidents.
It was only the next morning, when the sky was bright, that Lin Ji finally woke up.
After getting up, he stretched and yawned.
Then he remembered there was someone else in the room and quickly looked at Lu Zhao'er.
"Thank you, Lu Youxing."
"You slept soundly. So, did you see her?" Lu Zhao'er asked eagerly.
Lin Ji pursed his lips, pondering for a while.
"Just get to the point!" Lu Zhao'er couldn't help but urge.
"I met her."
"And then?"
"Well..." Lin Ji stroked the stubble on his chin, pondering for a while.
"How can I put it? Like a long-awaited rain after a drought?"
"What do you mean?"
"Seeing new life sprouting from a withered tree, isn't it joyful?" Lin Ji phrased it differently.
This time, Lu Zhao'er understood.
"You scoundrel! Is this how you handle cases?"
Lin Ji felt wronged.
"The evil spirit transformed into a young and beautiful woman, called me husband, and made my bones turn soft! Before I could respond, she stripped off her clothes and embraced me. For a moment, I forgot it was a dream."
"You!" Lu Zhao'er was so angry that her spiritual energy overflowed, indicating she was about to take action.
"Don't be hasty. Get me some paper and a pen." Lin Ji didn't dare to joke anymore. "Others might not remember her appearance, but I have a good memory. I have already sketched her likeness."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao'er glared fiercely at Lin Ji before leaving the room.
After a while, she returned with paper and pen.
Lin Ji picked up the pen and started drawing. In less than a moment, a lifelike portrait of a beautiful woman was completed.
Lin Ji was adept at capturing Teacher Cang's appearance.
He then called Chang Huai over and handed him the portrait.
"Take a look."
"Isn't this the new bride of the Jiang family?" Chang Huai recognized her at a glance.
"That's correct." Lin Ji nodded. "With solid evidence, let's go question the Jiang family. If they are still evasive, we'll arrest them directly."
The three of them headed to the Jiang family together.
Upon entering the same hall as the day before, before Jiang Song could speak, Lin Ji slammed the portrait on the table.
Jiang Song's expression changed immediately.
"How do you have her portrait?!"
"Last night, I personally encountered the evil spirit and remembered her appearance!" Lin Ji said coldly. "This woman is the evil spirit and also the new bride of your Jiang family! Jiang Song, the evidence is clear. Don't try to deceive me."
Lin Ji slammed his long sword on the table.
"Tell the whole story clearly. If there's any concealment, your Jiang family is an accomplice to the evil spirit."
Jiang Song's face changed repeatedly, subconsciously looking at Chang Huai.
Chang Huai shook his head.
"Old Jiang, I'm just assisting in the case. Don't look at me."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Song fell silent for a long time before sighing heavily.
"What a sin."
"Sir, my daughter-in-law's name is Huang Cui, whom my son met while traveling outside." Jiang Song said with a bitter voice. "A month ago, my son brought Huang Cui back, saying he would not marry anyone else."
"The county of Shan Yuan has always been closed off, with few outsiders marrying in. This matter goes against tradition. So, I was furious at the time and refused to agree."
"And then?" Lin Ji inquired.
He wasn't concerned about the county's customs; he just wanted to know how Huang Cui died.
"Huang Cui died the day after she married into your Jiang family. Who would believe such a story?" Jiang Song shook his head.
"But that's the truth! Huang Cui bewitched my son, so I had to agree to the marriage. But who would have thought that the day after the joyous occasion, my son came in a panic, saying... saying..."
"Saying what?"
"He said that when he and Huang Cui were in bed together last night, halfway through their intimacy, she fainted and then stopped breathing."
At this point, Jiang Song stood up with a bitter expression. "Sir, some women are frail. This is not an isolated case."
Lin Ji pursed his lips and looked at Lu Zhao'er.
This scenario was plausible, but it still seemed strange.
Lu Zhao'er spoke directly, "Where is the body? Where did you bury Huang Cui?"
"If an outsider woman dies in the county, it will bring disaster. Therefore, we dare not bury Huang Cui in the county's cemetery."
"I'm asking you, where did you bury the body?" Lu Zhao'er's tone became stern. It was not the time to be evasive.
"Because Huang Cui's marriage into the Jiang family was irregular, she cannot be buried in the Jiang family's ancestral tomb."
Upon hearing this, Lin Ji drew his sword and cut the table in front of him.
Jiang Song finally became afraid.
"We disposed of her body in the wilderness and didn't bother with it anymore."
"What a heartless act! She was still your Jiang family's daughter-in-law!"
Lu Zhao'er couldn't bear it and stood up, walking out.
Lin Ji grabbed Jiang Song by the collar and dragged him up.
"Sir, I..."
"No more nonsense. If we find the body, it's fine. If we can't find it, your words are baseless accusations."
Lin Ji said coldly, "Giving false testimony before the Monitoring Bureau, you know the consequences, right?"
At this moment, Jiang Song, who was no longer as tough as yesterday, said, "It was my son, Chang Qing, who disposed of the body."
Lin Ji glanced at Chang Huai.
Chang Huai understood and soon brought out Chang Qing.
"Do you remember where you disposed of the body?" Lin Ji asked coldly.
Chang Qing, looking at his father being dragged like a dead dog, turned pale with fear and quickly nodded.
"I remember, I remember."
"Lead the way."
Releasing Jiang Song, Lin Ji said to Chang Huai, "You stay in the county and make sure the Jiang family doesn't escape."
"As you command," Chang Huai replied.
Then, Lin Ji said to Jiang Song, "Do you think I can't see the vagueness in your words? I rely on evidence in handling cases. If we find the body, the truth will be revealed after examination. If not..."
"Hmph, you'll see. Don't think I'm easy to deceive."
Lin Ji patted Jiang Song's shoulder, then swiftly left the Jiang family with Chang Qing.
In the comments section, a big shot posted a thread as the leader. Everyone can go and chat there!
(End of this chapter)