往生堂主庄园杀人事件 档案5
𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝟓
"Murder-suicide…?" I muttered to myself.
Shortly after encountering Meng's corpse at the lumberyard and calming Karong down, I instructed her to relay this information to the secretary, Hu Junpeng, in secrecy and to keep a close eye on him and the guests. She agreed immediately, as if she understood my intentions, before departing to the main hall.
Afterwards, I briefed the inspector once more, revealing all pertinent data to him as I explained. Before we discussed any further, Aether hastily left to collect the remaining statements of the ones currently present in the manor, prioritizing His Honor, the secretary, Dr. Bai, and little Qiqi, before updating the police. I also requested him to ask Dr. Bai regarding the blister pack while he was at it. While I stood guard, my mind quickly recalled all the information thus far. Of course, questions new and old began fluttering in my mind.
Why did the trees suddenly obliterate the main gate?
Was it really a murder-suicide that had transpired?
Was the window only opened to allow the murderer's entrance and exit?
Is the motive for murder truly due to the 75th's decision and Hu Tao's birthright?
The movements of the rest will have been made clear once Aether arrives. By now, I know that his skills required for his job are beyond adequate. That should also help save time when questioning. Still…
Accepting this case as a murder-suicide just ticks me off. It just seems too convenient, yet I don't have any conclusive proof that states otherwise as of now. By extension, we won't truly know if the note's handwriting was that of Meng's or my hypothetical culprit, or even anyone else's for that matter. I fear that once we, alongside the police, have duly examined every single piece of evidence and information thus far, my hypothetical culprit will have masked themselves or tampered with the scene. Curses, I don't like rushing one bit, but my time limit is by the time the police arrive.
I leaned onto the doorway. Why… do I feel so worked up? It's unlike me to get this heated. This isn't a civil case—it's murder. Though in fairness, it can get as tangled as a civil case.
Must it be since Hu Tao was suspected of this case and my thoughts regarding that? Hu Tao believes in her innocence, yet I currently stand as a prosecutor—a job that entails doubting the innocent and the guilty parties. Ngh, I think I now have my answer, but…
Prosecutor or not, every single case will have its own crux of the matter, where that should lead us to cracking them, thus revealing the truth for all to see. I… have to press on with the methods begged of my title, mixed with my own.
Not to mention, my promise to her.
C'mon, get it together.
Ah, of course, I'd almost forgotten; Hu Tao can be cleared of suspicion with the recent revelation, assuming the basis of murder-suicide. Thoughts of relief fluttered in my head. Her assistance should allow me to speed up my investigation. I wonder… would the original scarlet prosecutor get too worked up when faced with these kinds of cases?
In any case, I must keep these doubts to myself and to a select few in order to crack this case. I've already come this far; I can only press on!
Aether returned after a little while, and it's his turn to brief me with the statements. As I thought, the guests haven't gone anywhere farther from the main hall since the beginning.
More importantly, the only one whose alibi couldn't be utterly confirmed was the secretary's, Hu Junpeng, despite Hu Fanren seeing him in his room after taking care of the 75th. For a considerable amount of time, the secretary had been in his room reviewing the contract and other documents for reasons he stated as "related to the Hu family".
One more to note was Qiqi's, but it's not her alibi that's in question; it's the fact that she was too engrossed in her studies and hasn't called Dr. Bai to help her out, contrary to what she'd announced during lunch. As for her alibi, she'd actually been on a call with some of her friends, so they could vouch for her.
Regarding that lone blister pack I retrieved in Meng's room, the revelation of its identity and utility were stress-inducing: sedatives, under the name 'midazolam'. In simple terms, midazolam is as an anesthetic or used to treat patients who tend to get 'too worked up', in a medical sense, by inducing drowsiness. On the other hand, there is a potential for it to be abused since it relieves anxiety. Still, it's not an item one can leisurely get over-the-counter; they'd require a detailed prescription or go through a certain process for one to be able to procure one. In addition, Aether asked Dr. Bai if it could be used as a sedative to be mixed in a drink or to be soaked in a cloth for inhalation. The doctor replied that while the former is possible, the latter isn't—he states that chloroform is the usual sedative used. That must be the "icky smell" Hu Tao described.
Lastly, the death of Meng. He even assumed the case of murder-suicide. The bases of our overlapping assumption: Meng's suicide note, Karong's eyewitness testimony, and the assault on Hu Tao among others. This is the temporary reconstruction of the events so far:
During the preparation of the drinks for dessert, Meng had discreetly slipped in some midazolam in the victim's drink when Dr. Bai, Hu Tao, and Karong weren't looking. Then, some time between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, Meng snuck into the victim's room via the window and, using the garrote wire, strangled the 75th while standing up, probably after waking up. Meng then waited in the room for anyone who entered the room to pin the crime on them and create a locked room murder, forgetting to leave the window closed. With a cloth soaked with chloroform, or any other agent prepared, he attacked Hu Tao and made it look like the crime was committed by her. Possibly due to deep regret or another reason, he then wrote up a note detailing his crime and motive, and then headed to the lumberyard to take his own life.
This reconstruction really bugs me, but I can't deny that it's in line with the case data so far. I kept my doubts to myself for now, as I planned to reveal it to Aether after further deliberation. In any case, I asked him to permit my investigation of the outdoors, to which he agreed. Now, bearing the new circumstances in mind, this means…
"Yup, Hu Tao can tag along with you, just like the good ol' days." 'Good ol' days'? Drat, now's not the time for it, but that does bring my chest a soothing feeling. I guess I've got to—
"Ah, Yanfei? I just wanted to tell you that the police'll be arriving no later than 10 PM, instead of midnight." I checked the time, o—oh no, and it's already six o'clock. Curses, four hours left.
Suddenly, a realization hit me. There are certain people in the back of my head that I suspect of being my hypothetical serial murderer, and as of now, each one of them has a partner to keep company.
With that, I asked Aether if he instructed the people whom he had just collected statements from to stick close to a partner to monitor their movements, and thankfully, he did: Hu Tao and me, His Honor and Hu Fanren; Karong and Hu Junpeng; and, Dr. Bai and Qiqi. I'm skeptical about the last pair, but Aether told me that since Qiqi's room is just steps away from this doorway, he'd see if either Dr. Bai or Qiqi would attempt to step out, though unlikely they'd plan on doing that since they were instructed by me to stay in the room, Aether commented. Alright, that should be more than enough.
It seems that Aether also shares the same doubts as me. I'll discuss this later on, too.
"By the way, it's strange that the police decided to arrive earlier, now," I told the inspector.
"They said that they've come across a certain opportunity that'll help them speed up coming here. I wasn't able to ask for more details but it had to do with someone being there at the right place and right time." This is rather uncanny, but I've got more pressing issues at hand to solve.
"Thank you, Aether. I'll update you of my findings once I'm back."
I know for a fact that solving the remaining mysteries should lead to this case being cracked. Keep pressing on, the investigation is now nearing its core!
I have to remember this: the people here in the manor, save for Hu Tao—courtesy of me sharing my thoughts with her, are still under the impression that Meng murdered Hu Fugui, the 75th Director. That said, I've got to watch my words so that I don't accidentally spout baseless conjecture in their ears or leads that can foil my trump cards. I don't want to be set back any further, I just can't!
Before we entered Qiqi's room, I had Hu Tao now tag along with me—much to both our glee—and instructed her to keep Qiqi company and also to try to get some useful info from Qiqi if possible, while I questioned Dr. Bai.
"Dr. Bai, are you sure that you haven't seen Meng lace the 75th's drink with anything?" I asked the doctor in front of me.
The doctor smiled. "I haven't, Atty. Yu."
"Yet, Meng had a sedative, of which you declared is difficult to obtain, in his personage. Do you really have no bearing to that issue?"
"I may be a doctor and a licensed dealer of pharmaceuticals, but I assure you, neither have I supplied the late caretaker with sedatives, nor have I incapacitated anyone today." A finger slid his glasses back up, followed by his eyes sharpening his gaze upon me, replacing his usual serene countenance. "Tell me, Atty. Yu, besides my profession and assistance rendered in the preparation of what Meng had been tasked with, what else do you have on me?"
I grumbled at the fact that I had nothing else. Crossing my arms, I replied, "None."
"Another thing, what motive would I have? What would I gain in abetting the late caretaker's sinful deeds?" Drat, now he's turned the tables on me; he's the one asking me questions.
"That's… well, I could think of none."
"Furthermore, I regard little Qiqi as my own daughter." He snuck a peek at Qiqi, who was still chatting with Hu Tao. "Aiding in the poisoning of the 75th would be tantamount to gambling my bond with little Qiqi and her father." He haughtily chuckled at me. "Would I even dare risk such a thing?"
"I suppose not…" Curses, could it just be pure coincidence that the sedative and Dr. Bai are currently present? As the evidence and logic stands, the doctor couldn't have been my hypothetical murderer.
Argh, pressing this man isn't yielding any new information. I have to stop this line of questioning, lest I get penalized or lose more precious time. "In any case, Dr. Bai, your alibi is air-tight. Thank you for taking your time in responding to my foolish questions."
"I'm glad we can agree on that, too, and not at all." All too quickly, his serene countenance and smile returned. "You were simply doing your job." This man… is just as mysterious as Liyue's Baizhu.
"Feifei-jie?" That's Qiqi's voice.
"Ah, yes, Qiqi?"
"I was talking with A-jie. I actually want to tell you something." What could it be? Preparing Qiqi's statements on my phone, I listened to what she had. "A-jie said that even the smallest details are important."
"That's true." Hu Tao had an earnest look and nodded at me. "Do you remember something while you were studying?"
"Took a potty break."
"O—okay…" That was sudden, and I could hear Dr. Bai chuckling behind me. Still, I shouldn't overlook this new piece of information. "Did you see anything when you, uh, 'took a potty break' and went back here?"
"Yes."
"So, what did you see?"
"Ba. He left Yeye's room." It's in line with Hu Fanren's testimony, particularly when he left the 75th's room. This must be past one o'clock. This corroborates it as much. "And, something was weird."
"Really?" Why does it suddenly feel so ominous? I could sense everyone in this room suddenly turning more attentive to Qiqi's words. "What was this 'weird' thing?"
"Uh…" Qiqi put a petite finger under her chin and looked up to think. "Sorry. Can't remember."
No! "P—please remember, Qiqi. I—it's really important!"
"Sorry, Feifei-jie. I just forgot." Curses, just how—
"Qiqi?" H—Hu Tao? "Maybe this can help." Hu Tao put two of her index fingers up. "Hm~, hm~! Which one looked weird? Was it 'A'—" she jiggled her right index finger, "Shu-shu? Or, was it B—" she jiggled the other one, "Yeye's door? If you can remember it right, I'm gonna ask Ganyu's family farm to get you more coconut milk! Deal?"
A smile formed on the young one's face. "Deal. Uh…" Her petite finger was put once more under her chin.
"A."
Qiqi answered as she clasped Hu Tao's right index finger. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Wah… I remember now. Thanks, A-jie." I—incredible work, Hu Tao. You really know how to approach Qiqi. Hu Tao flashed a cheeky grin at me.
"Was there something 'weird' with your father, Qiqi?" I asked her.
"Blue necklace. Gone." Her face suddenly turned sad. "So weird. Ba always wears it."
Neck… lace? I flinched at a certain realization. "No… I—it can't be…"
I quickly recalled the evidence found in the first victim's room and who wore necklaces among the persons of interest in my head since entering the manor. So far, only Hu Fanren, Hu Junpeng, and the 75th wore necklaces. Take away the victim among the three, and we're left with two. A possibility hit me again: could the bits of necklaces His Honor and I found not just belong to the 75th alone? I jotted this possibility down on my phone.
If that's the case, could either of the two be possibly responsible for the murders of the 75th and Meng?
"Qiqi, is this true?" Dr. Bai suddenly spoke up in a serious tone and approached us. "Did your father really lose his necklace?"
"Do you remember when he last had it on? Please, tell us anything, Qiqi!" I asked.
"H—hey, slow down, everyone. Please. You're scaring her," Hu Tao advised.
"W—why're you all being scary? I don't really know… Wah… M—maybe I'm wrong…" All of a sudden, Qiqi started crying. "Wah… So scary… Where's Yeye and Ba, A-jie? Bai-shu, why can't I meet Yeye? You're being mean…" She quickly ran to Dr. Bai and wept on his shoulder. Curses, I just badgered a sweet child. No good, an opportunity to question slipped past us.
"I think you two have somewhere else to go. It's alright, I'll keep her company," the doctor advised. "Hu Tao, I'm sorry for making her cry like that. I deeply regret raising my tone at her."
"M—me too, Hu Tao." I lowered my head in shame. Curses, I really should be careful around children next time. I wonder how she'll think of me now…
"It's alright. Just… please be gentler next time, both of you." It's really different getting scolded by her, but she's right. Her hand on mine, she added, "C'mon, Yanfei. Let's deal with this later. We still gotta tie a few loose ends, right?"
"R—right." Drat, the time's ticking, "Let's go, Hu Tao."
Leaving the two alone in the room, we moved to the last person we needed to question: the secretary. If only we weren't imposing via our words, then we could've gotten more info from Qiqi. Argh, no use crying over spilt milk; I really have to watch my tone with children next time.
Still, the guilt in me lingered; making Hu Tao's dear kin, next to her grandfather, cry like that at this accursed time. It feels like doing that was more than just a slap to her face; considering the circumstances now, it must've been exponentially worse. I should… really make it up to her.
"I know what you're thinking, Yanfei." Hu Tao said, without looking back at me. "But please, case at hand first, alright?"
Looking out into the obliterated gate, the flames of the trees have nigh-subsided, and the raging winds outside have turned into a strong breeze. It would seem like we could investigate outdoors now, but before that, we had to question the final related party.
Approaching the secretary in the main hall, who was seated a bit away from the guests—perhaps thinking about something, Hu Tao and I took this chance to engage with him.
"Why is she, of all people, here?" the secretary said, distaste too obvious in his words. "Isn't Hu Tao the suspect of this case?"
"Now, that's not very nice, Junpeng-shu," Hu Tao replied, unusually irked. Really is strange to see her like this, even with my Hu Tao, but it's not uncommon.
"Secretary, as it stands, this is a case of murder-suicide," I explained with a bit annoyance, too. "I've relayed as much info as needed via Karong? Has the news not reached your ears yet?"
"Gugh, I must've forgotten. My…" he looked away in guilt with shut eyes, "sincerest apologies, Hu Tao, Ms. Yu."
"Hmph, that should-a showed him. Thanks, Yanfei," Hu Tao whispered to me, tightening and loosening my grip on her hand.
Time to jump straight into why we're here. "Secretary Hu Junpeng, with all due respect, I must cast reasonable suspicion upon you for blatantly lying in front of the members of the table earlier at lunch." Looking at the secretary's statements collected by the inspector, I continued, "You claimed that you had to attend to the guests right after lunch, but as it says here, you actually remained in your room for a good hour or so. May we know the reason why?"
"Ms. Yu, I was merely…" Suddenly, he fiddled with his brown necklace. Must necklace-fiddling be a habit among the two? "Merely… reviewing the contract commissioned by the 75th, as well as thinking about business-related things."
"Very sussy, don't you think, Yanfei?" Hu Tao whispered. "Plus, besides Shushu passing by his room, no one actually saw him do whatever heck he was doing."
"Yes, quite," I whispered back before turning to the secretary. "May we know why you lied in order to do so? Considering the circumstances now, I may as well have to request Inspector Faramund to bring you to further questioning once the police arrive."
"Hold it, Ms. Yu. I admit that I lied, but you can't actually prove that that had something to do with the murder-suicide, with Meng as the perpetrator, right?" Unfortunately, he's right. I told him that I truly had no definitive proof. "If that's the case, I invoke my right to remain silent regarding that matter, and that I wish to speak with my lawyer first."
Flinching, I stepped back. "C—curses, of all the…!" I—I can't challenge that. There goes another opportunity, curse this misfortune! I suppose Aether was only able to get so much from this man for the same reason.
"N—no, Yanfei! You can't just give up now, please!" Hu Tao begged. Ngh, Hu Tao's right. Is there truly nothing I have to cast any reasonable doubt upon him? I can't mindlessly badger anyone here, or else we won't be able to crack this case. Just then, I noticed that the secretary was still fiddling with his necklace.
Hang on, that nervous trait's my chance! Looking back, I recalled that both of them had a previous color of necklace worn during lunch. No, I can't just rely on memories alone, I need to question this, but I have to come off in a way that won't make him invoke such a right again. Tread carefully now, Yanfei.
"Well, Sec. Junpeng, I must acknowledge that right. Thank you for your time," I conceded, to which the secretary smiled and set his hand down. C'mon, an opening is all I need.
"Y—Yanfei! W—why?! Just keep on—"
"Hu Tao, please, that's enough." I turned to her, bearing a worried and angry expression. Wait, I'm still holding her hand. A message to send! I discreetly alternated tightening and loosening my grip on her hand. "The law is the law, and a right is a right. Despite the variations in the regional laws in Tehiatik, all citizens of the country are bestowed upon national rights, such as the right to one's silence in the absence of their lawyer. You'd do well to understand that, right," I tightened my grip on her hand for a few seconds, "Hu Tao?"
Please, get my message, Hu Tao!
"Your partner's right, Hu Tao," the secretary added. "I will let you both know right away once I'm able to have the correct arrangements." He sounded a bit more relaxed there.
There! Right now, Hu Tao just replied with a series of tightening grips; she got my message! "Okay, Yanfei, I get it." She turned to her uncle. "Junpeng-shu, sorry for getting worked up there."
The secretary breathed a sigh of relief. "Hu Tao, Ms. Yu. The guests are still here, so please do understand my situation."
Alright, time to go strike while he isn't defensive. "Ah, it was inconsiderate of us, Sec. Junpeng. Our sincerest apologies." Hu Tao and I bowed. "Before we go, can I just say something of interest?"
"Oh? What might that be?"
Doing the best to come off as sincere, I replied, "Your necklace is rather fashionable. I must say, I couldn't take my eyes off your necklaces since this morning. Is that real agate?"
"Why, yes it is." A sad grin formed on his lips. "This was a gift from the… well… the late 75th when we—that is, Hu Tao's father, Qiqi's, and I—were younger. Hu Tao, has the 75th given you one, as well?"
"Yup, just earlier this morning, too. It's in my room. He gave me and Qiqi two for each of us, a green and brown one," Hu Tao replied.
"Huh, green and brown. I do recall your father and Qiqi's receiving the same set of colors, too. I was given a blue one instead of green." A clue, and an important one at that. Hu Tao, many, many thanks.
"Oh, is that so? May I know where your blue necklace is, though? I do recall seeing you and Qiqi's father wearing blue earlier lunch." I asked.
"J—just between you and me, out of clumsiness, it actually snapped off while I was in my room earlier today."
'Snapped off'. That's it, one of the keys to this case. Upon hearing that, my suspicions grew only stronger, and a new scenario on how the murder of the 75th materialized in my head. Considering Qiqi's testimony before she burst into tears, something came to light. Be it as it may, there are still lingering issues to resolve.
Just a little more. A little more in the right path, before we're able to crack the truth of today's events!
Right before we moved to the site of the obliterated gate, someone from among the crowd hollered at us.
"Hey!" We turned back to the source of that yell; it's one of the guests. "That's the suspect of the crime! Why the heck's she out in the open like that?" Argh, was it my mistake to tell Karong to keep it a secret between the secretary and her?
Agitated, Hu Tao was quick to respond, only to get cut by another one. "Don't try weasel out, kid. We know you're the one that killed the 75th."
"You don't deserve the title at all!"
Those words alone were enough to destroy Hu Tao's confident façade, but that wasn't just the verbal assault she received. The crowd started to murmur amongst themselves, and it's like they wanted the both of us to hear their chatters.
"She's guilty… The 75th shouldn't have granted her in the first place… Damn, that kid's gonna ruin the Wangsheng name… Old man Hu should've really reconsidered his choices… She's been a nuisance since childhood…" Curses, they're going too far!
Suddenly, the grip on my hand tightened like there's no tomorrow. "H—Hu Tao?" Oh no…
Crying. She's crying.
Four weeks into this new world, and the first person I've brought to tears—Hu Tao.
The pain she showed resonated in me, and I was flooded with those memories of when the same person, but in my home at Liyue, broke down right in front of me. Just by hearing those murmurs, I know that Hu Tao right beside me must've endured a similar past as my Hu Tao, shouldering those insults, rumors, gossip, pain… all because of her uniqueness that shaped herself.
Hu Tao weakly let go of my hand and hid behind me, as if she could no longer bear this insanity. I had a part in this tonight, I know I did. Coupled in making little Qiqi cry, the guilt's too much to take in.
But, I have to end this farce. That's the course of action I'll take, right now.
For I've made a promise with her.
"Please…" Taotao whispered, between sniffs, as her hug grew tighter. "Besides Zhongli, no one comes as close to grandpa. And now, I have you. I don't want you to go. Please… Yanyan."
"Don't ever leave me, Yanyan."
"Taotao…"
She's crying. Crying.
How can this be Wangsheng Funeral's cheerful, mischievous, poetic 77th Director? How could she have shouldered such a burden and endured those naysayers at such a young age? Must this be the side she's hidden to all in her entire life? Does Xiangling, Chongyun, Xingqiu, or any of her close acquaintances even know of this? More importantly,
Why me? Of all the people, why tell only me, and not even Mr. Zhongli?
That's when I realized this meant something.
"Please, look at me," Doing as she's told, her teary blossom-pupiled eyes locked into mine.
I could never fully understand emotions well, but only at this moment, I had an utter grasp of what she's feeling, despite not going through what she's been through. This connection… I've not even felt it with my parents or Madame Ping. It's just with her. Lord of Geo, just what is this supernatural phenomenon?
The words slowly followed one by one.
"I won't ever leave you, Taotao."
As Liyue's… no, as Yanfei—as myself, I swore not to leave her side. This connection—this relationship we have and the effects I feel from it, they exceed all logical reasoning. It's something that stirs not only my head, but my heart as well, in the most figurative sense. When I'm with her, certain feelings are aroused, and incidentally, my mind clears up. Almost as if… she completes me.
As Taotao's lips met with mine, I felt it—something in me had opened. Something locked away, or something new surfacing, whatever it was, it's something new in me.
A need to protect? A desire to press on? I couldn't make it out, but that's why…
That's why… that's why I must…!
"Objection!"
My voice echoed in the room as I stomped on the wooden floor, silencing the murmers. Coincidentally, a sudden chilly wind blew into the main hall, possibly from the nigh-subsided storm, but for some reason, I couldn't even feel the cold of the weather or of the crowd's disdain.
"You there, who just called us," I pointed to that individual.
"M—me?" he stammered upon eye-contact.
"Yes. I just have one question, but this applies to everyone who thinks of such biases against the rightful heir." I raised an index finger by my eye and grinned. "Where is your proof?"
"W—well, we personally heard it from Sec. Junpeng and the caretaker. That lousy girl behind you's the 75th's murderer!"
"Objection!"
"It's my understanding that the people in the main hall, save for a few, have yet to hear this revelation," I stepped forward, and with conviction, uttered the following, "the upcoming 77th is innocent, and a victim of this case, too. She was assaulted when she had discovered the 75th. Furthermore,"
"A new suspect had been named, and they took their own life after committing the deed."
The confused crowd were murmuring amongst themselves once more. "Really…? She actually got attacked…? But, then, that kid's innocent…? No, that's just them lawyerly smooth-talking thingamabobs. Don't listen to her!"
"Hold it!"
"Lastly, I would like to raise one last issue."
"W—what is it now?" one of the crowd spoke out.
"If the upcoming 77th is to be found innocent beyond any doubt, and considering all of your recent comments, know that these can be grounds for defamation or verbal assault, must the proper evidence be provided." My hands found themselves on my waist once more. "As a prosecutor, all I ask of everyone is to please watch what comes out your mouth. Is that clear, invited guests of the now-postponed ceremony?"
While the crowd was in doubtful disorder, the secretary and the remaining caretaker did their best to quell the hulabaloo, with the secretary apologizing to the both of us on their behalf and allowing us to continue with our investigation.
Had I not told Karong to keep this a secret, or worded it to her in a more specific way, none of this would have happened. How can I still show my face in front of Hu Tao, whom I indirectly caused grief?
"Y—Yanfei…" she said in between sniffs as she tugged my winter coat. "Thank you… You doing this just means so much to me…" She hugged me tightly from behind.
"Hu Tao… we've still got some investigating to do."
Fortunately, the subsiding snowstorm allowed for more unobstructed and less dangerous travel.
Upon closer inspection, the main gate was utterly crushed to bits. Not to mention, the trees that had obliterated it caught on fire due to lightning. Some flames were still seen there, but it's a matter of time until they get fully extinguished. No matter how I look at it, it's impassable. Argh, at this rate, we can't solve the mystery of the trees falling down without moving past it.
"I actually have a pretty cool suggestion for that, Yanfei," Hu Tao told me. "Ever heard of a 'see-saw ladder'?"
"'See-saw ladder'?"
She explained that by using an extendable ladder, we could use it as a see-saw to access the other side in the least time possible, with the wall acting as the fulcrum. I—ingenious, but it sounds rather risky.
"Pfft, trust me. Plus, the snow's gonna act as a cushion. Look, we don't have enough time till the cops arrive, so let's just do it!" It feels like this isn't the first time she's done it, and the way she puts it sounds like we're committing a crime.
Luckily, a ladder was nearby—apparently used for clearing the manor gutters, and following Hu Tao's instructions, we set it up in a way that a see-saw could be spatially imagined in mind's eye. As the braver one in this scenario, Hu Tao climbed up to the other terminal end first while I hesitantly waited at the other. At her command, I quickly climbed up. Then, all of a sudden—
"Whee~!" she cried out, arms wide open. The ladder literally see-sawed, transporting us to the other side of the wall. "That was fun, right, Yanfei?"
Just… how can this dangerous activity be considered 'fun'? "Q—quite. A—ahem! Think you can turn the electric torch of your phone on, Hu Tao?"
As expected, there lay two stumps that showed clear signs of the trees' trunks being chopped until the middle, as if the chopper wanted to make a sort of conditionally-triggered trap. I could be no more correct when we saw a snapped rope and dug up some tree shavings buried under the snow. I quickly took photos of the pieces of evidence and the area.
Following all the information gathered even before arriving in the manor, we've now cracked the mystery of the trees and that mysterious rope we saw earlier this morning. The perpetrator for this arose in my mind, considering who's in charge of the manor's lumber.
Still, the mysteries of the 'murder-suicide' linger. Could the crushing of the gate be even related to the case at hand?
Employing the same trick to access the outer area, we were able to return to the inner side once more.
"Ack!" D—drat, I'm falling! My hand must've slipped—
"Gotcha—woah!" Urgh, I really, really don't know what to do without you, Hu Tao. "Be careful, Yanfei!" She scolded as I lay on top of her.
"Says the person who thought of this dangerous idea."
"Dangerously fun, yeah?" She chuckled at her own line. "Ugh, I think we landed on something rugged." When we stood up, something charred was revealed before us.
"Ew, did someone try to put out the flames with their own winter coat?" Hu Tao complained, raising this burnt—wait… w—what in the world?! "Huh, seen a ghost or something, Yanfei?"
"B—blood!" No denying it, it really is blood on the burnt article, bearing a darker, more burnt appearance. "T—turn it around, Hu Tao!"
"Ah!" She quickly dropped it on the snow. "W—who the heck owns this?!"
Once more, a drastic realization hit me. The owner of this coat. Their movements according to the eyewitness testimonies. It's clear now; the evidence now speaks for itself.
Truly this is no murder-suicide.
Two murders have been committed by a single perpetrator.
But… there's one last mystery to crack: the murder of the 75th; under that, the window. If I can't resolve that, then my serial murders hypothesis can't find any ground to stand on. The motive can wait, but argh, one more. One more, and all the mysteries will have been solved!
"Yanfei, relax and take it easy." I felt her hands massaging my shoulders. "I can tell that we're close to solving, well, pretty much what the heck went on today."
Ngh, feeling her hands on mine does feel relaxing. Still, she's right. Calm down; suspicion around her is at an all-time low, and we need to think everything through thoroughly yet calmly. "Hu Tao, let's go report everything we've found to Aether."
"Huh, is that so, Yanfei?" Aether replied, while chewing some gum he had with him. "Them, I'm not wrong when I say that said person's the possible serial murderer tonight, right?"
I nodded. "I just need to find it, then we'll have the best description for the flow of events."
"Yeah, true," he mumbled and went inside the first victim's room, cupping his chin in ponderation.
"So, so," Hu Tao spoke up, "where does this leave us, Mingzhentan?"
I chuckled at her appellation for me, "I'm not a detective, Hu Tao, let alone famous. I'm a prosecutor. Jokes aside, remember what the secretary said about his necklace snapping off?"
"Yup-yup, what about it?"
"I figured that there's more than meets the eye regarding the necklace of the tangzhu snapping off." I pointed to the necklace beads strewn on the floor. "I want to ask, do you still remember the colors of the necklace?"
"Lemme think… ah, green, brown, and blue. If you ask me, it's a bit of an eyesore." Imagine your relatives hearing that, Hu Tao. "Oh, I know what you're thinking, but even some of us here think likewise."
"Ahem, in any case, I wanted to know where it could've—"
"Ei-ei, Aether!" Hu Tao cut me off and ran to Aether. "Really, some inspector you are, and in my very own family manor, too. Littering! Tian-a…"
"Oh shit, uh, s—sorry, Hu Tao, but I just can't leave the crime scene and then find a trash can around here, so I just wanted the snow to bury them. Plus, this window must be opened until the police and forensics investigate enough, so yeah."
Hang on… Bury under the snow?
No… it's too simple, yet it might've possibly happened. Could it be? Could the mystery of the open window be just that? I must confirm it.
"So what? You could've just asked me to dispose of it for you. Hai-ya… I'll take it off your hands, then." Hu Tao grabbed the gum wrappers off of Aether's hands. "C'mon, Yanfei. Some people just don't have manners, y'know."
"Hey, I said I was sorry!" Aether mopingly replied.
"Meh, let's go… Yanfei?" She looked at where I was staring at. "Uh, what're you looking at Aether for?"
Drowned in my thoughts, I silently walked past Hu Tao and Aether until I reached the window and blankly stared into the wall outside. My eyes then slowly trailed to the foliage of winter jasmines just below—unmoved by human action, as they should be.
"Uh, s—sorry for littering, Yanfei. I—"
"Aether, have you collected the distance between the window and the ground below?"
"Wha—um, let's see…" He took his phone out. "Here we go, two meters. Did it while you were gone. What's up?"
"That's all I need. Thank you, Aether." Wasting no time, I jumped off the window and landed on the snowy path.
"Yanfei!" Both of them yelled as I landed on the snow. I immediately started digging around the snow, desperately looking for the last piece of evidence.
"H—hey, lemme help you out, too!" Hu Tao followed suit and landed near me. "I'll dig here, while you dig over there."
"I have no idea what's going on, you two," Aether sheepishly commented.
"Honestly, me too," Hu Tao added, "but that's the face she'd make when she finally—"
"Found it…! The final key to tonight's mystery!" Carefully lifting it up from the snow, I took a photo of it and sent it to the inspector. "To think that a seemingly minor mistake could be so damningly incriminating," I mumbled to myself, looking at the open window.
"D—damn, this might belong to—ah! I've gotta go and—"
"Hold it, Aether! Not yet, not just yet." I furrowed my brows at him. "We need to ascertain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that they're the actual owner. For all we know, the culprit doesn't know that we've found their incriminating 'lost item'. That's why I have a plan."
"Ooh~! Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Yanfei?" Hu Tao added with a few giggles.
Read my mind as usual, I thought with a smile. "That's right." I returned the evidence in my hands from whence I unearthed it, covering it with the snow around it. I turned to my phone and sent Aether a list of names and certain instructions to lure the true culprit here. "Aether, gather these people, and follow these instructions. Act as natural as possible, is that clear?"
"Roger that, Ma'am. Man, I'm getting goosebumps already!" Aether replied as Hu Tao and I walked roundabout back to the main hall.
At long last… After a long day, I can finally say my long-awaited line with sheer confidence.
"Hee-hee~, I like that smile on your face." Hu Tao told me, leaning on my shoulder as we walked. "I know what's up, Yanfei."
"That's right, Hu Tao," I pulled her closer to me, "because as of now,"
"This case is finally cracked and the truth is in reach!"
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀:
𝗛𝘂, 𝗧𝗮𝗼 (𝟮𝟳, 𝗙)
Upcoming 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Bears the exact same characteristics as my Hu Tao, fortunately. Referred to as "A-jie" (阿姐, Big sister) by Qiqi.
𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗔𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (𝟯𝟮, 𝗠)
Legue City Police Department homicide police inspector.
𝗕𝗮𝗶, 𝗭𝗵𝘂 (𝟰𝟮, 𝗠)
Pharmacist and businessman in Legue City.
𝗛𝘂, 𝗤𝗶𝗾𝗶 (𝟭𝟬, 𝗙)
Hu Tao's cousin.
𝗠𝗲𝗻, 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 (𝟯𝟮, 𝗙)
One of the caretakers for the Hu Manor.
𝗟𝗶𝘂, 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗴 (𝟰𝟰, 𝗠)
One of the caretakers for the Hu Manor.
𝗛𝘂, 𝗙𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗶 (𝟳𝟱, 𝗠)
Hu Tao's grandfather. The 75th Director, and subsequently the 76th after Hu Tao's father's death. Referred to as "Yeye" (爷爷, Grandfather) by Qiqi.
𝗛𝘂, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗴 (𝟲𝟮, 𝗠)
Hu Tao's and Qiqi's uncle. In charge of the ceremony rites for inducting the new parlor director. Also the secretary to the 75th and 76th.
𝗛𝘂, 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗻 (𝟱𝟰, 𝗠)
Hu Tao's uncle and Qiqi's father. Referred to as "Shushu" (叔叔, Uncle) by Hu Tao.
𝗭𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗟𝗶 (𝟲𝟬, 𝗠)
Legue City judge. Former superintendent in the Legue City Police Department. Referred to as "Zhong-daren" (钟大人, Sir Zhong) by Hu Tao.
𝗛𝘂, 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴 (𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝗠)
Hu Tao's father. The 76th Director, but died in an accident a few days after claiming the title.
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 姐 (𝗷𝗶𝗲) 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀/𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
Usually used by younger people when talking to their older sisters, to females who are close enough, or showing respect to older females.
𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 哥 (𝗴𝗲) 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀/𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
Usually used by younger people when talking to their older brothers, to males who are close enough, or showing respect to older males.
𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 叔 (𝘀𝗵𝘂) 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀/𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
Endearment term usually used by younger people when talking to male family friends who are as old as their parents.
𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 大人 (𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻) 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀
Honorific appellation to address people who hold a high enough position.
名侦探 (𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘇𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻)
"Famous detective"; in Japanese media (last two kanjis inverted), usually refers to an ace or a very capable individual who can solve numerous cases, e.g., Shin'ichi Kudo from Case Closed (名探偵コナン) and Hajime Kindaichi from Kindaichi Case Files (金田一少年の事件簿).
堂主 (𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘇𝗵𝘂)
"Director, directress"; one who leads or directs a certain establishment, business, clan, etc.