Tang Jinxian’s words served as a reminder to Jiang Mu.
He had originally pinned his hopes on the Patrol Yamen swiftly apprehending the murderer and bringing him to justice. But judging from the current situation, their efficiency in handling the case was truly nothing to praise.
There might even be a mole lurking within.
Otherwise, Tang Jinxian, as the Chief, would not have gone out of her way to bypass her own people and seek advice from a head constable of the county yamen.
“Looks like, in the end, I’ll still have to rely on myself.”
Jiang Mu thought to himself.
“How much do you know about spirit calamities?” Tang Jinxian suddenly asked.
Jiang Mu shook his head. “Not much.”
He had only heard Uncle An say that spirit calamities had appeared two hundred years ago, but as for the specific reasons and the process, he did not know the details.
“Spirit objects appear at random, in all kinds of forms. They might be a copper coin, or they might be a mountain. But regardless of size, when they first appear, they are inauspicious things, carrying calamity with them.”
A few traces of worry floated in Tang Jinxian’s pale eyes. “Over the past two hundred years, any spirit objects taken into custody have been sent to the Stupa Tower of the capital’s main office, or to other places, for purification.
“Once successfully purified, a spirit object no longer poses a threat. At that time, as long as you have achieved some success in cultivation, you may choose a suitable spirit object, fuse with it and command it, becoming its new master.”
As she spoke, her fingers lightly brushed across her slender waist.
A short length of thin grass rope appeared in her hand.
Tang Jinxian said, “This is one of the spirit objects I fused with and command. It is known as a spirit artifact. Once thrown out, it can bind a person for a short time. In the past, this spirit object hanged quite a few people. The Patrol Yamen expended no small effort before taking it into custody.”
Jiang Mu took the rope and carefully rubbed it between his fingers.
Perhaps because it had been wrapped around a woman’s body all year round, the rope carried a familiar, alluring feminine fragrance.
“A magic treasure?”
Jiang Mu had an answer in his heart.
He thought carefully, but there were no memories in his mind related to this rope.
Yet by instinct, he felt certain that this thing must also have been the magic treasure of some cultivator from the Xuanming World.
“In that case, after the disaster occurred in the Xuanming World where I once was, all living beings died out. Countless fragments of magic treasures fell into this world together…”
Jiang Mu thought silently.
The familiar waves of stabbing pain once again appeared in his skull.
The memories within the fog cut at him like knives.
The big white goose, which had been sleeping comfortably, felt its head itch. It raised its head and saw a rope swaying before its eyes.
The big white goose was so frightened that it honked wildly.
It seemed to have remembered something unpleasant.
Its flapping wings struck against the beautiful woman’s chest, immediately stirring up a plump, rippling wave.
It might even have slapped the area red.
Jiang Mu grabbed the big goose and dragged it over, stuffing it between his legs and clamping it firmly. He asked, “That string of beads that can tame women—was that spirit object fused with and commanded by the man in black?”
He handed the rope back to the woman.
“No.”
Tang Jinxian tidied her front, quietly rubbing the spot that had just been hurt by the slap. She wound the rope back around her soft, slender waist and said,
“Most spirit objects that appear out of nowhere will, at first, seek out a master on their own and bind themselves to that person. Spirit objects at this stage are relatively evil. They magnify a person’s desires. If the bound person’s willpower is not strong, they will create one spirit calamity case after another.”
Jiang Mu understood.
These were magic treasures that had been contaminated.
When an ordinary person with an unsteady will suddenly obtained a magic treasure, it was equivalent to gaining a superpower. Naturally, the demons in their heart would be released, driving them toward crime.
The more they used it, the faster they fell.
Only spirit objects that had been purified had no side effects.
“Moreover, once the bound person dies, the spirit object will search for a new master. Or it may develop self-awareness and begin creating disasters and slaughter.”
Tang Jinxian stroked the rope at her waist and said, “Conversely, a purified spirit object will not do that. Even if I die, this rope will not go looking for a new master. That is also why our Patrol Yamen must take them into custody.”
Jiang Mu stared at the rope around her waist and asked curiously, “If I wanted to obtain a spirit artifact through proper channels, what should I do?”
Tang Jinxian was just about to answer when the carriage stopped.
It had stopped before the gate of a small courtyard beside the Patrol Yamen.
“We’ll discuss it another time.”
Tang Jinxian slightly lifted the hem of her skirt and bent forward to step out of the carriage.
With that bend, the curve of her waist and hips, originally wrapped by her gauze skirt, suddenly tightened, stretching the silk fabric almost perfectly smooth, without a single obvious crease.
She was like a fine vase with flowing lines, concealing auspicious signs of abundance and many children.
“A textbook childbearing figure.”
Jiang Mu praised inwardly.
But Tang Jinxian regretted it the moment she leaned out of the carriage.
Born into a military family, she was used to acting swiftly and decisively in daily life, and for a moment had neglected the man inside the carriage.
Realizing that this posture was rather indecorous, she subconsciously wanted to withdraw back into the carriage and let the man get out first.
As luck would have it, Jiang Mu had also risen to his feet, preparing to go out.
In the next instant, his vision went black…
Before Jiang Mu could even react to what had happened…
His breathing was filled entirely with rich, warm fragrance and the delicate sensation of fabric.
Both of them froze.
Sensing the solid, scorching resistance behind her, Tang Jinxian’s body instantly went rigid, and she nearly cried out. Then, as if burned by fire, she sprang away and quickly shifted half a step forward.
She turned back and glared at Jiang Mu, two rosy clouds flying up across her beautiful cheeks.
“You can’t blame me.”
Jiang Mu looked innocent.
Who could have expected that a pair of great millstones would suddenly press right into his face?
Tang Jinxian’s jade-like fingers dug tightly into the doorframe, but she could only force herself to remain calm and be the first to step down from the carriage.
Jiang Mu carried the big white goose and followed her down.
Looking up, he saw that the blush on the woman’s face had already vanished, and she had returned to her previous expression.
“Let’s go.”
Tang Jinxian ignored Jiang Mu and entered the courtyard gate.
Only her clenched delicate fist trembled faintly.
Led by the yamen guards on duty, the group entered the inner courtyard specially used to store corpses.
As soon as they stepped through the courtyard gate, a cold, sinister aura rushed toward them.
The deeper they went, the heavier the chill became.
Even the big goose shivered from the cold and wanted to burrow into the beautiful woman’s arms, but unfortunately, she paid it no attention.
Jiang Mu keenly sensed that this chill came from underground.
There was probably some sort of formation buried there.
For some reason, he found this chill somewhat familiar. For no apparent reason, he recalled the first night in the bridal chamber with his wife in his previous life, when they had played some sort of game… but he could not remember the specific details.
In any case, it had been quite wild.
They entered a frost-covered room. Inside lay several female corpses from this spirit calamity case.
Four of the corpses were relatively well preserved.
All of these women were over thirty years old and had plump figures. However, their bodies were covered in wounds of varying sizes. In particular, the nails on both their hands and feet had all been pulled out…
It was enough to show what severe abuse and humiliation they had suffered before death.
Though it was not the first time she had seen them, every time Tang Jinxian looked at these corpses, towering rage still could not help but surge in her chest.
At the same time, there was also a lingering fear.
If not for Jiang Mu, she might have ended up like these women.
Thinking of this, the corner of her eye could not help but glance at Jiang Mu beside her, her feelings complicated.
An Chenghu began to carefully examine the corpses.
Having spent over twenty years in the county yamen, he had long since trained himself in autopsy skills no inferior to those of a professional coroner.
Jiang Mu also observed carefully from the side.
He noticed that the palms and buttocks of all the female corpses were densely covered in fine, strip-like wounds, clearly caused by repeated whipping with something slender.
Only some corpses had relatively fewer marks, while others were covered densely with them.
“They were beaten with thorn switches.”
Seeing his nephew watching so intently, An Chenghu lowered his voice and said.
Thorn switches…
Jiang Mu fell into thought.
Striking the palms was commonly seen in private schools or households as a form of punishment for schoolchildren and juniors.
Its purpose was correction and admonishment.
And striking the buttocks was likewise a form of punishment.
But it carried a stronger sense of humiliation.
Especially when inflicted upon adult women, it was even more of a sexual implication.
The murderer seemed to be immersed in this.
Did that mean he himself had also long suffered similar treatment, and to a severe degree, ultimately leading to psychological distortion?
“Chief, may I borrow the case files for a look? I want to understand the detailed information about these victims.”
Jiang Mu turned to Tang Jinxian and requested.
Tang Jinxian avoided meeting Jiang Mu’s eyes. She glanced at An Chenghu, who was still staring at the wounds in thought, then gave a slight nod, signaling for her subordinate to bring the files.
The files were soon delivered.
Jiang Mu compared them with the victims’ information recorded in the files and read through them one by one.
After finishing, he already had some speculation in his heart. He spoke to Tang Jinxian again. “May I see the two survivors?”
Tang Jinxian’s delicate brows furrowed. “They’ve gone mad. I’m afraid you won’t be able to ask anything…”
“That doesn’t matter. I only intend to observe the wounds on their bodies, not communicate with them. If they can be made to sleep temporarily, that would be best.”
Jiang Mu explained.
An Chenghu also spoke from the side:
“My lord, the two survivors may have more direct clues left on their bodies by the murderer.”
Tang Jinxian pondered briefly, then nodded. “Very well. I’ll take you there.”
Under Tang Jinxian’s lead, they arrived at a heavily guarded small courtyard.
Tang Jinxian first caused the two surviving women to fall into a deep sleep before allowing Jiang Mu and An Chenghu inside to examine them.
These two women were likewise covered in wounds.
Jiang Mu deliberately checked their palms and buttocks, and found that compared with the dead, they had fewer wounds.
One of them, in particular, had only a scant few.
Moreover, some of the old wounds on their bodies showed obvious traces of medicinal treatment.
This had also been observed on the previous corpses.
After An Chenghu finished his examination, he saw that his nephew was still deep in thought and did not disturb him. Instead, he said to Tang Jinxian:
“Judging from the abuse wounds all over their bodies, the murderer shows signs of venting anger and obtaining a sense of domination. The punishment directed at the palms and buttocks is clearly an attempt to possess absolute control.
“This most likely indicates that, whether in the past or the present, this person has been extremely lacking in such a sense of domination, and his mind has already become twisted.
“And the source that caused this influence on him should be an elder widow who fits the characteristics of these victims.
“In addition, the previous corpses were all deliberately placed by him in locations where they could easily be discovered. There is an element of showing off and venting. This indicates that this person is extremely conceited—or rather, that he wants to prove something.”
Listening to An Chenghu’s analysis, Tang Jinxian’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.
“Head Constable An means that the murderer once suffered long-term physical punishment and strict control from an elder who was a widow, and was harshly restrained, gradually forming a contradictory mentality of both reverence and a desire for revenge.
“After he accidentally obtained the spirit object, this suppressed and twisted mentality completely lost control and was released?”
“My lord sees clearly. That is precisely what this subordinate means.”
An Chenghu cupped his hands.
“The murderer received a good education. His learning should not be poor,” Jiang Mu suddenly interjected.
Tang Jinxian’s beautiful eyes turned to him. “How can you tell?”
Jiang Mu raised the case file records in his hand and said, “The number of wounds on these women’s palms varies.
“I compared their backgrounds and education. I found that the more educated and learned they were, the fewer punishments of this type they suffered. Especially this one…”
He pointed to one of the unconscious women.
“She was once the daughter of an official family and is widely learned. The wounds on her palms are the fewest. So I believe the murderer may have been ‘examining’ their knowledge. If they could not answer, or answered poorly, they would suffer punishment by thorn switch.”
An Chenghu looked at his nephew strangely.
For a foolish boy to suddenly become a clever one made him extremely unaccustomed.
Tang Jinxian narrowed her phoenix eyes and followed the reasoning:
“In that case, the murderer himself must have experienced the same thing.
“Most likely, his mother was eager for her son to become accomplished, demanded extremely strict academic performance from him, punished him physically at the slightest provocation, controlled everything, and ultimately caused his personality to become twisted.
“His fear and hatred toward his mother were then transferred and vented onto these widows who shared similar traits with her.”
Jiang Mu still wanted to add something, but An Chenghu glared at him.
Jiang Mu was startled, then immediately understood and closed his mouth.
Some overly dark speculations were indeed not suitable to say plainly in front of a woman like Tang Jinxian.
An Chenghu gave a light cough and brought the topic back. “In addition, judging from some of the wounds, the murderer is left-handed. This point may narrow the scope of the investigation.”
“Left-handed?”
Tang Jinxian was taken aback, then shook her head.
“That’s impossible. I exchanged blows with the murderer. He held his blade and exerted force with his right hand. He was clearly right-handed.”
Jiang Mu also nodded.
He had seen it clearly too. That man in black was indeed right-handed.
Confusion appeared on An Chenghu’s face.
He once again carefully examined the wounds on the woman’s body. After observing for a long while, he said in a deep voice:
“This subordinate insists that the murderer is left-handed.”
“At the very least, the person who inflicted these injuries on the women was left-handed.”
Tang Jinxian’s lovely face abruptly changed, and surprise and doubt flashed through her eyes. “You mean… there are actually two murderers!?”
“If the person who fought with the Chief was not deliberately misleading us, then this subordinate speculates that there are very likely two murderers.”
An Chenghu gave his conjecture.
Tang Jinxian’s brows knitted tightly, and her lovely face was shrouded in a dark cloud.
She crossed both arms before her chest, the elbow of one hand resting on the other arm, her fingertips tapping lightly as she sank into thought.
After a while, she slowly spoke:
“These past two days, I have been secretly comparing the internal personnel of the Patrol Yamen, trying to find someone whose build and voice were similar to the person I fought that day, but I have found nothing.
“Yet I am very certain that this case must be connected to someone inside.
“Now it seems that someone within the Patrol Yamen is indeed involved in the case, but perhaps only as an accomplice. As for the true mastermind, the one who fought me, he should be hidden outside.”
An Chenghu lowered his head and said nothing.
Since it involved the internal affairs of the Patrol Yamen, he, a head constable of the county yamen, was not in a position to say more.
Tang Jinxian’s gaze returned to An Chenghu.
“I will personally find a way to investigate the internal accomplice. As for that chief culprit outside, I’m afraid I must trouble Head Constable An to screen for him first on my behalf. Rest assured, I will speak with County Magistrate Yang beforehand.”
An Chenghu immediately cupped his fists.
“This subordinate respectfully obeys your orders, my lord. I will do everything in my power to assist you in solving this case as soon as possible.”
Tang Jinxian gave a slight nod. Her beautiful eyes turned to Jiang Mu at the side, and her voice regained its aloofness. “If you discover anything, have Mu Jiang come directly to report to me.”
With that, she casually tossed something out.
Jiang Mu subconsciously caught it. In his hand was a token.
Tang Jinxian’s tone was flat. “This is a passage token of the Patrol Yamen. With this token, no one will dare stop you.”
Seeing that his nephew was somewhat stunned, An Chenghu lightly nudged him with his elbow. Jiang Mu came back to himself and cupped his fists in salute. “Yes, this subordinate understands.”
Inwardly, however, he grumbled.
This woman was clearly determined to have him in her grasp.