Chu Yan ignored Madam Li. He packed his things and left.
After Chu Yan left, Madam Li cursed softly. "Go, just go. It's best if you die outside."
On second thought, Madam Li was terrified by the idea in her mind. Chu Yan was packing up his things and leaving right after the mortuary was burnt. Could it be that he was the one who set the mortuary on fire?
The more Madam Li thought about it, the more she felt that it was possible. Chu Yan was simply a ferocious beast. There was nothing that he could not do!
Madam Li jumped with fright and looked outside. There was no sign of Chu Yan.
She was so anxious that she could not sit still. She immediately went out to look for Mr. Chu. If it was really done by Chu Yan, she would have to quickly cut ties with him. Otherwise, her entire family would be implicated.
After Liu Sanniang explained her purpose of coming to the guard, her request to meet her family was instantly rejected.
When the mortuary was burned down, the government office was extremely busy. Magistrate Wei was even forced to make a promise to the people that he would catch the arsonist. However, there were still some people who refused to listen. They shouted and made a fuss, clamoring for the local government to compensate them and smashed the office building.
Under this situation, of course Liu Sanniang wouldn't be allowed to see her parents.
She had no choice but to retreat to the back of the crowd and watch helplessly as people threw eggs at Magistrate Wei.
Liu Sanniang remembered that she had the ability to read people's thoughts. She went forward, grabbed the sleeve of an officer, and heard his thoughts. 'I can find the murderer. I know who the murderer is.'
The officer who was grabbed by Liu Sanniang was a little impatient. "Go, go, go. Don't cause trouble here. You can forget about seeing your parents. Your parents are the suspects in the case. It's impossible for you to see them."
The officer was annoyed. He didn't know who was so wicked as to set fire to the mortuary, causing such a huge mess. If this matter wasn't resolved properly, Magistrate Wei would probably be removed from his post.
And his subordinates wouldn't have a happy ending either.
Liu Sanniang grabbed the officer's sleeve. With a slight touch, she could sense what he was thinking.
Liu Sanniang tried to sense more. She didn't know how far she could go. She just wanted to sense more and say something that would convince the officer.
She looked at the officer and frowned. "You have a daughter, but she was abducted and sold by human traffickers. Your wife's body is not as good as before. She has been depressed and sick all these years. Before she died, she told you to find your daughter. That's why you became an officer. Every time a criminal is found, you will go and question them."
The officier's expression changed as soon as Liu Sanniang spoke. By the time she finished, the officer's mouth was open and he was incoherent. "How… how did you know this?"
After using her ability, Liu Sanniang felt very tired. It seemed that such an ability didn't come free.
Liu Sanniang said firmly, "I can help Magistrate Wei catch the murderer. Will you believe me now?"
The officer couldn't stop grinning. He nodded. "Sure. Come with me. I'll take you to His Lordship."
As long as the murderer who burned the mortuary was caught, Magistrate Wei would be able to keep his post. With such a good and upright magistrate, he had a good chance of finding his daughter.
The officer looked at Liu Sanniang differently now. After his daughter was lost, he found a witch to help him, but the witch only told him that his daughter was still alive. Where could he find her in this vast world?
Though Liu Sanniang was just a young girl, she was much better than the witch. Perhaps she could really catch the murderer who burned down the mortuary. When she caught the murderer, he would ask her to help find his daughter.
Now the officer did not dare to stop Liu Sanniang from entering the hall.
Some people who knew him even teased him. "Officer Zhou, aren't you causing more trouble for his Lordship by allowing this young girl to enter the office at this time?"
Officer Zhou said solemnly, "She's not an ordinary person. She's a psychic and can help us find the arsonist."
After Officer Zhou finished speaking, the others laughed.
Wasn't psychic the same as a witch? Most of the witches they had seen were either in their forties or fifties. They had never seen a witch so young.
Officer Zhou did not bother to explain anything to them. He trusted his gut.
Back then, when her daughter disappeared, the witch whom he found did many things before she could confirm that his daughter was still alive. Other than that, the witch knew nothing.
Liu Sanniang, on the other hand, could tell what he was worried about with just a touch. She didn't even have to summon a spirit or do anything.
Wei Shilai, the magistrate, was in a terrible fix. The mortuary had always been a place where dead people were kept. To the living, this was an ominous place. Everyone would take a detour to avoid that place.
However, no one expected that a place that everyone avoided would be set on fire.
No one could come to terms with the reality that the corpses of their family members were burnt to ashes.
The more Wei Shilai thought about it, the angrier he became. What kind of heartless person would do something like this? He would never be able to live with himself if he didn't catch the arsonist.
Wei Shilai was an honest magistrate and was a good official who stood up for the people.
At this moment, the back room of the office hall was silent.
When Officer Zhou brought Liu Sanniang in, he was stopped by Wei Shilai's assistant and the constable. "Why are you still causing trouble for his Lordship at a time like this? Do you think his Lordship is not troubled enough?"
Magistrate Wei was about to kneel down to the people and guarantee that he would catch the murderer and give them an explanation. However, the people still refused to listen and even threw eggs at him.
As the number one constable under Wei Shilai, Lin Zheng had solved many cases. He knew how good Magistrate Wei was. Seeing the magistrate being treated like this, he felt bad for him, but he could not do anything.
Officer Zhou knelt down and said, "Sir, Miss Liu is psychic. She can help us catch the murderer. With a touch, she could read my mind."
Wei Shilai frowned. "Anyone who spends some time asking around will know a lot about you. How can she prove herself?"
Liu Sanniang gathered her courage. "Sir, I was born in Willow Street. My parents are well-behaved citizens, and my brother has never committed any crime. I have never caused trouble in my life either. I definitely don't know anything about you, but I can read your thoughts and persuade you."
Just as Liu Sanniang had said, she was just an ordinary commoner. No matter how capable she was, it was impossible for her to know the private affairs of a county magistrate.
Wei Shilai turned to his assistant and instructed in a low voice. "Go and investigate."
"Yes."
The assistant glanced at Liu Sanniang and turned to leave.
Psychics rarely interfered in secular matters like this. Those who did were most likely swindlers. The magistrate wanted to find out Liu Sanniang's background.
Wei Shilai walked over to Liu Sanniang. "What do you need to prepare?"
Wei Shilai had never believed in psychics or witches, but his colleagues were officials. Many of them had Taoists whom they were on good terms with. When they encountered something they could not solve, they would seek help from those Taoists.
Wei Shilai didn't believe in it personally.
However, he saw a righteous look on Liu Sanniang's face. For some reason, Wei Shilai did not want to reject her.
Liu Sanniang smiled. "Please extend your hand."
Wei Shilai frowned. Telepathy was a very difficult task. Didn't she have to prepare anything?
Suspicious, Wei Shilai offered his hand.
Officer Zhou was more nervous. Just as Wei Shilai had said, Liu Sanniang could find out about his little secrets by just asking around, but to find out secrets about the magistrate, it was hard.
If Liu Sanniang really had the ability, there might be hope for him to find his daughter.
Lin Zheng didn't think much of it. He had been with Wei Shilai for so many years, and all the cases that His Lordship had solved had been done painstakingly. If His Lordship didn't believe in witchcraft, he naturally didn't either.
Lin Zheng thought that Liu Sanniang was just playing a trick to achieve her goal.
Liu Sanniang reached out and gently touched Wei Shilai's finger. She was completely focused. She didn't know how far this ability could go, but she used all her energy to see through his mind.
She even closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she said, "I see a house. It is very, very old."
When Liu Sanniang first spoke, Wei Shilai was surprised. But when Liu Sanniang said the following words, Wei Shilai revealed a shocked expression.
Liu Sanniang was still talking. "I see an old woman. She is very old. She can't stand up straight. She is sewing clothes. Her son is going on a long trip…"
Liu Sanniang's face was a little pale. She was mentally exhausted and a little overwhelmed, but she tried to see more, to see more clearly.
Wei Shilai had already retracted his hand. Tears filled his eyes and his voice was a little choked. "There's no need to say anything else. I believe you."
What Liu Sanniang saw was his mother, who had passed away many years ago. No one in Yong County knew about his humble background.
He had never even told his wife about this. The fact that Liu Sanniang could tell him this was enough to prove herself and convince Wei Shilai.
Wei Shilai was not a rigid person. There were always things in this world that he did not know about. He wouldn't reject the fact that it existed just because he didn't know.
Lin Zheng was shocked. "Sir…"
In Lin Zheng's opinion, Liu Sanniang had only said a few strange words. Why did his lordship suddenly believe her?
On the other hand, Officer Zhou was extremely excited. His eyes were filled with hope as he looked at Liu Sanniang. When he caught the arsonist of the mortuary, he would ask Liu Sanniang for help. No matter how much money it cost, he was willing to sell everything.
Wei Shilai raised his head and tried to force the tears back. He turned his back. "Miss Liu is not a swindler. I was very poor when I was young. I remember my mother very clearly. She passed away many years ago. Even my wife doesn't know about this."
Lin Zheng was surprised. He knew that Magistrate Wei wouldn't lie, but he still found it difficult to believe it.
If solving a case was so easy, what was the point of having officers?
Wei Shilai quickly calmed down and said to Liu Sanniang, "Miss Liu, how do you plan to help us find the arsonist?"
Liu Sanniang heaved a sigh of relief. "I know who the arsonist is. As long as you bring the people here and let me touch the person, I will definitely be able to find evidence."
Wei Shilai asked her quickly. "Who's the arsonist?"
Liu Sanniang replied firmly., "It was Liu Cheng who did this. In order to burn his wife's corpse, he burned down the entire mortuary."
Wei Shilai frowned.
Lin Zheng retorted. "That's impossible. You're saying that Liu Cheng burned down the entire mortuary in order to frame your family. What can he get from doing that?"
Burning down a whole mortuary just for money? If he was really the arsonist, the families of so many innocent people would drown Liu Cheng with their saliva.
Wei Shilai was also shocked, even though he had witnessed many atrocities.
Sometimes, it didn't need a reason for one to commit a crime. Many major cases often started from just a small matter.
Liu Sanniang said, "I won't know why until I see him."
Lin Zheng asked her sarcastically. "If you don't know, how did you know that he was the arsonist?"
"Are you telling us that you are just drawing an assumption without hard evidence? Ridiculous!"
Liu Sanniang pursed her lips. "It's Liu Shun, Liu Cheng's cousin. I met him at the entrance of the government office. He grabbed my wrist. I saw him instigating Liu Cheng to set the fire."
Lin Zheng felt that it was even more ridiculous. "Sir, this woman's words are without rhyme or reason. She can't be trusted at all."
When investigating a case, one had to be down-to-earth. Psychic? What a joke.
If psychic powers could help capture the real arsonist, then they, the constables, and the officers could cease to exist.
Liu Sanniang was a little anxious. "Sir, everything I said is true. I can communicate with spirits, but I'm not a god. I don't know everything. But as long as you let me touch Liu Cheng, I can definitely find evidence."
When the evidence was found, Liu Cheng would have to confess!
Officer Zhou was also anxious. "Sir, just believe Miss Liu. She's really not a liar."
Lin Zheng said sarcastically, "Do you think with just a few words from you, Magistrate Wei will be so muddle-headed as to arrest someone without any evidence? Ridiculous."
Liu Cheng and his family had the advantage, so how could the magistrate arrest them? At this point, a lot of people were keeping an eye on this case. If the magistrate didn't arrest the arsonist, they would definitely report to the emperor to ask for a better magistrate.
But in the next second.
Wei Shilai ordered him. "Lin Zheng, bring Liu Cheng and his family here. Tell them that I want to apologize to them."
Lin Zheng was stunned. "Sir?"
He had just said that it was impossible for Magistrate Wei to do so, but in the next second, he was slapped in the face. Lin Zheng found it unbelievable.
Wei Shilai emphasized. "Do my words carry no authority now?"
Lin Zheng looked at Liu Sanniang and lowered his head. "I'll go immediately."
Lin Zheng was furious, but he was only angry that Liu Sanniang had deceived Wei Shilai.
Officer Zhou held back his laughter.
Liu Sanniang felt very tired, but in order to save her mother, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and persevere.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT