Chapter 35: Arriving at Shen Mansion

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Arriving at Shen Mansion

On Lijiang Street in Liangjiang Commandery, peddlers and porters bustled about.

Zeng Anmin sat atop a tall steed, his sharp gaze sweeping over the passing crowd. Behind him followed Dachun. Although Dachun’s horse was not small, it looked as comical beneath him as an adult riding a wooden toy horse.

Behind Dachun was Shen Jun, the suspect in his aunt’s murder, who had just recovered from his injuries. Right now, Shen Jun’s somewhat thick and honest-looking eyebrows bristled, and his full lips were pressed tightly together. He looked at Zeng Anmin with reverence and gratitude. He knew that the procession was heading toward his home, and their purpose was to clear his name.

"Left Clerk Zeng, we have arrived at the Shen Mansion."

Riding neck and neck with Zeng Anmin was Xu Yunfeng, the Right Chief Clerk of the Observation Department. Right now, Xu Yunfeng’s face was full of smiles. The two wisps of his mustache bobbed up and down with the horse’s gait, looking quite comical.

Zeng Anmin threw a faint glance at Xu Yunfeng before looking ahead.

The Shen Mansion. A massive, simple plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the weight of countless generations of accumulation.

"Open the doors. Let’s head in."

With a gentle wave of Zeng Anmin’s hand, a Red-clothed Guard stepped out from each side and approached the mansion gates. When an old man opened the door, he nearly fainted from fright upon seeing the two rows of imposing Red-clothed Guards outside. In this day and age, officials knocking on the doors of merchants never brought anything good.

After one of the Red-clothed Guards briefly negotiated with the old man, two guards stepped up and pushed the main gates wide open, completely disregarding whether he agreed or not. The gates of the Shen Mansion were now wide open before Zeng Anmin.

"Let’s go."

Zeng Anmin dismounted and strode into the compound. Dachun followed closely behind him. Seeing his somewhat hurried pace, Xu Yunfeng maintained a leisurely expression, slowly sliding off his horse.

Guided by Shen Jun, they soon arrived at the crime scene. Their purpose for visiting the scene today was simple. First, to take more statements. Second, to search the mourning hall for any secret passages or hidden mechanisms.

"Young Master!"

A young girl in green suddenly cried out in pleasant surprise, drawing everyone’s attention. Zeng Anmin subconsciously looked over and saw a delicate and pretty girl running toward them, her face beaming with joy as she looked at Shen Jun.

"It really is you, Young Master! You’ve returned from prison!"

Under Zeng Anmin’s gaze, Shen Jun looked a bit awkward. He rubbed his nose and said rather respectfully, "This is my personal maid, Zhenzhu."

Looking at Zhenzhu, Zeng Anmin felt a twinge of sourness in his heart. Just look at the beauty of someone else’s personal maid. Even if she wasn’t peerless, she’d easily score an eighty out of a hundred. Then look at those buck-toothed, flat-nosed maids in his own courtyard...

He thought, "Dad, when will you come to your senses?!"

"Mm." Zeng Anmin nodded expressionlessly and looked toward Zhenzhu. "Was she at the scene when the crime occurred?"

Shen Jun immediately shook his head. "She was not. If she had been, my defense wouldn’t have been so feeble."

"Oh." Zeng Anmin instantly lost interest.

The main hall served as the mourning hall. Three months had passed since the murder, and the place had long lost its original appearance.

It wasn’t long before a group of people hurried over. There were both old and young. Upon seeing Shen Jun’s return, some wept tears of joy, some remained silent, and naturally, some looked gloomy. It was a true display of human nature’s myriad facets.

Zeng Anmin didn’t even need to open his mouth before the Red-clothed Guards stepped forward to "negotiate" with the Shen family. The Shen family quickly agreed to temporarily hand over the mansion’s main hall for the Observation Department officials to investigate.

Soon, two teams of Red-clothed Guards entered the main hall, rummaging through everything with a cacophony of CRASHES and THUDS. Anyone who could become a Red-clothed Guard of the Observation Department had undergone the most rigorous foundational training. They searched with extreme proficiency, leaving no corner unturned.

Zeng Anmin crossed his arms and took the opportunity to carefully observe the surroundings. Before long, his gaze landed on the martial arts training ground in the courtyard right in front of the main hall. All eighteen conventional weapons—swords, spears, sabers, and halberds—rested on the racks.

"Someone in the Shen Mansion practices martial arts?" Zeng Anmin asked, raising an eyebrow at Shen Jun.

"Yes. Leading a fleet naturally comes with many dangers. Learning martial arts for self-defense is a basic requirement in our line of work."

"Do you practice as well?" Zeng Anmin asked, pointing at the weapon racks.

"No, these were used by my uncle. Unfortunately, his aptitude was poor. After barely reaching the Entry Grade, he made no further progress." Shen Jun sighed at the mention of his uncle, his expression turning somber.

"I see." Zeng Anmin nodded thoughtfully. He then shifted his gaze to two servants clad in coarse clothing. "Are you the two servants who were guarding outside the mourning hall when the crime took place?"

Having been in the Observation Department for two days, Zeng Anmin had already perfectly inherited the authoritative air of an official. His face was as dark as still water, and his voice was stern, exuding an imposing presence.

"To answer you, sir, yes, it is us." The two servants exchanged a glance before trembling as they approached him. They knelt and kowtowed first.

"Let me ask you this: at the time of the murder, did either of you hear any commotion?!" Zeng Anmin narrowed his eyes, placing one hand behind his back with a solemn expression.

The two quickly replied from the ground, "We were standing guard at the hall doors.

"Apart from the young master, no one else came to the mourning hall... As for sounds, we didn’t hear anything at first. Right before the young master came out, he raised his voice and said a couple of sentences, but we didn’t catch what he said..."

The two awkwardly glanced at Shen Jun beside them. Seeing no reaction from him, they looked back at Zeng Anmin. Their answers were practically identical to what was recorded in the case file.

Zeng Anmin shifted his gaze away from them. These two had no motive for the crime either. Madam Shen had not been sexually assaulted before her death. Most importantly, these two had other witnesses. There were quite a few servants in the Shen Mansion, and those who had gotten up during the night had indeed seen these two dozing off against the pillars at the entrance to the main hall.

"Reporting to Clerk Zeng, we found no hidden passages or mechanisms." Before long, the two teams of Red-clothed Guards emerged, and their leader bowed to Zeng Anmin to report.

"None?" Zeng Anmin’s heart sank slightly.

"None," the Red-clothed Guard nodded firmly. "Furthermore, there are no traces of recent renovations."

The implication was clear: it was impossible for the killer to have returned and sealed up a pre-existing secret passage.

"A locked-room murder..." Zeng Anmin’s gaze slowly fell upon the main hall as he silently pondered. He then looked at Shen Jun. Shen Jun, with his slightly thick eyebrows, was watching him nervously, his fists clenched tight.

Zeng Anmin slowly closed his eyes and began to meticulously recall all the clues, murmuring softly, "Shen Jun has no motive, and his suspicion isn’t great. The two servants didn’t have the time to commit the crime and have alibis..."

"Heh."

A soft chuckle rang out, interrupting Zeng Anmin’s muttering. Zeng Anmin opened his eyes and found Xu Yunfeng looking at him with a face full of smiles.

"You are mistaken, my good brother. How is Shen Jun’s suspicion not great? And how can you be so certain he has no motive?

"You must remember that when judging a case, your stance must remain neutral. You cannot favor any side; otherwise, it is irresponsible to the deceased and a desecration of your own abilities."

His tone was gentle, but the words themselves were laced with thorns, making them extremely grating.

"Does Right Clerk Xu have any thoughts?" Zeng Anmin raised an eyebrow, looking at him calmly.