There is a god in the sky

Chapter 246 Beauty Bones 6

Xiao Ji perked up and asked his father, "What were the names of those martial arts sects? Did the imperial court arrest everyone after they were wiped out?"

"It was just a gang. They arrested a few leaders, and the rest of the members dispersed. As for their names, it's been too long, I can't remember."

Master Xiao was not interested in this matter.

He was just saying it casually.

"It may not be related, don't mislead you."

Master Xiao left with his hands behind his back, occasionally finding it somewhat interesting to watch his son investigate cases.

But these one difficult problem after another was really tedious, and he wasn't willing to rack his brains.

Shen Lan and Xiao Ji exchanged a glance. She said, "Let's assume that Ding Yousheng is a practitioner of evil martial arts. He captured Miss Li to practice his skills, but because he had taken on a job, he didn't have time to do it."

Then he had an accident at Vulture Peak Mountain, so the person who injured him and the person who killed him to make his mummified corpse might not be the same person.

"In other words, that person is still a suspect."

They couldn't understand how a scholar could kill a martial artist.

However, it makes sense if the martial artist was already seriously injured.

"There may be quite a few evil gang members like Ding Yousheng hiding in the streets."

If they can return to the lives of ordinary people, that would be fine. But if they continue to practice evil arts, then there will be more than one woman who will be murdered.

Shen Lan thought with a headache: In this era, news is scarce. If you live in a city, what happens in the east may never reach the west in your entire life. It is too difficult to gather information from multiple sources.

"Could our Provincial Judicial Office set up a branch in each district?"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Ji was completely confused.

Shen Lan carefully explained to him: "Sir, think about it. Relying on just one government office means limited manpower and official positions. Sometimes, even handling a small case requires running around like crazy."

Suppose each of the four districts (east, west, south, and north) has a subordinate office of the Provincial Judicial Commissioner. They can handle minor cases independently on a regular basis and also help gather information. If a major case occurs, the four districts could work together through the Provincial Judicial Commissioner, greatly improving efficiency.

"The method is good, but setting up a new government office is not a simple matter."

Where there are government offices, there are officials and officials, which involves a wide range of matters and cannot be resolved by a mere judge.

“Suiying has some friends in the underworld. I’ll ask them to help me inquire. Maybe we can find someone who knows Ding Yousheng.”

"What kind of place is the martial arts world?" Shen Lan had also longed for it.

If she survives after avenging herself, she will also want to roam the martial arts world and live the carefree life described in books.

But in reality, there is no peace anywhere.

"People in the underworld act as they please, unrestrained by the law, and many commit murder, robbery, rape, and kidnapping."

Unfortunately, they were homeless and skilled in martial arts, making it difficult for the authorities to apprehend them.

"Is there no way for the government to control the organizations in the martial arts world?"

"The legitimate sects give the imperial court some face, but there are always some shady gangs, like the cults that were wiped out back then. Their ambitions are not small."

"Unify the martial arts world?" Shen Lan's mind was full of martial arts novels.

"No, it's aimed at the whole world."

"..." His ambition is indeed great.

"Sir, if we want to investigate a case from more than ten years ago, we may need to investigate more things related to that time. People don't start killing randomly for no reason; perhaps they are doing it for something."

Just like the massacre of Guli Town back then, it was because someone wanted to obtain the Shen family's medicine formula.

The murderer killed and processed the corpse; surely he couldn't have liked mummified corpses?

She had seen necrophilia, but she had never heard of mummies.

Xiao Ji fell into deep thought. If that person was the murderer, what would he want to get?

Is there anything in this world that he can't have?

He joked, "It's not like it's for the sake of immortality, is it?"

It's not only emperors who want to live forever; ordinary people also want to live forever, but they don't have the means to do so.

As the emperor's father-in-law, Tong Shanchang had countless disciples and was not lacking in power and money, so achieving immortality was not impossible for him.

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere." Xiao Ji went inside to change into his official robes, then led Shen Lan out.

Their destination was Jingzhao Prefecture.

The scrolls and archives collected here are the most complete, covering almost everything that has happened in Bianjing City since the founding of the Daxi Dynasty.

Xiao Ji only said that he wanted to investigate some old cases from more than ten years ago, and Lord Chen generously took him to the archives.

A dozen or so minor officials were in charge of this place; some were taking notes, while others were organizing things. They were very busy.

"Lord Xiao, please go to the third floor. The documents you wish to consult from about fifteen years ago are all on the third floor."

"Thank you."

Upon reaching the third floor, all I could see were boxes.

"These are all on this shelf. Please take your time looking around, and if you need anything, please call me."

"it is good."

Shen Lan casually pulled out a scroll and said to Xiao Ji, "How long will it take to read all of these?"

Xiao Ji turned around and tossed a booklet to her, saying, "Look at this, put the one you're holding back."

Shen Lan took the booklet and found it was a record of Bianjing's weather. What could this have to do with the case?

“My father said that the capital suffered a severe drought that year. Some people in the court said it was because cults were rampant and causing chaos in the world, which is why Heaven refused to send down rain.”

Moreover, the prevalence of cults led many people to neglect their duties in pursuit of their beliefs, which depleted the imperial treasury. This is why the government sent troops to suppress the cults.

Later, several key figures of the cult were captured alive, and under severe torture, the man confessed.

It turns out their leader has blood ties to the former dynasty's royal family, and he founded the cult to incite more people to follow him and overthrow the Great Xi Dynasty.

"What about those heretical cultivation methods? Why would they include methods that use a woman's virginity for practice?"

Xiao Ji coughed and said with a slightly flushed face, "I've never seen it either. Maybe it's just a cult's way of buying off its followers."

Shen Lan thought about it and agreed. For men, the greatest temptations are either money or beautiful women.

Cults offer their practices to women, so naturally, the women are willing to follow their leader wholeheartedly.

Shen Lan quickly found the date of the severe drought in Bianjing City fifteen years ago.

If you do the math, it's been from autumn sixteen years ago until the following spring that Bianjing (Kaifeng) hasn't had a proper, refreshing rain.

Such a drought has directly affected spring planting.

Although it wasn't mentioned in the booklet, it's easy to guess that at the time, public sentiment was unstable, and cults took advantage of the situation to recruit followers and spread their evil practices.

She had just closed the booklet when Xiao Ji handed her a roster.

Turning to the first page, one is immediately struck by the list of those awarded for their contributions in the bandit suppression campaign.

The first in line is the mighty General Qian Yongyi.

"Qian Yongyi is Qian Tai's father."

Shen Lan looked up and asked curiously, "Is Qian Tai the one Sun Wei mentioned who bought the exam questions in advance and passed the exam?"

"Ah."

Xiao Ji thought to himself: It seems I have to meet with Qian Tai.