Chapter 87: Murder in the Heat of Passion

Di Ying burst out laughing.

With a smile, she explained, “A county magistrate is only human. There are so many people in the county under his jurisdiction; it’s inevitable he can’t keep track of everything. If he comes up against a cunning wrongdoer, solving a case becomes even harder. Let’s not just talk about him—even the high officials in the capital can’t manage to resolve every single case. Magistrate Zhang is a good official, one who ensures the people of his county have enough to eat and warm clothes to wear. That’s far harder than cracking cases.”

“Yes, that’s what I think, too,” Han Da’er nodded.

Those nearby who overheard their conversation all agreed, nodding along. Now that the topic had turned to the county magistrate, everyone had plenty to say—one person after another, voices lively, all praising what a fine official he was.

When the sun slanted low in the sky, everyone finally set down their tools and returned to the village.

Back in the village, there was still work to be done: the stalks of wheat they’d harvested—some cut and some hauled back to the village on carts—needed spreading out, turning over, and threshing under the sun.

Di Ying and her group didn’t follow the others into the village. Instead, after bidding farewell to the villagers who enthusiastically invited them to dinner, they looped around, avoiding everyone’s eyes, and made their way into the forest beside Han Lixing’s fields.

Tonight, they needed to help Han Lixing’s family harvest their wheat as well.

As for their meals, the guards had brought dry rations with them.

So, after helping Han Lixing’s family and then assisting the villagers in racing to get the harvest in before the rain, two days later, Di Ying finally persuaded Han Lixing’s parents to allow the grave of Han Lixing’s wife, Madam Lin, to be opened.

After examining the remains, the villagers’ account was confirmed: Madam Lin had indeed drowned herself.

Speaking of Madam Lin, Han Lixing’s parents wept bitterly, hearts aching and full of regret. They mourned the loss of such a good daughter-in-law; it pained them that she had left her children behind and followed Han Lixing to death.

Their words were heartfelt and sincere, leading Di Ying to rule out the possibility of them lying.

In other words, the possibility that the murderer’s actions were connected to Madam Lin was eliminated.

After Madam Lin was reburied, Di Ying left the children with two books, and the group finally departed Han Family Village for the county seat of Ping’an.

The county town was not large, though its walls were impressively high. There was no entrance tax, and the soldiers guarding the gate were all full of spirit, with cheerful faces. When they saw people carrying, pushing, or pulling heavy loads, they would come forward to lend a hand.

The town itself was clean, and the people didn’t wear much worry on their faces.

The sight lifted Di Ying’s spirits considerably.

The party found an inn and rented a small courtyard to stay in.

All their expenses now were covered by Song Wen, and no one could stop him. As Song Wen put it, “The Capital Prefecture Yamen can’t manage heaven or earth—always running about, never getting anywhere, and yet nothing seems to be all that important. Still, every matter passes through our hands. We never take from the poor, but accepting a little tribute from the wealthy is only fair. Otherwise, with all the social obligations, my whole family would have starved long ago.”

That was Song Wen’s view, and Zhao San and his men said much the same. Although Zhao San’s group belonged to the Imperial Guard, after a house confiscation, their superiors would share out some of the spoils. And such confiscations had only increased in recent years. Just in Wangcai’s own tribunal, several hundred families had been erased from the register in the last two years.

All in all, Di Ying was the poorest in the group. He never stood on ceremony with his own, and at dinner he ate two large bowls of fragrant, spicy torn noodles.

While digesting in the courtyard after the meal, Di Ying asked Song Wen, “These last few days, you’ve seemed deep in thought. Well? Have you figured anything out?”

Though busy, Song Wen had often seemed on the verge of speaking, but Di Ying never brought up anything about the case, forcing Song Wen to puzzle over it on his own. Now that Di Ying finally asked, Song Wen was a little excited.

“We spent two days at Han Family Village, and all we heard was praise for Han Lixing. He never had any feuds or quarrels with anyone. On the contrary, many owed him gratitude. So we can rule out revenge as a motive.

He and his wife were devoted, the children were well raised, and there were no rumors or scandals involving Han Lixing and other women. His wife was blameless too, and in the end died for love. So we can rule out a crime of passion.

That leaves only a killing in the heat of the moment.

Remember what Old Han said? There are fewer shepherds now, but the price of sheep has risen. We all know the ‘meat ban’ targets... well, you know. But after Han Lixing’s death, his flock wasn’t sold off.

His father, unable to tend the sheep, kept them penned and fed them with grass he and his grandsons cut each day. He couldn’t bear to sell them, and the number of sheep hasn’t decreased.

So we can rule out the possibility that the killer was after Han Lixing’s sheep.

My lord, I can’t figure it out. I’ve racked my brains, but I still don’t know—what was the killer’s motive?”

With that, Song Wen let out a long sigh. But just as he began to feel relief, Di Ying’s next words caught him off guard.

“I don’t know either,” Di Ying said.

Song Wen was speechless. “Lord Di, have mercy—help me puzzle this out. I know you want to train me, but I’ve really done my best. If you won’t tell me, at least give me a hint.”

Di Ying smiled and asked, “If you were the magistrate and faced such a case, what would you do?”

Song Wen wiped his face and threw up his hands. “If I’d done all I could and still couldn’t solve it, I’d report it up to the Ministry of Justice.”

Di Ying replied, “So now I understand how so many cases end up piling up at the Court of Judicial Review.”

Song Wen grumbled, “Have a heart—no one else is a match for Di Ying.”

Di Ying replied, “Such high praise—I really don’t deserve it.”

Song Wen said, “Since you’re accepting the compliment, can’t you help me out?”

Di Ying smiled. He rather admired Song Wen’s persistence.

He asked, “Since we’ve searched and searched but still can’t find a motive for the killer to target Han Lixing, what should we look for next?”

“Find Magistrate Zhang Jian of Ping’an County and question him in detail about the case and the officials who handled it,” Song Wen answered without hesitation.

That’s part of the process of investigating a case, and Song Wen certainly understood their purpose in coming to Ping’an. Still, since Di Ying was already in Ping’an yet still quizzing him about it, Song Wen felt a bit confused and quickly added, “You’re asking questions you already know the answers to—are you trying to trip me up again?”

Di Ying replied, “Not at all. We still have to follow proper procedures.”

Song Wen said, “Feels like you’re only telling me half the story. Are you letting me handle the formalities while you go do something else?”