The Secret Chamber

"Huh?" Liang Yue was startled by the sound.

Are you guys at the Ministry of Justice really this sloppy with your investigations?

Seeing Ling Yuanbao's excited look as if she had found the real culprit, he quickly explained, "I did indeed bring my brother to meet with Lord Zhen just now, but he was understanding and didn't dwell on the dispute between my brother and his son. He let us leave after a few words. It was just some conflict between juniors, why would we brutally murder Lord Zhen?"

"No one knows what happened in this study, but if you were the last ones to leave this study, and no one else could have entered afterward, your suspicion is definitely the greatest," Ling Yuanbao rested her chin on her hand, thinking seriously as she said, "As long as the Zhen family hasn't lied, there's almost no other possibility."

"Wait..." Liang Yue raised his hand to stop her thinking.

If he weren't involved, thinking from a deductive perspective, he might also reach this conclusion.

Zhen Xiaohao, kneeling in the courtyard, served as a monitor, ensuring that no one entered or exited through the main door after they left; the windows in the study were tightly closed and latched, showing no signs of forced entry, indicating that no martial artist had broken in through the window; and the Five Spirit Hounds hadn't smelled any scent, indicating that no demons, evil spirits, or Qi Refiners had used divine abilities.

With all other possibilities eliminated, it seemed the remaining one was the only answer: the two brothers who left last were the murderers!

But he was involved.

He knew clearly that when the two of them left, Zhen Changzhi was still alive and well!

"Officer Ling, may I examine the scene?" Liang Yue took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "I understand your suspicions, but my brother and I truly have no motive to kill Lord Zhen. Let me examine the scene, perhaps I can find clues that prove our innocence."

"What do you mean?" Ling Yuanbao looked at him with unfriendly eyes, "Are you doubting the capabilities of our Ministry of Justice?"

"Yes," Liang Yue nodded.

The current situation looked very bad. If he didn't try hard to fight for it, the brothers might be taken away for investigation. The person who died was a sixth-rank official, a major matter that would reach the Emperor's ears. If the Emperor put some pressure on the Ministry of Justice, they might resort to some means if they couldn't find the real culprit...

So, while he had the chance, he still wanted to investigate the case himself to see if he could find any useful clues.

"Huh?" Ling Yuanbao's eyes widened. She hadn't expected the other party to admit it so frankly, openly expressing his contempt for her. She was instantly a little choked up with anger.

You're a bit too frank, aren't you?

"Hahaha, we of the Imperial Capital Guard certainly respect the Ministry of Justice. However, since Officer Ling wants to take my brother away, you'll have to convince us," Along with a hearty laugh, a broad figure flashed out from outside the door.

At the critical moment, Hu Tiehan, the Subordinate Guard officer from the Fukang Ward station, finally arrived.

"Brother Hu..." Liang Yue looked over.

Although he usually said Hu Tiehan was petty or something, in front of outsiders, he was definitely protective of his subordinates and wouldn't easily abandon his brothers. The other party's timely arrival also gave Liang Yue a little more confidence.

"Hey," Hu Tiehan waved his hand, signaling him not to panic, and continued, "Liang Yue is the most promising Subordinate Guard in our station. He just recently apprehended a Nine Yang spy. You can't just arrest such a meritorious talent. You have to let us of the Imperial Capital Guard investigate as well."

"He apprehended a Nine Yang spy?" Ling Yuanbao looked at Liang Yue again, slightly surprised.

The words "Nine Yang spy" held extraordinary significance in the current Yin Dynasty. Anyone who could achieve such a merit would naturally be looked upon differently.

"If Officer Ling doesn't believe me, you can inquire at the Evil Extermination Bureau," Hu Tiehan said.

"Alright," Ling Yuanbao turned around, making way, and pointed with her hand, "Then I'll allow you to come in and observe, but you are not allowed to damage any evidence, otherwise this officer will immediately apprehend you!"

Liang Yue nodded lightly, then stepped into the study with a serious expression.

This was his second time entering this room. When he came earlier, he never imagined he would be caught up in something like this.

His gaze began to sweep up and down the study, observing every item.

There was nothing much to see outside; it was still the same furnishings and that wall, looking no different from when they arrived.

Under the watchful eyes of several Ministry of Justice constables, he lifted the bead curtain again and saw Zhen Changzhi's corpse and the crime scene.

The corpse's eyeballs bulged, blood vessels burst, and its eyes were filled with terror. There were soft purple marks on the neck, indicating that the real cause of death was clearly not hanging.

The rope used for hanging was a section of gold-threaded red silk, which looked like a very luxurious fabric and was indeed of good quality.

There was a book on the table. When they first arrived, Zhen Changzhi was reading a letter and then covered it with this book, seemingly keeping it very secret.

Liang Yue stepped forward and saw that the book was titled "Records of Tongtian Tower Construction". He wanted to move the book to see what was underneath, but just as he reached out, he heard a thud.

Ling Yuanbao held her palm flat, and her scabbard spun in the air before hitting the table, saying, "Do not touch anything."

"I won't move," Liang Yue smiled. "Then I'll trouble Constable Ling to move this book."

Ling Yuanbao stepped forward and moved the book, only to see that the space underneath was empty.

The letter was gone.

Liang Yue had a question in his mind, but the urgent matter now was not this, but who killed Zhen Changzhi?

If the current situation was correct, then after they left, this study became a locked room. To solve it, the simplest way was to start with the surroundings of the locked room.

If Zhen Xiaohao was lying...

It was unlikely. It concerned his most important father. Even if he had a grudge against Liang Peng, he wouldn't frame him forcefully, unless the murderer was himself.

He was beaten today and had to kneel as punishment when he returned. In such a strict family atmosphere, it was not impossible for something like "filial piety exploding like thunder" to happen.

However...

Liang Yue glanced at Zhen Xiaohao, whose face was pale and purple from excessive grief and who looked like he was about to faint, and shook his head. Leaving aside whether he had the guts, he couldn't even beat Liang Peng, so he definitely didn't have the ability to kill his father.

Shattering a person's throat bone with a single finger without damaging the skin and flesh requires extremely strong control over internal energy. Even Liang Yue, a first-realm martial artist, couldn't do it that easily.

The murderer was likely of a higher cultivation level than himself.

So there was no problem with the main door, the problem was with the window?

The window latch was intact and inserted, absolutely undamaged. The first people to enter here were the Zhen family, and it was impossible for them to secretly hook the window latch.

Liang Yue crouched down, observing the subtle details of the window frame. After carefully looking around, he lowered his head to look at the footprints on the ground. Unfortunately, too many people had entered before and after, destroying the dust marks on the ground.

"Sigh..."

Liang Yue sighed. He couldn't ask too much of the people of this era, even the professional Ministry of Justice personnel.

As if pulled by a string, he kept crouching and looking at the ground, then lifted the bead curtain and came outside. Finally, he straightened up and looked up at the roof above.

Then.

Liang Yue suddenly smiled with relief.

Ling Yuanbao watched him frown at times and smile at times, thinking he was scared and not in a good state of mind, so she said softly in a gentler tone, "If you really can't find any clues, just come back with us for investigation first. There's no need to waste time here. Believe me, if you are truly innocent, the Ministry of Justice will never misjudge."

"No need," Liang Yue waved his hand, staring intently upwards, and said, "I already know how the murderer committed the crime."

"Oh?" Everyone present immediately focused their gaze on him.

"Huh?" Ling Yuanbao blinked blankly.

You just walked around like that, what do you know?

"After the two of us left, Zhen Xiaohao indeed didn't see anyone entering or leaving through the main door. This point should be correct..." He murmured, "All the window panels inside the room were tightly shut, with no signs of forced entry, and no demons or Qi Refiners... This study is a complete and utter locked room."

"What happened here is a locked-room murder case."

Liang Yue turned around, facing everyone, his voice clear and loud. He raised a finger and pointed, "There is only one truth! The one who let the murderer in is him!"

I started working again and had insomnia. I haven't slept well these past two days, only falling asleep after 5 AM the day before. But to maintain stable updates and not deplete my saved drafts so early, I still persevered and wrote two chapters despite feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

I will continue to persevere and work hard until I move myself!

(Brothers who are moved to tears can cast a vote. I'm kowtowing.)