The Murder Was Your Doing

"Teacher Liu, this is the tuition fee for my younger brother and me."

Zhong Lin led Little Shi forward and respectfully bowed to Teacher Liu.

The purpose of earning money was to learn to read, and learning to read was for practicing martial arts. That order could not be changed. So, after breakfast early that morning, the two of them had come to Teacher Liu's place South of the City to become his students and learn their letters.

Teacher Liu was a middle-aged man in his forties, thin as a reed, with hollow cheeks and a meticulously groomed tuft of beard beneath his chin. Dressed in a long azure robe, he carried such a scholarly air that people could not help but respect him.

Teacher Liu glanced at the silver and pork on the table, then nodded. "At your age, you still admire The Way of the Sages. Not bad. Did you bring your writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone?"

"We did."

"Good. Go take your seats."

"Yes."

Zhong Lin led Little Shi into the classroom and consciously took seats at the desk in the very back.

The classroom had been converted from Teacher Liu's home. The desks and chairs were arranged in three rows across and six rows deep, enough for only eighteen students when full.

The moment Zhong Lin and his brother entered, they drew everyone's attention. A string of snickers immediately rang out from the room.

Most of the students learning to read were little children, with the oldest only eight or nine. Who had ever seen someone like Zhong Lin, already fifteen or sixteen, coming to receive a child's basic education?

"Ahem!"

At the soft cough, the little turnip heads in the classroom immediately sat bolt upright, their eyes staring straight ahead.

"Now we will begin reciting. I will read one line, and you will repeat it."

"Yes, Teacher."

"Heavenly stars, sun and moon, their paths entwined as they race through the sky..."

"Heavenly stars, sun and moon..."

Teacher Liu's teaching method was simple. First, they memorized the words. Then he taught them how to write them. Finally, he explained their meanings.

In short, it was rote memorization.

Naturally, it was agonizing for the little children, but Zhong Lin was filled with joy. What he lacked now was a systematic way to learn the writing of this world.

They learned ten characters over the morning, then began practicing writing them, stroke by stroke.

"System."

With a flash of light, a semi-transparent System Panel appeared before his eyes.

Host: Zhong Lin

Skills: Archery (Max Level), Flying Locust Stone (Max Level), Three-Dimensional Painting (Max Level), Calligraphy (Beginner)

Skill Points: ∞

Seeing the word "Calligraphy" appear on the System Panel, Zhong Lin did not know whether to laugh or cry.

I haven't even learned all the characters yet, and I've already unlocked calligraphy. No, I'll pay more this afternoon and see whether Teacher Liu can give me some extra lessons.

As he pondered, he casually raised Calligraphy to max level. His sea of consciousness trembled, and countless memories flooded into his mind. When he looked at the book in his hands again, though he still did not recognize the characters, Zhong Lin knew how to write each one so that it would look more graceful and pleasing.

At noon, with Teacher Liu's declaration that class was over, all the students rushed from the classroom like wild dogs breaking loose from their leashes, howling all the way.

Zhong Lin also led Little Shi in a respectful bow before making his way back to Sweet Water Alley.

As they passed East Market, he bought an old goose, intending to stew it when they got home.

These past few days, Zhong Lin and Little Shi had never lacked rich food. At last, flesh had begun to grow on their bodies, and they were no longer as skinny as bamboo poles.

They had barely entered Sweet Water Alley when they ran into a neighbor carrying water. Thanks to Little Shi, everyone in the alley now knew the two brothers.

"Da Linzi, what were you two doing all morning? Men from the yamen came by and left word for you to visit the yamen this afternoon."

Zhong Lin feigned confusion. "Aunt Jiang, what happened? Early this morning, I took Little Shi to Teacher Liu's house to pay our tuition fee. Why would the yamen come looking for me?"

"Ah, don't be scared. It's just routine questioning. Someone died last night—three people all at once, from what I heard. They robbed them of money and defiled the women too. Those damned beasts could have just robbed them, but they had to violate another man's wife right in front of him. They're not even human."

Aunt Jiang was in her forties and lived next door to Zhong Lin. She never held back when she spoke. She even told Zhong Lin how Qin Yong's wife had been killed while bent over the table, how her chest had been bitten, and how her lower body had been...

Her description was so vivid it felt as though she had been there herself. Zhong Lin was left stunned, even wondering whether, after he had left yesterday, some other thieves had slipped inside.

Zhong Lin: "..."

"Aunt Jiang, have they found the murderer?"

"Found my ass. It rained so hard last night—who knows where that bastard ran off to? After one rain, they couldn't even find a footprint. Otherwise, the yamen wouldn't be coming here to make routine inquiries. Find time to go this afternoon. I told them you'd gone out to buy something," Aunt Jiang said.

"Thank you, Aunt Jiang."

"Da Linzi, have you thought over what I told you the day before yesterday? My sister-in-law's neighbor's daughter is quite pretty. Big breasts, big hips—one look tells you she's fertile. And she doesn't mind that you two brothers have no parents..."

"Um, Aunt Jiang, I suddenly remembered I haven't brought in the clothes I hung out to dry. We'll talk next time, next time."

With that, he grabbed Little Shi and fled home as though running for his life. When they entered, he even looked around like a thief, checking whether Aunt Jiang had followed them.

"Second Brother, I think Aunt Jiang has a point. Why don't you just give in?"

Little Shi snickered.

Thump!

Zhong Lin rapped Little Shi on the head with a hard knuckle. "You still dare laugh at your second brother? Go write each character Teacher Liu assigned ten times."

"Okay!"

After lunch, Zhong Lin headed toward the yamen as if nothing had happened.

Just as Aunt Jiang had said, yesterday's rain had washed away every trace. With the investigative methods of ancient times, trying to identify him from among all the residents of Black Mountain County was harder than climbing to the heavens. What was there to fear?

"What do you want?"

Zhong Lin stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute. "Sir, I live in Sweet Water Alley. My name is Zhong Lin. When an officer came to question me today, I happened to be out. I've come to report in now."

The young yamen runner looked Zhong Lin up and down, then waved a hand. "Go in and turn left. Don't wander around."

"Yes."

Zhong Lin cupped his hands again, then entered through the side door. Following the path paved with blue bricks, he soon reached the place the yamen runner had indicated. Several dozen people were already waiting ahead of him.

Zhong Lin quietly joined the back of the line and listened closely to the questioning coming from inside. They merely asked whether people had gone out the previous night, whether they had seen any strangers, and other simple questions. Once they had answered, a checkmark was made in a register, and they were waved out.

Zhong Lin inwardly relaxed. He spoke to no one and simply waited at the back of the line.

Half an hour later, it was finally Zhong Lin's turn. He stepped inside.

There were three yamen runners in the room. The one asking questions was a middle-aged man. Beside him sat a bored young man, while an old man recorded everything.

"Last night's murders were your doing, weren't they?"

The moment Zhong Lin entered, the middle-aged yamen runner dropped a bombshell.