Thorough Investigation

Two days had passed since Wang Xiaolong's death. Just when Lin Qing thought the matter had been completely turned over, people from the Martial Suppression Office came specifically to his small courtyard to summon him.

"Xie Chen, Lord Centurion summons you to the main hall at once to discuss matters!"

Though Lin Qing was puzzled, he still straightened his clothes and hurried toward the Martial Suppression Office's main hall.

Zhao Feng had summoned more than just Lin Qing. At this moment, everyone who had gone to the Wang Lineage that day was present in the Martial Suppression Office's main hall.

The moment Lin Qing stepped into the hall, he saw Zhao Feng seated in the seat of honor. On the guest seats to the left sat a familiar, graceful figure.

It was Wang Qingwan.

Wang Qingwan wore plain-colored robes today, her brows tightly furrowed. Her lovely face was shrouded in deep gloom and frost, while grief, indignation, and unwillingness that could not be dissolved hid in the depths of her beautiful eyes. There was none of her usual gentleness left.

Once everyone had arrived, Zhao Feng, seated at the head, slowly spoke.

"Everyone, you all went to the Wang Lineage that day. Now, there has been a new development regarding Wang Xiaolong's death."

He first explained the purpose of gathering everyone here today, then continued.

"On the night of that day, Miss Wang invited a highly experienced elder to examine Wang Xiaolong's cause of death once more. The result was completely different from our previous findings."

"The main cause of Wang Xiaolong's death was a chronic poison, one that had to be administered over a long period before it would take effect. Therefore, Miss Wang focused her suspicions on Wang Xiaolong's personal maid, Chun Tao."

"After some torture, the maid named Chun Tao finally broke. But she only claimed that Wang Xiaolong had previously harshly scolded and humiliated her, so she harbored resentment and secretly retaliated."

"Such testimony did not convince Miss Wang. In the end, she set her sights on her second uncle, Wang Huai'an."

"According to Miss Wang, ever since her father died in an accident, Wang Huai'an had constantly coveted the position of Wang Lineage head. However, the old patriarch later designated Wang Xiaolong as the next head."

"Wang Huai'an was indignant. He had secretly tripped up the siblings on many occasions, and Miss Wang possessed solid evidence of this."

"Miss Wang achieved little from interrogating Chun Tao, so she eventually informed the old patriarch."

"Though the old patriarch had his suspicions, Wang Huai'an was currently the Wang Lineage's only Third-Tier Martial Artist aside from himself. For the sake of the Lineage's continued existence, he was unwilling to pursue the matter further."

At this point, someone voiced their confusion.

"My lord, since Old Patriarch Wang intends to let the matter rest, why have you summoned us here today? What other instructions do you have?"

This was, after all, a world of martial arts. Under Summer Kingdom law, if a conflict was internal to a Lineage or faction, that force had the right to handle it itself. If no one reported it to the authorities, the government had no need to interfere further. This matter should have been completely over.

At this, Zhao Feng's lips curved into a faint smile, and his gaze shifted to Wang Qingwan, who sat silently beside him.

"The Wang Lineage's old patriarch may be willing to compromise and endure, but that does not mean everyone in the Wang Lineage is willing to swallow their hatred and let it go."

"As Wang Xiaolong's full-blooded elder sister, Miss Wang Qingwan is a relative of the victim in this case. She is unwilling to see her younger brother die in vain while the true culprit roams free. Today, she personally came to our Martial Suppression Office to formally submit a complaint and report the case, insisting that we investigate it thoroughly and restore the truth."

"That completely changes the nature of this matter."

Zhao Feng's tone abruptly became more solemn, a faint trace of official authority spreading from him.

"Internal disputes may be handled by a Lineage itself. But now that a relative of the victim has personally reported the matter and petitioned the authorities, this case is no longer Wang Lineage business. It is a homicide case under the Martial Suppression Office's jurisdiction—a major case. We have the right, and the duty, to forcibly intervene and investigate it thoroughly. We will never allow it to be hastily concluded or the true culprit shielded."

Then he swept his gaze across the hall.

"The general direction of this case is already clear. The only problem now is how to make Chun Tao and Wang Huai'an confess. Does any one of you have a solution?"

Wang Qingwan added, "And his son."

For a moment, everyone in the hall looked at one another. Wang Huai'an was a Third-Tier Martial Artist, while many of them had not even reached the First Tier. The difficulty was beyond imagination.

The hall fell silent for a time. No one spoke. Wang Qingwan suddenly rose to her feet, first cupping her hands toward Zhao Feng before sweeping her gaze over everyone in the hall and saying, "If any of you can obtain justice for my younger brother, everyone present today will receive a generous gift from my Wang Lineage. At the same time, whoever can make Wang Huai'an and the other two confess, I, Wang Qingwan, am willing to reward them with ten thousand gold."

The atmosphere in the hall immediately grew heated. Ten thousand gold was already an astronomical sum to those present. The Wang Lineage truly deserved its reputation as a first-rate martial arts family.

But the task was still far too difficult. For a while, no one stepped forward.

Lin Qing was tempted. He was desperately short of money right now, and abundant cultivation resources lay within reach. He did not want to miss this chance.

After pondering carefully for a moment, Lin Qing stepped forward, instantly drawing everyone's attention. His expression was solemn and his posture straight. He deeply cupped his hands toward Zhao Feng, his voice ringing with firm resolve. "This subordinate, Xie Chen, is willing to give it a try!"

Seeing that someone had finally stepped forward, Zhao Feng immediately nodded in agreement and said, "Wang Huai'an's cultivation has already reached the Mid-Third Tier. His strength cannot be underestimated. If you need anything from me during the investigation, speak freely. I will give you sufficient support."

Lin Qing had long since formed a thorough plan. Hearing this, he remained calm and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your trust, my lord. For now, I only ask that you immediately dispatch people to the Wang Lineage and bring that maid, Wang Huai'an, and his son back to the Martial Suppression Office for strict confinement."

"After they are imprisoned, no one is to visit them or pass them messages for two days. Do not use any methods to interrogate them. After two days, I will question them myself and ensure the truth comes to light."

He was merely an unknown nobody now. For the reward of ten thousand gold, he had no choice but to step forward, even if it meant rashly boasting. If he truly failed to settle the matter when the time came, he could only run away.

Lin Qing's arrangement seemed rather baffling—arresting without interrogation, imprisoning without investigation. It completely went against the usual rhythm of handling a case.

Zhao Feng was slightly stunned upon hearing this, unable to guess Lin Qing's intentions. But Zhao Feng was broad-minded and forthright by nature. Since Lin Qing's every word had rung like struck metal, Zhao Feng simply decided to let him show what he could do. It was only two days, after all.

Thus, he immediately nodded in assent.

"Good! I will see to it at once."

Over the next two days, the Martial Suppression Office strictly followed Lin Qing's instructions, holding Wang Huai'an, his son, and the maid under tight confinement. No one visited them, and no one interrogated them.

Meanwhile, using those two empty days, Lin Qing frequently entered and left the Wang Lineage under the official authority of a Martial Suppression Office investigator.

He did not contact the relatives or friends of the three prisoners, nor did he alarm the Wang Lineage's higher-ups. He merely kept a low profile as he visited countless lowly servants, laborers, personal maids, and guards on duty throughout the residence.

These lowly servants held humble positions and rarely took part in the Lineage's power struggles. Their minds were simple, and their words contained less bias and concealment. They often revealed the most genuine and detailed hidden truths.

Lin Qing questioned them patiently and recorded everything one by one: Wang Xiaolong's daily routine, social dealings, temperament, and character before his death; the recent whereabouts, words, expressions, and past conflicts with Wang Xiaolong of Wang Huai'an and his son; as well as the usual disposition, conduct, grudges, and entanglements of the maid who had confessed.

Every tiny, scattered clue was gathered, combined, and sorted through by him.

Countless fragments of information converged and intertwined. Layer by layer, he drew silk from a cocoon, cast away the false, and preserved the true. In just two days, Lin Qing had already formed a rough understanding of the matter.

All that remained was to interrogate the three of them and make them confess with their own mouths.