The officials around Longwind Prefecture had long grown accustomed to an easy life, and their response was naturally sluggish.
A murder certainly merited some attention, but their ability to investigate left much to be desired. The prefectural city sent a few constables to examine the scene, and they searched around the little boat and over the corpse.
They found neither a travel pass nor letters or anything else that could establish his identity. They could not even determine whether he was from Longwind Prefecture. In any case, none of the prefectural office's current missing-person cases seemed to involve such an "old man."
Yes, by the time the man died, his complexion had turned ashen, his hair dry and white, and the flesh on his body had withered. He looked mottled and ancient. A cursory examination of his teeth, skin, hair, and nails suggested that he was well advanced in years.
When they discovered a wound on his shoulder that appeared to be poisoned, the constables were positively relieved. There was no need to probe further: this was plainly bloodshed in the Rivers and Lakes. As long as no relative came forward to lodge a complaint, it could be assigned a lower priority.
Thus, less than half a day after arriving, the constables had already reached their conclusion. They reassured the villagers that there was no cause for alarm, then ordered them to burn or bury the body themselves-just find somewhere to dispose of it.
As for taking it back to the prefectural office, the constables refused. The prefectural city was far away, and this was a dispute in the Rivers and Lakes. Why drag a corpse along on the journey?
Naturally, they did take away the small amount of silver that had been on the body.
Believing that the dead