mtl008 Chapter 194 The Blacksmith Shop Murder Case
Chapter 194 The Blacksmith Shop Murder Case
Shi Wanxia chatted and laughed with everyone, and a joyful atmosphere filled the room. Following current customs, everyone stayed up late to welcome the New Year, the flickering candlelight illuminating every smiling face.
Shi Wanxia went back to her room and came out carrying an exquisite box. She took out the New Year's money she had carefully prepared and distributed it to everyone one by one, amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd.
Most of these people came from poor backgrounds, and many of them had never received New Year's money before. They never expected that the first person to give them New Year's money would be Miss Shi.
The people who received the New Year's money were first stunned, then filled with gratitude and joy, some even with tears welling up in their eyes. They all wanted to kneel down to express their gratitude, but before they could even begin, Miss Shi loudly stopped them.
"Have you forgotten what I said? This New Year's money is meant to wish everyone peace and good health every year!" Shi Wanxia looked at everyone sincerely.
Everyone quickly bowed and said, "Yes, thank you, Miss Shi!" Everyone received their New Year's money and eagerly put it into their pockets, keeping it close to their bodies.
Now they have no worries about food and clothing here, they get paid for their work, and they don't have to worry about being sold off or beaten. They never dared to dream of such a peaceful and happy life before, and they have long regarded Shi as a goddess in their hearts.
The girls were all busy making persimmon cakes, rice cakes, and roasted peanuts. Around the campfire, everyone had endless things to talk about, and the laughter and aroma of food created a heartwarming scene.
Shi Wanxia would often tell them strange and interesting stories, which amused them so much that they listened attentively, sometimes exclaiming in surprise, sometimes bursting into laughter.
Time passed by in the blink of an eye, past dawn, and the sky gradually brightened; today was the first day of the lunar month. Shi Wanxia yawned, her eyes filled with weariness, and she gestured for everyone to go back and catch up on some sleep. But everyone was as energetic as if they'd been injected with adrenaline, all saying they weren't sleepy at all.
"Sister Shi, today is the first day of the lunar month. According to tradition, we should set off firecrackers, eat dumplings, and eat rice cakes. No one can take a nap during the day!" Shuyun said with a smile. Shi Wanxia scratched her head awkwardly, realizing she had almost forgotten this custom.
Just then, there was a knock at the gate. Chen Ping'an hurriedly went to open it. Upon opening the door, he saw the head constable with a serious expression. He quickly bowed and asked, "Is this Miss Shi's residence? I am the head constable of the county government. This morning, someone reported a murder at the blacksmith shop in the north of the city. The county magistrate and the county assistant are not here. I have come to request Miss Shi to come to the scene for investigation, as required by law. Please inform me."
Knowing the gravity of the matter, Chen Ping'an did not hesitate and immediately brought the head constable in.
Shi Wanxia was a little puzzled. Why would the constable come to see her during the New Year? Soon, the constable told Miss Shi about the murder case that had occurred the day before.
Shi Wanxia frowned, the weariness in her eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by a sharp glint. She knew the murder case was serious, especially on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
"Wait a moment, I'll go with you right away." With that, she went back to her room to get her usual forensic tools and hurriedly left with the constable.
When Shi Wanxia arrived at the blacksmith's shop in the north of the city, a crowd had already gathered, whispering amongst themselves. As Shi Wanxia stepped into the shop, a strong smell of blood assaulted her nostrils.
A corpse lay on the floor of the blacksmith's shop—the blacksmith himself. His eyes were wide open, as if he had witnessed a horrific scene before his death. The tools around him were scattered haphazardly, showing signs of a struggle.
Shi Wanxia crouched down and carefully examined the body. She discovered a deep wound on the blacksmith's chest, as if he had been stabbed by a sharp weapon. The edges of the wound were clean, indicating it was a fatal blow.
She searched the surroundings for clues and found some strange footprints on the ground. The footprints were deep and looked like they were left by a special kind of boot.
"Have you found anyone suspicious?" Shi Wanxia asked the head constable. The head constable shook his head. "When we arrived, there were already many people gathered here, and the scene was somewhat chaotic, making it difficult to make a judgment." Shi Wanxia frowned and continued to investigate.
In a corner of the blacksmith's shop, she found a piece of black cloth. The cloth was rough and seemed to have some bloodstains on it. She picked up the cloth, examined it carefully, and began to have some guesses.
Just then, a little beggar ran over and said to Shi Wanxia, "Sister, I saw a dark figure enter the blacksmith's shop last night. The figure was very tall and seemed to be holding something in its hand."
Shi Wanxia thanked the little beggar, pondering to herself. Could this dark figure be the murderer? And why did he kill the blacksmith? Was it a revenge killing or was there another reason? She decided to start her investigation by examining the blacksmith's interpersonal relationships.
After some questioning, Shi Wanxia learned that the blacksmith was an honest and kind man who rarely made enemies, except when he was forging iron. However, he had recently received a large order to forge a batch of special weapons for a mysterious client. Could this mysterious client be the problem?
Following the clues, Shi Wanxia discovered that this mysterious guest always came with his face covered and his whereabouts were very secretive. Near the blacksmith's shop, she found some traces that seemed to be left by the mysterious guest, and these traces had some similarities to the footprints she found at the scene.
Just as she was preparing to investigate further, she received an anonymous letter warning her not to pursue the matter any further, or her life would be in danger.
Shi Wanxia sneered; how could she be intimidated by such a threat? She continued her investigation and discovered that this mysterious guest seemed to be connected to an underground force in the city. This force had been secretly plotting conspiracies, and the blacksmith's death might just be part of their plan.
Together with the constable and others, Shi Wanxia, after a painstaking investigation and tracking, finally located the hideout of the underground forces. After a fierce battle, they successfully brought the murderer to justice and uncovered the truth behind the blacksmith's murder.
It turned out that this underground force intended to use the weapons forged by the blacksmith to rob a wealthy family in the neighboring Laiyang County. The blacksmith discovered their plot, refused to continue forging weapons, and was thus murdered.
Shi Wanxia felt that the blacksmith's death was too suspicious. Without separating from the constables, she, along with Shuying and Lin Yu, re-examined the crime scene. This time, they discovered that the blacksmith's furnace fire was not completely extinguished, and an unfinished piece of iron lay on the anvil, suggesting the blacksmith was still working before his death. Shi Wanxia carefully observed the surroundings and noticed strange footprints on the ground that didn't match the blacksmith's shoes. A thought struck her—could these be clues left by the murderer?
Shi Wanxia followed the footprints and found that they led all the way to the back of the blacksmith's shop. She carefully pushed open the back door and found a small courtyard with a well in it. Shi Wanxia approached the well and looked down; the water was crystal clear and there was nothing unusual about it. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard a slight noise. She turned around alertly and saw a dark figure in the corner of the courtyard.
Shi Wanxia's heart tightened, and she quickly signaled to Shuying and Lin Yu to be careful. She slowly walked towards the dark figure, only to see the figure suddenly turn around, revealing a ferocious face.
Shi Wanxia looked closely and realized it was a strange man. Upon seeing Shi Wanxia and the others, the man turned and ran. Shi Wanxia and the others quickly gave chase and, after a brief pursuit, finally subdued him.
Shi Wanxia brought the man back to the blacksmith's shop. After some interrogation, the man finally confessed to his crime. It turned out that the man was the blacksmith's apprentice, and out of jealousy of the blacksmith's skills, he killed him when the blacksmith wasn't looking.
After listening to the man's confession, Shi Wanxia couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. She knew that jealousy was a terrible emotion; it could make people lose their minds and do things that could never be undone.