Chapter 8, Homicide
Originally, a case of death that was uncertain whether it was a suicide or a homicide did not require the county magistrate Han to personally make a trip. However, since this was the first case of death he encountered after taking office, Han immediately went to Xiaoshui Village to personally investigate after receiving the report. Now, he is just waiting for Lu Wu to bring the coroner over to conduct the autopsy.
Just as Lü Wu was hesitating, suddenly another constable rushed over and, upon seeing him, shouted: "Brother Wu, County Lieutenant Han urges you to quickly bring the coroner over; the autopsy must be conducted today"
Xiaoshui Village is not far away, located at the southeast corner of Bianhe Town. There is a tributary of the Bian River there, which facilitates irrigation, leading to the formation of several villages along the river. Xiaoshui Village is situated at the lowest point downstream. The village is not large, consisting of only a few dozen households. Originally, it was just a quiet little village, but today, the tranquility of the village has been shattered by a murder case.
Generally, matters of suicide are not handled by the authorities, as the governance of local officials in ancient times was relatively weak. As long as no one reports the incident, even if someone has died, it would not attract any attention.
"Wu Ge, something terrible has happened. A murder has occurred in Xiahe Village, and the county magistrate Han has ordered you to take the coroner to examine the body!" The young constable rushed into the mortuary, saw Lu Wu, and immediately shouted loudly.
"You? Stop messing around, what do you, a child, understand?" Lü Wu was taken aback by Li Zhang's words, and then replied somewhat impatiently. Although Li Zhang's father was a coroner, he spent most of his time gambling recklessly and had never taught Li Zhang anything related to the profession. Moreover, given Li Zhang's young age, Lü Wu did not believe that he had such abilities.
Now is not the time to think about these matters. Lü Wu led Li Zhang through the crowd to the scene of the incident. However, before Li Zhang could see the body, a young official stormed over in anger. Yet, it was not this young official who caught Li Zhang's attention, but rather a person following behind him, who was also sizing him up at that moment
"Going to Kaifeng County? That's too far, and County Lieutenant Han is already waiting in Xiaoshui Village. This round trip will take at least a day. What if County Lieutenant Han gets angry by then?" The yamen runner, upon hearing Lu Wu's words, once again showed a troubled expression. After speaking, he glanced at Li Zhang, for if Li Zhang's father were present, he wouldn't have to work so hard.
While walking, Lü Wu inquired about the murder case from the messenger officer, and Li Zhang listened quietly. According to the messenger officer, the deceased was a villager from Xiaoshui Village, named Liu Da. He had been doing business outside and had just returned home yesterday, but today he was suddenly found dead in the woods behind the village, having hanged himself.
"Uncle Wu, from what I just heard in your words, it seems that the new county magistrate Han has just taken office, and being young and impetuous, he might be eager to make a name for himself by targeting others. We are indeed very grateful for the care you have shown our family, but after all, it would violate the rules of the yamen. If Magistrate Han were to find evidence against you, he might really dare to take action against you. If it were to cause you trouble because of our matters, I fear that both Li Er and I would feel guilty for a lifetime." Li Zhang spoke again in a calm manner.
Li Zhang had difficulty walking, so Lü Wu had a constable carry him. Li Zhang also reminded Li Er to take good care of the house, and only then did he leave home with Lü Wu and the others, marking his first departure from Bianhe Town.
As for the last fast unit, its responsibilities are the most extensive and varied, including investigating cases, capturing thieves, patrolling the streets at night, and collecting rents and taxes, which is comparable to the police and urban management, as well as tax authorities in later times. The fast unit is divided into mounted and foot patrols, as both have the duties of investigating cases and capturing thieves, hence they are collectively referred to as catchers in later times. However, strictly speaking, the mounted patrols focus more on police duties, and Lü Wu is the head of the mounted patrol in the fast unit. Now that a murder has occurred, he naturally must be present.
In addition to the harsh social environment, the local natural environment is equally severe, with various infectious diseases emerging one after another. This is also the reason why Li Zhang and his company conduct business in the area. Li Zhang does not trust the local doctors' skills, and coupled with the needs of the business, he has self-studied a considerable amount of medical knowledge. When colleagues around him experience headaches, fevers, or injuries, they generally turn to him for assistance
Upon seeing Lu Wu's agreement, Li Zhang finally revealed a pleased expression. However, when he heard the term "Da Lang," his face inevitably fell, as this title easily evokes thoughts of that individual surnamed Wu known as "Da Lang." Nevertheless, he also understood that "Da Lang" is a common term used by elders or peers to refer to the eldest son in the family, and since he happens to be the eldest son, it is not incorrect to call him Da Lang.
Hearing this, Lu Wu could not help but darken his expression. There were only two forensic experts in the yamen; aside from Yang, the only other one was Li Zhang, that gambling addict's father. However, he had been mingling in various casinos for years and was now hiding due to his debts, and it was still unknown where he had run off to
"Alright, Dawang, come with me. Let's go meet this Han County Magistrate!" Lu Wu finally made a firm decision after some hesitation. He originally did not want to cause trouble, but if the other party truly regarded him as a soft persimmon to be squeezed, then he would not hold back. After all, he had not been idle all these years. As for whether Li Zhang could complete the autopsy, that would be best. If he could not, then he would confront the other party, even if it meant risking his position as the leader; he would still make sure to show them some color!
Although Lü Wu still had some doubts about Li Zhang's abilities, he understood that Li Zhang's analysis was indeed correct. The newly appointed county constable was eager to establish authority during this period, and as the county constable, he was in charge of public security and criminal apprehension, making him Li Zhang's direct superior. It would be exceedingly easy for him to deal with such a minor figure as a mere squad leader.
Wu Ge, you have been away these past few days, so you are unaware that Yang Wuzuo helped carry a coffin a couple of days ago. Unfortunately, an accident occurred, and he was struck, causing him to cough up blood. Now he is unable to even get out of bed. The messenger from the yamen said with a troubled expression that Wuzuo can be considered a member of the yamen, but he usually enjoys a great deal of freedom. They are only called upon for matters such as autopsies, and in their spare time, they take on various odd jobs, such as assisting with funerals, to supplement their household income.
However, the deceased's brother did not believe that his elder brother would commit suicide, because according to him, his elder brother had returned home yesterday and had a drink with him. Moreover, he was very happy and told him that he had made a considerable amount of money in business outside, even asking him to find someone to prepare for the renovation of their old house. As a result, just one night later, the other party committed suicide, which clearly does not conform to common sense, so he rushed to report the case to the county office
Has Yang Wu notified him? Tell him to hurry to the autopsy. This new Han County magistrate is young and impetuous, and he is a newly appointed Jinshi. We cannot afford to provoke him!" Lu Wu said as he stood up, preparing to go to the river village
"What a damn misfortune, I just got back and encountered a murder case!" Upon hearing this, Lu Wu slammed the table again, causing the already burdened table to creak once more, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.
It is worth mentioning that Li Zhang is also a detective enthusiast; he has watched nearly all forensic novels and television shows. Of course, the content in novels and television should not be taken literally, but at least it has provided him with considerable knowledge in forensic science. Additionally, he has self-studied a significant amount of medical knowledge, so he believes that taking on the role of a coroner should not pose any issues, especially since the techniques of coroners during the Song Dynasty were quite primitive. Song Ci was a person from the Southern Song Dynasty, and the "Record of Washing Away Wrongs" had not yet appeared. Moreover, Li Zhang has also read the "Record of Washing Away Wrongs," and he feels that his skills should not be inferior to those of Song Ci, an ancient figure.
Before long, Li Zhang and Lu Wu finally arrived at Xiaoshui Village. A considerable number of villagers had already gathered outside the woods behind the village, among them were a few constables. However, upon seeing this scene, Li Zhang felt a sinking feeling in his heart, for there were no warning lines or similar measures in place; the villagers could come and go as they pleased. It was likely that the scene had long been compromised, which led him to question the investigative work of the Song Dynasty once again. How could the officials solve cases without even this basic common sense? The absence of any warning lines or similar measures allowed villagers to freely enter and exit, suggesting that the scene had likely been tampered with, which made him doubt the investigative capabilities of the Song Dynasty once more. How could the officials solve cases without even this basic common sense?
The officials in the yamen are generally divided into three categories: the Zhuang class, the Zao class, and the Kuai class. Among these, the Zhuang class is not commonly established; it is only temporarily convened from local strongmen during emergencies. The Zao class is responsible for standing guard for the county magistrate and serving as the ceremonial escort, akin to the individuals seen in later television dramas shouting "Mighty" when the county magistrate ascends the hall. They sometimes also serve as executioners.
Although Li Zhang was not a forensic doctor in his previous life, he was somewhat related to the medical field, primarily working in pharmaceuticals. When he had just graduated, he felt that being young meant he should take some risks, and coupled with his desire to earn more money, he ended up being dispatched by the company to that dreadful place in Africa. The salary was decent, but it came at the cost of his life, especially since the area where he was stationed was constantly in turmoil, with an extremely harsh social environment where robbery and gunfire were almost a daily occurrence.
Upon hearing the words of the bailiff, Lu Wu could not help but darken his expression. There were only two coroner officials in the yamen, and Yang, the coroner, was seriously injured and spitting blood. Han County Lieutenant could not possibly be unaware of this, yet he insisted on urging him to bring the coroner over, clearly intending to make things difficult for him. After all, everyone in the yamen knew that the Li Zhang family was under his protection, and it seemed that the other party was indeed intent on targeting him.
How can one know without trying? After all, I am the son of a coroner, and I have learned some things through observation and experience. Li Zhang detected a hint of wavering in Lu Wu's tone, and he couldn't help but reveal a confident smile as he spoke.
"But you don't understand autopsy, and you're so young; what use would it be for you to go?" Lu Wu felt somewhat moved by Li Zhang's words at first, but soon he still expressed some doubt.
I will first go to the Water Village, you go to the yamen and ride back quickly. If County Lieutenant Han blames me, I will take the responsibility! At this moment, Lü Wu gritted his teeth and said. He originally did not want to offend County Lieutenant Han, after all, he is a reputable scholar of upright character. Although he appears to be well-connected as a squad leader, his actual status is quite low, even inferior to the clerks in the county office. Therefore, if the other party truly holds him accountable, he would likely be unable to escape the consequences. After all, he is a reputable scholar of upright character. Although he appears to be well-connected as a squad leader, his actual status is quite low, even inferior to the clerks in the county office. Therefore, if the other party truly holds him accountable, he would likely be unable to escape the consequences.
In this way, you should quickly go to Kaifeng County to borrow Xu Wuzuo!" Lü Wu hesitated for a moment, and finally made a decision, saying that Kaifeng Prefecture governs several counties, and both Kaifeng and Xiangfu are capital counties, with much interaction between them
"Uncle Wu, if it really doesn't work, I will accompany you!" However, at that moment, Li Zhang suddenly spoke calmly, stating that the reason why he and his sister could reside in the charity house was primarily due to Lu Wu's protection. Therefore, he did not want to put Lu Wu in a difficult position. Moreover, it was merely a matter of examining a corpse, and Li Zhang felt that it should not be too challenging for him