Chapter 3, This Wonderful Insight
There is also a formidable opponent in the shadows, who, upon realizing that Huo Qubing had discovered the issue, immediately severed the clues for further investigation
The man said solemnly: "The Soul- nurturing Jar? You used that jar to kill Liu Huai with the spirit of the vengeful soul, and you left the breath of life within him?"
"Are you saying that the smell is toxic and caused Liu Guanzhang's death?" Qu Jun asked
It is said that he is still an illegitimate child
The illegitimate child of the Huo family nearly discovered my existence through some means, and then he found himself involved with the women of Liu Huai.
Qu Jun brought back a woman with a pale complexion and a mole on her left cheek
The man said: "The aura you left in Liu Huai's corpse may have already revealed your whereabouts!"
This time, Qu Jun and Yue Raoxin accepted the order without questioning the reason and immediately turned to go to the back residence to fetch the person
Qu Jun and Yue Rao could not help but feel a sense of awe; the key was that Huo Qubing was able to clarify the sequence of events with such speed, leaving even these seasoned veterans of case handling feeling inferior.
She is merely an accomplice
I, that spirit of the jar, have once attacked and killed masters beneath the heavens, yet I did not expect to be suppressed by him
How do you know
Huo Qubing thought for a moment and continued, "Go and bring Liu Huai's first wife as well"
Lieutenant Colonel's Office, Study.
Once again, Huo Qubing turned his head to look out the window, pondering:
The woman opened her mouth in silence, her face a mixture of shock and horror, as pale as a corpse
Yue Rao's gaze similarly first fell on the woman's face and the hair at the back of her head, a fleeting look of surprise crossing her face, her reaction akin to that of Qu Jun
The fragrance you discovered is a mixture of incense made from stack incense, green osmanthus, water chestnut fragrance, and other materials, and is not the flavor I mentioned
The man hesitated somewhat, remaining silent.
Her face was purple and swollen, her tongue protruding, and there were finger marks around her neck. Upon closer inspection, it was evident that she had strangled herself. Her hyoid bone was completely collapsed and shattered, indicating the intensity of the force used and the brutality of her death
The jar likely contained a certain type of specially bred insect beast, small in size. Upon emerging from the jar, it followed the scent to this room. At that time, Liu Huai was already unconscious, and it is highly probable that the insect crawled into his body through his nasal cavity, damaging his brain and causing his death
"Is the lady-in-waiting the suspect in the murder of Lieutenant Liu?" Qu Jun asked respectfully
Huo Qubing had just sent out his spiritual perception to observe the surroundings, and he could ascertain that Liu Huai's legitimate wife was still well in the inner courtyard. However, by the time he retracted his spiritual perception and engaged in conversation with Qu Jun and others, the woman had already died
Xia Jie was unconvinced: "Although that illegitimate child has some means, he has dissipated the aura of the vengeful spirit and erased the mark within Liu Huai's body, preventing me from calculating through the corpse any longer
Have you ever noticed a faint fragrance in the room
This woman is Liu Huai's second wife, who has been manipulated mentally, becoming an accomplice, and now has become a scapegoat
"Master Huo, what should we do next?" Qu Jun humbly sought guidance.
On the same street as the lieutenant's residence, someone has been secretly observing the changes here throughout the night
The residence became unusually quiet
The woman's voice is hoarse, with a heavy sense of friction, which evokes an inexplicable feeling of oppression and is very uncomfortable to listen to
If it were simple, there would be no need for the two of us to join forces
"And Tu Shu Xia Jie, you are too bold." The man frowned.
Huo Qubing said: "The scent you speak of is precisely to mask another kind of odor"
Then the insect crawls out again, retracing its original path, thus achieving a trace-free exit
When conducting affairs near Chang'an, one must always exercise caution
Liu Huai was lured in advance by a fragrance similar to the incense burning in the room, which was placed on him by someone close to him. When he entered this room, the incense and the scent on his body blended together, creating another aroma that diffused invisibly, ultimately leading to his being schemed against and resulting in his death
The woman curled her lips slightly: "At that time, I urged Liu Huai's corpse to exhale a breath of energy, wanting to test him.
Only Liu Huai was killed, and this is no small matter. Last night, a person came from the lieutenant's residence. I secretly urged the dead to open their eyes and took a glance from a distance; it was a young man. Comparing this with the information we received from that side, it should be the nephew of the current Grand General, who is always by the Emperor's side.
The man shook his head slightly: "It seems that the difficulties we face on this journey are greater than we anticipated"
Huo Qubing: "This study is itself a meticulously designed trap; Liu Huai has already been schemed against upon his return here."
"I have been here for quite some time, yet you have not shown yourself. Are you checking if there is anything behind me?" The woman said with a light laugh, "You are indeed cautious"
The man who appeared later asked: "How is it?"
Has the clue been lost
The woman initially appeared relatively calm, but under the gaze of Huo Qubing, she seemed to endure torture, gradually beginning to tremble, her eyes filled with terror
Yue Rao's gaze was filled with anticipation
Xia Jie gently persuaded: "With the two of us and the books, if we act together, there will definitely be no mistakes. This is a great opportunity
Under the powerful insight and perception, although the other party's methods are strange and secretive, they are not without traces
She calmly removed her coarse cloth garment, revealing a light blue deep robe underneath. Her complexion was slightly yellow, with a round face and an average height
In Chang'an, noble families often burn incense within their residences, a practice that dates back to the royal family of the Former Qin, and is quite extravagant
After the sky brightened, an elderly woman, of unremarkable appearance, emerged from another residence in the same block. She proceeded to the marketplace in the southern part of Chang'an City, seemingly a servant who had come out to procure some items.
Huo Qubing pondered that my mental strength could indeed instill fear in others, making it difficult for them to resist
However, the two had just gone out and then turned back: "Lieutenant Liu's wife has just been found, dead, with blood flowing from her mouth and nose, as if she had hanged herself out of guilt."
The other party dares to kill important officials in the court, indicating that their ambitions are certainly not small, and it cannot simply be for the sake of murder. The urgent task at hand is to uncover the individuals behind this.
Qu Jun and Yue Rao speculated that death was caused by the odor, which indeed could render the body completely unscathed, as if in a deep sleep.
You can rest assured, I made ample arrangements before I came out, employing a decoy. Even if someone secretly noticed the several residences around the Northern Army Lieutenant's residence, they have already been lured away by the bait I released, and they will never find me.
Ultimately, this figure stopped at a location where the terrain could be observed from a distance, which was precisely where the person was leaving the city.
The woman said calmly, "I used the Soul Nurturing Jar"
Recently, there have been multiple cases of murder in Chang'an, yet they have remained unsolved.
Xia Jie said leisurely: "On my way here, I came up with a new idea. The illegitimate child's uncle and *Tu* Shuwei Qing were able to defeat the Xiongnu, and he himself is working beside the emperor. If we find an opportunity to use the Soul Binding Technique on him to influence and control him, whether to scheme against Wei Qing or the emperor, it would be greatly beneficial for us. What do you think?"
The man asked directly: "Did Lieutenant Liu Huai of the Northern Army die?"
He is able to gain the favor of that emperor, which naturally indicates he possesses certain means. What method did you use to kill Liu Huai?
Trap
The profound and inscrutable abilities of Huo Qubing have already earned the respect of the skilled investigator under the command of this Chief Justice.
She waited silently for a moment, and then another person walked out not far away
If I take action myself, can I still allow him to continue living
As dawn broke, the officers and secret guards gradually withdrew from the residence of the lieutenant of the Northern Army, which had been under investigation and sealed off throughout the night
Qu Jun and Yue Rao exchanged a glance, unable to contain their emotions. From the woman's reaction, it was clear that what Huo Qubing had said was entirely accurate
Huo Qubing's actions this time had almost caught the tail of the person behind the scenes, but it came to an abrupt halt due to the death of the individual
Meanwhile, at the hour of巳 (around 9 AM), another figure dressed in a blue coarse cloth robe emerged from the southern gate of Chang'an, making their way at a leisurely pace to a remote area. Suddenly, their speed increased sharply as they blended into the mountains and fields, disappearing in the blink of an eye
As Huo Qubing finished speaking, the woman seemed to lose all her strength and collapsed to the ground
He glanced at the woman not far away, her gaze unfocused: "She is the one burning incense in the room, trying to mask the smell. That pottery jar is the weapon used to store the victim's belongings, but it was not originally in her possession; the real murderer intended to frame her. She had only recently discovered the jar in her room and, in her shock, hid it under the couch."
In the undulating hills of the barren mountains, a figure swiftly glides close to the ground.
Well, Liu Huai is not an ordinary person. I anticipated that his murder would cause quite a stir, so I made some arrangements in advance... I did not expect that the illegitimate child would be able to uncover clues so quickly, but fortunately, I reacted swiftly
Liu Huai's first wife and his death are evidently closely related
He was chosen by us, but it is only unfortunate for him. Once the matter is resolved, I will grant you the promised benefits
Xia Jie declared proudly: "Absolutely not. Once the aura of the wandering soul was exposed, I immediately ended the life of Liu Huai's wife... How could they possibly trace it back to me? It is just a pity that I lost a trace of the wandering soul's essence.
Then Lieutenant Liu ... ...
At that time, I could still feel the intense fear of the spirit within the soul jar, and I did not dare to confront it. Do you know what means could be so powerful?
... ...
She strolled along the street, seemingly unaware of the shadowy guard following her from behind
Qu Jun and Yue Rao beside him spoke in unison: "After we arrived, we did not neglect the investigation of the scent. The room is filled with a fragrant aroma, which is derived from the refining of herbs and plants. Upon examination, the issue does not lie here."
Since I have decided to take action, I will not fail
The other party is dressed in a brown long gown with a curved hem, appears to be middle-aged, has a slightly slender build, and wears their hair tied up in a crown.
However, he still lacks a bit of refinement in finding me
That illegitimate child was indeed able to break my soul technique, which was somewhat unexpected
No, the scent merely induced him into a state of slumber; his true cause of death was... the damage to his soul.
Not long after, a woman in her forties was carried in from outside the door. She had a slightly elongated face and was dressed in luxurious garments of dark green and deep brown. She was the deceased Liu Huai's legitimate wife