Chapter 008: Matters in the Forest on a Scorching Summer Day, the Master’s Wise Words Enlighten Me as a Student

Upon hearing the master's astonishing words, Luo Yu suddenly raised his head to look at the master who was analyzing the case. At that moment, the master extended his withered index finger and said: "Although Captain Zhao shows me respect, how can he entrust official matters to an old man like me? This is the first point; secondly, such an obvious matter is understood even by an illiterate farmer, so how could Captain Zhao arrive at such a foolish conclusion? Thirdly, the yamen runners, upon hearing this conclusion, showed no signs of surprise, but rather all seemed to agree deeply. Do you know why?"

"Esteemed villagers, may I borrow the path to have a look?" The gentleman inquired from outside the circle, his voice not loud, yet each word resonated in the ears of the crowd

Hmph! I believe it must be a plot to rob and kill...

Upon seeing Master Qian, Captain Zhao's eyes immediately lit up, and he exclaimed with a face full of eagerness: "So it is Master Qian, you are also here? That's wonderful, truly wonderful. With you here, I have nothing to worry about. Your esteemed reputation and moral standing are well-known, and in this case, I shall certainly follow your arrangements and guidance."

"Look at this person dressed in all white, it is inauspicious... inauspicious..."

Looking at Qian Ling'er, who was puffing her cheeks and pretending to be angry, he cast aside his worries and smiled. He ran towards the silhouette under the setting sun, shouting with all his might.

I am certain it is a homicide

Luo Yu looked up at the Master with a sense of frustration and helplessness. The Master, Qian, spoke gently: "To know oneself and to understand when to advance and retreat is commendable. However, I want you to understand that when you are weak, there are certain matters beyond your control, and thus you must endure and conceal your abilities. How can the actions of a gentleman be swayed by the wisdom of a mere commoner?"

Upon seeing the imposing demeanor and presence of the constables, the crowd was somewhat convinced and fell silent to observe, so as not to disturb Captain Zhao in solving the case. Listening to the words of the constables, Luo Yu turned to look at Captain Zhao, who was currently examining and investigating with great seriousness. Noticing the captain's authoritative expression and the occasional glimmer of brilliance in his eyes, there was hope that he was a capable official, and they decided to wait and see...

In a concise manner, the Master smiled and led Qian Ling'er forward. Meanwhile, Qian Ling'er waved her small pink fist at Luo Yu as a warning, the implication of her 'threat' being quite strong

As the crowd urged him on, the atmosphere instantly became chaotic and noisy. However, Captain Zhao cast a barely noticeable sidelong glance at the crowd, then frowned and walked towards the corpse, simultaneously glancing at the constable accompanying him.

Are you here, Er Niu? Do you think that just because your name has the character for 'cow' in it, you are impressive?

At that moment, a sudden voice from outside shouted: "Silence!"

Qian Fuzi seemed to have anticipated his actions, and thus smiled to clarify: "The constable entrusted with the task has no other intention, but rather does not wish to bring trouble upon himself. He understands the actions of the strong, yet knows his own limitations, which is why he seeks to avoid disaster; however, since avoidance is impossible, he resorts to jesting to establish a conclusion, for the sake of self-preservation. Looking down, the soldiers of the central county have no strategies to employ, let alone the constables and catchers."

Seeing that Luo Yu understood his meaning, Master Qian nodded and clarified: "Now that you comprehend this principle, I shall speak of the murder case at hand. At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary homicide, but in reality, it is not so."

Qian Ling'er, seeing that he did not listen to his grandfather, felt a surge of anger and stepped forward, delivering a kick to Luo Yu's right foot. Leaving Luo Yu, who was grimacing in pain, she hurried after Qian Fuzhi. Luo Yu furrowed his brow, hesitated for a moment, and then, enduring the pain, silently followed behind, limping.

Ah...

Dead! Indeed, it is a dead person! As the pungent stench of decay filled the air, and seeing the flies buzzing and swirling incessantly, Luo Yu felt a sudden upheaval in his stomach.

With a sigh, Master Qian turned and left behind an aging silhouette, staggering towards Peach Blossom Village. Listening to that long and distant sigh, Luo Yu truly felt the hint of disappointment from the master at this moment. In a daze, the master, who was moving forward unsteadily, seemed to have aged considerably once again.

As the master moved away, Luo Yu quickly approached from behind, his gaze returning to the long sword. He noticed that three characters were indeed engraved on the blade, but they were covered by fine, intricate cracks, rendering the inscription unclear and partially eroded, making it impossible to discern. Seeing this, he furrowed his brow and began to observe the deceased alongside the master. Just then, a heavy sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from behind.

... ...

Luo Yu turned back, looking at the Master with confusion, but the Master merely shook his head slightly, clearly disallowing him to approach for a discussion. Glancing at the young man who had died from the sword, he furrowed his brows, a resolute look flashing in his eyes, and once again looked questioningly at the Master, who continued to shake his head in denial.

At this moment, Luo Yu and Qian Ling'er were walking home, following their teacher. Luo Yu was deep in thought, feeling confused and discontented, with a hint of shame and displeasure, while Qian Ling'er was sulking, frustrated about having missed an exciting part of the experience

Is it a homicide, a robbery, or a revenge killing? Captain Zhao, could you please provide an explanation

Upon thinking of this, Luo Yu respectfully replied: "In response to the teacher, appearances are easy to observe but may not necessarily reflect the truth; the intricate details within are often the key, yet they are not easily perceived"

The constable, upon seeing Master Qian, hurriedly approached with a warm smile to lead the way and greet him: "Oh my! Is this not Master Qian? It has been a long time since we last met, please come this way."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd was in an uproar! The officials, on the other hand, either looked impressed or were filled with admiration. Luo Yu looked up and saw that the master maintained his usual expression, remaining silent and showing no signs of disturbance. However, he was utterly shocked, standing there in disbelief. "What the hell, did I hear that wrong? This is suicide? And the motive is not wanting to live! Damn it, no wonder there are no difficult cases... and what kind of inference is that? Is this even a matter for inference? Is this an insult to my intelligence? The motive is not wanting to live! Damn it, no wonder there are no difficult cases... and what kind of inference is that? Is this even a matter for inference? Is this an insult to my intelligence? This time, 'entering the world' has truly broadened my horizons! He simply could not tolerate such a mindless conclusion, and as he was about to step forward to argue, he was held back by the master who pressed down on his shoulder!

Luo Yu turned around to take a look and saw that the newcomer was over seven feet tall, with a robust and powerful build resembling that of a tiger's back and a bear's waist. His face bore an extraordinary and imposing demeanor. He wore a hat made of chicken feathers and had a finely crafted broadsword hanging at his waist. At a glance, he recognized that this person was indeed the head constable Zhao, as mentioned by the yamen runners.

To everyone's surprise, it was Master Qian! They quickly made way and bowed in respect. As the Master walked forward slowly, he did not forget to remind Qian Ling'er to stay outside the crowd. Seeing this, Luo Yu suddenly turned around and flashed a grin at Qian Ling'er, then proudly stepped forward, following the Master like a little adult.

This young man is remarkably youthful, what a pity for this handsome youth

At this moment, his gaze was resolute, and he showed no signs of retreat. In his view, the Master had always been the person he respected and cherished the most, not only because the Master treated him like a beloved grandson or nephew, but also due to the Master's virtuous character. ... Yet now, for some unknown reason, he felt a sudden emptiness in his heart ...

Luo Yu was momentarily perplexed, but the surrounding citizens were urging impatiently, saying: "I say, why aren't you investigating the case more quickly?"

The clamor of the crowd instantly fell silent

Captain Zhao shouted loudly, his booming voice could be heard from a mile away

Is it possible... if not, I will come...

Before Luo Yu could finish speaking, Qian Ling'er stood in front of him and warned, "There is, there is, there is, there is your big-headed ghost. If you make Grandpa angry again, Ling'er will never pay attention to you again."

"Captain Zhao, this is a matter of life and death, could there be a mistake?" Unexpectedly, it was not the learned scholar who spoke up, but rather these simple, illiterate commoners who were unwilling to remain silent and began to inquire one after another, instantly enveloping him in a sense of shame.

The scholar retracted his finger and silently gazed at him, while he suddenly realized that he had indeed overlooked many important details! Upon this thought, a look of regret appeared on his face as he pondered slightly and spoke: "I believe that this case should be attributed to the bandits mentioned in the previous announcement by the constables to the village, and the constable captains were already aware of this matter. However, knowing they were powerless to intervene, they arrived at this absurd conclusion. As for why they did not report the truth, perhaps Captain Zhao and others have been bribed by the bandits!"

Qian Fuzi then sighed, saying: "The way of dealing with the world is nothing but fate. To accept it as it is, is why those who understand fate do not stand beneath the rock wall"

The attendant beside him nodded slightly, then raised his head, puffed out his chest, and proudly admonished the crowd: "Do not make a fuss or act recklessly. What do you all know? Let me tell you... there has never been a case that has posed a challenge to our Lord Zhao. So open your eyes wide and watch closely!"

Uh ... wow ...

I went, had I known, it would have been better to stay outside with Ling'er, this little body of mine is suffering... After a bout of dry heaving, it took quite a while to calm the food that had already been mostly digested but was still fiercely protesting in my stomach. Once I regained my composure, I exhaled a breath of foul air, wiped away the tears and sweat from the corners of my eyes, and with my large sleeves covering my nose, I secretly watched again.

... ...

Qian Fuzi spoke as he withdrew his gaze from the distant sky and looked at him again, his expression becoming a bit more severe. Luo Yu felt an inexplicable urge to retreat. However, when he thought of the young man in white who had died tragically, along with the Zhao surname constable who mocked the common people and the sycophantic officials, his heart was suddenly filled with indignation. He clenched his fists and stared directly at his teacher, who felt particularly unfamiliar today, and said stubbornly: "As the teacher says, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. How could I, as a disciple, not understand this principle? But what danger is there in the matters of the forest?"

"Er Niu, you don't understand anything; this is definitely a vendetta"

Thinking of that sword with unclear inscriptions, Luo Yu hurriedly rushed in front of the teacher: "Teacher, there is still something missing, that sword. The sword has ... ... "

Cough cough! Um~ Zhao the head constable cleared his throat and reprimanded the crowd, saying: "Silence, silence!"

That is ... ...

Qian Fuzi, upon hearing the voice, silently turned around and looked at the eager-faced Zhao Butou. He merely smiled slightly and then waved his hand to decline, saying: "Matters of capital punishment are under the authority of Zhao Butou. As an old man from the countryside, how can I overstep my bounds? This is not in accordance with the law, please."

However, Qianfuzi remained unmoved, quietly standing and observing. Looking at the deceased youth and the sword embedded in his chest, he slightly furrowed his brow, casually flicked the sword, producing a crisp sound, and then shifted his gaze to another direction.

As the surroundings returned to calm, he nodded with great satisfaction and said: "This case has reached a conclusion, ahem ~ If my deductions are correct, this young man must have... committed suicide! His motive must be that he no longer wished to live!"

Do not act rashly, follow me to take a look.

Such silence lasted for a moment, and finally a long, deep sigh emerged! Luo Yu's heart trembled slightly, as if sensing a faint hint of disappointment from this sigh!

Qian Fuzi looked at his struggling and flickering eyes. Seeing that he had not spoken for a long time and had finally fallen silent, he contentedly stroked his grizzled beard and called out: "Xiao Yu"

After speaking, without waiting for the embarrassed Zhao Constable to respond, he pulled Luo Yu to one side, clearing the way. However, Zhao Constable did not go to examine the corpse; instead, he followed the teacher closely, showing respect and flattering him with smiles. This left Luo Yu confused, as he glanced back at the corpse and then at the smiling Zhao Constable, wondering to himself, 'Why is this constable not in a hurry to investigate the murder case, not even taking a look at the deceased, yet is so attentive to the teacher? I truly do not understand what he is trying to achieve with such behavior.'

Luo Yu looked up at the Master and said stubbornly: "Disciple does not dare to defy the teacher, but this is clearly a case of murder. Why does the teacher remain silent? With the teacher's prestige, how can... ... But, if silence is what you prefer, then the teacher does not allow the disciple to speak frankly. Is this what the teacher teaches me about the way of a gentleman? To engage with the world and observe it?"

Just at that moment, Luo Yu had not yet had the chance to observe his surroundings when he suddenly frowned, "The stench! A beast's corpse? Impossible! With so many people... Could it be!" As he speculated in his heart, he tilted his head forward to take a look, and his pupils suddenly constricted.

At that moment, Qian Ling'er saw Luo Yu still standing there in a daze and shouted in complaint, "Hurry up, you miser."

Yet Master Qian gradually slowed his pace, gazing at the distant Qingqiu mountains shrouded in mist, and said: "The image of the universe is vast yet sparse, the five elements maintain their constancy! ... ... From one to two to three, continuing into the myriad, preserving cause and effect and following the sequence. The enlightened act upon the cause and know its effect; if one does not understand the preceding cause, how can one arbitrarily determine the effect?"

The deceased appears to be a youth of no more than twenty years, dressed in a white long robe, with a three-foot-long sword piercing through the heart. The young man is covered in blood, his eyes wide open in death. It can be surmised that the sword wound to the chest is the fatal injury.

Qian Ling'er, looking panicked, tugged at the corner of his clothing and urged, "Xiao Yu..."

Luo Yu believed that his analysis, although bold, should not be far from the truth. As he spoke, he followed the master, who waved his hand and said: "On the contrary, you have overlooked the first point. If what you say is true, then the captains and others would not have entrusted public matters to me."

The Master’s words instantly negated Luo Yu's previous excuses, yet at the same time, he became even more confused

As the voices of discussion grew louder, the scene began to appear chaotic and noisy

At that moment, someone shouted a question loudly, and Luo Yu quickly turned to look.

However, Luo Yu angrily shook off and turned back to look at the Master again, his youthful face filled with anticipation.

At the moment when Qian Ling'er was venting her dissatisfaction alone, the two had already arrived among the crowd

At that moment, he vaguely noticed that on the blade, near the guard, there seemed to be three characters engraved! Just as he was about to take a closer look, the figure of the master happened to pass by, obscuring his line of sight, while the voices of the surrounding crowd also reached his ears.

Luo Yu gazed at the silhouettes of the grandfather and grandson under the setting sun, looking up to the sky and sighing, "Indeed, why think so much? The teacher treats me as a close relative, and Sister Ling Er is the same. The teacher's foresight and wisdom are beyond my reach. Therefore, I should humbly seek guidance to achieve success and give back to my family, so that my journey here is not in vain"

As he spoke, Qian Fuzi bypassed Luo Yu, then skillfully shifted to the side and moved forward, blocking the two individuals as he headed towards the crowd in the woods

After the Master finished speaking, he fell silent. Luo Yu could only follow behind, pondering the events, the people, and the things that had occurred. Reflecting on it all, the Master's words seemed reasonable. But... no! The sword!

Seeing this, Qian Ling'er pouted and squatted down beside her, starting to trample on the surrounding flowers and plants, her anger unabated as she said: "Stinky Little Yu, I ... ... "

Listening to the words of the master, Luo Yu truly felt that the teacher no longer resembled a scholar at this moment. His words did not seem like the knowledge from books, but rather resembled the teachings of the Dao of longevity from the mysterious sect. Could it be that in this world, the pursuit of fame and fortune is based on such matters, rather than the discussions of sages found in books?

He actually understands that the Master is using this as a teaching moment, pointing out that he does not observe carefully, only knowing the surface but not the essence, and that failing to notice the subtle details is the crux of the matter

A group of constables hurriedly drove the crowd back to maintain order, saying: "Fellow villagers, please disperse, the head constable Zhao has arrived!"

At that moment of gloom, Master Qian paused, silently gazing at Luo Yu and asked: "Do you think that I should not stop you? Should I remain silent in the face of such absurdity?"

Before the half incense stick had burned out, Captain Zhao had already returned with a hand resting on his broad sword, striding confidently, while the constables hurriedly approached with smiles. The onlookers were all filled with anticipation, their eyes fixed on the now self-assured and composed Captain Zhao, while continuously inquiring.

Indeed, waiting in this scorching heat is quite frustrating

Wait for me

As for what the outcome will be, Luo Yu, who has been taken away by the Master, is unaware. Reflecting on the events just past, he cannot help but admire the simplicity of the common people, who dare to act and speak with clear distinctions between right and wrong. In contrast, he, as a person who studies the teachings of sages, feels ashamed and inferior.

Halfway through the conversation, it was abruptly interrupted by the irate and fuming Qian Ling'er. After glancing at Qian Ling'er, and then at the smiling teacher before him, Luo Yu slowly lowered his hands and exhaled a breath of frustration. At the same time, he pondered, "Indeed, even if I know what the character is, and know who the culprit is, what use is it? The authorities dare not reveal the truth, and what can a mere child like me do? It is beyond my control, and it would only implicate the teacher and Ling'er. So be it, so be it."

Ah!