Chapter 4, Forensic Science

Uncle is not at home, and no matter how anxious one is, it is of no use. The only option left is to ask the nephew to take action. Without further ado, he took Song Yang and rushed to the scene of the incident. The young constable followed closely behind Song Yang and, after a hurried pace, curiously asked him: "Aren't you going to ask what kind of case it is?"

Nanli Town, Swallow Flat

At that moment, a voice echoed in the courtyard, cheerful in tone, responding: "When it comes to disturbing the village, how can cats and dogs compare to a knife-wielding official?" Meanwhile, the door creaked as it opened, revealing a young man in a blue robe, appearing to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, with clear brows and bright eyes.

Moreover, Nanli is located in the southwest of the Central Plains, characterized by numerous mountains, wastelands, and countless forests and swamps. Although it is under Han rule, it is home to various ethnic groups including Han, Bai, Miao, Yao, and Zhuang, which often leads to conflicts. In the deep mountains and dense forests, there are also large numbers of barbarian tribes and indigenous peoples who are completely outside the jurisdiction of the imperial court and do not even recognize Nanli as a "country," resulting in considerable chaos. Fortunately, in recent dynasties, the emperors of Nanli have implemented effective governance and have made significant efforts to appease the various ethnic groups, gradually yielding positive results. In recent years, the country has become much more stable.

The sky was still dim, and most residents were still fast asleep. The stone-paved road lay quietly in the small town, enjoying the gentle rain all by itself. Suddenly, two individuals hurriedly approached, walking briskly along the long street. They were dressed as constables, with swords at their waists, wearing black boots, black robes, and black hats, adorned with peacock feathers at an angle on their hats. One of them was over forty, with a corpulent figure; the other had skin so dark that his features were almost unrecognizable, but judging by his slender frame, he appeared to still be a youth.

In comparison, Nanjing falls far behind; this small country, no larger than the size of a palm, has all its people—men, women, and children—combined, and may not even have more than the soldiers of Yan State.

Song Yang was extremely annoyed by him, turned his head to stare at the other party, and then as if he had discovered something, his gaze carried a hint of surprise: "Your face..."

Song Yang closed the courtyard gate and, taking advantage of the moment he turned his back, inserted an inconspicuous blade of grass into the lock. He then said to the middle-aged constable, "I will go with you." In the past, when Doctor You went out to examine a corpse, he would often take Song Yang along. The latter seemed to have a natural talent for this line of work, learning quickly. In the last year or two, for ordinary cases, it was no longer necessary for "Uncle" to intervene; Song Yang could handle the investigations on his own. The small town had been peaceful, and for decades there had been no "extraordinary" cases. All matters of life and death were due to aging, illness, or natural causes, and the coroner merely needed to verify the scene, which was quite easy.

Unexpectedly, this time the middle-aged constable frowned: "Yang, you should call your uncle. This case is unusual; many people have died."

The young constable did not expect that he had his own reasoning, and with a twitch of his lips, he remarked: "It sounds quite plausible; just don't get flustered later on!"

The two officials rushed straight to a courtyard at the end of the street before coming to a halt. The middle-aged man pointed and said to his subordinate, "This is the place."

The young constable widened his eyes and said, "With so many livestock, aren't you afraid of disturbing the village?"

Song Yang answered truthfully: "You will know as soon as you look later, so why rush to ask? Moreover, asking now will inevitably lead to preconceived notions, which will affect your judgment"

Yang Yazi is indeed Song Yang... Dr. You found the "person of the right heart" and simply left the borders of the Great Yan Kingdom, taking Song Yang into the Southern Li, ultimately settling here and leading a semi-reclusive life.

Song Yang was momentarily taken aback: "Is it someone from the neighborhood?" Seeing the constable shake his head in denial, Song Yang relaxed and continued, "It's not that my uncle is unwilling to get out of bed; it's that he is not at home. He left two days ago and has not yet returned."

As soon as the words were spoken, the young constable shouted: "The coroner is also a minor official; how can he leave his jurisdiction without reporting to the yamen!" While speaking, he shook the sword at his waist, as if he could not wait to apprehend the negligent coroner, You.

Mhetushu.com. The middle-aged official is the head of the third class of yamen runners at Yanziping, with the surname Pan. The surname Pan is not a Han surname, but rather a surname of the Yao people. There is no need to ask; Pan Touer is also a Yao person.

The expression of the young constable changed; he appeared somewhat guilty and also a bit angry. However, he finally closed his mouth, let out a muffled grunt, and no longer paid any attention to Song Yang

Song Yang was too lazy to pay him any mind and did not respond. However, the young constable was relentless, lecturing him in a pompous manner: "This case is of great importance, and you cannot act recklessly. Once we arrive at the location, be more sensible. If you can examine the evidence, do so; if not, step aside. Do not clumsily ruin the evidence with your ineptitude, as that would only complicate matters! If you are incapable, just say so. I will ask the magistrate to seek assistance from the provincial government and send capable personnel. I am concerned that back and forth will waste time, which is why I have asked you to take a look first..."

The young constable, still possessing the innocence of a child, had previously been teased by the other party. At this moment, he pouted and ignored him, pretending not to have heard.

"After being washed by the rain for a while, your face seems to have lost some of its darkness compared to earlier." Song Yang spread his hands, his voice noticeably lowered, as if he were mumbling to himself, but just loud enough for the young constable to hear: "Can a face really lose its color? This is the first time I've seen it. It can't be dyed, can it? What do they call this... facial disguise?"

At dawn, in a drizzling rain, the faint light of the sunrise fails to penetrate the rain clouds. The overcast sky does not feel oppressive; rather, it enhances the tranquility of Yanzi Ping.

Yanzi Ping is far from the State of Yan, and Doctor You did not change his name or surname, but he no longer reveals his medical skills. Shortly after settling down, he secured a position as a coroner at the yamen. After all, he is a physician; having once diagnosed the living daily, he now occasionally assists in examining the deceased, performing his duties with ease.

The boy who opened the door glanced at the young constable and continued, "I haven't seen you before, are you new?"

The vast land of Middle-earth is dominated by the four great nations of the present age. The Great Yan stands proudly in the east, flourishing within the territory of the Han people; to the north of Yan are the Rongdi, who control the grasslands and lead a nomadic life, characterized by a fierce and valiant spirit; to the west of Yan lies the towering highlands, home to the great nation of Tubo, whose people are devout followers of the Esoteric Buddhism; additionally, there is the powerful nation of Uighur, located to the west of the Rongdi and north of Tubo, which does not share a border with the Great Yan.

Yanziping is located to the southwest of Nanli, primarily inhabited by Han and Yao people. However, the Yao community here consists of "Flatland Yao," who are gentle in nature. They have coexisted with the Han for several generations, having long since integrated into one community, living together in harmony

The young constable was taken aback: "What happened to my face?"

The middle-aged man coughed and looked at the young man in the blue shirt: "Yang, where is your uncle? If he is not well, hurry and get him up to come with us"

Saying this, Song Yang made a gesture of "please lead the way" to the two constables

The young constable immediately rushed a few steps forward, completely disregarding the beautiful dreams of those nearby, and with all his strength, he knocked on the door loudly. Soon after, there was a loud bang, and although the courtyard door did not open, the yard was in complete chaos, with at least thirty dogs, twenty ducks, and fifteen chickens all making noise at the same time. In the midst of this, there were also the sounds of wings flapping from the chickens and ducks, and the clattering of pots as cats and dogs jumped around. The young constable was startled and almost drew his sword, but his superior, who was already accustomed to such scenes, shook his head and laughed, saying, "You are new here and do not know; in You Wozuo's household, there are over a hundred animals, including cats, dogs, chickens, and ducks. He is a peculiar person, so be careful with your words later."

Song Yang immediately nodded vigorously, his expression serious: "Yes, yes, you are right. I will talk to him when he returns." After saying this, he turned to the middle-aged constable: "Pang Tou, let's go."

The two referred to each other as uncle and nephew. Doctor You had never even considered giving Song Yang a name, usually calling him "Little Treasure," which always sent shivers down Song Yang's spine. It was when Song Yang was five years old that he approached his "uncle" and suggested, "I think the name 'Song Yang' is quite nice." At that time, Doctor You was tending to several self-grown medicinal herbs in the small flower shed in the backyard, and he absentmindedly nodded, saying, "Alright, from now on you will be called Song Yang. Little Treasure, bring me the flower hoe."

Fifteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. The once notorious Dr. You, known for his foul temper throughout the court of the Great Yan, has now become the coroner in a remote town; meanwhile, Song Yang has grown from a swaddled infant into a young man