At the break of dawn, the tightly shut doors of the Jiangzhe Chamber of Comrce were knocked on urgently.
The clerk on duty quickly ran over, saying that Lu Xiaowu had co again.
Li Yan and the others were puzzled but still proceeded to the front hall to et.
Lu Xiaowu's face was a mixture of excitent and worry. Upon seeing Li Yan and the others, he clasped his hands and deliberately raised his voice:
"Mr. Li, Mr. Wang, everyone, I have urgent news!"
His voice was loud enough, clearly intended for others in the courtyard to hear too.
This fellow, having benefited, wanted to strengthen the illusion that he was a key figure connecting the Twelve Primordial Spirits, so as to reap more benefits in the future.
Li Yan saw through Lu Xiaowu's little sche but did not expose it, calmly saying, "Second Young Master Lu, what brings you here so early?"
Lu Xiaowu took a deep breath and said, "I just received news, there is big trouble! There has been a major incident at the Yansheng Duke Mansion!"
He intentionally paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, "The eldest legitimate son of the Kong family, Kong Zhenyuan, who was most likely to succeed the Yansheng Gong position, last night…"
"Died at his own residence in Jinan!"
The crowd was shocked upon hearing this.
Before everyone could digest this news, Lu Xiaowu revealed even more shocking details:
"Moreover, the state of death… was extrely tragic."
Li Yan's eyes instantly sharpened, and Wang Daoxuan frowned deeply.
Such a brutal thod of murder clearly wasn't an ordinary vendetta or political fight.
Lu Xiaowu continued with his news, "Misfortunes never co singly! Almost simultaneously, Yong Sheng Gong's grandson Kong Shang'an, who was at the ancestral ho in Qufu—also Kong Zhenyuan's son, was also assassinated last night, his head was chopped off!"
Kong Shangzhao's face imdiately turned grim. He had poor relations with the Kong father and son, and naturally didn't care about their lives.
The critical thing was that with Kong Zhenyuan and his son both dead, his father's position beca delicate.
Observing everyone's reactions, Lu Xiaowu added, "There's also more important news! Given such an event, Mingde Academy was also alard, and Mr. Lu, Lu Hongyuan, has personally co to Jinan Prefecture to take charge!"
"Lu Hongyuan is coming?"
At this na, Li Yan's expression also turned more serious.
Lu Hongyuan is one of the Divine State's Ten Grandmasters, who combines Xingyi, Eight Trigrams, and Taiji into the Path of Martial and Literary through Confucianism.
His martial arts skills are secondary; his status is the key point.
Within Confucianism, he is at the Sect Leader Level, with a considerable influence in the court.
The air seed to solidify, a heavy pressure enveloped the entire front hall.
Wang Daoxuan, deep in thought, stroked his beard "How did Kong Zhenyuan die?"
Lu Xiaowu spoke in a low voice, "I heard that the perpetrator opened his Baihui Acupoint, poured rcury inside, and stripped off his entire skin."
"rcury pouring..." Wang Daoxuan's face changed slightly, "Such torture, there must be an issue."
Seeing everyone's eyes on him, he said in a deep voice, "This punishnt was once used by the founding Emperor of our dynasty, filling corrupt officials with rcury and skinning them to serve as a warning. It was later abandoned, but so Evil Skill of the Esoteric Sect involved skinning to make drums."
"There is another kind."
Kuai Dayou folded his arms and shook his head, "In ancient tis, Fangshi used this thod to imprison Life Souls as sacrificial offerings to guard tombs."
Li Yan intoned gravely, "Regardless of the thod, they all indicate a deep-seated hatred. It seems the cause and effect of this matter are to be found with Kong Zhenyuan and his son. Perhaps it is related to the person captured last night. Have you obtained a confession?"
"No."
Lu Xiaowu replied, "Last night, the two factions of the Kong family caused a commotion at the governnt office. After they left, the person took advantage of the distraction of the prison guard and committed suicide on a nail."
Li Yan squinted slightly, "That person was a Thrusting Foot Hidden Energy expert, willing to die, likely to protect soone."
Lu Xiaowu shook his head and said, "I'm not sure about that. The Prince asked to remind you all that this matter is too significant. It's best to wake up Manager Kong as soon as possible to get a confession, otherwise, when Grandmaster Lu arrives in Jinan, unexpected changes might occur."
"Thank the Prince on my behalf for the reminder." Li Yan solemnly cupped his hands in thanks.
After he left, everyone turned their gaze to Wang Daoxuan.
"It's not a big problem."
Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard and said, "He should be awake by noon."
......
In the Governnt Office Signature Room, the air pressure was stiflingly low.
Mr. Zhao Tong's face was livid, his eyes burning with barely contained fury.
His knuckles cracked audibly as he slamd a palm on the solid wooden desk.
"Bang!"
The thick rosewood table split with a noise, causing the teacup to jump, the scalding tea spilling over the docunts.
"The noble Yansheng Gong perished at the Kong Ancestral Hall! The mastermind's insider committed suicide right under your noses! The blood of Kong Zhenyuan and his son stains the couch! You Jinan Prefecture…" he looked around at the Prefect of Jinan, the Inspector, the Commander of the Captain Bureau, and others who dared not breathe loudly, his voice low yet every word like a knife.
"Handled the job well!"
The Prefect of Jinan had sweat trickling down his temples: "Mr. Zhao, calm your anger… This matter is too bizarre, the murderer's thods are insidiously ruthless, certainly not ordinary…"
Since it involved the Kong family, he initially didn't want to take on the case, planning only a minor role; he hadn't expected the situation to unfold like this.
"Excuses!"
Zhao Tong shouted angrily, a surge of Gang Qi causing the candles in the hall to dim.
"The deaths of Kong Zhenyuan and his son must be connected to the ancestral hall blood case! Are you all just muddling through this?"
Seeing Zhao Tong's fury nearly igniting, the Prefect of Jinan hastily spoke: "Mr. Zhao, don't worry! This official has already summoned White Laojiu, one of the top three arrest officers of Qi and Lu, 'Ghostly Fears,' who has now arrived in Jinan Prefecture."
...
In the forensic room of Jinan Prefecture.
The atmosphere was even colder than the corpse-storing icehouse.
Hurriedly summoned, the Divine Catcher Bai Laojiu, hair and beard like frost, wore a coarse cloth tunic washed to a pale white, and though gaunt, he was as tough as iron.
He slightly hunched his back, his face covered with age spots and wrinkles like knife carvings, expressionless, but his eyes reflected a captivating cold light under the dim oil lamp, his fingertips handling a few pieces of dark brown wood chips.
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