There was a night owl howling, and Baozhu lay there, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Qi Junce, who was beside him, was disturbed from his sweet dream, so he held Baozhu in his arms.
"What's wrong, did the boss lady's words scare you today?" Qi Junce approached Baozhu's ear, which made her shrink back because she was ticklish.
"Why are beautiful women missing one after another in Shenmu Town? Don't you think it's weird, Your Majesty?" Baozhu couldn't help but say.
Qi Junce was still half asleep, murmuring and humming. Then he stroked Baozhu's back and comforted her softly.
"Don't be afraid. This matter will be managed by the local government. Go to sleep first."
There was no sound from the orb, sleepiness came over them, and the two of them fell into a deep sleep.
In the early morning of the next day, Baozhu and Qi Junce were awakened by the cry of Concubine Shu. Baozhu was a little confused, but thinking about what the landlady said yesterday, his heart still tightened.
Baozhu and Qi Junce looked at each other and hurried to the other wing where Jiang Heng was, but they didn't see her figure.
At this time, Jiang Heng's voice came from another place. When Baozhu and the others arrived in a hurry, Jiang Heng's face was full of fear.
"What's wrong?" Qi Junce asked worriedly.
At this moment, Jiang Heng threw himself into Qi Junce's arms regardless, "Xiaoman is gone!" Jiang Heng said.
Xiaoman? Baozhu thought about it carefully, and then Yue Nu reminded her, and then she remembered that this was Concubine Shu's confidant maid.
I have seen her before, she is a pretty girl.
At this moment, General Ling, who was following Qi Junce southward, also ran in. He was relieved to see that Qi Junce was intact.
"The end will come soon, your Majesty, please forgive me!" General Ling knelt down and said with cupped fists.
Jiang Heng seemed to have seen the reinforcements and said quickly: "General Ling, my maid is missing. She will never disappear like this for no reason."
Jiang Heng took a deep breath and listened silently when the landlady spoke yesterday.
"I'm afraid that something unexpected happened." Jiang Heng said.
General Ling stood up and looked around, and Baozhu followed his gaze. There were no signs of rummaging in the house. If it was for money, this would not make sense.
The quilt on the bed was half opened, and I reached out to touch the warmth that was still there. It's like getting up for a short time and getting ready to go back to sleep.
The only person who witnessed the process was probably the tea cup broken into several petals on the ground. The window sill is wide open, and there is half a footprint that is not obvious.
"It seems that this person came straight for Miss Xiaoman and kidnapped her directly." General Ling said with a frown.
Jiang Heng's eyes became desperate, and he grabbed Qi Junce's arm and called to His Majesty.
Qi Junce's face didn't look good either, and he said gloomily: "Okay, he kidnapped someone right under our noses. This is a naked provocation."
Bao Zhu was a little worried about the little girl, but she could only worry. Qi Junce waved his hand, "Let's go to Shenmu Mansion."
In the yamen of Shenmu Mansion.
Qi Junce not only asked King Yangcheng to take his place during this trip, but also borrowed the identity of another minister to travel.
When Baozhu was told about this, Baozhu was a little dumbfounded. Because of this, the minister said he could not see anyone for at least three to four months.
At this time, Shenmu's Li Mansion Office was running over in a hurry.
Qi Junce was drinking tea leisurely, while Baozhu and Jiang Heng stood behind him silently, planning to watch a show.
"I'm a humble Li Mu, I've met Lord Yan." Before Li Mu could finish his words, he knelt down and bowed to the ground. Baozhu couldn't help but widen his eyes.
Qi Junce took his time and put down the tea cup slowly, acting like an official.
"Get up, I have something to ask you." Qi Junce said calmly.
Li Mu looked up helplessly, and seeing that Qi Junce had no intention of attacking, he quickly got up.
"Sir, please feel free to ask. I am humble enough to tell you everything I know." Li Mu said respectfully.
Qi Junce's face turned cold, and he looked up and down at the short man with his eyes, which immediately made Li Mu feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.
"I went out with my family to play, and when I passed by here, I heard that women have been missing frequently in Shenmu since the beginning of this year. Is this possible?" Qi Junce's stern voice sounded.
Li Mu, who had not warmed up his chair yet, was so frightened that he fell to his knees again, hesitantly saying yes.
Qi Junce was instantly furious and slapped the table with his big palm. Even the tea lid fell to the ground and broke into two halves.
"Why are you hiding such a big thing and not reporting it? Tell me! How many women are missing?" Qi Junce scolded.
Li Mu's already flabby spine slumped a little further, and his shoulders were trembling.
Baozhu looked at all this and realized that Mr. Yan was a third-rank official, although he was not a big figure in Youzhou where there were many princes and nobles.
But it's enough to scare a Sesame Official.
Li Mu was trembling at this moment, and his voice was trembling: "A total of...seven women are missing."
Bao Zhu was shocked and looked at each other with shock in each other's eyes. There was a sadness in Jiang Heng's eyebrows, and Baozhu knew that it was because he was worried about Xiaoman whose whereabouts were unknown.
"It's not that I didn't report it, it's just that the matter was so weird that even the people in the government office didn't dare to investigate again." After Li Mu said that, he lay on the ground and didn't dare to raise his head.
"Ha," Qi Junce snorted coldly, "Could it be that you want to say that it's evil? If a dignified government fails to investigate the case, what crime do you deserve!"
Li Mu raised his head in fear, but remained silent, his face full of fear.
"If there is a case, it must first be recorded, and secondly, there must be a file. Li Mansion Office, why not take a look at it. If you hesitate any longer, I am afraid that you will cause more injustice."
Jiang Heng couldn't bear to worry about Xiaoman, and finally spoke, which could be regarded as a solution to the embarrassing situation at the moment.
Seeing this, Li Mu's servant quickly helped Li Mu up, "Madam said it, Madam said it." Then he hurriedly took Li Mu to get the file.
Jiang Heng's hands were clasped nervously, and his face looked so pretty even if he was impatient.
Bao Zhu looked at her and somehow said something strange, sister, don't worry. Jiang Heng looked at her in surprise.
Baozhu took a deep breath and looked at her calmly: "Little Man girl has her own destiny, so she will be fine."
Qi Junce also comforted him and said, "Yes, my dear, don't be afraid, I will find Xiaoman for you."
When Jiang Heng heard this, he just pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.
Li Mu hurriedly brought a large pile of files, but the words on them were shocking. Even Qi Junce, who was used to seeing blood, frowned, and Baozhu stood peeping through the gap behind him.
The seven women who were killed were all unmarried boudoir daughters. Many of them were girls from wealthy families, and they were killed in the same way, losing different parts of their bodies.
Baozhu couldn't help but feel frightened when he looked at it, but he gradually realized that something was wrong. The missing parts of these seven women are all different parts, either arms, palms, or thighs.
Among them, the most tragic case was Xiao Que'er, a farmer's daughter. She lost all her torso except her arms and legs.
Bao Zhu frowned. The murderer seemed to have done it deliberately, and he didn't know what he was doing.
Even the palms are chosen with extra care, which is simply creepy.
"Hands, feet, torso..." Jiang Heng, who was beside her, apparently also saw the words on the dossier as she murmured.
The next second there was a scream, "It's the head, and finally it's the head!" Jiang Heng cried.
Baozhu's heart skipped a beat, it turned out to be so. No wonder so many young women are needed, the murderer is trying to piece together one person.
No, or rather, he was piecing together someone who satisfied him.
Bao Zhu was a little frightened. This person could take Xiao Man away without anyone noticing, so how could he know that he would not attack himself and Yue Nu.
"Any clues?" Bao Zhu asked.
Li Mu stood aside and felt the low pressure from Qi Junce, and did not dare to express his anger. There was a weak mosquito-like sound.
Then he took out a beautifully embroidered shoe from the tray behind him and handed it to Qi Junce.
Qi Junce looked at the embroidered shoes in his hand, which were no bigger than his palm, with confusion on his face.
"You don't want to tell us that the murderer is a woman, do you?" Qi Junce asked.
Li Mu nodded and shook his head. Then he said cautiously: "There were messy footprints around the body, and there was an embroidered shoe next to the little bird when it was found."
Li Mu took the shoe and turned it over to the back. The sole was full of yellow mud.
"Bizzhi has also compared it, and this shoe matches the surrounding shoe prints." Li Mu said.
It's really strange, a woman can kill someone? Baozhu looked at it and felt that this matter was more and more subtle.
"Girl," Yue Nu suddenly leaned close to Baozhu's ear, and Baozhu whispered what was wrong. "There's something wrong with this mud."
Bao Zhu suddenly understood, and naturally stretched out his hand, "Master, can you let me take a look?"
Qi Junce handed Baozhu, who took advantage of the gap between his eyes to dig out a small piece of soil with his nails and hid it in the palm of his hand.
Although these shoes are exquisite, it can be seen that the fabric is only used by ordinary people and is not expensive.
The embroidery picture above is rare. It is rare to see someone embroidering maple leaves like fire. The orb's sound attracted everyone's attention.
"Why, what's wrong?" Qi Junce asked.
Baozhu nodded, "Ordinary women usually embroider shoes with flowers and patterns. Even the flowers and plants usually have auspicious meanings. This maple leaf is the first time I have seen it."
Baozhu's words made Li Mu's expression change. Qi Junce keenly caught his uneasiness and asked, "Do you have any clue about this matter?"
Li Mu's knees weakened and he collapsed to the ground. "This is a scary place, sir! There was an embroiderer in Shenmu. She was an outstanding embroiderer and her favorite thing was to embroider maple leaves, but...but"
Qi Junce said impatiently: "But what?"
"But she committed suicide three years ago, how could a dead person come out to cause trouble!" Li Mu said, the fear on his face did not seem to be fake.
"So rumors are gradually spreading in Shenmu that the embroiderer will die with her eyes open, right?" Baozhu asked.
Li Mu nodded, Baozhu understood in his heart, no wonder this sacred tree is so desolate. When it came to this matter, everyone kept it secret.
"I never believe in the theory of gods and demons. Take me to the latest crime scene." Qi Junce waved his hand and was about to leave with Li Mu.
Baozhu tugged at the corner of his mouth helplessly, it was so annoying.
On the way to Tonggu Lane, where the latest incident occurred, Bao Zhu and Yue Nu followed silently. Bao Zhu crushed the dirt off his fingers, and Yue Nu came closer and smelled it.
"It's the smell of bone replacement." Yue Nu said softly.
"Replacement of bones?" Baozhu was a little confused, "What is this?"
"Girl, this is used by people after fractures to repair injured bones. It seems that this person knows medical skills." Yue Nu said.
Baozhu nodded and silently retracted his hand.
