Chapter 112: On the Tower of Movement and Stillness
Chapter 112 Discussion on the Tower
Although the folk customs of the Tang Empire were fierce, Chang'an City was the most benign place, with countless court offices, military camps, and dignitaries living there. Therefore, the public security on weekdays was of course extremely good.
Except for the few corpses produced by the life-and-death duel with cut hands, there are very few abnormal death cases in Chang'an City. Of course, the killings that were tacitly approved by His Majesty in the palace that night at Chunfeng Pavilion were not included.
So when the Nancheng Lakeside murder occurred, the Chang'an government office suddenly became nervous in the early morning. The newly appointed judicial officer and his wife squatted in the autopsy room and did not dare to go out. The duty shift leader led more than a hundred government officials and ran around in sweat
In the market place, the current Chang'an Governor Shangguan Yangyu, who had just woken up, looked extremely ugly.
"Sir, the murderer must be a veteran. We searched around the place where the murder took place. We didn't find any clues. We just found a piece of clothing in a side alley of Zhuque Street. It was probably left behind by the murderer."
The criminal officer in charge of the investigation of major and important cases respectfully handed over the tattered coat and another piece of cloth in his hand, and said, "If it weren't for the incompetence of the subordinates, the Yulin Army and the others also lost the pursuit."
Shangguan Yangyu took the tattered coat, and then took the piece of cloth and looked at the morning light coming from outside the hall. His triangular eyes shrank so much that they almost turned into two soybeans, but he couldn't figure out the reason. He said dumbly.
Asked: "Let old man Si Li check this piece of clothing. If there are no clues in the material, focus on the needlework."
"This dress is a garment from Lan Xiufang. Someone has knocked on the door and asked about it. This garment of this style and size was produced a few years ago. I don't know how many pieces were sold. This one is obviously old, so...
..." The subordinate raised his head, glanced at the expression on the adult's face, and said cautiously: "Neither the needlework nor the clothing material can be checked."
"Shangguan Yangyu gently stroked the sparse beard under his chin, without any expression on his face, and said calmly: "The imperial court only supports us officials to do things. If it is not easy to investigate, why not investigate?"
After hesitating for a moment, the subordinate stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Sir, the coat left by the murderer was split with numerous cuts by the sword, but it was not stained with a trace of blood. According to the judgment of the subordinate, there are only two kinds of
possible."
"Say." Shangguan Yuyang was impatient with his slow temper and said angrily.
"The first possibility is that the murderer was wearing very expensive soft armor, but looking at the rips on the clothes, especially the locations of certain rips, even the best soft armor in the empire couldn't prevent it.
"
The subordinate looked at him again and lowered his voice: "Then there is only the second possibility... This murderer is a strong man at the pinnacle of martial arts. Ordinary weapons and even flying swords can only cut.
Even if you open his coat, you won't be able to penetrate his protective vitality layer, so naturally there won't be any blood."
Hearing the words "peak martial arts expert", Shangguan Yangyu's fingers stroking his beard suddenly stiffened, and his eyes instantly turned cold when he looked at his subordinates... He could withstand the martial arts master's flying sword with just his body-protecting energy.
What a fierce character that is, there are not many such strong men in the entire empire.
"Nonsense!" Shangguan Yangyu stared coldly into the eyes of his subordinates and said in a cold voice: "The top experts in the martial arts of the Tang Dynasty are the four generals with outstanding merits, not to mention the four generals who have received the emperor's orders.
They have been stationed at the border for many years. Even if they are in Chang'an City now, do you think that the dignified general will commit murder?"
The subordinate bowed repeatedly to indicate that he had no such intention.
"If it's a martial arts master from a foreign country...it's even more impossible."
Shangguan Yangyu said with a gloomy face: "As soon as these people enter Chang'an City, the imperial court will closely monitor them. If they dare to make the slightest move, aren't they afraid that the Imperial Master will suppress them directly!"
This is impossible, that is impossible, so what is possible? The subordinates complained in their hearts, raised their heads and looked at the adults with expectant eyes, thinking that you have to show us the way to go.
"According to normal procedures, the lakeside murder case will be filed first, and then you will work hard to investigate the case and strive to solve the case as soon as possible."
Shangguan Yangyu said slowly, the hidden meaning behind his words was very clear. The so-called striving to solve the case as soon as possible is the key to striving for it. Even if you cannot solve the case as soon as possible, as long as no one in the imperial court asks questions, no one will care.
Looking at his subordinates who were ordered to retreat, Shangguan Yangyu shook his head, took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the sweat off his face vigorously, causing his reddish rosacea nose to become even redder.
Hearing that the real culprit of the murder was most likely a strong man at the pinnacle of martial arts, the newly appointed Lord Yin of the Chang'an Prefecture had the intention to quit, because he knew that this matter would definitely be very troublesome.
As a senior official of the Tang Empire, although Shangguan Yangyu had a despicable temperament, he was not incapable of taking responsibility. However, he knew that if the murder case was very involved, it would not be a problem that Chang'an Mansion could solve alone.
And if other ministries do not take action, it means that someone in the court does not want to cause trouble.
"Your Majesty is so kind and kind."
He clasped his hands and bowed respectfully to the north, his ugly face full of tears of gratitude: "I have promoted my official from a member of the judiciary to the army to the governor of Chang'an. Your Majesty has great love for me. How dare I cause trouble for you?"
…
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There is an old pagoda made of yellow bricks in the south city. The pagoda is badly damaged and has green vines entangled in it. It seems that it may collapse at any time. However, after so many years, the old pagoda still stands among the small temples.
Others build tall buildings, others build short buildings, and others build brothels. They are silent, peaceful and speechless.
Every spring, countless wild geese return from the south. Before the wild geese go to Xunyang Lake in Gushan County to spend the summer, they always fly by Chang'an City, and then circle around the old pagoda for many days. At that time, the shadows of the wild geese cover the sky and the birds chirp.
Array, the scene is spectacular.
No one knows why these wild geese that fly high in the sky and stay by the waterside at night will appear in the bustling city of Chang'an and be so interested in this old pagoda. But over time, I have gotten used to it. In recent years, thousands of wild geese have been flying around.
The scene has become another scenic spot for the people of Chang'an to enjoy the spring, and the old pagoda also has a name: Wanyan Pagoda.
Today, there is a monk on the top of the Wanyan Pagoda, accompanied by the green lantern Buddha statue in the niche and the scriptures and ink on the table. He rarely goes down from the tower, and even less often meets those good Zen women in the back garden.
This monk named himself Huang Yang, and he was the imperial younger brother of the Tang Dynasty.
Today he welcomed an equally distinguished guest.
Li Qingshan, the great master of the Tang Dynasty, looked at the monk copying scriptures at the table and said: "Last night... Suzaku woke up."
Without raising his head, Monk Huangyang replied calmly: "The sacred objects left by the saints of the previous generations have their own true meanings between movement and stillness. How can we, ordinary people who are still trapped in the world of mortals, know about them? Why should Brother Qingshan bother himself?"