"Do you need a reason to arrest you?"
For a long time, the Dao Ren organization had been seen as a force operating at the fringes of society, their most audacious acts limited to extorting protection money. Murders and arson were conducted in secret; as long as no one reported it, the local police paid no mind. In a way, these underground forces were a relief to the police, and with Qiao Huali’s intercession behind the scenes, the authorities had never considered cracking down on them.
But now, things were different. Ouyang Wen was determined to dismantle the Dao Ren organization, starting with Tang Yingge.
"Wei Xiumei? Who is she?" Tang Yingge pondered, feigning ignorance or perhaps genuinely unable to recall the name.
Ouyang Wen, however, had no intention of wasting time. "You can't remember? Fine, I'll help you recall." Ouyang Wen flipped through the case files. "Four years ago, at Tongyuan Gate, on Baixiang Street, there was a blacksmith named Wei Xinggui."
Wei Xinggui was an honest, hardworking man. His wife had passed away early, leaving him with only one daughter. This girl, Wei Xiumei, was beautiful and skilled in needlework. At eighteen, her doorstep was practically worn down by matchmakers. Wei Xiumei had fallen for a young man from the neighborhood, and their wedding date was set. But fate intervened cruelly.
Because Wei Xiumei was so radiant and lovely, many ruffians had taken an interest in her. Most only indulged in lewd talk, and the bolder ones might have dared to touch her hand. Despite being desired by the unscrupulous, Wei Xiumei's life was relatively peaceful.
Then, one summer four years ago, Wei Xinggui returned home to find his front door ajar. He was puzzled. With his daughter's wedding approaching, she should have been home embroidering her wedding dress. Furthermore, according to local custom, a bride should ideally stay indoors. The open door felt wrong.
As Wei Xinggui unpacked the groceries he had brought, he called out for his daughter. But there was no response. Uneasy, he abandoned the wriggling river fish and hurried to his daughter's room. What he saw there froze him.
His daughter, Wei Xiumei, was bound tightly to a long bench with her own foot-binding cloth. Her clothes had been removed and were scattered beside the bench. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes wide with terror, and her body was already cold. Seeing his daughter's tragic state, Wei Xinggui almost collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably.
The police, who responded to the call, examined the scene. Wei Xiumei had deep finger marks on her neck, indicating she had been strangled. To make matters worse, the investigation revealed that before she died, Wei Xiumei had suffered unspeakable abuse, a brutal rape. According to the case files, the police found half a bloody tongue at the crime scene. This, they presumed, was left behind by the killer.
After examining Wei Xiumei's body, the police concluded it was a case of rape and murder. The perpetrator, likely coveting Ye Qiaoniang's beauty, had gone upstairs, violated her, and then strangled her to death. The half-tongue was the only clue they had in their search for the killer.
"Oh, that incident. Now that you mention it, I seem to recall something," Tang Yingge said, as if just remembering. "Huh? Didn't they catch the killer? Wasn't he executed years ago?" Tang Yingge's eyes held a look of innocence mixed with confusion.
But for Cai Xiaojuan, it was merely a superficial change in expression, devoid of genuine emotion. "Alright, you don't need to pretend anymore. It looks exhausting," Cai Xiaojuan interrupted Tang Yingge's act of feigned innocence. "The killer they arrested was named Yu Qianning. His family has now come forward, crying foul play. In the interest of responsibility to the people, to the deceased, and to the case, this matter will be reinvestigated."
"Reinvestigated? Then reinvestigate it. Why bring me here?" Tang Yingge maintained his flippant demeanor, infuriating Ouyang Wen. He slammed his hand on the table. "Tang Yingge, I know what you're afraid of, but you need to understand: I'm not Yao Jieyan." Ouyang Wen's meaning was clear: if I decide to deal with you, your background won't matter.
Tang Yingge's expression turned serious. He wasn't genuinely afraid of Ouyang Wen, but he believed it was best to avoid trouble before he was released.
"Tang Yingge, they did capture the man with the severed tongue back then. But someone pointed out that you were seen leaving Wei Xiumei's house at the time of the incident, and your clothing was disheveled. How do you explain that?" Ye Fengyi seized the opportunity as Tang Yingge's attitude shifted slightly.
"Officer, that's truly unjust. Who saw it? Can you bring them out for a confrontation?" Tang Yingge's words were still sharp, but his tone had softened considerably. However, his question troubled Ye Fengyi. The witness had already recanted their testimony. Just yesterday, Ye Fengyi had sought them out, but they insisted they had been mistaken at the time. Without this crucial eyewitness, the man with the severed tongue had been hastily convicted.
Ouyang Wen gained nothing from his first direct confrontation with Tang Yingge, not even basic information. Back in the office, Ouyang Wen realized the situation was far more complicated than he had initially thought. Reopening a case was difficult. He reread the files, practically memorizing them.
The day after Wei Xiumei's death, a strange man was found at the City God Temple in the southern part of the city, lying motionless beneath the altar. It was an old, dilapidated temple, rarely visited. But even in its dilapidated state, it was a home for the city's beggars. This man had been discovered by a group of beggars who initially thought he was an intruder. As they approached to question him, he turned his head, scaring them back a few steps. He mumbled incoherently and, most importantly, spat blood, his tongue noticeably shorter. Recalling the murder in the city, the beggars dared not conceal it and immediately bound him and took him to the police station.
As the incident occurred in Tongyuan Gate, the case was transferred back to the Tongyuan Gate branch, and the officer in charge was Yao Jieyan. Ouyang Wen knew little about Yao Jieyan, only hearing bits and pieces from Lü Qingqing. However, according to Yao Jieyan's record, he had always been an unremarkable individual. Yet, after handling this case, he was promoted from Criminal Investigation Captain directly to Deputy Director, and within a year, he became the Director. The person who facilitated his rise was Qiao Huali.
Upon seeing this, Ouyang Wen, however reluctant, began to suspect. It seemed Qiao Huali hadn't defected recently. This indirectly supported Lü Qingqing's speculation that Qiao Huali was not poisoned; he was merely using terms like "water plantain" and "cold smoke" to search for the true secret location.
"Fengyi, come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"To find Yao Jieyan!"