"So shut up!"
Lin Qingge took the handkerchief and covered her face with it.
Looking around, Lin Qingge found that although the room was much smaller than the place where she and Leng Ningyue had bathed, it was still well-equipped.
There was a small bathing pool that could accommodate two to three people, a screen hanging clothes, a solid wood round table piled with food and wine, and a bare dressing table.
"Careful!"
Just as Lin Qingge was about to step forward, Murong Bai pulled her back.
"Don't worry, this official has noticed the fragments on the ground."
With that, Lin Qingge broke free from Murong Bai's hand, sidestepped the ceramic fragments on the ground, and walked towards the bed.
However, when Lin Qingge reached the bedside, she regretted it.
Because the scene on the bed was truly eye-watering.
Amidst the messy bedding, a man in his thirties, with a body full of fat, lay naked. The white fluid from his lower body and the pungent smell flowing in the air left no doubt as to what the man had done before.
Before Lin Qingge, in the spirit of professionalism, could examine carefully, Murong Bai had already walked over and pushed her aside.
Since there was someone to perform the autopsy, Lin Qingge was spared the unpleasant sight.
She first went to the bathing pool but felt no heat rising from it. She reached out to test the water.
As expected, it had gone cold.
Next, she went to the bare dressing table.
Upon careful observation, Lin Qingge found a scuff mark on one corner of the dressing table.
And since it was a dressing table, it was understandable that there was no rouge or powder, but it was unlikely that there wasn't even a bronze mirror.
She opened the drawers of the dressing table and checked them one by one. In the bottom drawer, Lin Qingge found the missing bronze mirror.
However, the bronze mirror had been shattered into several pieces.
"Looking at the degree of shattering and the completeness of the fragments, the bronze mirror should have been placed in the dressing table first, and then the dressing table was impacted, or the dressing table collapsed and shook violently, causing the bronze mirror in the drawer to break..."
Lin Qingge muttered to herself as she bent down to crouch.
About ten feet away from the dressing table, she found some wood chips and shallow indentations.
"It looks like the dressing table fell over at an angle right here."
After examining the dressing table, Lin Qingge went to the table.
"The food on the table was also cold and had not been touched much, but there was clearly the smell of wine, yet no wine pot was seen..."
As she spoke, Lin Qingge, using her sleeve, bent down and picked up a shard from the edge of the table, sniffing it. "No wonder the smell of alcohol is so strong; it turns out the wine pot was smashed."
"Official Lin, after my preliminary examination, the deceased suffered from kidney deficiency. It might be due to heat or sweating, causing the pores to open. Then, bathing in cold water or resting in the wind allowed the wind evil to enter and directly invade the kidneys.
Then, in a state of extreme excitement and exertion, it triggered a heart condition, leading to sudden death.
To put it plainly, it was 'Ma Shang Feng' (sudden death from sexual intercourse)."
"Ma Shang Feng? So it was an accident?"
"It appears so, for now.
Also, I found unburned incense used for arousal under the bed."
"Then please, Coroner Murong, examine the incense for any abnormalities. Also, I'll need Qin Han's help with a small matter."
With that, Lin Qingge pointed to the ceramic fragments on the ground.
"I can help, but the fee for my autopsy this time..."
Murong Bai extended his slender, well-defined fingers and rubbed his thumb and index finger in front of Lin Qingge, his meaning very clear.
Lin Qingge thought for a moment, "How about I rip off Lin Moyuan later?"
"Deal."
The two reached a tacit understanding and exchanged knowing smiles.
"Achoo—"
Unaware that someone was thinking of him again, Lin Moyuan sneezed loudly.
After tidying his appearance, he walked up to the two people, one big and one small, standing in the distance. "Madam Lin, it's past mealtime. Why don't I escort you two to Jubao Zhai for a meal?"
"No need."
Having been rebuffed, Lin Moyuan did not give up but continued to persuade:
"Madam Lin can wait, but your young master is still growing. If he goes too long without food, it will harm his health.
How about I ask the shopkeeper to set up a table here?"
Leng Ningyue glanced at Lin Zimo in the corner and did not object this time.
Seeing this, Lin Moyuan hurried to make arrangements.
At the same time.
Lin Qingge and Murong Bai walked out of the crime scene one after another.
Hua Jinrong recounted the interrogation and the information gathered.
The deceased was named Chen Chong, a well-known wealthy man in Fengtian Prefecture.
The woman was named Liu Jinhua, Chen Chong's mistress kept in Changzhou County.
Chen Chong was a regular at this Xiangtang Guan. Since its opening, he had frequently brought Liu Jinhua here for pleasure.
Hearing Hua Jinrong say this, Lin Qingge finally noticed that the pale-faced woman before was indeed beautiful, with a curvaceous figure that could drive men mad.
"Sir, my master is really, really gone?"
"The coroner has confirmed that Master Chen died of 'Ma Shang Feng,' which is considered an accidental death. His family will be notified to claim the body later."
"Master, Master, how could you just leave..."
Liu Jinhua sighed, sobbing and whimpering.
Lin Qingge's gaze swept over Liu Jinhua's slender figure, clad only in an outer robe. She asked casually,
"By the way, where did that incense come from?"
"Replying to sir, that incense was brought by Master from home. He said it was a rare item from a foreign land that could, could aid in arousal. Who, who would have thought..."
At this point, Liu Jinhua broke down in tears again.
"The deceased is gone. Please accept my condolences.
However, seeing you like this, I can tell you had deep affection for Master Chen."
"Yes, sir. Master not only paid for my old father's medical treatment but also paid for my brother's marriage and built a new house in my hometown. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he is a benefactor to my entire family.
With such great kindness, how could I repay him even if I worked like a horse?"
"Since you are Master Chen's mistress, do you have a place to stay in Changzhou County?"
"Replying to sir, Master bought me a small courtyard on the next street.
Because I heard that doing intimate acts in the hot spring pool had a unique flavor, Master often brought me to this Xiangtang Guan."
"Tsk, he was quite the player. He deserved to die of 'Ma Shang Feng'."
Hua Jinrong clicked her tongue and moved a little farther from the doorway in disgust.
Lin Qingge called the shopkeeper and asked him to find an empty room for Liu Jinhua to stay in, and to let her leave after Chen Chong's family identified the body.
Watching Liu Jinhua being led away, Murong Bai threw away the handkerchief he had used to cover his nose and mouth and asked with certainty,
"Official Lin, do you think Chen Chong did not die by accident, but that someone deliberately caused his death?"