Chapter 1402: Corpse Examination

On this day, the Capital Patrol Office was unusually quiet.Though many people stood before its grand gates.People of all sorts, yet all stood in silence at the entrance of the Patrol Office.Each wore a green plaque suspended at their waist.When Jiang Wang left his dwelling today, he also hung his fourth-grade green plaque, placing it beside the white jade his sister had gifted him.The green plaque was slightly larger, the white jade slightly smaller.Stacked together, the green and white colors were distinct.Jiang Wang's gaze immediately fell upon Lin Youxie, her head wrapped in a green cloth.She still wore men's attire, standing alone in a corner of the crowd.Some attempted to offer her words of comfort, but her face remained expressionless, her eyes unmoving.More people silently maintained their distance from her.The four Great Green Plaque Families, though an indelible part of the Green Plaque system's history and having made undeniable contributions to its establishment and development,had ultimately vanished.Considered within the entire history of the Green Plaque, the contributions of the four Great Green Plaque Families were worthy of the respect of all Green Plaque captains. However, within the Green Plaque system itself, in the distribution of personal interests, strife was inevitable.How else could Lin Youxie so easily ascend to the position of Deputy Patrol Envoy? It was, of course, the lingering influence of the four Great Green Plaque Families. Though she did not wield much real power, her rank was already equal to Yang Weitong's.The collapse of the Green Plaque Families objectively opened up more positions, granting others greater opportunities.Thus, from Li Youjiu's execution by slicing several days prior to Wulie's death today, for many, it was still difficult to say whether it brought joy or sorrow.Lin Youxie stood there, unmoving.She had not seen Jiang Wang, or perhaps, she saw no one at all.Wulie's death, for those within the Green Plaque system, meant the loss of an iconic figure. It was the curtain call of a legend within the Green Plaque system.Only for Lin Youxie did it mean the loss of her last remaining relative.Jiang Wang and Zheng Shangming stepped into the crowd.This was the crowd gathered to welcome the coffin.Zheng Shi, the North Imperial Guard Commander, naturally stood at the very front, his presence formidable without anger, leading the entire North Imperial Guard.As Jiang Wang walked over, the crowd silently shifted, clearing a space beside Zheng Shi – this was the position that people in the current North Imperial Guard tacitly agreed should be Jiang Wang's.Zheng Shangming, the son of the North Imperial Guard Commander, could only stand behind them.Jiang Wang walked to that position but did not stop, continuing forward.He spoke, "Deputy Envoy Lin, why not stand here?"The crowd parted, forming a path from Jiang Wang to Lin Youxie.The numb Lin Youxie, only then seemingly sensing something, turned her head.She saw only Jiang Wang striding towards her and the hand extended towards her.She instinctively flinched back, but naturally could not evade him.Jiang Wang had already grasped her forearm, pulling her along towards the front of the crowd.Wherever they went, a path was cleared.By the time she realized what was happening, she was already standing alongside Jiang Wang at the very forefront.Zheng Shi offered no comment on this, and the crowd remained silent.Jiang Wang's hand had already released her, but Lin Youxie still felt as if she could sense the strength that had gripped her arm.The image of him walking towards her through the crowd was imprinted in her daze.Though her first reaction at the time was to step away, her eyes remembered clearly... in this cold, collapsing world, this was the only hand extended towards her.Wulie's body, upon discovery, was immediately sent back to Linzi.His cause of death remained undetermined even now.Wulie had already resigned from the Green Plaque, held no position or rank, and had died overseas...Under what name could the Capital Patrol Office file a case? Under what authority could they investigate?And moreover... who would be willing to investigate?Wulie, having removed his green plaque, gained freedom but also lost protection.To put it bluntly, his private investigation into the prestigious Great泽田 family of Qi was an act seeking death.If the Tian family truly found a way to kill him, who could say anything?Earlier, Tian Huanwen had made a move against Wulie overseas, and Wulie could only evade his sharp edge and flee back to the territory of Qi. Yet, no one from the Capital Patrol Office had stepped forward to admonish the Tian family.Of course, after all was said and done, Wulie was a famous captain who had left a significant mark on the history of the Green Plaque.The number of people who gathered to welcome the coffin today alone showed his significance.If the killer was indeed the Great泽田 family, it would inevitably provoke the hostility of the entire Green Plaque system. While they might not be able to directly do something about Wulie's death, there were still long days ahead, and targeting the Tian family would be inevitable.One could surmise that the reason Wulie was able to investigate the Great泽田 family alone for so many years and remain unharmed, besides his own caution, was also due to the Great泽田 family's apprehension.In short, for the Great泽田 family, arbitrarily killing Wulie was an act that would not immediately have severe consequences but would certainly have profound negative impacts. It did not align well with the Great泽田 family's low-key approach in recent years. (Setting aside Tian Anping, the Great泽田 family has indeed been very low-key in recent years.)Thus, the identity of the killer remained unknown, and it was not necessarily the Tian family.So the question circled back... who would investigate?Jiang Wang stood silently at the front of the crowd, suddenly recalling something. He sent a voice transmission to Zheng Shangming, "How long until Tian Anping's封印 is broken?"Zheng Shangming hesitated, saying, "He killed Liu Shentong in the forty-sixth year of Yuanfeng... calculating, it will only be ten years next year."Evidently, this Young Master Zheng had similar thoughts; Wulie's sudden death, a famous captain floating as a corpse in the sea, this reckless style was too much like that madman...Jiang Wang breathed a sigh of relief.He wasn't certain if Tian Anping had seen him during their last encounter in Seven Stars Valley. But such a dangerous individual was always unsettling.However, this unease was merely a fleeting thought, and he immediately resumed cultivating.When the time came to face him...He would face him.A group of renowned figures within the Green Plaque system stood in silence, waiting before the gate of the Patrol Office.This scene made the few streets near the North Imperial Guard very tense. For a long time, not even the cries of street vendors could be heard.Zheng Shi, the North Imperial Guard Commander, couldn't help but glance at Jiang Wang beside him.So many people were present to welcome the coffin, waiting with varied emotions.Some were anxious, some were sorrowful, some were angry.All were suppressed.Only this most dazzling young prodigy of the moment was actually cultivating.Others saw diligence; he saw clarity.The clarity of maintaining one's true self within the crowd.Jiang Wang was clearly someone with clear goals, someone who knew very well what he wanted.Previously, Zheng Shi had been quite unable to understand why this young man would refuse the position of North Imperial Guard Commander, but now he could understand a little better...Their paths were different, after all.When Yang Weitong personally drove the carriage, it was already late at night."I received Elder Wu on the sea, arranged for a thin coffin in Tianfu City for temporary interment, and rushed back without rest..." This disciple of Grand Counselor Yi Xingchen, covered in dust from the journey, explained.Zheng Shi merely walked silently to the coffin, gently pushed the lid open, and looked down at the person inside."Elder Wu..." He sighed softly, "You've come home."The courtyard before the Patrol Office was filled with people.Almost all the Green Plaque captains wore expressions of sorrow.To speak truthfully, among those who had toiled in the Green Plaque system for some years, who had not received guidance from Wulie?Some even couldn't help but wail in grief, some silently shed tears.There were certainly those who were pleased at the collapse of the great structure.There were also not a few who secretly swore to uncover the truth and avenge Elder Wu one day.But in this atmosphere of universal sorrow, a calm voice rang out –"I want to perform the autopsy."Within the crowd, only Lin Youxie remained expressionless.Yang Weitong looked at her and said, "An autopsy is naturally necessary. Elder Wu's death must have an explanation. This is what we do, but..."According to established custom, those close to the deceased are generally not allowed to be responsible for the autopsy. This is because emotional fluctuations are too great and can easily lead to deviations in the results... at the very least, they should not perform the first autopsy, lest the results be subjective and destroy some clues.Lin Youxie, of course, knew the rules. But she merely repeated, "I want to perform the autopsy."Her gaze was too steadfast, too stubborn.Many of those present could be said to have watched her grow up. They had watched that little girl back then, how she had grown step by step into the person she was today.In the entire North Imperial Guard, she now trusted no one.But who could not understand?Yang Weitong was thus silent.Zheng Shi sighed, "Let her do it."Lin Youxie then walked forward, lowered her head to look at the body for a moment, and reached out to close the coffin lid.There was still no expression on her face.No sorrow, no tears.Jiang Wang silently stepped forward, lifted the coffin, and turned to walk into the North Imperial Guard compound. "I'll assist you."Lin Youxie said nothing, merely following silently behind him.The crowd parted to make way for them.The two of them and the coffin proceeded directly to the morgue.To reach the morgue, one had to pass by the North Imperial Guard prison. This was not the first time Jiang Wang had taken this path.Carrying the coffin, he walked past the bare iron building.Before long, Zheng Shangming caught up.It was only right for someone to observe during an autopsy.With Jiang Wang and Lin Youxie's stances aligned, a third person was definitely needed for supervision.Zheng Shangming, who was jointly responsible for the Feng Gu case with them, was clearly the best choice.This delicate balance could only be struck accurately by a figure like Zheng Shi.Although all three of them could be considered pillars of the Green Plaque system, the captain on duty at the morgue still meticulously recorded the state of Wulie's body and requested their signatures and seals before opening a private morgue room for them.Coincidentally, this morgue room was directly across from the one Jiang Wang had visited last time.If it hadn't been locked and both doors were wide open, one could have seen Feng Gu's coffin from here.Jiang Wang looked at the captain for a few moments before setting down the coffin he was holding.Speaking of which, both bodies in the morgue were casualties of the same case. Both had struggled from that year until now, essentially dying around the same time.Feng Gu's coffin and Wulie's coffin faced each other, as if some unspoken understanding existed between them in the realm of the unseen.After the morgue captain left, Zheng Shangming casually explained, "It's the rules, so being strict is normal. It's not directed at anyone, Brother Jiang, please don't take offense.""What is there to take offense at?" Jiang Wang twitched the corner of his mouth. "I'm just curious, with things so strict here, how did that person get in last time?"Zheng Shangming was silent for a moment, then finally said, "The person who got in last time was named Qi Song. He has an uncle named Qi Huaichang."When this matter was brought up before, he had only vaguely referred to it by the name of the Yangxin Palace without mentioning the specific person.He hadn't expected Jiang Wang to be so persistent, pressing for information as soon as he had the chance.Although their paths were different and they were destined not to become close friends, he didn't want to damage their existing relationship. Relatively speaking, revealing Qi Song's information was no big deal.Qi Huaichang was also one of the Deputy Patrol Envoys who held real power, his position in the North Imperial Guard was no lower than Yang Weitong's. Arranging for one or two people to enter the morgue was truly very simple."Oh, Deputy Envoy Qi!" Jiang Wang nodded, indicating he understood, and said no more.Meanwhile, Lin Youxie had already opened the coffin lid again, exposing Wulie's body completely to the air.This was a face she was very familiar with.Because it was too familiar, it now seemed strange.Since she had memory, Grandpa Wu had looked like an old man. This indicated that he was not young when he achieved the Divine Ascension realm.But the kind of "old" he had in the past was one of vigor, unable to conceal his immense power and the relentless determination to break through everything.Now, however, he was withered, like a ring of bark clinging to rotten wood.Divine Ascension, withered unto death.There were specialized autopsy tools in the morgue, placed beside the stone slab.But Lin Youxie merely took out her own small, black wooden box from her storage compartment.She drew out the first drawer, selected a pair of gloves, and slowly put them on.Then she drew out the third drawer, and from the assortment of knives, selected a small, pointed knife, two inches long.Then she closed the wooden box.The entire process was very calm.Now, her small knife was in her right hand, and her left hand slowly unbuttoned the old man's clothing, gently pressing on his left shoulder socket.This emaciated body before her, and the coldness she could still feel through her gloves, were silently describing the facts to her—The person who had said, "I follow my '法,' I walk my '道.' Ignoring all matters, fearing neither man nor ghost," no longer existed.Your "法" was in the Green Plaque, your "道" was in the Three Punishments Palace.If you truly "ignored all matters," why did you give up everything you had in the North Imperial Guard because of your friend's death, pursuing this for so many years alone?If you "feared neither man nor ghost," how is it that you have treated me as your own since I was little, taking care of me for so many years?There were so many questions that could only remain in her heart, and would never have answers again.Lin Youxie was silent.So what was the meaning of pursuing the truth anyway?What was the purpose of seeking the truth?Was it to lose another relative for the injustice suffered by one?Facing the body before her, for the first time, she doubted the path she had walked all these years.Jiang Wang and Zheng Shangming were also silent, simply waiting for her actions.Lin Youxie silently made the first incision. The tip of the knife pierced into the shoulder socket, entering an inch and a half. She skillfully pulled it diagonally downwards, drawing a semi-circle.With a slight flick of the small knife, the incision was opened, revealing the distinct muscle and tendon纹理.She carefully examined it, noted it in her mind, and then returned the dissected flesh.After a simple cleaning, she put away the small knife and took out a translucent, slender awl, only slightly thicker than an iron nail, but five inches long.Her left index and middle fingers moved slightly on the body's side waist before pressing down, and she naturally plunged the awl in...Jiang Wang and Zheng Shangming silently watched Lin Youxie complete all the autopsy work.From scalp to toe, from outer skin to inner organs, she did not miss any possible clues.She was so calm.Her movements were clean and precise, without any hesitation.Even with the most critical eye, one could not find a single fault.Zheng Shangming, who was silently recording the various data of the body in his mind, couldn't help but marvel at her superb technique. Compared to Jiang Wang, with his family background, he could better understand "skill."And as he looked at Lin Youxie, who was already putting away her wooden box, he was actually more surprised by her calmness during the process."Did you take your medicine today?" Jiang Wang sniffed gently, then suddenly asked.Lin Youxie was stunned, her hand that was putting away the knife stopped.It turned out she had forgotten fear.