Therefore, he shifted the pressure onto his subordinates.
However, his greatest hope was still placed on Li Gongfu, but it was because of Xu Xian.
Although Su Kangnian reported Li Gongfu's merits to the prefectural governor regarding the pirate case, there was no reward so quickly; it would take at least a year and a half.
Therefore, Li Gongfu is still the head constable of Qiantang County and has not been promoted.
Upon hearing the magistrate's words, Li Gongfu's expression turned somewhat solemn.
At first, he thought it was just a small case. After all, missing persons are inevitable in a large county with a population of over 500,000; it happens almost every year.
However, he panicked after investigating the case.
No traces were left at the scene, and there were no witnesses. In other words, the murderer left no clues whatsoever.
This is a case handled by a seasoned veteran.
Li Gongfu provided the answer.
When questioned by County Magistrate Su Kangnian, Li Gongfu clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Your Excellency, I have investigated for seven days but have not found any useful clues."
Su Kangnian frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Are there really no clues?"
Seeing Li Gongfu's affirmative expression, Su Kangnian was full of confusion: "That shouldn't be the case. If it's a crime committed by a human, there must be clues left behind. Could it be... that it wasn't committed by a human..."
"hiss!"
Everyone was shocked.
"Your Excellency, please don't frighten me! This is no laughing matter!"
The county magistrate replied in a panic, clearly already suspecting something unclean.
"They could also be cultivators..."
Seeing that everyone was quite frightened, Su Kangnian quickly explained, "I have heard that there are righteous and evil cultivators. Righteous masters, such as the immortal masters of Qingxu Temple in the eastern suburbs, live in seclusion and cultivate in seclusion, not concerning themselves with worldly affairs!"
"Evil sects like Hanshan Temple treat human life like ants, doing whatever they want and causing havoc in the region!"
"I just don't know whether this case was committed by members of the evil sect or by a criminal with extremely sophisticated methods!"
Before the truth is revealed and evidence is available, all speculation is just speculation and cannot be used as evidence in court.
Thinking of this, Su Kangnian took a deep breath and said to Li Gongfu below, "Officer Li, no matter what, as the chief constable of the three shifts in this county, you have an inescapable responsibility to investigate this case."
He paused for a breath and continued, "I hereby give you seven days to find out the truth, locate the suspect, and bring justice to the people of the county."
Upon hearing Su Kangnian's order, Li Gongfu gritted his teeth and said, "My lord, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to apprehend the suspect and bring him to justice, and rescue the lost children."
He was a kind-hearted man, and with so many children from his village missing and not a single clue to be found, he was extremely anxious.
As the saying goes, "a higher-ranking official can have absolute power," and given his own duties as a constable, Li Gongfu did not resist his superior's orders and accepted them in a low voice.
At worst, I'll have to swallow my pride and ask my brother-in-law for help at Qingxu Temple!
Seeing that Li Gongfu had taken on the case, Magistrate Su Kangnian smiled with satisfaction.
Even the county magistrate and the county constable were very happy.
This hot potato has finally been thrown away.
The impromptu meeting then adjourned.
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Chapter 18 Case [4.2k]
After the meeting, Li Gongfu immediately set off with a group of yamen runners to Liujia Village to investigate the case of the missing children.
In the past few days, news of missing children in Qiantang County and even several surrounding villages has spread, causing a climate of fear and unease in villages large and small within a radius of dozens of miles. It seems that any slight disturbance is enough to make people's hearts jump.
Normally, Liujia Village wouldn't be quiet until almost dark, but now, before it's even completely dark, there's no one to be seen in the village.
As for the children who often played in the village, they were locked at home from a young age and were not allowed to go anywhere.
Nobody wants anything to happen to their child, especially since all sorts of rumors and gossip circulate among those who cause widespread panic.
Some say she was kidnapped, others say she was carried off by some wild beast, and still others say she was eaten by mountain spirits or monsters.
Anyway, with so many people talking, and everyone passing on the word, everyone has a gossipy nature, so even more exaggerated versions of the story can emerge from this word-of-mouth.
However, precisely because of this, families with children close their doors early, fearing that their children might mysteriously disappear.
Li Gongfu knew that if he arrived earlier, there might still be a chance to find some clues; if he arrived later, he was afraid he would find nothing at all.
Of course, Li Gongfu only held a sliver of hope and didn't even have high expectations.
He had examined more than one or two crime scenes in the past, but the perpetrators were so skilled that they left not a single clue.
When Li Gongfu arrived at Liujia Village with his men, he was immediately surrounded by a group of people. Of course, these villagers were not there to attack Li Gongfu, but to watch how he would solve the case.
After all, watching a spectacle is human nature.
Li Gongfu looked at Liu Er kneeling before him. The child was missing and his fate was unknown. The man's face was full of pleading as he begged Li Gongfu to find the child.
After helping the man up, Li Gongfu waved his hand and instructed the constables, "Investigate carefully. Don't let any clue slip by."
Unfortunately, the scene had been extensively damaged, making it extremely difficult to find any clues now.