Mi esposa se sube al muro

Capítulo 10

Xu Shirong spat and said angrily, "You're getting more and more shameless! How can you say such crazy things! Let go of me right now, or you'll be sorry!"

Yang Huan saw that although she was cursing, her face was flushed and her appearance was pretty and lovely. It was rare to see her like this, and he was instantly captivated. Just as he was getting restless, a gust of wind blew in from the window that had just been opened, turning a few pages of the picture book. He glanced at it and his heart skipped a beat. He freed one hand to pick up the picture book and said with a grin, "Look, my wife, this is the posture of 'flirting with butterflies to seek fragrance.' I think it's not bad. How about we try it out one of our days after we've dismissed everyone?" As he spoke, he held the picture book out to her eyes.

At a glance, Xu Shirong saw that the illustration depicted a woman sitting on a swing in a courtyard, surrounded by lush vegetation. Her clothes were loose, and she held high on both sides of the swing frame, her legs spread wide, resting in two loops made of silk rope on either side. In front of her was a tall man holding a whisk, waiting to enter. The painting was extremely exquisite, even capturing the woman's shy, smiling, and affectionate expression.

Xu Shirong's face turned bright red at just one glance. Seeing that he had also put down the picture book and was about to press down on her again with a grin, she panicked and swung her hand out, slapping him across the face with a crisp, loud sound. Even her own palm felt a little sore.

Yang Huan was caught up in the moment and was stunned by the sudden slap. Before he could react, Xu Shirong pushed him away, sat up from the bed, and turned to leave without even straightening her clothes. But he grabbed her hand.

Yang Huan's tenderness vanished instantly upon being struck. He touched his aching cheek with one hand and grabbed her with the other, shouting, "You woman, you've really gone too far! I'm your husband, how can I not accept you? You even dared to hit me. It's not like you haven't done it before, why can't I even lay a finger on you now!"

Xu Shirong, hearing the anger in his tone, feared he would use his drunkenness as an excuse to pester her again, so she ignored him, forcefully shaking off his hand and hurrying towards the door. Seeing her disregard, Yang Huan felt a mixture of resentment, anger, and a deep sense of disappointment. He snorted and said fiercely, "I refuse to believe that even your own wife can be so arrogant! Just you wait, I'll make sure you bring this woman back to the ground!"

Xu Shirong had already reached the door when she heard him speak. She paused slightly, glanced back, and saw him still sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on her with a fierce expression of anger. For some reason, a chill ran down her spine. She stepped forward and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Xu Shirong returned to her room, still somewhat unsettled. She glanced at the calligraphy copybook she had half-finished on the table, sat down, and slowly copied a few more pages before gradually calming down. Just as she was writing the last character, the door to her room was suddenly pushed open, and Yang Huan rushed in like a gust of wind. Caught off guard, her hand trembled, and a drop of ink splashed onto the Xuan paper, spreading out in a round mark.

Xu Shirong frowned slightly, slowly put down her pen, then looked up at Yang Huan and said calmly, "Are you sober now?"

Although she showed no outward sign of surprise, she was inwardly puzzled. This man, who had just been slapped by her and looked furious, was now approaching her with a smile on his face. She wondered what he was up to, and a sense of unease crept into her heart.

Yang Huan put his hands behind his back, walked around the table to her side, leaned in to glance at her, and clicked his tongue in admiration: "When did my wife have such leisure time? This is truly excellent."

She had just been copying the "Yishan Stele," passed down from Qin Dynasty Prime Minister Li Si. The small seal script was rounded, vigorous, and flowing. She had practiced copying it for a while when she was young, but had abandoned it afterward. Now, having some free time, she had picked it up again to pass the time when bored. Seeing him clearly not knowing the difference between good and bad, yet praising it indiscriminately, she ignored him, stood up, walked to the window, pushed the window frame open a little, and then asked, "What is it you want now?"

Yang Huan followed closely to the window, then said with a smile, "I just heard from Xiao Que that you went to Wu Niu Lane to investigate the Qin family case, which is being held in a death row cell. From now on, you only need to give me a word for such matters; there's no need for you to go out."

Xu Shirong was reminded of this and couldn't help but snort, "The county magistrate is busy with banquets and feasts every day. Where would he have time to do such things? Even if he did go, I'm afraid he would have to clear the way with gongs and umbrella bearers by his side. Everyone would be too busy to even kneel down when they see him, let alone dare to speak."

Yang Huan, unperturbed by her sarcasm, chuckled and said, "If you don't like my pomp and circumstance, I'll remove it. It's not like I can't live without it. It's just something to watch and have fun for a few days now, so it's about time." Seeing her glance at him, he quickly added, "From now on, I won't go to those lousy banquets anymore. They're all just flattery and empty words; my ears are tired of them. I'd rather stay home and spend more time with you. Since you feel there are doubts about the Qin case, I'll hold a retrial first thing tomorrow morning and arrest all those involved. What do you think?"

Chapter Twenty-One

The next morning, Yang Huan indeed held court to hear the case, and the county government gates, as usual, were wide open facing south. Passersby, hearing the commotion, gathered to watch the spectacle. They were astonished to see Qin, the widow who had been sentenced to be executed earlier that year for driving her mother-in-law to suicide. They were surprised to learn that Magistrate Yang had reviewed old case files, found the case suspicious, and, unwilling to disregard human life, had reopened the case. The news spread rapidly.

Meanwhile, Qin was kneeling there, listening to the murmurs of the crowd outside the yamen gate. She glanced at the solemn new magistrate in the courtroom. Although she was still somewhat afraid of the sticks in the hands of the yamen runners on both sides, and her body trembled slightly, her heart was starting to stir. She was no longer like a walking corpse, just waiting to be executed in a few days.

Yesterday, a young woman entered her damp and gloomy death row cell, questioning her about her mother-in-law, Madam Li, who had hanged herself. Initially bewildered and fearing that speaking too much would implicate her mentally challenged son, she dared not speak. The jailer, Yan Jia, growing anxious, couldn't help but interject, "The previous magistrate has long been investigated and punished. The new magistrate, Yang, is the most benevolent of the people; he eliminated Xu Dahu as soon as he arrived, much to everyone's delight. This is the magistrate's wife. If you don't speak up, you might really be beheaded in a few days, and then you'll only be able to appeal to the King of Hell!"

Yan Jia was a distant relative of her deceased husband. Thanks to his secret help, she had managed to survive in the death row until now. Hearing this, Qin Shi suddenly realized what was happening and began to kowtow frantically, recounting how she had been tortured into confessing.

It turned out that Qin had married into the Yan family and had a son named Aniu, who was somewhat mentally challenged from a young age. When Aniu was around ten years old, her husband, Yan Da, died suddenly from an illness, leaving only her mother-in-law, Li. Seeing that her widowed daughter-in-law was young and her grandson was not bright, Li often advised her to remarry. However, Qin refused to leave and vowed to serve her mother-in-law until the end. Fortunately, although her husband was gone, the family still had two shops along the street and a few acres of poor land, so the three of them managed to make a living.

Qin's determination not to marry was her own business, but it sparked discontent among others. This person was Yan Kai. Yan Kai was the nephew of Li's husband, a man who indulged in all sorts of vices, from drinking and gambling to whoring, causing his own father's death. He then joined Xu Dahu's gang, becoming Xu's henchman and a local ruffian in the Wu Niu Lane area. His relatives avoided him like the plague, fearing to provoke this scoundrel and jinx.

Seeing Yan Da dead and his son A Niu mentally challenged, Yan Kai began to scheme over the family business. He had planned that once Qin Shi remarried, Li Shi aged, and A Niu was mentally challenged, the shops, houses, and fields would eventually fall into his hands. However, several years passed in a flash. Although he repeatedly tried to persuade Li Shi to remarry and spread rumors that she had seduced another man, Qin Shi not only did not leave, but was now arranging a marriage for the growing A Niu. Yan Kai secretly harbored resentment.

Xu Shirong was also present in court today, hiding behind a side door beside Yang Huan. From her angle, she had a clear view of the scene in the courtroom. Looking over, she saw Qin Shi kneeling on the ground. Although her shackles and chains had been removed, there were still bruises around her neck and wrists. She looked emaciated, her hair was graying, and although she was not yet forty, she looked like an old woman. However, compared to when she first saw her in the death row yesterday, her eyes still had a bit more vitality. She couldn't help but recall the last words Qin Shirong had said when she went to that death row cell yesterday.

"That day, because it was almost the end of the year, I thought I'd take advantage of the market day to buy some New Year's goods. So I left my mother-in-law alone at home and took Ah Niu to the market early in the morning. When I returned, it was already quite late. I went to find my mother-in-law, and as soon as I pushed open the door to her room, I saw her hanging from the beam. I was horrified and rushed forward to help her down, but Yan Kai suddenly arrived with his men. He grabbed me on the spot, saying that I had abused my mother-in-law, forced her to hang herself, and refused to help her. I was taken to the county magistrate, who believed Yan Kai's story. He also said that the matchmaker Sang Pozi and Liu San, who lived next door, testified that they had heard me cursing and swearing that day. I couldn't withstand the torture in court and confessed under duress, reluctantly pressing my fingerprint on the confession. Now, my only worry is my Ah Niu. I don't know what has become of him..."

As Xu Shirong was thinking, she suddenly heard a "smack" beside her ear. It turned out that Yang Huan had struck the gavel beside him to commemorate the court, which startled her. Looking up, she could only see his profile from this angle. He looked solemn and sat upright, completely different from his usual rascal-like self. However, she still felt a little awkward looking at him. Then she saw several people being brought up in the courtroom. In the lead was Yan Kai, who had previously accused Qin Shi of forcing his aunt to death. Behind him was an old woman with a face so wrinkled it could trap a fly, dressed in a gaudy manner with flowers in her hair. Then there was a short, middle-aged man with a mustache, who must have been the witnesses, Granny Sang and Liu San.

These two men were summoned to the yamen by the bailiffs early in the morning for no reason. They were told that Magistrate Yang was reiterating the case of Qin Shi and wanted them to testify in court again. At this moment, seeing Qin Shi kneeling there, looking like a grotesque figure, they were feeling uneasy. Suddenly, they heard the sound of the gavel and saw the fierce-looking bailiffs on both sides. Their legs went weak and they knelt on the ground.

Yan Kai, a tall, portly man in his forties, also knelt down, his eyes darting about through the fleshy gaps in his face. Xu Shirong looked at him, recalling the news she had heard yesterday: since Qin Shi had been imprisoned awaiting execution, Yan Kai had told the clansmen that he was taking care of A Niu, and that his family's original shop, house, and several acres of land would naturally belong to him. At first, he pretended to care for A Niu for a few days, but now his wife treated him like a servant, beating and scolding him every few days, complaining that he was stupid and clumsy. Although some clansmen disapproved, even the clan leader dared not say anything, and the others could only sigh helplessly.

After Xu Dahu's death, Yan Kai lost his backer and became quite subdued for a few days. He was secretly pleased that Qin was about to be executed and that A Niu's fortune would be safely in his hands, but this morning he was dragged in by the yamen runners, told that Magistrate Yang wanted to reopen the case. It was like a bolt from the blue; his legs were weak from the shock. But then he remembered how he had acted so discreetly that day, and with Li dead and unable to testify, he would stick to his story and not let the magistrate get away with anything. This calmed him down somewhat.

Seeing that all sorts of people had arrived at the court and the county government office was crowded with eager onlookers, Yang Huan glanced at his right side and saw that Jiao Niang was also standing there looking at him. Feeling smug, he slammed the gavel again, raised an eyebrow, pointed at Yan Kai, and shouted angrily, "Hey! You scoundrel! I have already investigated and found that Li's suicide has nothing to do with Qin. It is clearly you who falsely accused her in order to seize her family's property! If you don't confess the truth, be careful of severe torture!"

Yan Kai's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately cried out in protest, "Your Honor, please understand! I truly do not know what false accusation is. Everyone knows that Qin Shi verbally abused my aunt and drove her to her death. I was not the only one who witnessed it that day; Granny Sang and Liu San also heard and saw it with their own eyes. I beg Your Honor to investigate thoroughly!"

When Granny Sang and Liu San heard Yan Kai pull them in again as soon as he opened his mouth, they inwardly groaned, but dared not show it on their faces. They hurriedly lowered their heads and kowtowed repeatedly. Granny Sang said in a flustered voice, "Sir, my house is next to the Qin family's. That day, I did hear the Qin family speaking ill of her mother-in-law, and I heard her mother-in-law sobbing for half a day, and then there was no sound. I was worried, so I went out to call her nephew Yan Kai to go and check. On the way, I met Liu San, so we went together. But as soon as we entered the door, we saw Granny Li hanging from the beam. The Qin family not only did not help, but stood aside with their hands clasped and watching..."

Hearing her make such a baseless accusation, Madam Qin trembled with anger and said in a trembling voice, "Grandma Sang, we have been neighbors for many years and have had dealings with each other. Why would you slander me like this? I clearly went out with A Niu that day. If my mother-in-law was really driven to her death by me, may I be struck by lightning and may my A Niu also suffer a terrible death!"

When Granny Sang heard Qin utter such a wicked curse, she lowered her head and dared not meet her gaze. Liu San hurriedly repeated the curse in the same manner.

Yang Huan spat and pointed at Granny Sang and Liu San, cursing, "You two are obviously no good. You must have been bribed to conspire together. Come on, beat them up! I don't believe you're not telling the truth!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Granny Sang and Liu San turned pale and began kowtowing repeatedly, crying out that they were innocent. Yan Kai loudly argued, "Although you have only been in this county for a short time, everyone in the county knows that you love the people like your own children. Torturing the witnesses like this will only lead to a false confession and damage your reputation."

Xu Shirong was impressed by his eloquence and took a closer look at him. Seeing that he remained calm and composed, she admired his shrewdness.

With his mouth gagged, Yang Huan's eyes darted around, and he shouted, "Come on, drag this Liu San out of here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, some constables stepped forward and dragged away the struggling Liu San, leaving only Granny Sang behind. Everyone was puzzled and looked at Yang Huan. Even Xu Shirong was a little strange, wondering what he was up to, and just watched without thinking.

Yang Huan slammed his hand on the table, pointed at the old woman, and cursed, "A matchmaker's mouth can startle fire and ignite thunder; she can talk a dead man back to life! No wonder she deserves to be killed even if she's innocent!"

Seeing Liu San dragged away, leaving her alone, Granny Sang was already terrified, unsure of how the magistrate would punish her. Hearing him shout "kill," she turned ashen-faced and collapsed to the ground, unable to even kneel properly. Hearing Yan Kai cough, she forced herself to speak, saying weakly, "Sir, you're joking with me. I'm easily frightened..." As she spoke, the white powder from the wrinkles on her face kept falling off.

Yang Huan spat and cursed, "You old hag, I'd run away from you like the plague, why would I joke with you!"

Seeing that the magistrate's words didn't seem to indicate that he intended to kill her, Granny Sang was slightly relieved. She quickly put on a smiling face and looked over in confusion.

Yang Huan seemed to have gotten addicted to slamming the gavel, striking it again before asking, "You just said you were worried and called Yan Kai over, and then you ran into Liu San on the way. Do you still remember what happened then?"

When Granny Sang heard that this was the question, she was relieved and hurriedly smiled apologetically, saying, "I remember, I remember, of course I remember very clearly. If I didn't remember, how could I dare to be a witness now?"

Yang Huan snorted and nodded, saying, "In that case, tell me where you met Liu San that day, and what Liu San was doing at the time?"

Granny Sang was startled, and her face turned even uglier. She stammered for a long time but couldn't get a word out.

Yang Huan roared, "You old hag! Just now you were insisting you remembered it clearly, but now that I'm not asking you this, you can't answer! It's clear you were just spouting nonsense, and your testimony is obviously unreliable. Come on, give her fifty heavy lashes, and if she doesn't die, give her another fifty! Punish her for deceiving her superiors!"

Seeing the yamen runner about to pounce on her like a wolf, Granny Sang was terrified. She closed her eyes and cried out incoherently, "My lord, spare me! I remember now, we met at the entrance of the alley where Master Yan lives."

Yang Huan chuckled, waved his hand, and ordered the yamen runners to drag Granny Sang away and bring Liu San back. He then repeated the same intimidation tactics, and Liu San was terrified, his face turning pale. He claimed that he had just been passing by the Qin family's house and was dragged there along.

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion broke out outside the county government office. Everyone shook their heads and pointed at Liu San and the old woman Sang who had been dragged back, spitting on them. Only then did the two realize that they hadn't been able to keep their promises. They were so frightened that they trembled and collapsed to the ground.

Xu Shirong was somewhat surprised. She glanced at Yang Huan and saw him turning his head to look at her triumphantly, looking like a child who had been trying to please an adult. It was so funny that she couldn't help but smile slightly.

Seeing that his simple trick had exposed the two men, Yang Huan was overjoyed, not only by the onlookers but also by his own wife, who wore an approving expression. He felt as if he had found a treasure, but outwardly he suppressed his excitement, turned around, and with a stern face, shouted, "You two scoundrels, you've clearly been bribed by Yan Kai to conspire to frame that Qin woman! If you don't confess, I'll beat you both to death right here in court, and no one will complain! Come on..."

"My lord, more than half a year has passed since the incident. It's possible that they made a mistake in their memory. How can you make such a judgment based on their momentary slip of the tongue? I still vividly remember the scene of my aunt hanging herself that day. I have not lied in the slightest, nor have I falsely accused her. If you don't believe me, you can sentence me to false accusation. Even if you cut off my head, it's just a matter of your word. Even if I become a headless ghost, I will be a wronged ghost!"

Seeing that Granny Sang and Liu San were already at their breaking point, and fearing that they would implicate even more people, Yan Kai gritted his teeth and decided to go all out. He interrupted Yang Huan and spoke righteously and with awe-inspiring righteousness.

Yang Huan thought he had already won the case, but he didn't expect Yan Kai to be so formidable. After being told that, he was speechless for a moment, stunned, and couldn't help but look at Xu Shirong again.

Xu Shirong frowned slightly. Yan Kai was clearly eloquent and had some courage. If he couldn't produce evidence now, even if Granny Sang and Liu San admitted to being bribed to give false testimony, he would probably deny it to the death. Even if he were to be convicted, he could only be charged with false accusation. However, it now seemed that Li's death was not as simple as hanging herself. Fortunately, she had prepared for this possibility. Thinking of this, she looked towards the outside of the courtroom and, sure enough, saw Shi An rushing in.

Seeing that Magistrate Yang was speechless after his words, Yan Kai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear a loud voice beside him: "Your Honor, I am Shi An, the coroner who examined Li's body that day. Although I had many doubts during my examination, I was bound by my superior's orders and recorded her death as a suicide. For the past six months, I have felt guilty whenever I think of that day. To bring justice to the wrongfully deceased Li, to find out the true cause of her death, and to bring the murderer to justice, I beg Your Honor to exhume the body and conduct an autopsy!"

Chapter Twenty-Two

The one who spoke was Shi An, dressed in a blue robe with his sleeves tied up. He strode towards the courtroom, passed Yan Kai and the others, knelt down, and said loudly.

Those inside and outside the courtroom gasped upon hearing the words "exhumation and autopsy." After a moment, they began whispering amongst themselves. Though the murmurs were loud, one could discern that some supported exhumation while others vehemently opposed it. Gradually, the opposition grew stronger, with seven or eight out of ten shaking their heads.

When Yan Kai heard that the coffin had to be opened for an autopsy, his expression changed at first. But when he heard the crowd outside the court shaking their heads in opposition, he gradually calmed down, lowered his head slightly, and remained silent.

Yang Huan hesitated for a moment, then subconsciously turned to look at Xu Shirong. Their eyes met, and she nodded slightly at him. Without thinking, he turned and slammed his clapper down hard. The hall fell silent as countless eyes turned to him. Only then did he shout, "That makes sense. Let's open the coffin and examine the body to find out the truth!"

"My lord, Lord Yang, you mustn't..." Before he could finish speaking, an old man outside a fork in the road knelt down, waving his hands repeatedly and saying, "Since ancient times, death has been the greatest event, and burial is the best way to ensure peace. This Li family member is already buried, how can we open the coffin now? Disturbing the spirit of the deceased is a grave sin..."

After the old man finished speaking, everyone around him nodded in agreement, except for one person who sneered and argued, "That's not right. If Li really died unjustly, burying her like this will not only leave her unable to rest in peace, but her spirit will also be filled with resentment in the underworld. It would be better to open the coffin and investigate to find out the truth, so that people on and off the earth can have peace of mind."

This argument seemed reasonable and garnered a lot of support, leading to a heated debate between the two sides.

Hearing the commotion growing louder and louder, turning the grand courtroom into a marketplace, Yang Huan snapped back to his senses and said sternly, "I'm protected by a spirit medium, and I've had a lot of malevolent energy since childhood, so I have no taboos. I said I'd open the coffin, and the lid is on. There's no better time than now, let's dig up the grave and open the coffin at noon! If you keep making noise, you'll all be slapped!"

The crowd in the courtroom, who had been arguing fiercely just moments before, immediately fell silent, exchanging bewildered glances. Yang Huan ignored them, simply ordering the bailiffs to detain Qin Shi, Yan Kai, Granny Sang, and Liu San. He then dismissed the court, dusted himself off, and headed towards the side door where Xu Shirong was. As soon as he entered, he grabbed her sleeve and whispered, "Since you agree with that Shi fellow, I'll go along with it. But there's one condition: all the dirty work, like opening the coffin and exhuming the corpse, will be handled by Shi An. You're not allowed to do it yourself!"

Xu Shirong glanced at him, smiled slightly, and turned to head towards the inner office. Yang Huan, seeing her noncommittal expression, wasn't sure if she had taken his words to heart. He was about to give her more instructions when he saw that she had already left with only her back to him. He jumped up in anger and hurriedly followed after her.

Before they knew it, it was noon. When Yang Huan and Xu Shirong arrived at the Yan family cemetery, they were quite taken aback. In such a short time, the once desolate cemetery had become a sea of people. Even the small mounds of earth were filled with people who had come to see what was going on, all with curious expressions. When they saw the yamen runners clearing the way with gongs, they knew that the magistrate had arrived, and they immediately made way for the Li family's cemetery.

Yang Huan rode a horse, while Xu Shirong rode in a sedan chair. Upon arriving at the Li family's gravesite, they saw several men wielding picks and hoes, presumably the grave relocators they had summoned. Shi An had also arrived early. Incense smoke curled around the grave, and offerings of fruit and wine were laid out. Several monks sat there, chanting sutras with their eyes closed, striking wooden fish drums. Before Yang Huan could speak, County Magistrate Mu, who had arrived earlier, hurriedly stepped forward to explain, "The Yan family patriarch said digging up the grave would be inauspicious, so he invited a master to perform a ritual to ward off evil..."

Yang Huan's eyes widened, and he was about to burst into a tirade when he felt someone tug at his sleeve. He turned around and saw that it was Xu Shirong, so he stopped and complained, "Even the monks at the Great Xiangguo Temple in the capital are skilled in trading and business. They are all more shrewd than ordinary people. I can't stand these fancy tricksters."

Seeing his impatience, Xu Shirong whispered, "Since they feel more at ease this way, you might as well wait a little longer. It'll be over soon anyway, it won't take much longer."

Hearing her gentle persuasion, and noticing her unusually kind expression, Yang Huan felt a surge of relief. He coughed, sat down on the stool that had been prepared earlier, and patiently waited. Finally, when the monk finished packing up, Yang Huan jumped up, said "Start digging," and the grave movers grabbed their tools and quickly got to work.

The onlookers, who had been waiting impatiently, perked up at the sight of the commotion and rushed over to see what was happening. However, they were stopped by the constables who had formed a circle around them with sticks. They then stopped and stood in a circle a dozen paces away, watching from a distance.

Because Li died by hanging herself, and her daughter-in-law Qin was imprisoned, Yan Kai took charge of handling the aftermath himself. But he didn't really care. The men hadn't dug very deep when they saw a corner of a purplish-red coffin emerging from the mud. Their spirits lifted, and they dug again. Before long, the entire coffin was unearthed. It looked like a thin piece of wood, with peeling and mottled paint. Moreover, after only half a year, the wood already showed signs of decay.

When everyone saw that the coffin had been exposed from the ground, they were just waiting for it to be opened. The place, which had more than a thousand people, suddenly fell silent, all waiting for Yang Huan to give the order to open the coffin.

Yang Huan glanced at Xu Shirong, noticing her solemn expression as she stared at the coffin. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Open the coffin!" The grave movers waiting nearby, hearing the magistrate's order, used their shovels to probe the gap between the coffin lid and body. With a gentle lift, the coffin creaked open, and with another flick, the lid was off, landing on the opposite side. Instantly, a pungent stench filled the air. Several men covered their noses and took a few steps back. Only one of the bravest men peered inside, exclaimed "My God!", and immediately dropped his tools, quickly retreating to the side with the others. It turned out that he and his companions were bold enough to take on jobs and earn extra money whenever a family needed to relocate a grave. They had only ever seen skeletons that had been buried for years or even decades and had long since rotted away. They had never seen anything like this before, where a coffin was to be exhumed after being buried for only half a year. They were so frightened by a casual glance that they dared not go any closer.

Those kept at a distance couldn't smell the stench as much. The grave relocator was also terrified, his curiosity growing even stronger. If the yamen runners hadn't been holding him back with Magistrate Yang's orders, they probably would have rushed in to see what was going on.

Yang Huan, being close to the coffin, had already smelled the stench. His stomach churned violently, and he nearly vomited up the food he'd eaten at noon. He barely managed to hold it in, and when he looked up, he saw the young woman walking towards the coffin. He hurriedly called out a few times, but she ignored him. Having no other choice, he followed her. The county magistrate and the county constable, who were nearby, had already covered their mouths and noses, wishing they could slip away immediately. Seeing the county magistrate heading towards the coffin, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and slowly approach as well.

Shi An had already gone down into the pit and was leaning close to the coffin. Although his face was a little pale, he was still holding on. He was having some trouble figuring out how to proceed when he looked up and saw Xu Shirong walking over. He immediately felt reassured and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Xu Shirong also jumped down into the somewhat slippery mud pit and reached the coffin. The stench was still very strong. A skeleton lay flat at the bottom of the coffin. The dark green fabric worn by the body was still faintly recognizable, but the fabric was largely rotten. At a glance, the corpse was in the final stages of decomposition. The hair on the top of the head had fallen off and was tangled up at the bottom of the coffin. The flesh on the face had rotted away to the point that only remnants of tissue remained. Now, only two empty holes remained around the eyes, which were looking up at the blue sky.

Li died in winter and had been buried for only half a year. Normally, the body shouldn't have decomposed so quickly. However, the burial pit was shallow, the coffin was thin, and the low-lying area was damp, with frequent activity of earthworms. A thin layer of liquid also seeped up from the bottom of the coffin, which led to the rapid decomposition of the body. In just over half a year, it had decomposed to this extent.

Seeing that Xu Shirong's eyes were fixed on the corpse as if she wanted to peel off the layer of rotting fabric, Shi An hurriedly said, "Madam, there's no need to do it yourself. Let me do it." As he spoke, he bent down and used the tongs in his hand to pry open the layer of clothing covering the corpse, but his hand was trembling slightly.

The layer of rotting fabric covering Li's body was removed, making the full extent of decay clear. It was almost exactly as she had predicted. Apart from the thicker remaining tissue on her legs, buttocks, and shoulders, most of the body had decomposed into bones, with only a small amount of rotting flesh clinging to them. Due to the dampness, a large amount of adipocere remained on the side of the rotting flesh near the bottom of the coffin.

"Madam... what should we do about this?"

Although Shi An was a government coroner, this was the first time he had encountered such a corpse. He tried his best to suppress the strange feeling in his heart, but his voice trembled slightly. The county magistrate and the county constable, who were standing nearby, had reluctantly come closer, but after just one glance, their feet tingled and they couldn't stand still. They turned around and retreated far away. The county magistrate, Mu, was a refined man, and he even bent over and vomited repeatedly.

Yang Huan only glanced at it before his scalp tingled, and he didn't want to look anymore. He saw Xu Shirong still carefully examining the bottom of the coffin, and he steeled himself and called out, "Jiaoniang, hurry up and come up, be careful that smell doesn't bother you!"

Hearing his voice, Xu Shirong turned around and glanced at him before saying, "Have someone carry this back to the county office."

Chapter Twenty-Three

Yang Huan was taken aback and stood there for a moment. Seeing her serious expression, he put on a bitter face and said, "Do we really have to take this thing back? Can't we just leave it here?"

Xu Shirong shook his head and said, "The flesh has completely decomposed, and even if there were any injuries, they wouldn't be visible. We need to take it back, clean it thoroughly, and then examine the remains to see if we can determine the cause of death."

Although Yang Huan was unwilling, he couldn't utter a single "no" in the face of her solemn expression. After a long while, he sighed, frowned, and glanced back at the county magistrate and the county constable. The two men already looked grim, and upon hearing these words, their faces twisted even more. The few yamen runners who were standing nearby immediately lowered their heads and moved their feet back when they saw Yang Huan looking at them.