Miss Truth
Chapter 184 - 117: Ruan Lang Lost (3)

Chapter 184: Chapter 117: Ruan Lang Lost (3)

"The begonias bloom perfectly, and my mother can hear me speak."

Wan Lu’s heart trembled as she whispered softly, "This is too sinister."

Xiao Song’s eyebrows slightly raised. If he remembered correctly, Huan Kong’s master was Jing Hui, not Jing Yuan. "Are you saying you never knew your mother’s memorial day until your master told you yesterday?"

When Huan Kong met his gaze and quickly shrank back behind Ran Yan, he murmured quietly.

Xiao Song looked around and, not seeing Jing Hui, he called out, "Someone go and summon Grandmaster Jing Hui!"

In Xiao Song’s experience with handling cases year-round, there were no coincidences unless there was sufficient evidence.

The tomb had been completely excavated, yet instead of a coffin, there was a wooden box about the size of a water tank. The spotty appearance of the box indicated its age, and there were slight gaps at the junctions, with dense roots from the begonias penetrating, the roots by the box faintly reddened.

The Government Official efficiently pried open the wooden box, and when the crowd saw what was inside, their faces were instantly filled with astonishment.

The box did not contain bones, but six jar-like containers of equal size arranged in the pattern of a plum blossom, with one sealed jar in the center surrounded evenly by five unsealed jars, each filled with a deep red liquid! Numerous begonia roots extended into the jars, absorbing the liquid within.

Ran Yan knew plant roots were pervasive, flourishing where nutrients and water were abundant, sometimes reaching several meters underground—this was their natural tendency. However, even so, she found the situation eerily uncanny, as did everyone else present!

Liu Pinrang, who was usually composed, also showed a slight change of expression. Xiao Song frowned, "Is this witchcraft?"

Huan Kong too was shocked by the scene, staring wide-eyed and unable to recover for a long time. Ran Yan looked at the jar in the center of the "plum blossom" and couldn’t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears. Considering the size of that jar, it was impossible for it to contain the bones of an adult. The only possibility was that, for ease of transport, Huan Kong’s mother’s body had been cremated.

Ran Yan had analyzed ashes before, but even with analysis, the information obtainable was scant, let alone discerning anything under these conditions. Did Huan Kong not know her mother’s body had been cremated, or did she truly consider her a deity or demon?

"It’s not like that. Wuu wuu..." Huan Kong staggered and fell in front of the excavated grave, crying heart-wrenchingly.

Huan Kong was prone to crying, which Ran Yan had heard many times. Nevertheless, she had never heard her cry with such deep sorrow.

"I had only reached Suzhou a month after my mother’s coffin ceremony, and she was fine, not put into a jar," Huan Kong said, having already crawled into the pit, struggling to reach the jars.

The Government Official quickly restrained her.

Xiao Song nudged Ran Yan with his elbow and nodded towards Huan Kong with his chin. Ran Yan hesitated, then moved closer.

Ran Yan felt somewhat awkward internally; she wasn’t good at comforting people! However, thinking it wasn’t about comforting Huan Kong right then, she tugged forcefully on Huan Kong’s sleeve and said, "Perhaps this is some method to guide your mother to the Western Paradise..."

Huan Kong’s crying abruptly stopped, her face tear-stained, looking up at Ran Yan with hopeful eyes as she gasped, "Really?"

"Yes." Under Huan Kong’s earnest gaze, Ran Yan stiffened and told a white lie, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, fortunate that her expression was concealed under the mask.

Xiao Song’s gaze fell on her uneasy feet and he couldn’t help but smile slightly, walking over to Huan Kong and saying, "It’s not a guide to paradise, but it’s similar. I once saw a witch use this technique to keep a soul here to protect her children. If this formation is broken, the soul will continue its reincarnation and, because of her compassion, she will be reborn into a very good family."

Huan Kong’s frown lifted as she happily asked, "How do we break the formation?"

Ran Yan looked at Xiao Song suspiciously, seeing how earnestly he spoke without a hint of deception, she couldn’t help but believe that such witchcraft existed in the world.

"As long as we find the person who cast the spell and have them move the pots around, that should do it," Xiao Song observed the pots, the smell of fresh blood emanating from within, blood that had not been stored for very long.

It seemed that the missing blood from the third corpse was right here.

"I’ll go ask my master," Huan Kong quickly climbed out of the hole and was about to run to the temple when Xiao Song grabbed him, "I have already sent someone to invite your master over. You should also think carefully—aside from your master, could there be someone else who knew your mother and helped her set up this formation?"

Ran Yan immediately understood that all of Xiao Song’s words were meant to calm Huan Kong down, so she could recall more clearly to provide more clues.

In past interrogations to extract the truth, officers could also lie to suspects or witnesses to extract truthful information. Toward this method, Ran Yan was neither disgusted nor fond of it.

"No one else," Huan Kong replied.

Xiao Song did not give up, asking amiably, "Has anyone else come here to pay respects to your mother?"

Although Huan Kong was still a bit scared of Xiao Song, his amiable demeanor was indeed very impactful; thus, she also recalled earnestly with a blushing face.

After a while, as Xiao Song patiently waited, a gleam appeared in Huan Kong’s tearful little face, "There was also a Buddha, extremely handsome, umm... even more so than you, radiating an aura of serenity, surely the Buddha sent him to see my mother, knowing her hardships."

A radiant smile spread across Xiao Song’s face, resembling the bright sunlight, as he reached out to stroke her sleek head, his magnetic voice sounding almost like a praise, "The Buddha will also bless you."

Huan Kong’s face flushed, her eyes bright and shining as she looked at Xiao Song, as if taking his word as that of the Buddha himself. Watching this, Ran Yan felt a twinge in her heart and thought again that Xiao Song was truly an undeniable fox spirit, not only enchanting but also cunning, capable of lying without as much as blinking an eye.

The messenger that Xiao Song had sent to invite Temple Master Jing Hui hurried back, bowing to Xiao Song and Liu Pinrang, "Inspector, Inspector, the Temple Master said that Jing Hui went to Puhui Temple in Pingjiang yesterday and won’t return until after this afternoon’s hour."

Liu Pinrang fell silent for a moment before turning to Xiao Song, "Inspector, perhaps we should order a lockdown of this area and rest at the temple for a while."

Xiao Song, who conducted his investigations day and night, had been tirelessly inspecting since the assassination in the forest last night, followed by the entire Yingmei Temple, and then began searching all around this burial site.

Liu Pinrang grumbled to himself, why drag me along when you can go sleepless for nights and still remain full of vigor? I barely slept less than an hour since last night; I hadn’t even warmed my bed before being dragged out again, how can this old man endure this?

Xiao Song slightly nodded, "That would be good."

Liu Pinrang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, issued several orders, then invited Xiao Song to leave together, offering a few words of "rest well" to Ran Yan before departing.

Liu Pinrang led the way first, while Xiao Song paused his step, "I’ve arranged Secret Guards around, you can rest easy."

"Thank you," Ran Yan bowed slightly.

As Xiao Song turned to leave, he stopped, turned back, and from his sleeve, he produced a small porcelain bottle, "This is a secret recipe from the palace, good for bone healing. Give it a try."

After handing the bottle to Wan Lu and slightly nodding as a farewell gesture, he left with his hands behind his back. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)