The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#325 - Praying Mantis

After leaving Meng Xueru's residence, Zhao Banshan stopped under a sweet osmanthus tree and asked again, "Who else do you want to investigate? Geng Nantian? Abbot Jiyuan and the others already investigated镖师 Geng before. I also had people investigate him a while ago, but if you still want to investigate him, I can take you to his house.

"Whether you want to ask questions or look for any silver notes, it's up to you."

"No need," Yan Jun said, "It seems we misunderstood some things before, causing trouble for Old Master Zhao and the Tianma镖局."

"Trouble is not a big deal. Although I was a little unhappy with the small actions you took under my nose, I actually knew you weren't targeting me. You were just investigating the case, and I also want this matter to be resolved as soon as possible," Zhao Banshan sighed.

Lu Jing and Yan Jun were also silent upon hearing this. They now realized that this case seemed to be more troublesome than they had imagined. With Zhao Banshan's power and connections in Wujiang City, and the three famous Jianghu seniors he had invited, they still hadn't found anything. And Lu Jing and Yan Jun only had three days to find the murderer, making it even more difficult.

Yan Jun was already prepared to have Wang Wan take the two children elsewhere to avoid trouble if it was really impossible.

Seeing Lu Jing and Yan Jun bidding him farewell, Zhao Banshan suddenly remembered something else, "Oh right, also, someone saw Su Zhe leaving the city alone before the incident."

"Leaving the city alone?" Lu Jing raised his eyebrows.

Zhao Banshan nodded, "That's right, and the city gate was about to close at that time. The soldiers guarding the city warned him, but Su Zhe didn't seem worried at all. I suspect he went out to meet a friend."

"But after that, I investigated his friends and didn't find any suspicious guys among them, so I'm giving you this clue, hoping you can find something I didn't."

After Zhao Banshan finished speaking, he waved his hand without waiting for Lu Jing and Yan Jun to thank him, and went to play chess with Abbot Jiyuan.

After he left, Yan Jun saw Lu Jing in a daze, and then a hint of joy flashed in his eyes, so she said, "Did you find anything?"

However, Lu Jing then refocused his attention on the case, paused for a moment, and then said, "I don't think Meng Xueru is lying."

"I think so too," Yan Jun said, "Otherwise, she shouldn't have said that she went to the river to wash clothes in the morning. It's too easy to be exposed. And if she wasn't lying, then Old Master Zhao shouldn't be lying either, or at least he wasn't lying about most things."

Lu Jing continued, "So there is likely a strange object in this case. Its function should be to allow the holder to disguise themselves as other people, or create people out of thin air, like…"

"Like that magic brush," Yan Jun said, "But the magic brush has already been collected by Supervisor Huang… so this should be another strange object."

"In any case, since a strange object has appeared, it should be reported to the Sitianjian for handling according to the rules."

Yan Jun nodded, "I'll go back and tell my cousin first, and have her take the children to her father's place to avoid trouble."

Lu Jing said, "Then I'll have Gu Jing send a message."

At this point, the matter was no longer related to the two of them. At most, after sending Wang Wan and her two children away, they would introduce the case to the inspectors sent by the Sitianjian.

Because it was closer to the house that Lu Jing had bought in Wujiang City before, Lu Jing didn't go back to Old Cao Street with Yan Jun, but went to his original residence first, picked up a pen and ink, and wrote a secret report to the Sitianjian, roughly talking about what happened here, and Yan Jun's and his own deductions.

Then he tied the secret letter to Gu Jing's leg, fed it a handful of millet, and let it spread its wings and fly into the darkness.

Lu Jing himself stretched and walked into the yard.

He looked at the flowers and trees in the yard. Although he hadn't been back for several months, with the help of the Sanhu堂 to take care of and clean, the flowers and plants still looked quite neat, but most of them had passed their flowering period, and only a few hibiscus were still blooming.

Lu Jing also saw a female mantis on the wall behind a hibiscus, but he didn't see a male mantis nearby. Lu Jing remembered the Black Cat Sheriff he had watched when he was a child, and wondered if the male mantis had been eaten by the female mantis.

And then Lu Jing suddenly froze.

But suddenly thought of a possibility.

The biggest problem in this case is that the victim's family and the Tianma镖局, headed by Old Master Zhao, have different opinions. Now that he and Yan Jun have basically ruled out the suspicion of the Tianma镖局.

Could it be that Wang Wan is the one who is lying?

Excluding the possibility of strange objects, this seems to be the only answer to this case.

Because Wang Wan is not only the widow of the victim, but also Yan Jun's cousin, Lu Jing had never suspected her before.

But what if she hadn't told the truth from the beginning?

Speaking of which, she and Su Zhe have been married for eight years. It is said that there is a seven-year itch. At this time, it is when the passion between husband and wife fades and boredom gradually arises. Is it possible that Wang Wan has other men outside, and then Su Zhe finds out.

So Wang Wan had no choice but to join forces with the adulterer to kill Su Zhe.

No, no, killing someone and framing them is indeed a good idea, but if it's purely to clear the suspicion of oneself and the adulterer, and divert the blame, one shouldn't involve the Tianma镖局.

Wang Wan could have found a slightly smaller镖局 or force. With Zhao Banshan's influence and connections in Wujiang City, it is very dangerous to provoke him.

Moreover, Wang Wan not only did not keep a low profile afterwards, but also wrote to Yan Jun, even two letters, especially the second letter almost urged Yan Jun to leave.

What she did was no different from playing with fire, unless… unless her target from the beginning was Yan Jun!

In this way, her dragging the Tianma镖局 into the water can also be explained, because if it weren't for Zhao Banshan and the behemoth of the Tianma镖局 being involved in this case, Yan Jun might not have come in person.

If it were replaced by other small forces, Yan Jun might have directly asked her sect to send someone to solve it.

Thinking of this, Lu Jing was also suddenly shocked. Could it be that Wang Wan really wanted to deal with her cousin? Has she entered the demonic path, or was she being held hostage?

And is it necessary to go to this extent? In order to get Yan Jun hooked, even her husband was killed?

Lu Jing didn't have time to think about the reasons behind it. He already realized that Yan Jun might be in danger now. In addition, Gu Jing had just been sent to the Sitianjian by him. Lu Jing could only use his light work and run towards Old Cao Street.