Guo Song received the order: "Understood!"
Pei Zhan thought for a mont, then called him back: "Never mind, go get my sword, I’ll go see for myself!"
"I’ll go too!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhen had already stepped to his side.
"You’d better not go," Pei Zhan said as he walked out, "It’s pitch dark. Besides, there are already enough people there."
Fu Zhen was unyielding: "Yet you still tell the Empress that I know military strategy, that I’m not inferior to n, so were you just boasting."
Pei Zhan laughed upon hearing this, t her bright eyes for a mont, then lifted his chin and said: "Alright then! I’ll cover for you!"
"Great!"
Fu Zhen imdiately stepped out the door, swiftly going to retrieve her gear!
...
Cheng Chili had just led his people out of the street when Pei Zhan and Fu Zhen arrived.
"We haven’t found any trace of them, not sure if our assumption was wrong, that they indeed didn’t hide here, or if they fled at the news."
Cheng Chili didn’t beat around the bush and explained the result as soon as they t.
Pei Zhan was also straightforward: "Where was Consort Li’s body found? Take to see."
Cheng Chili was stunned: "It’s pitch dark, and my boss she..."
Fu Zhen interrupted him: "Would a place you can go be too difficult for ?"
Cheng Chili imdiately fell silent. Then he promptly arranged for soone to lead the way with a lit torch.
Since they repeatedly searched the town and couldn’t find Lian Rong, it was pointless to go over it again. If Cheng Chili’s group couldn’t find the person, Pei Zhan likely wouldn’t either.
The group left the town heading straight down the mountain.
At this ti, it was just the beginning of autumn, and the trees on the mountain were still lush. The number of residents at the foot of the mountain was few, with limited demand for firewood, and the mountain paths were hidden under the canopy, making it indeed hard to notice soone passing through.
After traveling for nearly an hour, they arrived at the foot of the mountain, where a deep pool situated beneath a cliff suddenly ca into view.
The soldier responsible for transporting the body during the day stepped forward to identify the location: "Consort Li was found on the stone beach on the west side of the pool, discovered by a hunter."
Pei Zhan held up the torch and shone it around the pool and the surrounding hills: "Where is the hunter?"
"The hunter is from a village at the foot of the mountain."
Pei Zhan turned his head: "Do you know where he lives?"
"I do," the General said, "After arriving here today, I investigated the necessary information thoroughly."
"Was the village searched?"
"In fact, after I rushed here, I imdiately led a search of the nearby villages. However, nothing unusual was found."
"What about you guys? Did you send people to search this area?"
Pei Zhan looked at Cheng Chili.
Cheng Chili responded: "Naturally, we wouldn’t overlook this place, but it’s still an area spanning dozens of miles, not sothing that can be thoroughly searched in a short ti."
Pei Zhan nodded, signaling to the earlier General: "Lead the way, let’s find the hunter in the village."
The General nodded, turned and found a small path leading to the village at the foot of the mountain.
Fu Zhen walked beside Pei Zhan: "I calculated that the town is only five or six miles from here."
Pei Zhan nodded: "That’s right."
The murderer needs a convenient place to hide that can provide food and clothing, and the most convenient place is naturally the town where people gather. And since this place is only a few miles from the town, it’s a handy spot for committing the cri.
By this ti it was already deep into the night, and the sparse stars in the sky faintly illuminated the earth. The village was almost devoid of lights, and as the sound of hoofbeats drew nearer, the barking of dogs gradually intensified.
The hunter lived deep in the village, in a courtyard surrounded by thatched huts.
The two loudest dogs were right in front of this thatched house.
Guo Song stepped forward with two guards, skillfully captured the dogs, and knocked on the door.
"Open up! Inspection!"
The wind’s howl from within the mountain echoed in response to the knock.
Monts later, light flickered inside the thatched house, and the door opened, revealing a slim man holding a lamp at the entrance.
"What’s the matter?"
The man had sharp hawk-like eyes, quickly scanning them before speaking cautiously: "What’s the matter?"
Guo Song asked: "Was it you who discovered the woman’s body on the mountain today?"
"And what if it was?" The man’s face turned displeased, "Didn’t you already interrogate during the day? I’ve already explained, why are you back again?"
Pei Zhan looked past him at his thatched house: "May I co in and take a look at your place?"
The man’s gaze shifted back to Pei Zhan’s face: "What’s there to see? Do you suspect that I’m the murderer?"
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