Jiang Han’s limbs bore ligature marks, and residual fibers from a hemp rope were also found on the severed limbs.
In addition, there were bite marks on Jiang Han’s shoulders, and traces of blood remained beneath the fingernails of both hands.
At the time, the coroner suspected that Jiang Han had scratched the killer while struggling with him. Unfortunately, this era had no DNA-testing equipment, so there was no way to analyze or preserve the blood found beneath Jiang Han’s nails.
Jiang Han was the first victim. All the valuables on her person had been looted, and she was also the only victim who showed signs of having fought with the killer, with numerous bruises scattered across her body. Apart from old injuries, the other victims had only wounds to the backs of their heads and marks on their necks, all pointing to the same method of murder.
Yan Tongshu lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment before asking, “All the valuables the victims carried disappeared without a trace. In all these years, have any of the missing goods or banknotes entered the market?”
“This is precisely what has puzzled me the most,” Feng Jien replied. “The current magistrate of Tai County is an extremely responsible man. Over the years, he has repeatedly looked into this case and asked whether any stolen goods had entered the market. But there has been nothing. Logically speaking, if the motive was robbery, then the killer’s family must have been poor. He would have needed money and would certainly have exchanged the jewelry, silver, and banknotes he stole. Even if he used the black market, after several years and several changes of hands, the stolen goods would have become impossible to trace. At least one or two pieces should have resurfaced. Yet there has been nothing. Not a single item.”
After a pause, Feng Jien added, “According to the Tai County magistrate’s calculations, the clothing, possessions, and silver carried by these victims amounted to at least five thousand taels. Five thousand taels—and the killer has not spent a single coin in five years? I truly cannot make sense of it. Could there be some other method of disposing of stolen goods that we do not know about?”
Yan Tongshu thought for a long while, but remained completely baffled. She could only say, “Let’s wait for news from Yu Weizhu.”
Seeing Feng Jien’s confusion, she explained, “Yu Weizhu was the one who discovered the body at the hunting grounds.”
Feng Jien nodded and rose. “Lord Yan, over the next few days I will be traveling between Yunzhou and Bianjing. Whenever I am in Bianjing, I will stay at the official residence. Should you need me, I will await your orders at any time.”
Yan Tongshu nodded. “Then I’ll trouble you to investigate the first victim’s personal relationships again, especially the circumstances of her parents and siblings.”
Feng Jien accepted the order. “Yes. I will conduct a thorough investigation and make sure no clue is overlooked.”
Yan Tongshu said, “Thank you for your hard work, Magistrate Feng.”
Feng Jien bowed. “I am serving His Majesty. I would not dare call it hard work.”
After Feng Jien departed, Yan Tongshu handed the portrait to a clerk and instructed him to have it copied, then posted throughout the city with a reward offered for information.
Some time later, Xu Qiu entered. “Lord Yan, we have found something.”
Yan Tongshu set down the official seal she had been stamping furiously. “Speak.”
Xu Qiu said, “Yu Weizhu is twenty-eight years old, the second son of the Yu family. He entered the capital eleven days ago. First, he met with the young master of the Treasure Pavilion and handed over some goods in exchange for payment. He then sent his companions ahead to return home while he remained in Bianjing, staying in East Gong and Drum Lane.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “At an inn in East Gong and Drum Lane?”
Xu Qiu shook his head. “An ordinary residence. Yu Weizhu rented it for his sworn younger brother, Yu Moqing. It has been rented for at least three years.”
Yan Tongshu looked surprised. “Younger brother?”
So the embroidered name on Yu Weizhu’s clothes had been his younger brother’s name. Then… had he put on the wrong clothes?
Xu Qiu said, “Yu Moqing is seven years younger than Yu Weizhu and is twenty-one this year. I questioned the people living nearby, but none of them knew anything about Yu Moqing’s background. They only knew that he lived there alone. Every so often, Yu Weizhu would come to visit him for a few days before leaving again. According to the neighbors, the last time they saw Yu Weizhu was nine days ago. He and Yu Moqing seemed to have had an argument, and both of them looked furious. After that, Yu Weizhu never returned.”
Yan Tongshu pressed him, “What about Yu Moqing? Where is he now? Is he still living in East Gong and Drum Lane?”
Xu Qiu shook his head. “The neighbors said that after the argument, Yu Moqing packed his belongings and left the next day. No one knows where he went.”
The man was gone, but the temple remained.
Since the “temple” where Yu Weizhu and Yu Moqing had lived for so long was still there, it was certain to contain clues.
Yan Tongshu rose. “Let’s go to East Gong and Drum Lane.”
Xu Qiu replied, “Yes.”
Jinbao drove the carriage as Yan Tongshu, Pearl, and a group of constables made their way to the residence in East Gong and Drum Lane.
East Gong and Drum Lane was a rather secluded street. Most of its residents were merchants with some money who disliked noise. They had purchased property here precisely for the peace and quiet.
The residence Yu Weizhu had rented was considered average for East Gong and Drum Lane—not conspicuous, but not shabby either.
According to the people living nearby, Yu Moqing disliked having too many servants in the house. Aside from a single personal attendant, he had all the cleaning and other household chores handled by professionals who came to the residence on fixed days.
Yu Moqing loved opera and had collected many costumes. Every morning at dawn, he would practice his vocal exercises, and he had an exceptionally beautiful voice.
To protect his voice, Yu Moqing was extremely particular about his diet. He preferred light food and would not touch anything overly oily, so all three daily meals were prepared personally by his attendant. Only occasionally would he eat at a restaurant.
Overall, apart from his love of opera, Yu Moqing kept largely to himself and rarely interacted with anyone.
Yan Tongshu said to Xu Qiu, “Choose a few men and search for him. We must find Yu Moqing.”
Xu Qiu replied, “Yes.”
Yan Tongshu entered the courtyard. Numerous props used for practicing opera movements had been arranged there.
As she examined the courtyard, she listened to Xu Qiu’s report.
Xu Qiu said, “According to the neighbors, at the beginning of the Chen hour every day, they would hear Yu Moqing practicing his singing. Sometimes, when they passed by the residence, they could even hear him singing a few lines from outside. It seems he performed the Sixth Flower, in the dan role. Those who have seen Yu Moqing also said that he had a slender waist, fair skin, and delicate features. Everyone guessed that he must have been an opera performer specializing in playing female roles, kept here by someone who had taken a fancy to him.”
Yan Tongshu gave a slight nod and walked toward the main hall.
On the wall directly opposite the entrance hung a calligraphic inscription:
“Without concern, I follow the path of Zhou;
I devote myself wholly to this way.”
The signature read: Yu Moqing.
Something shifted in Yan Tongshu’s eyes. Yu Moqing seemed to be a free-spirited man.
Yan Tongshu examined the objects in the main hall—tables and chairs, paintings and calligraphy, tea and other furnishings—but found nothing unusual.
She led the others to Yu Moqing’s bedroom.
The bedroom was quite spacious. It seemed that when Yu Moqing left, he had taken nearly all of his belongings with him.
His bed was somewhat larger than an ordinary single bed. A long pillow and two quilts lay on it.
The mattress had been left behind. Yan Tongshu reached out and touched it. It was very soft, stuffed with fine-quality cotton.
On the dressing table opposite the bed sat several nearly empty boxes of rouge and face powder. Each bore the words “Pleasure for the Self.” Cosmetics from Pleasure for the Self were the most famous—and the most expensive—in the entire capital.
Most of the clothes in the wardrobe had been taken away, leaving only a few sets behind.
The words “Yu Weizhu” were embroidered on the collars.
Among these clothes, one set was a theatrical costume, and the words “Yu Weizhu” were embroidered on it. This meant that the clothes Yu Weizhu had been wearing before his death had not been accidentally switched with Yu Moqing’s. The two men had each embroidered the other’s name on the lapel closest to the heart.
That was quite intriguing.
Two men, sworn brothers, each sewing the other’s name onto the lapel nearest his heart.
Yu Weizhu still had a wife and children back in his hometown.
There were precedents in Bianjing of men keeping male “opera performers.” Yan Tongshu could not help growing suspicious.
She looked at the two quilts on the bed.
It was autumn now, and the weather had begun to turn cold, but it was hardly cold enough for one person to need two quilts.
Yan Tongshu looked up. A painting hung on the wall, bearing an inscription as well:
“High-minded sentiments find no place in the eyes of worldly men;
Let them clap their hands and laugh by the roadside!”
The brushwork was vigorous yet elegant, carefree and uninhibited.
The signature was Yu Moqing’s once again.
Everyone knew that the leading performers in ordinary opera troupes trained painstakingly from dawn until nightfall without a moment’s rest. As for calligraphy, it required countless hours of practice and extraordinary talent even to achieve modest results.
Yu Moqing’s calligraphy was far beyond modest. He had already reached an intermediate level, and with a few more years, he might well have attained mastery.
This sort of calligraphy did not look like something a member of an opera troupe could have practiced.
And even if Yu Moqing had been a genius among geniuses, practicing calligraphy required vast quantities of expensive brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones—expenses an opera troupe could not afford.
Yan Tongshu opened the drawer of the storage cabinet beside the wardrobe, and her face went numb.
“What is it, Magistrate Yan?” Seeing her grim expression, Xu Qiu came over. “Did you find something—”
Xu Qiu fell silent too.
So many… jade phallic toys… and props…
It seemed Yu Moqing and Yu Weizhu’s relationship truly had been anything but ordinary.
Yan Tongshu rummaged through the cabinet and, after confirming that there was nothing inside besides the props, closed the drawer.
She took a deep breath. “Let’s go look at Yu Weizhu’s room.”
Xu Qiu had not yet recovered from his shock. With an embarrassed expression, he answered, “Yes.”
Yu Weizhu’s wardrobe was filled with clothes. Except for two sets whose lapels bore no embroidery, every other garment had Yu Moqing’s name stitched onto it.
Yu Weizhu was twenty-eight years old. He had a wife, one son, and one daughter back home in Xizhou.
This time, he had traveled a thousand li to the capital to deliver goods.
He had kept Yu Moqing in Bianjing, sent all the workers traveling with him away, and come to meet Yu Moqing alone. This indicated that their relationship was one that could not be exposed.
Yu Weizhu lived with his wife as well, so he obviously could not wear clothes embroidered with Yu Moqing’s name. Therefore, the two unembroidered sets were probably the clothes he had brought to Bianjing for changing, while the embroidered garments were what he and Yu Moqing wore when living together.
So Yu Weizhu and Yu Moqing were lovers? Yu Weizhu had deceived a woman into marriage and fathered children back home, kept his wife in the dark, and maintained a handsome male opera performer in Bianjing?
Yan Tongshu was so angry that she laughed.
The details of the first victim flashed through her mind.
There had been bruises from pinching on his arms, buttocks, waist, inner thighs, and calves.
Rape and murder!
Yan Tongshu suddenly trembled.
If so, how had the killer chosen his victims when they all looked different and had different builds?
Did the killer have no fixed sexual preference, simply killing whoever happened to cross his path?
Did a height between 165 and 170 count as a sexual preference?
But from the perspective of criminal motive, this height preference had nothing to do with sexual proclivities. It was more likely that the killer was over 170 himself, though not by much, and thus preferred to attack people shorter and smaller than he was.
Just as in the previous case, when those villains had chosen women who were more slender and weaker in temperament than themselves.
Unfortunately, too much time had passed. Even Yu Weizhu’s corpse had already decayed extensively, so there was no way to test whether there was semen in his body.
Yan Tongshu closed the wardrobe.
There was no dressing table in Yu Weizhu’s bedroom, only a writing desk.
A letter sat in the very center of the desk. Four characters were written on the envelope:
“For My Dear Weizhu, Open Personally.”
Yan Tongshu opened it. Inside was a letter Yu Moqing had written to Yu Weizhu.
My dear Weizhu,
The world treats me as it treats everyone else, but you alone have always been closest to my heart.
Once, we met amid mountains and seas, and our vows still seem as though they were made yesterday. Alas, human affection is shallow, and hearts are quick to change. In the blink of an eye, everything has turned to emptiness.
Now our gratitude and affection are both severed. I am left melancholy beneath the dawn orioles and waning moon.
We part here; from this day forth, we shall be strangers, cut off from all word of one another.
Do not seek me. Do not think of me.
Moqing
Yan Tongshu raised her brows slightly. Had Yu Weizhu betrayed Yu Moqing, leading Yu Moqing to sever their relationship completely?
Had the two of them truly been in love?
Then what did Yu Weizhu’s wife amount to? A joke?
Yan Tongshu sealed the letter again and handed it to Xu Qiu. She continued searching. Several account books sat on the desk, meticulously recording the expenses of recent years: clothing, rouge and powder, food, lodging, and more.
Yu Moqing seemed rather pampered. He had to care for his voice and use the finest fabrics and cosmetics. But because he did not care for truly expensive gold and jewelry, his actual expenses were not particularly high.
Yu Weizhu’s expenditures, on the other hand, increased by a considerable sum every time he came.
“Something’s not right.”
Yan Tongshu flipped back through the pages, then held the account book beneath her nose and sniffed it.
The ink on the last several pages smelled different from that on the earlier ones.
This was not an account book of recorded expenses. It was a ledger Yu Weizhu had used after coming to Bianjing to calculate Yu Moqing’s expenditures.
Could it be that Yu Weizhu had broken up with Yu Moqing because he thought Yu Moqing spent too much?
But Yu Moqing’s expenses were not excessive.
Yan Tongshu shook her head, feeling that she might be overthinking it. Perhaps this was simply a merchant’s nature—Yu Weizhu wanted to keep a clear account of the expenses.
Yan Tongshu continued searching and found some of Yu Weizhu’s personal keepsakes, as well as several prescriptions for strengthening the kidneys.
She handed the prescriptions to Xu Qiu and told him to send someone to the medical clinics listed on them to find out when Yu Weizhu had obtained the medicine and when he had last appeared at a clinic.
Yan Tongshu opened a drawer and found several books and a receipt inside.
An old acquaintance: a receipt from Huihua House.
When investigating Cao Jian’s case, Zhang Jiu had mentioned that Huihua House employed both male and female courtesans.
The receipt was dated the night of the thirteenth day of the eighth month.
The autumn hunt had taken place on the twenty-first. Yu Weizhu had been dead for at least seven days, so the dates matched.
Yan Tongshu carefully put the receipt away and continued examining the room. She also uncovered a large quantity of sexual supplies.
She let out a helpless sigh.
A man like Yu Weizhu—someone who had deceived a woman into marrying him back home, made her bear and raise his children, kept a handsome male dan performer in Bianjing as a lover, taken advantage of both sides to the fullest, and still not been satisfied, even going to Huihua House to seek out male courtesans—
Even if he had not died today, he would sooner or later have been killed by someone seeking revenge over a love affair.
Yan Tongshu covered the sexual supplies, then took Xu Qiu with her to Huihua House.
The madam of Huihua House was already very familiar with Yan Tongshu. The moment she saw her, the woman’s spine turned cold and her legs began to tremble. She thought anxiously to herself, “After someone died on that pleasure boat, business at Huihua House went into a slump for a long time. It has only just begun showing signs of recovery, and now Magistrate Yan is here again!”
The madam complained bitterly inwardly, but she did not dare show any displeasure toward Yan Tongshu. Instead, she forced an enthusiastic smile onto her face.
“Magistrate Yan, have you brought soldiers here to investigate a case today?”
The moment she asked, the madam herself felt that the question had been unnecessary.
Everyone knew that Magistrate Yan of the Kaifeng Office was famous for her integrity and chastity. If she was not here to investigate a case, could she possibly have come to seek pleasure?
Yan Tongshu opened the portrait of Yu Weizhu. “Do you recognize this man?”
The owner of Huihua Pavilion nodded. “I remember him. His surname was Yu. I never asked his given name, so I just called him Young Master Yu. He was handsome and very generous. He booked Yao Xiang from our Huihua Pavilion.”
Yan Tongshu frowned. “Yao Xiang?”
The owner waved his embroidered handkerchief and smiled. “That’s not something I can explain in a moment. Magistrate Yan, how about I call Yao Xiang over so you can speak with him yourselves?”
Yan Tongshu nodded.
The owner led Yan Tongshu and Xu Qiu into a private room.
Before long, Yao Xiang arrived.
He was dressed in a pink robe, the collar hanging wide open to reveal an exquisite pair of delicate, rosy collarbones.
The patrons who came to Huihua Pavilion to book male courtesans generally preferred men with youthful appearances. Male courtesans had to take medicine from the age of thirteen to slow their physical development, so most of them were in poor health, with unnaturally pale faces.
Naturally, their waists were also exceptionally slender.
Yao Xiang knelt and bowed. “This servant greets Magistrate Yan.”
Yan Tongshu told him to rise, then got straight to the point. “Were you the one who attended to Yu Weizhu that day?”
Yao Xiang’s voice was weak and listless. “Yes. This servant attended to him.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “What time did he arrive at Huihua Pavilion, and when did he leave?”
Yao Xiang replied, “On the thirteenth day of the eighth month, during the hour of the Dog. He left during the hour of the Boar.”
Yan Tongshu looked toward the owner. “Where did Yu Weizhu go after he left?”
The owner let out an exaggerated cry. “Magistrate Yan, Huihua Pavilion is bustling with people every night. There are so many guests—how could I possibly know where every one of them went after leaving? Besides, it’s been so long. Even if I saw him leave that day, I wouldn’t remember it now.”
Alas…
Yan Tongshu sighed softly. Yu Weizhu had not been dead for very long, yet it was already difficult to find anyone who had witnessed his movements. Finding clues about victims who had died several years ago would be even harder.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Yao Xiang. “What did you and Yu Weizhu discuss while you were in the room?”
Yao Xiang blushed, his voice soft and delicate. “When a patron comes, it’s usually for that sort of thing. But after we finish, most guests like to talk with us. Young Master Yu said that he saw how hard this servant had it here. He said that the next time he came to Bianjing, if he saw this servant again, he would buy this servant’s freedom…”
The corners of Yan Tongshu’s mouth twitched violently several times.
Was Yu Weizhu planning to keep a little concubine in Bianjing?
He was truly the worst of the worst.
Yao Xiang continued to recount what had happened between him and Yu Weizhu that day.
After they had finished, the two of them lay panting on the bed, Yao Xiang resting against Yu Weizhu’s chest, his body slick with sweat.
Before beginning this line of work, the owner had people specifically teach them how to get money from their patrons.
That day, Yao Xiang had followed the owner’s instructions. While flattering Yu Weizhu, he told him that he had been born unlucky, with a father who gambled and had sold him to a pleasure house.
Yu Weizhu coaxed him, saying that the next time he came to Bianjing, he would bring enough money to buy his freedom. He also said that he rented a residence in Bianjing year-round. Someone else was currently living there, but once that person moved out, he would give the place to Yao Xiang.
Seeing that Yu Weizhu had taken the bait, Yao Xiang pouted coquettishly. “Hmph! You’re only trying to sweet-talk me. Who knows whether anything you say is true?”
Yu Weizhu chuckled and planted a loud kiss on Yao Xiang’s lips. “You little vixen, everything I say is true. The house is in East Drum Lane.”
Yao Xiang gave another delicate little snort. “If you’re not just trying to placate me, then why don’t you buy my freedom now?”
“Alas…” Yu Weizhu sighed. “You enchanting little vixen, do you think I don’t want to? I may look prosperous on the surface, but I’m only the second son in my family. I have an elder brother above me and two younger brothers below me. If I want to make any major expenditure, it has to pass through my elder brother first, and then my parents. How could I withdraw money whenever I pleased?”
Yao Xiang stared straight at him. “Then you’ll have money next year?”
“Next year?” Yu Weizhu said meaningfully. “I’ll definitely have money next year.”
“You’re going to close a major deal?” Yao Xiang sat up and gazed at Yu Weizhu admiringly.
Yu Weizhu smiled. “It is a major deal, yes. Once it’s done, even my elder brother’s expenses will have to go through me.”
Yao Xiang did not understand, but that did not stop him from flattering Yu Weizhu. “Young Master Yu, you’re amazing.”
Pleased with himself, Yu Weizhu pressed Yao Xiang down and had his way with him again.
As he left, he was in high spirits. He even rewarded Yao Xiang with ten taels of silver and arranged to return the next day.
But Yu Weizhu did not come the following day.
Yan Tongshu thought that the next day was the fourteenth. Yu Weizhu had most likely already been murdered by then.
Yan Tongshu pressed further. “Did he say anything else about that major deal?”
Yao Xiang shook his head.
That was everything he knew.
Seeing that there was nothing more to ask, Yan Tongshu left with Xu Qiu and the other constables.
After returning to the Kaifeng Prefecture Office, Yan Tongshu went first to Shenming Pavilion.
Although Yu Weizhu had been dead for quite some time and his corpse was severely decomposed, with its contents all mixed together and a foul stench filling the air, and although there were no modern technological methods for testing semen, Yan Tongshu still wanted to examine the body carefully once more to see whether there were any clues left behind.
Yan Tongshu changed into an official forensic examiner’s clothing, put on a mask, tucked garlic and ginger inside it, pulled on a pair of cloth gloves, and went to Yu Weizhu’s corpse.
Yu Weizhu had been dismembered into six pieces. The pieces had been arranged on the bed in the order of the human body.
His buttocks and thighs had been cut cleanly in half down the middle as a single section.
This was a very unusual method of dismemberment.
Normally, to save effort and avoid wasting a blade, a murderer would follow the body’s natural joints and bone structure, separating it into the head, limbs, and torso.
The torso would then be severed horizontally along the waist.
Cutting the buttocks and thighs in this manner clearly went against common practice.
The killer might have done it to conceal the fact that the victim had been raped and murdered.
The only question was whether the rape had occurred before the murder, or whether the killer had violated the corpse afterward.
The more Yan Tongshu thought about it, the more horrifying it seemed. She shook her head and carefully examined the pieces of the corpse.
After a long while, Yan Tongshu let out a sigh.
Xu Qiu asked, “What is it, Magistrate Yan?”
Yan Tongshu shook her head wearily. “The decomposition is too advanced. There’s no way to tell.”
There was no microscope, no PSA test strip, and certainly no genetic testing equipment.
As for the other victims, because they were men, the forensic examiners had not checked their anuses to determine whether they had been assaulted.
Yan Tongshu sighed again, went outside, changed out of her clothes, and washed her hands thoroughly. Then she instructed Xu Qiu and the other constables to split into two groups.
One group was to investigate Yu Moqing, who had left, and check the city-gate records to see whether they could track him down and bring him back.
The other was to investigate the first victim, Jiang Han, and see whether they could find any traces of his life in Bianjing five years ago, such as friends or acquaintances. Any information would do.
After arranging everything, Yan Tongshu returned to her study. Pearl brought her a bowl of tremella soup. “Young Master, you’ve been busy all day. Have some and rest for a while.”
As Yan Tongshu stirred the soup, she pondered. “Tell me, what exactly is this killer’s sexual preference?”
Among the victims were men with delicate, handsome features, men with bushy beards, men with square faces, and men of every height and build.
As long as someone was human, they naturally possessed a sexual preference unique to them.
Even if you don’t realize it at first, once you’ve gotten involved with a few more of them, you’ll start to notice what they have in common.
So... what do these dead people have in common?
