There is a god in the sky

Chapter 233 The Mummified Corpse Case 26

That night, Minister Zhao sent his eldest son to the Xiao family.

Upon seeing his future brother-in-law, Xiao Ji assumed something serious had happened to the Zhao family, but he never expected that he had come to convey Minister Zhao's message.

"Father means that the Emperor will select the presiding official at the morning court tomorrow and ask you to take on this case."

Xiao Ji smiled bitterly: "Minister Zhao thinks too highly of me. They have been investigating for a long time without any results. What good would it do if I took over? In the end, the case would not be solved, but it would only anger the Emperor and the Tong family."

Zhao Huan leaned close to his ear and said, "Don't worry, Father already has a lead, but time is of the essence, and he hasn't had time to investigate further yet."

He told me to tell you that you can rest assured and take on this case without worrying about manpower.

Besides, there's no case in this world that can't be solved; you just need to wait to reap the rewards.

Xiao Ji was startled. What was the clue that Minister Zhao was referring to?

He hesitated.

Madam Xiao came in to bring the two of them some snacks, interrupting their conversation.

"Huan-ge'er has grown up right under my nose. He is now exceptionally brave and has inherited the true teachings of your father. He will surely become an outstanding talent in the future!"

Zhao Huan said modestly, "Auntie, you flatter me. In terms of talent, who can compare to Brother Wangchuan? It's getting late, I should go back now."

He stood up and winked at Xiao Ji.

He had already delivered the message, and he felt that Xiao Ji would definitely agree.

Xiao Ji saw him off and received a meaningful remark from him: "My sister has waited for you for so many years. If you can earn her an official title as soon as you get married, she will definitely be happy! It will not have been in vain for Father to plan your career."

Only relatives of officials of the fifth rank or above in the imperial court could be granted the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Xiao Ji felt that the Zhao family's sentiments were very heavy, and did not make him happy.

He returned to the flower hall and saw his parents sitting together eating snacks, which made him feel relaxed.

"The only case the Ministry of Justice has been busy with lately is the Tong family case. I guess Zhao Huan came to persuade you to take on this case," Master Xiao guessed.

"Yes, Father is incredibly insightful."

Madam Xiao asked in bewilderment, "Isn't this a good thing? Since our in-laws have paved the way, our son can just reap the benefits."

"Where did this huge windfall come from?" Old Master Xiao rolled his eyes at her. "Do you think he would leave such a good deal to your son instead of taking it himself?"

The desolation suddenly vanished, replaced by a sense of clarity.

Zhao Huan said that his father had a lead and that he could find the murderer as soon as he took the case, which was obviously a lie.

Even if there were any, they wouldn't be any important clues, otherwise he could have solved the case himself.

Thinking about it this way, Xiao Ji felt somewhat displeased.

"What does he mean by this? Is he trying to pass this hot potato to our son?" Madam Zhao was displeased.

"Think about it, if my son solves this case, he will definitely be promoted and become rich, and his daughter will marry even better. If he fails to solve the case, the worst that will happen is that he will be demoted and have his salary reduced."

Wang Chuan is young and can be reused in a few years, so the loss to the Tong family is not significant.

“That would be a huge loss for our son.”

Master Xiao did not object directly, but let Xiao Ji choose for himself.

"There are pros and cons to everything. You should weigh them yourself. Your father-in-law isn't trying to harm you."

Madam Xiao took a plate of pastries and turned to her son, saying, "Our Xiao family doesn't need you to bring glory to the family. Your safety and well-being are the most important things."

She carried the snacks and went to the front yard with her maid.

When she knocked on Shen Lan's door, she handed her some snacks and asked with a smile, "Is Miss Shen asleep?"

Shen Lan glanced down at her bathrobe, clearly indicating that she was asleep, and the lights in her room were already off.

"Does Madam need me for something?" It's almost midnight. Could it be that Madam Xiao also suffers from insomnia?

"There are some things I'd like to discuss with Miss Shen. Would you mind if I came in and sat down for a while?"

"Of course." Shen Lan stepped aside and went to light the oil lamp first.

This is the Xiao family home. Even if Madam Xiao just wanted to come in and sit for a while, she would have no choice but to kick her out.

"Please have a seat. If you need anything, just have your maid inform you. There's no need for you to come in person."

"It's nothing, I can't sleep anyway, I just want to talk to someone."

Madam Xiao had been secretly inquiring about Shen Lan these past few days and found that she was completely different from the girl she had imagined, so she wanted to have a chat with her.

She usually saw young ladies from wealthy families who were carefully raised and educated. Each of them was beautiful, well-mannered, and exuded the demeanor of a lady.

But when they get together, they seem to have nothing to talk about except poetry, books, and embroidery patterns.

When a woman reaches marriageable age, she only cares about one thing: getting married.

She didn't think there was anything wrong with it at first.

When a woman marries, she can be a good helper to her husband, raise children, and manage the household.

But when she saw women who could go out and make a living on their own, without having to think about getting married and having children, or relying on their families, she thought it was quite good.

"At what age did Miss Shen begin learning coroner's duties?"

"I was about five or six years old. At the time, I just thought it was interesting and didn't know what a coroner was."

"Then you must be very smart. Others can work as coroners their whole lives and still not understand how to do it, but you, a young girl, have such excellent skills."

"Madam, you flatter me. I wouldn't call it skillful; I'm just a bit bolder than others."

Madam Xiao thought to herself: This isn't just a little bolder; it's downright audacious.

She was so frightened by the sight of the corpses that she couldn't sleep, and Shen Lan even dared to examine them herself.

"As you know, this profession is not considered auspicious, and people have prejudices against it. It's not a long-term solution for a beautiful young woman like you to work as a coroner. Have you ever thought about changing professions?"

Shen Lan wondered in surprise: Why are people always telling her to change careers lately?

"Actually, it's okay not to be a coroner. My childhood dream was to open a large clinic and become a doctor who helps people and saves lives."

"You...you can practice medicine?"

"I know a little bit, but I wouldn't call myself an expert."

Practicing medicine is different from being a coroner. The former requires fame and experience, so even though Shen Lan has some medical skills, she doesn't care about treating people haphazardly.

Back in the village, the villagers couldn't afford medical treatment, so they gave her a chance, otherwise, at her age, no one would believe she was a doctor.

Madam Xiao extended her hand and asked, "I've been suffering from insomnia and anxiety lately. Could you please take a look and see if I have an incurable disease?"

Shen Lan rubbed her hands together to warm them before taking her pulse. She listened quietly for a while, then asked with a puzzled look, "When was the last time you had your period, Madam?"

Madam Xiao was stunned, seemingly unable to recall the matter.

As soon as she turned around, she heard the maid say, "It seems like it was two months ago when Madam last changed her clothes, but Madam's period has never been regular."

Madam Xiao asked nervously, "I...I...could it be..."

"Madam's pulse is slippery, but to be on the safe side, let's find an experienced doctor to take a look."

The main problem is that Shen Lan is not particularly familiar with the pulse diagnosis of pregnant women.

Before Madam Xiao could react, the maid was already overjoyed, "Madam, wait here, this servant will go find someone right away!"

She asked, puzzled, "Miss Shen, are you mistaken? How could I possibly be pregnant at my age?"

"How old is the lady this year?"

Shen Lan guessed that Madam Xiao was no more than forty years old, and looked to be in her early thirties, at most thirty-five.

"She's thirty-seven. At that age, most women are already grandmothers."

"To be honest, it's still possible to get pregnant at this age. You've taken good care of your health, so it's still possible to get pregnant if you don't use contraception."

Madam Xiao blushed deeply, pulled her hand back and hid it in her sleeve, looking somewhat at a loss.

How embarrassing! She shouldn't have teased the little girl.