Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 76 - 75: Birthmark

Lu Zhang’s impartial suggestion left not only Duke Yan, but even Zhu Yu struggling to suppress the urge to shake her head and sigh.

The commotion during the wedding banquet initially made Zhu Yu see Lu Zhang as a well-behaved grandson accustomed to following his grandfather’s instructions, with Duke Yan orchestrating his every word and action.

But today, she overturned that thought.

This Prince Yi seemingly does not obey Duke Yan’s orchestration in everything; he is fundamentally a pushover, without his own ideas. Regardless of who it is, if given the opportunity to place him in a particular position, he would likely be easily persuaded by the other party and ultimately act according to their wishes.

The most interesting part is that Lu Zhang himself seems unaware of this. Every time he is led by the nose by others, he shows a heartfelt sense of initiative and responsibility.

With the crowd around and so many people talking, Zhu Yu could only silently lament in her heart that this Prince Yi is definitely not material for a wise ruler of his era but more like a pawn that anyone could use as they see fit.

Cao Tianbao still needed to give face to Lu Zhang, or rather to Duke Yan Zhao Bi. After Lu Zhang finished speaking, he gestured to a nearby guard.

In no time, the guard returned, followed by a young man in a blue robe with dark patterns.

The young man was indeed very tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. As he walked, he exuded an imposing aura, clearly someone trained in martial arts, and his resemblance to the portrait was unmistakably seventy to eighty percent.

Zhu Yu’s eyes locked onto the left cheek of this person, discovering three scars there, though very faint and almost unnoticeable if not scrutinized, but from their position and outline, they were clearly healed scratch marks.

This aligned with what Zhuang Zhi and the maid Little Tao’er had described earlier.

Cao Chenfeng followed the guard to his uncle’s presence, appearing slightly flustered. Whether because the guard had already informed him of the situation here or because of the gathering of so many noble figures in the courtyard, he tried his best to appear composed, but his darting eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Uncle, did you call for me?" He bowed respectfully to Cao Tianbao, appearing honest, and did not glance at Zhuang Zhi and the boatman from beginning to end, as if he did not know those two people at all.

Upon seeing Cao Chenfeng, the boatman’s mouth opened slightly. However, he recognized the allegiances of the esteemed individuals present and quickly shut his mouth, lowering his eyes like a quail, wishing nothing more than to be forgotten by everyone around him.

His heart was filled with regret, wishing he had never claimed to recognize the person in the portrait, knowing now it involved such high-status figures.

His entire family’s livelihood depended on him rowing on the river daily. However unjustly Boss Zhuang’s daughter died, dead was dead, nothing could bring her back, while his own wife and children were still very much alive.

How could an arm ever twist against a thigh?

If because of this affair he offended so many influential nobles and jeopardized his entire family’s lives, it would be an enormous loss!

The boatman shrank further, growing more regretful, trembling as if with a fever.

"I ask, what have you been busy with lately? Have you been associating with any women outside?" Cao Tianbao, after all, had a straightforward temper, now so angry that his head could burst. He had no mind to beat around the bush with his nephew, wanting only quick answers.

Cao Chenfeng, eyes increasingly panicked, shook his head without hesitation and said: "Uncle, with the martial exams approaching, I’ve been training daily, neglecting sleep and food, wishing to use even my sleeping hours for practice. I have not associated with any women.

Uncle knows too, the family takes this martial exam very seriously. To avoid distractions, even the matchmakers that came to the door were turned away. How could I, at such a critical moment, let a woman into my life?"

"Do you recognize that man?" Cao Tianbao was relatively satisfied with his nephew’s answer, his frown easing slightly, pointing behind Cao Chenfeng at the boatman.

Cao Chenfeng turned around and quickly glanced at the boatman: "I’ve never seen him before."

The boatman quickly seized the opportunity to speak: "My lord, I was mistaken earlier. I merely found the portrait familiar, thinking I might have seen it before, but now having seen this gentleman, I realize he’s a complete stranger to me!"

At this, Zhuang Zhi, standing nearby, shot a look full of resentment, his teeth clenched so tight his cheeks bulged.

Zhu Yu sighed to herself.

What a perfect example of overdoing it; the boatman’s earlier actions exemplified this precisely.

Had he not said anything, Cao Chenfeng might have continued to deny, but his eagerness to clear himself only saved Cao Chenfeng the trouble of further denial.

Cao Tianbao’s demeanor, which had just started to soften, darkened again because of the boatman’s response.

Zhuang Zhi, fearing Cao Tianbao might take the boatman’s reversal and deny everything as a result, quickly pulled the terrified little maid: "Hurry up and see, is this the one consorting with Lanlan!"

Little Tao’er raised her eyes to glance at Cao Chenfeng, initially timid. But after a glance, her expression settled, and she examined him closely again, nodding hurriedly.

"It’s him, he who secretly met with the miss in the night those days!" Perhaps thinking of the tragically deceased miss, Little Tao’er found additional courage, her voice firm, pointing at Cao Chenfeng, "The miss thought of him daily. When he didn’t come, she couldn’t eat or sleep. When he came, she was overjoyed, chasing Xiao Xing’er and me downstairs, prohibiting anyone from disturbing upstairs!

He came and went from the miss’s embroidery tower countless times, I absolutely couldn’t mistake him!

That night he hurriedly ran down from the miss’s embroidery tower, making more noise than usual. I wondered why that gentleman was so rushed, so I came out to check, I’m certain of it!"

Cao Chenfeng’s expression shifted slightly, yet he did not dare look at Little Tao’er, only addressing Cao Tianbao: "Uncle, I have never seen them, I don’t know why this little maid is spouting such nonsense, you mustn’t believe her lies, Uncle."

His words provoked Little Tao’er, who was trembling initially, but now summoned all her courage and retorted: "I am not lying! That day, you had just arrived at the miss’s embroidery tower; before long, you hurriedly left. You didn’t even have your clothes properly on, tying your belt while running.

I clearly saw the palm-wide protective heart hair on his chest, and he has a red birthmark on his back!"