Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 86 - 85: There’s Someone Else

The pool of blood was right in front of the bed, with no signs of dragging or moving nearby. It seemed that Miss Zhuang was indeed killed with a single stab at this location.

Both Zhuang Zhi and the governmental officials confirmed that Zhuang Lanlan had collapsed on the ground, with nothing on her body except a knife in her chest.

Zhu Yu squatted on the ground, pondering. It was no wonder that everyone thought Cao Chenfeng was the most suspicious.

The scoundrel had already consummated his relationship with Zhuang Lanlan, and that night, he left in panic upon learning of her pregnancy. If he returned, Zhuang Lanlan would naturally not be on guard, thinking he had a change of heart. She would happily get out of bed to greet him, only to be stabbed to death by him, seemingly a logical sequence of events.

But if the real murderer wasn’t Cao Chenfeng, then things get interesting.

If the two had been affectionate, and Cao Chenfeng left before dawn, with Zhuang Lanlan continuing to sleep deeply without getting dressed, it wouldn’t be unreasonable.

From Cao Chenfeng’s account, when they parted ways, he was in a panic, more like escaping than leaving. It was certainly not a pleasant way to part.

As per common logic, being unmarried and having an affair, and getting pregnant, only for her lover to escape hastily upon learning the news, naturally, such a reaction would cause both grief and anger, even a sense of deep humiliation.

In such a situation, Zhuang Lanlan did not hastily put her clothes back on.

If the murderer came just after Cao Chenfeng left, the interval would be very short, so short that Zhuang Lanlan wouldn’t have time to get up and dress. That would indeed be very risky, as it could be witnessed by Cao Chenfeng himself, who just left.

If the interval was actually long, then Zhuang Lanlan was surprisingly calm after her lover escaped.

With this thought, Zhu Yu suddenly remembered something.

"Which direction was Zhuang Lanlan facing at the time?" She turned to ask the governmental official behind her.

"Facing that way!" The official quickly pointed toward the door, "After Boss Zhuang reported to the officials, we hurried over, and as soon as we entered, we saw Miss Zhuang lying face up on the floor, with her head facing the entrance, already cold."

"If so, then the direction doesn’t add up." Zhu Yu stood up, her legs numb from squatting too long. She stepped back a couple of steps to stretch her legs and casually asked Cao Chenfeng, "Earlier, General Cao heard that maid Little Tao’er identified a red birthmark on your back and was confident to have you remove your clothes to prove your innocence. I assume your back was originally unmarked, right?"

Cao Chenfeng glanced anxiously at his uncle and nodded with a face full of bitterness.

"So you got injured afterwards? How did you get injured?"

Cao Chenfeng shakily raised his hand and pointed to a small round table three or four steps away from the bed: "That night, the candle was placed by the round table. I was frightened upon hearing about Zhuang Lanlan’s pregnancy, losing my balance, stumbling back a few steps, and hit the edge of the table with my lower back. I leaned back... and the candle flame burned my back..."

Zhu Yu nodded in understanding.

Lu Qing didn’t hold back his emotions and let out a slight laugh, seemingly having imagined the scene of Cao Chenfeng panicking that night.

His laughter made Cao Chenfeng so embarrassed he almost wanted to hide his head in his armpit, while Cao Tianbao’s face darkened. However, since Zhu Yu was Lu Qing’s person and was helping prove his nephew’s innocence, he couldn’t afford to confront Lu Qing at this critical juncture.

Moreover, the disgraceful act was committed by his own nephew. How could it be that Cao Chenfeng had the face to act shamefully but others couldn’t laugh?

Thinking this, Cao Tianbao became even more furious at his nephew’s cowardice and kicked him, causing him to stumble.

"Prince, could you please stand here?" Zhu Yu gestured for Lu Qing to come over, and he readily agreed, standing at the position she designated, with his back to the bed and the pool of blood on the floor. "Suppose I were Cao Chenfeng that night.

The scar on the back burned by the candle wouldn’t lie, so I must have stepped back like this and hit the table.

As Miss Zhuang got up to come over, whether to plead or argue, if I wanted to end the trouble once and for all, I must draw my knife and stab like this."

She mimicked a forward stabbing motion: "After Miss Zhuang was stabbed, she would either fall back facing toward the bed or fall headfirst toward the door.

In any case, she wouldn’t be face up, with her head toward the door.

Unless... the true murderer wasn’t standing where I am but was standing on your side, Prince."

As she spoke, Zhuang Zhi couldn’t hold back his tears, and his face turned ugly. Zhu Yu’s conjecture not only attempted to clear Cao Chenfeng’s suspicion but also implicitly proposed another uncomfortable hypothesis.

This made Zhuang Zhi restless, but since Zhu Yu didn’t spell it out, he couldn’t mention it either.

So he had to suppress his anger and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Why must Cao Chenfeng have burned his back at the table before killing my daughter?

What if he stabbed my daughter to death because she was obstructing him from leaving?

Wouldn’t that mean her head would face outward, with her face up?"

"Indeed, but if so, with the body blocking him, why wouldn’t Cao Chenfeng take the knife with him?

Since he was already facing the door, with Zhuang Lanlan killed, why would he leave, improperly dressed, and get burned by the candle on the table?

Moreover, his clothes hadn’t been put back on, how could his knife be conveniently at hand?" Zhu Yu asked.

Zhuang Zhi couldn’t answer, looking at Zhu Yu with anger, then glaring fiercely at Cao Chenfeng.

"Boss Zhuang, everyone can empathize with the pain of losing a daughter, but there’s one thing you must think through. Do you want to catch the real murderer who killed your beloved daughter, or do you only want to pin it on Cao Chenfeng?" Lu Qing said leisurely to Zhuang Zhi.

Zhuang Zhi’s expression tightened, although still full of resentment, he no longer argued with them, gritting his teeth: "Of course, to catch the real murderer!

If today it can be proven that the murderer is someone else and not General Cao’s nephew, I am willing to compensate with all my family’s assets, kneeling outside the General Mansion’s gate for three days as an apology to the Great General!

Or by then, no matter how the Great General wants to deal with me, I will have no complaints! I only ask to catch the real murderer and not let my little girl die unjustly. This is the only thing a father like me can do for my daughter!"