When Ye Zhiqiu sent the letter, Song Yan happened to be in the Investigation Department. Mo Xu handed the letter to him. "This letter was sent by someone from the palace."
Hearing the words "someone from the palace", Song Yan suddenly looked up from a pile of case files. At present, the only person in the palace who would send him a letter was Ye Zhiqiu.
Thinking so, he reached out to take the letter and waved his hand. "I see. You may go first."
Mo Xu nodded. When he reached the door, he stopped and looked back in Song Yan's direction as if he had something to say. But in the end, he said nothing.
Song Yan opened the letter. It was just some ordinary family talk, saying that Ye Zhiqiu had been doing well in the palace recently and telling him not to worry.
Although there seemed to be nothing wrong with the letter itself, Ye Zhiqiu was not the kind of person who would specially send someone from the palace to give him a letter just to talk about such a trivial matter.
He took a closer look and, as expected, found some clues in the letter.
"What happened in the palace?" Song Yan put down the letter in his hand. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper. He hadn't entered the palace much recently and didn't know what had happened there.
But now Ye Zhiqiu's letter implied that something had happened in the palace. Presumably, he had discovered something.
Although Ye Zhiqiu's letter made him worried about the situation in the palace, Song Yan had no reason to enter the palace for the time being. So he had to ask his informant in the palace to secretly investigate what was going on.
The investigation in the palace went smoothly. In just three days, Song Yan received a thick stack of investigation records.
Every time he checked a part, his brow tightened a bit more.
There had been a murder case in the palace. Several palace servants had died. The killer's modus operandi was to kill with a single stab. There was also a note beside it, stating that the chest had been hollowed out and the heart was missing.
As Song Yan flipped through the records of how the victims died, a familiar feeling suddenly flashed through his mind. He quickly took out the records of a serial murder case from a few months ago for comparison.
Although there were some minor differences in details, the killing methods were the same.
All the victims were killed with a single stab, and their hearts were missing.
"Is this really just a coincidence?" Song Yan closed the records and rubbed his temples. He felt that this matter was becoming more and more complicated.
The killer of the serial murder case had been hastily closed. But now, the same modus operandi had appeared again, and this time it was in the palace.
The similar methods made it hard to believe that it wasn't the same killer.
But the problem now was that so many corpses had appeared in the palace. Why did His Majesty ignore this matter and instead specially order people to suppress it?
Song Yan leaned back on the chair and stared blankly at the carved window lattice. Many clues combined with what had happened in the palace began to form a vague outline.
About the uncaught killer, the imperial city, and the lotus tattoo...
Perhaps, the killer was really hiding in the palace.
But it was strange that the investigation by the informant in the palace this time was too smooth. It was as if someone had deliberately led him into this case.
But now he didn't have time to worry about whether it was a trap set by others. Ye Zhiqiu was still in the palace. He couldn't leave him alone in danger.
He had to find a way to get His Majesty to assign this case to him. Only in this way could he move around in the palace and do his best to protect Ye Zhiqiu.
Song Yan had made up his mind. The next day, he went to the palace early to report that he wanted to see His Majesty.
After the court session, Qing Jing heard this news. He didn't say much but just nodded to agree to Song Yan's request.
He understood the purpose of Song Yan's visit this time. He just didn't know where the other party had got the clues.
"Song Yan from the Investigation Department pays respects to Your Majesty." Song Yan bowed to His Majesty on the high platform. His tone was neither overbearing nor humble.
Qing Jing raised his hand and said coldly, "Why has Lord Song come today?"
"Regarding the murder cases that have occurred in the palace recently, I think Your Majesty should have heard about them." Song Yan didn't beat around the bush. This matter was urgent to him.
The killer might be the one from the previous serial murder case. If so, the palace would not be peaceful. He didn't care about His Majesty's concerns about this matter. In his eyes, the lives of the common people were the most important.
Hearing Song Yan's straightforward words, Qing Jing opened his eyes and looked at his expression. The other person's expression was firm. Presumably, he had already obtained sufficient evidence.
He stood up and walked down from the high platform. The rustling sound of the cloth was particularly obvious in the quiet hall. Qing Jing reached out and patted his shoulder. "How did Lord Song know about the murder cases in the palace? Even I don't know about this. Lord Song's information is much more accurate than mine."
Qing Jing's words rang in Song Yan's ears. Although there was not much emotion in the other person's tone, he knew it was a threat. His Majesty always hated officials planting informants in the palace.
If Song Yan couldn't explain it well, presumably His Majesty would have some grudges against him. So he bowed and his tone remained the same, still neither overbearing nor humble.
"I think it was the people in the palace who did a poor job of hiding this matter, so Your Majesty didn't know anything about it. I also heard some rumors in the palace recently. My original intention was to report to Your Majesty after investigating clearly. It was my own decision. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
Hearing his explanation, Qing Jing didn't say a word. He just withdrew the hand on his shoulder, stood with his hands behind his back, and took a few steps forward.
"In that case, then tell me, Lord Song, what have you found out?"
"This is the record I found." As Song Yan said, he took out the record from his sleeve and handed it in Qing Jing's direction.
Qing Jing took the stack of records from his hand, opened it and flipped through a few pages. His brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
"I have compared the way the bodies in the palace and the bodies in the previous serial murder case died. I can basically conclude that these two cases should be the work of the same killer. This killer is very meticulous. If we don't catch him soon, I'm afraid his next target won't just be the palace servants."
Looking at Qing Jing's expression, Song Yan took advantage of the momentum and said.
"Lord Song is right. Since this matter has happened in the palace, we can't let it develop any further. I will assign this matter to the Investigation Department. I hope Lord Song won't disappoint me."
Qing Jing closed the records, handed them back to him, and said this sentence in Song Yan's direction. And this sentence was exactly what Song Yan had in mind.
The purpose of this visit to the palace was to take over this case from His Majesty so that he would have fewer restrictions when entering and leaving the palace in the future.
After getting this permission, Song Yan went to find Ye Zhiqiu immediately.
Now he had too many doubts to ask him for confirmation, about the case in the palace and this series of mysteries.
After the palace servant reported, Ye Zhiqiu rushed to Song Yan. Seeing him standing in front of him, there was no look of surprise on his face.
After all, he had expected this result when he sent that letter to him.
"What have you found out in the palace?" Song Yan didn't beat around the bush and asked directly.
Ye Zhiqiu looked around at the coming and going palace servants, then reached out and grabbed Song Yan's wrist and pulled him to a secluded place. As he walked, he whispered, "This is not a place to talk."
Looking at Ye Zhiqiu's action of grabbing his wrist, Song Yan suddenly had a complex emotion in his heart. But it just flashed by. Before he had time to figure out what this feeling was, Ye Zhiqiu had already let go of his hand.
After arriving at a quiet place, Ye Zhiqiu said, "The imperial concubine and the Seventh Princess must be hiding something."
"What clues have you found?" Song Yan hid the hand that had been grabbed by him back in his sleeve and questioned what he said.
Although he also suspected the imperial concubine, he still had no evidence. But now Ye Zhiqiu just directly said that he suspected them. Presumably, he had found out something.
"Recently..." Ye Zhiqiu was just about to say his suspicion, but before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a voice.
"Why is the teacher here? And... with Director Song?" Le Ning walked out from behind the tree beside and asked with a smiling face.
Because of Le Ning's sudden appearance, this conversation had to be terminated.
Ye Zhiqiu stopped talking. Looking at Le Ning who suddenly appeared, he frowned. Even his words were full of displeasure. "Why is the Seventh Princess here? Shouldn't you be reviewing today's lessons in the hall at this time?"
Song Yan was a little surprised to see Ye Zhiqiu like this. In his impression, Ye Zhiqiu would not show this expression to his students. The fact that he could get angry meant that there might really be something wrong with the Seventh Princess.
"Why is the teacher so fierce? I just wanted to tell the teacher that I have finished reviewing today's lessons. I'm a little tired from studying, so I thought I'd go out and enjoy the flowers to relax. But I didn't expect to meet the teacher."
Le Ning said aggrievedly. She also picked up the corner of her clothes and wiped the corners of her eyes. Just looking at her pitiful appearance made people lose their temper.
If it had been before, Ye Zhiqiu might have believed her words. But now he only felt scared of Le Ning.
He didn't know how many informants she had in the palace, but he was sure that she knew all about his whereabouts. Her appearance this time might be to remind him not to say anything he shouldn't say.
He glanced in Song Yan's direction, calmed down his mood, and said to Le Ning, "I was rude just now. Please forgive me, Seventh Princess."
"It's okay. Teacher Ye didn't do it on purpose after all." Le Ning waved her hand and said understandingly.
Ye Zhiqiu didn't answer. Instead, he said to Song Yan, "Let's stop chatting here. I'll take the Seventh Princess back to the hall first."
Song Yan was a little confused about this situation. But since Ye Zhiqiu had said so, he couldn't say anything more. So he just nodded.
On the way back, Le Ning kicked the pebbles on the ground with her head down and casually asked, "What were you and Director Song talking about just now, teacher?"
"Just about my life in the palace recently. There's nothing else."
"Really?"
"Really."
"...Since the teacher has said so, I'll believe it. I'll believe whatever the teacher says."