Wife is hell

Chapter 36 Broken Ear

Yuxianglou was one of the most notorious dens of iniquity in Yancheng.

The building has three floors and is decorated with carved beams and painted rafters.

Exquisite red gauze lanterns hung from the eaves, and silks and satins were everywhere. Even the two stone lions in front of the door exuded a languid air, as if they had been raised in a world of cosmetics.

The girls here are especially well-trained.

Each one of them was charming and elegant, and they dressed as simply as possible.

They wished they could write the words "seeking scriptures and spreading the Way" directly on Da Bai's chest and thighs.

It was already evening, the busiest time for the brothel.

Despite the murder that had just occurred during the day, the building remained noisy, with the sounds of string and wind instruments mingling with the flirtatious banter of men and women.

They'll still hug and drink as they please.

No matter how big the problem, nothing can compare to the intoxicating allure of a gentle, seductive place.

Shi Yuhuan usually lived a secluded life and was extremely conservative and delicate by nature, and had never been to such a place of pleasure before.

Upon entering, I was so shocked by the sight before me that I was at a loss for what to do.

Seeing those heavily made-up women, some nestled softly in men's arms and giggled, some with their clothes half-open playing drinking games, and some even dancing gracefully with their thighs exposed...

She blushed so deeply that even the roots of her ears turned bright red, her heart pounded, and she lowered her head, not daring to look.

Like a frightened little rabbit, she clung to Jiang Mu's clothes with her small hands and followed closely behind him.

Shi Yuhuan was already extremely beautiful, and now, with her face lowered in shyness, her long, slender, and fair neck appeared even more striking. Her pure and serene temperament was completely out of place with the decadent atmosphere around her.

Upon entering, it immediately attracted many intense gazes.

Some men stared so intently that they wished they could gouge their eyes out and stick them on her body.

Fortunately, Jiang Mu was dressed in the uniform of a government official, with a stern expression, and firmly protected Shi Yuhuan by his side.

Those lustful male guests might whistle a few times or utter a few vulgar swear words from afar, but none of them actually dared to go up and flirt with them.

"Officer, hasn't this case already been investigated? The murderer has been caught, so why are you investigating it again?"

The madam leading the way swayed her hips, her tone filled with impatience and complaint.

The death of Young Master Yang, a big spender who squanders money like water, especially since it happened on his own turf, has had a very bad impact.

She now only hopes that this unlucky matter will end soon and stop affecting her business.

Jiang Mu ignored her complaints with a cold face.

The area on the second floor where the murder occurred has been temporarily sealed off.

Upon arriving at the private room where the incident occurred, a strong stench of blood assaulted the senses.

The bloodstains on the ground have not yet been cleaned up.

The overturned chairs, the screen splattered with blood, and even the edges of the tables were covered in splattered bloodstains, a shocking sight.

As Jiang Mu carefully observed the pattern and distribution of the bloodstains, he asked, "Did all of you see with your own eyes that the murderer was using an axe to kill Young Master Yang?"

"you do not say."

The madam patted her chest, still shaken, and said...

"That silly boy rushed in with an axe, scaring the girls half to death. Luckily, there weren't many customers at the time, or it would have caused an even bigger mess."

Jiang Mu frowned and turned to stare at her:
"My question is, did you witness the entire process of the murderer committing the crime?"

"Is there... a difference?"

The madam was taken aback by the question, and blinked.
“We all saw him rush into the private room with an axe, and then Young Master Yang was hacked to death inside. Do we need to see the details?”

Jiang Mu instantly discovered the blind spot.

He asked in a deep voice, "Which young lady was accompanying Young Master Yang at that time?"

"Yes... it's me."

A weak voice came.

Jiang Mu turned his head and saw a woman wearing a light green dress. She was beautiful and petite, and was standing there timidly with a pale face.

"Her name is Xiao Cui, and Young Master Yang dotes on her the most."

The madam explained from the side.

As she spoke, the madam's gaze kept drifting towards Shi Yuhua behind Jiang Mu.

Having spent years navigating the world of pleasure, she considered herself to have a keen eye for women, instantly recognizing this woman as a rare gem. Her figure was perfectly proportioned, her demeanor pure and gentle, and she possessed a restrained, alluring charm.

If she were properly trained, even the most beautiful courtesans in Yancheng would pale in comparison.

Jiang Mu walked up to Xiao Cui, softened his tone, and asked, "Don't be afraid, tell me exactly what you saw back then."

Xiao Cui dared not look at the glaring bloodstains in the room. Her fingers nervously twisted her skirt, and her face was pale as she said:

"At the time... I was drinking with Young Master Yang when a very fat man rushed in, carrying an axe, yelling at Young Master Yang, saying something about... demanding compensation for his 'Kun'..."

"Ah Kun?"

Jiang Mu's expression was strange.

"Yes, yes! It's Ah Kun!"

Xiao Cui nodded quickly, "Then Young Master Yang scolded him and told him to get out, and the two of them started fighting. I... I was so scared that I ran out of the private room to find the nanny... When I came back, I saw Young Master Yang..."

The girl's delicate body trembled involuntarily.

Clearly, the bloody and horrific scene left her with a deep psychological scar.

Jiang Mu fell into deep thought.

It seems that Young Master Yang killed the chickens that Shi Baolu was raising, and as a result, the simple-minded boy got angry and chased after him with an axe to argue.

It sounds absurd.

However, considering that Shi Baolu is simple-minded and stubborn by nature.

It's not impossible that someone would act so impulsively, treating the chick like their own child.

As for the murder... Jiang Mu still had doubts.

He asked instead:
"Logically speaking, your Yuxiang Pavilion should have guards and servants. Why were there no guards to stop that fat man when he barged in with an axe?"

The madam looked helpless:
"Officer, it was still daytime back then, and our Yuxianglou hadn't officially opened for business yet."

It just so happened that the servants were all eating and resting in the backyard and weren't watching over things in the front, otherwise... otherwise such a terrible disaster wouldn't have happened.

Jiang Mu's gaze was intense as he focused on the key point and confirmed it again:

"So, none of you actually saw that fat man kill Young Master Yang with an axe, right? Xiao Cui ran out for help, and by the time you arrived, the murder had already happened. You only saw the result, right?"

Xiao Cui nodded timidly.

The madam curled her lip, dismissing it as indifferent:
"But there was no one else in the private room besides him and Young Master Yang. If it wasn't him, who else could it be? There were quite a few people watching outside, but no one else went in."

Jiang Mu didn't answer, but waved his hand and said, "Alright, you can go out now. I need to examine the scene again."

Xiao Cui couldn't wait to get away from this awful place, so upon hearing this, she quickly left.

The madam glanced at Shi Yuhua reluctantly one last time before swaying her hips and following her out.

Jiang Mu rubbed his temples and began to investigate the scene.

He carefully observed the pattern, direction, and amount of blood splattered inside the house, and then checked the window latches, windowsills, and other places where people might hide or sneak in, such as the wooden cabinets and under the bed.

However, after a thorough inspection, Jiang Mu temporarily ruled out the possibility that an outsider had sneaked in through the window or was hiding inside the house beforehand.

"There was no third person in the house at the time... Xiao Cui ran out while Shi Tou and Young Master Yang were fighting... and when she returned, in the few minutes that had passed, Young Master Yang was hacked to death..."

Jiang Mu stroked his chin, pondering to himself, "What exactly happened during this time? Is Shi Baolu really the murderer?"

Shi Yuhua stood blankly beside the blood-stained table, looking completely lost.

Clearly, the madam and Xiao Cui's statements had driven her to despair.

Jiang Mu's heart softened. He walked over and gently took the other person's cool, soft hand, and softly comforted them:
"Don't worry, Sister Yu-yu, Shi-tou will be fine. In fact, no one has witnessed Shi-tou committing the murder, which means there is still room for maneuver in the case, and there may be a misunderstanding."

A glimmer of light ignited in Shi Yuhuan's dim eyes.

She gestured in sign language: "Xiao Jiang, can you save Bao Lu?"

Jiang Mu wasn't entirely confident, but to reassure Shi Yuhua, he smiled slightly and patted his chest, assuring her, "Don't worry, with me here, Shi Yuhua will definitely be fine."

Influenced by the emotions, Shi Yuhua's bewildered and uneasy heart calmed down a little.

Just as she was about to express her gratitude, her gaze inadvertently caught sight of something, and she took a step back in fright.

Jiang Mu turned around curiously.

Following the woman's terrified gaze,
Between the overturned stool and the blood-stained screen, there lay a...ear!

At the same time, the bell in Jiang Mu's arms also trembled.

(End of this chapter)