Chapter 27: Bounty

  Here is the translation:

  Today's first update is here! There will be another one tonight! Qian Yu will continue writing today, so please throw your votes over, everyone!

  Holding two hundred taels of silver in his hands, Xiao smiled and still felt as if he was floating on clouds, it all seemed so unreal!

  Clutching the money bag tightly, the silver coins pressed against her palm, causing a slight pain. She smiled and lifted her bright eyes, turning to look at the person beside her with a hint of curiosity.

  "Ha! Don't you believe it's true?" Jinzi said with a smile, pursing his lips.

  "Girl, just pinch me!" she said with a smile, mumbling and begging.

  Kaneko shook his head helplessly, what else could he do?

  Gently pinched Xiao Xiao's cheek and asked: "Does it hurt?"

  "It doesn't hurt!" Laughing and blinking her eyes.

  Kaneko made a speechless expression, stretched out his hand and knocked her smooth forehead, now you know it hurts?

  "Ah, wife, I'm not dreaming, am I?" He laughed and rubbed his forehead, the expression on his face was quite comical.

  "Do you believe now?" Jinzi smiled slightly.

  "Believed it, but still feels unreal......" Smiling as if still unable to digest what just happened.

  That young girl actually spent two hundred taels of silver to buy a few paintings that even the shopkeeper couldn't appreciate, isn't this too extravagant? Or is she just being childish and greedy for fun? If so, we should leave quickly, or else she'll regret it later and want her money back, what would we do then?

  "Come on, let's hurry!" Laughter urged, holding onto Jinzi's hand.

  "Alright, let's go take a look at another embroidery shop!" said Jinzi.

  "You still want to go to another embroidery shop to sell paintings? Wife, not all bosses are as easy to coax as that little girl..." He smiled wryly and prepared to persuade her.

  What? Jinzi looked at Xiaoxiao with some confusion.

  Does this girl think she just fooled Yu Tong?

  My god, Xiao Xiao is too cute...

  "Hehe, I just promised Yulan that I wouldn't sell those designs to another embroidery shop, so I'll definitely keep my promise. The reason I went to the embroidery shop was to buy fabric for you and your mother to make clothes. The silk fabrics from Rui Xiu Zhuang are only affordable for the wealthy, with a minimum of 180 taels of silver per bolt. I don't have that kind of financial resources yet, so I can only ask you both to settle for cheaper materials."

  Smiling with slightly red eyes, she looked at Jinzi and said: "You are so good to me and my mother, I am grateful and don't have time to feel wronged!"

  Jinzi smiled and patted Xiaoxiao's hand, promising: "One day, I'll make sure you're all well-fed and warmly dressed, trust me!"

  Smiling seriously, she nodded and sniffled in response: "I believe!"

  Jinzi then took Xiao to a nearby embroidery shop and picked out several pieces of fabric and a few sets of clothes, spending over 80 taels of silver.

  The fabric of these clothes can't compare with those from Rui Xiu Zhuang, but the price is within Jin Zi's current budget.

  The shopkeeper asked them to come back in half an hour, so Jinzi and Xiaoxiao had nothing to do, so they went to stroll around the eastern market's accessories, various hairpins, flowers, and pendants, all exquisitely crafted, making Jinzi love them at first sight.

  Everyone has a natural pursuit and yearning for beauty. Jinzi, as a modern female forensic doctor, has a different work nature from ordinary women, but she also likes fashion trends. In her free time, she likes to read information about fashion trends, understand popular elements, and make herself stand out in dressing, grasping the tail of fashion.

  Jinzi didn't like anything too flashy, so he chose two sets of relatively simple and elegant clothes, spending ten taels of silver.

  As I left Dongshi, preparing to return to Xiangzhuang to pick up the fabric and clothing I had ordered, a large crowd of people was gathered in front of the bulletin board at the entrance of Dongshi, chattering and discussing heatedly.

  Kaneko brought a large number of Japanese sake barrels to the United States and established the first sake brewery in the country.

  "Haha, go and see what's going on!" Jinzi ordered.

  She giggled and ran up with her skirt in hand. Although she knew some big characters, she couldn't recognize all the words written on the notice.

  Next to the notice was also posted a portrait of a man, and at first glance, he just felt that this person looked somewhat familiar.

  After gazing for a while, Xiao Xiao covered her mouth in shock and terror, "Isn't that the woman disguised as a man in the painting?"

  Is the girl wanted?

  My head is buzzing, a complete blank.

  How can this be? The old master cannot possibly have a warrant out for his own daughter's...

  She smiled and suddenly couldn't turn her brain around, but fortunately she was still clever. She hastily asked a man dressed as a scholar beside her: "Sir, can you tell me what this notice says?"

  The young scholar smiled and bowed, explaining: "The notice says that the case of the unidentified male corpse in West Lake has been solved this morning. The murderer has been caught and will be tried tomorrow. It is said that it was the credit of the young man in the painting that led to the swift capture of the murderer. At the time when the body was pulled out, the coroner's office said it was a drowning death, but the young man in the painting insisted that the deceased was killed and then thrown into the water, and he was certain that the perpetrators were a man and a woman. Later, after investigation by the police, they indeed caught a man and a woman on a painted boat."

  "Really? Is the murderer really as he said, without a single difference?" Xiaoxiao asked incredulously, pointing at the portrait.

  "Yes, this man is really extraordinary. The deceased's family is a wealthy merchant who wants to thank the young master for clearing their son's name, so they put up a reward notice. It seems that the reward money is not small either, and this young master can be said to have good luck..."

  The scholar still wanted to chat, but with a smile in his heart, he had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with him again.

  Good luck? This phrase sounds so perfunctory.

  You try saying that in front of the deceased's family... This good fortune, you like it, you hand it over...

  Smiling reluctantly, he bowed his head in thanks and hastily left the crowd.

  Kaneko couldn't help but secretly praise the efficiency of Lao Die's handling of the case after hearing Xiaoxiao's words.

  The body was found yesterday and the case was solved today, this is indeed high efficiency.

  It seems that Lord Jin is a good official who works for the people's benefit.

  At the same time, Jinzi's heart was also filled with anxiety. The work of a forensic doctor plays a very important role in the investigation of criminal cases. Many times, without witnesses or physical evidence, one can only find clues on the deceased and reason out...

  But looking at the coroner from yesterday, it's clear that he doesn't have such conditions. If he hadn't taken action himself, then the deceased would have been simply treated as a drowning case, and the murderer could still be above the law...

  Jinzi let out a sigh, secretly comforting himself that not all undertakers were like this, after all, wasn't there Song Ci in the Song Dynasty? The profession of undertaker had a long history, and there must be people with real skills and talents.

  Xiao Xiao returned to the embroidery shop with a smile, retrieved the fabric and clothes, but found that they were quite heavy. Jinzi told Xiao Xiao to hire a horse carriage, loaded the items onto it, and then prepared to head back to the mansion.

  On the carriage, Xiao Xiao finally gathered up her courage and asked out loud the doubts in her heart, "Madam, how do you know about autopsy?"

  What's wrong with you? Are you okay? Is your body uncomfortable? Do you have a fever? What's going on? Why are you calling me? I'm busy, can't talk. Don't bother me. Go away. Leave me alone. I don't want to see you. You're annoying me. Stop it.

  Jinzi didn't know how to explain, in short, attributing everything to the guidance of the gods was also a way to avoid making up lies and deceiving others. Besides, any lie would eventually be exposed, and in order to cover it up, she would have to make up even more lies, until finally, she might not even remember what she had said earlier. It was better to attribute everything to divine intervention...

  Although this is also a huge lie, fortunately, there is no need to rack one's brains to fill in the lies.

  Jinzi's heart is actually very good, and at this moment, he can tell lies without blushing or skipping a beat.

  Smiling without doubt, nodding in agreement.

  "Just now there was still a portrait of his daughter-in-law there, and I don't know if the old master will notice." Smiling, his expression was somewhat worried.

  Jinzi completely understood Xiaoxiao's concerns, as a coroner was not a respectable profession in ancient times. If people were to find out that the daughter of a prestigious family like theirs would actually perform autopsies on corpses, where would her father's face be?

  But Kinji is not worried about this now. With just a portrait, who can recognize that person as himself at a glance?

  It's obvious from their smiles, probably because they witnessed the autopsy that day, but others may not.

  Wait, there are two more people who know...

  He shouldn't expose himself, should he?

  That indifferent look, he shouldn't be, he's not that kind of person who would do something for no reason, Jinzi comforted himself.