Chapter 76 Hu’s Wood Kiln, Charred Corpse Appears Again

Chapter 76: Burnt Corpse Reappears at Hu's Kiln

Lin Wen: "Ask."

"Three months ago, did you send someone to Nanzhou to assassinate me?"

Lin Wen let out a cold laugh. "Am I out of my mind?"

Qin Jiao saw the expression on Lin Wen's face—one that seemed to say, "Who do you think you are? I'm far too busy to bother with you"—and felt a chill run down his spine.

It really wasn't Lin Wen. Then who could it be? Yu Shuhan? Qin Yuanshan?

"What happened to you in Nanzhou, Young Master Qin?" Xie Xuanran asked, concern in his eyes as he looked at Qin Jiao.

Intending to clear things up face-to-face, Qin Jiao told them everything about the assassination attempt in Nanzhou and how the black-clad assassin had claimed Lin Wen was the mastermind. However, he omitted the misunderstanding with Xie Nai and the mysterious painting.

"At first, I thought Chancellor Lin ordered the assassination because he had feelings for someone else and was afraid I wouldn't agree to annul the engagement. Coupled with some other misunderstandings, that's why I refused when he came to the Qin Mansion to call off the engagement," Qin Jiao said softly.

"You!" Lin Wen sneered without mercy. "Use your head. If I had a lover, why would I kill you? With the Lin family's current standing, if I wanted to force an annulment, would the Qin Mansion dare to refuse?"

Qin Jiao fell silent, the atmosphere growing awkward.

"Young Master Qin, rest assured. I can vouch that Chancellor Lin has never done anything to harm you," Xie Xuanran said, suddenly standing up. Qin Jiao thought he was going to pour tea, but instead, the young emperor clasped his hands and bowed to him.

"Your Majesty, what—what are you doing!"

Startled, Qin Jiao immediately jumped back. He didn't know whether to support Xie Xuanran or not, and in the end, Xie Nai stepped in to steady the emperor.

"The engagement between Chancellor Lin and you..." Xie Xuanran's face flushed slightly, the Young Emperor's eyes clear yet his voice low and hoarse. "I'm sorry."

The matter of love was immensely complex. Once it arose, it could not be suppressed.

Such was the case with Xie Xuanran and Lin Wen.

Lin Wen subtly blocked Xie Xuanran. "It is I who should apologize for not handling the engagement properly."

Qin Jiao stood frozen to the side until Lin Wen said to him, "Qin Jiao, I owe you for the engagement. In the future..."

Qin Jiao quickly interrupted him: "There is no future! We have no future! That His Majesty has taken a liking to you is the greatest fortune you've earned in eight lifetimes! Don't bother me anymore. Have a happy marriage and laugh all the way!"

Xie Nai: "..."

What a mess.

"Ah no, I mean..."

Clearly realizing he was rambling, Qin Jiao quickly explained, "What I mean is, I don't like Lin Wen. I never have. I wish you happiness. I won't go around spreading rumors!"

"Mm, thank you," Xie Xuanran said, relieved, breaking into a smile.

Meanwhile, Lin Wen looked somewhat overwhelmed, pressing his hand to his forehead in defeat. He said to Xie Nai, "It seems you'll need to keep a closer eye on him from now on."

With a brain and way of speaking like that, letting him out alone was truly dangerous.

For once, Xie Nai did not contradict Lin Wen. He reached out and took Qin Jiao's hand. "Can we eat in peace now?" Xie Nai asked.

"Mm." Qin Jiao's ears reddened slightly as he pulled his hand free. "Yes."

"Alright, let's all sit down and eat," Xie Xuanran said, pretending not to notice Qin Jiao's awkwardness, and gestured for everyone to dine.

Just then, a strange smell drifted in through the open window. It was fishy yet burnt, burnt yet fragrant—like raw meat being roasted, or like glaze being fired.

Xie Xuanran and Lin Wen exchanged a glance. "What's that smell?"

Qin Jiao, more sensitive to odors, immediately covered his nose and mouth. But the smell was too strong. "Ugh—" Qin Jiao couldn't help but retch.

Xie Nai grabbed Qin Jiao by the shoulder and handed him a cup of tea. "Are you alright?"

Qin Jiao felt better after drinking. "That's odd. That smell is too strange. We need to go check it out."

No sooner had Qin Jiao spoken than a rapid knock came at the door. Tongsheng's anxious voice rang out: "Chancellor, something's happened outside! Come quickly!"

Lin Wen helped Xie Xuanran put on a veiled hat before opening the door. "Lead the way!"

"This way, sir!"

Tongsheng hurried downstairs, with Qin Jiao and Xie Nai following closely.

The smell was coming from Hu's Kiln, directly across from Jusheng Pavilion. A crowd of onlookers had already gathered at the entrance of Jusheng Pavilion and Hu's Kiln.

A middle-aged man in a dark blue robe with bamboo patterns was anxiously pushing the onlookers back. "Please don't crowd in, guests! The authorities haven't arrived yet; the scene must be preserved!" Luo Bei and Luo Yue were also there, helping maintain order. Tongsheng led Qin Jiao and the others through a side door into Hu's Kiln.

Hu's Kiln was about the size of four rooms, with piles of unfired greenware, pinewood, and some defective porcelain stacked in the corners.

The kiln still used the most primitive pit-firing technique. Pit-firing, as the name suggests, involved digging a pit in the ground, laying pinewood, placing the greenware, and then smoldering it. Before them now was a firing pit about half a man's height and eight feet long.

The fire in the pit had been doused with water. Inside the large pit, aside from some semi-finished ceramics, lay a man charred beyond recognition.

The man lay curled on his side in the pit, his skin almost entirely burnt and blistered. The air was thick with the smell of roasted human flesh and a pungent, bloody stench.

"Ugh—"

Qin Jiao couldn't help but retch again, turning aside.

As he turned, he noticed that the man's face was only blackened by soot. Suppressing the nausea churning in his stomach, Qin Jiao tugged at Xie Nai's sleeve. "His face isn't completely burned. We can still identify him."

"I'll fetch someone immediately!" Tongsheng ran out without waiting for orders.

Lin Wen and Xie Xuanran had already searched the entire kiln. It wasn't large, with a front and back entrance. Sunlight streamed through a few translucent roof tiles, illuminating the interior clearly.

Before long, Tongsheng returned with someone.

"Greetings to the Prince of Lingnan and the Chancellor!" Tongsheng introduced the newcomer as Wu Kun, an official from the Capital Inspection Bureau.

In the capital, aside from special cases or serious crimes that required the Ministry of Justice or the Grand Court, minor cases were handled by the Inspection Bureau. After the murder at the kiln, an apprentice had gone directly to the bureau to report.

"Did you come alone?" Lin Wen asked with a frown.

"Several others are with me; they'll come in to report shortly," Wu Kun replied. As he spoke, a few officers entered, escorting the middle-aged man who had been blocking the door earlier, along with two young apprentices, one stout and one thin.

"Your Highness, Chancellor, this is Hu Tian, the owner of Hu's Kiln," Wu Kun said, indicating the middle-aged man. "Behind him are the two shop apprentices."

"Drag out the corpse and clean its face," Lin Wen ordered, pointing to one of the officers.

"Yes!"

The officers began pulling the half-charred corpse out, releasing an even stronger smell of burnt flesh and a cloud of dust. Qin Jiao quickly stepped back.

The kiln was extremely hot. Noticing Qin Jiao's face turning pale from the heat and Xie Xuanran's exposed skin becoming flushed, Xie Nai pointed to the back door. "Let's question them over there."

"Yes, this way!" Wu Kun did not dare delay, and he escorted the kiln owner and the two apprentices to the back.

The back door of the kiln was sheltered by a simple awning, under which were piles of unused clay and unfinished pottery.

Lin Wen took over Wu Kun's duties and began interrogating Hu Tian and the two apprentices, with Xie Xuanran listening nearby and occasionally adding a question.

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