The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty Chapter 1: Someone has been murdered

The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty. 《成化十四年》Chengnian Shisi Nian
The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Chapter 1: Someone has been murdered

The Capital.

It was near noon when from the Huanyin pavilion came out with two men.

The man walking ahead was a gentleman with a white, lightly bearded face, a straight robe over his body, making him look like a bamboo pole, and two raccoon marks under his eyes and a yawn after two steps.

He was followed by the little manservant, who was also following in his footsteps, not daring to be slack, and was carrying an umbrella for his brother and a lantern with a candle flame that looked like it was nearing fluffing out in one hand swing.

Pedestrians dodged left and right as they see him.

The Huanyin pavilion is a brothel, and the rules of a brothel should only open at night to welcome guests, and now the other party comes out of the building in broad daylight, that can only mean that this gentleman has not only done the night activities all night, but also all continued them into the morning, and his background is so deep that the Huanyin pavilion has to break the rules for him and allow his to stay to this time of the day.

This kind of people are usually amicable when they are in good temper and that is just that, in case of bad temper and something happens, the losers are still the powerless people, so of course we have to stay away from the man sight.

Can't afford to mess with him, can't afford other than to hide.

Suddenly, a Gongzi's eyes lit up and he fixedly looked ahead.

The little manservant didn't know why, and looked along his line of sight, suddenly.

Not far ahead, a figure slowly approached.

He was also in a straight robe, but he wore the same clothes to a different style. If his brother was a bamboo robe, the other wearing was like a man in orchids and jade trees very elegance and literati like someone who could recite poem line such as, “Floating like clouds, strong and brave like the Dragon.”

He just stared at the other person with glowing eyes, and then stepped forward to talk to him, "I don't know where Gongzi wants to go, where do you want to go?"

The little manservant felt slightly bittered, his master is a young man who is a good fisherman, and a men and women are both things he can bed casually, anyone he fancy he can stop them on the street and flirt with. This imperial capital is filled with nobles and royal connected relatives. Although his master family is still one of the great families, but in the event that his master flirts with a man openly he will inevitably be impeached in the emperor’s court again... This is certainly not the first time.

Who knew that the molested young man merely raised his eyebrows and revealed his identity: "The Marquis of Wu'an eldest son Zheng Cheng?"

The little manservant was first shocked, but he had been following his young master for years, and he was very observant, so how can this man recognized that the man was or was not a son or nephew of the official marquis, and the man rebuked: "How audacious, you think my family name can be uttered in your tongue?"

The young man curled his hands casually: "I am sorry, but as far as I know, the imperial court has not yet issued a decree to make you as the inheritor of the marquis title, and since you are not the inheritor of the title, how is it a taboo for you to be called by? If someone goes to lodge a complain to the imperial court, how will your father be affected?”

the little manservant was soaked in sweat by his master’s words that he didn't dare to make a scene: "I'm sorry for what my master said, please forgive me!"

Zheng Cheng, however, was also very good at mitigating situation, and he still smiled in a languid manner, saying, "If the beauty knows me, then it's good, why don't we find a place to sit down and have a few drinks and have a nice chat?

His eyes were sweeping back and forth over the other man, like he was stripping him naked with his eyes.

The young man laughed, "Why don't we go to the Imperial Censor's house in the east of the capital for a chat?"

The little manservant was so excited that he didn't dare to look down on his opponent anymore. He took a step forward and stopped his young master's claws from being extended. He bowed his hand and said, "My young master drank wine last night, but up to now he is still drunk. How much has he lost in his words and deeds? Please forgive him. He possibly doesn't know your name?"

The other man laughed, "That's an interesting question. How could I have given you my name, if you had gone back to sue you Lord Marquis, wouldn’t I be eating my way out of this?"

The little manservant could only watch the other party walk away as he wiped his sweat and let out a sigh of relief, secretly saying that it was a close call.

The Marquis of Wu'an Mansion people heard the Imperial Censor Xian, just those three words and they were like a rat who saw a cat, just because in the Great Ming Dynasty's hereditary titles are many, the Zhu Family descendants, the different surname of the nobles, since the Hongwu Emperor up to now, the titles have become of a little value, and the Imperial Censor is too arrogant a title, the man holding the title can actually dare to criticize the emperor, if the Imperial Censor know of the Marquis of Wu'an eldest son going about in broad daylight in the street molesting the good people, he can probably can immediately criticize the emperor, not to mention that just now the young man looks like an ordinary person.

How can an ordinary citizen speak in such a tone when he knows the man is the Marquis of Wu'an eldest son?

"How dare you stop me?!" Zheng Cheng was bad and good and the boss wasn't happy about it.

I'm saving you, young master! said the little manservant, smiling apologetically, "Maybe the master is waiting at home now. If you go back late, you have to get canned again. It's better to be careful!" As soon as he heard the name of the old man, it was not surprising that Zheng Da Gongzi, who had not yet sobered up, could not help but shudder and not make a sound. 

[1] Gongzi is the son of an official so when it is said Zheng Da Gonggzi it means Son of the official Zheng  and da which means Big or great it used to denote the first child.. like the first born prince will be called Da Wangzi, wangzi means prince and with Da it means the great prince of the first prince

The little manservant followed Zheng Cheng back, while glancing back again.

The other party was long gone and could not be seen anywhere, but the little manservant could not help but wonder: Who was he?

Tang Fan was sleeping until midnight when he was shouted awake.

The man who came to see him was a policeman of the Shuntian Prefecture, a man surnamed Wang, who beat the door in the middle of the night to the ground, thanks to the fact that there was only one Tang Fan living in the courtyard, or the others would have been thought it was the robbers.

As soon as the door opened, Lao Wang had an anxious face: "Master Tang, something big has happened, hurry up and come with me!"

Tang Fan blinked, only an outer garment draped over her body, sleepiness still lingering on her face: "What's the big deal?"

Lao Wang lowered his voice, "Someone has been murdered!"

It's not an ordinary case of murder that would have him rushing to the door in the middle of the night.

Tang Fan: "Who?"

Lao Wang: "The Marquis of Wu'an's eldest son, Zheng Cheng!"

Tang Fan froze and instantly sobererd up.

When Zhu Yuanzhang beat the other prince and won the emperorship in that year, he sealed up a group of his warriors who fought with him with titles and rewards, and then he killed them all himself one by one. Some of them stood in the wrong team in Jiangnan Campaign and were killed by Emperor Yongle.

Most of the remaining hereditary titles are handed down from generation to generation by the descendants of the Emperor Yongle's imperial courtiers, while others were conferred after the building of forts. Some of the titles are still a little powerful. They can confer the rights to lead soldiers, guard the palace, and if you have a little bad luck. Just like the Marquis of Wu'an, who has been killed at present, they can only stay in the capital to be retired out, or even get involved in to a scandal or a rumor. What wrong with that? In an instant, the title will be gone. It looks like the dramatic, but in fact, it's just like drinking water whether its warm or cold for you... only you would know.

　　These people even the son inheriting the title has to be appointed by the emperor before taking effect, is not just because you are a first-born son that you can willy nilly inherit the title, if the emperor looks at that person and feel the person is unpleasant, he could be dragging the title inheriting for a dozen, so decades  of waiting is also possible, perhaps also find an excuse in addition to not giving the title, so these noble people's sons, walking in the capital may not be comparable to a real lowest position in the seventh rank of the capital official landscape..

The first generation of the Marquis of Wu'an title was a hero in a Jingnan Campaign and at this time the title has been passed to the fourth successor. Zheng Ying, a serious and cautious man, never dared to make trouble or misusing the hereditary title power, however, he gave birth to a son who didn't grow up with morals. Marquis Wu'an almost felt his heart broken by him. It's common for him to punished and be scolded..

Only scolding and beating and the son will be back to the same thing, the man hated his son for being indisputable, Zheng Ying never wanted to let him die. At this time, he was standing outside Zheng Cheng's room with his hands in his hands, his eyes red and his face blue.

The lighted small courtyard is full of people, men and women can't take care of their suspicion, fearful people have one, crying people have one, noise, a busy mess.

When Tang Fan rushed to the marquis mansion, the Shuntian Prefecture's Master Pan Bin had already arrived and was talking to Zheng Ying.

A series of bailiffs rounded up Zheng Cheng's house and checked the house servants who were coming in and out.

Prompted by Lao Wang, Tang Fan didn't have time to put on his official clothes, only his regular clothes, but Pan Bin waved at him as soon as he saw him: "Ruiqing, come here!"

“Lord Marquis, Governor "The atmosphere was so tense that Tang Fan doesn't appear to be in a state of panic, but still had the same unhurried air, which was a bit special when compared to the people around him.

Standing in the crowd, Zheng Fu the little manservant couldn't help but let out a cry and pointed at Tang Fan: "Aren't you the one we met during the day?"

At this sound, everyone looks at his way.

Pan Bin was afraid of causing any misunderstanding and was busy correcting things, "This is the Shuntian Prefecture Prefect Tang Fan, Tang Ruiqing, he has good methods and is good at closing cases. This time I called him here ,especially for this case.”

Zheng Ying's gaze flashed, even for those who were not involved in the dynasty politics like him, they had also heard of the name Tang Fan.

But now that his son is dead, Zheng Ying doesn't have any more pleasantries and asked, "What's going on?"

The Marquis of Wu'an swept his eyes coldly, and Zheng Fu hurriedly said the reason.

Tang Fan arched his hand: "I hope Lord Marquis will forgive me for my disagreement with your son in the morning."

Zheng Ying sighed: "The dog is shapeless. He bumped into Master Tang. What would he do to Master Tang? If it wasn't for him Ah, I would teach him a lesson!"

After saying it, he looked like a man filled with anger, hate and sorrow.

Although Tang Fan was only a small official of the sixth rank, his reputation was not small, so Zheng Ying naturally had to be polite.

Tang Fan: "Lord Marquis you have my condolences, please tell us more about your son."

Zheng Cheng is a playboy, this is no doubt, his playboy is mainly embodied in the sex good fishing, as long as beautiful, both men and women can grace his bed, the family's beautiful wife and concubine are not enough, the son has mistresses outside, the result is also his name has spread to the streets and alleys , but also because he is looking for fun, the rumour mill is not good, so the imperial court has been delayed in issuing his appointment as the successor of the Marquis of Wu’an title, so the Marquis of Wu'an Zheng Ying was angry hateful and helpless.

Today Zheng Cheng had just returned from the Huanyin pavilion when he was canned by his father, Zheng Ying, who happened to be at home, and he was scolded and ordered to stay in his room for a few days.

By the time Zheng Ying got his report two hours ago, Zheng Cheng was already lying naked on the bed without a sound, and next to him was a dishevelled maid who was crying.

According to the little manservant Zheng Fu's description, the incident happened around the Haishi hour (9pm-4pm), Zheng Cheng happened to run into A-Lin, a servant girl who was passing by from outside, saw A-Lin had a bit of sex appeal, so he became lustful and wanted to pull the person into his room, A-Lin half pushed and half gave in, the two sides entangled for a while, finally the two went in, Zheng Fu followed to the door without going in.

After about a half burn of incense, A-Lin's screams were heard from inside.

Zheng Fu hurriedly pushed the door in and saw that Zheng Cheng had fallen unconscious on the bed.

He ran out to shout for someone in an instant, and what happened after that went without saying.

The Marquis of Wu'an Mansion's anger at the disgrace of the scandal was all directed at the maid.

However, there is a problem here, if the maiden is a slave, he can do whatever he wants to do with he, and he can fill the well to death in secret, so that he can find an excuse to fool the public.

If the servant is not a slave, this is a world where you can't kill anyone you want to kill, otherwise, the Marquis mansion would have been quiet and this will be easy to deal with today, and he will inevitably be criticized for it, and this won't be able to do it for a cautious person like Zheng Ying.

That's why Zheng Ying chose to report in the first place.

-      The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty    -

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