The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Chapter 34: Death by the prick of the needle

The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty. 《成化十四年》Chengnian Shisi Nian
The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty, Chapter 34: Death by the prick of the needle

The Imperial physician Sun pointed to the spot where the fine needles had just been drawn from Han Zao and said: “There is an acupuncture point here, called the Shuihui point. The Bronze Men of the Northern Song Dynasty had a saying: "If the water sickness (diarrhea or edema) is connected to the meridian excitement in Daliang, or meridian excitement from Qizhuang to a Baizhuang. It is forbidden to stab, needle, because water outflow will kill a person. Therefore, it is said that meridian excitement cannot be acupuncture, in fact, it is not necessary need to not acupuncture, but some people are not good at controlling their depth, it is easy to stab into too deep, causing a big disaster."



Tang Fan and others understood at once, but all acupuncture points in the body must be useful, such as this Shuihui point, finger massage or meridian excitement, can treat edema and diarrhea, but there are two sides to the coin, and in turn, it is also related to the Baihui points. Like the Sun Acupuncture Point, it is an important point in the human body, and if not treated properly, it can also be harmful to the body.

The Imperial physician Sun says: “The Shuihui point is a Ren Chakra point, which is exactly the same as the Huan bone, and when the Shuihui point is injected by needles, the Huan bone will become bloodshot with blood lines. This person who did this must be well versed in medical classics, maybe he's a doctor, but it's really infuriating that he doesn't use his knowledge to save people, but use it to harm them!"

The Imperial physician Sun was still furious at the murderer, but Tang Fan and the others were all looking very serious.

They originally thought that Han Zao died of poisoning, but they didn't expect that they were stabbed into the main acupuncture point in the end. How is this kind of death hidden? If the Imperial physician Sun hadn't been there today and seen the mysterious connection between the Huan bone and the Shuihui point, they might not have discovered the problem even if they had shaved Han Zao's head or cut his body open, because the needle was so small, but they had focused on the poisoning.

Tang Fan asked: "If Han Zao has a broken needle in his body, can a physician find out about it by taking his pulse?"


The Imperial physician Sun understood what he was asking, and shook his head: "The change in the pulse can't last that long. When I took Han Zao's pulse a few days ago, I confirmed that he was fine. In other words, the seizure time is very fast, even if this needle is extremely thin and short, but because of the special acupuncture point, if something goes wrong, the time will definitely not exceed a day and a half after he was stabbed by the needle."


Tang Fan was puzzled: “That is to say, Han Zao's needle was pierced on the same day, but if so, was Han Zao a small child who could not speak if he was stabbed by a needle, how could he not notice when the needle was pierced?"

The Imperial physician Sun said, "Firstly, this broken needle is even finer than a millimeter needle, so if a needle as fine as a cow's hair is pierced into the body, one may not feel it very clearly. Secondly, this is a broken needle, and if it is in the body at all, and Han Zao cannot detect the problem, people will only think it is an ordinary abdominal pain, and the way he died is so unexpected that few people will think of it.”

Sui Zhou echoed the Imperial physician Sun's statement from the side: "In my case, I can indeed easily pierce this broken needle through my clothes into the other person's body without him noticing, and it would be even easier if the person is a naive child with low alertness.”


Tang Fan listened to them and frowned, "In that case, the question is who had close contact with Han Zao on the day of his death, and this person would probably be someone Han Zao knew, otherwise it would be impossible to poke the broken needle into his body through such close contact.”


Criminal thinking is not the field where the Imperial physician Sun is good at, and the matter involves a wide range, and it is more likely to involve a person in the palace. Tang Fan did not want to make it difficult for him, so he asked Bian Yu to send the Imperial physician Sun back first.





Tang Fan told Sui Zhou, "I remember that Han Zao entered the palace at dawn, and at about one minute past 5 am of the Maoshi hour, the Empress Dowager Zhou sent the asparagus cakes; at two minutes past 7am, the Noble Consort Wan sent the green beans and lily soup; at about four minutes past 8am hour, Han Zao said that he had abdominal pain and then died. In other words, the period was one hour and four quarters from the dawn of the year."






Sui Zhou: "No, we have to count on him being poisoned before he gets up in the morning and goes out the door."


Tang Fan thought for a moment, "You mean, Han Family's people are suspected too?"


Sui Zhou said: "I've done a lot of cases before, and they often end up with the most obscure person, which is just an insurance policy to increase the likelihood that the closest person is the one who does the crime."


Tang Fan nodded: "Generally speaking, it is the Yinshi hour 4 am when people to get up and wash up and enter the palace, even Lao Sun said that the Shuihui point is pricked and penetrates deeper as the body moves, and the seizure time is very fast, two hours plus four quarters, it will not be longer before one dies."


At this time, a man from the Eastern Palace came and said that his Royal Highness Crown Prince wanted to see Tang Da-ren.


Tang Fan is not surprised, even if the Crown Prince doesn't want to see him, he still wants to see him.


After last night's experience, Tang Fan didn't think he would feel too much when he entered the palace again, not to mention that Tang Fan's mind is full of clues about the East Palace case, and he can't bear to not see more of the palace.


The prince had seen him last night, but during the day, everything can be seen clearer.


He's just turned eight this year, but he's been hiding out in the palace since he was a child to avoid the eyes and ears of the Noble Consort Wan, eating the rations saved by the eunuchs, his body is on the thin side of development, he looks like he's only five or six years old, and he looks a bit empty in his East Palace robes.


But although he was not born of lower standing, but from the clothes and food, one can see that he is very hard-working, his manners are also well-defined, cannot pick mistakes on him, when Tang Fan finished the salute, the prince immediately said: "Someone, bring a stool for the Prefect Tang , have a seat, serve tea."


Tang Fan excused himself, “Thank you for your compassion, I can just stand."


The prince said, “Official Prefect Tang is working for my father, the emperor, as an imperial official, you don't have to be polite."


Tang Fan also stopped being polite and said thank you and sat down.


The prince asked, "What have you found out about this case, Prefect Tang?”


He was just asking, it's only been a day, what he could find out, but Tang Fan said: “There is something."


Tang Fan told the boy about Han Zao's death, and the prince's eyes widened as he listened, but he couldn't resist getting up from his seat: "How could this happen, how could this happen to one so young?”


Although he had been through all kinds of hardships since he was a child, he still couldn't help but tear up when he heard about the tragic death of his childhood friend, Han Zao.


"Mr. Tang, have you found out who killed Little Zao?"


While the prince was speaking, Tang Fan was watching him carefully.


A man's words and actions, though they are not material evidence, they can still be as a reference.


As a child, the prince suffered more than any other man, and was threatened with death at any moment, so he had to move around the palace with his loyal court maids to avoid the persecution of the Noble Consort Wan, something that may have been a bit dogmatic in the legend, but it did happen in the Chenghua Dynasty.


His birth mother, Ji-shi, died three years ago, the same year he was crowned prince, but no one jumped out to investigate the matter of her death, and everyone tacitly knew who did it, but they were thinking that the prince was too young to care.


But how could a precocious child not know what his mother had been through, and how could the gossip of the whole court not be heard to him?


But after so many hardships, the prince did not become gloomy, but rather exuded a quiet and gentle anger, and his eyes were crystal clear, untainted by the complexity of the world.


Tang Fan has experienced a lot of things in the world. From his observation, from the Prince's true feelings for Han Zao, the other party should have nothing to do with this case, at least, he would not deliberately plant the blame to get back at her, as the Noble Consort Wan suspected.


Therefore, when he looks at a gentleman, he will always look at his heart with a small caution, and they will never know what he is thinking, much less understand what he is thinking.


He shook his head: "We have only found out the cause of death, and even if the Prince didn't come and asked for me I was still going to come to see him. I would like to know what Han Zao did and who he met in the time between his entry to the palace and his death."


The prince blinked, froze for a moment, before shaking his head: "No, he's just been here with me studying, and hasn't been anywhere."


Tang Fan felt amused, this prince is no good at lying." Is His Highness serious? This is a serious matter, and if the other party doesn't just want to target Han Zao, but has a different agenda, His Highness will be in danger too."


The prince was silent.


Tang Fan decided to force him: "If His Highness won't tell the truth, I'll have to ask His Majesty to come forward."


He stood up and curled his arms, and was about to go out.


The prince called out to him, and even caught up with him: "Don't go, don't go! Don't go! You wait!"


Tang Fan turned around.


The prince bit his lower lip: "I can tell you, but that person will never harm me, not to mention Little Zao, you must promise me never to tell Father."


Tang Fan nodded and said, "As long as it has nothing to do with this case, and nothing to do with the murderer, I will naturally not look into it."


The Prince didn't say anything and stood there hesitantly, while Tang Fan waited with his sleeves folded.


After a while, the prince retreated to Tang Fan and said, "After Little Zao entered the palace at dawn, we studied in one place, and I asked him to visit someone when he was going back.”





Tang Fan asked, "Who is that man?"


The prince said, "Madam Wu."


Tang Fan didn't react for a moment: "Who is Madam Wu?"


The prince said, “The first empress of my father, the Empress Wu."


Oh, that Empress Wu.


Tang Fan remembered that Empress Wu was demoted by the Noble Consort Wan machination because of her reprimand, and she was forced into the Western Palace. . After that, the name of the lady was rarely heard inside and outside the palace. The woman seemed to be completely forgotten In the sight of everyone.


The prince said, “The Wu Consort lives in the Western Palace, where she is often short of food and clothing. I can't go there myself, only Little Zao is too young and special to be questioned, so I sometimes ask Little Zao to send some things there."


Tang Fan was so clever that he understood with a little bit of clarity: "Did Empress Wu help His Royal Highness?"


The prince did not say a word, and his dark eyes were looking at him with a calm look.


Tang Fan said gently, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I won't say a word about anything that has nothing to do with this case, I'll pretend I haven't heard of it, but I still have to go to the Western Palace."


The Crown Prince was anxious: "If they ask why you went to her, the matter will be brought up again, and this time they won't let Madam Wu off the hook!"


Tang Fan said, “Then let's say that Han Zao was greedy and took the opportunity of a break to sneak out to play. I must check all the routes he might have taken, and by then not only the Western Palace, but also the nearby courtiers are the most likely place where he would have gone.”


The prince looked at him with his mouth slightly rounded, as if he couldn't believe that a courtier would discuss with himself a matter that would deceive the Emperor.


Tang Fan smiled slightly: “This is not an act of deception, but it's just a matter of making things easier for His Highness. So I ask you too, have to keep it a secret.”


The Prince said, "Aren't you afraid to offend the Consort? No one in the whole dynasty dares to offend the Noble Consort Wan. Why are you not afraid?"


Tang Fan said, "I'm not afraid, but I'm just a gentleman who has to do something and the kindness of Madam Wu helping his Highness has no input in the case I’m investigating, it should not be a punishment when someone had done a good thing but a secret when when has done a bad thing. I am investigating this case to find the murderer, not to harm a good person in the name of justice. Of course, if the Empress Wu is involved in this case, then please forgive me."


The prince nodded repeatedly: "Madam Wu is a good person, she would never do such a thing, but madam Wu has been in the Western Palace for a long time, her mind is a bit dazed, and sometimes she may act crazy.


Tang Fan arched his hand and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I'll leave you now."


He took a few steps back, turning to exit.


"Wait!" The Prince shouted to stop him, and quickly caught up with him.


Tang Fan turned around, puzzled.


The Prince said to him, "Prefect Tang, you said that no one in this world should be punished for doing a good deed in the first place. I think you have a good point, and I like it too. Will you have another chance to enter the palace? I seriously want to have a chat with you.”


Tang Fan smiled: “This is not for me to decide, but His Highness is surrounded by many brilliant people, all of whom are more talented than me, and I am so small that I can't get His Highness' attention.”


The Prince also showed a small smile, his face was not quite like the Chenghua Emperor, and Tang Fan guessed that he should be more like his long-dead mother: “Prefect Tang, you're too modest, I've heard of you, a passing of the Imperial exam in the eleventh year of the Chenghua, reign right, and I've read your articles, they're very good!"


Tang Fan said, “Thank you for your compliments, if I have the chance, I will come to see you again."


The prince nodded: "Good, I'll wait, and I also ask Prefect Tang to find the murderer, so as to console Little Zao's soul."


Tang Fan arched his hand: "I will do my best!"


He didn't waste any more time, so he came out from the Ciqing Palace and went to the Chenghua Emperor in a hurry.


The emperor had a somewhat bad understanding of the dynasty's affairs and usually passed them over to the Cabinet, but this case was so important that the real culprit was not known, and Han Zao's death was so strange that he was interested in it, and when he heard that the case was progressing, he quickly agreed to call Tang Fan.


Even so, Tang Fan still waited outside for half a day before he was allowed to enter.


Once they met, Tang Fan didn't look like a small official who was so excited to see the face of the Tianzi, but rather got right to the point. [1] Tianzi of the son of the sky, it is one of the many titles of the Emperor.


The cause of Han Zao's death had already been reported to the Chenghua Emperor by the Western Depot before he came to see the Crown Prince, so Tang Fan just mentioned it and jumped right over there to tell his analysis and ask for the opening of some places in the palace for him to investigate.





In fact, he only wanted to go to Empress Wu for questioning, but because of the Noble Consort Wan's hatred towards Wu-shi, if she knew that Empress Wu had helped the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince still sends his men to visit her secretly from time to time, she would definitely take retaliatory measures against Wu-shi. So since Tang Fan wanted to go there he can only take a detour to not expose his intention.


The Chenghua Emperor was scared by the fact that Taoist Li snooped on his inner palace and tried to assassinate him, and when he heard about Han Zao's death, his first thought was that the murderer target might be the Prince or even himself. But he didn’t do much. After hesitating, he agreed to Tang Fan’s request. However, given that Tang Fan is a local government official and not a central government, the Emperor Chenghua requires that he must be accompanied by an eunuch when he walks in the palace, and he cannot leave the predetermined place arbitrarily and run without prior notice.


Tang Fan naturally undertook all this, and by the time he came out of the palace, it was already evening, and poor Tang Da-ren had been running around all day, and he couldn't even eat. His position was low. Although he had done the errands, there was no treatment for dinner. If you were to change to a cabinet official who is bachelor or one of the six ministers to work, it will definitely not be the same treatment.


But even so, with his mouth blistered, he didn't sneak off to find food, but went to the Western Depot first, because Han Zao's body was still there when he left in the morning.


When he heard that he had returned, Bian Yu came quickly.


Tang Fan asked him: "When did General Sui Baihu leave?"


Bian Yu-do: "Shortly after you left, he also left, and then sent someone to tell you that the Northern Administrative Court had a temporary mission, and that General Sui Baihu was going away for a few days to half a month, so that you would not have to wait for him."


Tang Fan sighed, "He's gone at a bad time, so where am I going to find a cooperative old buddy to help?"


"Well, there's still me."


Along with the sound of talking, Eunuch Wang, the governor of the Great Ming West Anti-Corruption Depot, came through the door.


Tang Fan was speechless. This man was like a ghost.


“Eunuch Wang is in charge of so many things, why did he come all the way here to accompany me?"


“Yo-ho, I see you're not so happy? I thought you were going to the palace to investigate, but His Majesty asked me to keep an eye on you so you wouldn't go where you shouldn't go! You think Sui Guangchuan can go around the palace with you? He's a relative of the Empress Dowager and has no no face to do it like that!"


Wang Zhi laughed, as opposed to the emperor's cautiousness, and spoke to Tang Fan, of course he did not have to be polite.


"So, you're not satisfied with my company? It's a blessing that you can't even ask for it, how many people want to see me but can’t?"


Unlike the green cap he wore last time at the Xianyun Pavilion, Wang Zhi was wearing the unicorn suit given to him by the emperor, the pattern was similar to the Feiyu suit of the Jinyiwei, only the pattern was different, and the level and value of the suit was different. This dress is so gorgeous, Eunuch Wang dangled in front of Tang Fan, like a peacock


"From now on, until the end of the case, I will be with you, and if there is anything you want do, I will tell you that the Western Depot is much more efficient than Guangchuan of the Jinyiwei, and that he is only a Baihu level man, and don't you worry, I won't get in your way, and since this case is in your hands, you will be in full charge."


After Wang Zhi had finished speaking, Tang Fan could only say, "Now that the palace's doors will be closed, there is no hurry to investigate, we can only wait until tomorrow."


Wang Zhi let out a hush.


Tang Fan saw that he was not leaving yet, and wondered: “Eunuch Wang has eaten?"


Wang Zhi: "Ate, what, still want me to buy food for you? No way."


Tang Fan: "... I have not eaten any meal today, if Eunuch Wang does not give up, then follow me to another meal."


Tang Fan thought he was saying that, but Wang Zhi waved his sleeve and left, but then the Depot man actually changed his clothes and gave him his regular clothes, and then followed Tang Fan from the Western Depot to the noodle stand in the north of the city.


Until Wang Zhi sat down on the stool next to him, Tang Fan still found it a little strange.


It wasn't that he was afraid of Wang Zhi, he just didn't know why a governor of the Western Depot, a man who was usually the boss of the Sixth Ministries Cabinet, would have the leisure time to follow him here and eat noodles, but he couldn't get rid of him.


What's wrong with Eunuch Wang today?


Besides, Tang Da-ren, who said he didn't know Wang Zhi very well, also found it uncomfortable to be followed by a eunuch like this. He had wanted to go to the bookstore to see if there were any new words recently. The result is that now, how can he go?


He followed the eunuch to the bookstore to see the newest romance book, isn't this world a little too fantasy?


"Why are you looking at me? Why don't you treat me to dinner? Don't forget, last time I invited you to Xianyun Restaurant, just for the price of one dish, you could eat 100 times more noodles here!" Eunuch Wang said.


Tang Fan was helpless: "Please, please, Eunuch Wang, order whatever you want to eat first, I'll be happy to do so."





“That's more or less the same, but you're not much better here, it's still all noodles!" Wang Zhi said with disdain.


"Eunuch Wang was wrong. The owner is famous for making noodles, but the soup and noodles are good, especially the bone broth made by the old fire, which is really good. It's a husband and wife manned shop, the wife is in charge of the noodle rolling and the husband is in charge of the noodles soup.” But it's getting late, the noodles are probably sold out, so there may be few noodles left. When it comes to food, Tang Da-ren must be one of the best informed people in the world.


They've just sat down, and the owner's wife has just come over to wipe the table and clean up the scraps left behind by the previous customers, for Tang Da-ren's sake.


“Tang Da-ren, do you want the same? What does this customer want?" The owner smiled and greeted her.


Tang Fan laughed, "You're not very kind, Madam Yu, asking us what we want when there's only noodles left."


The boss's wife said, "You've wronged me, there were plenty of noodles today, there's still some left over, and there's freshly fried baked pancakes, how about some?


Tang Fan said, "Four of them, please!"


He turned his head again and asked Wang Zhi, "Would you like the minced pork noodles or pancakes?"


Wang Zhi faintly froze and then said: "Minced pork noodles then!"


Tang Fan said to her, "One bowl of noodle with pancakes, one bowl of noodle noodles, with more coriander!"


"All right!" The boss's wife laughed and joked: “Tang Da-ren, you have a lot of friends in the Northern Administrative Court, last time it was Xue Da-ren, last time it was Sui Da-ren, what, there's a new person this time?"


Tang Fan coughed softly, "I'm not recruiting business for you two, this is not the Jinyiwei, this is the Western Depot's Wang Da-ren."


When doing business under the roots of the Imperial city, who is not better informed about the masters of the city, the whole of the West Depot, there is one man surnamed Wang. Upon hearing this name, the boss was at a loss, and then her face immediately changed, trembling. She screamed "Wang Da-ren", as if he had dripped oil on his feet, and disappeared with a rag.


Before they could even sit down, two bowls of noodle soup noodles and four large oil pan cakes were served, each two portions fuller than the previous day.


Tang Fan laughed, "Looks like Wang Da-ren's name is so famous that even the noodle stand is open!"


Wang Zhi stifled a grunt: "It seems that with you, I have to be careful that you are abusing my name!"


Other civil servants were either on guard or on guard, but Tang Fan was an exception. He was funny and witty, and he would flirt with them whenever he wanted, but he felt very comfortable, for Wang Zhi, this kind of person who has been in a high position is a bit guilty in his heart. Others respect and respect him, but he doesn't care for it since it is mostly out of fear. a man Tang Fan is a breath of fresh air.


Tang Fan pushed his plate of greasy cakes towards him, smiled, and was about to say something when someone else came to the table.


Wang Zhi glared: "What's the matter? There are still people sitting here!"


The man laughed: “That's arrogant. We can't sit at this table? Is it with your name on it? You know who we are, don't you?"


It's over.


Tang Da-ren took a sip of soup with his head down, and observed a moment of silent mourning for the other.


The author has something to say:


Note: 1:


1. The cause of Han Zao's death, which two readers guessed correctly yesterday, was the stabbing of a Shuihui point. This method of death came from a case in the Qing dynasty, which was recorded in the Qing dynasty's “The Book of Wrongful Death", but not in the Song dynasty's “The Book of Wrongful Death". In that case, it was said that the deceased was killed by three stabs to the Shuihui point, but here it was changed in the same principle as in the real case, where the needle was stabbed into the Shuihui point and the body moved so that the needle continued to go deeper, causing a major blood vessel to rupture and bleed. But this is just my own fictional deduction according to common sense, whether it can be realized or not, if any experts know, they can show us how to do it!


2. The Noble Consort Wan did not know that Wu-shi had raised the Crown Prince Zhu Youcheng for a while before he was enthroned, otherwise Wu-shi could not have lived for long in the Cold Palace until he was enthroned, and this article will be based on that fact.














- The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty -






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