CHAPTER 10

Human Hearts Are as Poisonous as Snakes and Scorpions

Yu Linlang's face remained cold as she gave a light nod, and Jiujin followed closely behind her.

Mu Feng, however, moved quickly, ordering someone to carry the baby forward and hand it to Yu Linlang.

Jiujin immediately stepped forward, blocking his mistress, his face dark with anger. "My lady is not a coroner."

"Oh? But she has such remarkable medical skills. She might as well take a look."

"Young Master, please don't joke about such matters. Just as you have a specialized profession, my lady does not practice forensic medicine."

Mu Feng blinked, surprised by the small girl standing before him. "Well, well! You're quite sharp for a little girl. You understand the importance of specialization—how rare!"

"Xiaofeng." Mu Zhao frowned at his younger brother. "Stop causing trouble."

"But, Brother, Lord Lu and the others haven't arrived yet. Why not let Miss Yu take a look first? Perhaps she might discover something." Mu Feng gave the guards a pointed glance.

Jiujin widened his eyes in frustration but had no choice. He caught the baby as the guards forced it into his arms and turned to Yu Linlang, looking at her helplessly.

Mu Zhao, disapproving, reprimanded his younger brother, "Stop acting on impulse. There's no need to force it. If the lady wishes to avoid it, she doesn't have to look. We can leave it to the coroner at the Criminal Prison."

Yu Linlang turned her head, gazed at him for a moment, then nodded lightly.

The streets were bustling with people.

One was a noble son of an esteemed family, shining like the stars in the night sky, as cold and distant as silver frost.

The other was a petite girl with a clear, icy expression.

Mu Feng tilted his head, glancing between his older brother, the little girl, and Jiujin, who was staring wide-eyed. Then he smiled.

"Hmph." Jiujin rolled his eyes without hesitation.

The elderly doctor from Huichuntang was helped forward and bowed respectfully to Yu Linlang.

"The young lady's earlier reminder awakened me. If you have the knowledge, I would appreciate your assistance in confirming whether I misdiagnosed the child. Your expertise as a witness would be invaluable. I would be deeply grateful."

Yu Linlang looked at the expectant doctor, sighed, and nodded. "Bring out a table."

"Do you have handguards?"

"Yes, we do. Please wait a moment."

Yu Linlang instructed Jiujin to place the baby on the wooden table. An old woman rushed forward in a panic, attempting to snatch the child away.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked.

Jiujin effortlessly held her back with one hand, pulling her away.

The old woman's eyes darted around anxiously. "Oh, you bullies, picking on an old woman!"

"I'm over fifty years old, and you dare to manhandle me in the street? Fine! You win! You're all powerful figures, and I'm just a lowly old woman! I can't fight you, I can't afford to compensate you—we'll just leave!"

Jiujin grabbed a roll of bandages from the table and stuffed it into her mouth. Instantly, silence fell, and the onlookers gasped.

Unfazed by the commotion, Yu Linlang gently unwrapped the child's swaddling cloth, her expression turning colder.

"The bone age suggests the deceased was less than five months old."

As her words fell, a hush spread through the crowd.

"The right temporal bone, parietal bone, and occipital bone have sustained comminuted fractures—approximately five inches long and two inches wide. A complex fracture."

"The parietal bone has fractures extending outward on both sides, each around three inches long." Yu Linlang carefully examined the baby's head, inhaling deeply. "There are herringbone fractures and multiple skull fractures from multiple directions."

"The left upper arm, right leg, shoulder, elbow…" She trailed off, taking a breath before covering the child's body again. "At a glance, there are no fewer than twenty impact injuries across the body. The fatal wound shattered the skull completely."

"A simple accident wouldn't cause injuries like this. This was repeated, deliberate trauma."

"As for the time of death, that will require a forensic examination. However, based on the livor mortis, it's clear the child did not die within just one or two minutes."

The old doctor nodded, visibly emotional as if he'd been vindicated. "Yes, yes! When the child was brought to our pharmacy, we checked his pulse—it was already gone."

"But the grandmother immediately gathered her things and ran out, blaming us for failing to save him. We are doctors, not gods! How can we challenge the will of King Yama?"

The bystanders collectively inhaled sharply, their eyes fixed on the small corpse atop the table.

Though most didn't understand the specifics of skull fractures and temporal bones, they understood the word fracture. And beatings.

Everyone turned to glare at the old woman's family in shock.

"Wait… Are you saying the child was beaten to death?"

"And then they tried to frame Huichuntang?"

"This family is vicious!"

"A baby just a few months old—what kind of hatred could justify this?!"

The woman, whose face was already covered in dirt and shame, shrank back, lowering her head as everyone's accusations weighed down on her.

"Don't spout nonsense! She's lying! We didn't do it!" A burly man beside her roared, scratching his head in frustration.

Yu Linlang calmly removed her handguards, nodding slightly in response to the doctors at Huichuntang, who repeatedly bowed and thanked her. Without another word, she turned to leave.

Seeing that Yu Linlang and Jiujin were about to walk away, the burly man suddenly lunged forward, his massive fist raised.

"You damned woman! Who do you think you are, accusing us?!"

Mu Zhao's gaze darkened, and two bodyguards immediately stepped forward.

Before they could intervene, the round-faced Jiujin launched herself at the man, knocking him to the ground with a fierce kick. She followed up with a flurry of punches, all landing squarely on his face.

"You piece of trash! You think you're worthy of being a father?"

"Jiujin." Yu Linlang's voice was low, her gaze deep and unreadable.

Jiujin landed a final, heavy kick before stepping back, pinning the man down with her foot. She spat contemptuously.

"In this world, not everyone is fit to be a parent."

Her fierce expression sent chills down the spines of those watching.

By the time anyone thought to react, the master and servant had already disappeared into the crowd, without so much as a backward glance.

---

Not far away, Lu Qian arrived, hastily leading his men. He had received an urgent command from the Prince of Xuanping Hou.

Just as he stepped forward, a young woman in simple attire walked past him.

Her long hair was tied with a slender green bamboo strip.

Her robes fluttered with each step, her pace light yet steady.

As she passed, Lu Qian instinctively paused, glancing back at her fleeting figure, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Lord Lu has arrived!" someone called.

"Has the coroner, Old Li, arrived? We need an immediate autopsy on an infant."

"This is Lord Zhilu of the Zhengjuesi, the deputy envoy of the pacification mission."

Prince Mu Zhao's warm, gentle voice drifted in the wind, reaching Yu Linlang's ears.

Inside the carriage, Jiujin noticed her mistress's heavy expression.

"What's wrong, my lady?"

Yu Linlang accepted the tea Jiujin offered, sighing. "I just feel... uneasy. Life is so difficult for an ordinary woman."

Jiujin gently held her hand.

Suddenly, a loud thud sounded not far ahead, as if something heavy had fallen right in front of their carriage…