However, Ji Yunshu coldly dismissed that statement. "It was uncertain if the wine bottle is related to the case. It could be just a bottle."
'Just a bottle!' Mo Ruo attempt at showing off his knowledge fell flat and instead was met with a metaphorical slap in the face.
Tang Si, who was sitting far away and still massaging her knees, burst out laughing. She took the chance to rub salt into the wound and mocked, "You deserve this for trying to show off outside your expertise."
Mo Ruo was furious but he could not deny it. I'll take my revenge on you one day, you crazy girl.
"The most important thing to focus on right now is this jumble of a skeleton." Ji Yunshu continued with a request to Lang Po, "Brother Lang, can you please get a few men to pick up these bones with a cloth? You don't need to wipe off the soil and grass on the bones. Just bring them over and place it on a big table."
"Yes!"
"Take this wine bottle along as well. It might be useful."
"Alright!" Lang Po obeyed and ordered his men to carefully pick up the bones and bring it to the Academy's rear courtyard.
The scholars of the academy did not have the courage to stay around any longer. One by one, they followed them to the rear courtyard.
However, Ji Yunshu did not leave yet. She stared at the well for a long time. It was at least a hundred years old. The stone sides of the well were tall and delicately carved with traditional patterns resembling entwined vines. On the lip of the well were eight round protrusions spaced equally on the edge, one of which was darker in colour than the rest. Other than that, she didn't think that there was anything strange about the well.
She then did a search on the surrounding area and discovered nothing unusual. Jing Rong walked towards her. His gaze followed hers as he scanned the surroundings. "What have you found?"
She shook her head and mumbled, "A few trees, a well, and a pile of weeds."
Jing Rong failed to grasp the meaning of her words but did not interrupt Ji Yunshu's thoughts. He summoned a guard with a wave of his hand and ordered, "Secretly guard this place. Before the truth is found out, no one is allowed to enter this area."
"Yes!"
Mm! Ji Yunshu was very pleased with Jing Rong's instructions. This boy will be able to master this if he stays with me for another half-year.
After looking around for a short while, she failed to find anything new and went to the rear courtyard with Jing Rong.
Everyone from the academy was assembled in the rear courtyard. They were all refined scholars who didn't have the strength to truss a chicken. They had likely never have seen a dead body in their lives, never mind a jumble of bones such as those that had mysteriously appeared from the well. Naturally, they were all alarmed and covered in cold sweat. Their attention was fixed on the stark white bone, with a mix of fear and curiosity.
Ji Yunshu entered the courtyard carrying a pair of white gloves, and confidently put them on as she walked toward the pile of bones without a word. Just as she reached out to pick up a bone, someone yelled, "What are you doing?"
"An autopsy!" Ji Yunshu replied indifferently.
An autopsy?
"Who are you to perform an autopsy? We have already informed the yamen, who will naturally send their coroner to investigate. Didn't you say that these bones were fragile and we should be careful moving it? Then why are you touching it now right now? What if you ruin the evidence?"
"That's right!" One of the scholars stepped forward, intending to stop Ji Yunshu in her tracks.
However, Jing Rong blocked the scholar in a flash. "You better settle down if you want the case to be solved as soon as possible. Right now, no one other than her is allowed to touch the skeleton."
"Who wants touch the bones! But if something happens to the skeleton and impedes the yamen's investigation…" Immediately, the scholar was interrupted by Jing Rong, "I'll repeat this for the last time. If you want to find out the truth, all of you better settle down. I'm not a patient person." An imposing glint of ruthlessness appeared in Jing Rong's eyes, striking fear into anyone who was unfortunate enough to see it. The two who spoke up gulped and clammed up in response.
Supported by a scholar, Teacher Yu slowly made his way forward, hunching slightly as he walked. He raised his hand and mercilessly smacked one of the scholars on the back of his head, "Are you rebelling? Am I dead to you? Do you want me to gift the entire academy to you?"
"Teacher…"
"All of you little scoundrels can scram. Don't disturb Teacher Ji as he works and be an eyesore." As the saying goes, one should treat a teacher as they would treat their father.
The scholars could only agree and left without saying anything else. "Yes, Teacher."
Seeing Teacher Yu's condition, Jing Rong ordered his men to bring over a wooden chair for him to rest.
On the other hand, Ji Yunshu had already started to pick up the bones to examine them. Carefully, she pieced the scattered bones together like she was solving an exotic puzzle. First, she took two matching ribs and placed them side by side. Next, she cautiously fit together the small phalanxes (finger bones). Then…
She looked as if she were merely playing with toys, casually rearranging them as she wished. The scene terrified the spectators.
After approximately the time it took to burn a joss stick, the scattered bones were put where they belonged. A complete skeleton was neatly laid out on the long table.
The spectators were dumbfounded. They doubted that they could rearrange the bones as perfectly as Ji Yunshu even if they referred to an illustration of a skeleton from a book.
Is he a chiropractor? But he doesn't resemble one at all with his thin frame!
Ji Yunshu explained with gently furrowed brows, "The deceased was six feet tall. From the look of the pelvic bones and the laryngeal bone, he was an eighteen or nineteen year old boy who died a year ago. The greyish-green tinge to the bones are obviously caused by the complete loss of organic substances. However, the decomposition of the corpse should have been much slower since it has been soaked in water. The lack of contact with air and limited dissolved oxygen in the water, coupled with the chill due to shade from the big trees that were planted beside the well, these factors all delay decomposition. Since there isn't any degrading agent found in the water, it's impossible for the organic substances in the bones to have been lost so quickly over one year even if the flesh were completely decomposed."
Degrading agent? Organic substances? No one understood this jargon.
Teacher Yu asked, "What does Teacher mean?"
Ji Yunshu continued sincerely, "For a corpse was soaked in water for merely one year to completely lose organic matter, there is only one possible explanation: the deceased was injured and bleeding before he was thrown into the well. The wounds would become infected and impede the flow of blood. Thus, despite being soaked in water and chilly environment, the decomposition of the body is faster than if it were put in a warm, south-facing place in the height of summer. This is also why the organic substances in the bone was completely lost within a year, turning its colour into a greyish green."
"The deceased was injured?"
"That's right!"
"How can you be sure?"
That's simple! "I reckon that you have camphor oil and vinegar in the academy, right? Please bring these two items over together with some white paper?" Very quickly, someone sent all the three items to the room.
Back when the yin yang corpse was discovered in the Grand Canal Manor, Ji Yunshu had applied the same method to learn about the injuries the deceased experienced before he died. Now, she only needed to repeat what she had done!