Chapter 607 Matching Fingerprints

Chapter 607: The Fingerprints Match

This wasn't like the modern era, where technology was far more advanced and you could track someone down with just a fingerprint.

Back then, fingerprints weren't kept on file, so finding a person was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Just as she felt she didn't have enough to go on, a photo suddenly popped up on the screen.

It was another five-finger print, with the words "Dali Temple, Imperial Physician Zhu Case" written beneath it.

Ji Yuntang instantly remembered this was from when Imperial Physician Zhu had died, and Ji Huaiche suspected that she had secretly gone to the imperial prison at night to kill Imperial Physician Zhu.

At that time, in order to prove her innocence, Ji Yuntang had personally gone to the imperial prison with Assistant Minister Xu to gather clues.

This handprint was one of those clues.

She remembered that this fingerprint was found on the windowsill of the imperial prison, and that windowsill was at least five meters off the ground.

Moreover, the window was extremely narrow; an ordinary person could barely fit one leg through, yet the killer had crawled in through that window.

At the time, the coroner accompanying them told Ji Yuntang that there was a bizarre technique called the Bone-Softening Skill that had been rumored in the martial arts world years ago.

Practitioners would soak in a specially prepared poison bath to soften their bones, achieving the goal of shrinking their body.

Ji Yuntang found this utterly unbelievable. After returning from the Dali Temple, she uploaded the murderer's handprint to the computer, made further enhancements and adjusted the clarity, and only then was she able to see the fingerprint clearly.

As far as she knew, the Dali Temple still hadn't been able to identify who killed Imperial Physician Zhu.

That case had become an unsolvable cold case.

At this moment, two fingerprints popped up on the screen at the same time.

When Ji Yuntang compared them, she found the fingerprints were an exact match.

Joy filled Ji Yuntang's heart, but she also found it hard to believe.

What thrilled her was that the case had made new progress—their trip had paid off after all.

What baffled her was that this person was connected to the killer of Imperial Physician Zhu.

Ji Yuntang couldn't figure out how the two were connected.

She had previously suspected that the killer of Imperial Physician Zhu was connected to Consort Li.

She had also sent people to watch Consort Li in the palace for a while, but no suspicious person was ever found, and the matter was eventually dropped.

Now, with the private salt case surfacing, Ji Yuntang felt things were getting more and more tangled.

She admitted that Consort Li, having schemed in palace intrigues for so many years, did have some skills, but with her own abilities alone, how could she possibly have amassed so much private salt?

In ancient times, salt was strictly controlled by the imperial court. On one hand, it brought in hefty tax revenue, and on the other, it was a way to keep the people in line.

Over a thousand catties of private salt—finding it was far harder than buying it.

But even so, with just Consort Li's savings, she probably couldn't afford that much private salt.

Not to mention, this batch of salt was ultimately confiscated in full by Emperor Jingyang.

That meant that when this person reported the case to frame Luo Junhe, they had already paid a steep price.

Moreover, they had mentally prepared for the salt to be seized, all just to frame Luo Junhe.

But at the same time, it also revealed one thing: the mastermind behind this was not only rich but also powerful.

Otherwise, how could they have pulled off such a scheme and gotten their hands on so much private salt?

Ji Yuntang shared her analysis with Luo Junhe, and after listening, he thought she made a good point.

He thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "The killer being able to kill Imperial Physician Zhu means his master knew Imperial Physician Zhu, and Imperial Physician Zhu was very close to Consort Li in the palace, often helping her with things."

"A Tang, do you think Consort Li and the mastermind behind the killer might know each other?"

Ji Yuntang was stunned.

She shuddered. Putting everything else aside, she really thought Consort Li and this person might indeed know each other.

The first person Ji Yuntang thought of was the Crown Prince, Luo Jingshen.

But she quickly dismissed that thought.

The person behind this couldn't be Luo Jingshen.

For one thing, as the Crown Prince, he had no reason to risk smuggling private salt.

Besides, three years ago, Consort Li wasn't favored, and Luo Jingshen looked down on her. He had no reason to conspire with Consort Li.

The trail went cold there. Ji Yuntang and Luo Junhe analyzed the matter thoroughly but couldn't find anyone who plausibly fit the bill.

The only clue was the killer's handprint.

Luo Junhe looked at Ji Yuntang and took her hand again.

"A Tang, don't we still have that padlock? Maybe it can help us dig up some useful clues."

Ji Yuntang felt a bit uneasy, but she also knew that besides the fingerprint and the padlock, there was nothing else useful to find in the villa.

They left the villa by carriage, and Luo Junhe instructed Chen Hu.

"Take us to the biggest locksmith shop in the capital."

Chen Hu acknowledged and soon brought them to the biggest locksmith shop in the capital.

Luo Junhe started to get out, but Ji Yuntang grabbed his hand.

"A He, you wait in the carriage. I'll go in and ask around."

Even with the mask covering his face, Luo Junhe's build was still eye-catching.

She was afraid it might cause unnecessary commotion.

Luo Junhe listened to her, retreated back into the carriage, and sat down again.

"Alright, I'll wait for you right here."

Ji Yuntang got out of the carriage and walked into the locksmith shop, padlock in hand.

A middle-aged shopkeeper came forward to greet her. Seeing that her clothes and bearing were out of the ordinary, a bright smile spread across the shopkeeper's face.

"May I ask, miss, what kind of lock you're looking to have made? We've got Luban locks, through-core locks, key locks, bagua locks... we've got it all here."

Ji Yuntang took out the hanging padlock, placed it on the table, and then produced ten taels of silver.

"I'm not here to have a lock made. I came to ask if you, as the shopkeeper, recognize this kind of lock?"

The shopkeeper picked up the lock and recognized its origin almost at a glance.

His expression changed slightly, and Ji Yuntang noticed his reaction right away, immediately asking, "Shopkeeper, what's the matter?"

The shopkeeper gave a slight shudder and swallowed hard before speaking, "To be honest with you, miss, I do recognize this hanging padlock."

"This is a lock made by Zhang Laojiu of Xing Village. Their family is a family of hereditary locksmiths; they don't make any other kind of lock, only this type of hanging padlock. It's well-known in our trade."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yuntang was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Please tell me where Zhang Laojiu's home is. I'd like to have two more locks made by him."

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, the shopkeeper let out a sigh.

He looked at Ji Yuntang and shook his head, "If you're looking for Zhang Laojiu, miss, I'm afraid you'll be wasting your trip."

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