After Wu Zuo finished speaking, Pei Tan remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, Wu Zuo held the piece of skin in both hands and respectfully handed it to Pei Tan again.

  Pei Tan stared at the pattern on the leather, which was indeed twisted and difficult to tell whether it was a pattern or a miswritten character.

  The attendant said at this time: "That person who threw the human skin into the masters arms, what is his intention. Should I bring someone to investigate that persons identity now?"

  Pei Tan carefully examined the piece of human skin for a while, and then picked it up and put it into his sleeve.

  "Dont bother searching, you wont find it."

  The attendant stiffened slightly, seemingly somewhat displeased. The Dalisi Temple was, after all, a place that specialized in homicide cases. If someones skin had been flayed off, even if they couldnt investigate it, how could they not look into it?

  At this time, Pei Tan said a sentence: "The person we saw at the banquet was a woman dressed as a man."

  The attendants and the servants in the hall were all shocked, and the two of them seemed to have exchanged a glance.

  "How did you know...that this person is a woman in disguise?"

  That person was indeed eye-catching at the banquet. Inappropriate attire and behavior, but Pei Tan determined at a glance that the other party was a woman disguised as a man.

  Bai Tans fingers lightly slid under his nose: "When she bumped into me, her body had a mixture of rouge and corpse scent."

  Only women use rouge; having carried this human skin for so long, its natural that there would be a stench of death.

  The attendant was standing beside Pei Tan at that time. What Pei Tan said was rouge or some flavor, but not a single thread had ever been heard.

  But whether it was the attendants or the servants, no one doubted what Pei Tan said. Especially since they knew that their masters nose was different from ordinary people, even if he had washed carefully, the smell on each persons body could still be detected by Pei Tan.

  Who is this woman and why did she appear at someone elses wedding banquet with a piece of dead mans skin on her?

  The two attendants of the Dalai Lama felt a bit numb in their lower back.

  "That person is not a citizen of Changan, nor is he anyone who lives on the streets of Changan. So no matter how you investigate, its impossible to find him."

  The servant asked subconsciously: "Sir, does it mean that she might be an outsider?"

  Its also possible that among the cases handled by Dalisi Temple over the years, many were unsolved and eventually became cold cases. With countless merchants and travelers coming and going from Changan every day, after committing a murder, they could slip away and it would be impossible to track them down and bring them to justice.

  "No, apart from outsiders, there is another kind of person who has lived in Changan for a long time but can never be found on the streets of Changan."

  Its obvious that both the servant and the attendant are stunned, is there such a person?

  "She just used palace etiquette when toasting with Su Shouyue at the banquet, and also made a subconscious gesture of courtesy before leaving."

  Many of a persons actions are deeply ingrained, especially those that have been acquired since childhood. No matter how hard one tries to conceal them later on, they will still inadvertently reveal themselves.

  The doctor was shocked and his face changed, "Sir, you mean shes from the palace?"

  Otherwise, who would still follow the palace etiquette?

  The woman who comes out of the palace, who will it be?

  At that moment, everyone in the hall had a shadow cast over their hearts.

  Pei Tans expression remained gloomy: "The women in the palace only have two identities." One is imperial concubine, and the other is... a slave.

  "With skin as pale as a dead persons, she naturally wouldnt be an imperial concubine; that would only make her a palace maid."

  "But even if she is a palace maid, how can there be dead flesh on her body?" The attendant was puzzled. How could an ordinary palace maid have such great courage?

  Pei Tans eyes also deepened, and after a moment, he said: "In the palace, where would one come into contact with corpses?"

  The person sent out to investigate soon gave Pei Tan a reply.

  "Outside the palace gate, there is a burial ground near the Xuanwu Gate. This burial ground was specifically used to bury the nameless corpses of those who died in the palace. Over time, it became a recognized grave for the disorderly. That place has always been used to pile up the bones of heavy offenders who were executed in the palace, because they are considered guilty of serious crimes, and after death, their families are not allowed to collect their bodies, so they can only be thrown into the chaotic tomb."

  The name "Tomb of the Mound" is more fitting than this one.

  Pei Tan looked at the attendant with a hint of curiosity: "Then lets go take a look at this chaotic tomb and see whats there."

  Inside the palace, there cant be a burial ground because its unlucky, but as long as its outside the palace walls, no matter what kind of hellhole it is, nobody will care.

  Pei Tan sat in that blue soft sedan chair, under the lifting of several sedan bearers, came to this deserted place outside the palace.

  Apart from corpses and those who bring them here, no one else would be willing to come near this place.

  But Pei Tans fingers slid under his nose, and the scent on that little palace maid yesterday was exactly the same as this place.

  Pei Tan slowly walked onto that patch of graves, the ground bulging with several grave mounds, from which a faint stench of corpses still emanated.

  He saw a patch of freshly turned soil.

  The attendants had already brought iron shovels, and Pei Tan looked at that place: "Dig it open and take a look."

  The attendants immediately took action. Not far away was the Xuanwu Gate, and the general guarding the Xuanwu Gate would certainly be able to see Pei Tan and his companions if he wasnt blind.

  But no one came to manage it, the tomb belongs to the outer palace category, and secondly, the main reason is that standing in the middle of the tomb wearing a plain white dress is Lord Pei.

  Even if this group of Xuanwu Gate guards were relegated to this remote place, far from the prosperity within the palace, they would still not be so presumptuous as to ignore or fail to recognize Lord Pei Tan.

  The Zong Huo case was famous inside and outside the palace, even the empresss plea for mercy couldnt save him. This was the name of the plague god that Zong Chuke had cursed with a mouthful of blood on that day, as well as the blue soft sedan chair he always rode in when traveling. As soon as they caught sight of it, they knew this was Lord Pei.

  Now that its known, no one will look for trouble.

  Pei Tan stared at the attendants movements, his eyes scanning the two motionless black turtle gate guards, this one door separated the inner and outer palace.

  So many corpses, can just barely fit in the palace.

  At this time, the attendants iron shovel hit something hard, and he immediately raised his head: "Sir, its dug up."

  Pei Tan lifted his foot and walked closer: "Open it up and see what it is."

  Two attendants joined forces to drag the heavy corpse wrapped in a mat from the excavated soil layer.

  Suddenly, a heavy smell wafted over, but it was not the stench of corpses.

  The attendant furrowed his brow: "This is..."

  On the quilt, there seemed to be a layer of something shining. The attendant touched it with his hand, put it under his nose and asked, and was shocked.

  "It seems to be lamp oil, sir."

  This corpse was buried very deep. The other corpses here were all buried shallowly, which is why the stench spread, but only this one wrapped in a mat was buried extremely deep. It must have been done on purpose.

  Another servant also said affirmatively: "It seems that someone poured oil on it and wanted to burn it, destroying the evidence."

  Why didnt they do so? And buried it underground again.

  Pei Tan stared at the grass mat, taking in every detail of the intricate knots and the strand of hair that was exposed underneath.

  "Sir, shall I open it?"

  Pei nodded: "Open."

  The attendant immediately drew out the knife from his waist and made two quick cuts on the mat, splitting it open in the middle to reveal the corpse inside.

  The attendants turned the corpse over, and suddenly everyones face showed shock. Pei Tan stared at the face of the corpse.

  Cutting off a corpses head is shocking in itself. In contrast, the corpses clothes are surprisingly neat and clean.

  And this dress, if others are unfamiliar with it, but these few people from Dali Temple are all too familiar with it.

  After the attendant checked again, he was even more shocked and looked up at Pei Tan: "Sir, its...the attire of the Shangshu Mansion."

  The corpse was dressed in brocade clothes and jade belt, dazzling with luxurious attire. On his waist, the jade seal of the Ministry of War was still clearly visible, indicating that this person was not a slave or servant, but the legitimate master of the Ministry of War. The fact that he died here, combined with previous events, meant that the deceased could only be one person: the sole son of Zong Chuke, the Minister of War who had been executed recently... Zong Huo.

  Zong Huo was sentenced to beheading. The attendants were suddenly stiffened.

  This, if its really that Zong Huo, wouldnt they have not only killed people but also dug up his grave after he died?

  Even in the majestic Da Li Temple, the two attendants felt a chill run down their spines.

  "Pull up his sleeve."

  The attendant did not understand what Pei meant by doing so, but still cautiously approached and slowly rolled up the sleeves of the corpse.

  At this glance, he was suddenly shocked and lost his color.

  Only on the corpses arm was a blurry piece of flesh visible, with a patch of skin missing.

  Pei Tan took out the piece of human skin from his sleeve and slowly compared it to the wound on his arm. It was a perfect match, exactly the same size as the missing piece of skin on the corpses arm.

  The attendant was shocked and frightened: "Milord?"

  Its really unexpected that they got the skin of Zong Huo who had already been executed. Who cut the skin from Zong Huos body and threw it to Pei Tan?

  Everyone thought that previously, the tension between the master of the house and the Minister of War was due to Pei Tan bringing the case of Zong Huos horse injuring someone to the attention of Emperor Zhongzong, which is why Zong Huo had to die.

  Because of this matter, Zong Chuke, the Minister of War, naturally hated Pei Tan deeply. Was this piece of human skin specially used to avenge Pei Tan?

  Pei Tan obviously didnt think so, he squatted down beside the corpse and carefully examined the body.

  Obviously, only a piece of skin with patterns was cut off, and other parts of the body were still intact.

  If it was just for revenge against him, why choose to cut off this piece?

  "I recall the tattoo artist saying that this tattoo might be a form of punishment for slaves, if so, why would Zong Ho, as a noble young master, have such a thing on his body?" asked Pei Tans personal attendant.

  Pei Tans gaze also returned from the corpse, and after a moment, fell on the deceaseds bloodied face, saying: "Or perhaps, it wasnt Zong Huo who died?"

  Even if he was wearing Zong Huos clothes, his build was roughly the same as Zong Huos, but the deceaseds completely destroyed face, including this piece of skin with a suspicious cloud over it, had reason to make Pei Tan suspicious. The person in front of him who had been dug up was no longer the late Secretarys son, Zong Huo.