Song Ci, the Inquisitor

Grandpa pounded his back with his fist and said, "Alas, this place is too creepy. My arthritis is flaring up again. Let's go back home first and we can talk more slowly!"

An hour later, my grandfather and I returned home. Grandpa brewed a pot of ginger soup to dispel the cold and started talking while sipping the soup, "Yang, you must find it strange that our Song family ancestors were executioners, yet we forbid later generations from taking up this profession. There is a reason for this."

During the Southern Song dynasty, there was an outstanding chief executioner named Song Ci. Song Ci was unparalleled in solving cases, astounding the whole world!

During his tenure as the chief prison warden, he solved all the unjust, false and unsolved cases in the region within just eight months, capturing over two hundred criminals without a single complaint afterwards. This shocked both the royal court and the commoners.

Although capable, Song Ci felt limited working alone. There were still many officials and coroners in other places who often forced confessions and disregarded lives. As the saying goes, 'One drop of ink on the case record means a thousand drops of blood from the common people.'

Therefore, Song Ci recorded all his lifelong experience in forensic pathology in The Collection for Washing Away Injustices. This work pioneered forensic science, preceding the West by over three hundred years. Thus, Song Ci is recognized worldwide as the father of forensic science!

After Song Ci, his descendants in the Song family served in the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court, solving countless cases. They gradually expanded The Collection for Washing Away Injustices, accumulating a set of unparalleled techniques for solving cases. This compilation was named The Divine Text of Solving Cases.

As the saying goes, the tallest tree attracts the most wind. The Song family descendants' mastery of such profound knowledge often incurred vicious revenge from criminals. They were also easily exploited due to their rare skills. During the Ming dynasty, the Song family was ordered to investigate a bizarre nine-tailed fox incident, which ended up implicating them in a plot to seize the throne. They narrowly escaped extermination of their entire clan.

Later, a Song family ancestor skilled in fortune-telling discovered that perhaps it was because the Song family had grasped skills that were too profound and peeked into heavenly secrets, thus incurring jealousy from ghosts and gods. Therefore, whichever of the three occupations the Song family took up - being an official, policeman or coroner - they were doomed to meet sinister fates! Hence the eight-character motto was set - "Neither be an official nor take up a trade, keep a low profile for self-preservation." This was meant to ensure the Song family's longevity.

After listening, I felt a little dejected and unconvinced, "But grandpa, don't you help the police solve cases too?"

Grandpa sighed and said, "When I was young and impulsive like you, I enjoyed solving cases too. But disaster struck soon after. I was falsely accused of practicing feudal superstition with my forensic skills and thrown into a horse stall for three years. During those three years, I was terrified constantly, fearing for my life daily. If not for being exonerated later, I would have taken my own life."

After a big gulp of ginger soup, grandpa continued, "Yang, you've passed the test. From today onwards, I plan to impart all my life's learnings to you. Do you want to learn?"

Hearing this, I was thrilled, "Of course I want to learn, grandpa!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself!" grandpa said. "I'm teaching you because you've been dabbling dangerously with just two books, like a three-year-old playing with a sharp sword before enemies. You haven't even grasped a tenth of the Song family's true essence. I don't wish you to die young, but I'm too old to supervise you forever. The most I can do is teach you the moves of this 'sword', and let you walk your own path henceforth!"

"Also, forensic pathology is a treasure left behind by our ancestors. It would be a sin to lose it with me. Even in my grave, I won't be able to face my ancestors with honor. But if there is a successor in the Song family, I can die in peace..."

Was it my imagination? Hearing grandpa talk of being able to "die in peace", I suddenly had an ominous feeling, as if he was making final arrangements.

I shook off the thought and nodded.

From then on, whenever I was free, I would follow grandpa to learn forensic pathology and processing crime scenes. The intricacies were profound and hard to fully describe. Of course I endured my fair share of hardship, but I persevered through all setbacks, voraciously absorbing these precious bits of knowledge like a sponge!

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed. I didn't do too well for the college entrance exams. I hoped to get into the provincial Institute of Technology, but my score still fell short by over a hundred points. Grandpa said not to worry and he could ensure my admission.

I believed in grandpa's powers to get me an extra enrollment spot. So I boldly put down the Institute of Technology as my first choice.

My aunt hoped I would study economics to help manage her business in future. To be honest, I'm an extremist who loves solving cases dearly but has zero interest in business. I probably inherited grandpa's genes.

After much thought, I finally put down Applied Electronics, a moderately decent major I heard had good job prospects. But when I entered campus, I realized there were only three girls in my class. I really regretted it then, but it was too late to turn back after boarding this pirate ship.

After the exams, I idled my time away during the long holidays, surfing online, watching shows and playing chess with grandpa. Life was leisurely and carefree.

One day, I went to a classmate's home for a gathering. We finished two cartons of beer, having been buddies since young. Thinking of how we would soon go our separate ways into the outside world, we felt bold yet reluctant to part.

After dinner, we went to sing karaoke till late into the night before I headed home.

By then, it was already 11pm. From afar, I saw lights blazing in the old Song residence. My heart skipped a beat, having an ominous feeling! Our small county town had early sleepers. According to customs, only calamities like an elder's passing would warrant keeping so many lights on this late...

Instantly the alcohol wore off. I quickened my pace and ran home, pushing the door and calling out. But the house was empty.

I went into grandpa's study and saw a crude envelope on the desk. It had no stamp, only a blood-red curved saber painted at the bottom right corner.

The envelope seemed to contain something. Curious, I overturned it above my palm. A sticky object promptly fell onto my palm - it was an eyeball!