#127: The Trial

“This is…” Zhixing hesitated, clearly troubled. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to explain this to Madam. Please, Second Young Master, don’t make things difficult for me.”

“You can simply relay my words to Mother. If she blames you, I will take full responsibility and ensure you’re not implicated.” Without waiting for Zhixing’s response, Li Shimin took Jiang Caiping and left. Zhixing didn’t dare stop them and could only stomp her foot in frustration before returning to Yuxiu Pavilion with her entourage.

After ordering a carriage to be prepared, Li Shimin set off toward the county office with Jiang Caiping. Along the way, he had her recount the events in detail once again. After organizing his thoughts, he asked the question that stood out as most suspicious about the entire case: “If Meixue didn’t leave the mansion, where did she go?”

“If I knew, I would have said so already. How could I wait until now?” Jiang Caiping replied, then added in confusion, “I don’t understand why Elder Sister won’t speak up. If she just explained herself, it would prove her innocence. But she absolutely refuses to say anything. However, I can guarantee that Elder Sister Wu would never kill anyone. Second Young Master, you must believe her!” This was their only lifeline, and they had to hold on tightly.

“Of course I believe her,” Li Shimin reassured her. Just as he finished speaking, the carriage came to a halt. Duan Zhihong lifted the curtain and announced, “Second Young Master, we’ve arrived at the county office.”

Li Shimin nodded and stepped out of the carriage with Jiang Caiping, heading toward the county office. The magistrate here was surnamed Qin, and Li Shimin had met him once before when accompanying his father, Li Yuan. Duan Zhihong approached the gatekeeper and said, “Our master wishes to see Magistrate Qin. Please announce our arrival.”

The gatekeeper, unfamiliar with Li Shimin, responded sternly, “The magistrate is currently presiding over a trial and cannot see you. Come back later.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Caiping panicked, “It’s too late! They must already be trying Elder Sister’s case. What should we do, Second Young Master? What if the magistrate sentences her for murder?”

“Don’t worry. A verdict won’t be reached so quickly. Let’s listen first,” Li Shimin reassured her. During public trials, ordinary citizens were allowed to observe.

When they reached the courtroom, sure enough, they were in the midst of trying the case of Feng Chunxiu’s murder. Feng Cheng and his group were passionately demanding that Magistrate Qin sentence Yunyi as the “murderer,” while Wu Laosan repeatedly cried out her innocence. However, his lone voice was drowned out by the Feng family’s accusations.

“Silence!” Magistrate Qin slammed his gavel. Once the courtroom quieted, he fixed his gaze on Yunyi kneeling before him and asked, “Wu Meixue, I ask you—did you kill Feng Chunxiu?”

Yunyi raised her head calmly and replied, “Your Honor, this humble citizen has never killed anyone.”

Feng Li’s wife pointed sharply at Yunyi and shouted, “You killed Chunxiu, you murderer!”

“No interruptions while I question her!” Magistrate Qin reprimanded Feng Li’s wife before turning back to Yunyi. “Very well. Where were you between the first and fourth watches of the night on the ninth day of the first month? Do you have any witnesses to vouch for you?”

“This humble citizen returned to the Taishou’s mansion on the eighth day of the first month and remained there without leaving. Your Honor may verify this with the steward and gatekeeper, as their records will confirm it. Moreover, Chunxiu was killed outside the mansion, so this humble citizen has no connection to her death.”

Magistrate Qin frowned slightly. “I will investigate these matters myself. For now, I ask again—where were you between the first and fourth watches of that night? Do you have any witnesses?”

Yunyi bit her lip. “This humble citizen felt restless and went for a walk in the back garden. I was alone, and since it was dark, there was no one to witness my presence.”

“You may lack a witness, but I have one!” Feng Cheng bellowed, bowing to Magistrate Qin. “Your Honor, the night watchman saw Wu Meixue arguing with Chunxiu on the street that night. Shortly afterward, Chunxiu was killed. There’s no doubt she’s the murderer!” Turning to the night watchman, he snapped, “Tell His Honor what you saw!”

The night watchman nodded nervously and stammered, “Your Honor, this humble citizen indeed saw Chunxiu… and Wu Meixue together!”

“She’s lying!” Jiang Caiping exclaimed angrily. “Elder Sister never left the mansion. How could he have seen her?”

“Stay calm. Let’s see how this unfolds,” Li Shimin consoled her.

Meanwhile, Feng Cheng continued, “Your Honor, you’ve heard it all. Chunxiu was undoubtedly killed by Wu Meixue. Moreover, if she truly had nothing to hide, why would she conspire with her roommate to lie and claim she never left the room?”

Wu Laosan hastily waved his hands. “No, Your Honor. Meixue wouldn’t even step on an ant. How could she be a murderer? She’s innocent—she didn’t kill anyone!”

Magistrate Qin stroked his beard thoughtfully and asked, “Night watchman, are you certain you saw Chunxiu and Wu Meixue arguing on the street? You’re absolutely sure you didn’t mistake someone else for her?”

The night watchman glanced at Feng Cheng and lowered his head. “Yes, Your Honor. I saw it clearly—it was undoubtedly Wu Meixue.”

As the night watchman spoke, Feng Cheng subtly signaled to the bailiff standing at the front. The latter nodded slightly and interjected, “Your Honor, I recall that among the evidence collected from the crime scene a few days ago, there was a pearl. Could it be connected to the case?”

“Pearl? I don’t recall seeing any mention of it in the case file,” Magistrate Qin said, puzzled.

The bailiff bowed and explained, “Your Honor, the pearl was found inside a handkerchief. When it was first brought in, the handkerchief was covered in mud and grass stains, so no one noticed it. It was only today, when I recounted the evidence, that I discovered it.”

Recognizing this as a potential clue, Magistrate Qin immediately ordered the bailiff to retrieve the pearl. A short while later, the bailiff presented a small pearl, about the size of a little finger, which emitted a soft luster under the light.

Li Shimin furrowed his brow slightly and whispered, “Didn’t you mention earlier that Feng Chunxiu’s uncle is a bailiff in the county office?”

Jiang Caiping nodded. “Yes, the Feng family relies on this connection to bully others in Shuangqiao Village, often harassing Elder Sister and her family.”

Back in the courtroom, Feng Chunming, upon seeing the pearl, immediately exclaimed, “Your Honor, I’ve seen that pearl before!”

Magistrate Qin turned to him urgently. “Where did you see it?”

Feng Chunming pointed at Wu Meixue. “In her house! After learning that Chunxiu had seen Wu Meixue shortly before her death, I searched her home and accidentally found a box of pearls identical to the one in Your Honor’s hand!”

Wu Laosan also caught sight of the pearl and muttered in disbelief, “This can’t be. The pearl couldn’t possibly have been in Chunxiu’s possession. It’s impossible.”

“Is that so?” Facing Magistrate Qin’s inquiry, Yunyi replied, “This humble citizen was indeed gifted a box of pearls by the eldest and second young masters of the mansion, which I brought home and entrusted to my father for safekeeping. However, there are countless pearls like this one, so it’s impossible to confirm that this particular pearl belongs to me. Moreover, I never wore this pearl on my person.”