The night grew deeper, yet the area outside Marquis Anyang Manor was brightly lit.
A stretcher lay at the foot of the steps, bearing the body of a burly man with a bloodied face. His eyes were tightly shut—he had been dead for some time. Beside him, seven craftsmen in coarse short robes knelt on the ground, wailing in grief.
"The second young master of Marquis Anyang Manor has beaten a man to death! We beg the Marquis to uphold justice!"
"We demand the second young master come out and face us! Give us poor commoners fairness..."
"A man is dead—how can the Marquis’s household not even give us a word?"
"The Marquis’s family holds great power—what can we do if they treat human life as worthless?"
The craftsmen spoke one after another, their cries growing louder and more desperate. Not far away, on the main street, passersby gathered in layers, whispering among themselves. Just yesterday, the incident at Marquis Anyang Manor had shocked the entire Jinzhou City—how could the second young master have killed someone again?
"Has Marquis Anyang Manor been cursed by some evil star?"
"Indeed, how can they be involved in so many fatal incidents in a row..."
"The Anyang Marquis’s family are all military men, skilled in martial arts. It’s no surprise they could kill someone. Look at the man lying there—covered in blood. I wonder if the authorities will handle this case properly?"
"Handle it properly? This is Marquis Anyang Manor we’re talking about."
"Exactly, and don’t forget—there’s a Grand Princess in that household!"
The murmurs of the crowd were suddenly interrupted by the creak of the half-opened manor gates.
Yang Xi, dressed in a brown robe, stepped out first. "Alright, alright. You wanted to see the Marquis—here he comes."
At these words, the crowd fell silent, and the wailing craftsmen also quieted.
Yue Qiong strode forward, his expression steady. He first approached the deceased, bowed solemnly, then gestured for the craftsmen to rise. "Gentlemen, please stand. The case has already been accepted by the prefectural office. Rest assured, this matter will be properly addressed."
"We won’t stand!" the leading craftsman said, his voice trembling.
"The case is so clear-cut, yet the Prefect hasn’t even sent anyone to question the second young master after an entire day—clearly stalling. We humble folk are like ants before the Marquis. If the Marquis wishes to shield the second young master from punishment, there’s nothing we can do. But Heaven is watching! Brother Lin was like family to us—how can we rest without seeking justice for him? Poor Brother Lin still had an elderly mother... Now she must bury her own child..."
The man was tall and lean, his face darkened by the sun. As he spoke, his grief deepened, and he broke into loud sobs. The other craftsmen, moved by his words, joined in the lament. A group of grown men wept like women.
Yue Qiong’s brow furrowed. Having spent years in the military, where discipline was strict, he had always maintained a firm hand in raising his own children. With Jiang Shi’s careful guidance, his descendants had grown up well-mannered. He refused to believe Yue Qing would intentionally kill someone—but he also knew his son’s martial skills. An accidental death was not impossible...
"Gentlemen," Yue Qiong clasped his hands in salute, "I, Yue Qiong, have lived in Jinzhou for many years. My reputation is known to all its people. I have no intention of shielding anyone in this matter—it is only due to recent troubles at home that there has been some delay. The Prefect is in the same position. The night is late—please, come inside. Since this man died because of my son, I will take full responsibility."
Seeing Yue Qiong’s sincerity and his lack of arrogance despite his high status, the craftsmen exchanged glances before turning to their leader. After a brief hesitation, the man’s tone softened slightly. "Very well. We’ll trust the Marquis’s word."Yue Qiong instructed Yang Xi, "Go and prepare the side rooms in the front courtyard for these brothers to rest. Then invite the Prefect over. We'll settle this matter tonight."
Yang Xi acknowledged the order, first helping the craftsmen to their feet before leading them—along with the stretcher—into the manor.
Inside, separated by the spirit wall, Qin Guan, Jiang Shi, Yan Chi, and Yue Ning had clearly witnessed the commotion outside.
Jiang Shi clenched her sleeves, her eyes reddening as she said, "I know the Marquis's character—honest and straightforward. For so many years, whether at home or in the army, he has never tolerated misconduct. If he wants Governor Huo summoned, he truly intends to have Qing'er's guilt determined tonight."
As she spoke, the group entered the manor. The outspoken craftsman led the others, following Yue Qiong and Yang Xi toward the side rooms in the front courtyard. Seeing this, Jiang Shi quickly ushered everyone behind the floral-patterned wall of the side corridor.
The entire front courtyard was brightly lit. From a distance of about ten paces, Qin Guan's gaze swept over the group like an arrow.
"Who is that outspoken craftsman?" Yan Chi, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked.
Jiang Shi looked puzzled by the question but glanced at Lü Yun, who understood and went to the side rooms. She returned shortly and reported, "Your Highness, the one speaking is their foreman, named Wei Wu."
Yan Chi raised an eyebrow slightly. "That man has some cunning."
The deceased was just a craftsman, and these men were also of low status. Their courage to seek justice stemmed partly from brotherly loyalty and partly from Yue Qiong's sterling reputation in Jinzhou—they surely knew the Anyang Marquis would not resort to underhanded tactics against them.
Moreover, Wei Wu had carried the corpse to the main gate, and his earlier speech had publicly emphasized their humble status and the deceased's pitiable family circumstances. If this matter wasn't resolved properly, Yue Qiong's reputation would suffer.
Yan Chi added thoughtfully, "If he's truly seeking justice, then it's indeed an act of loyalty."
Qin Guan suddenly asked, "Madam, has the yamen examined the deceased's body?"
Jiang Shi nodded. "Yes. They said his shoulder was dislocated and two ribs broken—likely puncturing his organs, which caused him to vomit blood and die after Qing'er left."
Qin Guan frowned. Broken ribs could lead to death either from excessive blood loss or organ perforation, but she wondered if the yamen's coroner had thoroughly verified this. Jiang Shi mentioned the victim was covered in injuries. Since Yue Qing had trained in martial arts since childhood, he should know which parts of the body were vital points. Why would he strike everywhere indiscriminately?
This was Qin Guan's biggest doubt. Yet without closer inspection of the body, she couldn't be certain—and she couldn't rashly request to examine it, as that would surely arouse suspicion in the Marquis's household.
As Qin Guan pondered with a furrowed brow, Yan Chi's gaze lingered subtly on her.
He had been surprised when she suggested coming here—Qin Guan wasn't one to meddle in others' affairs, yet she had proposed it. From the moment they arrived, she had been deep in thought.
Yan Chi surmised she was likely considering how to resolve the Marquis's predicament.
But this was a homicide case—what could a young girl possibly do?
"Let's move closer. I also want to understand what exactly happened today."Jiang Shi suddenly spoke up. Since it concerned Yue Qing and she was already here, she couldn't help but want to hear more. So she stepped out from behind the flower wall and walked directly onto the veranda outside the side room's window.
Through the window lattice, the conversation inside came through clearly.
"Marquis, Brother Lin still has an elderly mother at home. With his death, we truly don't know how she'll carry on."
"You needn't worry about that. The Marquis's household will provide ample silver to ensure she's cared for."
"Brother Lin was the only son in his family. With his death, the Lin family line is effectively ended. His mother is frail and sickly. Right now, our brothers haven't told her the truth yet. We truly don't know if she'll be able to bear it when she finds out."
Wei Wu's voice was full of sorrow. Yue Qiong then said, "Yue Qiong understands the pain of losing a child. We'll rely on you all to take good care of Mother Lin from now on."
Wei Wu immediately replied, "That's only natural. We'll care for her as if she were our own mother from now on."
After a brief pause, Yue Qiong continued, "Brother, what exactly happened today? Since you say you witnessed my son beating Brother Lin to death with your own eyes, why don't you tell me how he did it?"
Governor Huo hadn't arrived yet, and Yue Qiong, growing impatient, began asking about the incident.
Wei Wu's eyes showed pain. "To tell the truth, Brother Lin talked too much. He was a righteous man, but he loved to gossip about right and wrong. Last... last night's incident was already known by all the people of Jinzhou. This morning, he was discussing it with us when the Second Young Master happened to pass by and overheard. The Second Young Master stopped to argue with him, but Brother Lin wouldn't back down. That's how the fight started..."
Yue Qiong's gaze darkened. "How did he hit him?"
Wei Wu frowned slightly, then understood when he met Yue Qiong's eyes—he was being asked to describe the details of the violence.
After a moment's thought, Wei Wu continued, "The Second Young Master struck first. He rushed forward and punched Brother Lin in the face. Brother Lin cried out in pain and couldn't help but lunge forward, but he was no match for the Second Young Master. The Second Young Master grabbed his shoulders, twisted them, and subdued him. Then with one kick, he sent Brother Lin kneeling to the ground. Terrified from the beating, Brother Lin had just gotten up when the Second Young Master kicked him in the chest again. The Second Young Master was furious, his fists raining down on Brother Lin without stop..."
Inside the room, Wei Wu spoke faster and faster, while outside the window, Qin Guan and Yan Chi both furrowed their brows simultaneously.
"He's lying."
"He's lying."
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