Chapter 22 Interrogation
East Street was unusually lively today because the prefect was set to preside over a case. It was said that a young lady sent to a rural estate had killed a maidservant there and thrown her body into a dry well. The witness was the son of the estate's steward. With both witnesses and material evidence present, most people were discussing how vicious the murderous young lady must be, wondering what offense the maidservant could have committed to provoke her. Others remarked that the young lady had stooped too low, going so far as to take a life over a trivial matter with a mere servant—such arrogance must belong to a daughter of some influential family.
In the courtroom, the central seat was occupied by a portly middle-aged man dressed in a lake-green silk robe embroidered with intricate patterns. The jade belt around his waist strained against his corpulent figure. His fair, plump fingers bore a gold-inlaid jade thumb ring—this was none other than Qian Wanli, the prefect of this region.
To the left of the central seat sat a man who stood in stark contrast to Qian Wanli’s opulence. His clothing was of the simplest fabric, even bordering on coarse, and his entire demeanor exuded an air of shabbiness that clashed with the grandeur of the hall.
Yet Qian Wanli treated this plainly dressed guest with great deference, bordering on sycophancy. He ordered his subordinates to serve the man a cup of hot tea and forced a smile. "Lord Wang, regarding this case, what do you think—"
Lord Wang glanced at him indifferently. "You preside. I’ll observe."
"Yes, yes." Qian Wanli discreetly wiped his sweat with a handkerchief from his sleeve before turning to the crowd below and slamming the gavel. "Bring forth the accused!"
When Jiang Ruan was led out of the cell by Li Mi, Shufen anxiously grabbed her hand. "Will everything be alright?"
"Don’t worry," Jiang Ruan reassured her with a pat. "My father has come for me. Remember what I told you—there’s nothing to fear. It’ll all be over soon."
Only then did Shufen release her grip. Li Mi gave Jiang Ruan a pitying look. In truth, her father had not come for her, nor had anyone pleaded on her behalf. Today was merely the trial, and all evidence pointed squarely at Jiang Ruan. There was not a single soul willing to speak in her defense. Even if he wanted to help, he was powerless—moreover, as an official involved in the case, he had to avoid any appearance of bias. Li Mi sighed inwardly, convinced that Jiang Ruan was doomed to bear this crime. The thought of her bleak future softened his demeanor toward her.
When Jiang Ruan was brought into the courtroom, the crowd gathered outside to watch the spectacle was taken aback. They had expected a murderous young lady to be a ferocious, vulgar shrew—after all, appearances reflect the heart. Yet the girl who stepped forward was a delicate beauty, her gentle demeanor belying any trace of menace. People tend to trust their eyes, and for a moment, they found it hard to believe that Jiang Ruan could be the mastermind behind such a crime.
Qian Wanli was also surprised. He hadn’t expected the accused to be such a tender, lovely young woman. It almost made him seem ungentlemanly for prosecuting her. But then—he glanced at the man seated beside him—cleared his throat and slammed the gavel again, bellowing, "Bold criminal, kneel at once!"
Jiang Ruan lowered her gaze and knelt obediently before raising her head, revealing a delicate, refined face. With an air of confusion, she asked, "May I ask, Your Honor, what crime this humble girl is accused of?"Her features were delicate, and her voice was exceptionally soft and pleasant, like a beautiful painting for a moment, every movement unconsciously drawing admiration. Her tone was also filled with genuine confusion, as if she truly didn’t understand, causing another wave of murmurs among the crowd. The initially resolute voices gradually began to waver.
Qian Wanli frowned and slammed the gavel. "Silence! The accused, Jiang Ruan, murdered the maid Chunying and dumped her body in a dry well. With both witnesses and evidence present, how can you deny it?" He then shouted toward the outside, "Bring in the witness!"
Lord Wang, seated nearby, flashed a hint of displeasure in his eyes. This method of trial was practically forcing a confession, giving the accused no chance to speak—harsh and crude, as if hastily pinning a crime on someone, eager to pass judgment.
The "witness" was quickly brought in. Chen Zhao, dressed in clean white robes today, stepped forward and bowed to Qian Wanli.
Qian Wanli asked, "Chen Zhao, did you witness Jiang Ruan committing the murder with your own eyes?"
"Your Honor, I did," Chen Zhao replied, glancing at Jiang Ruan. "I saw Miss Jiang kill Chunying with my own eyes and drag her into the well."
Another round of murmurs arose from the crowd. With such solid evidence, it indeed seemed Jiang Ruan was the murderer.
Jiang Ruan lifted her head to look at Chen Zhao. "I have a few questions. May I ask him, Your Honor?"
Qian Wanli glanced at Lord Wang, who waved his hand in assent. Only then did Qian Wanli say, "Go ahead."
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "Thank you, Your Honor. Chen Zhao, did you see me kill her?"
"Yes," Chen Zhao answered. "I was outside the room and saw you kill Chunying inside."
"Chen Zhao, setting aside how an outsider like you could enter my courtyard without announcement—if you saw me commit murder, why didn’t you stop me? Instead, you watched me kill and dispose of the body. Doesn’t that make you an accomplice? If I am to be punished, shouldn’t you also face penalties?"
Chen Zhao froze, instinctively blurting, "N-no, by the time I saw, she was already dead."
"Then," Jiang Ruan said coolly, "you’re saying that when you saw Chunying, she was already dead. How did she die? Why did she die? How can you be so sure it was me who killed her? You only saw a corpse—you didn’t witness me killing her, did you?"
Realizing his mistake, Chen Zhao quickly shook his head. "No, at the time, only you and she were present. Besides, your actions clearly showed you were killing her."
Qian Wanli nervously clenched his handkerchief, his expression darkening. Jiang Ruan continued, "Very well. Suppose you did see me kill her. According to you, no one else was around. But I’m only twelve years old, while Chunying was eighteen. I’m shorter than her—how could I have carried her body such a long distance and thrown her into the well? Could you explain that more clearly?"
"You—you dragged her," Chen Zhao stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Liar," Jiang Ruan shook her head. "Chen Zhao, before lying, perhaps you should think it through. The difference in our builds is too great, and I lack the strength. Chunying was taller, stronger, and more agile. How could I possibly stab a knife into her heart?"
"What knife? She was strangled!" Chen Zhao roared.Jiang Ruan glanced at him with a faint, mocking smile. "Oh, really? The coroner hasn't even examined the body yet. How do you know she was strangled? Didn't you say she was already dead when you saw her?"
Chen Zhao broke into a cold sweat, while Qian Wanli turned as pale as paper. The crowd had already seen through the full of holes testimony. Jiang Ruan played with a lock of her hair nonchalantly. "Your Honor, do we really need to continue this interrogation?"
(End of Chapter)
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