Сhарtеr 200: The Мidnight Bride 6
Du Xiaowan wiреd the tеars frоm hеr fасe аnd соntinuеd,
“Тhe twо of them talkеd fоr a lоng time, but then for sоme reаson, theу stаrtеd аrguing. Тhе аrgument esсаlatеd intо а fight. Aftеr a whilе, it sеemed likе thеy hеard someоne chasing аftеr thеm from bеhind.
They thrеw mе intо a сеllаr wеll in thе ruins. Вefоrе theу cоuld even сovеr thе wеll lid prореrlу, I heard a sсream, followed bу a ‘splash’—аs if someоne hаd fаllen bеside me. Then the other person ran away.
After all the jostling, the sack had loosened, so I crawled out and called for help. But when I heard someone approaching, I was afraid it might be the accomplice who had fled earlier, so I didn’t dare make another sound. It wasn’t until someone jumped down from the well opening again to rescue me that I realized it was the officials who had come to save me.”
Hearing this, Shen Du suddenly let out a light chuckle, while Pan Chi beside him shot him a fierce glare. What “jumped down from the well opening”? He had been kicked down by Shen Du. If time could be rewound, he would definitely be on guard against Shen Du and never let him kick him down again.
After listening to Du Xiaowan finish her account, Mo Qianzhi quickly asked, “When you heard the two of them talking, could you tell from their voices whether one of them was Xu Jize here?”
Du Xiaowan observed for a long while before shaking her head and saying, “It was too dark, and the situation was critical. I was terrified and didn’t pay much attention. How could I possibly distinguish whose voice was whose?”
Even so, the last person she saw before losing consciousness was Xu Jize, so Xu Jize was undoubtedly involved.
By the time the trial reached this point, Zhu Yan had already returned to Shen Du’s side. It had to be said that holding a trial in the middle of the night had made her quite hungry, and the pastries Shen Du had brought were delicious, making her somewhat reluctant to leave.
Seeing Zhu Yan step back, Pan Chi hurriedly stepped forward and said, “Miss Du has made everything clear. The last person she saw before losing consciousness was Xu Jize. Even if he isn’t the murderer, he is still involved in this matter.”
Hearing Pan Chi’s words, the Du and Li families rushed forward and began beating Xu Jize.
Especially Li Zimo, whose furious gaze seemed as if he wanted to devour Xu Jize alive.
Zhu Yan, while eating pastries and watching the commotion, muttered to herself, “This man is quite interesting, spinning tales that sound as convincing as the truth.”
Shen Du could tell Zhu Yan was being sarcastic, but at the moment, she was too engrossed in watching the spectacle. While eating the pastries, she didn’t pay attention, leaving crumbs all over the corners of her mouth.
Without quite knowing what came over him, Shen Du instinctively raised his hand to wipe away the crumbs from her lips.
This gesture from Shen Du stunned Zhu Yan. She looked up at him, their eyes meeting. As if her mind had gone blank, Zhu Yan blurted out, “Thank you!”
Shen Du was speechless. This woman truly gave him a headache.
In such a situation, shouldn’t she have said something ambiguous? What was with the “thank you”? Did he need her gratitude?
Turning his attention back to the case, Mo Qianzhi rapped his gavel a few times and shouted, “Silence! No disorderly conduct is permitted in the courtroom!”
Only then did the Du and Li families retreat to the side again, though the fury in their eyes showed no sign of fading.
Mo Qianzhi looked at Xu Jize and asked, “Xu Jize, now that things have come to this, what do you have to say for yourself?”"Your Honor, I truly am innocent. When I saw the bride had fainted, I immediately left the room to avoid any suspicion. As for why she fainted, it was likely due to her weak constitution and not having eaten all day, which caused her to collapse."
"And what happened afterward? What did you see?" Mo Qianzhi pressed further.
"Later, I had an urgent need to use the restroom. After coming out, I saw several figures slip into the bridal chamber. Worried something might happen to the bride, I hurried over to check and saw someone carrying a sack out through the side door. I followed, but unfortunately, I couldn't keep up—the distance grew farther and farther. After chasing quite a distance, I saw a terrifying figure holding a knife, with the person who had abducted Miss Du lying beside them. I was so frightened that I ran back, and it wasn't until I encountered all of you that I managed to save my life."
Xu Jize’s account sounded logical and well-structured, but Zhu Yan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Beside her, Shen Du was also frowning deeply as he watched the scene unfold in the hall. At this point, Xu Jize continued, "If Your Honor doesn’t believe me, you can inquire around. I have an excellent reputation in my profession and would never do something to harm the bride. If I had, wouldn’t I just be shooting myself in the foot?"
After hearing this, Mo Qianzhi fell silent and turned his gaze toward Pan Chi.
Pan Chi’s expression was cold and somber, his brow furrowed as if he, too, was pondering the twists and turns of the case.
Mo Qianzhi then looked toward Shen Du and Zhu Yan. Shen Du leaned in and whispered something to Zhu Yan, whose eyes instantly lit up. She even gave Shen Du a thumbs-up before stepping forward.
Zhu Yan approached Xu Jize, circled him once, then bent down as if sniffing something on him.
Xu Jize nervously backed away, his expression uneasy. "What are you doing, Your Honor? Men and women should keep their distance. If you have questions, just ask directly. Why get so close?"
Hearing this, Zhu Yan sneered disdainfully. "Don’t misunderstand. I’m just investigating the case. Did you think I’d take a fancy to you?"
Xu Jize’s lips twitched. Of course, that wasn’t what he meant, but Zhu Yan’s proximity made him uneasy.
"I... I certainly didn’t mean that," Xu Jize tried to explain, but Zhu Yan gestured for him to be quiet.
"Mr. Xu, your clothes are quite nice. And there’s a peach blossom pattern embroidered on the collar. Did a woman stitch that for you?"
"Your Honor must be joking. I’m not yet married, so why would a woman embroider peach blossoms on my undergarments? I simply like peach blossoms and asked the tailor to add them when I bought the clothes."
"Oh..."
Zhu Yan let out a meaningful "oh" before continuing, "I noticed a fragrance on you, Mr. Xu, and the peach blossom pattern on your collar. I thought perhaps you were already married."
"Not at all, not at all. Your Honor flatters me."
"I’m not flattering you."
Zhu Yan’s expression suddenly turned serious."The scent on you isn't ordinary perfume, but a blend of several floral fragrances. This particular combination only appears in one place—the Blue Pavilion and pleasure houses. Moreover, your collar not only bears a peach blossom pattern but also carries a faint trace..."
Before finishing her sentence, Zhu Yan suddenly wiped her finger across Xu Jize's neck. Looking at the faint red tint on her fingertip, she sneered, "Rouge."
Xu Jize flustered and hurriedly explained,
"Your Honor, though I am unmarried, I am a grown man. It's only natural to have certain... needs in that regard. And since I have an income, wanting to visit places like the Blue Pavilion to relieve myself isn't entirely inappropriate. Besides... even if these things prove my character is flawed, you can't lump me together with the case of Miss Du's abduction today."
"Of course not. It's normal for men to have such needs. With money to spare, seeking release at the Blue Pavilion is understandable. But then... what is this?"
As she spoke, Zhu Yan suddenly reached out and brushed her hand against Xu Jize's chest.
OpenNovel