Сhарtеr 63 Interrogаtiоn
"Тhаt's аll." Rong Zhui covеrеd her mouth аnd nose with а silk fаn. "I саn't rесall anуthing more, as it's been so lоng. If thеre's nоthing elsе, I'll tаkе mу leаvе nоw."
"Wаit."
Just аs Rong Zhui turnеd and reaсhеd the dоorway, Zhu Yаn callеd out to stор hеr.
"Тhеrе's still оne mattеr unrеsolvеd. Yоu сan't lеavе just likе that."
Rong Zhui hаltеd her stеps, alreаdy anticiраting whаt Zhu Yan wаs about to sау. "Мadаm Shеn, if уоu'rе аsking what ехaсtly hаppеned оn thе first dаy оf thе mоnth, I hаve nothing to sаy. That day, I оnly attendеd to somе pеrsоnal mаtters. And I can tell you with full responsibility that I did not kill anyone."
"Of course I believe you didn't kill anyone."
Zhu Yan stepped out of the room first, with Shen Du following closely behind. The two of them walked into the corridor, and Rong Zhui trailed after them into the courtyard.
"On the first day of last month, you indeed were not at Bright Hall, and I also know you didn't kill anyone." Zhu Yan turned and fixed her gaze on Rong Zhui. "Because on that day, you went to meet someone—someone who held benefits or perhaps even greater advantages for you."
Rong Zhui's face turned deathly pale, and she staggered unsteadily, yet she forced herself to remain composed. "What do you mean by that, Madam Shen?"
Zhu Yan chuckled lightly. "I haven't even said who it is, and you're already so nervous. Rong Zhui, I've always respected you as the victim's sister, which is why I've been patient with you. But don't let this goodwill of mine go to waste."
Rong Zhui struggled to calm her mind, her eyes darting elsewhere. "I don't know what you're talking about, Madam Shen."
"Is that so?" Zhu Yan's tone was teasing. "From the very beginning, someone has been hiding things from me. I don't know what exactly she's trying to conceal, but I will certainly uncover the truth. However, if she chooses to confess voluntarily now, the nature of her involvement in this case would be entirely different."
After speaking, Zhu Yan looked at Rong Zhui with deeply meaningful eyes, their clarity seeming to penetrate the thoughts of others.
Rong Zhui's breathing grew rapid, and her body began to tremble again—this time not from restraint but from guilt.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan quickly stepped forward and continued, "You don't need to be so nervous. If you don't want to confess to me today, I have ways to make you speak."
As she spoke, Zhu Yan took out some torn scraps of paper from her sleeve.
"These were found in your Bright Hall. Although they're torn, when pieced together, the written content can still be discerned."
The corners of Zhu Yan's lips curved upward, her meaningful gaze making Rong Zhui unable to meet her eyes.
"What is this?" After what felt like an eternity, Rong Zhui finally asked, her voice trembling.
"What do you think it is?" Zhu Yan countered. "Something its owner tore up must be something shameful. Yet, on one of these scraps, I saw the words 'the first day,' and I also saw the signature of..."
Zhu Yan deliberately drew out the last syllable, not uttering the name that followed. Rong Zhui was on the verge of collapse, hurriedly covering her ears. "Don't say any more! Don't say it!"
"Then tell me the truth!" Zhu Yan grabbed Rong Zhui's wrist, the force so strong it surprised even herself.
"I..." Rong Zhui was at a loss, the panic in her eyes enough to prove her composure had completely shattered. "That day, I went to see Lord Liang."Zhu Yan slightly loosened her grip, a cold smile appearing on her lips. "Go on."
"That day, Liang Jiren, the eldest master of the Liang family, arranged to meet me, but we didn’t do anything. We only talked about Zhan Xin and the young master of the Liang family."
Zhu Yan glanced back at Shen Du, who shook his head slightly.
Such a simple lie—even Zhu Yan could see through it, so how could Shen Du not understand?
"What else?" Zhu Yan pressed.
"Nothing more," Rong Zhui shook his head repeatedly. "Truly, there was nothing else. Master Liang only spoke to me about the posthumous marriage between Zhan Xin and the Liang family’s young master and gave me some money as consolation. There was nothing beyond that."
Zhu Yan narrowed her eyes. Rong Zhui’s composure had already crumbled, yet her words still seemed to conceal the truth.
Now that she was in such a state, pressing further would likely yield no results.
"If there’s nothing else, then let it be." Zhu Yan released Rong Zhui completely. "In the future, I hope you won’t hide anything from us. After all, this matter is of great importance. If we can solve the case sooner, Kuang Zhanxin and Liang Chenzhong may rest in peace."
"Yes," Rong Zhui nodded, trembling. "Then I’ll take my leave."
Zhu Yan said nothing more. Rong Zhui turned and left, fleeing as if her soul had departed.
Watching Rong Zhui’s panicked retreat, Zhu Yan sighed helplessly. "Even now, she refuses to tell me the truth. What exactly are they hiding?"
"What they’re hiding isn’t important. What matters is that she isn’t the murderer." Shen Du’s sudden remark from beside her took Zhu Yan by surprise.
"You’re so certain the murderer has nothing to do with her?" Zhu Yan retorted.
Shen Du’s brow furrowed deeply. He nodded, then shook his head. "Until the murderer is found, everyone is a suspect. But her suspicion is the smallest because Kuang Zhanxin was her sister, and Liang Chenzhong and Kuang Zhanxin were truly in love. If she had disapproved of their relationship from the start, there would have been no need to arrange a posthumous marriage after their deaths."
Zhu Yan nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. But next, we still need to verify what Rong Zhui said."
"Let’s go. I’ll accompany you." Shen Du looked at Zhu Yan, a hint of unspoken tenderness flickering in his eyes.
Arriving at the Liang residence, Liang Jiren was puzzled by their second visit but still received them courteously, leading them to the guest room.
After some polite exchanges and tea, Shen Du got straight to the point. "Master Liang, where were you on the first day of last month?"
At this question, Liang Jiren’s expression immediately darkened, as if deep in thought. "The first day of last month... I went to meet a friend."
"What friend?" Zhu Yan followed up.
Liang Jiren chuckled dismissively. "Not an important friend, just someone I hadn’t seen in a long time. We were catching up."
"Was it a female friend?" Shen Du interjected, and at these words, Liang Jiren’s face turned pale.
"This..." Liang Jiren stammered, looking at the two of them as if he had something difficult to say.
"What’s so hard to say? If it’s just an ordinary friend, then Master Liang should simply tell us," Zhu Yan prompted.
Liang Jiren forced a smile. "Actually, she isn’t exactly a friend. It was Rong Zhui, the madam of the Bright Hall."
Shen Du and Zhu Yan exchanged glances, surprised that Liang Jiren had revealed the truth so quickly."Then why did you go to see her?" Shen Du continued to ask.
Liang Jiren lowered his head, a hint of guilt in his expression. "Rong Zhui is the madam of Bright Hall, and Kuang Zhanxin is her younger sister. Of course, I only learned this from Rong Zhui after the incident. The two sisters have always had a hard life, and Kuang Zhanxin even entered a ghost marriage with my son. I thought I shouldn’t treat them unfairly in this matter, so I went to comfort her and gave her some money as a gesture of consolation."
Zhu Yan and Shen Du fell silent, exchanged a few more words, and then left the Liang residence.
"It seems the two of them had already agreed on their story, presenting a united front to outsiders, determined to bury the secrets in their hearts forever."
Walking along Suzaku Street, Zhu Yan vented her dissatisfaction.
Beside her, Shen Du remained calm. "You don’t believe what Liang Jiren said?"
"I do, of course I do," Zhu Yan insisted. "I believe what he said, but only three parts of it. The other seven parts must hold a bigger secret. The same goes for Rong Zhui. There’s definitely something else the two of them are hiding from us."
Shen Du said nothing more, and the two returned to their residence.
OpenNovel