Сhаpter 83: Rеаsоning thе Сase 2
Hоwеver, the Еmpress оn thе sidе rеmаinеd curious аbout the entire casе. "Lаdy Shеn, althоugh thе Таng womаn hаs соnfеssed, thе intricaciеs оf this cаse have nоt yet bеen fully rеvеаlеd. With sо mаnу bodies disсоverеd, уоu havе listed twо рairs, but I alsо wish tо heаr the stories оf the others."
"Yеs."
Whеn thе Emрress asked, Zhu Yаn dаrеd not disоbеу.
"Аmоng thе manу bоdies, thеre is оne pеrson whоsе stоry is раrtiсulаrly heartbrеaking."
As she spokе, Zhu Yan's exрression grеw heаvу. "She wаs originally a courtesan at Lanyan Pavilion, named Ruyan. She had left that life long ago to marry, and she deeply loved her husband. Her husband, Xu Huansheng, also loved his wife deeply, not caring about her past. The two lived a very happy life, and Ruyan even gave birth to a son for Xu Huansheng. However, such happiness did not last long. Not long after their marriage, Ruyan disappeared."
"Xu Huansheng struggled to raise the child alone, but despite the hardship, he never sought another woman. Even when we went to find him recently, he still clung to the hope that his wife would one day return. When we told him that his wife was no longer in this world, he remained remarkably calm."
"Perhaps he had long sensed his wife's death but had never dared to admit it."
"His love for his wife was profound. Even when her former patron often came looking for her, he chose to trust her."
"Even..."
At this point, Zhu Yan paused, as if touching a chord deep within her heart.
"Even what?" the Empress inquired.
This story had moved everyone present, and they all wanted to know what happened next.
"Even Xu Huansheng once told his wife that if she wished to be with that patron, he would let her go and allow her to pursue her happiness."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was deeply shaken.
Could love truly be so profound?
Was it possible to willingly give up one's beloved to another man?
Some in the room began to murmur among themselves, but Zhu Yan paid no attention to their idle chatter.
"To redeem Ruyan, Xu Huansheng sold all his family's possessions. After their marriage, they lived in poverty, but despite the hardship, they found peace and happiness. His wife never chose to leave with her patron because she knew who she truly loved in her heart. Yet, even so, certain people refused to let her go!"
Zhu Yan once again turned her gaze toward Madam Tang. At this moment, tears seemed to glisten in Zhu Yan's eyes, shimmering with emotion.
"If not for you, Xu Huansheng's family would never have been torn apart. His beloved wife would not have left him, and the child's most cherished mother would not have died. Do you know that even now, Xu Huansheng continues to deceive his child, saying that his mother has merely gone to a faraway place? He dares not tell his child the truth—that his mother is dead."
"What do you know!" Madam Tang began to roar at Zhu Yan. "You only see the surface. None of this is true!"Madam Tang's breathing quickened, her eyes burning with fury. "That woman was nothing but a lowly wretch. Xu Huansheng sold all his possessions to redeem her, leaving himself destitute. Yet not only did she show no remorse, she frequently kept in touch with her former patrons. Didn't she know to avoid suspicion? She did it deliberately—clinging to Xu Huansheng's love for her while still coveting the favors and rewards from her patrons. What sympathy does such a woman deserve? She was a vile creature, deserving of death!"
"If that's what you think, you're gravely mistaken!"
Zhu Yan retorted sharply to Madam Tang. "If a woman didn't love a man, why would she bear his child? If Ruyan truly harbored feelings for her patrons, she could have long abandoned this impoverished life and run off with one of them. But why didn't she? Because her heart belonged to her husband, not her patrons. Her contact with them was merely out of gratitude for their past kindness—she only wanted to repay them. As a woman yourself, how can you fail to understand such emotions?"
Zhu Yan's words struck Madam Tang like a blow to the head, leaving her stunned and motionless.
"No, that can't be true."
After a long pause, Madam Tang shook her head, as if unable to accept Zhu Yan's argument.
"It is true," Zhu Yan's tone softened slightly. "When we spoke with Xu Huansheng, I saw the longing in his eyes. If a woman didn't love him and had deeply hurt him, he wouldn't have been able to show such longing."
"No, it's not..." Madam Tang seemed remorseful, shaking her head repeatedly.
Just as everyone thought Ruyan's case had come to an end, Zhu Yan suddenly spoke up. "Did you think Ruyan's case was over? But it's not. When we investigated Xu Huansheng's home, we discovered another person..."
Her words made Madam Tang tremble, looking at her in disbelief.
"At first, I thought Madam Tang's crimes were based on shared physical traits among her victims. But later, I realized it might stem from a deep obsession with a certain identity."
"You're talking nonsense! What identity? I simply disliked them!"
Madam Tang's eyes grew uneasy again, as if Zhu Yan had struck a nerve.
"Is that so?" Zhu Yan said coldly. "Then what about Xu Huansheng's neighbor?"
Madam Tang deflated like a balloon, collapsing to the floor. Her gaze grew distant, her words disjointed. "What neighbor? I don't know."
"You don't know?" Zhu Yan retorted. "What a convenient 'I don't know.' That neighbor bore a striking resemblance to you, and in the days before Ruyan's incident, strange noises could be heard at night. She often spoke of someone by her bed. If you hadn't been observing her, why would she have such strange reactions?"
"What are you talking about? I don't know. You're just spouting nonsense!" Madam Tang's eyes darted about, filled with panic.
"Yes, I am spouting nonsense," Zhu Yan simply stopped arguing with her. "If Madam Tang weren't obsessed with the identity of a Courtesan, that neighbor might have met the same fate, wouldn't she?"
Madam Tang's face turned deathly pale, unable to utter a single word.At this moment, the Empress and the assembled ministers also listened with heavy hearts.
For a long time, no one spoke, and the Buddha Hall fell into a silence that felt oppressive.
Zhu Yan continued, "Next, let us discuss Huang Yun. His death was the most unjust. He was from Quanling Village, a poor scholar who taught at the village school in his spare time. He had an elderly mother at home, and his wife had passed away from illness five years prior. By nature, he was honest, loyal, and diligent in his studies. He never had conflicts with anyone at the village school. How could such a person have any connection with a courtesan?"
"Then why did he die together with a courtesan?" someone among the officials asked.
Zhu Yan sighed, "That is precisely why his death was unjust. As I said, he was honest and loyal by nature. People like him often have one flaw: they are too kind-hearted. He taught the courtesan to read and write, which led to their interactions. However, the murderer believed the courtesan was seducing him and feared Huang Yun would be led astray, so he took his life."
"Hiss..."
Zhu Yan's words drew sharp intakes of breath from everyone present.
The murderer's actions were utterly deranged, completely unfounded, driven solely by what they believed they had witnessed.
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