Xu Qingming, Xu Lizheng and others were summoned by the county magistrate to answer questions and help serve tea and water, so they knew the details.

Xu Qingming said that Old Man Wang was poisoned to death by Xia with arsenic. Xia also admitted that she was the one who poisoned Old Man Wang. After poisoning him, she was so angry that she stabbed him several times. The details will be learned at the trial tomorrow.

Xu Qingming, Xu Lizheng, and several others would go to the county government office tomorrow as witnesses. Many others would attend the trial and plead for Xia.

It was rare for Xu Qingming to be in the spotlight like today, and he was quite proud of it.

Thinking of Wang Jincai and Wang Sanni, although Xu Lanyin didn't like either of them, she felt a little sorry for them. She asked, "Are Wang Jincai and Wang Sanni not at home?"

Xu Qingming said, "I heard from Mrs. Wang that they went to her parents' home yesterday to celebrate her brother's birthday. Her parents' home is far away, in the neighboring county."

Old Lady Xu said, "If I were Xia, since I've already taken a life, I might as well kill that bitch who bullied me and vent my hatred."

Xu Qingming was startled and said hurriedly, "Mom, don't say anything nonsense. If this gets out, it will cause trouble."

Old Man Xu also glared at the old lady and cursed her, "You bitch, your heart is even crueler than Xia's."

Old Lady Xu said, "Xia was bought into the Wang family as a child bride twenty years ago, and she hasn't had a good day since then." Seeing her husband and son glaring at her, she smiled and said, "I'm just saying this at home, I won't tell anyone else. If I say these things, people will say that the women in our Xu family are not virtuous."

Xu Lanyin didn't say anything. She also shared the same idea as Old Lady Xu.

As they were talking, Xu Jindou arrived. The villagers had commissioned him to write a joint petition to protect Xia Shi, to be presented to the county magistrate the next day. Most of the villagers signed their names, and several members of the Xu family, sympathetic to Xia Shi, also put their fingerprints on the paper.

The next day, the villagers of Xiaozao Village, armed with their joint petitions, flocked to the county government office to watch the trial. There were not only men but also some elderly women. Xu Lanyin wanted to go, but before she could finish her sentence, Qin glared at her fiercely.

Soon it was afternoon, and the people who had gone to watch the trial came back one after another.

People stood outside, discussing loudly. The coroner found arsenic in Old Man Wang's mouth and stomach, and in the hall, Xia confessed that she had premeditated the murder.

Old Man Wang was a beast. Not only had he forced himself on Xia several times, he'd also constantly touched and kissed her. She couldn't stand it any longer, so she went to town a few days ago and bought some arsenic. The night before, she put it in tea and gave it to Old Man Wang. After he died, she stabbed him several more times. Old Woman Wang was ill and sleeping in the room, oblivious to the situation. She woke up that morning to find the old man dead and made a scene...

The constable went to the town's pharmacy to check and confirmed that Xia had indeed bought arsenic five days earlier, claiming it was for rat poisoning. When selling poison like arsenic, the pharmacy would inquire about the reason and keep a record of it.

With all the witnesses and evidence, and the murderer confessing, the case seemed clear. Although the county magistrate hadn't closed the case today, the evidence that Xia had murdered her father-in-law was irrefutable, and everyone believed that Xia had killed Old Man Wang.

Zhao Wu still did not return home that night, and Xu Lanyin wanted to ask for more details but was refused.

The next day, a small number of villagers attended the trial. They returned at 3 p.m., an hour later, with the news that the case had been closed. Xia, a simple, honest woman, had been oppressed by her father-in-law, Old Man Wang, to the point of unbearable oppression, and had conspired to kill him. Because Xia was also a victim, and with the villagers' joint petition and Mrs. Wang's forgiveness, the county magistrate decided on a sentence, not beheading or slicing, but exile. However, the murder case had to be reported to the Judicial and Statute Department, which would then review it and send it to the Ministry of Justice for approval. It was unclear whether Xia's final outcome would be as favorable.

In this era, killing elders is a very serious criminal offense, and the murderer will be sentenced to death by slicing.

The judgment made by the Min County Magistrate deeply moved the common people who were watching the trial. They sang praises to the great judge and some even kowtowed to him.

Wang Pozi was also released, and she cried all the way back. The villagers began to sympathize with Wang Pozi again, and many women blocked the road to persuade her, and some even brought her food.

Qin still sympathized with the "murderer" Xia and sighed deeply.

Xu Lanyin said, "I think there are doubts in this case."

From the perspective of criminal psychology, honest people are introverted, timid, and more tolerant than the average person. When oppression and bullying reach a certain level, these people will erupt like a volcano, and this negative emotion is extremely terrifying. If Xia Shi was indeed the murderer, she would have poisoned Old Man Wang and then stabbed him several more times in anger. In this state of mind, even Wang Sanni, who usually stood by and watched, might have been killed by her rage, let alone Wang Po, who had always bullied her...

Qin said angrily, "The county magistrate is very wise, and there are also high-ranking officials from the provincial capital. They often solve cases, so how could they not see the doubts? Young lady, don't let your imagination run wild."

Of course, Xu Lanyin couldn't tell Qin about this.

In the evening, Zhao Wu returned, looking exhausted, his steps trembling. He was not only tired, but also hungry.

Last night, he listened to the coroner Tang talk about the autopsy, and at night he went to the morgue to see the body with his own eyes. He watched as the coroner pried open the body's mouth, then pulled open its throat and stomach, explaining the difference between being poisoned and not being poisoned, and between taking poison on one's own and being poisoned after death...

Zhao Wu felt so nauseous that he vomited and didn't eat for a whole day.

He felt that he had come into contact with a dead person, so it was not appropriate to go directly to Xu's house. He went back to his room to wash up and change his clothes before coming here.

Qin said distressedly, "Oh, how come you are so tired? Come and eat, Auntie made a special pork tripe soup for you to nourish yourself."

When Zhao Wu heard the word "pig's stomach", he felt a little nauseous and couldn't eat.

Xu Lanyin understood and said with a smile, "Come on, eat more vegetables." She put a lot of sauerkraut and stewed tofu into his bowl. This kind of food is appetizing and relieves nausea.

When Qin heard that Zhao Wu had actually gone to see Old Man Wang's corpse and the contents of his stomach, she scolded him, "What are you doing going to see that thing, little kid? It's so scary."

Zhao Wudao said, "When I become a horse driver in the future, I will definitely come into contact with these things and learn them first."

During the meal, no one dared to ask too many questions. After the meal, Zhao Wu returned to the room, and Xu Lanyin washed the dishes and went to the west wing with the key.

Qin heard the noise in the house, and knowing that her daughter was very curious, she ignored them.

Zhao Wu was wearing a midriff-baring shirt and trousers, his hair loose. Seeing Xu Lanyin's inquiring expression, he recounted the case, including Xia's expression and confession, Mrs. Wang's testimony, and Old Man Wang's autopsy, in greater detail than the villagers had given.

After hearing this, Xu Lanyin pondered for a moment and said, "I don't think it was Sister Wang who killed the man. She was coerced by the real murderer for some reason and was willing to be a scapegoat. The real murderer, at present, is most likely Wang Pozi. She has a fierce personality and was often beaten by Old Man Wang. She holds a grudge and has a motive to kill. She killed Old Man Wang and tricked Sister Wang into taking the blame for her."