As she spoke, she mocked her own hard work while tears streamed down her face, making her appear exceptionally desolate.

Liu Qing heard a sharp "bang," and his last shred of hope vanished completely! His face turned deathly pale as he stared at Qin Qing, utterly shocked, his brow furrowed with gloom! He never imagined that his ignorant and foolish mother would truly not care about his future!

Upon hearing this, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture immediately became interested!

"Oh? What do you mean by that? As far as I know, Liu Qing is the adopted son of the Grand Tutor. He has no parents and no ties. What is your relationship with him?"

Qin Qing gave a bitter smile.

"My lord, you may not know this, but I am Liu Qing's biological mother!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was in an uproar! The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture was also surprised, but Liu Qing was stunned and sat down on the ground, staring blankly at Qin Qing.

As Liu Qing looked at her, he suddenly felt that the woman in front of him was a bit unfamiliar. In his memory, she was a rural woman who was frugal and stingy, who would not let him miss a meal, no matter how much she suffered!

He even refused to let her visit him at the academy because he thought she was too embarrassing, but she still agreed with a fawning expression...

The efforts I made in the past are still vivid in my mind, yet they seem so unfamiliar now!

Is the woman in front of him, with tears streaming down her face and looking pitiful, really his stingy, dirty, and uncouth peasant mother?

At that moment, he suddenly realized something and, for the first time, looked Qin Qing seriously…

Her skin is much smoother and fairer than before! Her eyes are more expressive, and the greed and pettiness that once lingered in them have been replaced by a woman's charm and determination. Her figure is also more curvaceous than before, and she doesn't look like a forty-year-old woman who has gained weight!

Is this really the mother he remembers?

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture came to his senses, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. His tone seemed authoritative and firm, but it carried a hint of hidden meaning.

"Outrageous! Mu Qinshi, do you know the consequences of slandering the son of a high-ranking official? You can't just say such things!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Qing blinked, tears streaming down her cheeks, her expression a mixture of grievance and panic.

"Your Honor, please understand! I would never dare to speak nonsense! Although it is far from my village and I have no substantial evidence... I have come here to accuse Mu Tian of disowning his mother. After all, he is the child I carried for ten months and gave birth to. How could I bear to ruin his future?"

As she spoke, the woman looked extremely disappointed and angry! This only fueled the curiosity of the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture.

"Tell me your story in detail. If you have any grievances, I will certainly seek justice for you!"

The last four words were spoken in a very fair and serious manner, as if he were a truly good official who spoke up for the people!

Qin Qing didn't miss the gloating in his eyes. Clearly, this was someone who didn't get along with the Grand Tutor, which suited her just the way it was!

"My lord, it is shameful to say, but I came to the capital specifically to search for my family after we were separated. I finally found them, but I also encountered this... unfilial son!"

As she spoke, she appeared weak and reluctant to speak.

"I thought he was dead and was heartbroken for a long time. I never expected to see my youngest son, Mu Tian, ​​in the capital! Before I could even feel happy, I saw that rebellious son holding a long knife... and he was going to take my life! In a panic, I could only run away, but he chased after me relentlessly... How could I not despair!"

She spoke simply and directly, while simultaneously weeping uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face! She even appeared to faint several times! The onlookers were all deeply moved…

"What a tragedy! If this were my own son, I would have strangled him to death long ago!"

"Besides! We can't just listen to her side of the story. Who knows if she's trying to scam us these days!"

"Hey... you can't say that. Even if he's not your biological son, killing someone in the street is still a serious crime!"

“…”

The whispers outside the lobby reached Liu Qing's ears, instantly bringing him back to his senses. He instinctively wanted to explain, but his expression was one of panic.

"No...no! It wasn't me...she's talking nonsense!"

However, his appearance was not convincing at all, not to mention that compared to Qin Qing's desperate performance, it only made people think that he was lying.

The Prefect of Shuntian listened more attentively, several thoughts flashing through his mind, and continued.

"Silence! Every case requires both witnesses and physical evidence. Your testimonies are inconsistent. I have already sent the head constable to the scene to investigate. We will know once he returns!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Constable Chen rushed over, his face somewhat grim. He walked straight to the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture and whispered something to him.

"Sir! All traces on the streets have been cleaned up, even the small workshops have been burned down..."

Upon hearing this, the prefect's expression hardened, his brows furrowed, and he looked intently at Liu Qing, only to see that Liu Qing was still in a state of panic, clearly unaware of the situation. Thus, there was only one possibility... that old fox was indeed cautious!

Qin Qing noticed that the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture looked unwell, and her heart tightened. Could something have happened?

Just as he thought this, the prefect in the hall said in a deep voice.

"The scene has been destroyed, and there is no way to verify the information!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qing looked up in surprise, feeling a huge sense of relief. But then he realized something: the capital of Qi was so far from the small mountain village on the border of Tianlong Kingdom that no one could possibly verify his true identity!

In other words, as long as he denies it, his identity will never be exposed! It's just a pity that his godfather must have found out about this, which has somewhat affected his good impression of him, but it's still not bad that he can preserve his reputation and identity.

Seeing his reaction, Qin Qing looked up in surprise, not expecting Liu Qing's men to react so quickly and even know how to handle the crime scene! She couldn't help but frown. If this wasn't resolved, what would happen if this situation arose again? This rebellious son, once he'd decided to kill, would definitely not give up…

"My lord! This humble woman has something to say!"

The prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, who was about to leave, paused and looked at Qin Qing with a puzzled expression.

"Tell me about it..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Qing stood up and stared intently at Liu Qing beside him!

Do you recognize me? Do you know who I am? Do you acknowledge me as your mother?

These words made Liu Qing stiffen. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but when his eyes met Qin Qing's, he couldn't bring himself to deny or agree.

The atmosphere gradually became tense, but Qin Qing continued to stare at him relentlessly, her voice trembling with suppressed anger.

“A mother never expects her child to make her rich and powerful. She is content as long as her child is healthy and happy. Even if her child is greedy and selfish, she can trust him unconditionally. But she cannot accept that her child will commit such an unforgivable crime as matricide!”

After saying this, Liu Qing trembled, his pupils instantly contracted, his lips trembled, and a wave of guilt washed over him…

"I...I'm sorry..."

"The Grand Tutor has arrived!"