Chapter 43: Proving One's Innocence

It was all her fault as a mother for her negligence, and she was separated from them. She was a timid child, and if she had stayed outside, her soul would probably not have peace.

Mrs. Liu almost couldn't breathe when she heard what they said.

Every moment, she was fantasizing whether a miracle would happen or whether she would hear other news, but every moment, they were afraid of hearing new bad news.

"I would rather it were I who died."

Covering her heart, Madam Liu murmured in pain, and finally fell into the arms of a servant.

As everyone listened, they felt more and more uncomfortable.

The files were sorted out quickly and the matter was roughly understood.

Lord Wu and several other lords sat down with gloomy faces, their sharp gazes falling on Chu Jiuning like knives.

"Chu Jiuning, did you renovate this courtyard?"

"It's me."

Chu Jiuning stood straight and responded calmly. Her elegant and fearless look made several adults frown. No one was not afraid of the official's power.

"You were the one who lent the yard, and you were the one who suggested inviting the sisters to a banquet, right?"

"no."

Chu Jiuning had just finished speaking.

Song Ruier suddenly opened her eyes, jumped up, and said excitedly with tears on her face.

"It was you who offered to lend it to me so I could host a banquet for the young ladies. I was surprised at the time. You and my family don't get along, so why would you suddenly be so kind? But then I also felt that we were family after all, and it wouldn't be bad to have a closer relationship with you, so I listened to you. Also... I could actually sense someone moving around outside the window, but I thought it was a servant and didn't pay attention."

"So what you three, mother and son, are implying is that I set them on fire? And they had no grudge against me?"

Chu Jiuning asked in a deep voice, and Song Ruier nodded hurriedly.

"I can't think of anyone else. You're the only one who has a grudge against the Song family. You're the only one who can use this incident to pin the blame on the Song family and achieve your goal. But I didn't expect you to be so cruel and ruthless as to kill four people in one go."

After saying this, Song Ruier started crying again.

"You killed my sisters, I want to avenge them."

"revenge?"

Chu Jiuning raised her cold eyes.

"Are you serious? We both have alibis."

Song Ruier was stunned, and Lord Li asked immediately.

"How do you prove it?"

Chu Jiuning pointed to the mansion next to her and explained that she was the owner of the mansion next to her and that she had met her four cousins.

Lord Li immediately spoke to his subordinates, and then someone rushed out to investigate everything Chu Jiuning had said. Lord Li drew a circle on the file with a pen, marked it as pending, and then spoke.

"This matter is under investigation, and no conclusion has been made yet. Chu Jiuning, six people died in this fire. This is a heinous crime, and you can't escape it. I advise you to confess."

"Master Li, just investigate. Besides, I have been confessing all along. There is someone else who has not confessed."

Chu Jiuning was calm and composed, and even walked to the chair and sat down. Song Jinhuai was afraid that she would bring trouble to himself, so he pointed at Amber and shouted.

"This girl is as strong as an ox. She can easily lift a person or pull out a tree. Lord Li, I suspect that she did this under the instructions of Chu Jiuning."

Everyone's eyes suddenly fell on Amber. Amber widened her eyes, feeling confused.

She was going to set a fire, but she hasn't done it yet, has she?

With her head raised, Amber started to curse rudely.

"You are truly determined to get rid of us, just for the young lady's dowry. You are so unscrupulous. If you suspect me, then produce evidence. Don't let us find it, otherwise my Chu family will sue you for blood."

Lord Li, Lord Li, and Lord Wu raised their eyelids sharply when they heard this.

This reason is sufficient!

Both sides have reasons and motives, but the evidence presented by both sides makes sense.

"She probably didn't mean to hurt the four young ladies."

The Duke's wife was quick-witted and responded quickly.

"The ones she really wanted to hurt were me, Jin Huai, and Rui'er, because... the fire started after the four young ladies left. Rui'er wanted to give them some embroidery and went to her own yard to pick it out. I was preparing some pastries for them to take home for their families, and Jin Huai left the garden first to avoid suspicion, which delayed the four young ladies from leaving, leading to this incident."

Chu Jiuning listened to the Duke's wife completely disowning herself and her two children, and a sinister look welled up in her eyes. These three people were really... shameless.

He was determined to kill her!

"Embroidery?"

Chu Jiuning murmured lightly, and Song Ruier's heart skipped a beat.

"I want to give embroidery to the four young ladies. I believe Miss Song Er is very good at needlework. Why don't you take it out and let us see it?"

The Duke's wife and Song Ruier's expressions suddenly changed.

Song Ruier's needlework skills have never been very good, and she is not good enough to show off. If she is asked to produce something, wouldn't she be exposed in public?

"Chu Jiuning, you're just a merchant. You have the lowest status here. You'd better stop pointing fingers and distracting everyone."

Song Jinhuai scolded coldly, but Chu Jiuning refused to give in.

"I'm proving my innocence."

"Listen to her."

Lord Li spoke in a deep voice, and under his official authority, no one dared to refute him for a while.

The Duke's wife also knew that if she was not careful she would arouse other people's suspicion again, and she had been trying to lead the case to Chu Jiuning, but it was obviously not very effective, so they had to be more careful.

Turn around and gesture.

Song Ruier's maid Zhenzhu hurriedly turned around and went out. Not long after, she came back with a basket of embroidery. Several ladies took out the embroidery, looked at it carefully, and nodded.

"This is Miss Song's embroidery. My daughter brought it back."

Song Ruier's tightly clenched fingers suddenly loosened, as if she was relieved. She raised her eyes and looked at Chu Jiuning provocatively. Fortunately, she had some preparations, otherwise it would be troublesome if she was discovered.

The slightly furrowed brows of the Duke's wife also relaxed, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Chu Jiuning became even colder.

Chu Jiuning was not in a hurry. She touched a handkerchief and looked at it, then picked out an unfinished piece and threw it in front of Song Ruier.

"Miss Song, please embroider a few stitches to prove that this is yours."

"It's already this late and you want me to embroider a few stitches? Chu Jiuning, are you trying to stall for time? Even if you delay for a long time, the truth will be revealed and you will still be held accountable."

Song Ruier subconsciously retracted her hands behind her back and shook her head to refuse. She would never embroider because it would be exposed if she did.

Beads of cold sweat began to form on the forehead of Zhenzhu, the maid beside her. Chu Jiuning glanced at her, threw the handkerchief in front of her, and said to Zhenzhu.

"You embroider."

"You dare!"

Song Ruier shouted sternly. Zhenzhu suddenly looked up at Chu Jiuning. She wanted to refuse, but when she met her sharp eyes that saw through everything, she suddenly knelt down in front of Chu Jiuning, and her hands began to pick at her clothes nervously.

Amber grabbed the embroidery and came to her, squatting down.

"If you don't embroider, I'll break your hand. You know I'm very strong."

The reason why Zhenzhu could work as a maid beside Song Ruier was because of her needlework skills. If she lost her hands, she knew that her fate would be miserable.

As long as you have your hands, you still have a chance to survive even if you are sold.

Without caring about anything else, she picked up the needle and thread with trembling hands, took a deep breath, and began to embroider bit by bit.

Chu Jiuning watched her stitching, her eyes suddenly becoming sharp.