After cursing, he took a few breaths, his chest heaving violently. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand and then asked, "Tell me the truth. How did you get the money? And why did you go there last night?"
His eyes were fixed on Zhang Yi, as if he wanted to see through him.
Only then did Zhang Yi fully realize the seriousness of the matter. Looking at the angry expression of the county magistrate, he knew that he could no longer hide it.
He wiped the sweat from his face, which slid down his cheeks and dripped onto his clothes.
He said in a tearful voice, "Uncle, I usually like to spend money like water. I also know that I can't go too far, otherwise it will affect your reputation. So every month after I spend my money, I stay at home and wait for you to give me money before going out. Two days ago, just after I spent my money and was about to go home, I saw a woman crying at the end of the alley.
She cried bitterly, saying she had no money to bury her family. I felt sorry for her, so I lent her a hundred taels. When I got back, I wanted to write a poem to express my feelings, but I found the hundred taels of silver that I had put away at some point.
I thought I had to pay the money back anyway, so I went to my neighbor's house that night. Who knew that the whole family would be dead the next day? I'm really innocent, uncle!
As he spoke, tears welled up in Zhang Yi's eyes and his lips trembled slightly, making him look extremely aggrieved.
The county magistrate frowned and narrowed his eyes after hearing this. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Do you remember what that woman looked like?"
There was a hint of anxiety in his eyes.
Zhang Yi nodded quickly, as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw: "I remember, I remember, she was thin and small, with a very pale face, big eyes full of sadness, and a teardrop mole in the corner of her eye."
The county magistrate gritted his teeth, a stern look on his face as he said, "If anyone asks, tell them everything that happened just now, but add a little bit: say that the woman was later taken in by a neighbor and put the entire blame on her."
When Zhang Yi heard this, his eyes widened and he couldn't believe his ears.
His face was filled with shock and disbelief. "Uncle, how could this be possible? That woman had skinny arms and legs, and looked so frail. How could she have single-handedly killed a family of three and dismembered their bodies? Isn't this a false accusation against her?"
His voice was a little distorted due to excitement, and his hands kept gesturing.
The county magistrate glared at him fiercely, his eyes full of warnings: "What do you know? I told you to do this, and the rest is none of your business! If you still want to live, do as I say!"
After saying that, he didn't wait for Zhang Yi's response. He turned around, flicked his sleeves, and strode out of the room.
The swinging sleeves brought up a gust of wind, making the papers on the table rustle.
His figure paused at the door, then disappeared outside, leaving Zhang Yi slumped in the chair, his eyes empty and full of despair.
When the dismemberment case was reopened, people were already crowded outside the courtroom before daybreak.
People rushed to the scene, wanting to know what the outcome of this dismemberment case that shocked the whole city would be.
Among the crowd were nearby neighbors who were quite familiar with the victim's family and whose faces were filled with sorrow. There were also many curious people who were whispering in the crowd with curiosity in their eyes.
As time went by, the courtroom was quickly packed, and the hot and humid air was filled with people's anxiety. Some people stood on tiptoe, trying to see what was happening inside the courtroom first, while others kept complaining that there were too many people and it was too crowded.
Finally, with a majestic shout of "majesty", the county magistrate, dressed in official uniform, walked into the court with steady steps and sat in the hall.
He looked solemn and serious, and scanned the people in the hall with cold eyes, trying to appear fair and honest.
Zhang Yi knelt trembling in fear in the hall, with his head lowered, not daring to look directly at the county magistrate or the people around him.
His hands were shaking unconsciously, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat that sparkled in the sunlight. He looked extremely nervous.
The county magistrate cleared his throat and deliberately raised his voice so that it could echo clearly in the courtroom: "After my in-depth investigation, there has been new progress in this case."
His voice was steady and carried an unquestionable sense of authority.
When the people heard this, they immediately quieted down and everyone pricked up their ears, looking forward to his next speech.
The county magistrate raised his chin slightly, a subtle flicker of panic in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and began his performance: "According to reliable clues, the key figure in this case is someone else. It's not as simple as previously suspected."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Zhang Yi with a hint of warning in his eyes, indicating that he should act according to the plan.
Zhang Yi understood the county magistrate's intention. Although he was uneasy, he had no choice but to cooperate.
He confessed the whole story of why he had gone to his neighbor's house that day. After he finished, he raised his head and pretended to be remorseful. He said, "Sir, the woman later stayed at my neighbor's house. I felt sorry for her, so I gritted my teeth and said nothing yesterday. But today I really can't stand this injustice anymore."
As he spoke, he secretly observed the reactions of the county magistrate and the surrounding people.
The magistrate nodded and continued Zhang Yi's words, "Yes, I have also traced this woman. She disappeared without a trace after the crime. She must have felt guilty."
To make the scene more realistic, the county magistrate changed the subject, looked at Zhang Yi, and said, "Zhang Yi, please describe the woman's appearance so that the bailiffs can arrest her as soon as possible."
Zhang Yi secretly groaned in his heart, but he had no choice but to do it.
He tried hard to recall the woman's appearance and said, "She was thin and small, with a pale complexion, large eyes, and a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye. She looked pitiful, but I didn't expect her to be such a vicious person."
After hearing this, the county magistrate nodded with satisfaction and said, "In that case, you should draw a portrait of the woman in court so that everyone can see her appearance clearly and help the government arrest her."
As he spoke, he ordered someone to bring pen, ink, paper and inkstone and place them in front of Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi picked up the pen with trembling hands and began to paint on the paper. His hands were shaking with nervousness, and the lines he drew were crooked.
But he still tried his best to describe it, trying to restore the woman's appearance.
After a long while, a portrait that could barely make out a human figure appeared before everyone.
The county magistrate picked up the portrait and showed it to the people in the hall, saying loudly, "This is the portrait of the woman. I have ordered a city-wide search for her. If anyone has any clues, please report them to the government immediately. Anyone who dares to harbor or hide her will be punished as severely as the criminal!"
The people looked at the portrait, whispered to each other and talked about it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
