"..."
Bai Jingquan would like to say something about this.
This woman is truly like the wind, hard to catch!
Just then, Cheng Shanshan discovered a small, bloody patch in the crow's beak, its original pale pink color faintly visible: "Your Excellency, I've found this."
"Wh...what?"
Bai Jingquan tried to recover from his surprise before walking over and asking, "This is... a fragment from the dress?"
"Um."
Cheng Shanshan nodded: "If I remember correctly, Cheng Wan'er was wearing this color when she saw me a few days ago."
Bai Jingquan was somewhat surprised: "You suspect it's her?"
Cheng Shanshan looked at Bai Jingquan, her eyes extremely cold: "Cheng Wan'er and Cheng Xiulan's reactions today were too strange. Sir, could you give me a chance to try this guess?"
"good."
Bai Jingquan agreed immediately.
"My lord, won't you reconsider?" Cheng Shanshan was surprised that Bai Jingquan would agree so readily, and she could hardly believe it.
Bai Jingquan smiled and said, "Actually, your suspicion is also my doubt. After all, Cheng Wan'er's testimony has too many loopholes, and I don't have any evidence yet. It would be great if Miss Cheng could find it."
The two hit it off immediately.
After returning from the crime scene, everyone openly and subtly criticized Cheng Shanshan as a troublemaker.
When they saw her walking side by side with Bai Jingquan, some people couldn't help but spit: "Some people have caused one person to die tragically and another to be arrested by their own power, yet people still follow suit. It can only be said that she is truly skilled in seduction!"
"That's right, these men are blind, they've all been completely fooled by him!"
At this point, some people felt that they hadn't been direct enough and began to advise Bai Jingquan: "Magistrate, we all know that you are a good official. The fact that we are living a good life now is all thanks to you. We hope that you will not ruin yourself because of this witch!"
When Bai Jingquan heard this, he frowned: "Is the vixen you're talking about who ruined my life her?"
"Who else could it be but her!" The other person glared fiercely at Cheng Shanshan: "All these troubles are her fault, sir! She's a jinx, no, a demon star! She's here to bring misfortune to you men!"
These words became increasingly outrageous. Cheng Shanshan looked at the other person with a mocking gaze: "First of all, I didn't kill the person who died. Secondly, I didn't do anything immoral. Why are you throwing mud at me?"
"How could it not be you? If you weren't a vixen who seduced this person and that person, how could that rough man surnamed Huo have killed someone for you, and how could that old man surnamed Chu have been dismembered so horribly!" As she said this, the onlookers were also filled with righteous indignation, as if they wanted to devour her alive.
"Yes, yes, you're such a vicious woman!"
When Bai Jingquan heard this, his face turned extremely pale: "Enough! Why don't you consider that old man Chu's behavior was wrong in itself? I haven't even found out who killed him yet, so how do you know it must have been caused by Miss Cheng? How do you know the fault lies with her?"
He said all this in one breath because he was really angry.
It's infuriating how ignorant and foolish these people are, just like how when the Shang Dynasty fell, no one blamed King Zhou for his cruelty, but instead blamed a young woman named Su Daji.
Cheng Shanshan did absolutely nothing, so how did she become a sinner?! And they keep calling her a jinx and a demon star—are such labels just thrown around like that?!
After hearing this, no one present could refute it in any way.
At this moment, Cheng Shanshan spoke up at the opportune moment: "We now have a way to find the murderer."
"What method?"
The onlookers were full of questions.
Cheng Shanshan said confidently, "The one who tied the knot must untie it. I went to the crime scene and met Old Man Chu. He has already told me who the murderer is."
"...You saw his ghost?" Everyone was extremely surprised and couldn't help but continue to ask, "Really?"
“Of course it’s true.” Cheng Shanshan said as she took out the piece of cloth: “He said he tore it from the corner of the murderer’s clothes. Tomorrow we just need to compare it and there will be no problem. So the truth is still undecided. Let’s wait and see.”
"Alright, then we'll wait!" Everyone turned and left.
Once only the two of them remained, Cheng Shanshan cupped her hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for speaking up for me, sir."
"No need to thank me." When Bai Jingquan looked at her, there was a hint of glint in his eyes: "This matter has nothing to do with you. I just don't understand why they don't curse Old Man Chu for being shameless, or the murderer for being inhumane, but instead curse you."
"..."
Cheng Shanshan didn't know how to answer.
The main problem was that she didn't understand why Bai Jingquan was even more emotional than she, the person involved.
Bai Jingquan quickly realized he had overreacted and couldn't help but cough lightly, saying, "I lost my composure."
"No, you're very real." Cheng Shanshan smiled slightly, then glanced around before continuing, "Mainly because of your words, our plan will go more smoothly in a little while."
That night.
The wind was slightly cool, and the air was thick as ink.
Inside the tent, Cheng Shanshan closed her eyes to rest. When she was bored, she casually checked the items in her storage space. This full stockpile of goods was truly her greatest sense of security.
When Wang Chao and Zhao Mo arrived at the door, they did not come in but reported from outside: "Miss Cheng, the lord has summoned everyone over and is currently verifying and comparing that fragmented path."
"good."
Cheng Shanshan responded.
She continued to plan what business she should start after the agricultural recovery in the area took place, and when she should dry the medicinal herbs.
Just as she was pondering this, she suddenly heard footsteps outside.
She came in and immediately knelt on the ground: "Cousin, please save my mother."
When Cheng Shanshan opened her eyes, she saw Cheng Wan'er's face full of grief: "Besides you, no one can save my mother now."
Cheng Shanshan's eyes were extremely cold: "I don't understand what you mean."
"I……"
Cheng Wan'er took a deep breath.
As if he had made up his mind, he continued, "That old man Chu was accidentally killed by my mother. I only slandered Brother Huo because I wanted to protect my mother."
It turned out that after Old Man Chu had been furious that day, he wanted to cause trouble for the three members of the Cheng family. However, Cheng Xiulan was no pushover either. She was provoked by a few words and smashed him to death with a stool.
They originally thought they could get away with it, but when things started to go wrong, she was afraid that the truth would be exposed and she would be implicated, so she had no choice but to come to Cheng Shanshan for help.
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