☆, Chapter 117 The real culprit is hiding...
After leaving the Jiang family, Zhou Mujiao made a special trip to the yamen to deliver supplies and informed Zhao Yunjing of her arrangements.
Zhao Yunjing grasped her hand through the iron fence: "Ajiao, I'm sorry to trouble you."
"Don't talk nonsense. If it were me who was in trouble today, I believe you would also do everything in your power to help me."
Officer Liu was pressing her, and now was not a good time for romance, so Zhou Mujiao tried to say only the important things, and then left with Officer Liu.
Officer Liu secretly believed that Zhao Yunjing was not the murderer. However, there was a suicide note and some physical evidence at the scene, all pointing to Zhao Yunjing. Therefore, until there was conclusive evidence proving that Zhao Yunjing was not the murderer, Zhao Yunjing had to stay in jail.
Officer Liu said, "I don't know who spread the rumors, but because Young Master Zhao is so learned, handsome, and has won Miss Chen's heart, they say he will be Lord Chen's son-in-law, and that Lord Chen will protect him. This has already stirred up public anger... In order to quell this public anger, Lord Chen has instructed us to keep a close watch on Young Master Zhao..."
"So I can't see Brother Zhao again until the truth comes out?"
"...We will find the real murderer as soon as possible. You had better act quickly too. When our comrades visited Camellia Village today, several villagers said they saw Young Master Zhao last night."
"What time did you see it?"
"It's almost midnight."
"It's fake. We were on the roof watching the moon and didn't go to sleep until the second watch of the night."
Unfortunately, she is a family member, and family members cannot be witnesses. What family members say cannot be used as evidence to overturn the verdict.
Zhou Mujiao understood this very well, so she didn't make things difficult for Constable Liu: "Then I'll have to trouble Constable Liu to take good care of me. I'll come back to thank Constable Liu when the truth comes out."
After saying goodbye to Constable Liu, she had just reached the entrance of the yamen when she saw Ma Dalang arguing with someone. She quickly came out and called out, "Brother Ma!"
As soon as Ma Dalang responded with an "Eh," the person opposite him turned around abruptly: "Miss Zhou, are you alright? Even at a time like this, are you still unable to let go of him? Zhao Yunjing is nothing but a hypocrite!"
“If Young Master Chen wants to speak ill of Brother Zhao, then I’m afraid I won’t entertain you, because he is innocent and has been framed.” Zhou Mujiao said pointedly, “The person who framed him knows his innocence better than he does.”
Young Master Chen wanted to stop her, but when he opened his mouth, he found that he didn't know what to say. Should he continue to say that Zhao Yunjing was a bad person, or should he directly say that Zhao Yunjing was a murderer?
Liu, the head constable, glanced at Young Master Chen and then led his officers off to investigate the case. Ma Dalang spat at Young Master Chen: "Don't play dumb. Why did Young Master Zhao get into this mess today? Do you dare say your Chen family bears no responsibility whatsoever?"
"How dare you—"
"Perhaps the real culprit is hiding in your Chen family!"
After Ma Dalang finished speaking, he led his men to follow Zhou Mujiao away. As Chen Gongzi watched them walk away, countless thoughts raced through his mind. Finally, he turned back to the mansion and went straight to his father's study: "Father, I have something to ask you!"
Lord Chen looked up from the case file: "Are you going to plead for Zhao Yunjing? If so, you should forget about it. Public resentment and anger have soared in just two or three hours. I can't even leave my house. If I were to use my position for personal gain in the slightest, I would lose my official hat!"
“I will not plead for Zhao Yunjing! If he killed the person, I hope he will be executed immediately to comfort the wronged souls of my two classmates in heaven. But Father, if Zhao Yunjing did not kill the person, I also beg you to handle the matter impartially and find the real murderer!”
“I am an official appointed by the imperial court, so naturally I will not show favoritism. The imperial court has its own set of procedures for handling affairs. No matter who the real culprit is, he will have to stay in prison until the real culprit is caught or until there is evidence to prove that Zhao Yunjing did not commit the murder.”
Lord Chen said meaningfully, "If he's not the real culprit, then he's been framed. In that case, he's much safer in prison than outside. Even if the person who set him up has connections everywhere, the government dungeons aren't so easy to break into. Jin'er, if you really want to do something for Zhao Yunjing, go outside and investigate who he's recently made enemies with."
Young Master Chen paused for a moment, then slowly said, "The Chen family. He has a grudge against our Chen family. He has been ignoring my sister, and she became furious. Last night's incident caused my father and our Chen family to lose face, and my father is an extremely proud man..."
"So you mean that it was our Chen family, it was me, who killed those two students and then framed Zhao Yunjing? In your eyes, is your father such a shameless person?"
As an official appointed by the imperial court, knowingly breaking the law is an even greater crime. No matter how much I hate him or how much I wish Zhao Yunjing to die, I cannot lay a hand on him.
My death wouldn't matter much, but you and your sister would be implicated! And your mother, she's lived half her life and remains eternally naive. What will she do if I do something wrong?
“I hope it wasn’t Father who did it. If it was,” Young Master Chen paused, “as your son, I understand your love for your children, but I cannot condone your actions. If it was truly you who did it, I will not absolve myself of responsibility. I will bear what I deserve, and Wan’er should bear the same.”
Young Master Chen turned and left, while Lord Chen closed the case file and chuckled self-deprecatingly after a long while.
He called someone in to brew tea. As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, Lord Chen drew a large mansion, complete with pavilions, terraces, gardens, and flowing water.
Soon after, Lord Chen dismissed the tea-brewing servant and personally poured two cups of tea, placing one in front of himself and the other opposite him on the small tea table: "Since you've come, why not show yourself and do me the honor of having a cup of tea with me?"
Jiang Wuyu walked in from outside and sat down in front of Lord Chen.
Lord Chen picked up his cup and said, "I have dreamed of having tea and chatting with you for many years. Now that my dream has come true, I will have no regrets even if I die."
Jiang Wuyu downed the drink in one gulp and slammed the cup down on the table: "I told you not to touch Zhao Yunjing, or I'd kill you. It seems you didn't take my words to heart."
"If my life could bring back the former commander of the Six Doors, then my death would have been worthwhile."
"I was unaware that Lord Chen had homosexual tendencies."
Lord Chen's expression changed: "My lord—"
"It's a pity that Jiang has someone in his heart and only loves her. Otherwise, he would have given in to Lord Chen and lived a peaceful life in his later years, which would have been a wonderful thing."
“My lord, I dare not presume to think too highly of you. I merely feel that you should be shining brightly, yet you have wasted twenty years of your life for a woman, and now you are inexplicably lingering in Peach Blossom County… Since you possess such great talent, you should serve the court, but instead—”
"Your name is Chen Zhi?"
"Your humble servant is here."
"Then listen carefully. Even if I haven't returned to the capital for twenty years, I am still the commander of the Six Doors."
Lord Chen paused for a moment.
"Therefore, from this moment on, the Six Doors will officially intervene in and take over Zhao Yunjing's case." Jiang Wuyu smiled faintly. "I will definitely handle the case impartially, ensuring that all crimes have nowhere to escape and that all criminals are brought to justice!"
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