Xing Muzheng said, “My uncle and aunt were honest and upright people. How could they have any enemies? Besides, they came from faraway Zizhou, knew no one here, and stayed within the marquisate the whole time. How could they have fallen into conflict with anyone?”
Chen Zhuo continued, “Then in the household…?”
“My wife treated the two elders with the utmost respect. From the moment they arrived, she made every arrangement for them and instructed the servants repeatedly to show great deference. So everyone in the residence treated them with respect.”
Chen Zhuo rubbed the back of his belt and fell deep into thought. Murder always had a motive. If everything was so peaceful, why would someone suddenly kill? He didn’t think Marquis Xing was lying—his words didn’t sound false. Unless… he didn’t know? Or was he covering for someone?
But that didn’t quite make sense either. Marquis Xing was now the feudal lord of Yuzhou, that land effectively his domain. If his wife wanted those two dead, she could’ve done it easily there. What official would dare intervene? No—best not to overthink. Since the incident happened here in Gui County, he’d follow procedure.
“Marquis, based on my years of experience handling cases, this incident is quite suspicious. May I request permission to take the bodies back to the yamen for an autopsy?”
Xing Muzheng refused without hesitation. “No need.”
Chen Zhuo was stunned.
“This world is vast, and strange things happen every day. My uncle and aunt had breakfast with us this morning. If there were anything wrong, my wife and I wouldn’t have escaped it either. And now you want to cut open my kin just because of your baseless suspicions? I doubt anyone would dare kill my aunt right under my eyes. If someone did, they must have the courage of a tiger and the heart of a beast.”
Xing Muzheng’s tone was calm. “Constable Chen, I know your intentions are good, and I thank you. But you may leave now.”
“But, Marquis…”
“If there’s no evidence, there’s no need to speak further.” Xing Muzheng’s voice darkened, and the aura of a battlefield-hardened general surged forth. Chen Zhuo flinched in fear.
“I understand. Then… allow me to carry the bodies down the mountain for you.”
“…Much appreciated.”
So Chen Zhuo and Tian Yongzhang each carried one body, while Tian Bilian wept behind them. Qian Jiaoniang, however, didn’t leave immediately. She burned the silver ingots and paper offerings she’d brought, cleaned up the offerings, and poured wine onto the ground.
“Father, Mother, please receive the wine,” she murmured.
Xing Muzheng didn’t leave either. He stood behind her and silently watched her finish it all, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Tian Yongzhang, seeing his cousin hadn’t come down yet, caught up to Chen Zhuo while carrying his mother. He whispered, “It was that woman Qian who did it.” Then, as if a ghost were chasing him, he fled before Chen Zhuo could ask any questions.
Chen Zhuo deliberately slowed his pace to wait for Tian Bilian, hoping to coax something out of her. But as soon as she glanced back and saw the two figures behind her, she said nothing and ran off.
When they finally reached the base of the mountain, Ah Da and Xing Pingchun were anxiously waiting by the carriage. When Xing Pingchun heard that Liu Ying and Tian Linwen had suddenly died, he burst into loud sobs.
Chen Zhuo learned that this was the son of Marquis Xing. He closely observed the child’s reactions. A child’s emotions could not be faked. If his mother had truly hated his aunt, wouldn’t she have said something to the boy? But the child cried so bitterly, it brought a lump to Chen Zhuo’s throat.
When the Marquis and his wife came down, the boy rushed into his mother’s arms. Only after being comforted for a long time did he finally stop crying.
Xing Muzheng thanked Chen Zhuo, then instructed Tian Yongzhang to drive the carriage back to the Xing residence. He told Ah Da and Xing Pingchun to ride on horseback, and called Qian Jiaoniang to ride with him.
Surprisingly, Qian Jiaoniang did not object.
Chen Zhuo watched them leave, a flicker of deep contemplation in his dark brown eyes. Only when a friend came looking for him did he finally depart.
Xing Muzheng whipped the horse several times, leaving the rest of the party far behind. Qian Jiaoniang sat straight, eyes fixed ahead.
The two rode in silence. After a long while, Xing Muzheng tugged the reins to slow down, then wrapped an arm tightly around Qian Jiaoniang’s waist, pulling her firmly against him. “Speak. What really happened?”
“The Marquis is saying something, but I don’t understand.”
Xing Muzheng tightened his grip. “Do you think Chen Zhuo is just a petty county constable? He was originally a constable of Shuntian Prefecture. He beheaded Empress Liang’s full-blooded brother and was only exiled here because she found an excuse to get rid of him. He’s infamous for being a hard-headed mule — once he gets something in his mind, not even ten oxen could drag him off it.”
Xing Muzheng knew of Chen Zhuo because his former military advisor had praised him in letters, even asking Xing Muzheng if he could help promote him to avoid wasting a talented man.
Qian Jiaoniang didn’t even twitch her brow. “He sounds like a good official. If all officials in Xie Dynasty were like him, the people would have nothing to fear and could live in peace.”
Xing Muzheng leaned in close, coldly whispering by her ear, “If you keep being stubborn, the one getting beheaded next will be you.”
Qian Jiaoniang jerked her head. She turned to the side and said, “I haven’t broken any laws. On what grounds would he behead me? Or is it that you’ve finally found your chance to send me to die?”
He wanted her to die? She was the one marching to her own death. Xing Muzheng was so furious he almost strangled her right then and there — would’ve saved him a world of trouble. He’d always known she was ruthless and tight-lipped, but hadn’t expected her to be this vicious.
From the moment Qian Jiaoniang met the Tian couple, Xing Muzheng had sensed something was wrong. Though she said she missed them, and her smile toward them was warmer than toward him, he had seen her truly happy before — he knew when it was fake. And when his aunt and uncle first entered the estate, they were immediately probing whether Qian Jiaoniang had been cast out — clearly afraid of her.
Xing Muzheng always acted with deliberation. Even if he had suspicions, he would first send people to investigate in secret while waiting for someone to slip up. The woman never mentioned anything to him, but the aunt instead tried to cozy up to him endlessly, completely lacking the dignity of an elder. Aside from the face, she shared nothing in common with his mother. Last night, she even accused Qian Jiaoniang of mistreating her sister — cold glances, harsh words, frequent scolding. She claimed that out of pride, his mother insisted on moving out so the family wouldn’t witness her being disrespected by a daughter-in-law, and within a couple of years, she was dead. Her words hinted that Qian Jiaoniang was the one who drove her to her death.
Xing Muzheng didn’t believe a word of it. But in his aunt’s repeated claims, he caught one thing — his mother’s departure from her sister’s home had hidden reasons. He didn’t believe Qian Jiaoniang would have treated his mother so cruelly. So perhaps his mother had been treated with disdain, or perhaps — she hadn’t left on her own accord at all, but had been forced out.
But these were just guesses. Xing Muzheng needed the truth — from Qian Jiaoniang herself. The truth behind this madness of hers.
“When you and Mother sought refuge at your aunt’s home, did she treat you poorly?”
Xing Muzheng didn’t understand. If the Tian family had treated them badly, why wouldn’t Qian Jiaoniang tell him? These were his mother and his wife and child — did she really think he would side with the Tian family? Was he that untrustworthy?
Qian Jiaoniang smiled. “Poorly? Not at all. They treated us wonderfully.” What did it matter anymore whether it was good or bad?
