Shu Yu shook her head with a smile, bowed, and stepped aside to stand next to ng Yunzheng.
She is the Village Chief, ng Yunzheng is the Scholar, both holding official titles, hence neither needed to kneel.
Oh, there was one more person standing aside, Kong Zhiyou’s husband, the likewise titled Scholar Chen.
However, Scholar Chen was in a daze at the mont, perhaps unable to accept his father’s death, standing there lifelessly.
His eyes were bloodshot, staring intently at Kong Zhiyou.
Evidently, he assud that she killed Chen Ji.
Kong Zhiyou did not look at him, just glanced at Shu Yu, her eyes revealing a hint of disillusionnt.
Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, hey, hey, hey, what’s with that expression? It seems as if being here is intended to malign her.
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and looked toward Lord Xie, seated behind the desk.
The gavel struck hard, and Lord Xie straightened his back, sternly announcing, "Alright, since Monarch Lu Xiang is here, let’s continue."
Fearing that Shu Yu might not understand the context, Lord Xie briefly explained.
"Last night, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chen Ji died at ho. According to the forensic doctor’s examination, Chen Ji died from arsenic poisoning, the arsenic placed in the noodles, with the ti of death around two quarters past戌时 last night. Ms. Kong accuses concubine Qiuju as the killer, while Qiuju accuses Ms. Kong of harming the family head. According to Qiuju, at three quarters past戌时 last night, she t Monarch Lu Xiang at the Nanjiang River shore, which is so distance from the Chen Family, making it impossible to return within a quarter-hour. Monarch Lu Xiang, is what Qiuju said true?"
Shu Yu nodded, "I indeed saw Qiuju around three quarters past戌时."
She rembered the ti clearly because after Qiuju left, she heard two ladies by the river discussing the late hour and planning to return.
Upon hearing Shu Yu’s response, Lord Xie turned to ng Yunzheng.
The latter nodded, "Indeed."
Qiuju smiled faintly upon hearing this, but Kong Zhiyou staggered.
Lord Xie struck the gavel again, looking at Kong Zhiyou, "Ms. Kong, Qiuju was not at ho when Old Scholar Chen was murdered, do you have anything else to say?"
Kong Zhiyou gritted her teeth and lifted her head, "Lord, her absence doesn’t an she didn’t do it. She could have placed the arsenic ahead of ti in the noodles, and the family head would eat it when hungry and die from poisoning."
Qiuju promptly replied, "Lord, that’s simply impossible. The noodles soaked in broth, and if left a bit longer, would clump together into a mass. The Lord of the house is particular about food, and certainly wouldn’t eat noodles that have clumped."
She kowtowed, speaking swiftly and urgently, "But the Young Madam, it’s very likely she made the noodles and served them to the Lord. Last night, at ho, only the Young Madam and the Lord were there, she had the best opportunity to act. Lord, I dare not deceive you, the Young Madam had a miscarriage earlier and blad it on , falsely claiming I did it. Yet neither the Lord nor the Young Master found her claims reasonable, siding with instead. The Young Madam harbored resentnt toward the Lord and the Young Master, and taking advantage of no one at ho, poisoned the Lord for revenge, is highly possible."
Kong Zhiyou abruptly raised her eyes, glaring at her viciously, "You lie."
"How does the Young Madam explain sending Dongi ho last night, wasn’t she deliberately distracted by you?"
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