Chapter 97: How Do You Know It Was Smothering That Killed Him?

Pei Xingzhi took an opposite stance, asserting that Xia Jiujiang had attacked someone out of revenge against the Xia family. Xia Wentao was stunned for a long moment but eventually echoed Pei Xingzhi’s words, unwittingly giving Xia Jiujiang an opportunity.

Xia Jiujiang looked aggrieved and said, “No matter what Grandmother says, she is still my family. When I was in the Prime Minister’s mansion, I lived worse than a servant. No matter how harsh the conditions, I endured without any resistance. Otherwise, the capital wouldn’t be filled with rumors branding me as a useless good-for-nothing. Now that I have finally become the Princess of Jin, why would I kill Grandmother and trap myself in a predicament?”

The common folk nodded in agreement. “Exactly, now that she’s living well, why hold onto Old Madam Xia like that?”

“Xia Jiujiang has no reason to live under the thumb of the Xia family. Would she really ruin her life as the Princess of Jin?”

“I feel like this is not as simple as it seems; there must be something fishy.”

Xia Jiujiang cried out, “According to Lord Pei’s reasoning, I attacked because I was abused. Then this murder must have been premeditated. If it were premeditated, how could I have stayed at the scene waiting to be caught? Besides, it was Grandmother who arranged for Aunt Xiu to have me return to the Xia estate that day. Could she have predicted that Grandmother would arrange for me to come home?”

Jun Bu Wen glanced sideways at Xia Jiujiang’s tearful performance. This one was quite the actress, tears streaming down her face like raindrops on pear blossoms.

Xia Jiujiang suddenly shouted, “There’s clearly something strange going on! I am being framed!”

Pei Xingzhi smiled, noting how quick the Princess of Jin was to react.

With Xia Jiujiang’s words, the surrounding crowd also sensed foul play. “Could it be that Old Madam Xia invited Xia Jiujiang to Tanyazhai to kill her?”

“If it was premeditated, there’s no way Xia Jiujiang would remain at the scene!”

“Calling it an accidental killing is one thing, but if this is planned murder, who would be stupid enough to leave themselves behind? The Princess of Jin doesn’t seem that foolish.”

Xia Wentao gritted his teeth and said, “All your arguments are nothing but speculation based on motive and possibility. None of that is evidence. The undeniable fact is: when you entered Tanyazhai, Old Madam Xia was still alive. But from the moment you entered until the Lady of the House and her men surrounded Tanyazhai, it was only you and Green Luo in the room. If it wasn’t you, then who else? The evidence is conclusive. What else do you want to deny?”

“If I could prove that I am not the true culprit?” Xia Jiujiang suddenly looked up at Xia Wentao, a cunning gleam flashing in her eyes.

Xia Wentao was infuriated by her gaze, which was clearly provocative. He shouted, “If you’re not the real culprit, I will kneel and apologize to you!”

Xia Jiujiang’s lips curled into a smile. “It’s a deal.”

“What deal? If you’re not the culprit, I’ll apologize on my knees. But what if you really are the culprit?”

Xia Jiujiang’s eyes glinted mischievously. “If I am the culprit, then behead me and do as you please. With so many witnesses here, even the Prime Minister won’t renege on his word.”

“Just don’t try to renege,” Xia Wentao growled in anger. A wager with him? Xia Jiujiang would soon learn how she would die!

At that moment, the forensic examiner had finished his inspection. This examiner, Gu Dali, was assigned by the Imperial Court’s Ministry of Justice through Pei Xingzhi. Forensic work involved constant contact with corpses and was not an easy profession. Usually, these examiners came from families with a long tradition in the field, inheriting the trade from their ancestors. Therefore, their names were often simple and common, making it easier to sustain their livelihoods.

Although the Town Security Office had already examined Old Madam Xia’s body and determined that the time of death was around the early morning when Xia Jiujiang arrived at Tanyazhai — roughly ten o’clock — Pei Xingzhi did not trust their investigation and specifically arranged for the Ministry of Justice’s examiner to re-examine the body.

Gu Dali spoke up, “Upon investigation of Old Madam Xia’s corpse, the time of death was indeed around the early morning two days prior.”

Pei Xingzhi furrowed his brows slightly. He had suspected tampering with the corpse, but it seemed otherwise.

He glanced at Xia Jiujiang, concerned about the examiner’s findings. Yet, her expression remained unmoved: calm, composed, and steady, making it impossible for Pei to discern her true thoughts.

Pei Xingzhi had handled many cases but had never encountered someone like Xia Jiujiang before. With all the witnesses and evidence against her, she acted as if it were none of her concern, as if she knew she would walk out of the Town Security Office completely innocent.

In contrast, Xia Wentao’s face betrayed a faint smugness upon hearing Gu Dali’s words, his gaze toward Xia Jiujiang brimming with confidence. Lin Baixue, Xia Yue’er, and Xia Mingxuan wore similarly triumphant expressions.

Pei Xingzhi said, “Bring in the witness.”

The witness, Aunt Xiu, knelt before the main hall of the Town Security Office. Her eyes were swollen and red, as if she had shed countless tears over Old Madam Xia, truly a master of feigning sorrow.

Aunt Xiu pleaded, “I beg the lord to seek justice for Old Madam Xia. She only wished to mend relations with the Princess of Jin. Unexpectedly, during their quarrel, the Princess accidentally smothered Old Madam Xia to death.”

Xia Jiujiang stared intently at Aunt Xiu’s face. “Aunt Xiu, that is quite a surprising claim. Since the trial began, no one except the forensic examiner has confirmed the time of death. No one has said that Old Madam Xia was smothered. How do you know she was smothered?”

This was a classic case of overplaying one’s hand. Aunt Xiu had served Old Madam Xia for decades but now stood with the Lady of the House.

Aunt Xiu hesitated for a few seconds. “I...”

Xia Jiujiang’s gaze was sharp enough to devour a person alive. Aunt Xiu faltered before slowly replying, “It’s natural for an old servant to think this way. When the Princess was arrested, Old Madam Xia was lying on the bed inside Tanyazhai, her pillow tossed aside in disarray. There was no blood or any signs of injury or broken objects around. If not smothering, then what else could it be?”

Xia Jiujiang smiled. “It could be poisoning, strangulation, or many other possibilities. Just from a distance, the Town Security Office investigation found no unknown clues. Seems their insights aren’t as keen as yours, Aunt Xiu.”

Aunt Xiu’s face immediately darkened, and she nervously said, “I was only guessing. I never expected my guess to hit the mark. Princess, since you keep pressing me, do you suspect me? Besides, Old Madam Xia spoke when you entered Tanyazhai, and I have served her for decades. How could I harm her?”

After speaking, Aunt Xiu shed tears of sorrow from being misunderstood.

Lin Baixue frowned. “Princess, what do you mean by this? You cannot prove your innocence, so you want to throw dirt on Aunt Xiu?”

Xia Wentao changed the subject. “You are hopeless. Even now, you slander others. You lived in the Xia family, felt mistreated, and thus sought revenge, only waiting for the right moment. When Old Madam Xia tried to mend relations with you, a quarrel erupted, and in a fit of rage, you killed her. This was a planned accident.”

He then turned to Pei Xingzhi. “Now that there are witnesses and evidence, I ask Lord Pei to deliver judgment.”