Chapter 2904 - 2905: Turning Oneself In

Chapter 2904: Chapter 2905: Turning Oneself In

"The Emperor has already said he trusts my character and has even assigned someone to handle this matter. Isn’t that clear enough to you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have resorted to hiring a killer, would you?" Bai Ruozhu continued.

Madam Sun was stunned, her eyes wide as she stared at Bai Ruozhu, as if she could uncover a lie by staring hard enough.

"Believe it or not, I’ve said all I have to say." Bai Ruozhu finished speaking and turned to leave.

An officer came running over and said to Niu Butou, "Chief, someone has come to the Government Office to confess, claiming he was the one who bribed the killer."

Madam Sun jumped to her feet and rushed to the jail door excitedly asking, "Who? Who is it?"

"Kong Er, a servant from the Sun Residence," the messenger replied.

Madam Sun’s eyes widened, "No, it’s not him!"

"Oh dear, why did he come to confess? Could he be planning to reveal everything, ruining Madam Sun’s reputation and disgracing both the Sun Family and her natal family?" Ao Song tilted his head, pondering.

Bai Ruozhu glanced at Madam Sun, "I don’t think so. Now that his great revenge is fulfilled, he can enjoy the rest of his days in peace. There’s no need to use such a strategy that would hurt himself while defeating the enemy."

"The phrase is ’hurt oneself while defeating the enemy,’" Ao Song corrected with a smile.

"But by confessing, he risks losing everything. How is that not ’worse than harming oneself’?" Bai Ruozhu retorted.

Gao De was exasperated, his forehead black with lines. "Oh, ancestors, how do you still have the mood for banter when Madam Sun is losing her mind?"

"Let’s go and see what’s happening," Bai Ruozhu said.

Suddenly, Madam Sun grabbed the cell bars and shouted, "I’ll confess everything—it has nothing to do with anyone else! Take me to see the magistrate, I’ll confess!"

Niu Butou and Gao De exchanged glances. "Someone, bring her out and inform the officer that she wants to confess."

"Yes."

Bai Ruozhu and Ao Song went to the Main Hall, where they saw Kong Er kneeling on the ground, his hair meticulously combed, and he was wearing mourning clothes.

His mourning clothes were not the rough burlap commonly worn by the servants of the Sun Residence but were the proper ones a child would wear for a parent.

Seeing Bai Ruozhu, the magistrate stood up and saluted, inviting her to listen in, since Bai Ruozhu was considered the victim in this assassination case.

Soon, Madam Sun was also brought in. Hearing the commotion, Kong Er quickly turned his head, and the gaze between the two felt like an eternity passed in that moment.

In Madam Sun’s eyes, there was regret and guilt but no hatred. She bitterly thought that the path she had chosen was her own.

In Kong Er’s eyes, there was guilt and resentment, yet similarly, no hatred. She had already reached the end of her resilience.

Niu Butou began to speak, "Officer, Madam Sun wishes to confess."

"Officer, I’ve come to confess. Let me have my say first." Kong Er hurriedly interjected. Although he was kneeling, his back was straight. Bai Ruozhu felt a bit wistful. Kong Er was about to face death, yet he wished for a dignified departure.

"Officer, don’t listen to his nonsense. It’s all me! I bribed the killer because I hated Bai Ruozhu for causing my husband’s death. It was all me!" Madam Sun, losing her composure, shouted anxiously.

She couldn’t care less about who Kong Er was, nor did she want to ponder whether Kong Er had deceived her. Her life had already been like a game, and she wished to leave quietly while Kong Er could live his life anew.

"Officer, it was I who killed Sun Zhou!" Kong Er’s voice was particularly loud, drowning out Madam Sun’s words and capturing all the magistrate’s attention.

"You say you killed Sun Zhou? Why did you kill him, and how did you do it?" the magistrate asked.

Kong Er took out a small porcelain bottle from his bosom, "I poisoned him. This is poison."

He cast a swift glance at Madam Sun before speaking with difficulty, "I killed him because he was heartless. Years ago, he forcibly took my mother but kept her outside. After giving birth to me, afraid of being discovered by his primary wife, he had her dealt with and abandoned me."

Madam Sun looked at him in shock. No, it’s not like that. Back then, it was she who had it done, she even wanted to kill that child!

She had been raised to be ruthless and decisive and never regretted her actions in those years. Later, when her legitimate son was born, she felt even more righteous, willing to be a vicious woman to protect her son.

But... at this moment, she regretted it. It turned out Kong Er really was that child from back then.

"I hated Sun Zhou, so I seized the opportunity to recognize him, but he didn’t want to help me restore my identity, only allowing me to be a mere servant in the Residence. So, I pretended to respect him greatly, and then quietly poisoned him. Now I’ve avenged my mother, and I can die without regrets," Kong Er said.

The magistrate frowned, "Then why did you come to confess?"

"I didn’t expect this matter to blow up as it did, and I was also afraid Bai Ruozhu would find out. So, I stole Sun Zhou’s silver banknote and bribed the killer, instructing them to capture Madam Sun as well. After killing Bai Ruozhu, they were to create the illusion that Madam Sun was involved, but things were exposed," Kong Er explained.

Kong Er suddenly hit his head on the ground, "Last night, I dreamed of my father. He said if I didn’t confess, he would haunt me forever. I’m already unable to escape and didn’t want to be frightened night after night. Better to confess and end it quickly."

Bai Ruozhu eyed Kong Er closely. His logic was clear, and the story was well-crafted, mixing truth with fiction, making it easy to believe. If only his expression were a bit more selfish or cowardly, it would be perfect.

He never mentioned any affair with Madam Sun, nor did he bring up details of the past, clearly trying to save Madam Sun!

This possibly stemmed from a sense of guilt, or perhaps he had genuine feelings for Madam Sun?

Maybe both.

Bai Ruozhu sighed, a debt of passion, in the end, neither knew who owed whom.

"No, Officer, I bribed the killer. I wanted to kill Bai Ruozhu with my own hands, which is why I went along. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I’ve made too many mistakes already, and I don’t want to drag other innocent people down with me," Madam Sun wept.

Kong Er looked at her, his gaze filled with infinite sorrow, "The poison really was mine."

"Impossible, why would you poison him?" Madam Sun asked.

Kong Er’s eyes showed confusion. He didn’t know either; he harbored resentment for his father, but not enough to kill him.

"It really was me. I even poisoned myself, and I won’t live much longer," Kong Er laughed bitterly, "Soon, I’ll join my father below and properly atone to him."

Bai Ruozhu rushed over, grabbing Kong Er’s wrist to check his pulse, her brow furrowing, "He did take poison, Officer, we must save him!"

"Right, right." The magistrate was flustered, unsure what to do at the moment.

Kong Er tried to evade, "No need to save me, I’m beyond redemption."

Bai Ruozhu swiftly pressed an acupoint, "Don’t move; you didn’t kill him."

Her tone was so unequivocal that everyone in the hall froze in shock. Did Bai Ruozhu intend to claim responsibility?