Chapter 114 - 113: Who Says I Don’t Have Evidence? (Part 1)

Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Who Says I Don’t Have Evidence? (Part 1)

Sang Shaochen was slightly stunned, quickly glanced at Xu Jing, then looked away, and said, "In the morning, I was sleeping soundly when suddenly a deathly pounding on the door woke me up.

Before going to sleep, I had told the staff at the inn not to let anyone disturb me. Naturally, I was very angry and was about to scold them harshly to teach them some manners on behalf of their master, but there was no one outside!

Immediately after, I saw a note on the ground. Look, it’s that note."

His shoulder, which Vice Minister Xiao had pressed last night, still throbbed with pain. No matter how curious he was about this woman’s identity, he dared not look randomly.

Xu Jing continued to ask, "Do you remember roughly what time it was then?"

"What time?"

Sang Shaochen frowned and thought for a while, then said decisively, "It was around 7 a.m. I remember it clearly because I was so happy when I saw that note, I immediately sent my servant to inquire about the time. I even wondered why Su Wan would call me so early and wasn’t afraid of running into her husband."

a.m.!

That coincides with the estimated time of death of the deceased, and with what the staff who saw Sang Shaochen earlier said.

Xu Jing slightly curled her lips and said meaningfully, "So that’s how it is, that’s how the murderer operated. I fear that he set up the scene and then went to find you, intending to make you the scapegoat."

Xu Jing’s words left everyone present slightly stunned.

Scapegoat? Does this lady mean that the murderer is not Sang Shaochen?

Having held back for a long time, Zhao Jingming finally couldn’t hold it anymore and asked, "How do you know that Mr. Sang isn’t the murderer? And...how do you know that the murderer went to find Young Master Sang after setting up the scene? Couldn’t he have gone to him before the murder?"

Xu Jing glanced at him, smirking, "Because if the murderer had gone to find Young Master Sang before the murder, he couldn’t predict when Young Master Sang would go find the deceased. If he happened to come over while the murderer was setting up the scene, wouldn’t it all go to waste?

As for why I know Young Master Sang isn’t the murderer, it’s simply because I know who the real murderer is!"

After Xu Jing finished speaking, she brushed past the shocked and questioning gazes of the crowd, looking straight at Mr. Wei not far away, and said coldly, "Isn’t that right, Mr. Wei?"

Mr. Wei?

Does she mean that the real murderer is the deceased’s husband—Wei Dadong?!

All eyes instantly shot towards the face of the pale Wei Dadong, except for Xiao Yi and the deeply contemplative Xiao He, who both wore expressions of surprise.

Xinghua almost immediately said, "Impossible! The lord went early this morning to discuss the reconstruction of Xinghua Inn with the foreman. The foreman and all the craftsmen can testify. How could the lord have time to kill his wife..."

Xu Jing chuckled lightly and said, "As long as the murderer is quick, completing all these crimes and handing the note to Young Master Sang at the front of the inn can be done within fifteen minutes.

Moreover, only a person who holds both identities as the owner of Xinghua Inn and as the deceased’s husband would know how to quickly enter the inn without being noticed by the staff, as well as how to convince the deceased to write the words on the note for Young Master Sang without arousing suspicion!

Fifteen minutes is enough time for Mr. Wei to excuse himself to go to the toilet or to fetch something, don’t believe me? You can have the foreman who discussed details with Mr. Wei this morning come over and ask him if Mr. Wei left at any point during their discussion."

Xiao Yi immediately called a constable to quickly inquire with the foreman from this morning’s discussions.

Xinghua, with a face full of disbelief, bit her lip and said, "This is all your conjecture! Even if... even if the lord left during the discussion with the foreman, you cannot prove that the lord went to commit murder at that time! Could it be that you saw it with your own eyes?

Moreover, there was so much blood when the lady died, it splattered everywhere. The murderer’s clothes couldn’t have remained unstained, yet the lord is wearing the exact same clothes now as he did this morning! There isn’t a drop of blood on them; both Nianxia and I can attest to that!

You ignore the clothes stained with blood on Young Master Sang and instead accuse our innocent lord. Aren’t you deliberately targeting him!"

In the face of Xinghua’s questioning, Xu Jing was not in a hurry, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up as she said, "You are correct, the deceased’s major artery was severed, and she died on the spot. Blood sprayed all over the walls. In such circumstances, no matter how the murderer tried to avoid it, it was impossible to get away completely unstained.

But what if Mr. Wei had prepared two identical sets of clothes in advance? It’s his bedroom with the deceased, he knows it best. He could have easily hidden the other set of clothes there beforehand without being noticed by others. After committing the murder and setting up the scene, he could then quickly change out of the stained clothes into the new set, hiding the stained set.

Making an identical set of clothes isn’t easy, and such a request might seem odd to those unaware of the truth. Since Mr. Wei’s clothes are neither special in design nor noteworthy for collection, it would not be a stretch to inquire at the local tailor’s shop in the county to find who made clothes for Mr. Wei.

Or, if you were to search through this residence or the Xinghua Inn up front, perhaps you could find the stained clothes Mr. Wei hid. Given the time constraints at that moment, it’s more likely that Mr. Wei hurriedly stashed them away for later disposal when everything was settled."

Xu Jing’s words, initially sounding logically tight-knit, gave a person with a bit of brains a clear sight of the biggest loophole within.

Xinghua, face paling, voiced more sharply, "No matter how much you say, it’s just your speculation! Unless you can immediately produce the tailor who made the second set of clothes or find the said stained clothing!

Though I’m not educated, I know a case isn’t judged like this!"

The County Magistrate of Jingning County also furrowed his brows, agreeing, "Yes, this lady is right. Speculation cannot be used as evidence in an investigation. Perhaps, I should send someone to inquire at the county’s tailor shops or search nearby for any blood-stained clothes?"

This woman speaks vigorously and seems to possess partial reason, but she dares to openly accuse someone of being a murderer without any solid evidence.

One mishap, and the case remains unsolved; she might even face charges of slander.

Xu Jing, however, coldly laughed, "No need, what I just said was indeed mere speculation, but who said I have no evidence?"

The crowd froze, looking at her in shock and doubt.

She has evidence? Hearing her previous speculations, they thought she was only bluffing.

Among so many officials and constables present, none found evidence, yet she alone did?

Xu Jing ignored the crowd’s expressions, her gaze fixed firmly on the unspoken and tight-lipped Wei Dadong, and said, "Before that, I want to ask Mr. Wei a question: you clearly killed the deceased at the vanity, so why did you move her to the bed? Was it more convenient to frame Young Master Sang this way?"