Chapter 79 - 78: Interrogation (Double Update)

Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Interrogation (Double Update)

Deng Youwei was taken aback, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at Xu Jing.

Xu Jing was just trying to scare him a little, not really wanting to waste time on such trivial matters. As they approached the village, she said flatly, "Instead of thinking about these irrelevant things, County Magistrate Deng should think about how to quickly arrest the culprit and bring them to justice.

Although the perpetrator’s crime this time is quite immature, it’s not hard to see that he is ruthless and vicious. If left unchecked, I’m afraid more women will fall victim."

Deng Youwei blushed again, and just as he was about to say something, a government official’s loud call came from not far away, "Vice Minister Xiao, County Magistrate Deng, over here, we’ve gathered everyone at the village head’s house!"

Deng Youwei was momentarily stunned and then heard Xiao Yi say beside him, "You should go ahead; you are the one in charge in Anping County now."

The implication was that he, as the County Magistrate, should oversee this case.

Deng Youwei had no other thoughts, nodded, saluted Xiao Yi, and then strode forward.

Xiao Yi glanced at Chen Hu and said, "County Magistrate Deng is new here and unfamiliar with Anping County’s matters. Take the other officials and assist him."

Chen Hu didn’t think much of it. He had been quite distressed after being dismissed, but suddenly being assigned a task now brought a sense of sneaky joy, as if he had stolen some fish, and he quickly responded, taking a few other officials to follow Deng Youwei.

Xiao Yi naturally took over Chen Hu’s duties, pushing Xu Jing forward slowly.

Xu Jing turned her head to glance at the man and said, "Vice Minister Xiao, you sent everyone else away intentionally. Do you have something to say to me?"

"Yes."

Xiao Yi lowered his eyes. From his angle, he could only see the crown of the woman’s dark, dense hair and her two ears, delicate and shiny like the most translucent crystal dumpling wrappers.

He paused, shifting his gaze nonchalantly and said, "I just have some objections to what Miss Xu said earlier."

Xu Jing was slightly stunned.

"Miss Xu is worried that the exposure of the forensic examination might cause you trouble, which is understandable. But even if Miss Xu demands the highest remuneration, it won’t completely eliminate this risk.

If Miss Xu truly wants to protect herself, shouldn’t she refrain from performing autopsies from now on?"

Xu Jing caught her breath slightly, and the corners of her mouth lifted in a faintly cold arc. She said, "Vice Minister Xiao, you’re quite strange. You were the one who invited me to perform autopsies for the county government. Now you’re saying it’s not proper for me to continue.

Vice Minister Xiao, do you want me to continue performing autopsies or not?"

Even though the woman had her back to him, making it impossible for Xiao Yi to see her expression, he could feel her bristling like a cat with its tail high in the air.

Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on the wheelchair handle and said in a slightly deep voice, "As a court official, I should always start from the common people’s perspective. Naturally, I hope Miss Xu can continue to perform autopsies for the county government.

It’s just that County Magistrate Deng may have misunderstood Miss Xu. If Miss Xu were really the kind to only care about her own life and have eyes only for money, she wouldn’t have agreed to cooperate with the county government."

Xu Jing was taken aback, and then heard the man behind her continue, "I just want to tell Miss Xu, since you were invited by me, even if I return to the Western Capital, I will do my best to ensure that your role in the forensic examinations doesn’t impact your life.

If Miss Xu is willing to trust me, you can rest easy without putting too much pressure on yourself."

During their conversation, they had arrived at the entrance of a courtyard. The official standing at the door saw Xiao Yi and immediately saluted, "Greetings to Vice Minister Xiao!"

Xiao Yi responded indifferently and wheeled Xu Jing into the courtyard.

The seemingly aimless conversation topic seemed to end there, but Xiao Yi’s last words kept resonating in Xu Jing’s mind, pulling a slightly mocking curve on her lips hidden under the veil.

This man, pretending as if he knows her so well.

He even says to trust him.

This man indeed has a sense of responsibility, and she believes he will try his best to protect her, but in the end, she is not someone special to him. While things are still stable, he is willing to protect her.

But if in the future, things become uncontrollable, or if a certain sacrifice is needed, will he still be willing to protect her?

Xu Jing wasn’t unwilling to trust others, she just didn’t believe these people, who were unrelated to her, would be willing to protect her with all their might. Those who would wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to her were no longer in the world.

For so many years, she had been used to facing everything alone, taking responsibility for her own life.

Just at this moment, an excited female voice came from not far away, snapping Xu Jing back to reality, "Yu is dead?! Impossible! It can’t be! Just a few days ago, I was chatting with her by the river, I even asked her how her wedding dress preparation was going, at that time... at that time Yu was perfectly fine!"

"Is it... is it a mistake? How could Yu be gone just like that..."

"Zhu Yan, stop pretending here! Yu is dead, you must be very happy, right? Who doesn’t know you’ve always coveted Yu’s fiancé! Whenever you see Yu, you’re always sarcastic. You’ve long wished for Yu’s demise to take over her fiancé!"

"Ye Anqiao, you’re... you’re talking nonsense! Although my relationship with Yu has been distant in the past two years, we grew up as sisters. How could I wish for something to happen to Yu!"

"Anqiao, calm down. Although Yanzi’s words can be sharp at times, she values her friends dearly. We all know that in our village, don’t we? It was Yu who distanced herself from Yanzi initially, and Yanzi was troubled about it for a long time..."

Over in the courtyard stood a crowd of over a dozen people, densely packed. The ones speaking were four young women gathered together.

The girl called Ye Anqiao was wearing an apricot-colored skirt, her complexion was pink and moist, her hair was styled in a woman’s bun, and her almond-shaped eyes gave her a lively yet elegant appearance.

At this moment, her face was twisted in extreme anger as she glared at a girl named "Zhu Yan," wearing a green long skirt, with a long face, and styled in a maiden’s bun, not far away.

The other two women, one with hair also styled in a woman’s bun, had a slightly bulging belly, clearly pregnant, and the other girl, still unmarried, wore a light green dress, looking like the youngest among the four women.

They stood anxiously beside Ye Anqiao and Zhu Yan, apparently trying to mediate.

Deng Youwei stood not far away, facing everyone in the courtyard, suddenly shouted sternly, "Offi- Official investigation, e-everyone shut up! Meng Anhe!"

Although he stuttered when he spoke, his commanding presence seemed natural, so with a single remark, even though everyone in the courtyard looked at him with surprise, the previously overwhelming noise that was piercing the ears indeed quieted down.

Moreover, Deng Youwei came dressed in official robes, and anyone with a bit of awareness would recognize who he was; even if he were a seventh-level disabled person, no one dared to act presumptuously.

Although Meng Anhe was a man, he was meticulous and immediately understood the new county magistrate’s intentions. He stepped forward and saluted, "Reporting to County Magistrate Deng, the people gathered here are all related to the case. On the left are Lady Zhuo’s family members, and these four women on the right are the ones who had contact with Lady Zhuo when she washed clothes by the river before she went missing.

The ones in the middle are the village chief of Xiao Xi Village and his family. Thanks to the village chief, we were able to gather everyone so quickly."

At this time, a middle-aged man with red eyes standing in the group on the left gritted his teeth and said, "County Magistrate Deng, I have only this one daughter under my knees. When her mother passed away, Yu had not yet married or had children. To let her mother rest in peace, I swore to heaven that I would protect Yu well. But who would have thought that before a year passed, Yu... Yu is gone...

In just a few days, after the year of mourning, Yu was going to get married.

After I die, I wouldn’t have the face to meet her mother...

I’m begging County Magistrate Deng, find the person who killed Yu, give justice to Yu!"

Deng Youwei gave him a long look and said, "Re- rest assured. Please, please these ladies tell us, be- before Lady Zhuo went missing, was there anything unusual?"

Ye Anqiao stepped forward first, her eyes red as she said, "Yu and I have always been good sisters. Usually, we would meet up after breakfast to wash clothes together, but that day, Yu was a bit late. She told me it was because her sister-in-law wasn’t feeling well, so they had their breakfast later, which made her late.

At that time, I, Zhu Yan, Xianglan, and Rong were already at the river.

Yu, Xianglan, Rong, and I often washed clothes at the section of the creek behind the Zhao family near the woods, because the surrounding rocks blocked the view and it was usually quiet.

However, that day, Xianglan brought Zhu Yan along, and just now Xianglan said that Yu was the one who first avoided Zhu Yan. That’s not the truth at all! It was obviously Zhu Yan who got too close to Yu’s fiancé first, which made Yu uncomfortable, causing her to not want to associate with Zhu Yan anymore!

I didn’t want Yu to see Zhu Yan and be affected, but Xianglan insisted that Zhu Yan wanted to talk to Yu to clear up some misunderstandings.

Later, when Yu came and saw Zhu Yan, she was very upset. Yu had always been vigilant; she must have been distracted by being affected by Zhu Yan, which gave that despicable bandit a chance!

Miao Xianglan, Zhu Yan, you two caused Yu’s death! It was you!"