Chapter 1531: Sorting Things Out

Despite Chen Xiucai's favoritism towards Qiuju, he gradually figured out the situation. Qiuju caused Chen Xiucai's father to injure his leg, forcing him to stay home instead of going out. Then she had Aunt Jiang cook a light meal, resulting in Chen Ji having little appetite and eating sparingly in the evening.

By the time it was the second quarter of the hour of the Dog, Chen Ji couldn't bear his hunger, and the only one at home was Kong Zhiyou who couldn't cook. Unable to go out due to his injured foot, he couldn't prepare a meal himself.

Fortunately, there was a packet of instant noodles at home, which tasted good whether eaten dry or soaked in hot water - easy and simple to prepare.

Ordinary people would choose to eat the instant noodles, and he did just that. However, little did he know that the instant noodles were laced with poison. After eating them, he was poisoned and lost his life.

Every step was arranged meticulously, and finally, the blame was shifted to Kong Zhiyou, the only one at home without an alibi, making it a perfect scheme.

Qiuju's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and her body trembled slightly, but she kept trying to endure it.

Chen Xiucai took a step forward and grabbed her collar, asking angrily, ''Qiuju, why did you harm my father? What did he do to deserve this? Why did you do this?''

Qiuju shook her head, ''I didn't do it, I really didn't. It's all just a coincidence.''

''Coincidence? Do you believe that yourself? Do you think there are so many coincidences?'' Chen Xiucai countered.

''Then someone must have deliberately framed me,'' she tried to shift the blame to Kong Zhiyou again.

Unfortunately, the physician from the medical clinic arrived quickly.

After listening to Magistrate Xie's questions, the physician straightforwardly said, ''I never advised Master Chen to eat a light diet.''

Qiuju defended herself, ''Maybe you've seen too many patients and forgot what you said.''

The physician chuckled, ''Master Chen only bumped his leg and had a minor injury, so proper medication was enough. My advice was simple - for him not to stand for long and rest more, then come back in a couple of days to check on the wound. Why would I talk about a light diet?''

You should know that in this era, unless it's an affluent household, common people don't use much oil, salt, or sugar in their cooking, so physicians rarely give such advice to patients, and sometimes even encourage malnourished individuals to eat better.

So, the physician was quite clear about what he had said.

Magistrate Xie looked at Qiuju who still seemed inclined to argue, and suddenly slammed the table, saying sternly, ''How audacious, Qiuju! Even at this crucial moment, you refuse to repent. Do you want me to use torture?''

Qiuju panicked completely, raised her head, and saw Shu Yu standing beside them. She hurriedly said, ''miss Lu, miss Lu, please save me! I bumped into you last night at the third quarter of the hour of the Dog. But Sir Chen died in the second quarter of the hour. If I really poisoned him, how could I know he would eat the noodles at that time? Maybe if we returned later, he would eat them, and we wouldn't have been implicated?'

Shu Yu pursed his lips and thought seriously for a moment, 'But I feel that when you bumped into me, it seemed somewhat deliberate.'

Qiuju's expression froze, and in the next moment, she saw the man before her, who was clearly handsome but looked like a demon, ''When you bumped into me suddenly, it was quite strange. There was no one pushing you around. And although it was you who wanted to bump into me, you didn't apologize and leave immediately. Instead, you turned around and confronted me. Your actions were rather peculiar.''

 Chapter 1530: All Pointing to Qiuju 

Everyone's gaze suddenly fell on Qiuju.

Aunt Jiang hurriedly wanted to clear her name, so she blurted out everything she could to distance herself from the situation.

She pointed at Qiuju and said, "While I was cooking, Sister Qiuju came in and told me to use less salt in the dishes. I told her that Master Chen prefers strong flavors. But she said that Old Master Chen is getting older and should have lighter meals, as advised by the doctor. Well, Old Master did indeed visit the doctor during the day, and I thought maybe it was also Young Master's intention. So, for the sake of Master Chen's health, I reduced the amount of salt in the dishes, especially the ones he likes."

She had no idea that she would be implicated just because she used less salt while cooking and was almost treated as a murderer.

Aunt Jiang continued, "Yesterday was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and after finishing the cooking, I went home early to celebrate with my family. I did tell Sister Qiuju about it, and she didn't object, so I left. I really don't know whether Master Chen liked the dishes or how much he ate. Your Honor, Master Chen's death has nothing to do with me."

Prefect Magistrate Xie waved his hand, "Alright, I understand. Be quiet for now."

Aunt Jiang closed her mouth and knelt down on the side, keeping her head low.

Judge Xie turned his attention back to Qiuju, but before she could defend herself, he looked at Chen Xiucai and asked, "Chen Xiucai, is it true that he went to see the doctor and were advised to have light meals?"

Chen Xiucai furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head, "My father did go to the clinic yesterday morning after accidentally hurting his leg, but the doctor didn't recommend a light diet..."

As he spoke, he seemed to realize something and looked incredulously at Qiuju.

Qiuju immediately spoke up, "At that time, when you went to get medicine for your father, you didn't hear what the doctor said afterward. The doctor indeed advised having a light diet."

Chen Xiucai suddenly choked, unable to utter a word. It seemed plausible.

Shu Yu felt that Qiuju was getting a bit flustered, so she smiled and asked Prefect Magistrate Xie, "Your Honor, may I ask them a few more questions?"

"Of course."

"Qiuju, are you certain that the doctor did advise a light diet?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

Shu Yu nodded and asked Chen Xiucai, "Who was the doctor who treated your father? Can we have them come over?"

Chen Xiucai provided the name of the clinic and the doctor, and Prefect Magistrate Xei immediately sent someone to fetch them.

In the meantime, Shu Yu asked Kong Zhiyou, "When did you hear Chen Ji say he would go out to see the lanterns last night?"

"Two days ago, in the afternoon. father told Dongmei to take care of the house because he and Sister Qiuju would go out to see the lanterns on Mid-Autumn night."

Shu Yu smiled and said, "So, two days ago, he was planning to go out, but yesterday morning, he accidentally bumped his leg, which prevented him from going out."

With everything said, there was nothing more to be unclear about. Everyone who had been accusing Kong Zhiyou of being an unfilial daughter-in-law was now muttering and pointing fingers at Sister Qiuju.

  Chapter 682: Slap in the Face - The Imperial Edict Arrives (3)

The six, thinking they had the upper hand, quickly revealed their supposed evidence. As they unwrapped their bandages, fresh, red wounds appeared, exposing their injuries to everyone.

“Hey, these wounds look recent, indeed from the last couple of days. The marks resemble those made by wild beasts. It’s similar to the injuries Wang Dali and others suffered from a tiger last year!” Some nearby villagers, who could see clearly, began to murmur in excitement.

Upon hearing this, some villagers quickly countered, “Even if they were injured by wild beasts, it doesn’t prove it was the Five Beasts! They might have been hurt by other beasts in the mountains and are now framing the Five Beasts to extort money from the Mo family.”

“Yeah, both points have merit! It seems this matter is still up in the air. But those six seem excessive. Even if the Five Beasts did cause some harm, asking for five hundred taels each and taking the Mo family to court is a bit much. It looks like they set this trap to deal with the Mo family.”

“You’re just figuring that out now? I saw through them long ago. The Mo family shouldn’t be polite—just let the Five Beasts deal with them.”

“Are you serious? If the Five Beasts attack them, the authorities will immediately send people to kill them, and the Mo family will be in real trouble.”

...

Outside, the villagers argued heatedly while the atmosphere inside grew tense.

The six, full of themselves, pointed at the Five Beasts and taunted Mo Yan and Mo Qingze, “These wounds were caused by the five beasts you’re raising. Hand over the money now, or else you’ll face serious trouble.”

At this point, if the Mo family couldn’t provide evidence proving the innocence of the Five Beasts, not only would they face enormous compensation, but they could also be at risk of imprisonment. Yang Bao and the other villagers were worried for the Mo family, and even Mo Qingze was concerned about how things would unfold.

However, Mo Qingze’s concern was not about whether the family could escape the predicament but about how this would affect his daughter’s heart.

He believed in the Five Beasts' innocence and knew his daughter could counter the trap set by these schemers. But with the authorities already aware of the Five Beasts' existence, regardless of their guilt or innocence, they could no longer stay in the family home. They would either be forced to return to the mountains before the authorities came to hunt them down or be killed in the chase.

Both outcomes were unacceptable. Even he, who had little contact with the Five Beasts, found it hard to bear. How would his daughter, who lived with them and cared deeply for them, cope with such a situation?

Unaware of her father’s concerns, Mo Yan prepared for a counterattack. She walked over to the boasting six and, under their wary eyes, picked up the fur from the table, glanced at it, and set it down. She addressed the leading official, Yang Bao, and the village elders, “Officer, Uncle Yang, and esteemed elders, please take a close look at these four clumps of fur and feel them with your hands.”

The officials and elders, though confused, approached and examined the fur closely, feeling it with their hands but finding nothing unusual.

Just as they were about to ask questions, Mo Yan gestured to the Four Beasts. The beasts approached calmly, their intelligence evident.

As the Four Beasts came closer, their imposing presence made everyone shiver, and they instinctively took a small step back.

 Chapter 681: Slap in the Face - The Imperial Edict Arrives (2)

Seeing the six acting like clowns, Mo Yan had no intention of wasting time arguing with them. She simply waited for them to present their so-called evidence and planned to strike it down decisively. No matter how crafty they were, she was determined they wouldn’t get away with it.

Hearing the rising commotion outside, the six were anxious and dared not delay any longer. They dumped the contents of the cloth bags onto the table. There were four clumps of hair, and the color surprisingly matched the fur of Xiao Hua, Da Bai, Mao Tuan, and the Golden Beast.

To the untrained eye, the four clumps of hair seemed convincing. Someone unfamiliar with the Four Beasts might believe this was indeed their fur. However, Mo Yan knew better. With just a glance, she could tell the hair was from other wild animals, dyed and processed to resemble the fur of the Four Beasts.

The absence of the Red Python’s scales was likely because the scales were too rare. Each scale was as large as a baby’s palm, and missing even one would be glaringly obvious. The difficulty of faking them was high, and anyone would easily spot the discrepancy.

The person who set up this trap wasn’t entirely brainless. If the Four Beasts hadn’t drunk the spiritual spring water and eaten the space food to improve their physique, and hadn’t undergone years of refinement, distinguishing these fake hairs would have been more challenging.

But fake was fake. Despite the appearance, the texture of the hair was worlds apart from the real fur of the Four Beasts.

No two leaves are identical, and no two wild animals of the same species have identical fur. The minute differences, while imperceptible to the naked eye or touch, were magnified in the Four Beasts’ fur. A brief comparison would reveal the discrepancies even to those with poor eyesight.

Mo Yan felt confident. Even as more voices against her family and the Four Beasts emerged, her good mood remained unaffected. This time, she truly laughed.

Seeing Mo Yan’s smile, the six exchanged uncertain glances. They had been confident their plan would succeed and result in hefty compensation, but now they were suddenly unsure.

Mo Yan noticed their shifting expressions and her smile widened: “So this is the evidence you mentioned? Do you have more? Why not present everything together? You’re demanding three thousand taels in compensation, so you should at least make us convinced!”

The six, momentarily unsettled by the mention of three thousand taels, forgot their earlier confidence. One of them anxiously said, “Yes, of course, but you need to provide the three thousand taels first. If we’re satisfied, we might just give you the evidence and avoid filing a complaint at the yamen.”

“No way!” Mo Yan rejected outright and added with a seemingly casual remark that made the six break into a cold sweat, “How do we know these four clumps of hair aren’t something you secretly collected while the Four Beasts were shedding their fur, specifically set up to frame them and extort compensation? You must provide additional evidence, or we won’t accept this!”

The six, flustered and unable to come up with a defense, looked hesitant. The head official, who had been silent until now, finally found an opportunity and urged, “miss Mo’s point is valid. If you have other evidence, present it quickly. Otherwise, those four clumps of hair alone can’t prove the Five Beasts harmed you.”

The six exchanged glances and, under the urging gaze, reluctantly rolled up their sleeves and began to unwrap the white cloth bandages from their faces, necks, and arms.

 Chapter 1529: The Mighty Village Lord and Scholar Meng

"No?" Meng Yunzheng chuckled. "Then why did he have a late-night snack yesterday at the second quarter of the night? Did your stomach suddenly grow hungry, or did you get a craving?"

Under Chen Xiucai's calm and indifferent expression, he gradually calmed down. He cleared his throat and said, "Maybe, he didn't eat much during dinner."

"Why didn't you eat much?"

"Because, because the dishes Aunt Jiang cooked last night were too bland." Aunt Jiang was the woman who helped cook and prepare food in the Chen household.

Before Meng Yunzheng could finish his sentence, he looked up at County magistrate Xie. The latter blinked and suddenly realized, immediately instructing the constable, "Go, bring that Aunt Jiang here."

"Yes, sir."

The constable left quickly, leaving everyone else looking at each other, and the onlookers in the hall astonished as they observed Shu Yu and Meng Yunzheng, beginning to whisper among themselves.

"I don't know why, but listening to Lu Xiangjun and Master Meng's questions, I feel they're really formidable."

"They are, indeed. I think the truth is about to come out."

"Could there be a third suspect soon?"

"Possible. Aunt Jiang had the opportunity to poison as well."

The discussions outside buzzed, but the hall remained eerily quiet.

Shu Yu looked at the individuals still kneeling on the ground. Dongmei's gaze was resolute, seemingly full of trust in her mistress.

Kong Zhiyou no longer had the resentful and hopeless demeanor from earlier. Her back was slightly straightened now, and she half-raised her head to look at Shu Yu with complex eyes.

It was Qiuju whose entire head was lowered, her body trembling lightly, a drop of sweat falling from her forehead to the ground.

Shu Yu narrowed her eyes slightly. It was likely she was the culprit.

But there was one thing she couldn't understand. According to their account just now, both Chen Xiucai and Chen Ji stood by Qiuju's side to support her. Why would she harm her own backer? It couldn't be just to frame Kong Zhiyou, could it?

It seemed strange.

As she pondered, the constable had already brought Aunt Jiang over.

Aunt Jiang seemed unaccustomed to such a situation. When the master she worked for passed away, she had merely expressed some sorrow. She didn't expect this matter to somehow involve her. Consequently, as soon as she entered the hall, she immediately knelt down and cried out, "Oh, great Lord of Heaven, I'm innocent. It's not my fault. I really don't know how Master Chen died. I don't know anything."

County magistrate Xie's gavel slammed down abruptly. "Silence! There shall be no clamor in this courtroom."

Aunt Jiang immediately closed her mouth, extremely nervous.

Only then did County magistrate Xie speak, "Aunt Jiang, I have a few questions to ask you. Answer truthfully. If you're innocent, I won't wrong you."

"Yes, yes, I'll definitely answer truthfully."

County magistrate Xie inquired, "Did you prepare the food at the Chen residence last night? After working in the Chen household for so many years, you should be well aware of Master Chen's preferences. Why did the dishes you prepared last night not suit his taste?"

Aunt Jiang hesitated for a moment and hurriedly replied, "Because, because while I was cooking yesterday, Miss Qiu was in the kitchen."

 Chapter 1528: Related to Me Again?

Chen Xiucai furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, "I haven't heard anything about my father planning to go out."

The testimonies of these four people were inconsistent, which made Magistrate Xie find it quite strange.

Although Kong Zhiyou had a higher suspicion, so far, there was no direct evidence to prove who harmed Chen Ji.

Just then, an official's subordinate hurriedly ran in from outside and handed him a note, whispering, "Sir, we've checked all the pharmacies in Jiangyuan County. This is the list of all the customers who bought arsenic, and neither the Chen nor the Kong family, nor Qiuju, are on it."

Arsenic is a poisonous substance, and while it may sometimes be used for medicinal purposes, the law requires anyone buying arsenic to register and specify its use.

The paper the official's subordinate brought was very detailed, recording information about the customers who purchased arsenic, making it traceable.

After reading the paper, Magistrate Xie furrowed his brow tightly.

He then asked the constable, "Has the Chen family been thoroughly searched?"

The constable nodded, "Yes, we've searched thoroughly. Apart from the study where Chen Ji struggled in pain after being poisoned, there was nothing unusual in other places."

However, the study's mess was only caused by Chen Ji's suffering after being poisoned.

Magistrate Xie turned to Kong Zhiyou, "Last night, you reported the case and claimed that Qiuju was the culprit. Do you have any evidence?"

Kong Zhiyou had none, but...

"The arsenic was put in the noodles, but I don't cook. Just like Qiuju said, my father is quite particular about his food, and I, who don't know how to make noodles, can't cook anything that my father would eat."

Qiuju immediately refuted, "Father eats instant noodles, which don't require any cooking. You just need to pour hot water on them. There are only two people in the house, and father can't possibly cook instant noodles with arsenic for himself. Apart from you, who else could it be?"

Shu Yu: "..." My goodness, it's related to me again?

Chen Ji can eat anything, and he chose instant noodles?

If it gets out that there were arsenic-laced instant noodles in her house, wouldn't it be incredibly unfair to her?

Magistrate Xie subconsciously glanced at her.

Shu Yu was twitching her lips after being looked at like that.

What's going on now?

She rubbed her forehead and took a step forward, "Sir, I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Xiangjun, please ask."

"Does the Chen family have any other instant noodles?"

The constable replied, "No, they don't. Chen Ji ate the only bowl."

Shu Yu nodded, "So, as long as the arsenic was put on the only noodle, there's no need for someone else to make it for him. If he gets hungry and wants to eat, he can just make it himself. Chen Xiucai's can't cook either, and instant noodles are simple—just boil some water."

"Right."

Everyone nodded. So, it doesn't necessarily mean that Kong Zhiyou poisoned him at home.

Anyone could have put arsenic on the noodle cake. Even if Qiuju had an alibi, it's still possible.

Kong Zhiyou looked at Shu Yu with some surprise. She didn't expect Shu Yu to speak up for her and resolve her biggest dilemma, turning the situation in her favor.

Qiuju's expression changed slightly, and she pressed her lips together.

Shu Yu didn't bother to look at either of them and continued, "Now the question is, how can we ensure that Chen Ji will definitely eat that piece of noodle cake?"

Magistrate Xie hadn't thought about it in detail yet when Meng Yunzheng turned his head and asked Chen Xiucan directly, "Does Chen Ji have a habit of eating a midnight snack?"

"Ah? Ah." Chen Xiucai was stunned for a moment and subconsciously shook his head, "No, no, he doesn't."

  Chapter 680: Slap in the Face - The Imperial Edict Arrives (1)

As all eyes focused on them, the six people grew even more smug. Four of them took out small cloth bags from their waistbands, which another person gathered and held. He addressed the dozen or so officials and the onlooking villagers, “You all heard what the Mo family said earlier. If we can provide evidence, they will admit that the Five Beasts harmed us and not only compensate us each five hundred taels but also face judgment at the yamen. Now, I hold the evidence. Officials and villagers, bear witness to this so no one can deny it later.”

He glanced at Mo Yan, who ignored him completely and stared at the four small cloth bags he held.

Frustrated, the man thought, “Enjoy your smugness for now, little girl. Wait until I lay out the evidence for everyone. We’ll see how you squirm!”

Mo Yan had already guessed what might be inside those cloth bags and felt utterly speechless at the absurdity of it all. She wondered if the person who devised this scheme had a brain made of pig’s brain (with pigs being innocent in this context). If everyone framing others were this incompetent, there wouldn’t be so many false accusations and injustices in the world.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the man walked to the table, opened the cloth bags, and laid out the contents as he recited his rehearsed script: “We, the six of us, have no other hobbies but hunting for leisure! We heard that Yuhua Mountain is full of wild beasts and large prey, so we came here yesterday to test our skills. However, we didn’t find any prey but encountered these beasts instead.”

He stopped his actions, and as he was about to point to the Five Beasts, he was met with five pairs of cold, unblinking eyes. He swallowed nervously and cautiously gestured, “It’s them!”

“Yes, we were completely unprepared and were knocked down by them. Our bodies are covered in their scratches and bites! If we hadn’t had our swords and bows to scare them off, we might have been bitten to death yesterday, and wouldn’t be standing here now!”

The other four quickly stepped in to corroborate, their fake terror seeming quite convincing. Some villagers, not knowing the full truth, began to believe their story. However, Mo Yan and her family were laughing at the absurdity of it all.

These people were exaggerating to the point of claiming to have escaped from the fierce claws and fangs of the Five Beasts, as if they were martial arts experts. In reality, to kill these six people, even the weakest of the Five Beasts, Mao Tuan, could finish them off within moments.

Lying in front of the Five Beasts and insulting their abilities was akin to saying they could fly to the sky—it was utterly ridiculous!

The villagers who had witnessed the Five Beasts saving their children were particularly disbelieving. They had heard from their children about the night when fifty fierce mountain bandits were defeated by the Five Beasts in an instant. To hear these six weak individuals claim they had fought off the Five Beasts was laughable.

The villagers were now fully convinced of the Five Beasts' innocence and determined that these six were fabricating stories to extort money from the Mo family. Angered, they gripped their sticks tightly and engaged in heated arguments with those villagers still doubting the Mo family.

Hearing the arguments, Mo Yan felt even more certain that settling in Liuyang Village was a wise decision. Although not everyone was friendly, in critical moments, those who had been helped by her family still stood by them.

 Chapter 679: Evidence of Framing (4)

Yang Bao, the village elders, and many villagers who cared about the Mo family were worried about Mo Yan. They thought she had made a mistake, and they looked at Mo Qingze, urging him to step in and salvage the situation.

Mo Qingze took a deep breath and remained seated, not moving.

The lead official, recovering from his shock, stared at Mo Yan in disbelief. He had initially hoped to find a way to resolve the issue and clear the Mo family’s name, but now it seemed that his plans were useless.

The six "victims" rejoiced at the apparent acknowledgment of their claims and urged the lead official, “See? This girl has admitted it herself. Hurry and capture those five beasts. The family that keeps them should also be punished and thrown into prison to prevent them from causing more harm!”

“Exactly! They should be arrested, and not one should be spared! This family is truly despicable, raising beasts that harm people. If it weren’t for us catching them, who knows how many more would suffer!”

“Not only should they be imprisoned, but we also demand compensation—five hundred taels per person. Not a single copper coin less!”

The six “victims” continued to make a ruckus in the Mo family’s hall, hurling accusations and demanding imprisonment and compensation.

At this point, Mo Yan knew well that behind these six individuals was a mastermind trying to frame her family. The Mo family had no prior issues with these people; their malicious intent was evident from their excessive efforts to discredit the Mo family and imprison everyone.

Mo Yan’s first suspicion was Prince Heng, but she quickly dismissed this possibility. Prince Heng was indeed ruthless, but he would not resort to such underhanded tactics. Moreover, such methods wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny, nor would Chen Ji use them. Chen Ji was cruel but direct, and if he were involved, it would be for a more straightforward attack.

With these two suspects ruled out, the list narrowed considerably. Mo Yan considered past enemies and concluded that Wang Dali, Mo Hongshi, Mo Yongxi, Mo Erni, and Chen Shanshan were potential suspects, with Mo Yongxi and Mo Erni being the most likely culprits.

As for how they knew about the Five Beasts, Mo Hongshi and Wang Dali's families lived in the village, and the recent rumors against the beasts were spread by them. Chen Shanshan had a motive and could have acted secretly, knowing that Chen Ji would disapprove. These people, who harbored deep grudges, were likely seizing this opportunity for revenge.

Mo Yan’s lips curled into a cold smile. Just as the six “victims” were shouting the loudest, she suddenly spoke up, “You all keep claiming that the Five Beasts harmed you. When did I admit to it? Besides, even if the matter were to be judged, it should be done publicly, giving the accused a chance to defend themselves. You are condemning the Mo family outright! Are you more powerful than the officials, or is this whole scheme an attempt to frame my family?”

The six “victims” were momentarily stunned by Mo Yan’s barrage of questions. They were unsure whether to deny it and face embarrassment or to admit and make matters worse. They found themselves trapped in a no-win situation.

Under the gaze of the crowd, the six were sweating profusely. Their quick wit clearly failed them, and after a long pause, one of them pointed at Mo Yan and angrily retorted, “You—you—you’re just making excuses, trying to avoid the truth!”

“Haha!” Mo Yan laughed derisively, as if she had heard an amusing joke. She looked at the obviously guilty six and said seriously, “If you can present evidence, regardless of whether the Five Beasts are guilty, my family will admit to it. However, if you can’t provide evidence, or if it’s fabricated, you will be guilty of extortion. According to the laws of the Da Chu, extorting five hundred taels or more will not only earn you a beating but also several years of labor. With your physique, I wonder if you can survive the hard labor at the quarry!”

As soon as she finished speaking, one person eagerly stepped forward and shouted, “Who says we don’t have evidence? If we produce evidence, will the Mo family admit to it?”

The last part of the question was directed at Mo Qingze.

Mo Qingze’s face darkened. He said coldly, “If you can present evidence today, my family will admit to it. Conversely, if you fail to produce evidence or if it’s false, you will be accused of extortion!”

The six “victims” were initially confident, but upon hearing the last statement, their faces grew pale and their eyes shifted nervously. Yet, with so many witnesses, they had no choice but to press on.

However, they felt secure with the evidence they had prepared. They were determined to get compensation and rewards, and were eager to present their evidence…

 Chapter 1527: Evidence Against Kong Zhifu

Dongmei, the other maid, was also kneeling in the middle of the hall alongside Kong Zhiyou.

When Kong Zhiyou married into the Chen family, she had two maids, Qiuju and Dongmei, as well as two servant women.

At first, Kong Zhiyou didn't think much of it, but after she had a miscarriage and Qiuju became Chen Xiucai's concubine, the two servant women ended up serving both Qiuju and the Chen father and son in their daily lives.

Kong Zhiyou couldn't tolerate this and simply let the two servant women take a leave and return to their own families, leaving only Dongmei by her side.

Chen Xiucai and his father knew she had just had a miscarriage, and with the Kong family causing a ruckus, they didn't dare to say anything. So, they could only let her handle this matter.

But Dongmei only cared for Kong Zhiyou, and she wasn't allowed to serve other members of the Chen family, she wouldn't even look at them.

Kong Zhiyou regretted it now. She used to value Qiuju more, thinking she was eloquent and clever, but now she realized that Dongmei was the one who truly treated her well.

With no one to take care of the Chen family, they had to hire nearby servant women to help with chores and cooking. In fact, that was how they lived before Kong Zhiyou married in.

So, last night, when Chen Xiucai and Qiuju went out to see the lanterns, only Kong Zhiyou and her father-in-law, Chen Ji, were at home, along with Dongmei, who should have been serving Kong Zhifu.

Now, Qiuju pointed out that Dongmei wasn't at home, which was indeed strange.

Kong Zhiyou took a deep breath, not looking at Qiuju, and said to Magistrate Xie, "Sir, it's true that I asked Dongmei to go home. She has been taking good care of me these days, regardless of my bad temper and demanding requests. She has never complained. She's genuinely loyal to me, and naturally, I care for her too. A few days ago, she received news that her mother was sick and wanted to go home. However, she only went home to take a look and then returned to serve me."

Dongmei was from the Kong family, and her parents and younger brother were still there.

Kong Zhiyou looked at Dongmei, "She was worried about me being alone, but I know she's concerned about her family. After my body improved during these days after childbirth, I suggested she go home and celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with her family, so she wasn't at home."

Magistrate Xie then asked Dongmei, "Is what Kong said true?"

Dongmei's voice was low but clear, "Yes, sir, what Madam said is correct. Madam advised me to go home long ago, but now she's the only one around, and her health is not good, so she can't be left alone. Moreover, with Qiuju at home, I felt uneasy. Yesterday, Madam said Qiuju, the young master, and the old master would go out to see the lanterns, leaving only her alone at home. So, she didn't need to worry about anyone harming her and asked me to go back."

Magistrate Xie paused, "You said just now that Chen Ji also intended to go out?"

Dongmei nodded, "Yes, sir, I indeed heard the old master say he wanted to go out at first, but I don't know what happened later. Suddenly, he stayed at home."

Magistrate Xie then looked at Kong Zhiyou and Qiuju. Both of them shook their heads, and Qiuju said, "I haven't heard anything about the master going out."

Kong Zhiyou spoke up, "I don't know why my father-in-law changed his mind and stayed at home."

Magistrate Xie then turned to Chen Xiucai.

 Chapter 1526: Accusations Against Each Other

Shu Yu smiled and shook her head, then stepped back, standing beside Meng Yunzheng.

As a village lord, she didn't need to kneel, and as a scholar with an official rank, neither did Meng Yunzheng.

Oh, there was one more person standing beside them—Chen Xiucai, Kong Zhiyou's husband, who was also a scholar with an official rank.

However, at this moment, Chen Xiucai seemed dazed, probably unable to accept his father's death. He stood there with a desolate feeling, staring fixedly at Kong Zhiyou.

Clearly, he had already decided that she was the one who killed his father.

Kong Zhiyou didn't look at him but glanced at Shu Yu with a gaze that seemed to be filled with disappointment and resentment.

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow, "Hey, what's with that expression? It's like I'm here just to target you."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Shu Yu looked at Magistrate Xie, who was sitting behind the desk.

Magistrate Xie clapped the wooden block loudly, straightening his back, and said in a loud voice, "Alright, now that Lu Xiangjun is here, let's continue."

Perhaps fearing that Shu Yu didn't understand the situation, Magistrate Xie briefly explained what had happened.

"Last night, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chen Ji was found dead at home. The autopsy results revealed that he died from arsenic poisoning, and the poison was put in the noodles. The time of death was around the second watch of the night. Chen Xiucai's wife, Kong Shi, accused her maid, Qiuju, of being the murderer, but Qiuju counter-accused Kong of conspiring to kill her father-in-law. According to Qiuju, she met Lu Xiangjun at the South River Bank around the third watch of the night. The South River Bank is a distance away from Chen's house, and a quarter of an hour is indeed not enough for a round trip. Lu Xiangjun, do you confirm Qiuju's statement?"

Shu Yu nodded, "I did indeed see Qiuju around the third watch of the night."

Her memory of the time was precise because after Qiuju left, she overheard two girls who were by the riverbank and were planning to leave because it was getting late.

Upon hearing Shu Yu's response, Magistrate Xie turned to Meng Yunzheng.

The latter nodded, "That's right."

Qiuju smiled in response, while Kong Zhiyou swayed a little.

Magistrate Xie clapped the wooden block again and looked at Kong Zhifu, "Kong Zhiyou, since Qiuju wasn't at home when Chen Xiucan was murdered, what do you have to say?"

Kong Zhiyou gritted her teeth and lifted her head, "Sir, her absence doesn't prove she's innocent. She could have poisoned the noodles in advance, and when my father-in-law got hungry and ate them, he would still be poisoned and die."

Qiuju immediately refuted, "Sir, that's simply not possible. Noodles are soaked in soup, and if left for a while, they would become clumps. My master is particular about food and would never eat noodles that have turned into clumps."

She kowtowed quickly and said in a hurry, "It's Madam. She's the most likely one to prepare the noodles for master. Only Madam and master were at home last night. She had the best chance to do it. Sir, I dare not deceive you. Madam had a miscarriage before, and she bears a grudge against me, so she falsely accused me. But both master and young master felt that Madam was making a fuss without reason and stood by my side. Because of this, Madam resents both master and young master and took the opportunity when no one was at home to poison my master to avenge herself. It's highly possible."

Kong Zhiyou suddenly raised her head, glaring at Qiuju, "You're talking nonsense."

"Then how does Madam explain her sending Dongmei home last night? Wasn't she trying to keep her away from here?"

Chapter 678: Evidence of Framing (3)

“Yes, we don’t care what others think of us. The Five Beasts have done us a great favor, and no matter what, we can’t let these scoundrels succeed,” a villager added.

Mo Yan felt a surge of warmth from the villagers’ support. “Thank you all for trusting the Five Beasts. I will handle this matter properly and ensure that their innocence is proven.”

Seeing her determination, the villagers gradually felt reassured. They observed the children feeding the Five Beasts some wild fruit, which the beasts ate without signs of aggression. This further convinced them of the Five Beasts' innocence.

Mo Yan, with the Five Beasts and her siblings in tow, hurried down the mountain. She feared that if they arrived too late, the troublemakers might have caused more problems. The other villagers followed, and upon reaching the Mo family’s courtyard, they chased the unwilling children back home. They armed themselves with thick wooden sticks, ready to protect the Mo family if necessary.

As Mo Yan entered the courtyard, she heard loud voices in the front hall demanding compensation from Mo Qingze. Some of these voices included insults, which ignited her anger.

In the courtyard stood several villagers who had come in response to the commotion, discussing the situation. Among them were those who believed in the Five Beasts' innocence, those who were skeptical, and some who took the opportunity to criticize the Five Beasts, claiming they had done harm. The scene was chaotic.

When Mo Yan and the intimidating Five Beasts entered, the crowd fell silent and parted, fearful of the wild animals.

Inside the hall, besides Mo Qingze and Li Xiu, there were more than a dozen officials in uniform with large knives at their waists. Yang Bao and the village elders stood by Mo’s side. The most conspicuous were the six "victims" sitting in the center, claiming to have been injured by the Five Beasts.

These six individuals wore new silk clothes, but their faces, necks, and hands were wrapped in white bandages stained with a hint of blood. Two of them even leaned on crutches, presenting a pitiful sight that seemed to confirm their claims of injury.

Seeing Mo Yan’s fierce expression and the menacing Five Beasts, the six "victims" instinctively shrank back and hid behind the officials.

Despite their fear, they continued to accuse the Five Beasts: “Officials, look, these wild beasts are the ones that bit us. Hurry and capture them, capture them!”

The officials, also unnerved by the Five Beasts, instinctively took a few steps back. The lead official, regretting the decision to come, swallowed hard and said to Mo Yan, “Miss Mo, could you please drive these beasts away first? We can discuss the matter further once they’re gone.”

The lead official was someone Mo Yan had encountered before, during the previous search for the Golden Beasts led by Wang Dali. Knowing that Han Zhiyun was on good terms with the Mo family, he was aware that handling this case might be difficult, but with orders from above, he had to proceed.

Mo Yan walked over to her worried father and gave him a reassuring look before addressing the lead official calmly, “You say the Five Beasts are the culprits. If I drive them away, what if they flee and we are accused of a cover-up?”

Her words shocked not only the officials but also the six “victims,” who seemed stunned that Mo Yan would acknowledge the accusation so directly.

Chapter 677: Evidence of Framing (2)

The ten older children, eager for the adventure, managed to convince the younger ones to return home with various tricks and coaxing. With the Five Beasts leading the way, Mo Yan kept her younger siblings and the group of children in the middle, with herself bringing up the rear to ensure no one got lost. Fortunately, the children were relatively well-behaved, as it was their first real adventure into the mountains.

It was late autumn, and the vegetation on the mountain was mostly withered. The snakes, insects, and pests were not as active as in summer, reducing the risk of bites or encounters with dangerous creatures.

The Five Beasts, accustomed to the mountain, guided Mo Yan and the children through the terrain, leading them to fruit trees not found in the space or orchard. Some of the wild berries and fruits growing on the shrubs were delicious and easy to pick, which thrilled the children who rarely had fresh fruit. They eagerly filled their baskets and their stomachs.

The mountain path was treacherous, and a fall could cause serious injury. With so many children, it was challenging for Mo Yan to keep track of everyone. After digging up a few young fruit saplings and collecting some herbs not available in her space, she decided it was time to head back.

As they reached the edge of the mountain, Mo Yan spotted a group of seven or eight villagers approaching. Initially, she thought they had come to check on their children, but upon closer inspection, she realized they had come specifically to find her.

"Yao'er, you need to hide the Five Beasts quickly. Several people have brought officials to your house, claiming that the Five Beasts injured them. They’re demanding 500 taels of silver in compensation from your family!" a quick-talking woman said urgently.

Whether the Five Beasts had actually harmed someone or if it was a deliberate attempt to extort money, it was a situation that needed to be handled carefully. Hiding the Five Beasts and denying the claims might make the problem go away, but it was not a satisfactory solution.

Since her own children had been saved by the Five Beasts, Mo Yan felt a strong obligation to support them and not let them be wronged. The villagers' effort to warn her was a way of showing gratitude, and she was determined to deal with the extortionists.

Mo Yan’s expression turned serious. She knew the Five Beasts had not harmed anyone, and the claim was clearly an attempt to deceive. If not handled properly, the villagers might start seeing the Five Beasts as dangerous, and she might be forced to deal with them.

"No matter what, we must not hide the Five Beasts," Mo Yan said firmly. "If we do, people will think we’re guilty and fall into their trap. I won’t let anyone harm the Five Beasts or pay any compensation to these extortionists. I will find out who is behind this and deal with them."

The villagers, understanding that Mo Yan was resolute, said, “We believe in the innocence of the Five Beasts. Rest assured, if those scoundrels try to harm them, we will use our tools to drive them out of the village.”

“Exactly. The Five Beasts are intelligent and good-hearted; we won’t let these villains taint their reputation.”

 Chapter 1525: Let Her Testify

A homicide case?

How could Ah Yu get involved in a homicide case?

Grandma Lu anxiously handed Xiao Zaozao to Hua Xian and asked the two officers, "Gentlemen, is there any misunderstanding in this? Our Ah Yu would never commit any wrongdoing."

The two officers were taken aback by her words, realizing that she misunderstood the situation. They quickly explained, "Madam, don't worry. Miss Lu won't get into trouble. She is summoned as a witness."

"A witness?" Shu Yu asked, puzzled.

"Yes, last night, master Chen was murdered, and his Daughter-in-law, Kong Shi, reported the case to the yamen, claiming that her maid, Qiuju, was the one who poisoned him. Qiuju denied it and said that she had gone out to see the lanterns last night and ran into Miss Lu. Magistrate Xie sent us to invite Miss Lu to help with the testimony."

Grandma Lu felt relieved after hearing the explanation. So that's how it was.

However, Shu Yu's heart sank. Chen Xiucai's father was murdered? And Kong Zhiyou reported the case to the yamen? Does this mean Kong Zhiyou was trying to deal with Qiuju?

Shu Yu knew that Kong Zhiyou would seek revenge, but going after her father-in-law seemed unwise. Even if Master Chen wasn't a scholar, getting involved in a murder would only make things worse.

Something doesn't seem right.

Shu Yu shook her head. Kong Zhiyou was willing to endure and stop her family from dealing with Qiuju during her most sorrowful confinement. Someone who could bear such humiliation and burden would definitely plan a painful and meticulous scheme to deal with Qiuju. Getting directly involved in something that would put herself in an unclear situation didn't seem like her style.

This whole situation felt strange.

Shu Yu felt something was off but tried to reassure the old lady, "Grandma, it's nothing major. I'll go to the yamen and just tell them what I saw and heard. I'll be back soon."

The old lady nodded, "Alright, go ahead then."

Shu Yu nodded to the two officers, "Let's go."

"Please, Miss Lu."

The group got on the carriage and arrived at the yamen shortly after.

Outside the main hall, a crowd had gathered, and many common people were pointing and discussing something.

When Shu Yu entered the hall, she immediately noticed Meng Yunzheng standing there.

It seemed he had been summoned too.

Meng Yunzheng nodded at her, and she walked in.

In the center of the hall, three people were kneeling—Kong Zhiyou, her maid, and Qiuju.

The last time Shu Yu saw Kong Zhiyou, she was in good spirits and had a cheerful face.

But now, she looked much thinner, and her aura seemed to have been drained. She appeared haggard and had a poor complexion.

When Kong Zhiyou saw Shu Yu, her expression changed, and she turned her head away with a tight-lipped smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.

On the other hand, Qiuju eagerly lifted her head when she saw Shu Yu and said, "Miss Lu, you're here! You must help me testify. I really didn't commit the murder."

Shu Yu walked past her and approached Magistrate Xie, bowing respectfully, "Greetings, sir."

Magistrate Xie had a gentle demeanor and smiled, "Thank you, Miss Lu, for coming all this way."

 Chapter 1524: Chen Family's Trouble Involving Shu Yu

Shu Yu nodded and watched the woman leave, seeing her quickly being embraced by a man.

It seemed like she was crying in grievance and said something to the man. The man looked over at them when he noticed Shu Yu's gaze. Startled, he awkwardly smiled, hugged the woman, and hurriedly walked away.

Shu Yu withdrew her gaze and said, "That person is called Qiuju. She used to be Kong Zhifu's maid. She took the opportunity when her mistress was pregnant and seduced her master. Later, she caused Kong Zhifu to miscarry when she was six months pregnant."

Meng Yunzheng naturally didn't know Kong Zhifu, let alone Qiuju. Shu Yu briefly explained their grievances to each other.

Finally, after glancing at the backs of the couple who had disappeared into the crowd, she said, "Speaking of which, Kong Zhifu should be out of her confinement now. She's not the kind of person who would be bullied without retaliating. Now that Qiuju and Chen Xiucai are acting so openly, they may have brought trouble upon themselves."

Shu Yu finished speaking and saw Meng Yunzheng deep in thought, not knowing what he was thinking.

She tugged at his sleeve and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"I just remembered something. Previously, didn't I ask teacher Wen to introduce a few morally upright scholars or jinshis? When the academy opens, I want to hire them as teachers. teacher Wen said that he didn't do it publicly; he only mentioned it to a few familiar friends and didn't mention my name. However, a certain Scholar Chen, I don't know where he heard the news from, came to teacher Wen to inquire about it."

He paused and narrowed his eyes, saying, "Judging from what you said just now, it should be the father of this Scholar Chen."

The Chen family had a history of producing two scholars, which had once made them famous in Jiangyuan County.

Shu Yu immediately asked, "What did teacher Wen say?"

"Of course, he refused." Scholars and jinshis in Jiangyuan County knew each other's characters very well, especially since teacher Wen had a wide circle of friends, and he would know what needed to be known.

Meng Yunzheng had only heard it in passing at the time and didn't pay much attention to it, but he didn't expect to encounter this situation today.

Meng Yunzheng continued, "teacher Wen said that the father and son of the Chen family are indeed knowledgeable, but they are too eager for success and try every means to climb up. Such a person is suitable for other things, but not as a teacher."

Shu Yu agreed with this. The Chen family was indeed trying to climb up. This was evident from their treatment of Kong Zhifu.

When Kong Zhifu invited her to her birthday banquet, Shu Yu didn't go, and the father and son's attitude immediately changed.

The same was true for Xiao's side. Since Kong Zhifu couldn't climb up, they didn't bother to pay any attention to her.

"Never mind about them. It's lively ahead. Let's go."

Shu Yu wasn't interested in the chaotic affairs of the Chen family. In any case, they wouldn't live a peaceful life in the future.

However, Shu Yu's expectations were too conservative. She thought that the Chen family would cause trouble after some time, but she didn't expect that on the second day after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chen family would encounter trouble, and inexplicably, it was related to her.

At that time, Shu Yu was just preparing to go out. She wanted to visit the city to check out the new shop and verify the results of Shunkou Lu.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, two official officers arrived. They politely invited her to the county government, saying that the county magistrate wanted to see her and needed her help to verify some information about a homicide case.

Grandma Lu was holding Xiao Zaozao and sending her off when she heard the news, and she immediately became nervous.

  Chapter 676: Evidence of Framing (1)

With the busy scene of driving stakes, building frames, and digging ditches, the village was abuzz with activity. Many onlookers were speculating whether this year’s greenhouse vegetables would succeed. If they ended up like last year, where losses surpassed the initial investment, more families would face starvation next year. Some even maliciously wished for a storm to come and wipe out these families, hoping that Mo’s family would be held responsible and suffer a tarnished reputation.

Mo Yan heard these rumors but chose to ignore them with a smile. Instead of arguing, she preferred to let the results speak for themselves and prove her critics wrong.

The 90 acres of land had been prepared in advance, awaiting the completion of the irrigation ditches and the construction of the greenhouses before planting. With 70 workers laboring tirelessly, they worked until the last day of September.

On the previous day, all the vegetable seeds and melon seedlings had been planted. While the melon seedlings were watered right after planting, the vegetable seeds needed to be sprinkled with water.

Proper watering was crucial: too much water would compact the soil, making it hard for seeds to sprout and risking them rotting. Too little water would leave the soil dry, making it hard for seeds to swell and germinate. The best method was to use a watering can, which allowed for better control of the water distribution.

The villagers, experienced in farming, were more skilled in watering and fertilizing than Mo Yan, so she left it to them.

With the good weather, Zhen’er and Yun Zhao returned for a rare visit. Mo Yan decided to take the Five Beasts and her younger siblings into the mountains to look for some tasty wild fruits. She hoped to transplant these fruit trees into the space for optimal cultivation, possibly adding new varieties to the orchard.

However, Zhen’er had blurted out their plans to the village children the day before. Early in the morning, Mo’s family found themselves surrounded by a group of eager little ones. The children gazed up at Mo Yan with pleading eyes, promising to behave and not wander off if they could come along.

These children had long wanted to explore the mountains but were forbidden by their families and scared by recent encounters with mountain bandits. Finally, they saw an opportunity and were determined to join, especially with the impressive Five Beasts accompanying them. They were eager to boast about their adventure to other village kids.

Mo Yan could not make the decision on her own and sent the children back home, promising to bring fruits later in the afternoon and inviting them to visit. However, the allure of the mountain adventure overshadowed the promise of fruit, especially with the exciting presence of the Five Beasts.

Faced with the persistent pleas of the children’s parents, who were eager for their children to join the fun, Mo Yan reluctantly agreed to take them along. To prevent any from getting lost or straying, she decided to only bring ten older children, aged seven or above, who seemed less likely to cause trouble.

The younger ones were disappointed and started to pout and cry. Mo Yan, frustrated, directly threatened the older children: if they couldn’t keep the younger ones in line, no one would go to the mountains that day.