“I…”

“But Old Master Jiang didn’t agree. He even scolded you a few times and said he would tell your sister about this. You were terrified and begged him not to say anything, but Master Jiang wouldn’t listen. You’re naturally timid and afraid of trouble, but the strong liquor went to your head, causing you to lose your clarity of mind. In a rage, you took out a dagger and stabbed him repeatedly.”

“No, I didn’t kill him, I didn’t!”

“While you were stabbing Master Jiang, his hands inadvertently grabbed your belt and tore off that three-holed button. When he fell backward, his ankle twisted, his head struck a tree, and he died on the spot!”

As Ji Yinshu spoke, she approached Li Zhao step by step.

Li Zhao’s face was deathly pale, his whole body convulsing. He shook his head desperately and finally spoke in a trembling voice.

“I really didn’t kill him, I didn’t!”

“It was you. You stabbed him to death with a dagger, then buried his corpse.”

“No, someone else killed him, someone else did it. I only pushed him once, just pushed him once. I don’t know who killed him. I only buried his body.”

Li Zhao’s voice was very loud.

Hmm!

Very good.

Good that he admitted it.

When Li Zhao spoke these words, everyone was extremely shocked.

Without harsh interrogation and torture, Li Zhao had already confessed.

When Master Jiang died, he was present!

Ji Yinshu received the satisfactory answer she wanted. The corners of her lips lifted slightly with a sense of relief.

She said, “I’ve finally forced those words out of you. Li Zhao, what you said is correct. Whether you lied or whether the button is yours—none of this is sufficient proof that you’re the murderer. However, all of this is enough to make you afraid. When a person is afraid and simultaneously being forcefully interrogated, then out of instinct, they will definitely speak the answer others want to hear.”

Upon hearing these words, Li Zhao suddenly understood.

But now, it was too late for regrets.

His entire being seemed deflated. His hands slipped limply from the two yamen runners’ grasp and fell to the ground. His eyes were filled with despair and sorrow.

The County Magistrate’s body was almost leaning onto the desk. He pointed at Li Zhao and asked, “Li Zhao, you’ve now confessed. So this official will ask you once more—is it exactly as Master Ji said? You got into an altercation with Master Jiang and killed him?”

Li Zhao seemed to have lost his soul, sitting stupidly on the ground.

His mouth flatly recited, “I didn’t, I didn’t. Yes, I did owe a lot of money. Yes, I didn’t want my sister to know, so I went to borrow money from my brother-in-law. But that old thing refused no matter what and threatened me, saying he would tell my sister, tell my father. I was very angry at the time, but I only pushed him once. I saw him fall to the ground, and then I left.”

“Since you only pushed him once, where did the knife wounds on his body come from? And why would you bury his corpse? Clearly you were afraid your crime would be exposed.”

He shook his head, no longer as agitated as before. “I really only pushed him once, then I left. When I came back, I discovered… discovered he was already dead. His body… was covered in blood. I was terrified, so… so I buried him.”

Full of holes!

Before the County Magistrate could question further, Ji Yinshu said, “If you didn’t kill anyone, why would you bury the body instead of coming to the yamen to report to the authorities? Also, the person who buried the body—there was also Madam Jiang, wasn’t there? She knew you killed Master Jiang, but couldn’t bear to send you to the authorities. So she helped you bury the body together, then hastily moved to the capital.”

“I already told you no. I didn’t kill anyone. The only one who buried the body was me alone. I just resented that old fellow for not giving me money, so I felt it was good that he died. I even wanted to thank whoever killed him for me. Since someone killed for me, I buried the body for that person. That’s the reason—nothing more, nothing else.”

This reasoning was simply absurd!

Li Zhao gritted his teeth with a lifeless expression. His previous panic and timidity had completely vanished.

His tone, his attitude—clearly, he was concealing something!

Ji Yinshu pondered in her heart. If what Seventh Uncle had said was correct, then the people who buried the body should have been Li Zhao and Madam Jiang together.

But now, Li Zhao refused to admit to murder, only admitting to pushing someone and burying the body—meaning he didn’t want to implicate Madam Jiang either.

Most critically, the eyewitness was already dead—dead men tell no tales!

Seeing Ji Yinshu’s contemplative expression, Li Zhao suddenly laughed and said to her, “You’re Master Ji, right? Let me tell you—I didn’t kill anyone at all. So just with that button, you can’t prove I’m the murderer, and you won’t find evidence to prove I am. Furthermore, I also understand the law. At most, you can charge me with corpse concealment and deception. And my grandfather and father will certainly find ways to pull strings. At most, I’ll sit in jail for a few days and then be released.”

Was it really acceptable to so brazenly bring up his backing?

This was exactly like saying “My dad is Li Gang!”

The County Magistrate was also helpless. He glanced at Ji Yinshu, and what responded to him was an equally helpless gaze.

Evidence—she truly had none left!

Might as well…

The County Magistrate said to Li Zhao, “Since you’re so stubborn, this official has plenty of ways to make you talk.” With that, he ordered the yamen runners, “Take him to the prison cell and interrogate him thoroughly.”

“Yes.”

The yamen runners lifted Li Zhao from the ground.

He dragged his body along, still laughing loudly. “If you dare use torture on me, the Li family will never let you off.”

His voice grew more and more distant!

The County Magistrate came down from the high seat and walked to Ji Yinshu’s side, asking quietly, “How is it? Is there really no new evidence to prove he’s the murderer?”

“No.” The answer was quite straightforward.

Indeed, none had been found.

The County Magistrate raised his sleeve to wipe away sweat, clapped his hands together, and muttered, “The Li family, no matter how you look at it, is full of worthy ministers. If we really can’t get to the bottom of this… the Li family might come to the yamen and force this official to release him.”

“Would they disregard even the law?”

The County Magistrate sighed. “This isn’t the capital. The sky is high and the emperor is far away.”

The implication was that he, a small sesame-seed-sized county magistrate, if someone from above truly pressured him to release the prisoner, in the end, he would really have no choice but to release him!

Ji Yinshu also frowned with worry. Of the cases she’d encountered—if not twenty or thirty, then at least seventeen or eighteen—she had never encountered a murderer with such a powerful background!

But thinking it over, this thorough investigation was ordered by the Emperor’s son!

No matter how great his background, could it be greater than Jingrong’s?

Of course not!

Above Jingrong was the Emperor!