After Zhang Xiaobai finished speaking.

Magistrate Zhuo said, “Which means you cannot prove you didn’t kill anyone?”

“But that doesn’t prove I’m the murderer either!”

Magistrate Zhuo was unconvinced. “You resented Wang Jun for stealing your male lead role because of his relationship with Zhao Zhuang’er. Plus, this time he beat you, so you killed Wang Jun and dug up Zhao Zhuang’er’s skeleton, deliberately displaying it before people to vent your hatred! Moreover, you’re someone from the troupe. If you wanted to hide the skeleton in that pile of yellow earth, it would be an easy matter.”

“I’m wronged!” Zhang Xiaobai cried out, desperately trying to exonerate himself. “Speaking of motive, I am indeed more suspicious than Song Zhi, but someone clearly saw Wang Jun go find Song Zhi, and Song Zhi even chased after him. And that bundle—maybe it contained the skeleton! Just based on these things, Song Zhi is more suspicious than me.”

He had a point!

Magistrate Zhuo choked for a moment.

He thought about it.

He said, “In any case, you two are now the biggest suspects in this case. This official will investigate thoroughly again, but for now, you absolutely cannot be released.”

“What?”

“Someone, take Zhang Xiaobai away.”

“Yes!”

Two constables came up and grabbed Zhang Xiaobai.

Zhang Xiaobai picked up his clothes from the ground and held them.

Bare-chested, he was led away by the constables.

Outside watching the trial, Troupe Master Tao fainted in the next moment.

Wang Jun, Song Zhi, Zhang Xiaobai—these three people were all very important to him!

Song Zhi could write scripts and would surely be able to write more like “The Ghost Bride Buries Her Husband” in the future.

Wang Jun was the Zhao Family Troupe’s male lead.

And Zhang Xiaobai—he treated him like half a son.

Now those three people were dead or imprisoned. Wouldn’t this be the death of him, Troupe Master Tao? The Zhao Family Troupe was completely finished.

Even after this case was resolved, the Zhao Family Troupe couldn’t hope to continue operating in Yiwu anymore.

Just thinking about it made his heart ache!

After Troupe Master Tao fainted, it was that person called Gao Dali who carried him back.

The crowd of spectators gradually dispersed too.

Once the crowd scattered, Ji Yinshu and Jingrong went inside.

When Magistrate Zhuo saw them, “You two?”

He walked down from the high bench.

Ji Yinshu said, “Magistrate Zhuo, when you were trying the case just now, we already heard everything from outside.”

Magistrate Zhuo said, “According to what Young Master Ji said, this official sent people to investigate. Only Zhang Xiaobai had a grudge against both Wang Jun and Zhao Zhuang’er. Plus with so much evidence just now, there’s substantial evidence proving he may be the murderer.”

“Although various pieces of evidence do indeed point to him, Zhang Xiaobai also said that currently there’s simply no direct evidence proving he killed anyone.”

Indeed, there was no direct evidence proving Zhang Xiaobai was the murderer.

Magistrate Zhuo had initially agreed to let Ji Yinshu investigate the case for Young Master Cheng’s sake. Later, seeing she truly had some ability, he also admired her from his heart, but—

“Young Master Ji, I know what you mean, but this case has already dragged on for quite a while. The evidence already points to Zhang Xiaobai. Although no one saw him commit the crime, that doesn’t mean he’s not the murderer. This case—this official must resolve it quickly.” Magistrate Zhuo’s face was resolute.

Ji Yinshu immediately said, “Please give me two more days, Your Honor.”

Two days?

Magistrate Zhuo deliberated.

“In two days, I will definitely make the case clear.”

Since she put it that way, Magistrate Zhuo could only say, “Fine. For Young Master Cheng’s sake, I’ll give you two more days. After two days, if you still can’t produce anything, this official will close the case.”

He waved his sleeve and left!

Ji Yinshu’s brow furrowed tightly.

Jingrong asked her in a low voice, “What do you plan to do?”

She said, “Go to the Zhao Family Troupe!”

…

In the prison.

Song Zhi sat inside quietly when he suddenly heard a commotion.

Then he saw constables escorting the ragged Zhang Xiaobai inside.

Zhang Xiaobai shouted, “If you beat a confession out of me, I’ll go to the high court and sue you.”

The constable said, “Be obedient.”

“Let me go!”

“If you keep howling, I’ll treat you to the whip.”

“I didn’t kill anyone. I’m wronged!”

The constable ignored him and locked him in the cell directly across from Song Zhi.

He locked the door with an iron chain and left.

Zhang Xiaobai pulled hard on the iron chain, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Come back, let me out, come back!”

His voice echoed in the damp, dark cell…

Song Zhi sat in his cell staring blankly at him.

Like watching a monkey!

When Zhang Xiaobai was tired of shouting and his voice grew hoarse, only then did he stop.

He was already exhausted. Because a cold draft was flowing through the cell, he couldn’t help but wrap his loose, open garment tighter, then looked around inside the cell.

His face full of disgust!

He even felt there was no place to step.

After all, for someone with germaphobia, this was simply deadly.

Suddenly—

A voice came from behind him. “Don’t be afraid, all cells are like this.”

Uh!

Zhang Xiaobai was so startled he almost screamed.

He covered his chest and turned to look at the cell across from him. Because it was somewhat dark, he could vaguely see someone sitting across from him.

“You… who are you?”

“It’s me.”

“Me?”

“Song Zhi!”

Zhang Xiaobai paused. “So it’s you. You startled me.”

Song Zhi said, “I’ve seen you. A year ago, I went to find Troupe Master Tao to deliver a script and saw you in his room.”

“Rare that you old fellow still recognize me.” Zhang Xiaobai snorted.

Song Zhi asked, “What? You killed someone too?”

You killed someone too?

This question would make one vomit blood.

Zhang Xiaobai immediately became angry. “Isn’t this all your fault?”

“Me? How have I ever harmed you? These past days, I’ve been locked in here the whole time.”

“Now Magistrate Zhuo thinks I’m the murderer who killed Wang Jun and forcibly locked me in here.”

“Oh!” Song Zhi slowly uttered a single word, then said, “Does that mean I can get out soon?”

Pfft—

Zhang Xiaobai indicated he had already vomited blood.

“Song Zhi, oh Song Zhi, you deserve to be poor for life!”

“A person may be poor, but their aspirations needn’t be.”

“Heh, then why don’t you hurry up and admit you killed Wang Jun! Why are you implicating me now?”

“But I didn’t kill anyone.”

“I didn’t kill anyone either.”

Song Zhi: “…”

Zhang Xiaobai at this moment wanted to cry but had no tears. “Now, Magistrate Zhuo will probably have both of us killed together.”

“Will he?” Song Zhi doubted.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaobai wanted nothing more than to rush over and strangle Song Zhi to death.

“Why did you have to write ‘The Ghost Bride Buries Her Husband’? Fine, you could have buried yourself alone, but why did you have to bury me too?”

His voice choked!

Song Zhi said, “If you didn’t kill anyone, then you needn’t worry. That Young Master Ji has already promised me he will definitely investigate this case and restore justice to me. When the time comes, he will definitely restore justice to you too.”

“Hmph!”

Zhang Xiaobai stopped talking and continued looking at the filthy cell, complaining, “This place stinks to death. If I stay here, I’ll definitely get sick.”

Song Zhi said with good intentions, “How about I speak with the constable brother and we switch cells? Mine at least has a small window.”

“If you want to be charitable, go tell His Honor that you killed Wang Jun and let me hurry back to take a bath.”

Song Zhi lowered his head, feeling that truly everything he said was wrong!

He simply closed his mouth.

Zhang Xiaobai across from him wandered around in the cell, stubbornly refusing to sit on the straw pile, afraid of getting something on himself.