The corners of the County Magistrate’s mouth trembled slightly, and he seemed somewhat at a loss!

“But… the murderer has already confessed. This official neither interrogated nor beat her—she admitted it herself and even signed and sealed it. Who would be so foolish as to confess when they’re clearly not the murderer?” The look in his eyes beneath his prominent brow bones showed confusion, still confusion.

“That’s because she herself didn’t know the real murderer was someone else!” Ji Yunshu said.

What?

“What does this mean?”

The County Magistrate could no longer sit steadily in that pear wood chair. He simply went around the case table, holding up his official robes, and walked down from the high hall.

While saying, “You get up first. With you kneeling on the ground, this official feels awkward talking to you.”

“Then you agree to reopen the court?” She raised her eyes to ask him.

The County Magistrate spread both hands. “You must have evidence! According to procedure, the murderer has signed and sealed. If you want to overturn the case, without evidence, this official cannot reopen the court. You know this.”

“Of course I have evidence.”

“Truly?”

Ji Yunshu pushed herself up from the ground and patted the dust off her robes, her expression solemn. “I request that My Lord immediately issue an order to bring the old steward from the Zhou household for questioning.”

The old steward?

The Zhou family had an old steward? Why hadn’t he noticed at the time?

Seeing the County Magistrate still deliberating, Ji Yunshu’s fiery eyes glared at him. “My Lord, must this commoner go outside the yamen and strike the drum again?”

“No need, no need, and stop calling yourself ‘this commoner’…” Waving his hands repeatedly, he trusted Ji Yunshu. Turning his head, he instructed the bailiffs, “Go bring the steward from the Zhou residence.”

“Yes.”

Just as the bailiff was about to leave, he was grabbed by Ji Yunshu.

“Does Gentleman Ji have further instructions?” the bailiff asked, blinking.

She leaned close to his ear and said something. The bailiff nodded in understanding, then led several bailiffs toward the Zhou residence.

The County Magistrate’s heart was full of doubts. He took small steps closer to Ji Yunshu, pursed his lips, and frowned. “The real murderer is someone else—what does this have to do with that old steward? Could it be… he’s the murderer?”

“My Lord is so eager to know?”

“Of course!” With a somewhat lewd, yearning expression, he leaned closer to Ji Yunshu. “Tell this official—weren’t you the one who found the murderer? Those two both confessed, didn’t they? Why overturn the case now? Hurry up and tell this official.”

“Has My Lord ever heard a saying?”

“What saying?”

“Curiosity killed the cat!”

Choked speechless!

At this moment, a pair of cold eyes stared fixedly at the two through a narrow crack, like a gathering flame just short of being thrown at them.

Why stand so close for no reason? Whispering about who knows what?

Jingrong was just short of pressing his ear against the door panel, but his hand was in a sling, which was somewhat inconvenient.

Yet his heart was extremely displeased.

Liu Qingping, you have quite the audacity—daring to get close to this prince’s young scholar.

After waiting about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the bailiffs brought the old steward from the Zhou residence.

The old steward’s hands were bound behind his back, his posture still hunched. Because his feet couldn’t find purchase, as the bailiffs dragged him in, there was always a sense of falling forward and downward.

Pushed into the public hall, he knelt on the ground.

The old steward neither struggled nor made a fuss—extremely docile!

Only that face, ferocious with a knife scar, remained buried very, very low.

Following behind and entering together were Old Master Zhou and Madam Zhou.

How could bringing someone from the residence without reason not alarm the masters? Especially bringing Uncle Jing, the old steward who had worked in the residence for many years.

Now, with the person brought here, the County Magistrate also hurried up to the high hall and sat down on the pear wood chair.

Smack—

The gavel block struck once.

Below the hall, the old steward knelt, Ji Yunshu stood, and Old Master Zhou and Madam Zhou stood to the side.

The County Magistrate maintained his expression. “Ji Yunshu, this official heard your drum cry for justice. Now speak clearly—what exactly is this matter about?”

Ji Yunshu clasped both hands and raised them slightly. “My Lord, this humble one erred in judgment. Regarding Miss Zhou’s death, the real murderer is someone else. I humbly request My Lord to retry this case.”

“Then speak and let this official hear. If it’s truly as you say and the real murderer is someone else, this official will naturally retry and rejudge the case.”

Hearing that the real murderer was someone else, Old Master Zhou and Madam Zhou’s bodies trembled.

Old Master Zhou said, “My Lord, what exactly is going on? Isn’t the murderer Su Yun?”

“This… let Yunshu explain. This official… this official also doesn’t know the details.”

His gaze turned toward Ji Yunshu.

Ji Yunshu maintained her composed steps, lowered her head to glance at the old steward, and asked lightly, “Old sir, do you know why you were brought here?”

After a long moment, no answer came.

She smiled, the corners of her mouth curving with a trace of eeriness, saying, “Old sir’s health is poor. The prison is dark and damp, plagued with rats—I wonder if old sir can endure it?”

Still no answer.

Others didn’t understand—why bring up such things for no reason?

Jingrong in the rear hall was also extremely curious. He shifted his chair and leaned forward.

But still felt the County Magistrate’s slightly plump figure blocked his view, so he simply quietly moved to the side.

A broad view!

Now he could properly enjoy the show!

Ji Yunshu didn’t notice Jingrong hidden to the side.

She walked in measured steps behind the old steward, the corners of her mouth curving again.

“People may choose not to speak, but objects can speak. Old sir, why not openly and honestly admit that Miss Zhou… was killed by you.”

Whoosh~

Today in the public hall, there was truly one uproar after another!

What excitement—it would be a pity to miss it.

The old steward kneeling on the ground jerked upward, both hands clutching desperately at the corners of his clothing.

This small movement, falling in Ji Yunshu’s eyes, naturally became a sign of guilty conscience.

The first to break this shocking revelation was Madam Zhou, her eyes swollen, saying faintly, “Sir, what are you saying? It can’t be Uncle Jing. He wouldn’t do such a thing. He watched my daughter grow up—absolutely not.”

Extremely firm!

Old Master Zhou also chimed in, “The murderer has already confessed. Why does the gentleman now say the murderer is Uncle Jing? Is there some mistake?”

“Old Master Zhou, Madam Zhou, since this humble one wrongly judged the case, naturally I must be punished. But the urgent matter at hand is that this humble one has a responsibility to find the real murderer.”

“But…” Old Master Zhou was stuck.

Ji Yunshu walked once more before the old steward, her brows shifting, taking on an aggressive, pressing stance.

“I’ll ask you one more time—did you kill Miss Zhou? Why did you kill her?”

Though the tone was questioning, it carried a violent edge.

This compelled the old steward to involuntarily raise his head. Though his face was ferocious, his eyes were gentle. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he spoke in an extremely low voice.

“The gentleman is so intelligent, you should already have the answer. Then why not guess for yourself?”

“Eh!”

Ji Yunshu actually paused, startled. That tone carried not a trace of fear, but rather a flavor of acceptance.

And the old steward’s statement made everyone understand one thing.

Miss Zhou was indeed killed by him!