“That’s all,” Rong Zhui said, covering her mouth and nose with a silk fan. “I can’t remember anything else. It’s been so long. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
“Wait.”
As Rong Zhui turned to leave, Zhu Yan called out to her.
“There’s still an unresolved matter. You can’t leave just yet.”
Rong Zhui paused, already anticipating what Zhu Yan would say next. “Madam Shen, if you’re asking about what happened on the first day of last month, I have nothing to tell you. I was merely attending to personal matters that day, and I can assure you, I did not commit murder.”
“I believe you didn’t commit murder.”
Zhu Yan stepped out of the room first, followed by Shen Du. The two of them moved to the corridor, with Rong Zhui trailing behind them into the courtyard.
“On the first day of last month, you were indeed not at the Tongming Pavilion, and I know you didn’t commit murder,” Zhu Yan said, turning to face Rong Zhui. “Because on that day, you met someone who offered you benefits or perhaps something more advantageous.”
Rong Zhui’s face turned pale, and she staggered slightly, trying to maintain her composure. “What do you mean, Madam Shen?”
Zhu Yan smiled lightly. “I haven’t even mentioned who it was, and you’re already nervous. Rong Zhui, I’ve always respected you as the sister of the victim, which is why I’ve been patient with you. But don’t let my goodwill go to waste.”
Rong Zhui forced herself to remain calm, averting her gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Madam Shen.”
“Is that so?” Zhu Yan’s tone was teasing. “From the beginning, someone has been hiding something from me. I don’t know what they’re trying to conceal, but I will find out. However, if you confess now, the nature of this case could change.”
After speaking, Zhu Yan looked at Rong Zhui with eyes full of meaning, as if she could see through her thoughts.
Rong Zhui’s breathing became erratic, and her body trembled, not from restraint but from guilt.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan stepped forward and continued, “You don’t need to be so nervous. If you don’t want to tell me today, I have ways to make you speak.”
With that, Zhu Yan took out some torn pieces of paper from her sleeve.
“These were found at your Tongming Pavilion. Although they were torn, when pieced together, the content is still visible.”
Zhu Yan’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes so penetrating that Rong Zhui dared not meet them.
“What is this?” After a long pause, Rong Zhui asked, her voice trembling.
“What do you think it is?” Zhu Yan countered. “For its owner to tear it up, it must be something unspeakable. However, I saw the words ‘first day’ on one piece, and the signature was…”
Zhu Yan deliberately dragged out her words, not revealing the name, while Rong Zhui was on the verge of collapse, covering her ears. “Stop it, stop it!”
“Then tell me everything!” Zhu Yan grabbed Rong Zhui’s wrist, surprised at her strength.
“I…” Rong Zhui was at a loss, her panic evident. “That day, I went to meet Lord Liang.”
Zhu Yan loosened her grip slightly, a cold smile on her face. “Go on.”
“That day, Master Liang Ji Ren from the Liang family invited me to meet, but we didn’t do anything. We just talked about Zhan Xin and the Liang family’s son.”
Zhu Yan glanced at Shen Du, who shook his head slightly.
Such a simple lie was transparent to Zhu Yan, and Shen Du was no less perceptive.
“And then?” Zhu Yan pressed.
“That’s all,” Rong Zhui shook her head repeatedly. “That’s all. Lord Liang just talked about Zhan Xin and the ghost marriage with the Liang family’s son and gave me some money as consolation. Nothing more.”
Zhu Yan narrowed her eyes. Although Rong Zhui’s composure had crumbled, her words still seemed to conceal the truth.
Now that she was in this state, further questioning would likely yield no results.
“If there’s nothing more, then so be it.” Zhu Yan released Rong Zhui completely. “In the future, I hope you won’t hide anything from us. This is a serious matter. If we can solve the case soon, Zhan Xin and Liang Chen Zhong can rest in peace.”
“Yes,” Rong Zhui nodded, trembling. “Then I’ll take my leave.”
Zhu Yan said nothing more, and Rong Zhui turned to leave, almost fleeing in her haste.
Watching Rong Zhui’s hurried departure, Zhu Yan sighed in frustration. “Even now, she won’t tell me the truth. What are they hiding?”
“What they’re hiding isn’t important. What’s important is that she’s not the murderer,” Shen Du interjected, surprising Zhu Yan.
“You’re so sure she’s not involved in the murder?” Zhu Yan asked.
Shen Du frowned deeply, nodding, then shaking his head. “Until the murderer is found, everyone is a suspect. However, her suspicion is minimal because Zhan Xin was her sister, and Liang Chen Zhong and Zhan Xin were truly in love. If she didn’t approve of their relationship from the start, there would be no need for a ghost marriage after their deaths.”
Zhu Yan nodded in agreement. “You make a good point. But we still need to verify what Rong Zhui said.”
“Let’s go. I’ll go with you,” Shen Du said, looking at Zhu Yan with an inexplicable tenderness.
At the Liang residence, Liang Ji Ren was puzzled by their visit but still received them courteously, leading them to a guest room.
After some pleasantries and tea, Shen Du got straight to the point. “Lord Liang, where were you on the first day of last month?”
Hearing this, Liang Ji Ren’s expression turned grim as he pondered. “The first day of last month… I went to see a friend.”
“What kind of friend?” Zhu Yan asked.
Liang Ji Ren chuckled, dismissing it. “Not an important friend, just someone I hadn’t seen in a while, catching up.”
“Was it a female friend?” Shen Du continued, causing Liang Ji Ren’s face to turn pale.
“This…” Liang Ji Ren hesitated, looking at the two before him as if he had something to hide.
“What’s so difficult to say? If it’s just a normal friend, then say it,” Zhu Yan prompted.
Liang Ji Ren forced a smile. “It’s not a friend, just the madam of Tongming Pavilion, Rong Zhui.”
Shen Du and Zhu Yan exchanged glances, surprised that Liang Ji Ren confessed so quickly.
“What was the purpose of your meeting?” Shen Du asked.
Liang Ji Ren lowered his head, a hint of guilt in his voice. “Rong Zhui is the madam of Tongming Pavilion, and Zhan Xin was her sister. Of course, I only learned this after the incident. The sisters were unfortunate, and Zhan Xin had a ghost marriage with my son. I didn’t want to neglect them, so I went to comfort her and gave her some money as a token of sympathy.”
Zhu Yan and Shen Du said nothing more. After a few more exchanges, they left the Liang residence.
“It seems they’ve already agreed on a story, determined to keep their secrets buried,” Zhu Yan vented her frustration as they walked along Zhuque Street.
Shen Du remained calm. “You don’t believe what Liang Ji Ren said?”
“I believe it, of course,” Zhu Yan insisted. “I believe three parts of it, but the other seven parts must hide a bigger secret. Rong Zhui is the same. There’s more they’re not telling us.”
Shen Du said nothing further, and the two returned home.