Feng Miaojun stood beside her adoptive mother, scanning the entire scene with the curiosity of an eleven-year-old girl. Her peripheral vision swept over Yun Ya several times, noticing that this person appeared to be ill, with all his previous sharpness nowhere to be seen. When someone is naturally good-looking, they can be beautiful even when sick. Especially when he covered his mouth to cough a few times, his ice-jade pale complexion flushed slightly red, mesmerizing countless female onlookers.

His voice was tense when Xiao Yan turned his head with concern and said, “Your… since you haven’t recovered, wouldn’t it be better to go back and rest?”

Yun Ya broke into a smile: “It’s nothing, I can endure. Just bring me some more hot tea, the hotter the better.”

Xiao Yan didn’t insist and called someone over to change his tea. Indeed, the steam rose vigorously. Feng Miaojun, standing several zhang away, could see it was hot enough to make one’s forehead sweat, yet Yun Ya sipped it without changing expression, seemingly quite satisfied with the temperature.

Only those suffering from cold-deficiency would wear fur coats in summer and drink scalding tea. Remembering how this person had displayed overwhelming battle prowess in the pit, Feng Miaojun absolutely didn’t believe he was ill, but was curious about what game he was playing.

At this moment, the testimonies of Madam Wu and Hu Ping, given separately in the dark room, were copied and presented to Magistrate Xu. He took them and glanced for a few moments before passing them to Xiao Yan and Yun Ya.

These few people’s expressions remained unchanged, but Feng Miaojun knew that the contents of the testimonies must be completely different. Hu Ping was her person, and with this disruption, Madam Wu’s credibility as a witness would plummet.

Just then, Magistrate Xu called her name: “Feng Miaojun, what did you say after pushing down Old Woman Wang?”

This was the most central question of the entire case. Whether Feng Miaojun had a motive for murder all hinged on this answer.

She pouted, tears quickly welling up in her eyes: “Magistrate, I didn’t push Old Woman Wang down on purpose!”

“Oh?”

“She was walking in front, and when I was passing through the half-moon gate, I tripped on the threshold and accidentally pushed her down!”

Zhao Dazhao suddenly raised his head: “You’re lying! It wasn’t like that…”

Magistrate Xu slammed his gavel: “Silence! Would you dare to disrespect this court?”

Feng Miaojun dejected pursed her lips: “That threshold was too high.” The eleven-year-old girl had not yet hit her growth spurt, and the threshold was higher than her calf, making it truly difficult to step over. During her two days at the Feng household, she had nearly tripped three times, so these words came from genuine experience.

“If you accidentally tripped, why did you kick and beat Old Woman Wang?”

“I didn’t!” Her small face was filled with grievance, “I fell on top of her and was trying hard to get up. During that time, I might have accidentally bumped into Old Woman Wang, but I did not kick her deliberately!”

Magistrate Xu remained silent for a while, then called the eyewitnesses forward for questioning. There were few people in Feng Family Village, including Hu Ping, only three people witnessed this scene. Hu Ping had just been brought back, while the other two trembled fearfully as they stated that they were several zhang away from the half-moon gate, and their line of sight was largely blocked by the tall magnolia tree. They could only see that Miss Feng and Old Woman Wang had both fallen. Miss Feng got up first with movements of hands and feet, but they couldn’t see whether she was kicking and beating the woman or struggling to get up.

In other words, the accusation that “Feng Miaojun lost her temper and pushed Old Woman Wang after hearing her mock the state of An Xia” was now being completely denied by the person involved.

Yun Ya, sitting there listening to these trivial matters, had been utterly bored until now, when the corner of his mouth curved into a barely perceptible arc. “Remnants of An Xia” – these few words spelled trouble for anyone associated with them. The little girl was not stupid; she was anxious to disassociate herself from them.

Feng Miaojun spoke loudly: “I had no intention of pushing or scolding Old Woman Wang, much less killing her! I am willing to swear an oath that if I speak a single false word, may my sinful soul immediately vanish into dust.”

Peng Bai, outside the court, heard her deadly oath and was nearly scared out of his wits, because there were ghosts and spirits in this world, and such oaths truly would come to pass.

Feng Miaojun, however, remained perfectly composed.

This body had already changed owners. Pushing down and kicking Old Woman Wang were actions of the original owner, having nothing to do with her. She also hadn’t wanted Old Woman Wang to die.

This logic was flawless.

No matter how deadly the oath, it couldn’t affect her.

She stood there properly, and Magistrate Xu could only ask: “Then, what did you say to Old Woman Wang, and why did you run out crying?”

“I wanted to help Old Woman Wang up, but she was too heavy, and she kept muttering ‘little harbinger of death,’ repeating it two or three times.” Feng Miaojun bit her lip and said, “I knew she was talking about me. I felt hurt and no longer wanted to help her up, so I ran out.”

Zhao Dazhao and Madam Wu both bulged their eyes in disbelief, never expecting this little hussy to spout one basket of lies after another. Old Woman Wang was already dead and couldn’t refute however much filth Feng Miaojun threw on her. Madam Wu pointed at her, her hand trembling: “You, you speak nonsense…” Seeing Magistrate Xu’s darkening face about to erupt, she quickly shut her mouth.

Magistrate Xu heaved a long sigh.

Having worked in local government for seven or eight years, how could he not know by now that this case had become unsolvable? All evidence was ambiguous, without conclusive proof. He couldn’t establish the Feng family’s guilt, nor could he rule out the possibility that the murderer was someone else. Normally this would be fine, but now with two important figures watching from the court, such an inconclusive result was truly…

While he was secretly worried, Xiao Yan suddenly said: “Actually, there is one method that might resolve this case cleanly.”

Magistrate Xu brightened: “Please advise, young master!”

“Let Old Woman Wang’s soul return to testify.” Once these words were spoken, the court suddenly became eerily cold, making everyone shudder involuntarily. Matters of ghosts and spirits had always been mysterious and eerie.

Magistrate Xu immediately grew worried again: “The secret art of soul recall is only known in legends. Where would we find such talent in our county? Moreover, I’ve heard that the soul recall method only works on the newly deceased. Old Woman Wang’s seventh day has already passed, and she died in Juping Village, tens of li away from here. We cannot recall her soul now.”

“Extraordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things,” Xiao Yan smiled, glancing towards Yun Ya. “Just because others cannot do it doesn’t mean no one can.”

This implied that Old Woman Wang’s departed soul could be summoned back! Magistrate Xu understood his gaze and was overjoyed: “May I trouble the young master—” he turned and bowed to Yun Ya, “Please, noble sir, lend us your assistance!”

Yun Ya gave Xiao Yan a sidelong glance and sneered: “You certainly know how to make others do the work.”

Xiao Yan shrugged: “Wasn’t it you who wanted to come here?” Since taking on this case was at Yun Ya’s behest, how could he not contribute some effort?

Feng Miaojun lowered her eyes obediently, but this sentence stirred massive waves in her heart: Yun Ya himself had requested to observe the interrogation.

From the moment Xiao Yan and the others entered, she knew that the noble persons Zhao Dazhao had intercepted were these two, but she wasn’t clear whose idea it was to watch the trial.

Now, she knew.

Could it be that Yun Ya had noticed something was amiss?

Was her current situation perilously dangerous?

“Very well, I will borrow her soul from the netherworld,” Yun Ya smiled faintly, finally agreeing. “Bring Old Woman Wang’s corpse here. Tonight, I will summon her back to testify.”

Magistrate Xu was elated. He ordered people to quickly transport Old Woman Wang’s corpse from Juping Village and then announced the court’s adjournment, to reconvene for a night trial in four hours.