Zhen Shicheng and Jiang Si walked back one after the other.

The crowd instantly grew even quieter.

Chao Yun’s silence was different from the others, giving off a sense of lifelessness.

Zhen Shicheng’s face showed no emotion as he calmly asked, “Chao Yun, did you notice anything unusual when you were burning paper offerings in the courtyard this morning?”

Chao Yun kept her head down and remained silent.

Earl Yongchang was furious and raised his foot to kick Chao Yun.

“My Lord, don’t be rash!” Zhen Shicheng quickly moved to block Earl Yongchang.

Seeing this, Earl Yongchang hastily withdrew his foot but still grazed Zhen Shicheng slightly.

Zhen Shicheng winced in pain, stroking his beard as he said in a trembling voice, “My Lord, it would be unwise to harm Chao Yun before the truth comes to light!”

Earl Yongchang was so angry his vision blurred. “Master Zhen, look at her behavior! If she didn’t kill the Madam, why won’t she say a word? Is there anyone in this world who would remain unmoved when accused of murder? Unless that person is the killer!”

“My Lord is mistaken,” Zhen Shicheng shook his head, giving Chao Yun a deep look.

The woman in her thirties already had streaks of gray in her hair. Her appearance was haggard, her eyes dim, like an oil lamp about to burn out, lifeless.

“Where am I mistaken?”

Zhen Shicheng sighed softly, “There are other situations where someone might remain unmoved when accused of murder. For instance, they might be trying to protect the real killer, or they might be so despondent that they no longer care about anything…”

When Chao Yun heard “trying to protect the real killer,” she did not react. But when she heard “despondent,” her eyes blinked, and tears fell.

As if the floodgates of emotion had been opened, Chao Yun no longer cared about the gazes of those around her. Her silent, suppressed cries quickly turned into loud wails that made people’s scalps tingle.

Earl Yongchang wanted to say something, but Zhen Shicheng shook his head to stop him.

The group quietly watched Chao Yun cry.

Meanwhile, as everyone’s attention was drawn to Chao Yun, Jiang Si silently walked past each person, trying his best to find the killer among the crowd.

If it wasn’t the head maid Qiu Lu who drowned herself, nor the depressed concubine Chao Yun, who could this cunning killer be?

After a long while, Chao Yun’s cries gradually subsided.

Zhen Shicheng couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Si.

Jiang Si, hidden among the crowd, shook his head slightly.

Zhen Shicheng sighed inwardly, thinking that it would have been better if Chao Yun had cried a bit longer.

Chao Yun, with eyes red from crying, had no idea what this seemingly inscrutable official was thinking as she mechanically wiped her tears.

“Chao Yun, can you now tell us if there was anything unusual when you were burning paper offerings this morning?” Zhen Shicheng asked patiently.

When questioning, regardless of the person’s status, he always maintained great patience.

This time, Chao Yun finally shook her head and said softly, “No.”

Zhen Shicheng was secretly pleased.

Chao Yun’s willingness to speak and cooperate was undoubtedly beneficial for solving the case.

The killer had buried the bloodstained clothes where Chao Yun was burning offerings. Besides Earl Yongchang and his wife, Chao Yun might have been the person who had been closest to the killer.

“Chao Yun, think carefully. It doesn’t have to be something you saw. Even an unusual sound would count,” Zhen Shicheng reminded her.

Chao Yun raised her eyes to look at Zhen Shicheng and surprisingly smiled, “Doesn’t the Master believe this lowly servant is the killer?”

That smile had a hint of mockery.

Zhen Shicheng was not foolish in his dealings, nor was he naive in interacting with people. Hearing this, he immediately glanced at Earl Yongchang, thinking that this Earl was indeed causing trouble.

At this moment, he certainly couldn’t add fuel to the fire, lest Chao Yun retreat into her shell.

“This official is an outsider. I only look at the evidence and suspicious points. You are all insiders, and it’s natural to be swayed by emotions.”

Chao Yun was taken aback and involuntarily looked towards Earl Yongchang.

Earl Yongchang remained silent, feeling the impact of Zhen Shicheng’s words.

He had usually been generous to his two concubines, providing them with better food, clothing, and living conditions than concubines in other households. He had even arranged good positions for their parents and relatives, considering it a fair arrangement for their companionship.

He just hadn’t given them his affection, which had been clearly stated when he chose them years ago. He hadn’t forced anyone.

But when one of them became the killer of his wife, that bit of generosity wasn’t enough to keep him calm in her presence.

If he hadn’t invited the Shuntian Prefecture to intervene and discover clues implicating Chao Yun in his wife’s death, he might have lost control and killed this woman.

Zhen Shicheng’s words also had a significant impact on Chao Yun.

She withdrew her gaze, touching her bony hands, and said in a low voice, “After this lowly servant finished burning the offerings and went inside, I had just lain down when I heard a sound from the courtyard. It was only after a while that I opened the window to look, but there was nothing in the courtyard.”

“How long was it between hearing the sound and you opening the window to look?”

“About half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”

Zhen Shicheng couldn’t help but frown.

If the killer had sneaked into the West Wing to bury the bloodstained clothes after Chao Yun went inside, half a cup of tea’s time wouldn’t have been enough for her to hide the clothes and leave.

“Do you remember the exact time you went inside?”

“Just after the fifth watch began.”

Zhen Shicheng walked to the West Wing with his hands behind his back, standing at the moon gate and looking towards the place where Chao Yun had been burning offerings.

Just after the fifth watch began, it was still not fully light. Could it be that Chao Yun hadn’t seen clearly?

The place where Chao Yun burned offerings was in a corner, planted with low shrubs and flowers. If the killer had made a noise and then quickly crouched down, Chao Yun might not have noticed someone lying there when she looked out from the room, so naturally, she would have seen nothing.

Suddenly, Zhen Shicheng thought of something and strode back to ask Chao Yun, “Did you hear any sounds while you were burning the offerings?”

Chao Yun shook her head, “No.”

At that time, she had been completely immersed in the pain of missing her unborn child and hadn’t paid attention to her surroundings.

“Then, were you crying at that time?”

Zhen Shicheng’s question made many people turn to look at him.

Everyone knew about Chao Yun’s dramatic change in personality after losing her child. Why was this official still pursuing this? What was so important about whether she cried while burning offerings?

“Yes, I cried,” Chao Yun pressed her lips together, her hands at her sides slightly clenched.

Every year on this day, she would re-experience what it meant to have her heart torn apart, to feel unbearable pain.

How could she not cry? That was the child she had longed for so many years, her joy and support for the rest of her life.

“Did you cry out loud?” Zhen Shicheng asked again.

Chao Yun bit her lip hard and nodded.

Zhen Shicheng sighed softly, seemingly understanding why the killer would have slipped into the West Wing to bury the bloodstained clothes.

After committing the crime and leaving the main courtyard, the killer had most likely heard Chao Yun’s cries and seen her burning offerings. At that moment, the killer decided to frame Chao Yun.

Jiang Si quietly walked up to Zhen Shicheng and coughed lightly. Seeing Zhen Shicheng look over, he shook his head slightly.

Zhen Shicheng’s eyebrows furrowed.

Nothing found?

“My Lord, are all the people from the inner courtyard here?” he asked.

Hearing Zhen Shicheng’s question, Earl Yongchang looked towards the steward.

The steward quickly replied, “They’re all here.”

Zhen Shicheng and Jiang Si exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.

Could it be that their line of thinking was wrong?