Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Because she was afraid, she simply killed the person who frightened her—did young ladies nowadays all have such unique ways of thinking?

“You saw Miss Chen kill the Prince’s manor maid?” The young man seized the opportunity to press her.

Second Miss Chen had completely broken down, her eyes full of terror: “I saw it… I wandered to the bamboo grove by chance and didn’t expect eldest sister to also be there. I saw her stab the maid to death with a dagger, then push the maid behind a long stone and walk away as if nothing had happened… She killed someone, yet she wasn’t the slightest bit afraid…”

Miss Chen’s indifferent reaction after killing someone shattered Second Miss Chen’s reason.

She approached and looked at the maid’s corpse, her heart seized by horror. That dagger embedded in the maid’s body gleamed with magnificent radiance, like a demon’s silent temptation.

By the time she came to her senses, that extraordinarily ornate dagger was already in her hand.

The dagger still bore blood, which only made her grip it tighter in her extreme fear. As if possessed, she followed Miss Chen.

Step by step, she followed to the peony flower bed. When Miss Chen saw her and responded with the same cold, cutting words as always, she sent that gem-encrusted dagger into Miss Chen’s abdomen.

After that, she distanced herself from the scene until Miss Chen’s body was discovered and created a great commotion, at which point she pretended to have just heard the news and rushed over.

The young man listened with a serious expression, sighing softly in his heart.

The case was actually quite simple—both killers had acted on impulse, which was extremely common in murder cases.

Human reason truly wasn’t as reliable as people believed. Often a small trigger could activate the greatest evil thoughts lurking in someone’s heart.

Still, were young ladies nowadays all this vicious?

Looking at Second Miss Chen’s delicate face, the young man sighed inwardly with regret and asked: “The gem-encrusted dagger belonged to Miss Chen?”

Second Miss Chen nodded dully: “Yes.”

“Why was Miss Chen’s dagger the same as Miss Luo’s dagger?” Minister Zhao asked.

“She had seen Miss Luo handling her dagger and thought it imposing and dignified for a young lady to have a gem-encrusted dagger, so she bought a similar one from the Treasure Pavilion…”

Grand Marshal Luo said angrily: “Does this mean both you sisters were thinking of framing my daughter when you committed murder?”

“I don’t know what eldest sister was thinking.” Second Miss Chen hung her head, exposing her slender neck, making her appear even more fragile.

Yet the words she spoke made everyone’s blood run cold: “When I stabbed the dagger into eldest sister’s body, I wasn’t thinking of framing Miss Luo. Seeing eldest sister fall and lie still with open eyes, I felt so afraid. Suddenly I remembered Miss Luo also had a dagger that looked similar…”

So that gem-encrusted dagger had been left in the maid’s body by Miss Chen, then left in Miss Chen’s body by Second Miss Chen.

And Luo Sheng had become the unfortunate scapegoat.

Hearing this, Luo Sheng spoke up: “Didn’t you think about what if I was carrying my gem-encrusted dagger? Wouldn’t producing it prove my innocence?”

Second Miss Chen turned to look at Luo Sheng and said softly: “You had a grudge with my eldest sister. If you were plotting premeditated murder, wouldn’t you prepare two daggers to prove your innocence?”

Looking at the gentle and delicate Second Miss Chen, everyone felt their hearts turn cold with shock.

If Miss Chen hadn’t been left-handed, thereby allowing the Ministry of Justice people to deduce there were two killers, who would have suspected such a fragile young lady?

In comparison, the fierce and domineering Miss Luo who had old grievances with Miss Chen seemed far more worthy of suspicion.

Having finished speaking, Second Miss Chen hugged her knees and trembled violently.

Elder Chen, already consumed with rage, raised his foot and kicked her: “You wretched creature! Were all the etiquette teachings you received since childhood eaten by dogs? Not only did you fail to stop your eldest sister from killing, you killed her yourself!”

Elder Chen truly couldn’t understand.

Who would kill someone because they were afraid? Wasn’t there something wrong with her brain?

Second Miss Chen didn’t dodge but took Elder Chen’s kick solidly, supporting herself with her hands as she wept bitterly: “Grandfather, I had no choice, I had no choice! I only wanted to live peacefully—”

As she spoke, she rolled up one sleeve, exposing her snow-white arm.

The moment everyone saw clearly, they couldn’t help gasping.

The young lady’s arm was slender and fair, covered with crisscrossing bruises that were shocking to behold.

“When eldest sister was unhappy, she would beat me. No matter how much it hurt, I could only endure it. I didn’t even dare let maids attend me while bathing. Eldest sister said if even one word got out, she would kill me…” Second Miss Chen shook like chaff, tears streaming down. “Though I didn’t dare let others know, I always thought eldest sister was just frightening me—that I only needed to endure until she married out and I’d be free. But who would have thought eldest sister could kill that maid so easily without even changing expression…”

Second Miss Chen knelt before Elder Chen, reaching out as if to grasp his robe hem: “Grandfather, I’m also your granddaughter. I only wanted to live. Eldest sister truly would have killed—she truly would have—”

By the end, Second Miss Chen’s mind grew frenzied and she began speaking incoherently.

Elder Chen, having lost all face, cupped his hands to Minister Zhao: “This family misfortune—I will take this wretched creature back to give the family an accounting, then hand her over to the authorities for punishment.”

Though he said to hand her over to the authorities, everyone present understood clearly that after returning, Second Miss Chen would never leave the Chen manor gates alive.

For a noble family’s daughter to be thrown in prison was truly a disgrace the family couldn’t bear.

Minister Zhao naturally wouldn’t refuse to give this face.

Everyone moved in the same circles. Who could guarantee their own family wouldn’t produce an unfilial descendant? When that time came, wouldn’t they need to cover for each other—bah, what was he thinking? The Zhao family would never have such a wretched creature.

He was purely being magnanimous, feeling pity for Elder Chen…

Elder Chen then cupped his hands to Prince Pingnan, his demeanor appearing aged by several years: “Disrupting the Princess Consort’s birthday banquet today is truly unforgivable. Another day this official will visit to apologize.”

“Elder Chen mustn’t say such things. Please return to your manor first to handle family matters.” Prince Pingnan spoke polite words while sighing with relief in his heart.

Today’s murder case was fortunately unrelated to the Prince’s manor, and even more fortunately, both killers were Elder Chen’s granddaughters.

If Miss Chen had been killed by someone from another household, as the host of the banquet, the Prince’s manor would also bear responsibility for such an incident.

As it was, one of Elder Chen’s granddaughters had killed another—the Prince’s manor had lost a maid and had the birthday banquet disrupted, so could only receive sympathy from others.

Second Miss Chen suddenly broke free from those restraining her and rushed before the young man: “Give me a mirror, let me see in a mirror!”

The young man’s expression remained stern: “Second Miss Chen need not look in a mirror. There was no bamboo leaf in your hair.”

Second Miss Chen completely froze. After being dragged away several zhang, she let out heart-rending cries.

Luo Sheng observed coldly as the truth came to light, then turned to ask Grand Marshal Luo: “Father, who is this young man?”

Wei Han, standing not far away, couldn’t help glancing at Luo Sheng upon hearing this.

Grand Marshal Luo kept his voice as low as possible: “That’s Academician Lin’s grandson. Why are you asking about this, Sheng’er?”

Academician Lin’s grandson?

Luo Sheng looked at the young man and raised her eyebrows.

Her nephew was this grown already?