The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 765: Desperately Smearing (6)_1

Chapter 765: Chapter 765: Desperately Smearing (6)_1

Lady Zhu and Lady Chen managed to eat a little, and Qian Wanxiu only had a few bites herself before losing her appetite.

A group of people, carrying the body of Pei Wenjie and a complaint, went to the Government Office to report the incident.

Upon hearing that Pei Zongli’s infant son had been smothered to death and that Pei Qin was accused of instructing the wet nurse to do it, Jiang Benxin immediately convened court for questioning.

The wet nurse still denied everything, not only the murder charge but also the accusation of being bribed by Pei Qin, and she cried out her innocence.

Qian Wanxiu, confident because she had sent two beautiful maidservants to Jiang Benxin, believed he would undoubtedly be on her side. Even if he didn’t dare convict Pei Qin, he would certainly interrogate without ambiguity, and would definitively say the wet nurse was bribed by Pei Qin to kill Pei Wenjie and then frame her, especially taking the opportunity when Lady Zhu and Lady Chen arrived, with the aim of causing chaos in their household as revenge against the Old Pei’s House.

"What proof do you have of this claim?" asked Jiang Benxin with a stern voice upon seeing Qian Wanxiu’s nervous yet reckless demeanor.

"Sir Jiang! Listen to the wet nurse! Ask her who she believes is the real murderer of Wenjie!" implored Qian Wanxiu, looking towards the wet nurse.

Jiang Benxin then questioned the wet nurse, "You say you are not the murderer, and that there is someone else responsible. Who might that be?"

The wet nurse pointed out Lady Chen, noting that during that short period, everyone else was in the room, leaving only Lady Chen to run out to the latrine. Zhao Liniang also confirmed that Lady Chen had been gone for quite a while, "...Only she had the opportunity to smother the young master!"

Lady Chen protested her innocence, "Why would I smother my own nephew without reason or grudge? I’m not out of my mind!"

"It was her! There was no one else in the room at that time; only she was in the courtyard. When I came out with the water, I saw her standing there with an odd look on her face, before she swiftly slipped back into the room!" accused the wet nurse through tears.

Qian Wanxiu scoffed coldly, "Sir, you’ve heard! My sister-in-law had no grudge with us from Second concubine of Pei, and even less with son of maternal aunt Zhao. Why would she kill Wenjie out of the blue? The wet nurse insists that my sister-in-law, who clearly couldn’t be the murderer, is the perpetrator, only to drag the main house into this mess. First, she killed the child of Maternal Aunt Zhao, making her think it was me, blaming me for it. On the other hand, she clings to so-called evidence that it was my sister-in-law, clearly aiming to strike at two targets with one arrow. The wet nurse was bribed and yet didn’t act until today, that was her entire goal."

Lady Zhu immediately bit back, "It’s her! Without her, no one could concoct such a vicious plan against our family! She killed the son of Second concubine of Pei and blamed it on the first wife of the main house. She wants neither family in Old Pei’s House to have peace!"

"What evidence do you have?" Sir Jiang continued to demand evidence; without any, how could he go after Pei Qin?

"Sir Jiang! There has been talk in the town lately that my older brother went to Capital Jingcheng, where he opened a noodle shop selling fried dough and sesame seed cakes. Pei Qin was spreading words around town about taking action against people surnamed Kong. Isn’t this evidence enough!?" Pei Zongli said with a fuming expression.

"Indeed, that’s insufficient to prove she masterminded a murder," remarked Jiang Benxin as he looked at him.

"Sir... The only ones capable of devising such a cruel plot against our Old Pei’s House are Pei Qin and her people!" Pei Zongli argued angrily.

Jiang Benxin observed him but didn’t respond. Even if it was Pei Qin’s doing, he wasn’t there to decide for them.

Qian Wanxiu then suggested interrogating the wet nurse, "... Surely Sir Jiang has ways to make this accomplice to murder confess and name the ringleader!" She hinted at using torture on the wet nurse.

However, Jiang Benxin turned to Lady Chen, "Now both the wet nurse and Maternal Aunt Zhao identify you as the murderer. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It’s a false accusation! How could I possibly be the murderer!" cried Lady Chen, defending herself.

"I’ve solved countless cases, and often the culprit is the person who seems least likely to be the murderer. You’ve been seen outside by witnesses and identified as such, you cannot shake off the suspicion of murder!" Jiang Benxin directly labelled Lady Chen as a suspect.