The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 771: Vengeful Spirit Seeking Vengeance (4)_1

Chapter 771: Chapter 771: Vengeful Spirit Seeking Vengeance (4)_1

The little maid was puzzled again, at noon when they were having a meal, as she was serving the dishes, Shu Hua went to call for the Fifth Young Master, as Madam had said he went to find the Fourth Young Master.

"Bring in Pei Wensheng for questioning!" instructed Jiang Benxin.

Qian Wanxiu’s heart was burning with anxiety.

Lady Chen also glanced at her surreptitiously, reasoning that if the questioning revealed that Pei Wensheng was the murderer, then no one could blame her for the accusation.

The government official had already brought over both Pei Wenchen and Pei Wensheng.

Pei Wenchen remained relatively composed, while Pei Wensheng’s face was noticeably pale, and his hands were tucked into his sleeves, clenching tightly.

Jiang Benxin questioned the two, asking what they did yesterday, where they had been, and if anyone could vouch for them.

Pei Wenchen had been to a classmate’s house, and there were times logged for both his departure and return, with a classmate to corroborate his alibi.

When questioning turned to Pei Wensheng, his body visibly shook, and his face grew even paler.

Qian Wanxiu’s heart rose to her throat, and she wished she could tear Pei Qin and Mo Heng to pieces.

"I... I took some pastries and went out to play," Pei Wensheng struggled to keep his composure, repeatedly thinking to himself that the wretched little bastard deserved to die! He should never have been born! It was good that he died! He bore no grudge; it was deserved! The murderer was the wet nurse, not him!

"Who can vouch for you?" Jiang Benxin also noticed something off about him, suspecting he might know the inside story.

Pei Wensheng hadn’t gone out to play at all, so he couldn’t produce any witnesses; he could only say, "I went out by myself to play, just around the streets!"

Jiang Benxin continued to probe on what time he returned, and whether he had seen or knew of any clues, "Hiding and abetting a murderer merits a beating with the clapper-board!"

This statement made Lady Chen shudder. Surely Qian Wanxiu wouldn’t let her endure a beating, right?

Outside, the government official had brought back two more people, street vendors who had set up their stalls at the alley entrance.

"You were setting up your stalls at the entrance of the alley all day, did you see Pei Wensheng leave his home, or come back from outside?" Mo Heng interrogated.

Both shook their heads, "No! We didn’t see him leave or enter the entire day!"

Qian Wanxiu’s face underwent a sudden change.

Jiang Benxin suddenly rapped the clapper-board forcefully, "Pei Wensheng! Confess the truth now!"

Startled, Pei Wensheng turned deathly pale and stumbled, collapsing to the ground, "No! No! The murderer was the wet nurse! It was the wet nurse who did it!"

"You just said you went out to play, now you claim to have seen the wet nurse commit murder! Are you certain you witnessed the murderer?" Pei Qian couldn’t wait and hastily pressed.

"Is it your place to speak in this court!?" Qian Wanxiu also rebuked her, her glare as menacing and venomous as a knife.

Pei Qian was unfazed, "So you get a say and I don’t? If you can ask questions, so can I. Do you think this is your family’s court!?"

"You...," Qian Wanxiu hissed in rage, grinding her teeth.

"What about me! I say the murderers are you people, scheming to pin the blame on us! Pei Wensheng must have seen everything but is afraid to speak out! He’s helping you to frame us! If you think you can get away with slander, think again! Anyone who dares not confess will get a taste of the clapper-board. I refuse to believe they won’t break!" Pei Qian lifted her chin in defiance. She would not let these wretches get away, now that she had a hold of their wrongdoing.

"Then let Madam Preaching explain why she made up the story that Pei Wensheng wasn’t at home," Pei Qin said coldly, looking at Qian Wanxiu.

"I did not make it up!" Qian Wanxiu replied sharply.

It was then the wet nurse suddenly remembered, "The Fifth Young Master took the pastries not to go out and play, but to go back to his room, he said he was going back to his room!"

Qian Wanxiu internally raged, regretting not having killed her the night before.

Jiang Benxin interrogated Pei Wensheng, "What were you doing in your room? What did you see?"