Chapter 68 Trial in Court
Fortunately, they had already entered the court, or else the hysterical reaction of Shangguan Yee would be seen by the country women standing outside who were good at gossiping. Qin Yunuan stared coldly at Shangguan Yee and Qin Yunzhuang. The former one flared up in a fighting mood, while the latter one was as timid and innocent as a little rabbit.
Shangguan Yee won in her imposing manner. But pitifully, the more insolent she behaved, the less favored she would be in the court.
Fortunately, Shangguan Yuan had been in official circles for many years. He had a pair of thick eyebrows and bright eyes with a few beards on his cheeks, which made him look more languished. Before Yan Chengbing whacked the table with the sounding block, Shangguan Yuan had ordered a servant girl to take hold of Shangguan Yee and reproached her in a low voice, “Did you forget what I had told you before leaving?”
After this, he cast a resentful glance at Qin Yunzhuang, who was hiding behind Qin Linfeng. Shangguan Yuan knew the so-called evidence of his daughter, and he believed that Qin Yunzhuang must have something to do with his son’s death.
After a while, Li Weijun also came in. Her father, master of the Li Family, did not show up. So her only company was Li Jiaxuan, who was standing aside, looking desolate from his back as well. Escorting Li Weijun to enter the court, he comforted her, “Don’t worry. Just tell the truth on the court. I will be there for you.”
Shangguan Yuan and Qin Zhi sat on both sides of Yan Chengbing as observers. According to Qi’s laws, officials who were above the higher third-grade of rank had the right to present as observers. And Yan Chengbing showed due respect to it. He did not open the trial until he got instructions from the two high-rank officials beside him, who were incompatible like water and fire right now.
Li Qiqi was taken by two police officers to the court. She was still wearing the same clothes as last night which were dotted with blood. It was Shangguan Rang’s blood, which made Shangguan Yuan’s heart twitch.
Li Qiqi had not suffered from any punishment during the detention. So, she only looked much more exhausted than before. Kneeling on the ground, she knew that she could not escape from her doom this time. She cast a glance at Qin Yunuan who stood aside, and the message in her eyes was like “Once again, you won”.
Li Qiqi was clear that the biggest trap was set by Qin Yunuan, but she didn’t know that Shangguan Rang’s death was also out of Qin Yunuan’s expectation. With a cold snort, she seemed to be mocking, “Well, how dare you to commit murder!”
“Last night, at around a quarter past 9, someone came to the county police office, reporting that the Grand Miss of the Qin Family and the Second Miss of the Li Family got lost in Mount Sheshan. At a quarter to 10, they were found after searching at a thatched cottage on the hillside of Mount Sheshan, as well as Ms. Li of the Qin Family and the dead young master Shangguan. At that time, Ms. Li was close to the deceased’s body in an intimate way,” Yan Chengbing said while looking at Li Qiqi who was kneeling on the ground, “But Ms. Li kept silent during the interrogation. And the one who reported the information to the office was not found yet. Bring the Grand Miss of the Qin Family.”
“Someone had reported that I got lost? No wonder Yan Chengbing came so fast. Hum, who would that person be?” Li Qiqi cast her glances at Qin Yunuan slowly. She always thought that Qin Yunuan escaped from her trap by chance. But she did not expect that she had been trapped by Qin Yunuan during the whole time.
Qin Yunuan just smiled at her. But her light smile seemed like a mockery to Li Qiqi.
“Yes, your honor.” Qin Yunzhuang knelt on the ground squarely. It was her first time of kneeling for someone other than her family member, which made her feel miserable.
“Grand Miss Qin, please repeat what you had heard and seen.”
Qin Yunzhuang pulled her sleeves slightly and reported honestly the confession that she had tallied with Li Weijun before. Qin Zhi’s face darkened greatly when she was describing the improper and shameful scene they had seen between Li Qiqi and Shangguan Rang. What a great shame!
Before Qin Zhi lost his temper, Shangguan Yuan could not help but shout, “Nonsense! Your Honor. Although my son is a romantic man as well as a frequent caller of the pleasure quarters, he had a sense of propriety and would never have crossed the bounds of decency to flirt with a married woman.”
Shangguan Yuan was aware of his son’s lustful temperament. He had subjected him to discipline for several times, but he managed to escape from the discipline every time. So, they formed a tacit agreement that his affairs with other women should be consensual and no married women should be involved. So that less trouble would be made. As Shangguan Rang had his way of dealing with such things, he had thought that they could just wait for a while before getting a wife for him. He would behave well as long as he got married to someone that could keep him under control. They did not reckon on him becoming a civil official or rose in importance in the Imperial Court.
However, while seeking a marriage alliance with the Fang Family, things happened one after another. First, there was his scandal with Qin Yuzhao, the Second Miss of the Qin Family, on the birthday banquet of Grand Commandant Qin. And then, he even lost his life because of a concubine in the Qin Family. Now, he was really at great odds with the Qin Family.
Having heard the straightforward words of Shangguan Yuan, Yan Chengbing just bowed his fists and then said, “Rest assured, Master Shangguan. This matter will be investigated thoroughly. Please stay calm and wait for a while.”
Yan Chengbing raised his head slightly. Li Weijun was summoned to the court for an inquiry after Qin Yunzhuang finished her statement. Their testimonies were exactly the same. They all confirmed that when dating secretly, Li Qiqi and Shangguan Rang argued for something and then Li Qiqi killed Shangguan Rang with a dagger. Despite that the dagger was still missing, Qin Yunzhuang was clear that they could not let Li Qiqi live any longer as she had known too many things about them.
The two of them turned against Li Qiqi. And Qin Linfeng was also fanning the flames aside, saying that Li Qiqi was not well-behaved in the mansion and even tried to seduce him in beautiful clothes.
He who had a mind to beat his dog would easily find his stick. Right now, Li Qiqi bowed her head, looking like a drowning dog.
“Young Master Qin, here is the court. Do not speak unless I give you permission.” Yan Chengbing whacked with the sounding block for twice, and Qin Linfeng who acted against the rules stepped back.
“Grand Miss Qin, do you mean that you and Second Miss Li were just passing by for some rest? But…,” Yan Chengbing waved his hand and asked Shangguan Yee to come forward, “Miss Shangguan said that she had the exhibit that could prove that you had a prearranged appointment with young master Shangguan.”
Qin Yunzhuang felt a slight twinge in her heart, as Shangguan Yee took out a letter from her arms angrily and handed it to Yan Chengbing. She then turned back to provoke Qin Yunzhuang, “Well, well, Sister Qin, you didn’t expect that, right? You thought you had a perfect plan. But luckily, my brother’s clothes were torn by a branch before going out and I helped him to change clothes. When I was to mend it for him, I found the letter from you that invited my brother out for an appointment. Thankfully, God has eyes. You made one step wrong. That was karma, Sister Qin. That was your karma!”
Shangguan Yee, who was a little impulsive, was held on by police officers. Qin Yunzhuang was already blue in the face before, and now, her face even became black. She knew that Shangguan Rang would burn the letters from women asking for private meetings after reading, but this time, why would he….
After a careful check of the letter, Yan Chengbing seemed to be considering and weighing by himself. Qin Zhi frowned and finally decided to humble himself to read the so-called letter, but Yan Chengbing had put it away, “The content and signature are verified. What else do you want to say, Grand Miss Qin?” The justice and overwhelming dignity in Yan Chengbing’s eyes made Qin Yunzhuang’s heart twitch violently.
No! She could not give up easily!
She glared at Qin Yunuan fiercely. She did show up yesterday, and there must be some traces left.
“Young master Shangguan did invite me out,” Qin Yunzhang paused, “but he had made a betrothal to my second sister. Much as I admired his talent, I felt sorry for this invitation and did not come to meet him at last. Instead, I went to Guo’an Temple with sister Li to pray for blessings as well as atone for my crime of having wrong thoughts. But when my third sister Yunuan knew about this thing, she said….” Qin Yunzhuang stopped abruptly, giving full play to people’s imagination.
People could not help but turn their eyes to Qin Yunuan. It seemed that none of them had expected that another miss of the Qin Family would get involved in this complicated murder.
Qin Yunzhuang lowered her head and looked down, as if she had been too scared to say more. Those who were unaware of the situation might think that the Grand Miss Qin was threatened by her sister, the Third Miss Qin.
“Go on, grand sister,” Qin Yunuan titled, looking at Qin Yunzhuang who was like a trapped beast making a desperate fight, “We are all waiting for you.”
Qin Yunzhuang raised her head suddenly and pointed at the area between Qin Yunuan’s eyebrows and said, “Third sister, do you dare to say that you have stayed at the yard from last night to this morning?”
Qin Yunuan curled her lip, “Why wouldn’t I?”
Yan Chengbing whacked the sounding block for twice, “Grand Miss Qin, the court is not your boudoir. No unbridled behaviors will be allowed here.”
Qin Yunzhuang’s eyes turned red for desperation. She could not collapse like this. “Your honor, it would be the biggest crime to let the real murderer remain at large. Qin Yunuan. It was her. It was all her. All these things were a trap set by this daughter of a concubine. She made a secret appointment with young master Shangguan and tricked Concubine Li to come there. Sister Li and I were also set up by her to pass by and find out the affair. All of these things, all of these were prearranged by her. So, if it hadn’t been for her, young master Shangguan would not have died.”
“Grand sister,” Qin Yunuan said with a cold voice, “You think too highly of me. I don’t have the ability to make you, someone who always hate me, follow my arrangements.”
That was right. Qin Yunuan was just the daughter of a concubine. How could she be able to do such things?
“Your honor, if you don’t believe in my words, you can ask the servant girl beside her,” Suddenly, Qin Yunzhuang pointed at Ting Xue who was on-call beside Qin Yunuan, “It’s her. Just ask her whether Qin Yunuan was in the yard or not, and you will know the truthfulness of my words.”
Qin Zhi couldn’t bear it anymore. He reproached her coldly, “Yunzhuang, don’t you see it’s already a mass here? What are you doing?” Qin Zhi did not understand. If Qin Yunzhuang wanted to get out of this, all she needed to do was to insist that she did not keep the appointment even though she had written a letter to him. After all, Li Weijun was still on her side and could testify for her. But the crazy intention of Qin Yunzhuang to drag Qin Yunuan into this thing was incomprehensible for Qin Zhi. They could do whatever they wanted at home, but outside the house, they had to act like a family.
What he didn’t know was that in the previous life, after she was burnt to death in the marriage sedan by Dou and Qin Yunzhuang, Qin Yunuan had never really taken them as her family anymore.
Yan Chengbing glanced at Ting Xue and Qin Yunuan respectively and then nodded as if he had acquired a tacit permission. “Bring the servant girl Ting Xue,” he ordered.