The county magistrate once again turned his gaze to Wu Caiwei. It was the first time he had handled a case so effortlessly, not needing to rack his brain or dispatch anyone to search for evidence.
Wu Caiwei did not disappoint him. She fixed her gaze on the middle-aged woman, saying meaningfully, "If a person were drunk, they would have left in a state of utmost comfort. Everyone, please take a closer look at the deceased before us. Although his facial expression appears peaceful, his hands seem to be pushing something away. If I am not mistaken, the victim died of suffocation."
Upon hearing this, the doctor and coroner hurried forward to examine the body more closely. As they did, they discovered an issue. Although the murderer had tried their best to conceal it afterward, the deceased's mouth was slightly ajar. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't close it, indicating that the victim had struggled to breathe while alive but was unable to.
Only his wife was present when he died. Everyone's suspicious gaze immediately fell upon the middle-aged woman. She stiffened and then, with feigned grief, said, "My husband was drunk at the time, and I used all my strength to help him to bed. I fell asleep in the dead of night. I truly don't know how he died."
"I have already examined him carefully. There are bruises on both of the deceased's arms. If I'm not mistaken, both his arms suffered a forceful impact. Most people would see these bruises and assume the deceased fell during his lifetime. But have you considered this: why are the injuries so symmetrical on both sides? What kind of collision could cause him such harm?" Wu Caiwei posed the question directly, knowing that only by arousing suspicion could she guide their thoughts in the direction she intended.
Everyone began to ponder. The injuries, at first glance, seemed unremarkable, but upon closer consideration, they were terrifying, as if someone had tied his arms. Regardless, his wife, the middle-aged woman, was undoubtedly privy to the truth of the matter at the time. Thus, everyone turned their questioning gazes back to her. Seeing the situation gradually turning against her, the middle-aged woman lowered her head even further.
Since the other party dared to frame her, they must be prepared to face punishment when exposed. Wu Caiwei would absolutely not tolerate such an act. If others knew she was a rootless duckweed, easily trampled upon by anyone, she would be unable to remain in Yangcheng. Soon, other families would use various means to gobble up her business. Therefore, she spoke at a measured pace, "I have a bold speculation. If everyone is interested, you may listen."
Seeing the excited looks on everyone's faces, Wu Caiwei knew she had piqued their curiosity. It was not the busy farming season, and people were idle. They needed something to talk about during their leisure time. So, she no longer teased them, and under their expectant gazes, she answered their doubts, "If someone were to straddle him directly, with their legs pinning his arms, and then cover his mouth and nose with a quilt, suffocating him to death, wouldn't that precisely match his injuries?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the crowd erupted. They pondered various possibilities but had never imagined it to be a premeditated murder. Considering her line of reasoning, it was indeed plausible.
The county magistrate was shocked to hear this. He had never expected that his guess would be so similar to this woman's. He had been a county magistrate for so many years and had judged countless cases to arrive at such a conclusion. Yet, she was so young and had only recently started her business in the city, with such a sharp mind. If she were a man, the county magistrate would have truly wanted her as his assistant.
"Li Dongjia, you jest. You harmed and killed my husband, and if you don't wish to admit it, fine. Why must you drag me into this? Do you want to see our entire family wiped out? How could I, a weak woman, be a match for my husband? Even when he was drunk, his strength was still greater than mine. Everyone knows he would take his anger out on me whenever he was drunk. Although I tried my best to resist, I was no match for him." Seeing that the crowd, influenced by Li Shiqin, had already deemed her the murderer, the middle-aged woman quickly defended herself.
Some people in the crowd who lived near their home felt she was telling the truth, as they had heard her pleas for mercy countless times over the years. If she truly had the capability to kill him, she wouldn't have waited so long. However, what Li Dongjia said also seemed plausible. Who was lying? In reality, they leaned more towards Wu Caiwei's words being a desperate attempt at self-defense.
Wu Caiwei understood the crowd's sentiments perfectly. After all, in the eyes of ordinary folk, she was the wife of a wealthy family. The middle-aged woman, having lived in the city for so many years, had left too deep an impression. People felt she lacked such courage.
Seeing the county magistrate's gaze fall upon her again, Wu Caiwei sighed helplessly and continued her bold speculation, "What if there was a third person in the room at the time?"
This time, even the people behind the middle-aged woman revealed shocked expressions. They looked at Li Shiqin with disbelief, thinking she was being utterly fanciful. Her sister-in-law had been well-behaved since marrying into the family. As a woman herself, did she not know how much a woman's reputation being tarnished would affect her? Wasn't this pushing her to her death?
"What do you mean by that? Are you suggesting I had an affair? Since my husband is dead, I can no longer live. To prove my innocence, I will now smash my head against this pillar and join my husband in the afterlife with a clear conscience." The middle-aged woman's expression immediately turned to one of despair, as if there was nothing left for her in this world.
Naturally, when she attempted to take her own life, she was restrained by the yamen runners. The onlookers glared angrily at Li Shiqin, believing she would stop at nothing to shirk responsibility.
Facing their accusations, Wu Caiwei showed no unusual expression. She looked at the county magistrate with trust and affirmed, "Even if everyone doesn't believe me, they will believe our county magistrate, won't they? If I'm not mistaken, the county magistrate must have already sent people to search her home. Surely, they would have found some clues."
The county magistrate couldn't help but smile, finding this woman quite interesting. He would certainly remember her today. Indeed, he had already dispatched people to search the middle-aged woman's home, leaving no stone unturned. A yamen runner had just reported to him, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He hadn't expected his simple action to be noticed by the other party. He wasn't sure if he should say she was meticulous.
Seeing the county magistrate's expression, the bustling crowd immediately quieted down. They might not believe Wu Caiwei, but they certainly believed the county magistrate. The county magistrate was a just and upright official, known for his fairness and impartiality.