Chapter 32

As soon as Lianxin spoke, most of the people present cast suspicious glances at Yun Shuang. They had already questioned why such a strange woman had suddenly inserted herself into the case. So, she came for the one thousand taels of reward silver. Obviously, she wouldn’t want Fan Youliang to be the culprit.

But Yun Shuang kept her gaze locked on Luo Xueqing and said, “I arrived at this conclusion with no selfish motive. In fact, before I met Lady Luo, I didn’t think she was the murderer. Just as Miss Lianxin said, Lady Luo didn’t have a strong motive to kill. Based on what happened yesterday—when Lady Luo had Miss Lianxin draw the officials to this inn—she clearly only wanted to expose Mr. Fan’s true nature, disgrace him, and drive him out of the Luo family.”

Chen Hao gritted his teeth and said, “You knew and still—”

“But—” Yun Shuang’s voice was calm yet firm. “Just because Lady Luo didn’t intend to kill then, doesn’t mean she didn’t later. Based on the state of the crime scene, it appears that Lady Luo acted on impulse. Her murderous intent must have arisen suddenly between yesterday and today. Something must have happened during that time, or she must have uncovered a truth that changed her mindset so drastically that she chose to commit murder even though she knew the authorities might already be watching the inn. Today, she must have been hiding in the shadows, watching Xiao Die leave, watching Mr. Fan storm off and slam the door. Then, she quietly sneaked into Miss He’s room. Coincidentally, Miss He’s face was turned toward the wall at the time. Lady Luo seized the chance, grabbed the sash hanging on the nearby rack, and strangled her…”

“Absurd! Utterly absurd!” Lianxin could no longer bear it and shouted, “Miss Yun, just because you’re a bit clever doesn’t mean you can investigate cases! Even a servant like me knows officials require evidence when handling a case…”

Yun Shuang glanced at her calmly and said, “Didn’t I say I’d already found decisive evidence?”

“Then show it!” Lianxin’s face turned pale as she glared at Yun Shuang with eyes full of fury, as though she wanted to tear her apart. “My lady could never be a murderer! Did you fabricate this so-called evidence?”

But Yun Shuang no longer looked at her. Her eyes slowly moved to Luo Xueqing beside her, and her expression turned complicated. She sighed softly and said, “Lady Luo, since just now, whenever you speak, you keep unconsciously touching your chest. Yet Miss Lianxin said you suffer from neither a heart condition nor any chronic illness. In that case, there’s only one explanation—you had something you used to wear there. You’ve developed a habit of touching it during emotional moments to calm yourself, which is why you continue to make that gesture. But just now, I looked closely—and you’re not wearing anything around your neck.”

As soon as Yun Shuang spoke, the once-arrogant Lianxin suddenly turned pale. Her neck stiffened as she mechanically turned her head toward Luo Xueqing.

Luo Xueqing stood motionless, her deep, dark eyes fixed on Yun Shuang with an unreadable expression, as though nothing Yun Shuang had said had surprised her in the slightest.

“That item you wore around your neck—it must be something significant to you. So important that you didn’t want it involved in the act of murder. Before killing Miss He, you took it off and placed it on the vanity in her room. But what you didn’t anticipate was the cat that Miss He kept suddenly appearing. Not only did it knock over her rouge, but it also picked up the item you had left on the vanity!”

Magistrate Ding froze, a burst of realization exploding in his mind like lightning. He exclaimed in disbelief, “Then… the cat jumped out of the window with that item in its mouth. Lady Luo couldn’t stop it in time, and she feared someone might see what the animal was carrying, so she smashed the flower vase in panic!”

That loud crash—the deafening noise—would have instantly drawn everyone’s attention. Whether they were in the courtyard or sitting near the window, they would instinctively turn toward the sound. And no one would notice the cat that had just leapt from the third floor. That was why the killer, in a moment of sheer desperation, smashed the vase!

It all connects. Every piece of the puzzle now fits.

“R-ridiculous! Utter nonsense!”

Lianxin’s expression grew darker, but she still gritted her teeth and said, “This is all just your speculation! Many women wear things around their necks. And that chest-touching habit isn’t unique to my lady!”

Yun Shuang glanced at the mistress and servant before her, unable to suppress another sigh. Then, she suddenly raised her right hand—letting a string of beads slip through her fingers—and revealed a peace lock made of exceptionally fine Hetian jade.

Everyone turned their gaze toward it.

The color drained completely from Lianxin’s face.

“This is… this is Xueqing’s jade pendant!” Fan Youliang’s eyes widened sharply. “Xueqing’s mother personally had it crafted by an artisan when she turned one month old. Xueqing cherished it ever since, always wearing it close to her!”

As he spoke, he turned to Luo Xueqing, his expression a complex mix of disbelief, bitter satisfaction, and sorrow. “Xueqing… was it truly you who killed Zhenniang?!”

Lianxin bit down on her lip, seeming as though she wanted to say something more, but Yun Shuang’s voice quietly cut in: “I found this pendant in the courtyard below. Earlier, I confirmed with the inn’s staff. They said that before the officials arrived, Lady Luo had been in the courtyard the entire time. They assumed she was clearing her mind and didn’t inquire further. But Lady Luo, you were searching for the pendant then, weren’t you? Unfortunately, you didn’t find it in time. Once the county officials arrived, they forced you to remain in the main hall.”

Yun Shuang paused, then added softly, “And this pendant is stained with a bit of orange-red rouge. That is the strongest proof that you were present in Miss He’s room at the time of her death.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Chen Hao suddenly shouted, “No! Xueqing didn’t kill that woman!”

Everyone was still reeling from Yun Shuang’s revelation when Chen Hao stunned them again. He stood with a dark, heavy expression and said, “Xueqing had only just entered the room. When I reached the third floor and saw the door slightly ajar, I grew suspicious and stepped in—only to find her inside. She did have inappropriate thoughts at that moment, and I sensed her intention. I took the sash from her hands and killed that woman myself. Then I forced Xueqing to leave the scene!”

Luo Xueqing, who had been silent all this time, trembled slightly. Her eyes lifted abruptly as if she wanted to speak, but Chen Hao strode forward suddenly, took a deep breath, and said with a trembling voice, “I killed her. I’ll take responsibility for my actions. Magistrate Ding, arrest me!”