Lin Qingge summoned Hua Jinrong, who had gone to some obscure corner to slack off, and instructed the latter to investigate two matters.
Fortunately, Hua Jinrong was quite efficient, and within a day, he had thoroughly investigated what Lin Qingge had assigned.
The afternoon of the second day after the incident.
Lin Qingge, under the guise of the Zhennan King, summoned everyone to Steward Li's study.
Madam Xing offered a perfunctory curtsy and asked, feigning ignorance:
"I am unaware of the reason for your esteemed presence, my lord. What is the matter?"
"Nothing much, I simply wish to inform you all that I already know who the murderer of Steward Li is."
Lin Qingge stated nonchalantly. Madam Xing, however, let out a piercing shriek:
"What—?!
My husband was murdered?"
"Madam Xing, please do not be agitated. I will briefly recount the events of yesterday's case for you."
Having spoken, Lin Qingge walked to the desk and pointed:
"Steward Li should have been sitting here.
Someone entered the room, caught him off guard, slit his left ear, and dripped poison into it. They then hastily staged the scene and left in a hurry.
Because the poison paralyzed the heart, although it was potent, Steward Li likely still had a faint breath while being moved. He only died when the poison spread throughout his body.
This created the illusion that Steward Li had died suddenly in his bed."
"If your esteemed lord's statement is accurate, then given that the poison was administered when Steward Li was unprepared and without any struggle,
the perpetrator must be someone he was very close to!
Furthermore, there were no signs of dragging in the room. Given Steward Li's physique, an ordinary woman with no strength to even tie a chicken could not have carried him.
Thus, the only remaining suspect is..."
As Hua Jinrong spoke, everyone's gaze involuntarily fell upon Xing Wanli.
"My lord, it wasn't me!
I didn't kill anyone, I swear!"
Xing Wanli grabbed Lin Qingge's robe, fell to his knees with a 'plop,' and repeatedly uttered the same sentence, forgetting even the proud appellation of 'student.'
"Tsk tsk, do you not know that a man's knees are made of gold?
Moreover, I haven't prepared any New Year's money for you."
Lin Qingge quipped, then shifted slightly, creating distance between herself and Xing Wanli, who was prostrating at her feet, and said with a half-smile:
"Do not worry, besides you, there is another person present who is more suited for this strenuous task!"
"Uncle Wen, it was you!"
Madam Xing, the first to react, pointed at Uncle Wen's nose and cursed:
"You scoundrel Uncle Wen! We at the Li manor have treated you well for years, never shorting you in food or clothing. The master even regarded you as his confidant.
Yet, you turned out to be a heartless beast!"
Uncle Wen, however, kept his head bowed throughout, neither denying nor confessing, merely standing there silently as Madam Xing berated and demeaned him.
"You, you ungrateful dog, the hatred for a murdered husband knows no bounds!
I, I will fight you!"
Saying this, Madam Xing lunged forward to scratch him, but Yan Tinghao blocked her with his sword hilt, forcing her back.
"Enough, a little performance is fine, but don't overdo it."
Lin Qingge said impatiently, shaking her head:
"I only said that Uncle Wen was the most suitable person for this strenuous task, but I never mentioned that he was the murderer of Steward Li."
"My lord, you mean... the killer is someone else?"
Upon hearing Yan Tinghao's words, Lin Qingge nodded:
"Indeed!
However—"
Lin Qingge paused for dramatic effect, and Yan Tinghao, playing along, asked:
"My lord, if Uncle Wen is not the killer, then why did he stage the crime scene?
Could it be that he was an accomplice to the killer?"
Lin Qingge smiled faintly, her words however, were quite perplexing:
"You could say so, and you could also say no."
"May I know why you say that, my lord~"
Hua Jinrong, tired of standing, cast a glance, and An Er, understanding, brought over a Grand Tutor's chair and respectfully placed it behind him, then assisted him to sit as if serving royalty.
Lin Qingge's lips twitched involuntarily. Feeling that some people were becoming increasingly shameless, she softened her expression after An Er brought another chair:
"Although it is only my conjecture, when the killer stabbed the poison into Steward Li's ear, unexpected circumstances arose outside, forcing the killer to leave quickly without confirming Steward Li's death.
Uncle Wen, who arrived in the study later, was unaware of the poison's efficacy, but he must have glimpsed the killer leaving in a hurry.
He then found Steward Li, who was almost lifeless.
In his panic, he moved Steward Li to the soft couch, tidied the desk, and created the illusion that Steward Li had suffered a relapse of heart disease while napping."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Wen, who had remained silent, suddenly fell to his knees with a 'plop,' kowtowing as he confessed:
"Reporting to my lord, the master was indeed killed by this servant. It is absolutely true, and has nothing to do with anyone else, nothing to do with anyone else!"
Lin Qingge did not expose Uncle Wen's self-deceiving behavior, but rather curved her lips playfully:
"Then, I ask you, where did you obtain the poison you used?"
"This—"
Uncle Wen stammered, his expression flickering, and said:
"Reporting to my lord, this poison was purchased from a passing merchant."
"And the remaining poison?"
"I, I poured it out!"
"Where did you pour it?"
"The flow-, the flower garden.
Oh no, it was the ditch in the back alley.
Not quite right, anyway, I just threw it away casually."
"And what was your reason for killing Steward Li?"
"This... I, I..."
After much stuttering, Uncle Wen could not offer a coherent explanation.
He merely prostrated himself on the ground, continuously kowtowing, until blood trickled from his forehead. He stubbornly refused to rise.
It was as if Lin Qingge would never be able to make him stand if he didn't confess.
Unable to refuse the persistent man, Lin Qingge raised an eyebrow at Yan Tinghao, who understood and stepped forward to help Uncle Wen up.
"Uncle Wen, it's alright if you don't wish to speak, I have already guessed some of it.
However, before that, I shall show you something."
With that, Lin Qingge led everyone to the next room and opened the secret chamber.
This scene caused everyone's eyes to widen.
Having lived in the Li manor for so long, this was their first time knowing that the seemingly ordinary bedroom held such a secret...
Compared to Madam Xing and the others, who were astonished beyond measure, Yan Tinghao merely scratched his head in confusion, "My lord, what does this secret chamber have to do with Steward Li's death?"
"The relationship is significant.
If my conjecture is correct, this place is the reason why Uncle Wen was willing to take the blame for the killer, and it is also the reason why Steward Li was murdered."
Lin Qingge looked at Li Xiaolian, who was partially hidden behind the crowd, and smiled:
"Miss Li, do you think what I've said is contrary to the facts?"