Now that the matter had been clarified so quickly, Zhu Xiuxiu definitely wanted to go and see. Meanwhile, Ji Youlin desperately wished to get away from Xiaosuisui, whom he considered a demon!
Indeed, Ji Youlin now felt that Xiaosuisui wasn’t normal. It wasn’t just her freakishly great strength; even the pet she kept wasn’t normal. A carnivorous rabbit—unheard of!
"I want to go too!" Ji Youlin sprang up and started to head back the way they came.
Watching his anxious demeanor, Huo Xing’Er found it a bit strange. "What’s up with Sixth Brother? Why do I get the feeling that he’s running away?"
Zhu Xiuxiu curled her lips. "Maybe it’s because he witnessed a bunny, which should eat carrots, suddenly eat earthworms. He must have been rattled by it!"
Huo Xing’Er silently sympathized with Ji Youlin for the span of a few breaths before she and her sister-in-law headed towards the main hall of the County Yamen.
At this time, the main hall of the County Yamen was already filled with members of the Ji Family. Because the Emperor was temporarily residing here, the case being heard today would not be open to the public. However, the victim and the involved parties were required to be present.
Zhao Chunxiang was already awake, but she seemed to be in shock from the attempted live burial. Whenever she was asked about the details following the incident, she would tremble with fear and lose control of her bladder and bowels. Therefore, Ji Youzhi hadn’t managed to get any useful information from her.
So, he questioned County Magistrate Wu and everyone else who had been present at the time. He interviewed each of them separately and obtained a piece of information that seemed both useful and yet, somehow, useless, which allowed him to identify the prime suspect.
"Who stands before the court? What crime have you committed? Confess quickly."
Under the ’Bright Mirror Hung High’ plaque, County Magistrate Wu was trembling somewhat, not for any other reason than the Ji Family’s aura being far too overwhelming, making him quake with fear. At this point, County Magistrate Wu did not know that while the Ji Family could openly watch his trial, in the shadows behind that ’Bright Mirror Hung High’ plaque, the young Emperor had someone bring him a chair. He was sitting there, listening to the commotion outside.
"My... My Lord, this... this humble one is named Li... Li San. I... I am one of the bailiffs at the Government Office. This... this humble one does not know what crime I have committed?"
"How dare you! You don’t know what crime you’ve committed? Surely you at least know why the Lord God Hunter arrested you?" County Magistrate Wu banged the gavel, startling Li San, who shuddered, his eyes darting around.
"Your Excellency, spare me! This humble one truly doesn’t know! Just moments ago, this humble one was patrolling the streets when the Lord God Hunter arrested me. The Lord God Hunter didn’t say anything, nor did he ask me anything!"
Hearing Li San’s response, County Magistrate Wu’s gaze involuntarily drifted towards Ji Youzhi. "Lord God Hunter, is what he says true?"
Ji Youzhi, with his arms crossed and sword in hand, lifted a corner of Li San’s clothing. "My Lord," he said, "please look. What is this?"
County Magistrate Wu and the others looked at the corner of clothing Ji Youzhi had lifted and exclaimed in unison, "Bloodstains!"
Ji Youzhi nodded. "That’s right. These are fresh bloodstains. Bailiff Li, please explain how you got these bloodstains on you."
Upon hearing this, Li San’s body stiffened, and his face turned pale. "I... I don’t know where these bloodstains on my clothes came from. Perhaps when I was on patrol, I brushed against some butcher’s stall!"
The excuse was somewhat plausible. County Magistrate Wu pounded his gavel. "Then which butcher’s stall did you brush against? Do you recall?"
Hearing County Magistrate Wu’s question, Li San was first taken aback, then his eyes flickered. "This humble one has forgotten. There are so many pork vendors in the market; how could I possibly remember which one?"