Chapter 21
Zhang Yongan jumped up in excitement, “Sir, I did say there was a note!” Perhaps he had remembered it wrong, he could have handed the note to Dingshan to take care of it . But no matter, as long as there was that note, he will have evidence that Su Qing had seduced him!
The coroner handed the note that was stained with blood to the Magistrate . The note was very small, and on it was a few female names . “There are only a few girls’ names here, how does that prove that Su Qing seduced you?”
“Wha……what? Names?”
Mu Yunyao looked as if she suddenly remembered something . “Sir, I know, Zhang Caizhu and his butler was fighting for something…perhaps it was this note . ”
“How is this note worth fighting for? This Wu Mei, Qi Yan……”
“Qi Yan?” The scribe suddenly spoke up . “Sir, the names that you have just mentioned sound very familiar . Your servant here went to flip through the files of past cases . This Qi Yan went missing half a year ago . Her family reported to us but she was never found . Could this be a coincidence or……”
“Qi Yan……Wang Ni……” After reading out more and more names, the Magistrate felt that something was not right . He thought carefully about what Mu Yunyao said before and he suddenly looked at Mu Yunyao . “Mu Yunyao, earlier on, you said that you heard something about killing and burying in a flower garden?”
“I……I said that?” Mu Yunyao glanced at Zhang Yongan and trembled under his glare .
“Don’t be afraid . Think carefully, go back to the scene itself . Do not worry, this is the court, I will definitely make sure that you are safe . You do not have to be afraid of anyone!”
Mu Yunyao lowered her eyes, a dark light flashed across her eyes . At this moment, no one suspected that she was the murderer . After pretending to think hard for a few moments, she suddenly raised her head . “Yes, I remember . Zhang Caizhu was fighting with Dingshan, saying that Dingshan was ungrateful and dared to threaten him . Dingshan said that if Zhang Caizhu did not give him the silver, he would expose him of murdering people and burying the corpses in the flower garden……”
The Magistrate was shocked . His eyes met with the scribe’s and he hit the table . “This case shall be continued tomorrow . You are all dismissed . ”
After the court was closed, the Magistrate changed his attire and called upon all the officials to head towards the village . Within half a day, the news that Zhang Caizhu had murdered seven women had spread through Yan city like wildfire .
The following day, the Magistrate resumed the case . Around half of Yan City’s citizens were gathered .
Mu Yunyao was in the dungeon . She heard the noise of people chattering . She came back to her senses, shaking the thoughts of her past away and put on a frightened face . She respectfully kneeled in the court .
Mu Yunyao had suffered bouts of fever in the dungeon . She was incredibly pale and the people pitied her .
Zhang Yongan had long lost his composure . When he heard the seven names the day before, he knew that he was in trouble . When he was brought to court, he was already trembling like a leaf .
“Zhang Yongan, do you admit that you are guilty?”
“Sir, I……I……”
‘Bang!’ The Magistrate slammed the table before him . “I had brought the officials with me to your Zhang residence’s flower garden . We dug out seven corpses . Your servants have already admitted to everything, saying that those women were brought in by Dingshan, and that after you were done torturing them, you killed them and buried them in your garden . And you still do not admit that you are guilty!”
Zhang Yongan’s legs gave up on him and he fell to the floor . Despite the cold winter weather, sweat dripped profusely from his forehead .
Outside the court, there was the sound of drums .
An official quickly entered and presented a lawsuit form . “Sir, Qi Yan and Wang Ni’s families have come to sue Zhang Yongan for the murders . ”
“Bring them in . ”
The two girls’ families added up to ten . They did not care about court etiquette and rushed to Zhang Yongan and started beating him up . A woman with a crazed expression bit off his ear .
“Sir, Sir, help! This citizen admits it, I admit everything!”
The Magistrate quickly waved his hand to get people to pull Zhang Yongan out .