Chapter 22
The crazed woman’s husband knelt down, “Sir, please do pardon our offence . Ever since this citizen’s daughter Qi Yan disappeared in the market, this citizen’s wife became crazy . She is like this towards everyone . ”
Magistrate Liu would not go as far as to punish a lunatic . His full attention was on Zhang Yongan’s crimes . “Zhang Yongan, do you still not admit to your crimes?”
“Sir, this citizen is guilty……it was all because of Dingshan, he was trying to get on my good side . He saw that I really loved girls and told me that he could get some for me . Those girls were very young and tender……I could not hold back those evil thoughts . But I did not mean to kill them……I accidentally went too far . Please, spare me, spare me!”
“That means to say, those seven girls were all killed by you?”
“No! There were two girls who, upon arriving at the Zhang residence, struggled too much . Dingshan brought them away and tortured them to death . It has got nothing to do with me . ”
The citizens outside were filled with rage . If the officials were not blocking the entrance, they would have rushed in and beat him to death!
Magistrate Liu knocked on his table a few times, the citizens then temporarily calmed down . “Then, Dingshan was also killed by you?”
“No, Sir, I did not kill Dingshan, it was Mu Yunyao, it really was Mu Yunyao!” Zhang Yongan turned his head to look at her, his heart was filled with malice: You little wrench, you dare plot against me? If I die, you are coming with me .
Mu Yunyao laughed coldly in her heart, but she put on a terrified expression on her face . “I did not kill anyone, why do you keep saying that? Is it because you feel like you have not killed enough, and that’s why you want to pull me along?”
“You……you were the one who knocked me out, killed Dingshan, and then pushed all the blame on me! You wretch, you vicious wretch!”
“Sir, I really do not understand what he is talking about . ”
Magistrate Liu had had enough of Zhang Yongan . “Even in the face of death, you still do not learn from your mistakes . Unforgivable! Zhang Yongan, stop insulting others . The fact that you killed seven women is enough to sentence you to death . Now, tell us the truth, why did you appear in Li Shi’s house? What relationship do you have with Li Shi, and was she involved in the murders?”
“It was Su Qing, it really was Su Qing who asked to meet me . Sir, you must be wise!” Zhang Yongan had already resigned to his fate and thus seemed calmer .
“Sir! I do not know why he was in my house, I really do not know anything about the murders!” Li Shi shrieked .
The villagers then spoke up, “Sir, we are from the village . When we entered Li Shi’s house, Li Shi’s clothes were in a mess . This Zhang Yongan definitely did not have pure intentions . ”
An official stood up, “Sir, us officials also saw with our own eyes . Li Shi’s clothes were indeed in disarray . ”
When the people thought about Zhang Caizhu’s lack of morals and the fact that Li Shi’s age was close to his, many spat out in disgust, “This Zhang Yongan obviously had an affair with Li Shi . ”
“Then what about Dingshan?”
“Could it be that he was also in a relationship with Li Shi, and so the two started fighting?”
“Ugh, how shameless . ”
Li Shi shook her head fervently . “Sir, I did not . I have always stayed true to my deceased husband . I have never had any relationships with anyone, you can go to the village and check!”
(T/N: Usually when speaking to this Magistrate, one would say “您” aka “you” as a form of respect due to his identity . But Li Shi had referred to him as “你” which also means “you”, but lacks that respect . )
“This kind of thing is always done in secret, you obviously would not announce it to the public . What is there for me to check?”
“That’s right! That Li Shi is emboldened by her support, that’s why she said that . ”
“Silence, silence!” Magistrate Liu ordered the crowd to keep quiet and looked at the village chief Yang Ming and asked, “Yang Ming, tell me, was it true that Li Shi’s clothes were in a mess?”
“Indeed it was like that,” Yang Ming told the truth . “When I had arrived, Su Shi was sleeping in the east side of the house . There were many eye-witnesses . Had Su Shi’s husband not died, had their house not caught on fire, they would not have moved into Li Shi’s house . ”
Hearing this, Magistrate Liu immediately understood . Even if this Su Shi was stupid, she would not have had an affair right under her mother-in-law’s nose……