Chapter 124: You’re Teasing Me
“Don’t come over! It wasn’t me!” Zhao Tian cried out, “I didn’t want to kill you! You just wouldn’t listen!”
“We’re both men, why can Lin Jianshan do it but I can’t?”
“Don’t come to me! I’ll burn paper for you, lots and lots of paper, just let me go! I won’t dare do it again!”
His expression was terrified as he waved his hands and trembled while retreating backward.
Dan Dajun and the others exchanged a glance. Well, no need to even interrogate him—he confessed directly.
“You’re the ghost, your whole family are ghosts!”
Xiao Huan brushed the long hair from both sides behind her ears, then removed the white paper that had been covering her face with red marks drawn on it, pulled down her eyelids to roll her eyes, and made a ghost face at Zhao Tian.
Zhao Tian shuddered. It was over!
His face instantly turned ashen.
Dan Dajun waved his hand. “Seize him and take him away!”
Xiao Huan smiled and hugged Lady Shang’s arm. “Sis, brother-in-law’s method really worked.”
Dan Dajun took men to Zhao Tian’s home and found several sharpened wooden sticks there, similar to the murder weapon stabbed into Gui Shi’s chest.
Upon questioning, they learned these were what Zhao Tian had sharpened for spearing fish.
Today, Zhao Tian had whimsically gone to the riverside to spear fish and happened to hear some movement. He originally thought it was some young couple out seeking excitement, so he quietly crept over to look. Who knew he saw Lin Jianshan and Gui Shi in the act.
Once Lin Jianshan left, he wanted to come out, but unexpectedly Chen Guifang appeared. Fortunately, Chen Guifang left quickly. He stopped Gui Shi before she could leave, demanding that she be with him.
Gui Shi refused. Zhao Tian believed he was no worse than Lin Jianshan. Since Gui Shi could be with Lin Jianshan, why couldn’t she be with him? So he ignored her wishes and directly grabbed her clothes.
But Gui Shi was also a fierce woman. If she wasn’t willing, she wasn’t willing. She resisted desperately, even shouting at the top of her lungs.
Zhao Tian worried Gui Shi would attract people, so he hurriedly covered her mouth. Gui Shi took the chance to kick him between the legs, flipped over, got up, and ran.
Rage surged in Zhao Tian’s heart. He chased after her, grabbed her black hair, and yanked her back.
Gui Shi kicked, stomped, and shouted. She grabbed the sharpened wooden stick Zhao Tian had dropped and stabbed at him.
Zhao Tian was still in pain down there. Seeing Gui Shi still unyielding, his rage instantly clouded his reason. He snatched the wooden stick back and stabbed toward Gui Shi’s chest.
Only when blood splashed onto his face did he suddenly realize what he had done.
Gui Shi’s eyes were wide open, and she had stopped breathing.
Zhao Tian didn’t even dare look at the corpse again. He hurriedly ran to the riverside to wash the blood off his face and fled without looking back.
Afterward, the corpse was discovered, and he pretended to be calm as he went to watch.
After returning home, he wanted to burn the bloodstained clothes before the officials arrived. That was when he discovered his money bag was missing.
He immediately went to look for it, but before he could find it, the officials arrived at the reed marsh. Afraid of being discovered, he could only go under the old elm tree with everyone else.
After the officials took Lin Jianshan and the other away, he sat dazed in his home for a while. Still reluctant to lose that more than two taels of silver, he waited until he figured everyone was asleep and groped his way in the dark to search near the reed marsh.
Unexpectedly, he walked right into the trap set by Lady Shang and her group.
“Officer, I’ve confessed everything.” Zhao Tian cried with tears and snot streaming down, “It was that old woman’s fault. If she had obediently been with me just once, none of this mess would have happened!”
Dan Dajun directly slapped him hard across the face and had someone gag his mouth.
“Lady Shang, catching the murderer this time was all thanks to your help.” Dan Dajun smiled at Lady Shang. “It’s late now. I still need to take the men back to report. Another day, I’ll treat everyone to a meal.”
Lady Shang agreed and saw Dan Dajun and his group off out of the village.
The Lin Family heard the murderer had been caught and hurriedly came to ask if Lin Jianshan could be released, after all, he hadn’t committed murder.
Their words made no mention of Chen Guifang, who had been arrested with him.
Chen Guifang kept her head down, her face hidden in the darkness, her expression unclear.
Dan Dajun hesitated for a moment but decided to take both back together and let the county magistrate decide.
The Lin Family’s disappointment was plain to see.
Dan Dajun said “See you later” to Lady Shang and Xiao Huan, then took his men and left.
Lady Shang ignored the Lin Family’s resentful glares, stretched, put her arm around Xiao Huan’s shoulders. “Let’s go, home to sleep.”
The bonfire crackled. Except for Liang Liang and Yuan Yuan, the two children, everyone else sat around the table waiting for news.
Ma Jieyong several times peered outside, muttering, “Why haven’t they come back? Hope they didn’t fail to catch him.”
“Quit jinxing!” Gao Yan raised his hand and smacked him.
“Sis! Xiao Huan!” Shi Tou had sharp eyes and spotted the two familiar figures walking side by side. He trotted over to meet them. “How’d it go? Catch the murderer?”
Xiao Huan said, “We did. It was Zhao Tian.”
“Zhao Tian?” Shi Tou frowned. “The one living in the east of the village, always drying salted fish at his doorway?”
Xiao Huan nodded. “That’s him.”
Lu Chengjing poured them each a cup of plain water. His gaze fell on Lady Shang. “Why did he kill Gui Shi?”
Lady Shang said, “Lustful intent.”
She summed up the events in a few words. After hearing it, everyone’s expressions turned a bit strange.
Not sure whether to sigh over Gui Shi’s fate or Zhao Tian’s bizarre thinking.
“Anyway, the matter is settled now.” Lady Shang tapped the table with her finger. “It’s late. Everyone go to sleep.”
Everyone agreed. He Sizhi and his disciple returned to the shed to sleep. Shi Tou added fodder for the yellow ox and the ewe. Xiao Huan buried several sweet potatoes under the extinguished bonfire—they would be perfect to eat in the morning.
The torches went out, leaving only the bright moonlight illuminating this patch of land.
Lady Shang took off her outer garment and lay down in the warm bedding. She skillfully pulled her fox over to hold him, resting her head on his shoulder.
Lu Chengjing was used to it. He raised his hand and gently stroked the smooth black hair at the back of Lady Shang’s head.
Lady Shang closed her eyes. A faint inky fragrance entered her nose. She sniffed lightly, then opened her eyes and asked softly, “Don’t you think it’s strange that Lin Jianshan and Gui Shi were committing adultery?”
“How so?”
“Too coincidental, like the whole thing was designed to get Gui Shi killed.” Lady Shang’s hand was restless, stroking Lu Chengjing’s waist as she spoke, tickling him until he trembled.
He coughed twice stuffily, grabbed Lady Shang’s hand, and called helplessly, “Niangzi.”
“It’s mine to keep. Can’t I touch it a little?” Lady Shang looked up at him, her gaze frank and sincere.
Lu Chengjing’s cheeks flushed under her stare. He pursed his lips and slowly released her hand.
With permission granted, a sly glint flashed in Lady Shang’s eyes.
Her nimble fingers slid down along his waist, lifted the hem of his inner garment, and slipped inside like a snake.
Lu Chengjing: !
Lady Shang: Smooth and slippery, nice feel. A bit more meat would be even better.
Feeling the hand causing trouble at his waist, Lu Chengjing’s eyes froze in place. His face reddened like the sunset glow. He felt like he was about to steam up.
And yet Lady Shang poured more fuel on the fire.
She lifted her head and pecked lightly at Lu Chengjing’s chin, her eyes brimming with a faint smile.
Lu Chengjing: !!
His voice was low. “Niangzi.”
“Mm.”
“Niangzi.”
“I’m here.”
“You’re teasing me.”
“Cough, this is nothing.” Lady Shang smoothly slipped both hands inside, her voice laced with laughter. “Let’s continue with the main topic. Do you think Gui Shi’s death was deliberately orchestrated?”
Lu Chengjing: “…”
Did he look like he could think straight right now?
