Chapter 11: I Did Not Kill Anyone

“The officials are here,” a shout echoed from the entrance to the village after a long silence. Three men dressed in government attire strode forward, with Liu Bingbing leading the way.

When Liu Bingbing had gone to report to the authorities, she’d heard there was a constable investigating a case in the neighboring village. She rushed over and exaggerated the severity of the situation. By the time she returned to the Qin household, the courtyard was eerily quiet, and Hua Qinci’s body was gone.

A crowd lingered nearby, peering in all directions and whispering among themselves. Seeing the officials arrive so quickly, the bolder ones edged closer.

“Well, look at that! Liu Bingbing really brought Constable Zhao here!”

“Do you think she’s lost her mind? After all, Sister Qin is her own aunt!”

“That little girl—she’s really capable of anything! She’s trying to ruin Sister Qin!”

“Is it true? Is it really that serious?”

“Murder is a grave crime—what do you think? If Hua... no, she’s now Qin’s wife. If something happened to her, Sister Qin won’t escape punishment! I hear, for lighter cases, you can end up in prison for a decade or more, but for serious ones, it’s execution!”

“My goodness, that’s terrifying!”

“That’s it then. Did you see the look on Qin’s face just now? Pale as death. I fear it’s not looking good for her.”

The crowd chattered, voices overlapping and swelling with excitement.

“Where are they? My cousin, my cousin’s wife, and my aunt?” Liu Bingbing listened to the swirling rumors, knowing Hua Qinci was beyond saving. Joy threatened to burst from her, but she forced herself to look worried.

“Inside, I suppose? We saw Doctor Li go in earlier, but who knows what’s happening now!” Before the words had faded, Liu Bingbing kicked open the door and rushed inside.

“Sister-in-law? Where’s my sister-in-law?”

But there was only Qin Mingyue, her face clouded with sorrow. Liu Bingbing felt a sudden, inexplicable anxiety.

Qin Mingyue didn’t raise her eyes, her mind filled with the image of Hua Qinci lying in a pool of blood.

“I don’t know, I don’t know. I didn’t kill anyone. I really didn’t kill anyone.”

Seeing Qin Mingyue’s panic, Liu Bingbing felt certain—Hua Qinci was gone. She had struck her hard enough; she’d seen the ironwood shaft lodged deep. That wasn’t ordinary wood, but a weapon her brother crafted for hunting fish and wild beasts. Made from mountain ironwood, treated and soaked, coated with beast oil, it was unyieldingly hard.

Today, her brother had gone up the mountain. Liu Bingbing, troubled by yesterday’s events, took the smaller ironwood shaft he’d made for her. She wandered aimlessly and ended up at the Qin household.

And then—what happened unfolded.

“Miss Liu? You’re saying she’s the murderer?” Constable Zhao searched the courtyard, finding nothing but a pool of blood beneath the peach tree.

“Yes, I saw my aunt kill her with my own eyes,” Liu Bingbing declared, her face shining with righteous conviction.

“You’re certain you saw it yourself? Where’s the evidence? Where’s the victim? Where’s the body?” Constable Zhao fired off questions, and Liu Bingbing grew anxious, her gaze darting around, but she couldn’t see her ironwood shaft.

“I... I...”

“Little girl, let me tell you: if you falsely report a case and toy with the officials, do you know what consequences await?” Another constable’s eyes glinted as he stared at Liu Bingbing.

“I—I didn’t—at the time, they—they saw it too.” Young as she was, Liu Bingbing couldn’t withstand the pressure; fear scattered her senses and left her lost.