Chapter 16: Suspect, Chu Yan
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Wei Shilai came up to Liu Sanniang. “Miss Liu, sit down and rest for a bit. Have a cup of tea to calm yourself down.”
Liu Sanniang nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
Wei Shilai was a good official. Liu Sanniang felt that he had a righteous aura which was especially comfortable.
She hadn’t seen much when she tried to read Wei Shilai. She’d focused on the deepest memories, but that one memory had been sweetest for Wei Shilai.
He didn’t feel embarrassed because of his poor and humble background.
An honest official like Wei Shilai deserved to be respected and admired by the people.
Truly, he was a good official.
While waiting for the constable to bring Liu Cheng and his family back, an officer rushed in and reported to Wei Shilai in a low voice. “Sir, a woman has come in, claiming that she knows who the arsonist is.”
As soon as he heard that, Wei Shilai quickly said, “Bring her in.”
Wei Shilai said to Liu Sanniang calmly, “Miss Liu, rest here first. When Liu Cheng comes, you can see what he has in mind telepathically.”
Liu Sanniang nodded.
The woman who came must have something to offer about the mortuary case.
Wei Shilai exited the back room into the front hall.
Madam Li felt a little uneasy. “Greetings, Your Lordship.”
Madam Li bowed and asked with a smile. “Sir, will there be a reward for providing clues about the arsonist?”
Wei Shilai took a look at Madam Li. He nodded and said, “There will be a reward. As long as the clues you provide are useful, there will be two taels given as a reward.”
Madam Li frowned. “Only two taels? Is such a vicious arsonist only worth two taels?”
Wasn’t two taels too little? Some people got rewarded with 180 taels for providing clues related to some vicious criminals.
Wei Shilai smiled. “You haven’t provided a clue yet, Ma’am. One clue isn’t enough for us to catch the arsonist. If you can provide a few more, the reward will double.”
Although Madam Li was seeking money, as long as the clues she provided were useful, it would help him a lot.
Madam Li smiled. “Sir, I suspect that my stepson is the arsonist.”
Wei Shilai asked her calmly. “What’s suspicious about him? Why did you make such a deduction?”
Madam Li lowered her voice and said, “My stepson is a blacksmith. His name is Chu Yan. He’s very tall and strong. He has a strange temper and often comes home at midnight. I don’t know where he went. Moreover, when he returned home today, he packed some stuff and left, so I made a bold guess…”
Wei Shilai frowned. Madam Li’s guess was not unreasonable. A young and lonely man with a strange temper who did not go home in the middle of the night was the easiest to do something immoral.
“I asked him what he was going to do. Lord, you don’t know. His gaze is like that of a ferocious beast. It almost scared me to death. It was as if he’s going to kill someone in the next second.”
“Also, Chu Yan was very strange when he was young. As his stepmother, I wanted to discipline him, but he actually attempted to strangle me…”
The more Madam Li spoke, the more certain she became. “Sir, I’m sure that Chu Yan is the murderer. He’s very bad. Some people are born bad!”
Yu Simai frowned. Madam Li was exaggerating, but Chu Yan was indeed very suspicious.
Wei Shilai called a few officers over. “Go and check if Chu Yan is still in town. If not, find out where he is going.”
Madam Li smiled obsequiously. “Sir, where should I go to collect my taels?”
Wei Shilai said calmly, “Ma’am, don’t be anxious. When the arsonist is caught and your clues are confirmed to be useful, you can come to the government office to collect your money.”
Madam Li frowned when she heard that. It was so much trouble.
However, she had already provided the clues. She wouldn’t come all the way here for nothing, right? She thought for a moment and said, “Sir, you mustn’t tell anyone that it is me who provided the clues. Otherwise, Chu Yan will kill me.”
Wei Shilai said solemnly, “Don’t worry, I and the officers will keep it a secret. We will definitely not let the secret out.”
Madam Li thought about it and nodded. As a magistrate, Wei Shilai was the most upright and trustworthy.
After Madam Li left, Wei Shilai returned to the back hall.
He looked at Liu Sanniang’s food box. “Miss Liu, you’re here to deliver food to your family, right?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
She wasn’t a capable woman, and wasn’t acquainted with anyone of high status. Although she’d lived to the age of seventy-five in her previous life, she hadn’t experienced much. What she was experiencing now was the grimmest.
If she had not lived to 75 years old, she would probably be scared enough to only cry and do nothing at this moment.
Wei Shilai was a little impressed. Such a sensible and kind girl. It could be seen how well her parents had raised her.
Wei Shilai smiled. “Do your parents know that you have the psychic ability?”
Liu Sanniang shook her head. “Father and Mother don’t know, and I don’t want them to know. If it wasn’t for the fact that my family is in trouble, I wouldn’t let anyone know.”
She did not have any big ambitions and just wanted to live a peaceful life. If she could marry a good husband to make up for her regrets in her previous life and have a child, she would be satisfied.
Yu Shilai nodded. Liu Sanniang looked like a kind-hearted girl from a small village and deserved to have a good life.
“When Liu Cheng is here, you only need to sit here. I will put up a curtain between you and them so that your identity won’t be exposed.”
Wei Shilai really felt that Liu Sanniang was good. She was gentle, sensible, and intelligent. Such a good girl should be protected.
Therefore, it was very important to hide her identity.
Liu Sanniang was delighted. “Thank you, sir.”
She was also worried about her identity being exposed. It was good that Magistrate Wei showed some consideration for her.
Yu Shilai smiled. “Miss Liu, you’re welcome. My wife often tells me that she wants a daughter. Now I know why she wants a daughter.”
Liu Sanniang was a little shy upon hearing that.
Wei Shilai smiled and instructed the servants to take care of Liu Sanniang before getting up to leave.
The assistant who went to investigate Liu Sanniang soon returned. What Liu Sanniang said was true, but how she had gained that kind of power was unknown.
At the same time, Lin Zheng also brought Liu Cheng and his family to the government office.
Liu Cheng’s family was dressed very well. They had even washed up and were smiling. It was the first time that Liu Cheng’s mother entered the government office, so she was awestruck, “Son, look at this government office. It’s so grand.”
Liu Cheng’s mother felt that she would be able to show off to her relatives the fact that she was invited to the government office by his lordship.