"Miss Jian, whether the contents of Village Master Long's遗书 (last will) are true or not, I am not entirely clear.
However, regarding the situation of Jinsha Village, I do know a thing or two."
Lin Qingge walked to the table. Lu Mingxuan, with great perceptiveness, moved a chair over, then wiped the seat with his sleeve before gesturing for his superior to sit.
Yan Tinghao, who considered himself Lord Lin's right-hand man, was bewildered.
Ignoring this minor interlude, Lin Qingge sat down and continued, "Jinsha Village did indeed disappear completely from the map of the Great Xia Dynasty fifteen years ago due to a massive fire.
But before that, Jinsha Village had not produced any gold for a long time. Although this is not recorded in the official government archives, the old timers at the county yamen all know this.
According to the recollection of the clerk from the county yamen to which Jinsha Village belonged, although Jinsha Village had a gold mine, it was only located in a small section beneath the mountain range and was mined out in less than three years.
While all the gold extracted from the gold mine had to be handed over to the imperial court, there were no specific quantities. And because the gold mine was too small in scale, it did not receive much attention from the government. Therefore, a considerable number of miners engaged in embezzlement during those years.
As a result, the villagers of Jinsha Village lived affluent lives during those years.
However, as the saying goes, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
Without the gold mine, and unwilling to work in the fields, the men of Jinsha Village, relying on their strength, and with two of them having learned martial arts, decided to take a risk and resorted to banditry, causing widespread resentment among the nearby populace.
Unfortunately, the village chief of Jinsha Village was someone who knew how to play the system, colluding with the county magistrate.
The commission that Village Master Long and his four companions accepted was issued by the county magistrate's wife.
In other words, Village Master Long and his five companions were the true victims."
"No, that's impossible!"
Jian Xing shook her head without thinking, denying the statement. "My parents were honest and upright people. They were absolutely not the bandits who engaged in plunder as Lord Lin described!"
"While one cannot condemn everyone with the same brush, Village Master Long and his five companions were indeed victims.
Therefore, your so-called revenge was misguided from the very beginning."
"Impossible!"
Jian Xing, reeling from successive blows, could only repeat these three words.
Meanwhile, Yan Tinghao, who had finally caught on, widened his eyes in disbelief and asked, "My Lord, Miss Jian is the perpetrator of this series of murders?"
With Yan Tinghao's loud exclamation, Lian Chengyi, who was in the courtyard, heard that a suspect had been found and ambled into the room.
"What's going on? Have you caught the murderer?"
"Right under your nose~"
Hua Jinrong said, handing Long Xiaotian's last testament to Lian Chengyi. Lian Chengyi quickly scanned it and then his gaze fell upon Jian Xing, who was by the bedside with a noticeably unusual expression. He furrowed his brow slightly, "The killer is actually a woman?"
"To be precise, a woman who looks like a woman."
"Lord Lin, what do you mean by that?"
Compared to Lian Chengyi's confusion, Jian Xing's face showed surprise. "Lord Lin, you... you already know?"
Yan Tinghao, transforming into a curious baby, also pressed, "My Lord, know what?"
"I know you're a silly roe deer!"
Glancing at the nosy and big-mouthed simpleton, Lin Qingge, who found it inconvenient to reveal that she had peeped at him urinating, took out an object wrapped in a handkerchief from her sleeve.
"This is the tiger-head shoe that I found in Master Huichong's belongings, the one mentioned in Village Master Long's last will.
This tiger-head shoe appears to be worn by a one-year-old child learning to walk. After fifteen years, the owner of this tiger-head shoe should be in their prime.
Please forgive my presumption, but may I ask, Miss Jian, how old are you?"
"Replying to my Lord, Xing'er is indeed at the age of splendor."
Whether it was "in their prime" or "age of splendor," both referred to sixteen years old.
Lin Qingge nodded and continued, "Perhaps Miss Jian herself does not remember, but her identity as an orphan from Jinsha Village, as well as her age, all circumstantially prove that Miss Jian is the owner of this pair of shoes.
Please examine the tiger-head shoe in my hand carefully. Do you notice anything unusual?"
"Other than being old and the materials being rough, there's nothing amiss, is there?"
"Shut up!"
This time, it was Murong Bai who retorted to Yan Tinghao. As if afraid of being infected by the simpleton's foolishness, he deliberately stood on Lin Qingge's other side and spoke faintly, "Tiger-head shoes of different colors and styles express different meanings. Generally, red is for boys and green is for girls.
Tiger-head shoes worn by girls are usually dyed green, referred to as 'green maidens,' signifying hopes for their daughters to achieve success.
However, this pair of tiger-head shoes has red cloth embroidered with golden thread. Therefore, the person before you is not Miss Jian, but rather Young Master Jian!
Of course, even if Young Master Jian wishes to deny it, it is useless, as a person's bone structure cannot be deceived.
Isn't that right, Lord Lin?"
!!!
Lin Qingge, feeling that this charming rogue definitely knew something and had gathered evidence, was inwardly panicked, but maintained a calm demeanor, nodding her head. "What Coroner Murong said is absolutely correct."
Following that, she looked at Jian Xing, who was disguised as a woman by the bedside, and said sternly, "Therefore, it was Miss Jian who mixed the Crane's Tail Red into the wine for Feng Wuying, and it was also Miss Jian who entered Lan Yishi's room the night before last and brutally murdered him when he was caught off guard!"
"Wait, Lord Lin, you said that Feng Wuying was poisoned by Miss Jian, so who killed Liu Jinxiang, who died almost simultaneously with Feng Wuying?"
"That would have to be asked of the other survivor from Jinsha Village?"
Saying this, Lin Qingge looked at Gao Ming, who had been kneeling by the bedside with his head bowed, and a slight smile touched her lips. "Lu Mingxuan, whom did Master Huichong see on the night before he was murdered?"
Although unsure of the reason, Lu Mingxuan cupped his hands in acknowledgment. "Replying to my Lord, on the night Master Huichong was attacked, besides the person who delivered food, only Village Master Long visited the courtyard."
"Brother Gao, do you know who delivered food to Master Huichong that night?"
Gao Ming, who was called by name, looked up, and a wry smile, more bitter than a cry, appeared on his lips. "Lord Lin, aren't you asking what you already know?"
Jian Xing, unexpectedly hearing Gao Ming directly admit it, blurted out, "Brother!"
"Xing'er, that's enough. Lord Lin sees all.
Moreover, on my parents' grave, brother swore to the heavens that I would take good care of you.
Lord Lin, all the murder cases were committed by me, Gao. Xing'er merely acted according to my instructions. I implore Lord Lin, out of consideration for Xing'er's youth and ignorance, to deal with her leniently!"
"No, all of this was Xing'er's idea. If Lord Lin wants to arrest anyone, arrest Xing'er!"
Looking at the two of them displaying brotherly affection, Lin Qingge sighed, "Regardless of who instructed whom, I will take both of you into custody.
However, before that, there is something I need to tell you.
Do you two know that besides you, there was a third survivor from Jinsha Village back then?"