The onlookers outside gasped in unison; Master Zhong dared to speak so boldly!
Magistrate Cheng, infuriated, burst into laughter. "Your suspicion is indeed valid. But you can ask the tourists on the Yao River tonight if I spoke a word of falsehood!"
Immediately, someone present stepped forward to support him. "What the Magistrate said is all true. From the moment the Magistrate brought his family and friends onto the pleasure boat, I was on the same boat as him until the yamen runners reported. Only then did the Magistrate's family come ashore with those few people."
"Yes, I was also on the pleasure boat, but on the one next door."
"This old man is the storyteller on the pleasure boat. I can also testify for the Magistrate. The Magistrate's family and their companions were all listening to my stories, and they tipped me after each segment."
Master Zhong was left without any grounds and could only desperately cry out his innocence.
Magistrate Cheng, finding him too noisy, slammed his gavel to warn him, "Silence in the court! No loud clamor!"
Glancing at Master Wan's body covered with a white cloth, Magistrate Cheng said, "Summon the coroner to examine the body."
Soon, the coroner arrived before the court.
As the white cloth was lifted from the body, the coroner stated, "Master Wan's death appears to be from poisoning."
He then had the body taken to a small room beside the court for examination. After a while, the coroner returned.
"Your Honor, I discovered several black snakebite marks on Master Wan's body. Therefore, Master Wan died from envenomation after being bitten by venomous snakes."
"Furthermore, there must have been more than one type of venomous snake that bit Master Wan."
"Under normal circumstances, venomous snakes would not appear in a bustling area, let alone several types appearing simultaneously. Moreover, Master Wan's clothes were stained with some suspicious powder. I suspect this powder is the culprit that caused Master Wan to be bitten by venomous snakes. Thus, Master Wan's death can be confirmed as murder."
The coroner's words sent shivers down the spines of the surrounding villagers.
To have several venomous snakes released into the Wan residence to bite Master Wan to death showed an extremely malicious intent.
Zheng Cui'er, who had remained silent, suddenly cried out, "Your Honor, this must have been done by the Jiang family! Because the Jiang family is not afraid of snakes. When we were fleeing famine, the Jiang family led the villagers of the small mountain village to kill many snakes on a mountain. Those venomous snakes must have been brought by the Jiang family!"
Magistrate Cheng stated directly, "Based on this alone, it is impossible to conclude that those venomous snakes were released by the Jiang family, unless you can produce evidence. Moreover, I and many tourists on the Yao River can testify for all members of the Jiang family. At the time of the incident, they were not anywhere near the Wan residence."
What evidence could Zheng Cui'er possibly have?
She was merely making baseless accusations.
Seeing her silence, Magistrate Cheng, with a grave expression, ordered, "Guards, find some snake catchers and search the Wan residence for those venomous snakes!"
The snakes needed to be captured first to prevent further harm.
The yamen runners found several snake catchers and entered the Wan residence.
The Wan residence was already draped in white mourning banners. The servants in the mansion, upon hearing that there were venomous snakes in the residence, and not just one, were terrified and quickly fled outside.
The Wan residence was vast, and capturing several snakes of unknown numbers in such a large area was no easy task.
It wasn't until dawn that news came back.
"Reporting to Your Honor, we have captured a total of twelve venomous snakes in the Wan residence. All these venomous snakes were found in the courtyard of Master Wan's concubine, Madam Zheng. When the subordinates found these snakes, they were gathered together and did not scatter. According to the snake catchers, these snakes were attracted by snake medicine."
"Subordinates found the medicine in a hidden compartment in Madam Zheng's room."
The officers presented the found medicine.
Magistrate Cheng did not accept it but had the coroner verify it.
Upon receiving it, the coroner poured a little onto his hand and smelled it, immediately nodding. "Your Honor, this powder is indeed the same as the powder on Master Wan's clothes."
Zheng Cui'er shrieked, "Impossible! My parents sent it to me, saying it would help the Master in bed. It's not snake-attracting medicine at all!"
Magistrate Cheng said with a cold face, "Whether it is or not, the verification will tell!
"Guards, bring those venomous snakes here!"
Immediately, some officers brought the captured venomous snakes.
More than ten venomous snakes coiled together, their hissing sounds making the villagers, who had been watching all night and were already exhausted, jump.
The coroner had a large basin brought over and had the snake catchers ready, then poured some of the medicine from the bottle into a corner of the basin.
Someone else then poured the snakes into another corner of the basin.
Jiang Wan lightly curved her lips and channeled her special ability towards the snakes in the basin.
After her ability grew, she could now control multiple creatures remotely at the same time.
After writhing in the basin for a moment, the snakes began to pounce towards the medicine powder.
Magistrate Cheng slammed his gavel heavily. "Madam Zheng, what else do you have to say!"
Zheng Cui'er was completely stunned. "No, no, that medicine was just for arousal. How could it be snake-attracting medicine? Someone must be trying to frame me, it must be."
Jiang Wan withdrew her ability and chuckled in the crowd. "This medicine was given to you by your parents? Zheng Cui'er, you are truly foolish. Your parents have tricked you twice, and you still dare to believe them."
Saying this, Jiang Wan walked out of the crowd and said to Magistrate Cheng, "Your Honor, Zheng Cui'er and her parents once drugged my second brother, and I caught them red-handed. Their family are habitual offenders. Your Honor, please do not believe her words."
Er Lang, blushing, stepped forward. "Your Honor, it is true. At that time, the Zheng family father and daughter tricked me into drinking water mixed with medicine and intended to harm me. Fortunately, my little sister discovered it and saved me. The villagers of the small mountain village saw me being carried back, and they can all testify."
Magistrate Cheng had already heard about this from Madam Cheng, and his impression of Zheng Cui'er worsened. He slammed his gavel again. "Madam Zheng, why do you not confess quickly!"
Zheng Cui'er desperately kowtowed and pleaded, "Your Honor, this commoner truly did not harm my master, truly not. This commoner does not know what happened. I beg Your Honor to investigate the truth and clear my name."
Magistrate Cheng was a good official and did not resort to torture immediately. Instead, he had Zheng Cui'er's parents brought in.
The Zheng couple had been locked in the firewood shed of the Wan residence for a day and a night, completely unaware of what was happening outside. When they were brought out by the yamen runners, they thought someone had come to rescue them.
However, upon arriving at the court, they realized what had happened and were terrified to the point of madness.
"Impossible! That medicine is not snake-attracting medicine at all. It's just used for arousal in bed. Oh, right, Master Zhong introduced me to buy that medicine. Master Zhong must know the efficacy of that medicine."