An Xin said calmly, "After arsenic poisoning, small papules the size of rice grains will appear on the skin, and there will be bleeding from the mouth and nose. The corpse will also convulse violently... Shui Yue Rou did convulse all over her body, but her skin was intact and there was no bleeding from her mouth and nose. This means that she was not poisoned before she died. The poison was forcibly poured into her mouth after she died."
Yang Hu asked, "But how was Shui Yue Rou killed in that sealed room?"
An Xin smiled and said, "Good question. How exactly did Shui Yue Rou die? Everyone only saw her locked in the room and assumed she was killed in a closed room. But how can someone be killed without struggling at all? As I said before, the body was in a convulsive state, which means the body was conscious and struggled! But there was no trace of struggle in the room. Isn't that too strange?"
The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but Feng Lin sneered, "What does this prove?"
An Xin said calmly, "There's a bruise the size of a fist on Shui Yue Rou's back. It's obvious she made it when she fell to the ground. Everyone knows Shui Yue Rou died in bed inside the room, so how could there be such a mark on her back? Also, I found some bright green grass sap under Shui Yue Rou's fingernails. Although it had been cleaned, it was still faintly visible. This shows that Shui Yue Rou didn't die inside the room at all, but outside. And because she was in pain when she died, she grabbed at the grass around her. Her clothes and shoes were covered in mud. The murderer was very calm. He not only changed Shui Yue Rou's clothes to clean ones, but also cleaned her fingernails and even forced her to drink poison. Because Shui Yue Rou was already dead, the poison didn't reach her stomach and intestines, but only remained in her mouth, with a small amount flowing down her throat. But that's enough to show that she died from poisoning!"
Wang Baishi, pale-faced, said, "But how did the murderer escape from the room? The room was sealed!"
An Xin suddenly laughed, but the girl's laughter was not as warm as usual; instead, it carried a hint of mocking coldness: "It couldn't be simpler!"
Everyone was shocked. Could it be some kind of sorcery?!
An Xin said calmly, "The murderer first bolted the door from the inside, then jumped out of the window, and carefully bolted the window with a sharp blade. That's how a locked-room murder is completed!"
Yang Hu said, "But there are no marks of a sharp blade on the window latch."
An Xin said, "Use the back of the knife. You can pull the window latch out a little beforehand, and then carefully move it with the back of the knife to lock the window!"
Feng Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Since the murderer changed Shui Yue Rou's clothes, didn't Ying Gu notice anything at all?"
An Xin suddenly looked at Feng Yi. Did he already know who the murderer was by asking that question? This boy's talent was probably more than just a rumor.
An Xin paused and said calmly, "Shui Yuerou had a violent temper and would often whip and punish Ying Gu. Besides, Shui Yuerou died in the middle of the night, so it's understandable that she changed into her nightgown. Moreover, when Ying Gu arrived, Shui Yuerou was already dead. In her shock and fear, who would think about that blood-stained robe? Furthermore, Ying Gu had hoped that Shui Yuerou would die, but she didn't expect that she would actually die. When she learned that Shui Yuerou had arsenic in her body, she was even more terrified because she did have arsenic on her, but for some reason, she hadn't used it yet!"
Yinggu suddenly covered her face and burst into tears.
A smile crept onto Feng Yi's lips, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes as he looked at An Xin and asked, "But why did the murderer kill Shui Yue Rou?"
An Xin said calmly, "There's always some reason a murderer has before committing a crime. I think it's mostly related to love, hate, and grudges in this world..." But who will pay for the death of the deceased? No matter what the crime, life is innocent!
The girl's eyes seemed to hold the bittersweet memories of life's ups and downs, yet her eyes remained as bright as ever, enough to pierce through all the gloom and illusions of the world. Her demeanor was so beautiful that it stirred one's heart!
An Xin's gaze flickered for only a moment before brightening again as she looked directly at the man whose expression had changed slightly. Her voice turned cold and deep: "Xu Huai'an, am I right?"
Chapter 19: No Escape
Everyone's expression changed drastically—Xu Huai'an!? How could it be Xu Huai'an!?
Xu Huai'an's facial muscles twitched, and he forced a smile, "Miss, how could it be me? Why would I kill Yue Rou? I had no motive to kill her..."
"You do!" An Xin's voice was certain, but her gaze fell on Feng Yi's face, and the corners of her lips curled up. Sure enough, Feng Yi's expression wasn't surprised; this man had already known that the real culprit was Xu Huai'an!
The Feng family is indeed not to be underestimated!
Feng Lin sneered, "When Shui Yue Rou died, Xu Huai'an was in the capital. Could he possibly have a clone technique?"
An Xin said calmly, "The calligraphy wasn't given by Xu Huai'an; it was just a stand-in he found. The person who asked for the calligraphy never actually saw Xu Huai'an's face. We can find out the truth by catching the stand-in!"
Shen Zhuo said coldly, "Bring that double up here!"
This surprised not only everyone, but also An Xin. In fact, Xu Huai'an finding a body double was just her speculation. She was too busy to do anything else, so she had to take a gamble. After all, she had evidence in hand, and even if there were some mistakes, it would not affect the result. She never expected that the body double would be caught!
Wait a minute… how did this Right Chancellor know to arrest the double?! Did he have precognition? If he knew Xu Huai'an had a double, why did he order Wang Baishi to execute Ying Gu so quickly?!
In an instant, countless doubts arose. An Xin turned around, her eyes slightly narrowed, as if she could see through the thin sedan curtain to see the person inside!
The man in the sedan chair smiled lazily. His eagerness to help had inadvertently revealed his identity. He was somewhat looking forward to seeing her expression when she found out he was the Right Chancellor... Would she be furious or exasperated? Or perhaps she would hold a grudge against him because of An Youwei and turn on him on the spot... Whatever her reaction, he would like it. Ah, as long as she didn't find it offensive.
Xu Huai'an's face suddenly turned pale, and he swayed as he said, "There's no need to bring him up..."
An Xin suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked at him.
The thin, frail scholar was so delicate that it was hard to imagine that he was the ruthless murderer!
Xu Huai'an looked at An Xin and said with a wry smile, "When did you start to doubt me?"
The surrounding chatter almost drowned out Xu Huai'an's voice, but An Xin, who was fluent in lip reading, naturally knew what he was asking. An Xin said calmly, "If you don't confess, I will naturally have evidence of your actions. It seems you already regret it."
Xu Huai'an trembled: "Yes... ever since I killed Yue Rou, I've been waking up from nightmares every night... I always see Yue Rou sticking out her long tongue, demanding my life..."
An Xin casually tossed out the robes she had made them take off that day and said indifferently, "My suspicions about you started with your suicide note. A person who wants to commit suicide might leave some last words, but at that time, she must have been in an agitated state, and the handwriting would not be so neat."
Xu Huai'an said, "That doesn't seem like a valid reason."
An Xin smiled slightly and said calmly, "You're right, but there's a seal on the suicide note. Would a dying person still be in the mood to put on a seal? This means that the suicide note wasn't written by Shui Yue Rou."
Xu Huai'an said in a low voice, "That doesn't seem like a valid reason."
An Xin casually pulled out the scroll of farewell letter, and Wang Baishi suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! The farewell letter was in your hands all along!"
Yang Hu was also stunned.
An Xin shrugged and smiled awkwardly, saying, "What I find suspicious is the writing on the suicide note. Right-handed writers always write horizontally from the inside out, but you are left-handed, so the writing is from the outside in. However, Ying Gu and Fu Xinren can't write, and Li Qiuxia doesn't know many characters, so she definitely can't write a beautiful plum blossom-shaped regular script. The only one who can write it is you!"
Fine beads of sweat slowly rolled down Xu Huai'an's forehead. He asked tremblingly, "Where's the evidence?"
An Xin casually picked up his robe and turned it over to the corner, where there was a newly patched patch. When Xu Huai'an saw the patch, he slumped to the ground in despair.
An Xin said, "When you escaped, you were accidentally entangled by a flower branch, but Ying Gu had already returned. You left in a hurry without checking the hem of your robe, but you left behind real evidence!" An Xin casually tossed aside a small piece of cloth, her voice cool, "The fact is, you were accidentally injured when you killed Shui Yue Rou. There are traces of your blood on the grass tips and the carpet in Shui Yue Pavilion..." But ancient technology was not advanced, so it was impossible to identify the murderer by bloodstains.
Xu Huai'an said dejectedly, "It was Shui Yue Rou who wanted to break up with me... because I failed my exams repeatedly and couldn't afford to give her a comfortable life. However, she agreed to spread the word that it was me who broke up with her..."
An Xin said coldly, "So you killed her? Even if she's dead, you're still down on your luck, and you'll have to pay with your life!"
The entire venue was silent, except for the girl's voice, which was cool yet possessed a piercing power that made everyone's heart tremble!
Wang Baishi was the first to react, and he hurriedly shouted, "Arrest this murderer!"
Immediately, some constables rushed over and grabbed Xu Huai'an. Xu Huai'an looked at An Xin and said, "I knew I couldn't escape this calamity, but I didn't expect that the person who pointed it out to me was you."
An Xin said calmly, "There's only one truth, and Heaven is watching what people do!"
****
The case of Shui Yue Rou was solved, causing a public uproar.
One person said, "I never expected the Feng family to misjudge a case! If it weren't for this An Xin, Ying Gu would have been a wrongfully killed ghost!"
One person said, "Could it be that the Feng family has made a misjudgment before?"
One person said, "Is this girl named An Xin from Wuhua Village? It's said that she was married off to the Ling family, a high-ranking official in the capital, in place of her sister (voice lowered), but I heard she was divorced..."
One person said, "Oh? Is this true? You finally rose to prominence and became a phoenix, how come you've fallen on hard times again..."
...
Countless discussions came her way. An Xin pursed her lips slightly. The Ling family was powerful, so it was expected that the news would be completely altered. But did the Ling family think about how much trouble this would cause a poor girl in order to save face?
If it were the Anxin of the past, how could she have endured it?
There was both discussion and praise, but the praise for An Xin was undoubtedly a denigration of the Feng family!
Feng Lin's face darkened. Wherever she went, she was adored by thousands; how could she be looked down upon like this! New and old grudges surged into her heart, and she could no longer restrain herself. She stepped forward and shouted fiercely, "You bitch, take this!"
The sudden palm strike made An Xin instinctively take a step back and narrowly avoid it. The crowd, who had been planning to disperse like birds and beasts, suddenly became interested in watching the two fight.
Wang Baishi shouted angrily, "Stop! How dare you be so disrespectful in front of the Right Chancellor!"
The Right Chancellor, resting his chin on his hand, said lazily, "This girl is quite capable."
Shen Zhuo asked doubtfully, "Does Your Excellency mean Feng Lin? The Feng family's martial arts are passed down through generations, so naturally..."
"An Xin." The Right Prime Minister interrupted Shen Zhuo, a keen interest rising on his lips. "Her martial arts are unlike any other school; they're practical and interesting, aren't they?"
Shen Zhuo thought blankly: This subordinate doesn't find it very interesting. Are you interested in people, sir?
---Aside---
I'm too lazy to urge them to add more chapters, but given the very small increase in favorites, how about we implement an extra chapter policy? One extra chapter for every 50 favorites added daily! Everyone can see the favorites, so please give it your all, ladies! We really need motivation! Also, thank you to [花锦年] for 11 flowers, 2 diamonds, and 1 review vote; thank you to [花开锦绣墨上风流] for 1 flower; thank you to [erica2] for 1 review vote; and thank you to [冰河红叶16] for 2 flowers. Thank you, ladies, love you all!
Chapter Twenty: Keen Observation
An Xin dodged the attack, not intending to hold back. She lowered her body and suddenly swept her leg out. Feng Lin immediately dodged and threw another punch at An Xin.
The onlookers were excitedly rubbing their hands together. Yi'an County was very small, and it was rare to see anything exciting. Moreover, the two girls, one beautiful and the other stunning, were pleasing to the eye, naturally making the men's blood boil.
An Xin grabbed Feng Lin's wrist and threw her over her shoulder with a heavy judo throw. Feng Lin's body rushed towards the ground. However, Feng Lin knew kung fu after all. In a moment of quick thinking, she slapped the ground with her palm, and her body immediately sprang up. She suddenly rushed forward and attacked An Xin again!
An Xin suddenly sank, her fingers instantly grabbing Feng Lin's wrist, and then she slammed into Feng Lin. Feng Lin couldn't dodge in time and was hit hard in the abdomen. She staggered, and An Xin continued her attack. When Feng Lin bent over, An Xin struck her on the back of the neck with a palm. Seeing her rush forward in pain, An Xin raised her fist again and punched her in the face.
The beautiful woman was immediately hit and bled from her mouth and nose. Feng Yi's eyes widened. He never expected that An Xin would actually hit Lin'er. Thinking of his third uncle's fierce protectiveness, Feng Yi's expression changed slightly. He darted forward and grabbed An Xin's wrist as she slammed it down.
An Xin frowned. One attempt to stop someone was forgivable, but repeated attempts were meddling!
Driven to rage by the excruciating pain, Feng Lin suddenly attacked An Xin, kicking her in the side again. An Xin instinctively dodged, but Feng Lin's move was a feint. A heavy punch landed mercilessly on An Xin's cheek. An Xin instinctively dodged, but was still grazed, causing a burning pain.
Feng Lin, wounded and filled with humiliation, charged forward again. An Xin slapped Feng Yi away, then quickly dodged and suddenly raised her foot, sending a fierce gust of wind slicing through the air as she kicked Feng Lin hard in the chest.
Feng Lin froze, then staggered. Before she could react, An Xin launched a spinning kick with a whistling wind. With a loud "bang," Feng Lin's cheek was struck hard, and she flew out in a sorry state.
The entire room was completely silent.
An Xin slowly walked up to Feng Lin, who was struggling to get up, raised her foot, and stepped on her chest, coldly saying, "You are really weak!"
Feng Lin's eyes were filled with humiliation, fear, and ferocity, but the force of the foot pressing on her body felt like a thousand pounds, making it impossible for her to turn over no matter what she did.
After a moment of silence, the crowd suddenly erupted into a huge commotion. It should be noted that Feng Lin was the young lady of the Feng clan, and An Xin stepping on Feng Lin was tantamount to stepping on the face of the Feng clan!
Feng Yi's mouth gaped slightly. Lin'er had been defeated. This girl had never tasted defeat before. She had been pampered since childhood and had never suffered such hardship. But today, being trampled underfoot by a girl her own age, she would probably grow from this experience...
Looking at An Xin again, Feng Yi's gaze gradually became complicated. She stood there with a calm expression, showing neither the joy of victory nor the fragility of injury. Was this the behavior of a fifteen-year-old girl?
An Daming was so shocked that his mouth dropped open. Was this still the same timid girl from before? When did that little girl who would only cry when bullied grow up to be like this?
A soft chuckle escaped from inside the sedan chair, the voice casually saying, "Looks like it's over. This girl's move really suited my taste..."
Shen Zhuo twitched his lips and said, "My lord, offending the Feng Clan is not a good thing for An Xin."
A slight chill played on the lips of the person in the sedan chair. Their eyes, as radiant as the morning sun, slowly fell upon An Xin. They said casually, "The Wind Clan, what are they anyway..."
Shen Zhuo trembled, and when he looked at An Xin again, his gaze gradually became strange. Did the master mean to protect this girl? If he remembered correctly, the master had almost killed this girl's biological father a while ago. Putting aside the old grudges, what did this girl have that would make the master take action?