216 Tricked, Confession
Silversmith Wu eagerly brought out a chair and smiled at Yu Niang. “Sister, you’ve found the right person. I have all the latest styles. Many people are changing their styles here.”
Yu Niang smiled and glanced at the man. “Show me a few designs.”
With that glance, Silversmith Wu felt an itch in his heart. He hurriedly carried a plate and placed it on the small table in front of Yu Niang. “Take a look. They’re all the latest designs from the Qingzhou Prefecture. You’re good-looking. You’ll definitely look better after wearing them.”
“Really?” Yu Niang covered her mouth and giggled. “You really know how to praise people.” The two of them were flirting when Aunt Zhang walked into the shop and shouted, “Shopkeeper, I want to buy a hairpin. Do you have it?”
Yu Niang looked up and smiled. “Yo! Isn’t this Aunt Zhang? Aunt, are you here to buy jewelry too?”
Aunt Zhang walked over and squeezed past Wu Yinchang to sit beside Yu Niang. She held her hand and smiled. “That’s right, sister. Are you here to buy jewelry too?”
Yu Niang smiled. “No, I heard from my sister that the master of this shop is good. So I thought of making new styles with two pieces of old jewelry!”
Aunt Zhang glanced at Silversmith Wu and whispered, “Sister, have you heard? The Wang family’s daughter-in-law was captured by the government. I heard that she and her lover killed her man.”
Yu Niang pretended to be surprised and shouted, “No way! How did you know?”
Aunt Zhang glanced at Silversmith Wu and said in embarrassment, “Shopkeeper, we’re gossiping here. Don’t tell anyone!”
Wu Yinchang laughed dryly. “Don’t worry, it won’t spread.”
Only then did Aunt Zhang say to Yu Niang in a low voice, “My nephew is working in the government office. Yesterday, he came back and told my boss that Carpenter Wang had a tough life. He married a vicious woman and was killed by his wife and lover with vicious methods.”
“How vicious were they?” Yu Niang widened her eyes and looked at Aunt Zhang. “Does the government know who that lover is?”
Aunt Zhang shook her head and said, “That bitch hasn’t said anything yet. The magistrate is still interrogating her!”
“It sounds quite scary.” After Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang finished speaking, she looked at the silver jewelry on the plate for a while and asked Silversmith Wu, who was standing at the side, “Master, do you have any other designs?”
Silversmith Wu shook his head and said, “No, we’ll only know the newest styles when I go to Qingzhou. Why don’t you come again next time?”
“Alright then! I’ll come back in a few days. You have to be faster, or I’ll go to another shop.”
“Of course, of course.” Silversmith Wu politely sent the two of them out of the shop.
Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang left the shop. Aunt Zhang whispered, “Yu Niang, do you think he’s that lover?”
“It should be. His eyes are shiny and his gaze is like an awl.” At the entrance of the alley, Yu Niang patted Aunt Zhang. “Alright, Aunt Zhang, let’s split up!”
Silversmith Wu watched the two of them walk away. After a while, he closed the shop and hurriedly packed his luggage. He opened the backyard door and ran into the alley. Just as he reached the alley, he was caught by the magistrate officers lying in an ambush.
Silversmith Wu struggled. “What right do you have to arrest me? I didn’t break the law!”
Wang Cheng kicked him and shouted, “You know very well whether or not you broke the law.”
A few bailiffs brought Wu Yinchang back to the government office. Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Go to the back office and report to Madam that Wu Yinchang has been captured.”
Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang were still waiting anxiously for the news. When they heard from the bailiff that Silver Craftsman Wu had been captured, they smiled happily. “Okay! We caught him.”
Li Yu smiled and said to the two of them, “The two of you contributed greatly. When the case is closed, I’ll get Lord Zhou to reward you.”
“Sure!” The two of them smiled and agreed.
Zhou Jia asked the bailiff to bring Wu Yinchang to the county prison and went to the interrogation room with Mr. Qian. He looked at Silversmith Wu, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, “Wu Xu, from Qingzhou, you have been running a shop in Qingchuan for two years. Do you know why I arrested you?”
Silversmith Wu kept kowtowing and shouting, “Sir, I didn’t kill anyone. I’m innocent!
Zhou Jia looked at Wang Cheng and said, “Wang Cheng, when you captured him, did you say that he killed someone?”
Wang Cheng bowed and replied, “Sir, when we arrested Wu Xu, I didn’t say that it was because he killed someone.”
Zhou Jia looked at Silversmith Wu and said, “Did Wu Xu say that you killed someone?”
Wu Xu was stunned for a moment. He thought to himself, “Didn’t I say that? Oh no!” Wu Xu hurriedly argued, “Sir, I was captured for no reason and was momentarily frightened.”
“What a scared fool.” Zhou Jia looked at Wu Xu. “Tell me the truth about you and Su Qinniang conspiring to kill Wang Daqiang.”
Wu Xu pretended to be ignorant and said, “Wang Daqiang, I really don’t know him. Sir, I’m innocent. I didn’t kill anyone.”
Zhou Jia shouted sternly, “You didn’t kill anyone? Su Qinniang has already confessed that you conspired with her to kill Wang Daqiang. Why aren’t you telling the truth!”
Wu Xu no longer responded to Zhou Jia and kept shouting for justice. Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Beat him up until he confesses.”
Wang Cheng and the two bailiffs pressed Wu Xu to the ground. They raised the killing rod and slapped Wu Xu’s butt. Wu Xu shouted in pain, “Sir, you’re asking for trouble. You have no evidence to say that I conspired with Madam Su to kill her husband.”
“Wang Cheng, show him the evidence.” After Wang Cheng bowed and agreed, he brought the tin block to Wu Xu and said, “Doesn’t it look a little familiar? This was taken from the throat of the deceased, Wang Daqiang.” When Wu Xu saw the tin block on the plate, he sat on the ground in fear.
Zhou Jia looked at Wu Xu. “I’m telling you, Su Qinniang has already confessed. She said that you seduced her and even coerced her to kill Wang Daqiang. She said that you wanted to be her long-term husband. Otherwise, you will tell Madam Wang about her adultery with you.”
“Lord, I’m innocent. It was Su Qinniang who seduced me. She said that Wang Daqiang had given all the money he earned to his mother. She also said that Wang Daqiang smelled of sweat and was stingy. Every time she spent money to buy something, she would be beaten and scolded by Wang Daqiang. Since last year, she forced me to elope with her. I just wanted to play with her. Why would I elope with her? I kept dragging my feet until Wang Daqiang came home a few days ago.”
Wu Xu glanced at Zhou Jia. “Not long after Wang Daqiang returned home, he caught a cold. Su Qinniang told me that she wanted to buy arsenic to poison Wang Daqiang to death. Otherwise, she would tell Wang Daqiang that I forced her to commit adultery! I, I was really forced into a corner by her, so I drugged Wang Daqiang and poured the tin liquid down his throat with a copper spoon. Lord, I was really forced by that vicious woman. I just wanted to play with her. Who knew that she took it seriously? I beg you to spare my life. It was that vicious woman who forced me.”
After Mr. Qian handed the confession to Wu Xu to sign, Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Bring Su Qinniang up.”
“Pfft.” Su Qin’niang spat at Wu Xu, who was kneeling on the ground and was pressed down by the magistrate officers. Su Qinniang turned to look at Wu Xu and scolded, “Wretch, good-for-nothing, I was blind to believe in you!”
Wang Cheng kicked Su Qinniang and shouted, “Su Qinniang, don’t talk when the Lord is holding his case! Otherwise, I’ll punish you!”
216 Tricked, Confession
Silversmith Wu eagerly brought out a chair and smiled at Yu Niang. “Sister, you’ve found the right person. I have all the latest styles. Many people are changing their styles here.”
Yu Niang smiled and glanced at the man. “Show me a few designs.”
With that glance, Silversmith Wu felt an itch in his heart. He hurriedly carried a plate and placed it on the small table in front of Yu Niang. “Take a look. They’re all the latest designs from the Qingzhou Prefecture. You’re good-looking. You’ll definitely look better after wearing them.”
“Really?” Yu Niang covered her mouth and giggled. “You really know how to praise people.” The two of them were flirting when Aunt Zhang walked into the shop and shouted, “Shopkeeper, I want to buy a hairpin. Do you have it?”
Yu Niang looked up and smiled. “Yo! Isn’t this Aunt Zhang? Aunt, are you here to buy jewelry too?”
Aunt Zhang walked over and squeezed past Wu Yinchang to sit beside Yu Niang. She held her hand and smiled. “That’s right, sister. Are you here to buy jewelry too?”
Yu Niang smiled. “No, I heard from my sister that the master of this shop is good. So I thought of making new styles with two pieces of old jewelry!”
Aunt Zhang glanced at Silversmith Wu and whispered, “Sister, have you heard? The Wang family’s daughter-in-law was captured by the government. I heard that she and her lover killed her man.”
Yu Niang pretended to be surprised and shouted, “No way! How did you know?”
Aunt Zhang glanced at Silversmith Wu and said in embarrassment, “Shopkeeper, we’re gossiping here. Don’t tell anyone!”
Wu Yinchang laughed dryly. “Don’t worry, it won’t spread.”
Only then did Aunt Zhang say to Yu Niang in a low voice, “My nephew is working in the government office. Yesterday, he came back and told my boss that Carpenter Wang had a tough life. He married a vicious woman and was killed by his wife and lover with vicious methods.”
“How vicious were they?” Yu Niang widened her eyes and looked at Aunt Zhang. “Does the government know who that lover is?”
Aunt Zhang shook her head and said, “That bitch hasn’t said anything yet. The magistrate is still interrogating her!”
“It sounds quite scary.” After Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang finished speaking, she looked at the silver jewelry on the plate for a while and asked Silversmith Wu, who was standing at the side, “Master, do you have any other designs?”
Silversmith Wu shook his head and said, “No, we’ll only know the newest styles when I go to Qingzhou. Why don’t you come again next time?”
“Alright then! I’ll come back in a few days. You have to be faster, or I’ll go to another shop.”
“Of course, of course.” Silversmith Wu politely sent the two of them out of the shop.
Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang left the shop. Aunt Zhang whispered, “Yu Niang, do you think he’s that lover?”
“It should be. His eyes are shiny and his gaze is like an awl.” At the entrance of the alley, Yu Niang patted Aunt Zhang. “Alright, Aunt Zhang, let’s split up!”
Silversmith Wu watched the two of them walk away. After a while, he closed the shop and hurriedly packed his luggage. He opened the backyard door and ran into the alley. Just as he reached the alley, he was caught by the magistrate officers lying in an ambush.
Silversmith Wu struggled. “What right do you have to arrest me? I didn’t break the law!”
Wang Cheng kicked him and shouted, “You know very well whether or not you broke the law.”
A few bailiffs brought Wu Yinchang back to the government office. Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Go to the back office and report to Madam that Wu Yinchang has been captured.”
Yu Niang and Aunt Zhang were still waiting anxiously for the news. When they heard from the bailiff that Silver Craftsman Wu had been captured, they smiled happily. “Okay! We caught him.”
Li Yu smiled and said to the two of them, “The two of you contributed greatly. When the case is closed, I’ll get Lord Zhou to reward you.”
“Sure!” The two of them smiled and agreed.
Zhou Jia asked the bailiff to bring Wu Yinchang to the county prison and went to the interrogation room with Mr. Qian. He looked at Silversmith Wu, who was kneeling on the ground, and said, “Wu Xu, from Qingzhou, you have been running a shop in Qingchuan for two years. Do you know why I arrested you?”
Silversmith Wu kept kowtowing and shouting, “Sir, I didn’t kill anyone. I’m innocent!
Zhou Jia looked at Wang Cheng and said, “Wang Cheng, when you captured him, did you say that he killed someone?”
Wang Cheng bowed and replied, “Sir, when we arrested Wu Xu, I didn’t say that it was because he killed someone.”
Zhou Jia looked at Silversmith Wu and said, “Did Wu Xu say that you killed someone?”
Wu Xu was stunned for a moment. He thought to himself, “Didn’t I say that? Oh no!” Wu Xu hurriedly argued, “Sir, I was captured for no reason and was momentarily frightened.”
“What a scared fool.” Zhou Jia looked at Wu Xu. “Tell me the truth about you and Su Qinniang conspiring to kill Wang Daqiang.”
Wu Xu pretended to be ignorant and said, “Wang Daqiang, I really don’t know him. Sir, I’m innocent. I didn’t kill anyone.”
Zhou Jia shouted sternly, “You didn’t kill anyone? Su Qinniang has already confessed that you conspired with her to kill Wang Daqiang. Why aren’t you telling the truth!”
Wu Xu no longer responded to Zhou Jia and kept shouting for justice. Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Beat him up until he confesses.”
Wang Cheng and the two bailiffs pressed Wu Xu to the ground. They raised the killing rod and slapped Wu Xu’s butt. Wu Xu shouted in pain, “Sir, you’re asking for trouble. You have no evidence to say that I conspired with Madam Su to kill her husband.”
“Wang Cheng, show him the evidence.” After Wang Cheng bowed and agreed, he brought the tin block to Wu Xu and said, “Doesn’t it look a little familiar? This was taken from the throat of the deceased, Wang Daqiang.” When Wu Xu saw the tin block on the plate, he sat on the ground in fear.
Zhou Jia looked at Wu Xu. “I’m telling you, Su Qinniang has already confessed. She said that you seduced her and even coerced her to kill Wang Daqiang. She said that you wanted to be her long-term husband. Otherwise, you will tell Madam Wang about her adultery with you.”
“Lord, I’m innocent. It was Su Qinniang who seduced me. She said that Wang Daqiang had given all the money he earned to his mother. She also said that Wang Daqiang smelled of sweat and was stingy. Every time she spent money to buy something, she would be beaten and scolded by Wang Daqiang. Since last year, she forced me to elope with her. I just wanted to play with her. Why would I elope with her? I kept dragging my feet until Wang Daqiang came home a few days ago.”
Wu Xu glanced at Zhou Jia. “Not long after Wang Daqiang returned home, he caught a cold. Su Qinniang told me that she wanted to buy arsenic to poison Wang Daqiang to death. Otherwise, she would tell Wang Daqiang that I forced her to commit adultery! I, I was really forced into a corner by her, so I drugged Wang Daqiang and poured the tin liquid down his throat with a copper spoon. Lord, I was really forced by that vicious woman. I just wanted to play with her. Who knew that she took it seriously? I beg you to spare my life. It was that vicious woman who forced me.”
After Mr. Qian handed the confession to Wu Xu to sign, Zhou Jia said to Wang Cheng, “Bring Su Qinniang up.”
“Pfft.” Su Qin’niang spat at Wu Xu, who was kneeling on the ground and was pressed down by the magistrate officers. Su Qinniang turned to look at Wu Xu and scolded, “Wretch, good-for-nothing, I was blind to believe in you!”
Wang Cheng kicked Su Qinniang and shouted, “Su Qinniang, don’t talk when the Lord is holding his case! Otherwise, I’ll punish you!”
