Previously, Xie Yu had instructed A De and others that if there were urgent matters, they could enter directly without prior notice.
Therefore, when he rushed in excitedly, eager to share the latest developments, he was unexpectedly met with a deathly silence inside, except for a trembling male voice echoing:
“The servant… the servant suspects that there’s something improper between Master and Madam’s cousin!”
A De: “!!”
What exactly have you all been interrogating in my absence!
Song Tuiguan and others were all shocked, their expressions changing dramatically, never expecting to hear such words.
“What evidence do you have?”
Ma Bing, who had returned earlier, was quietly squatting in a corner, nearly dropping the sunflower seed she was holding in surprise.
I don’t understand, and I’m utterly shocked!
Homosexuality isn’t rare, though usually kept hidden, considered somewhat indecent to reveal. Yet here he was, the chief servant of Dong Ping, openly accusing his master and his wife’s brother of an affair—it was truly shocking.
At this point, there was no need to hold back anymore. The young servant knelt down, adopting a resolute attitude, and spoke much more fluently.
“It’s not the servant making things up. Master was once educated and always treated those with academic achievements with great respect. After Master Zhou arrived, Master greatly admired his talent, often sending me to deliver things secretly, and constantly showing concern. Even brothers wouldn’t be this close. Eventually, Madam was pushed aside.
Once, after they got drunk, Master Zhou stayed overnight in the guest room with Master, claiming they wanted to talk all night.
That evening, the servant was sent by Madam to bring them hangover soup. When no one answered the knock, I tried to push the door open, only to be terrified out of my wits! Master… Master was kissing Master Zhou!”
Song Tuiguan: “…”
Xie Yu: “…”
Ma Bing: “…”
Wow~
Guessing is one thing, but hearing it firsthand was still deeply unsettling.
To think such debauchery could exist in the world!
Because of this incident, the servant inevitably became more observant, gradually noticing that the two masters were indeed different, their behavior far more intimate than other relatives.
At this point, the servant spat contemptuously, “In my opinion, Master Zhou must be a demon reincarnated. He flirts around outside and doesn’t even restrain himself at home…”
Ma Bing listened with rising emotions, tossing a sunflower seed into her mouth. She thought to herself, If what you say is true, then I can only say your master isn’t a good one either.
Otherwise, even if he’s promiscuous, no matter how wild he gets, if you remain unmoved, wouldn’t there have been no subsequent disaster?
The servant continued indignantly, “During that period, Master Zhou stayed at home, not spending time with Madam, but instead discussing poetry and painting with Master every day… Sometimes when I accidentally glanced, I saw them hugging waists and touching buttocks, almost sticking together like flesh…”
Song Tuiguan and others couldn’t help but twitch, feeling an indescribable sensation.
“Did your Madam know about this?” Xie Yu asked stiffly.
Ma Bing looked over quickly, filled with admiration.
Truly worthy of being Minister Xie! Even at such a critical moment, he could still ask such a crucial question!
His unwavering determination was truly admirable, indeed admirable!
The servant hesitated slightly, “The servant only follows Master daily and doesn’t often go to the inner quarters, so I don’t know whether Madam knew or not.”
Everyone was left dizzy by his string of “knows” and “doesn’t know,” needing a moment to recover.
No good, it was too intense, already affecting their thinking.
If it was merely because his master liked men and had an affair with his cousin-in-law, Chen Si’s anger could be understood, but surely it wouldn’t have escalated to murder?
Song Tuiguan steadied himself, immediately thinking of another more terrifying possibility, “Then how was your Madam’s relationship with Zhou Xun? Was it as close as your master’s?”
This question was significant. The servant was stunned, slowly understanding the implication, his mouth opening wider and wider.
What does that mean? Could it be that Master Zhou also had something with Madam…?
But thinking about it, this cousin and cousin-in-law… since ancient times, whether it’s cousins from the paternal or maternal side, who wouldn’t want a double joy?
Oh my god!
They watched the servant’s eyes go blank, his expression alternating between shock, joy, and grimacing, clearly lost in his thoughts.
Song Tuiguan rapped the table with his gavel, “Then why did Zhou Xun move out later?”
The servant snapped back to reality, “This servant isn’t quite sure, but it seemed that Madam and her brother had a disagreement, after which Master Zhou no longer visited the residence. If my lord wishes to know the specifics, you may need to inquire with the maids who attend to Madam.”
(Note: I made slight adjustments for natural flow while maintaining the original meaning:
1. “The servant” → “This servant” for more natural self-reference
2. “had a fight” → “had a disagreement” (more formal/period-appropriate)
3. “came to the house” → “visited the residence” (more elegant)
4. “大人” → “my lord” (assuming historical context)
5. Added “attend to” for smoother phrasing about the maids’ role)
Ma Bing hissed, chewing sunflower seeds while stroking her chin.
A fight?
Then Zhou Xun left, which likely meant Chen Si had discovered Dong Ping’s affair.
But if that’s the case, why did Chen Si, as Zhang Baoyue mentioned, repeatedly invite him back afterward? Acting like a lovelorn woman from a secluded boudoir…
Combined with what Chen Si’s personal maids had previously said—that the cousin and cousin-in-law were always very close, sometimes Chen Si would even send away the attendants when she went out. Because of these precedents, when she rested inside the theater later, the maids were used to it and didn’t think much of it.
Uh…
Everyone fell into deep thought.
No good, it was getting too messy.
The atmosphere at the scene became eerily strange.
Xie Yu exhaled subtly, his peripheral vision catching A De crouching with Ma Bing in the corner, wide-eyed and munching sunflower seeds.
“A De!”
“Ahh!” A De stood up abruptly, brushed off the sunflower seed shells, and reported his findings, ending with a well-placed compliment, “Minister, you’re truly a master strategist! Everything you predicted was spot on!”
Hearing this, Song Tuiguan appeared to find solace. He suddenly stood up and strode out in haste, exclaiming, “Excellent, truly excellent! Zizhi, assemble the men to apprehend Dong Ping and his wife. I shall request the magistrate to issue the warrant and search beyond the city walls for the bloodstained garments!”
After the interrogation, the case details had basically surfaced, and it was time to make the arrests quickly.
Everyone looked at the servant and then rushed out of the interrogation hall.
No good, the atmosphere in here was too suffocating.
According to the report from the constables on duty, Dong Ping and his wife had a fierce argument the previous night, but unfortunately, the constable was too far away outside the wall to hear the specific content.
However, not long after the argument, the supposedly ill Chen Si actually went out alone.
The constable intended to follow and see what was going on, but unfortunately, Chen Si hadn’t walked far when Dong Ping caught up and dragged her back.
After the argument, the couple seemed to have reached some kind of agreement. After being brought back to the Kaifeng Prefecture, they both remained silent, no matter how Song Tuiguan and others tried to persuade or pressure them.
Ma Bing found their relationship very strange, “Now it seems, both husband and wife know the other has wronged them. Even Dong Ping might know that his wife killed Zhou Xun. Yet now they’re actually protecting each other?!”
She didn’t understand, truly didn’t understand how the relationship among the three could be like this.
Xie Yu didn’t understand why she always liked to focus so much on these trivial details.
It didn’t matter much whether Dong Ping and Chen Si protected each other or what emotional entanglements there were between them and the deceased. Wasn’t the key issue getting a confession?
Moreover, their silence now spoke volumes.
If they were truly wrongfully accused of murder, they would have been shouting their innocence long ago.
Now, the Kaifeng Prefecture’s primary task was to quickly find the blood-stained clothes hidden by Chen Si, because only then could a complete chain of evidence be formed. With sufficient evidence, the Kaifeng Prefecture would have the authority to apply torture to the suspects.
The couple was detained in the Kaifeng Prefecture for three days, during which they didn’t utter a single word.
Meanwhile, over a hundred constables from the Kaifeng Prefecture spent three days digging along the road between Jinze and the city gate.
Ma Bing went to help once and found that everywhere she looked, the earth had been turned up, resembling a battlefield after artillery bombardment.
During these three days, they unearthed nearly 20 rabbit burrows and rat holes, accidentally discovering two nests of wild duck eggs, and even the bones of an infant buried who knows how many years ago…
It wasn’t until early on the fourth morning that a constable excitedly waved a bundle of clothes he had dug out from the muddy edge of a reed marsh, shouting, “Found it! Found it!”
Many small animals often came here to fish and catch shrimp, and the wet mud contained many sharp bones and spines from fish, turtles, shrimp, and crabs, which had pricked him several times.
The clothes were covered in mud, but upon closer inspection, there were many dark brown bloodstains on the right arm and chest area.
After cleaning off some of the mud, they took the clothes to a tailor shop for comparison and confirmed it was exactly the same one Chen Si had purchased that day.
At this point, with both witnesses and physical evidence present, as long as Chen Si signed the confession, the case could be closed.
Initially, the couple still tried to resist, but the Kaifeng Prefecture, armed with solid evidence, gave them no further opportunity.
According to the Da Lu legal code, if the evidence is conclusive and the criminal still refuses to confess, the magistrate has the right to apply torture three times without endangering the criminal’s life.
Then Dong Ping and Chen Si finally spoke.
The story was more or less as everyone had deduced, but after the two added details, it became even more shocking.
It turned out that Chen Si and Zhou Xun didn’t actually have blood relations; they had just grown up in the same village and had feelings for each other in their childhood.
Later, Chen Si moved away with her family, and Zhou Xun went to study elsewhere, and they gradually lost contact.
They met again in Kaifeng.
Four years ago, one day, Dong Ping went out as usual to collect grain. Bored at home, Chen Si went for a walk in the city and accidentally encountered Zhou Xun, whom she hadn’t seen in years. At the moment their eyes met, their old feelings reignited.
Actually, Dong Ping treated Chen Si very well. Although he wasn’t particularly considerate, he gave her plenty of money and never asked where it went.
But Dong Ping was often away from home, and Chen Si wasn’t the kind of woman who could stay faithful. Over time, she naturally became restless.
Besides, her husband wasn’t as handsome or eloquent as Zhou Xun, and with their childhood bond, the two quickly became deeply involved, both acting flirtatiously, entangled like glue—truly a pair of despicable lovers.
From then on, Chen Si often used the excuse of going to the city to secretly meet Zhou Xun, truly living like immortals in bliss.
But good times don’t last long. A few months later, Dong Ping returned from collecting grain, and Chen Si could no longer go out as freely as before.
After enduring this for a few days, Chen Si came up with an idea:
She knew her husband always admired scholars, so she lied that her maternal cousin had come to Kaifeng and was even a scholar.
She also realized that Zhou Xun wasn’t a faithful person. Rather than letting him roam around with prostitutes, it would be better to keep him at home under supervision.
Upon hearing this, Dong Ping was indeed delighted, “Since he’s family, how can we let him live alone outside? We have plenty of rooms and enough food. Let him come stay with us.”
And so, this decision led to many troubles.
After the “sibling” reunion, Dong Ping saw that Zhou Xun was a charming and talented man, which made him admire him even more. From then on, he showed him constant care and concern, gradually developing some unusual feelings.
It was destined to be a calamity. If just one of these three had been a decent person, things wouldn’t have escalated to this point.
Zhou Xun had a promiscuous nature and had experienced homosexual relationships before, knowing their pleasures. When he noticed his “brother-in-law” looking at him strangely, instead of avoiding it, he secretly started a relationship.
Dong Ping was delighted that Zhou Xun was so willing, practically itching with joy. Under the pretense of having a heart-to-heart conversation after drinking, he took off his pants and engaged in all sorts of indecent acts.
From then on, the two became even more inseparable, wanting to be together at all times.
Zhou Xun was naturally promiscuous, never caring about reputation or morality. Dong Ping, overjoyed, thought he was doing everything perfectly, unaware that his wife had already noticed the signs.
After Zhou Xun arrived at Dong’s house, Chen Si originally worried her husband would discover the truth, but gradually she noticed her husband was even more enthusiastic?
There must be something strange going on.
One day, she heard that the two were drinking and having fun again, and had even dismissed all the maids and servants. She secretly went to watch and was shocked to find the two of them, in broad daylight, taking off their pants and doing that!
She had wronged him first and didn’t dare to confront them on the spot, only feeling so angry she nearly fainted.
Later, seeing that Zhou Xun became even more unrestrained, Chen Si, unable to endure any longer, secretly confronted him. Zhou Xun casually said:
“We were already secretly together before, so why talk about rules and propriety now? If I can have you, why not him too!
After all, the fertile water doesn’t flow to outsiders, and the fat meat rots in the pot. You can simply close the door and live your comfortable life, never lacking for clothes or money.
We won’t bother you at all…
If you’re not satisfied, I can spare some time to accompany you again. If you’re still not content, let’s just talk it out and sleep together in the same bed in the future. Wouldn’t that be great!
How could Chen Si tolerate such humiliation?
They had a huge argument and parted ways angrily.
Zhou Xun wasn’t a gentle person either. That very day, he moved out and randomly went to a brothel to sleep.
From then on, he returned to his old ways of indulging in courtesans, enjoying himself immensely.
After Zhou Xun left, Dong Ping was very upset and secretly went to the brothel to look for him.
Unfortunately, Zhou Xun was a fickle person. After some time, he grew tired and casually said:
“These days, we’ve been too unrestrained, inevitably letting my cousin-in-law hear rumors. Let’s calm down for a while.”
Dong Ping had no choice but couldn’t abandon his business, so he secretly asked his wife to persuade Zhou Xun while he went out to collect grain.
How could Chen Si take Dong Ping’s words seriously? After randomly getting by for a few months, she eventually missed their past intimacy and tentatively started reconnecting…
It turned out that after Zhou Xun left Dong’s house, he also felt some longing. Besides, he hadn’t fully enjoyed himself with Chen Si before, so he went along with her advances.
In between, Chen Si forced him to swear that he would never associate with Dong Ping again, and Zhou Xun casually agreed.
But who could have imagined that months later when Dong Ping returned, Zhou Xun resumed his old habits…
Enraged by being repeatedly deceived, Chen Si overheard their plan to secretly meet at Jinze and decided to follow them…
She originally intended to catch them in the act, but she was unwilling to give up the wealth and luxury she had enjoyed for years, so she decided to temporarily let Dong Ping off the hook.
Originally, she was still thinking that if Zhou Xun could admit his mistake and promise again never to associate with Dong Ping, she could pretend nothing had happened.
But who knew that Zhou Xun, having been pampered by many women over the past few years, no longer wanted to follow Chen Si’s lead and began to mock her coldly:
“Haha, dear cousin, where do you get the audacity to say these things? Don’t you look at yourself now—you’re old and faded… I’ve been secretly with him, giving you a place, which is already showing you enough respect…”
An unprecedented anger completely overwhelmed Chen Si’s mind. Looking at Zhou Xun, who had turned his back and didn’t even bother to look at her, she was filled with rage and grabbed the candlestick on the cabinet, stabbing him in the back!
After the incident, Chen Si herself was terrified, hastily discarded the candlestick, and fled.
On the way, she found a secluded spot, quickly buried the blood-stained clothes, disregarding the risk of being recognized, changed into her previous clothes in a hurry, and rushed back to the theater…
The case was solved, but Ma Bing’s mood couldn’t calm down for a long time.
The twists and turns within this case, the absurdity and the unimaginable events, truly broadened her horizons.
“Sigh, desire is like a knife hanging over one’s head!” Ma Bing shook her head.
Even now, she still found it hard to understand the relationship between Dong Ping and Chen Si.
If they had feelings for each other, why did they both betray each other?
If they didn’t have feelings, why did they protect each other after the case broke out…
Love is indeed hard to understand.
“Don’t think too much,” Xie Yu suddenly appeared, “Aren’t you hungry?”
Ma Bing’s eyes lit up, “Minister, are you treating us?”
Xie Yu hummed in agreement, pointing to Yuanpei and others who were eagerly waiting outside.
Yuanpei waved at them with a smile, “Minister, Erliang, hurry up, hurry up, there won’t be seats left if we’re late!”
“You’re the one who’s Erliang!” Ma Bing laughed and scolded as she rushed over.
Halfway there, she turned back, smiled at Xie Yu with her head tilted, “Thanks for treating us every month, Minister!”
Then she turned around and chased after Yuanpei again, “Stop right there, let me beat you up!”
Xie Yu was taken aback. She knew?
Seeing everyone laughing and playing together, Xie Yu couldn’t help but smile slightly and shook his head, following them.
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