“Si He, what are you doing here!”
Old Madam Su glanced at Si He, but her gaze drifted toward the approaching torch-bearing crowd.
If Si He was right here, then who had they brought down the mountain?
Before them stood Si He, holding the hand of a well-behaved Qing Bao, confronting everyone directly.
Aunt Ba, who had just been about to fetch the pig cage, was completely stunned.
Hadn’t her son successfully kidnapped Si He and taken her to the back mountain? How could Si He be here?
“It was… it was them who said they saw you going up the back mountain with a man. I only… I wasn’t the one who said it.”
Aunt Ba quickly waved her hands, the pig cage dropping to the ground.
“Aunt Ba, I know it wasn’t you who said it, but this pig cage of yours drowned your own daughter-in-law, and all the litters of piglets you raised died. You should keep it for yourself and not bring it out anymore.”
Qing Bao lifted her round little face, kindly reminding Aunt Ba.
Aunt Ba was dumbfounded—it was true that two litters of piglets had died at her home this year.
This Qing Bao truly had a foul mouth that couldn’t produce anything decent, spouting nothing but curses. How utterly unpleasant.
Aunt Ba glared resentfully at Su Xiao. “Look at your fine daughter, cursing as soon as she opens her mouth. She’s not even worth a strand of Mengmeng’s hair.”
Su Xiao’s face darkened. “Si He, is this how you’ve been raising my daughter for me? I heard from Mother that you returned to the clan to pray for my safety for two years. I was actually quite touched, but look at what you’ve taught her!”
“They spread rumors that I went to the back mountain to have an affair. Weren’t you, General, convinced as well?”
Remembering the dangerous scene in the cave earlier—the first time in her life she had ever struck someone—Si He trembled with fear.
And the actions of her childhood sweetheart husband chilled her even more.
“I didn’t say anything!” Su Xiao said sternly, disdaining to explain himself to Si He.
Si He’s heart turned cold. “You didn’t stop them from ruining my reputation. Whether you spoke or not, what difference does it make?”
“Don’t be unreasonable. Once the Clan Leader and the others come down, everything will be clear.” Su Xiao said coldly.
“Clear? Isn’t the fact that I’m standing here clear enough?” Si He sneered.
Su Xiao had nothing to say.
Earlier, he had somewhat believed his mother’s words.
The Clan Leader came down with the crowd, first respectfully greeting Su Xiao, then ordering the dead man to be thrown on the ground.
At the sight, Aunt Ba collapsed, kneeling and wailing, “My son, my son!”
How could her family’s only heir die like this?
“Aunt Ba, please accept our condolences,” the Clan Leader comforted her.
When they saw Si He standing before them, their eyes widened in disbelief.
“How did you get down the mountain?”
They had come down as fast as they could—how could Si He have been faster?
Si He smiled. “Clan Leader, what are you talking about? I’ve been in my room the whole time and never left. If you don’t believe me, ask the Old Madam.”
The Old Madam said with a grim expression, “I don’t know.”
“I know.” At this moment, Su Mengmeng, hiding in Su Xiao’s arms, raised her small hand.
She said fearfully, “Just now, Qing Bao and I were playing in the room. We didn’t see Auntie.”
Since her mother and Si He were sisters, she still addressed Si He as Auntie.
Si He instantly understood—these people were determined to push her into an abyss from which there was no return.
“Just now Qing Bao was smashing Mengmeng’s head against the ground, trying to kill her. If Si He were here, how could she not stop her own daughter from committing such evil? She must have been on the back mountain, killing Aunt Ba’s son!”
A matron viciously reported the incident to Su Xiao.
Another matron added, “Exactly! This afternoon, I clearly saw Si He and Aunt Ba’s son going up the back mountain. Who knows what shortcut Si He took to return? This person… it might have been her who killed him.”
“You have no evidence—do not speculate recklessly!” Old Madam Su spoke up to stop them.
Turning to Si He, she asked, “Si He, did you kill him? If you confess the truth, I can still have Xiao’er spare your life…”
Suddenly, all murder accusations were directed at Si He.
Si He sneered, “You have no evidence—what grounds do you have to accuse me? Mere speculation?”
“You killed my son, you murderer! Give me back my son’s life!”
Aunt Ba cried heartbreakingly, snatched a stone from the ground, and charged at Si He.
A red light from nowhere sent her flying back.
Little Qing Bao’s chubby face showed no remorse. Instead, she blew on the tip of the brush in her hand, making it sway and bristle with anger.
“Your son wasn’t killed by my mother. You should reflect on what sins you’ve committed yourself.”
Aunt Ba, thrown to the ground, suddenly recalled an event from a year ago and was seized with terror.
“Sins? What sins have I ever committed? It was you who killed my son!” Aunt Ba’s eyes were bloodshot.
Once, her son had taken money from an adulterer to help her frame her daughter-in-law for a crime.
Similarly, now her son had taken money from Old Madam Su, but he ended up dead—and she wanted Si He to pay with her life.
“I’ve heard that souls remember their past lives after death. Why not invite the blind fortune-teller from the village entrance to come and interrogate the spirit? Then we’d know!”
A villager proposed immediately.
Though a life was at stake, today was General Su’s triumphant return—a matter of clan honor. It would be best to resolve this privately without involving the authorities.
“Quick, fetch the blind man!” the Clan Leader ordered.
Qing Bao glanced at Aunt Ba, a red flash passing through her eyes.
As a Judge, she could sometimes perceive cause and effect at a glance.
Interrogate a spirit?
Perfect—this was right up her alley!
She hid the brush behind her back and quietly held her mother’s hand, waiting.
The blind man arrived without guidance, holding a bright yellow banner.
He had originally come to perform rituals for the General’s return in the clan.
“Blind man, quickly check Aunt Ba’s son—can his spirit still be questioned?” Old Madam Su urged anxiously.
The blind man was a master who prayed for blessings across the neighboring villages, with considerable spiritual prowess.
Her urgency stemmed from wanting to confirm Si He’s guilt.
Only two people were on the back mountain—if Si He didn’t kill him, then who did?
“Do not worry, Old Madam. I will now unfurl the banner to summon his spirit, manifest it in the human world, and get a clear answer.”
With that, the blind man began manipulating the yellow banner.
He circled the corpse continuously, muttering incomprehensible incantations.
Qing Bao was speechless.
It seemed this blind man’s skills were quite mediocre. A truly powerful master would summon the spirit with a mere wave of the hand.
After chanting for about half an incense stick’s time, the blind man suddenly opened his gray, hollow eyes and exclaimed:
“Trouble—there’s still an Evil Ghost!”
As his words fell.
The man’s spirit slowly materialized before the crowd, a pale, slender ghostly hand resting horizontally across his neck.
Behind him followed a female ghost.
Everyone was startled by this sight, and Su Mengmeng burst into tears.
Only Aunt Ba stood there in shock, nearly fainting.
“That female ghost’s clothing looks so familiar… isn’t that… exactly what your daughter-in-law was wearing when she drowned last year?” a villager exclaimed in terror.
They all hid behind the blind man.
The blind man’s hand trembled slightly as he asked,
“Su Dazhuang, don’t be afraid. Tell us truthfully, who killed you?”