Chapter 32 : The Evidence Is on the Corpse
32: The Evidence Is on the Corpse
Two voices spoke simultaneously. Yan Chi and Qin Wan looked at each other.
A light of understanding shone in both their eyes. Neither had expected the other to say the same thing.
Jiang‑shi frowned, first showing a hint of surprise, then looking at Qin Wan and Yan Chi. "He lied? How so?"
Yan Chi narrowed his eyes slightly, a deep, thoughtful look in their depths. "Let Ninth Young Miss explain."
The corner of Qin Wan's mouth twitched. She shifted her gaze to Yue Ning. "I believe not only His Highness and I, but also the Young Princess, and the Marquis inside the room, all know this Wei Wu has told a lie."
A flicker of light passed through Jiang‑shi's eyes. She turned to look at Yue Ning.
Yue Ning had initially only frowned, feeling something was off. But hearing both Yan Chi and Qin Wan say so, she became certain her suspicion was correct. Meeting Jiang‑shi's gaze, she said, "Mother, you don't know martial arts and have never been in a fight. Hearing this man's account, you would naturally just think the two fought, and not detect the problem…"
Jiang‑shi nodded. "That is indeed true."
Yue Ning glanced at Yan Chi and Qin Wan. "This man said Second Brother seized the deceased's shoulder, twisted it, and kicked him to his knees. That movement would definitely mean Second Brother twisted his arm behind his back, and the deceased was kicked to his knees with his back to Second Brother."
After speaking, Yue Ning looked at Qin Wan, clearly waiting for her to continue.
Qin Wan then said, "The deceased had an impulsive nature to have fought with the Second Young Master in the first place. At that point, subdued and having witnessed the Second Young Master's skill, he would definitely not seek further trouble. With his back to the Second Young Master, his first reaction upon getting up should have been to run. Yet Wei Wu said that as soon as he scrambled up, the Second Young Master kicked him in the chest…"
Jiang‑shi froze. A flicker of understanding passed through her eyes, and she suddenly realized. "If he had just scrambled up, he would have been facing away from Qing'er. If Qing'er kicked him, it would have been on his back. How could it have been his chest…"
Qin Wan and the others nodded. Jiang‑shi's expression turned doubtful. "But… but could he have simply misspoken in his haste…"
Yan Chi took a step forward, also standing by the window to look inside. Their section of the covered walkway was dimly lit. They could see the people in the room clearly, but those inside would have difficulty noticing them. They were facing Yue Qiong, who sat in the seat of honor. Wei Wu and the others were seated to the left and right, all currently turned toward Yue Qiong, and thus would not pay attention to the window.
Yan Chi said, "Madam, listen. Wei Wu recounts every detail very clearly and coherently. It doesn't make sense for there to be a flaw here. The only possibility is that he wanted to lie but told a clumsy lie because he isn't proficient in martial arts."
Indeed, inside the room, Wei Wu was still recalling. "The Second Young Master's martial arts are formidable. One could see he was holding back at the time. But Brother Lin was beaten senseless and wouldn't back down with his words. The Second Young Master then struck him four consecutive blows to the ribs!"
"Four blows? How do you remember so clearly?"
Yue Qiong asked with a normal expression. Wei Wu hurriedly replied, "Because at the time someone recognized the Second Young Master's identity. We felt it was inappropriate and kept trying to break up the fight, so we watched particularly closely."
Wei Wu glanced at the other men, and they all nodded in agreement.
Jiang‑shi's face still held a trace of hesitation. "This… he merely has a discrepancy in his words. We can't conclude he lied based on that. Also, why would he lie?"
Given the circumstances and based on Qin Wan's past experiences, she felt this matter was not as simple as the Second Young Master beating someone to death. Scenes from her past, traveling with her father, surfaced in her mind.
If it were her father, what would he do?
"Madam," Qin Wan spoke again after a moment. "There is a way to find out if he is lying."
Jiang‑shi quickly asked, "What method?"
Qin Wan looked into the room, her gaze sweeping over Wei Wu. "When people lie, they always have subconscious actions. If you observe enough, you'll find these subconscious actions are things everyone does when lying."
After a slight pause, Qin Wan continued, "Madam only needs to have the Marquis ask about the discrepancy just now. If Wei Wu is lying, his expression and demeanor will definitely change."
Qin Wan narrowed her eyes. "His gaze will drop, his eyelids will droop, his body will lean forward slightly with tension. Right now, his hands hang at his sides, and his feet point toward the Marquis. If he lies, his hands might land on his knees, which means he wants to end this line of questioning. The tips of his feet will also likely turn toward the door, indicating he wants to escape the current situation."
Jiang‑shi's eyes widened. Beside her, Yan Chi and Yue Ning also looked at Qin Wan with disbelief.
Human behavior was endlessly varied. How could Qin Wan predict Wei Wu's reactions with such certainty?
The corner of Qin Wan's lips curved slightly. "Madam can try it. Perhaps what I say won't be accurate."
Having witnessed Qin Wan's medical skills, Jiang‑shi trusted her greatly. She looked at Qin Wan with admiration, then beckoned. Lüyun, who stood nearby, hurried forward. Jiang‑shi relayed Qin Wan's words to her. Lüyun then entered the side room under the pretext of serving tea.
Outside the window, everyone saw Yue Qiong's brow furrow slightly as he listened to Lüyun. He glanced inadvertently toward the window. After Lüyun left, his expression returned to normal.
"Marquis? Has something happened?"
Wei Wu, sharp and alert, noticed Lüyun had said something important to Yue Qiong and actually took the initiative to ask.
Yue Qiong sighed. "Prefect Huo has been delayed by some matters. I'm afraid he won't be able to come for another hour or so."
Wei Wu nodded quickly, putting on an understanding and cooperative demeanor. The corners of his mouth even revealed a hint of ingratiating smile. "It's no trouble. Since the Marquis is willing to uphold justice for Brother Lin, what is waiting an hour or two for us brothers?"
Yue Qiong nodded, then suddenly said, "Brother Wei, you said just now that my son kicked Brother Lin in the chest. Could you tell me exactly where he kicked him?"
The smile on Wei Wu's lips stiffened. His gaze dropped extremely quickly. His eyelids drooped, and his body hunched forward slightly. He spoke slowly, as if recalling. "This… it seems to be…"
As he spoke, his hand, half-clenched into a fist, came to rest on his knee. His body shifted restlessly. The toe of one foot indeed turned subconsciously toward the direction of the door.
"It seems to be around here…"
In the span of a breath, every reaction Qin Wan had described appeared on Wei Wu.
Inside the room, Yue Qiong watched as Wei Wu placed his hand on the left side of his own chest, over his heart.
Outside the room, Jiang‑shi and the others looked at Qin Wan with eyes wide with astonishment.
"Wan'er, you truly have foresight like a deity!"
As she spoke, Jiang‑shi grabbed Qin Wan's wrist. "Wan'er, does this confirm he lied?"
Qin Wan looked at Jiang‑shi with a reassuring expression, but apologized. "Madam, not yet."
Jiang‑shi's brow furrowed. "Why not? Everything you said came true…"
"Behavior and demeanor can only allow us to speculate whether someone is lying. They can only point us in a direction for investigating the truth. But to confirm he lied, speculation alone isn't enough. We need to find more solid evidence."
Jiang‑shi frowned. "If he lied, does it relate to this homicide case?"
Qin Wan nodded. "That is possible."
Jiang‑shi seemed to see a glimmer of hope. This sixteen-year-old girl before her not only possessed astonishing medical skills but could also observe people with such meticulous detail. If what she said was true, did it mean this case had other hidden circumstances? Could it directly affect the determination of her Qing'er's culpability?
Jiang‑shi's voice trembled with excitement. "Wan'er, then how do we find the evidence?"
Qin Wan's wrist ached from Jiang‑shi's grip. Meeting Jiang‑shi's slightly reddened eyes, Qin Wan felt a twinge of emotion stir in her heart. She pressed her lips together, as if making a decision. "The evidence… is on the corpse!"