Chapter 500 - 500: Murder

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Rong Shiyu looked at Fan Yuru and said, “The man who swapped bracelets definitely got lucky, but the one who lost it must be feeling terrible now.” “Indeed,” Fan Yuru agreed.

After completing their inspection of the stalls, Chu Qingzhu bid farewell to the two women and returned to the backstage room. She drew a red poster, eye-catching and written with “Gold Bracelet Exchange”, and then cast a spell. If the person who swapped bracelets with the young man saw the poster, they would return the bracelet.

The poster was placed at the main entrance.

People entering and exiting glanced at it, puzzled by its meaning, not understanding the purpose of “Gold Bracelet Exchange.

Chu Xuhua, curious, asked Chu Qingzhu about it, to which she replied, “Fishing,” leaving everyone even more baffled.

The food festival proceeded smoothly, and in the afternoon, a burly man approached Chu Qingzhu, appearing uneasy, “I’ve come to exchange the gold bracelet.”

He handed over a gold bracelet to Chu Qingzhu.

Chu Qingzhi took a look. There was a peony carving on it. It was the one that the young man in green had lost.

She handed the golden bracelet that the young man in green had left with her to the big man. “Sorry to let you make a trip.”

The burly man took the golden bracelet and left. In the end, it wasn’t his. Ever since he saw the painting, he had fallen into unease. Now that he had exchanged it, he felt refreshed.

Chu Qingzhi asked Chu Xujin to send the golden bracelet to the young man in green, and this matter was settled.

A tragedy struck at home!

Li Zhangjie ran to the food festival in panic, seeking Chu Qingzhu, “Sister Qingzhu, Zhou Da is dead!!!”

In the backstage room, just as Chu Qingzhu sat down to rest, she became serious upon hearing this, “How did he die? When did this happen?”

Li Zhangjie hurriedly explained, “I don’t know how he died. Before I came here, the Zhou family brought his body to our house. I didn’t know what to do, so I immediately came to find you.”

Chu Qingzhu stood up and went to the main entrance, whispering to Chu Xuhua and Ge Lihua. They immediately left with serious expressions.

Chu Qingzhu couldn’t leave the festival, so she sent her third brother and Ge Lihua to handle the situation, seeing it as an opportunity for them to gain experience.

Chu Qingyue, sensing the tense atmosphere, asked, “Fifth Sister, what happened?”

Not wanting the matter to mess up the food festival, Chu Qingzhi said in a relaxed tone, “Something happened at the government office. They went back to settle it.”

Chu Qingyue nodded. “The government office is indeed busy with matters.”

Once the two of them left, the workload increased.. Tang Jinghong and Third Master Lu came over to take their places.

Chu Qingzhi sat at the side. It was impossible for Zhou Da to die from his injuries. How could he die?

Chu Xuhua and Ge Lihua returned to the government office to report the case. Then, they rushed home with the coroner and constables.

Zhou Da’s body was laid at the entrance of the Chu family’s courtyard on a stretcher, with his wife, parents, and son crying uncontrollably, surrounded by villagers from both Zhou and Chu villages.

“My son, you died so young, how can we live on?”

“Father, Father, wake up.”

“Zhou Da, you heartless man, leaving your wife and child behind, how can you rest in peace?”

Village Chief Chu and Village Chief Zhou looked at each other with dissatisfaction.

Village Chief Chu said angrily, “If he’s dead, just bury him. How can you carry him to my village? It’s so disturbing.”

Village Chief Zhou’s tone was also very bad. “Do you think we want to come? Chu Qingzhi from your village said that if Zhou Da dies within three days, she will have to pay a hundred taels of silver. We’re here to get the money.” “A hundred taels of silver!! Could it be that you killed him?” Village Chief Chu looked at Zhou Da’s body, which was strong and sturdy, except for some injuries on the leg. How could he possibly be dead?

Village Chief Zhou suddenly raised his voice and explained, “Are we that crazy? Zhou Da died from a leg injury. It has nothing to do with us.”

Village Chief Chu snorted. “Who knows, it’s a hundred taels of silver after all.”

Village Chief Zhou’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. “Don’t talk nonsense. Zhou Da died because his wound wasn’t treated properly.”

Village Chief Chu asked, “Who treated the wound?”

Village Chief Zhou said angrily, “How would I know? I wasn’t the one who sent him for treatment.”

At this moment, a large number of constables surrounded them. Seeing this, the villagers hurriedly retreated and stood far away.

Chu Xujin’s face was cold as he said imposingly, “We’ve already reported this case. The government will take over now.”

Zhou Da’s wife immediately scolded loudly, “Report what case? We didn’t report it! If you compensate us with silver, we’ll forget about this matter.”

Chu Xujin said in a businesslike manner, “We are the ones who reported it. If you want compensation from our family, shouldn’t we clarify the truth of the matter first?”

Zhou Da’s wife was very against reporting the case. She said shamelessly, “I don’t care. Anyway, it’s not your place to interfere in this matter. Don’t touch my husband.”

“Then take him back, don’t leave him at our doorstep,” Chu Xuhua said, noticing Zhou Da’s wife seemed more interested in the silver than in Zhou Da’s death, which seemed suspicious.

“Someone, pull them away.”

The constables immediately went forward and pulled the crying people around Zhou Da to the side. Madam Zhou reacted violently, and two constables pulled her back.

“Don’t touch my husband, don’t touch him!”

“Why won’t you let him rest in peace?”

“Husband…”

Chu Xujin said politely to the coroner, “Sir, please check the cause of Zhou Da’s death.”

The coroner had brought a young disciple with him. The young disciple helped him carry the toolbox, and the two of them went forward to check.

After a round of examination, the coroner wrote the autopsy results on a piece of paper and handed it to Chu Xujin. “This is the cause of Zhou Da’s death.”

Chu Xujin quickly took a look and then looked at Zhou Da in surprise. He had actually suffocated to death. “Someone, the Zhou family is suspected of murder. Bring all these people to the government office and send Zhou Da to the mortuary.”

“Yes.”

The people of the Chu Village took a step back. “Murder? Murder of her own husband?”

Madam Zhou struggled and shouted, “Nonsense. Zhou Da died because his wound was not treated properly. How could it be murder?”

“Stupid officials, stupid officials, in order to exonerate yourselves, you distort the truth! You will be struck by lightning!!”

“Let go of me. 1 didn’t murder Zhou Da. He deliberately fabricated a lie. They refused to pay this hundred taels and framed innocent people.”

No matter what Madam Zhou said, the group was still escorted into the government office.

When the county magistrate heard that there was a murder case, he immediately took it seriously and ordered Chu Xujin to solve the case as soon as possible.

Chu Xujin looked at the autopsy results again and left the government office. He went to Guangxi Garden to find Chu Qingzhi. “Fifth Sister, Zhou Da died in the middle of the night last night from suffocation.”

Suffocation? Chu Qingzhi frowned. “What was the murder weapon? Motive? Objective? Any accomplices? Have you investigated thoroughly?”

Chu Xujin shook his head. “I’ll investigate immediately.”

Chu Qingzhi reminded, “When you go to investigate, you have to pay attention to the items at the scene. Don’t let go of any suspicious points.”

Chu Xujin nodded. “I understand..”