After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 323 Another death
"And then?" The magistrate had been listening for a long time but hadn't gotten to the point, and was starting to lose his temper.

Ma Xingteng immediately sped up his speech, “We arranged for an old woman to take care of her, and the housekeeper would come over a few times a month to bring her some clothes and food. Everything was fine until recently when the old woman who was taking care of my stepmother fell ill, and we couldn’t spare anyone to go over there for the time being.”

I thought of my stepmother's older brother, Sang Yong. He used to be the mayor of Fufeng Township and he treated my stepmother very well. I figured it would be fine to leave my stepmother in his care for a few days. Once that old woman recovered, we would take my stepmother back with us.

I never imagined that my stepmother would die just two days after I brought her back!

The magistrate listened for a while but didn't find anything wrong with it. His tone wasn't very friendly. "So you're saying the person was alive when you brought them back, and died two days later? What kind of case is this?"

Ma Xingteng was anxious and at a loss, nodding and bowing in agreement, "What you say is absolutely right, sir. There is indeed no need to report this to the police, but the servants who came to collect my stepmother's body said that my stepmother was covered in injuries, and was clearly beaten badly."

They suspected that the old woman who took care of my stepmother was acting on my orders, and even my father thought so. I cursed her out, but sir, I'm truly innocent! If I had really done it, I would accept it, after all, my leg is crippled thanks to my stepmother, and I wouldn't feel guilty doing so. But the problem is, I really didn't do it! You can't just pin everything on me!

"My lord, you must do justice for me! I cannot bear this unfounded accusation!"

The magistrate looked at Liu Tiechui sternly and said, "Take the constables over there and bring back Sang's body. We'll talk about it after the coroner examines the body."

Liu Tiechui looked at Ma Xingteng with concern, "Did your father agree to the coroner's examination?"

Ma Xingteng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. "My wife has brought my sister and relatives here. Even if my father disagrees, it won't work. I must get to the bottom of this!"

Seeing Ma Xingteng clench his fists, Liu Tiechui couldn't help but sigh, "Your father still hasn't gotten over it?"

Ma Xingteng shook his head expressionlessly. "He can't let it go! Ma Xingfei is also his son whom he doted on. Back then, he was determined to abandon me in raising him. But things are unpredictable. He will be tormented by guilt for the rest of his life. Sang's death is just an outlet for his anger. It's as if blaming me can lessen his sins. How ridiculous! I won't let him have his way! I'm going to investigate things thoroughly and make sure he can't even find an excuse!"

Liu Tiechui patted Ma Xingteng on the shoulder. It was painful for him, an outsider, to see the father and son fighting like this.

Soon, Sang's body was taken away by the yamen runners. In order to make Ma Rencai accept reality, Ma Xingteng even disregarded his wishes and had a carriage prepared to take Ma Rencai, Ma Yujie, and Ma's relatives to the county yamen. He wanted the Ma family to know the truth for themselves.

While the coroner was examining the body, Ma Rencai kept berating Ma Xingteng outside the county government office, repeating the same thing over and over again: Ma Xingteng was unfilial and disrespectful to his brothers, but he couldn't say anything else.

Ma Yujie grew impatient and angrily retorted, "Father, is this ever going to end! If you want to get the truth out of my brother, have the magistrate do it for you. What more could you want? Or do you know in your heart that my brother is innocent and are deliberately trying to frame him? Father, how can you do this to our deceased mother? You swore at her bedside that you would take good care of us. Is this how you've taken care of us?"

"You unfilial daughter!" Ma Rencai clutched his chest, panting heavily, clearly furious.

Ma Yujie remained unmoved, and Ma Rencai, unable to do anything about her, glared at the siblings angrily and then fell silent.

The coroner's autopsy results came back quickly, and he went straight to see the county magistrate.

Soon, the county magistrate led a group of people into the courtroom, and Shen Yi and Su Tai were also called out.

The Ma family members looked bewildered, and Ma Rencai was even more confused, asking impatiently, "Sir, how did my wife die?"

The magistrate did not answer, but only gave him a cold glance, and Ma Rencai immediately became obedient.

Seeing that the magistrate ignored them and the constables made no move, Ma Xingteng cautiously sidled up to Shen Yi and asked gossipily, "Brother Shen, why are you and your wife here too?" Shen Yi shook his head, "We don't know either. The magistrate sent someone to summon us, so we came over."

A short while later, the Mo family was brought in.

Seeing so many people, Mo Laotian subconsciously trembled and huddled to one side with his wife and daughter, not daring to utter a sound.

"Why are there people again?" Ma Xingteng frowned. Seeing that the magistrate still hadn't made a move, he had no choice but to go back and whisper to Bai Shi.

Just as everyone was getting impatient, Sang Yong's family and the old woman who took care of Sang Shi were brought in.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, the magistrate slammed his gavel down and shouted sternly, "Court is now in session!"

Everyone hurriedly knelt down, but still didn't understand what was going on.

The magistrate looked at Ma Xingteng and asked, "Ma Xingteng, you said that Sang Shi was originally fine, but after being entrusted to Sang Yong, she was brought back with injuries and died in just two days. Is that true?"

"Sir, it's absolutely true! Aunt Li can testify! Oh, and the butler too, he often goes over to deliver things, he can testify as well!"

Ma Xingteng pointed to Li Ma and the housekeeper.

The two confirmed Ma Xingteng's words.

Ma Rencai said smugly, "The servants in the house all listen to you two, they'll agree with whatever you say!"

Ma Xingteng was furious that his own father would contradict him in public, but he didn't argue.

The magistrate slammed his gavel twice, shouting, "Ma Rencai, I didn't ask you anything! Shut up!"

Ma Rencai indeed dared not act recklessly anymore.

The magistrate then said unhurriedly, "So you mean that the Sang family was beaten at the Sang family's residence, is that right?"

Ma Xingteng hesitated before nodding, "If my stepmother hadn't left the Sang family, she would definitely have been beaten there."

"You're slandering me! I kindly took my sister in for a few days, and you actually turned around and accused me!" Sang Yong accused Ma Xingteng with grief and disappointment.

Ma Xingteng shook his head repeatedly, "I didn't, I was just stating the facts."

"The truth? The truth is that you resent my sister, not only abusing her but also preventing us from seeing her. Our family finally managed to take care of my sister for a few days, how could we let her get hurt? It was you who brought her here, she was already on the verge of death! It's a pity I'm poor, I'm so poor! I can't afford a doctor to treat her! Waaah!" Sang Yong, a grown man, cried so pitifully, it was truly heartbreaking to hear and brought tears to one's eyes.

Ma Xingteng also became anxious, "I didn't! If I really let Li Ma beat her, how could I send her to the Sang family and give you something to use against her! This doesn't make any sense!"

"Yes, yes! It really doesn't make sense." After what happened with Shen Yi and the Mo family, the people were obviously much more rational and didn't jump to conclusions from the start.