Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 24 The God of Lily of the Valley

Zhu Huan's eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a vengeful ghost coming to claim his life.

"I knew she liked makeup, so I specially drew the design myself and found her favorite craftsman to carve a set of cosmetics. But I didn't expect to run into Zhang Tan driving away. I know that Ruoqing only uses Zhang Tan and Linglan in special circumstances."

Even now, Zhu Huan still remembers the torrential rain of last night, the pain and anger of the raindrops hitting his body.

"She told me that I was the only one who would have no contact with anyone else!"

"Dawn Garden was closed, so I went to Begonia Pavilion first, but she wasn't there; then I went to Black Gold Lane, the door wasn't closed, but Linglan wasn't there either. Zhang Ruoqing was slumped over a table waiting for someone, with a wooden box beside her, filled with wooden plaques engraved with people's names..."

Zhu Huan pounded his head in anguish. "What else don't I understand? She will never marry me. She's lying to me."

“I was so angry at the time that I swept the wooden box to the ground! When I saw that Zhang Ruo had regained consciousness, I questioned her, but she didn’t offer any explanation. In a fit of rage, I stabbed her with the dagger I had used for self-defense…”

As Zhu Huan finished speaking, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, shaking his head frantically with regret on his face.

“I didn’t mean to… she turned me into a demon.”

Upon hearing this, the people in the courtroom were initially filled with sighs, and then belatedly realized that the sky had fallen!
One victim, three murderers, and a "ghostly figure" attached to him—Zhou Zhao actually solved this intricate case!
From the time the case occurred last night to today's results announcement, how long has it been? Zhou Zhao, whom they had previously mocked, has actually solved the case!
Han Ze, who had been watching the crowd for a long time, finally saw their constipated expressions and couldn't help but grin silently.

He wanted to burst out laughing, but he was afraid of Zhou Zhao...

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Zhou Zhao scoffed and interrupted Zhu Huan's mutterings.

"Cao Ben brutally murdered Jian Yue, and you remained unmoved; Zhang Ruoqing kidnapped the weak, and you actively assisted her; you regretted killing, but you didn't turn yourself in..."

"What a flawless and pure-hearted young master Zhu! He's a ghost to begin with, so what's the point of changing?"

When Zhou Zhao spoke, he did not look at Zhu Huan, but instead scanned the faces of the remaining three people. These people had witnessed Cao Ben kill Jian Yue, but they acted as if nothing had happened and continued to indulge in debauchery. What kind of good people were they?

Huo Ting and Chen Shanhai were alright, but Liu Qi, who was already feeling guilty and timid, immediately knelt down when Zhou Zhao looked at him like that.

The hall fell silent instantly, and even Zhu Huan's crying stopped.

The bright sunlight streamed in, its light falling on Zhou Zhao's dark robes. She stood in the center of the crowd, as astonishing as a bolt of purple lightning that split the old locust tree.

“Lily of the Valley, I have answered all the questions. Now it’s your turn,” Zhou Zhao said, his eyes flashing with intense curiosity.

To be honest, she had figured out all the details of the case, but there was one thing she still couldn't completely understand: Suzuran's motive.

"Why did you go to such lengths to plan this? Your compassion for Mizuki is simply not enough to support you doing so much."

Jian Yue was a maid that Cao Ben had casually brought along. Ling Lan didn't know her at all. If she felt guilty about the death of a rabbit, she could just tell Wu Qing the truth. Why did she have to use such a punitive method to drag herself into the mire?

Linglan bit her lip, the excuse she had prepared was suddenly cut off by Zhou Zhao. She subconsciously glanced at Zhang Xun's side to the side and then quickly looked away.

Zhou Zhao noticed her fleeting change and said thoughtfully, "Sure enough, my intuition was right. It's related to Madam Zhang, isn't it?"

Zhou Zhao's words were like a thunderbolt, instantly shattering the complex emotions of the crowd!

Everyone immediately turned their attention to Zhang Ruoqing, only to find that almost the entire Zhang family had gathered behind Zhang Ruoqing's elder brother, Zhang Xun.

Surrounded by the crowd was a lady dressed in a light blue cloth robe. She wore no hair ornaments and appeared utterly calm and composed. Before Madam Zhang could speak, Zhang Xun had already begun shouting angrily!
If his hand could be removed, he would definitely use it like a hammer to smash directly into Zhou Zhao's head!
"Zhou Zhao, what nonsense are you spouting? You're not allowed to slander my mother! My mother dotes on Ruoqing, how could she possibly order someone to kill her own daughter?"

As Zhang Xun spoke, he grew increasingly angry. He rolled up his sleeves and hurriedly tried to rush towards Zhou Zhao.

"Xun'er, you can't beat Zhou Zhao, so don't make things difficult for yourself."

Zhang Xun stiffly pulled his leg back. "Mother, why don't you listen to what you're saying?"
Madam Zhang's voice was very gentle, like a babbling brook in the mountains.

“She is not my daughter. Although she is beautiful, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, intelligent and good at socializing, I know that she is not my Ruoqing. My Ruoqing died long ago.”

The people in the hall were practically speechless with amazement; even Chang Zuoping's mouth was big enough to fit a steamed bun.

What did Madam Zhang just say?
They say Zhang Ruoqing isn't her daughter! But the Zhang family only has this one legitimate daughter; they don't have any other daughters.

Min Zangzhi looked at Zhou Zhao in disbelief. Others might not know, but he had personally witnessed Zhou Zhao instructing Zhang Xun to specially invite Madam Zhang over!

Surely she doesn't know even this?

Zhang Xun turned around abruptly, forgetting even the shame and indignation he felt from being so bluntly belittled by his mother. His eyes widened, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Impossible! How could she not be Ruoqing! She is Ruoqing!"

Madam Zhang remained calm. "She is good in every way. You all say she is more well-mannered and knowledgeable than before, and that she is better in every way than before."

"But as her mother, I knew at a glance that that wasn't my Ruoqing. My Ruoqing smiles, showing her big teeth; she's kind-hearted but not clever, unable to write poetry or parallel prose."

"She didn't like to eat red bean cakes in small, elegant bites. She preferred to chew beans, stuffing them into her mouth along with dried peach peels, making a crunching sound. Then, at night, she would fart rudely, blushing and laughing as she buried her head in her pillow."

“You all like her, thinking that she is the epitome of a lady from a prestigious family, but no matter how good she is, she is not my Ruoqing.”

“Sigh…” Zhang Ran heard the tremor in that calm tone and sighed deeply. With red eyes, he said, “Madam, so you already knew. When Chang’an was first pacified, I sent people to bring you here. The long journey and the change in environment caused you and your daughter to fall seriously ill.”

"Ruoqing was young and frail, and died young. I was worried that you couldn't bear it, so I told you that I had consulted a fortune teller who said that Ruoqing and Chang'an City were incompatible according to their birth charts and that she needed to recuperate in the mountains for a few years. Later, seeing that you missed her so much, I found a child who looked somewhat similar to Ruoqing and pretended to be her."

Female transformation.

When Zhang Ruoqing died seven years ago, she was still a frail little child who hadn't fully grown up. When she returned, she had become a graceful and beautiful young woman.

None of his foolish sons harbored any suspicions; they all doted on their returning sister.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Zhang Ran said, grabbing Madam Zhang's sleeve and bursting into tears.

Madam Zhang glanced at him indifferently and said to Zhou Zhao, "On the day Cao Ben killed Jian Yue, Ling Lan came to ask me if that person was my daughter, and if she was Ruo Qing, who saved her own food rations to save her."

“I told her no.”

Upon hearing this, Lily of the Valley felt a great sense of relief.

"I don't want that evil spirit to defile the god in my heart."

(End of this chapter)