A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 160 The Truth Revealed to the World (46)

Liu Pei slammed his head heavily on the ground, the suppressed pain overflowing from his throat. "She's dead, already dead, it doesn't matter anymore. Who she loved doesn't matter anymore. She hated me, she wanted revenge, I'm willing to endure it. When I die, I'll go down and apologize to her..."

"I'm afraid even if you go to the underworld, she won't want to see you!" Mu Qingcheng curled her lip. "Because you're not worthy!"

After speaking, she took out two daggers and ordered someone to invite the Registrar and the Granary Officer to the court.

"Liu Pei, if you killed Li Mu, then tell me, where did the dagger that killed Li Mu come from? And why is it the same type of dagger that Li Yunyao used to commit suicide?"

"..."

Liu Pei couldn't answer.

Mu Qingcheng curled her lips into a smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Because the dagger that killed Li Mu wasn't yours at all!"

"grown ups!"

The military advisors, the registrar and the warehouse officer, entered side by side and bowed to Song Shuyu.

Song Shuyu said, "You two will cooperate with Counselor Mu in the trial."

The two nodded: "Yes, sir!"

Mu Qingcheng then asked, "Military Advisor, have you found any suspects matching the murderer's characteristics in your investigation of the military personnel databases of the Capital Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate?"

"Yes, this is the list." The military registrar presented a list of names.

Mu Qingcheng opened and read it through, and said, "As expected. The only male who is about five feet three inches tall, knows martial arts, and is skilled in assassination is Liu Pei, not Liu Changqing."

"So, you insist that I deny the murder?" Upon hearing this, Liu Pei's tense face relaxed.

Mu Qingcheng smiled unexpectedly, "Don't worry, your father Liu Changqing and I have already discussed the height issue. We'll show you when we summon him to court later."

Liu Pei's heart tightened again. Could it be that she had discovered the secret of the height-increasing boots?

Mu Qingcheng then asked the military advisor, "Have you made any progress in your investigation into the source of the dagger?"

“This dagger was made by the famous swordsmith Li Xiang! Many years ago, Li Xiang was commissioned to forge three daggers of the same design, and this should be one of them,” the military advisor replied.

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingcheng paused for a moment, "Three? Are you sure it's three?"

The military advisor nodded. "Confirmed."

Mu Qingcheng's heart sank. It seemed that the third dagger of the same type was undoubtedly her mother's dagger!
In the hall, Song Shuyu noticed that Mu Qingcheng was lost in thought and assumed she was pondering something, so he asked on her behalf, "Who commissioned Li Xiang? Don't those three daggers have sheaths?"

The military advisor, Si Cang, bowed and said, "Reporting to your Excellency, Li Xiang is dead. It was Li Xiang's apprentice who recognized the craftsmanship and design of the dagger, confirming that it was forged by Li Xiang. The dagger naturally had a scabbard, and according to custom, the scabbard would be engraved with the name of the dagger's owner, or a symbol representing special significance." Song Shuyu pondered, "That means the three people who possessed this dagger not only knew each other, but also had a close relationship! Currently, only two daggers have appeared; the whereabouts of one dagger and two scabbards are unknown!"

Mu Qingcheng calmly regained her composure and interrogated Liu Pei again, "Where did you get your dagger?"

Liu Pei frowned. "I...I don't know."

"He's completely unyielding!" Mu Qingcheng's patience was wearing thin. She called out, "Bring Liu Changqing up! If Madam Liu is awake, invite her to the hall as well!"

When Liu Changqing entered the courtroom, he saw that Liu Xiao had not been beaten or tortured, and his expression relaxed a little. However, when his gaze swept over Liu Pei, he immediately resumed his cold and hard attitude.

Mu Qingcheng saw it clearly and couldn't help but sneer, "Liu Changqing, he's also your son, so why don't you like Liu Pei? Faced with overwhelming evidence, he stubbornly refused to implicate you!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Liu Changqing glared at Mu Qingcheng and scolded, "What are you trying to do, trying to sow discord between us, father and son?"

Mu Qingcheng remained noncommittal. "I have eyes and a heart. I can see and feel. What, Liu Pei, haven't you noticed? Your father only has Liu Xiao in his eyes and heart; he can't see you at all!"

Liu Pei lowered his eyes, clenching his fists tightly, without uttering a word.

Liu Xiao noticed his brother's sadness and whispered, "Dad, don't be like this. When it comes to filial piety, I'm not as good as my brother."

Liu Changqing lowered his gaze and said nothing more.

Mu Qingcheng threw Liu Changqing's blood-stained platform boots in front of Liu Pei, "Look, how do you explain this?"

Liu Pei completely played the role of being mute, refusing to speak no matter what.

Mu Qingcheng then ordered Liu Changqing to try on the height-increasing boots on the spot. Liu Changqing refused, but Mu Qingcheng made a gesture, and the yamen runners immediately stepped forward and forcibly helped Liu Changqing change the boots!

The results proved that the size of the height-increasing boots was a perfect fit for Liu Changqing's feet, and with the boots on, Liu Changqing was almost the same height as Liu Pei!
So, Mu Qingcheng switched to another person for interrogation: "Liu Changqing, did you murder Li Mu? When Liu Pei disposed of the body, he put his clothes on Li Mu, and the underside of the clothes was stained with ink. I have found out that this ink was a gift from the palace to you, and it was in your study. This means that Liu Pei met with you in the Liu family's study before disposing of the body, yet you kept saying that Liu Pei had died of illness half a year ago! Liu Changqing, not only did you know that Liu Pei was not dead, but you also made him dispose of Li Mu's body for you!"

However, Liu Changqing looked at Liu Pei with a gloomy expression, "Pei'er, since you are alive, why didn't you tell your father sooner? When did you sneak into your father's study and accidentally get ink on your hands? Did you tamper with the bloodstains on those platform boots? Are you blaming your father for not caring enough about you, so you deliberately framed your father for murder? How heartbroken your mother and Xiao'er are by doing this!"

Liu Pei slowly raised his head, looking at the familiar person in front of him, his eyes empty, his voice hoarse, "Yes, it was me. I even stole Father's sachet and deliberately threw it at the crime scene, hoping to make the authorities suspect Father. I'm sorry, it was my fault, I was unfilial and unjust, I deserve to die!"

"It's good that you know you were wrong. Your father won't blame you." Liu Changqing nodded, his expression showing a hint of affection.

This scene infuriated Song Shuyu. "Liu Pei, don't be blindly filial! Think about your wife, your children, how can you face them? Why did Li Yunyao commit suicide with her child? Why did Liu Xiao commit a crime and go to jail? They risked their lives, their future and freedom, all for the truth, for justice!"

Liu Pei shook his head and said sadly, "Lord Song, you don't understand."

Enraged, Song Shuyu stormed down from the platform, pointing at Liu Pei's nose and yelling, "Don't I understand that Liu Changqing is threatening you with your mother and your brother? Do you think that just because you stubbornly take the blame for Liu Changqing, I can't do anything to you? Even if Liu Changqing doesn't confess, I can still convict him of murder based on this solid evidence!"

My darlings, remember to vote!
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(End of this chapter)