Why Am I Afraid?
The woman wore a flowing red gauze skirt, her hands tightly clenched.
Her waist was as slender as a willow, her face as delicate as a lotus. Her eyebrows arched like a crescent moon, and her eyes held the depth of an autumn cicada—exquisitely beautiful and utterly captivating.
Even in her fury, she remained dazzling.
Yu Linlang stood unshaken by the shattered porcelain cup, her expression calm as she faced the furious woman.
She neither retreated nor wavered, maintaining her poise.
Huo, staring at the face that bore no resemblance to hers, felt an overwhelming sense of disgust.
Seeing Yu Linlang looking at her so indifferently, she raised her hand and hurled another cup, her voice sharp with rage.
"Kneel! Do you even realize your crime?"
Yu Linlang lifted her gaze. "I wonder, what punishment does Madam intend for me?"
"This household has been peaceful for more than a decade. Yet, the moment you return, disaster follows. You are the true curse of this governor's mansion! A plague god that brings nothing but chaos!"
Jiu Jin, standing nearby, trembled with anger.
Even a stranger wouldn't utter such cruel accusations—yet this was her own mother.
What kind of karma had the young lady accumulated in a past life to deserve such a mother?
Yu Linlang remained calm, her voice steady yet piercing. "A life was taken within the governor's residence. Shouldn't the first priority be to find the true culprit? Madam, you manage the household affairs, yet due to your negligence, a murder has occurred. Instead of reflecting on your own failures, you shift the blame onto me? What kind of household do you run? What kind of wife are you?"
The ladies in the hall gasped, their mouths slightly open in shock as they turned to the seemingly unremarkable young girl.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
Huo, on the other hand, was seething. Her daughter's words made her see stars. She clutched her silk handkerchief tightly, glaring at Yu Linlang as though she were her greatest enemy.
"What did you just say? Such insolence! Such disrespect! Do you not fear the consequences of offending your own mother? You are truly an unfilial wretch!"
"Mother." Yu Pianpian, who had remained silent beside Huo, finally stood and attempted to soothe her. "Mother, please don't be angry. Your health is most important."
She then turned to Yu Linlang, her brows furrowed in disapproval.
"Sister Linlang, must you always be so sharp-tongued? No matter what Mother says, she is your elder. How can you speak to her so rudely?"
"You haven't even knelt to apologize! Do you truly wish for Mother to declare you unfilial? This dynasty has strict laws—if you are convicted of great unfilial piety, you could be punished!"
Yu Linlang remained expressionless. "If Madam wishes to accuse me of unfilial conduct, she may take the matter to the yamen and beat the drum to file a lawsuit. Are you not afraid of exposing the entire household's affairs for all to see?"
"The governor's mansion will either rise or fall together. If Madam does not fear tarnishing the reputations of all the unmarried girls in this house, then by all means, go ahead! I have already been labeled a plague god and a bringer of misfortune—what harm is one more accusation? Why should I fear being branded unfilial?"
"You—you!" Huo was speechless. She had not expected the girl to be so defiant. Her eyes widened as she clutched her chest, struggling to catch her breath.
"Mother! Mother!" Yu Pianpian panicked and quickly rubbed Huo's back, then turned to the maids. "What are you standing there for? Bring tea! Quickly!"
The maids hesitated before rushing to fetch the tea.
Outside the door, the governor's expression was strained. He glanced uneasily at Prince Mu and Lord Lu before speaking.
"My daughter only returned home yesterday. Perhaps she has some misunderstandings with her mother and sisters. Prince Lu, please, let us continue this discussion in the main hall."
Mu Zhao gave a faint smile. "Calling her a plague god—don't you think that's too harsh? Even as an outsider, I find it uncomfortable to hear such words. Let alone a young girl who has just returned home, only to be rejected by her own family."
"But, of course, this is the governor's family matter. It is not my place to interfere."
"However, Governor Yu, you surely understand—one must first govern their household before governing the country. If you cannot manage your own home, how can you be expected to handle official duties? How can the Emperor trust you to oversee the resettlement of disaster victims?"
Yu Shoudao broke into a cold sweat and quickly bowed in apology.
Lu Qian observed the governor with a lowered gaze, saying nothing.
The group entered the main hall, waiting for the accused husband to be summoned. The tense atmosphere gradually settled.
"The deceased was a kitchen maid in the household. She entered the mansion two years ago with her husband, Niu Erji, under a ten-year contract."
Yu Shou pointed at the trembling man kneeling before them. "This is Niu Erji."
Lu Qian took a ledger from the guard, flipping through it as he studied the man on the ground.
"Niu Erji, our investigation shows that you and your wife had a heated argument last night. Witnesses claim you even threatened to chop her up. Is this true?"
Niu Erji, terrified, collapsed onto the ground and wailed. "Sir! Sir! I swear, I would never dare! Please, sir, have mercy!"
Lu Qian slammed the ledger onto the table. His voice was cold. "Multiple witnesses have testified that you had a motive. Why were you arguing? And where did you go after the fight?"
"S-sir! I swear, I never left the house! After the argument, I simply went to bed!"
"You dare lie!" Mu Feng snapped. "We have already investigated and found proof that you left after the argument!"
"You've been hiding the truth. Did you kill her?" Mu Feng pointed at Niu Erji. "Speak! Why was your wife's body discovered in the kitchen yard this morning, her abdomen cut open and her organs removed? What kind of monster are you?"
Niu Erji was so terrified he wet himself, waving his hands frantically. "Sir! No! I didn't kill anyone! I swear! I—I'll confess! My wife found out I lost two months' wages gambling at Changle Gambling House. That's why we argued!"
"And? What happened next?"
"I only said I'd chop her up in anger, but she was my wife—I'd never actually do it! I left the house to try my luck at the gambling den again. I didn't return until late at night. The gatekeeper can confirm this!"
"When you returned, was your wife still in the room?"
"I—I don't know! I was drunk… I just went straight to sleep. I truly don't know!"
At that moment, the coroner, Old Li, entered the hall and bowed.
"What's the situation?" Yu Shou asked. "Is it related to the male corpse found in the street?"
Old Li hesitated before nodding. "The methods of the crime are identical. No external wounds—only the abdomen cut open, with the heart, lungs, and liver removed."
"Can you determine the time of death?"
"Judging by the state of the corpse… the victim was killed around midnight."