"Yes." Zhi Wan did not deny it, and explained, "Today was the day I was scheduled to move out of the Lu Residence. The servants packed my things early this morning and moved them out. They are leaving with me, so after they moved my belongings, they waited for me outside the residence’s main gate.

I then went with my maid, Shuang’er, and my aunt to Old Madam Lu’s Fushou Hall to bid her farewell.

After leaving Fushou Hall, my aunt told me to come back here to see if I had left anything behind, so I returned with my maid.

After all, I have lived here for five years. I’ve grown attached to this place and feel a great fondness for everything in it.

Just as I finished looking around the outer room and stepped into the inner chamber, I smelled a heavy stench of blood. I knew something was wrong, and then I saw Aunt Xu, brutally murdered on my bed.

My maid heard my scream and rushed in immediately. She witnessed the state of Aunt Xu’s body and was terrified.

While we were both at a loss, Lu Lan suddenly arrived.

The moment she came in and saw Aunt Xu on the bed, she immediately accused me of being the murderer, without any explanation.

When I sent my maid to get help, Lu Lan flew into a rage, lunged at me, and wrapped her hands tightly around my neck, trying to kill me. Fortunately, my cousin returned just in time to save me. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would be dead by now."

Listening to her calm account, the official looked at her with some surprise.

’This young woman doesn’t look very old, but she’s remarkably calm in the face of this crisis, and her words are so clear and logical.’

The official nodded and looked at Shuang’er. "Is what your mistress said true?"

"Every word my mistress said is true. That is exactly what happened." Shuang’er nodded emphatically. "My mistress and I have no idea why Aunt Xu would be in this room. My mistress has never had any dealings with Aunt Xu—they’ve barely exchanged a few words. How could she possibly kill her? Please, Sir, I beg you to investigate this thoroughly."

"You’re a master and servant. Of course you’d cover for each other! Of course you won’t admit you’re the murderers!" Lu Lan said angrily, then turned to the official. "I implore you, Sir, to get to the bottom of this, bring my mother justice, and bring the murderer to justice!"

Just as the official was about to speak, Lu Zhan interjected, "Zhi Wan was moving out of the Lu Residence today. I’m sure everyone in the entire household knew. Furthermore, the servants at Yaoguang Pavilion did not return after moving her things out. This means that when Zhi Wan and my mother went to bid my grandmother farewell, this courtyard was empty.

Therefore, if someone took advantage of that window of opportunity to come into Yaoguang Pavilion and do something malicious, no one would have noticed."

The official froze for a moment. "Are you suggesting that the real murderer came in during that time and killed Aunt Xu?"

Lu Zhan nodded. "According to the Forensic Doctor’s autopsy report, the time of death was a quarter past the Hour of the Serpent. At that time, my cousin was in Fushou Hall, speaking with my grandmother. Therefore, my cousin can be completely ruled out as a suspect."

Lu Lan quietly clenched her fists.

"On another note, I find it strange that Lu Lan also suddenly came to Yaoguang Pavilion." Lu Zhan’s gaze suddenly fell upon her.

Lu Lan seemed to hesitate before saying with a pained expression, "My mother told me this morning that Zhi Wan was moving out of the Lu Residence. Thinking... thinking that she will one day be Brother’s wife and, in the future, the matriarch of the Lu Family, she wanted to come see Zhi Wan off... to, to take the opportunity to get closer to her. Perhaps... perhaps she hoped to receive Zhi Wan’s favor in the future... When my mother didn’t return for a long time, I came looking for her. I never expected to find my mother brutally murdered in Zhi Wan’s room..."

At this, she covered her face and began to weep bitterly.

Lu Zhan said coolly, "The reason you’ve fabricated sounds plausible enough. But if your mother wanted to curry favor with Zhi Wan, why didn’t she interact with her while she was still living in the Lu Residence? Why choose the very moment she was about to leave the Lu Family?"

"My mother was timid and thin-skinned. She could never find the right opportunity on a normal day. Since Zhi Wan was leaving the residence today, she wanted to use seeing her off as an excuse to get closer." Lu Lan became agitated again as she spoke, turning to Zhi Wan and demanding, "My mother came from a humble background and was always cautious and careful in this residence. She just wanted to get on your good side, so why did you have to murder her so cruelly?

Even if you are to become the matriarch of the Lu Family, you have no right to disregard human life! My mother was a living, breathing person, and you killed her..."

Zhi Wan stared at her with icy eyes. ’Everything she says emphasizes how her mother was timid and from a humble background. She’s trying to win everyone’s sympathy so they’ll ignore what my cousin just said.’

"You keep insisting that Zhi Wan killed your mother. Did you see it with your own eyes?" Lu Zhan asked in a low voice.

Lu Lan wiped her tears and said, "I’ve already answered that question. I’ll say it again: although I didn’t personally witness Zhi Wan commit the crime, when I arrived, my mother was already dead on Zhi Wan’s bed, and Zhi Wan and her maid were right there. If they didn’t kill her, then you tell me, Brother—who killed my mother?"

Lu Zhan stared at her with ice-cold eyes. "You did!"

Hearing this, everyone stared at him in astonishment.

Lu Lan froze, then shook her head with a scornful laugh. "How absurd. To exonerate Zhi Wan, you’ll say anything, won’t you? Are you even worthy of the official robes you wear? I never thought the esteemed Minister of the Ministry of Justice would judge a case like this. This is bending the law for personal reasons. Do you realize that?"

"Lu Lan, don’t try to change the subject," Lu Zhan said, his voice frigid. "You were the one who killed Aunt Xu. I don’t know what grudge you hold against Zhi Wan, but this isn’t the first time you’ve tried to harm her. This time, to frame her, you went so far as to kill your own mother. You’re utterly depraved!"

Lu Lan sneered, "If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a charge. You are my brother, and you are also the Minister of the Ministry of Justice. If you are determined to protect Zhi Wan, then my mother can only die with her name uncleared."

Hearing her constantly bringing up Lu Zhan’s official position to try and slander him, Lady Wei was so angry her chest heaved.

Zhi Wan was also furious.

’Lu Lan is not only framing me, but she’s also trying to smear my cousin’s name. Every word she says is meant to tell others that he’s abusing his power for personal gain.’

Just as she was about to speak, she saw Lu Zhan walk to the bedside.

He examined the area on and around the bed, then spoke. "There are no signs of a struggle. Even the sheets and quilt are still perfectly neat. That’s very strange. Did Aunt Xu not struggle at all when facing her killer? Did she just stand there obediently and let herself be killed?"

Hearing this, the official also went forward to inspect the scene and found that it was indeed just as Lu Zhan had described.

"This is too strange. Anyone facing death would be afraid and would struggle instinctively. But this deceased woman looks so peaceful, completely devoid of terror or fear. It’s as if she was prepared to be killed," the official said thoughtfully, looking at Aunt Xu’s face.

"Didn’t the Forensic Doctor just say my mother was ambushed from behind? By the time she could react, she was already dead. Of course she wouldn’t have a pained expression." Lu Lan then looked at the two men. "You’re colleagues. You’re not planning to cover for each other, are you? Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you to the Inspectorate?"

The official was beginning to grow angry.

’This Miss Lu threatens them at every turn. She’s completely unreasonable.’

He shook his head and said, "Miss Lu, you may not be aware, but even if a person is stabbed in a vital spot, they don’t die instantly. A wound to a vital area is excruciatingly painful. Before drawing their last breath, a normal person’s face would show an expression of agony.

But your mother shows no expression of pain. On the contrary, she looks peaceful... almost... relieved.

Unless... the person who killed her was someone she knew well, and someone she held in high regard. Only then would she willingly go to her death."