Undying Life
Chapter 367: Zhong Shan Forces the Culprit to Reveal Himself

Chapter 367: Zhong Shan Forces the Culprit to Reveal Himself

Ying Ning's soul had vanished. She could no longer clarify the matter for Princess Qian You, nor could she testify for Zhong Shan. Yet, Zhong Shan wasn't anxious—in fact, he was quite satisfied.

For Zhong Shan had already determined the true culprit: Marquis Qi Tian. Moreover, with Ying Ning's recent appearance, Marquis Qi Tian's composure had been thoroughly disrupted.

Once the rhythm is disturbed, the heart follows, leading to a chaotic mind. And now, it was time to draw him into Zhong Shan's own rhythm.

"Your Majesty, esteemed members of the Gu clan, and honorable ministers, please direct your attention to this Fengshen Bow and Fengshen Arrow!" Zhong Shan declared, grasping the green Fengshen Bow and Arrow.

Everyone's eyes turned towards him.

"These are the murder weapons in the Ying Ning case—the Fengshen Bow and Fengshen Arrow. Just now, Marquis Qi Tian claimed that Princess Qian You used them to kill Ying Ning. If so, how did she bring them into the mansion? On that day, the mansion was crowded with guests. Who saw Princess Qian You carrying such a bow and arrow?" Zhong Shan asked, scanning the crowd.

No one responded; all remained silent.

"The Fengshen Bow and Arrow are ninth-grade treasures imbued with spirit. Treasures containing spirits cannot be stored in spatial rings. Princess Qian You has only just reached the Emperor Extreme Realm, as many are aware. In such a short time, it would be impossible for her to refine and merge these treasures into her body. Therefore, it is absolutely certain that the bow and arrow were not carried by Princess Qian You," Zhong Shan stated with conviction.

The ministers nodded in agreement, and the Gu clan members on the periphery also acknowledged Zhong Shan's words. Indeed, what Zhong Shan said made sense.

"Haha, if Princess Qian You didn't bring the bow and arrow into the mansion, perhaps they were hidden there before? Or maybe someone else brought them in?" Marquis Qi Tian countered swiftly, evidently realizing the flaw in his previous accusation against Princess Qian You.

"Hidden in the mansion before? Princess Qian You hadn't visited Ying Ning's mansion for years prior to the incident. Over several years, no one found such a conspicuous bow and arrow hidden in the mansion? Brought in by someone else? I've reviewed the list of gifts from that day. Only one person delivered a large package to Lady Ying Ning, and that was Lord Ma Zhuiyi," Zhong Shan explained.

"Zhong Shan, how dare you slander me! I was the first to discover the crime scene. How could it possibly be me?" Ma Zhuiyi exclaimed, his eyes widening in panic.

"Perhaps you conspired with Princess Qian You?" Marquis Qi Tian quickly turned to shift the blame, seizing the opportunity to sacrifice Ma Zhuiyi to sustain his own narrative. As long as Princess Qian You was convicted, he had no qualms about throwing Ma Zhuiyi under the bus—even though Ma Zhuiyi was his uncle.

"Marquis Qi Tian, you—!" Ma Zhuiyi glared in outrage.

"It wasn't Lord Ma Zhuiyi. His package contained five ice toads for Lady Ying Ning's pets, and it hasn't been unwrapped to this day. Moreover, the package wasn't large enough to contain a bow as tall as a person. The Fengshen Bow is simply too long," Zhong Shan interjected, dismissing the accusation.

"Thank you, Lord Zhong Shan!" Ma Zhuiyi expressed his profound gratitude towards Zhong Shan. In the midst of this court confrontation, with the Emperor presiding over the judgment, any adverse outcome could spell his doom. He had never imagined his own nephew would accuse him at such a critical moment.

Marquis Qi Tian's mind was in turmoil, his previous calmness entirely vanished. Now, he was filled with an overwhelming agitation, with one singular goal in mind: to ensure Princess Qian You's conviction, no matter the cost.

The ministers watched in silence, replaceing the case increasingly complex and baffling. The charges against Princess Qian You seemed to grow more tenuous by the moment, especially since the Fengshen Bow and Arrow were clearly not brought in by her.

"If Lord Ma Zhuiyi didn't bring them in, then how did the Fengshen Bow and Arrow end up in Ying Ning's mansion?" Marquis Qi Tian demanded, fixing his gaze on Zhong Shan.

"The Fengshen Bow was already in the mansion, just as Princess Qian You stated, it was brought out by Ying Ning. As for the Fengshen Arrow, it was naturally kept by the real murderer," Zhong Shan asserted with utmost confidence.

"Haha! When Qian You's biological father died, Ying Ning was only three years old. Are you saying that a three-year-old Ying Ning had the ability to hide the Fengshen Bow?" Marquis Qi Tian retorted, staring at Zhong Shan.

"The Fengshen Bow wasn't obtained by Ying Ning back then; it was given to her by the murderer," Zhong Shan responded, fixing his gaze on Marquis Qi Tian.

Under Zhong Shan's scrutinizing eyes, an inexplicable panic seized Marquis Qi Tian's heart. But having endured the earlier ordeal with Ying Ning's soul, he wasn't about to be cowed by Zhong Shan's gaze now.

"You keep harping on the murderer. If it's not Qian You, then who do you think the real culprit is?" Marquis Qi Tian demanded, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"The murderer is—" Zhong Shan's voice drew out, echoing through the hall as he surveyed the court from side to side.

As Zhong Shan's words hung in the air, almost everyone felt their hearts tighten with anticipation. Finally, the moment of revelation was at hand.

Marquis Qi Tian, seeing Zhong Shan's deliberate pace, swallowed nervously. Anxiety gnawed at him; who was Zhong Shan going to accuse? As the real culprit, Marquis Qi Tian desperately wanted the matter settled, his heart clamoring for an end to this tension.

Zhong Shan's gaze swept across the room, then abruptly fixed on Marquis Qi Tian as he thundered, "You, Marquis Qi Tian!"

The sudden shout from Zhong Shan, directly naming Marquis Qi Tian, felt like an overwhelming force crashing down. The sheer intensity caused Marquis Qi Tian to involuntarily step back, a sheen of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

The court erupted in murmurs of astonishment. Marquis Qi Tian? Could Zhong Shan truly be accusing Marquis Qi Tian?

"Hahaha! Haha! Hahaha!" Marquis Qi Tian's laughter rang hollow, tinged with fear.

"Ying Ning was my own sister! How could I possibly kill her? Zhong Shan, have you gone mad? Are you just throwing baseless accusations?" Marquis Qi Tian shouted, his voice trembling with incredulity.

"Your own sister? It was precisely because Ying Ning trusted you as her brother that she fell into your hands," Zhong Shan replied coldly.

"Why would I kill Ying Ning? Your accusations make no sense. Are you trying to slander me without any evidence or logic?" Marquis Qi Tian retorted, trying to mask his unease with a veneer of calm.

"Hmph! 'If you don't want people to know, don't do it.' You want to know why? I'll tell you why—because of your greed, your selfishness, your callousness. Long ago, Gu Lin and Princess Qian You had a marriage contract. But after becoming a princess, Qian You had the right to decide her own future and rejected the marriage. Gu Lin, unwilling to accept this, became Marquis Qi Tian and continued to try to win back Princess Qian You's favor. But matters of the heart cannot be forced. So, you thought of the marriage contract, determined to strip Princess Qian You of her title. Once she was no longer a princess, you, Marquis Qi Tian, could use the marriage contract to bind her. To bring down Princess Qian You, you concocted this scheme," Zhong Shan stated, eyes never leaving Marquis Qi Tian.

"Ying Ning, a member of the Gu clan, was favored by the Elder of Heaven and was soon to be elevated to princess status. She had significant connections to Princess Qian You. Despite being your sister, she was the perfect target for your plot. You first manipulated Ying Ning, telling her that Princess Qian You possessed the 'Xun Ding Body.' Knowing the Elder of Heaven would choose another disciple if he learned this, you lent Ying Ning the Fengshen Bow, leading her to test Qian You. You then hid in the shadows, waiting for the right moment. At the sound of a loud noise, you made sure Ma Zhuiyi came to investigate. As he approached, you used the Fengshen Arrow to kill Ying Ning, and then you fled the scene, only arriving at the mansion later, mingling with the other guests," Zhong Shan revealed.

"Does my hypothesis not fit perfectly, Marquis Qi Tian?" Zhong Shan asked, his eyes boring into Qi Tian.

Every word Zhong Shan spoke mirrored the truth, exactly as it had happened. Cold sweat dripped more heavily from Marquis Qi Tian's brow. Under normal circumstances, Marquis Qi Tian would have laughed it off, as Zhong Shan had no solid proof. But today, Qi Tian's composure had shattered; since the appearance of Ying Ning's soul, his mind had been in chaos. He had fallen entirely into Zhong Shan's rhythm, his emotions swayed by Zhong Shan's every word.

At this point, defeat was inevitable.

From a distance, Fan Yipin shook his head, already convinced of the outcome. The four princes and the Grand Tutor turned their attention to Zhong Shan, their expressions grave. Emperor Gu Shentong continued to wait patiently.

"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha!" Marquis Qi Tian's laughter echoed through the hall, a dry, desperate sound. He seemed to be using the laughter to mask his inner fear. The deeply hidden truth had been exposed before everyone, and the marquis's incessant laughter was an attempt to cover his panic while he desperately tried to devise a response. But with his mind in disarray, how could he come up with a plausible excuse? Moreover, facing the shrewd and experienced Zhong Shan, the relatively immature Marquis Qi Tian found it impossible to maintain his composure.

"Marquis Qi Tian, what are you laughing at?" Zhong Shan pressed, his tone sharp.

"I'm laughing at your absurd and idiotic hypothesis! It's complete nonsense!" Marquis Qi Tian shot back, losing his composure and resorting to insults, abandoning the poise and decorum he usually maintained.

"If it's nonsense, then why are you sweating so much, Marquis Qi Tian? Isn't that quite peculiar?" Zhong Shan retorted with a smile.

At Zhong Shan's words, Marquis Qi Tian instinctively wiped the cold sweat from his face, struggling to come up with an explanation. But Zhong Shan wasn't about to let him recover. Zhong Shan's strategy was to keep Qi Tian in a state of perpetual panic and defensive thinking.

It's like the human brain, where clarity of thought is limited. If a person needs only a fraction of this clarity to solve a problem, Zhong Shan's goal was to overwhelm Qi Tian with multiple issues simultaneously, thereby exhausting his mental capacity.

"Marquis Qi Tian, where were you at noon on the day of the incident?" Zhong Shan demanded abruptly.

The court was silent, the hall entirely Zhong Shan's stage. No one dared to interrupt.

Startled by the sudden question, Marquis Qi Tian stammered, "I-I was at the Western Pavilion in Ying Ning's mansion."

This detail was recorded in the day's reports, where it was noted that Marquis Qi Tian was alone and bored, drinking in the Western Pavilion. He had only emerged when he heard Ma Zhuiyi's shouts.

"What were you doing in the Western Pavilion?" Zhong Shan continued, his gaze unwavering.

"Drinking," Marquis Qi Tian replied, his forehead slick with sweat.

"What were you drinking?" Zhong Shan pressed on without pausing.

"Dr-drinking... um, drinking..." Marquis Qi Tian stammered, his mind momentarily going blank.

"Was it the Eight Immortals Brew?" Zhong Shan asked, staring intently at Marquis Qi Tian.

The Eight Immortals Brew was a very rare and expensive wine, frequently enjoyed by the Gu clan.

"Yes, the Eight Immortals Brew!" Marquis Qi Tian seemed to snap back to reality and quickly answered, latching onto Zhong Shan's suggestion.

"The Eight Immortals Brew? On that day, the mansion's banquet had all kinds of drinks, but not the Eight Immortals Brew," Zhong Shan said, narrowing his eyes.

Marquis Qi Tian's face froze. Panic surged within him.

In reality, if Qi Tian had been calm, he could simply have claimed to have brought the wine himself. But his mental clarity was already stretched thin.

"Did you bring it yourself?" Zhong Shan asked again.

"Yes, I brought it myself. I was drinking my own wine," Marquis Qi Tian replied hastily, almost fearfully, as if afraid of not responding in time. His thoughts were completely ensnared by Zhong Shan.

"Why did you bring the Eight Immortals Brew? Did you know the banquet wouldn't have it, or do you have a habit of bringing your own wine to parties?" Zhong Shan asked relentlessly.

"I, I, I... Why should I answer that?" Marquis Qi Tian finally seemed to muster some resistance, his voice tinged with anger.

"Indeed, why should you answer? Making a fool of yourself!" Zhong Shan mocked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Zhong Shan, you...!" Marquis Qi Tian glared at Zhong Shan, his anger and anxiety palpable.

"And you're sweating even more!" Zhong Shan remarked, his face displaying an almost innocent curiosity as he pointed to the sweat streaming down Qi Tian's face.

Qi Tian instinctively wiped his face, panic written all over his features.

"You've been burning incense at Ying Ning's shrine every day. Did she visit you in your dreams? What did she say to you?" Zhong Shan continued his relentless questioning.

Unable to bear it any longer, Marquis Qi Tian turned desperately to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I...!"

"Please, finish your story first. Everyone's eager to hear. What exactly were you doing at noon that day?" Zhong Shan cut in with a sly grin, steering the conversation back.

"I already told you! I was drinking at the Western Pavilion!" Qi Tian shouted, his fear causing him to nearly scream. His chest heaved with anxiety as he fixed his eyes on Zhong Shan, feeling more cornered than ever.

Zhong Shan shook his head. "I wasn't talking about the noon on the day she was killed. I meant the day before!"

Without thinking, Qi Tian, in his agitated state, blurted out, "The day before she was killed, at noon, I was...!"

A collective gasp echoed through the hall.

"Whaaaaaa..."

"Whaaaaaa..."

"Whaaaaaa..."

The court erupted into chaos. Officials and members of the Gu clan alike were astounded, their voices filling the room with shocked whispers and exclamations. Qi Tian had admitted it? He had confessed to killing Ying Ning? The specifics of what he had been doing the day before noon became irrelevant; what mattered was that he had acknowledged killing Ying Ning. He had killed his own sister, right in front of the Gu clan and the entire court.

As soon as Qi Tian spoke, Zhong Shan's face grew solemn—he had succeeded. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed the green Wind God Bow and Wind God Arrow beside him.

Qi Tian stood there, frozen mid-sentence, his mind unable to process what had just happened.

"The day before she was killed?"

"The day before she was killed?"

"The day before she was killed?"

How could he have said that? How could he have admitted it?

The truth had been exposed, and it had come straight from his own mouth.