He Laoqi took the opportunity to surround Cui Banxian with his men, separating him from the villagers.
Even if he were the murderer, he couldn't be beaten to death at this moment; he had to be taken back for Hu Fan to pass judgment.
The surging public opinion made Cui Banxian even more terrified, and he felt his stomach tremble slightly.
If it weren't for Chen Xiaobei and the others desperately holding him back, he would have been chopped to death by Chen Ping long ago.
Therefore, the only option left for him was to remain silent. He would confess only after arriving at the county yamen.
Chen Xiaobei rallied the village guards, forming another human wall in front of these constables and runners, keeping the villagers as far away as possible.
He then said to Chen Ping, "Let Captain He sort things out first. When the day comes to beheading, you can still take action then." Su Dan Novel Network.
After much persuasion, Chen Ping was appeased.
However, when faced with He Laoqi's questioning, Cui Banxian remained stubbornly silent, with his eyes tightly shut, as if he were a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.
He Laoqi found himself in a dilemma.
Although Cui Banxian was a suspect, he hadn't confessed. If he took the man back like this, it would be fine if he was the killer. But if there was any mistake, and he was accused of dereliction of duty, his position as captain would be jeopardized.
Not only was he anxious, but Chen Xiaobei was also anxious. Unless the matter was clarified, his own suspicion could not be cleared.
Seeing that the interrogation had reached a stalemate, he had a sudden inspiration. He called Chen Xiaowen over and whispered a few words.
Chen Xiaowen nodded and quietly retreated. He walked about half a li before suddenly running back in a hurry, "Captain, Captain."
Upon hearing the shouts, the crowd spontaneously parted to the sides, clearing a path for him.
Chen Xiaowen feigned breathlessness and said, "Captain, Captain, in Cui Banxian's house, we found, we found, a bamboo viper."
At this, Cui Banxian's eyes snapped open, and he blurted out, "No, impossible. The snake wasn't in the house."
As soon as he finished speaking, he froze.
He saw Chen Xiaobei looking at him with a tilted head and a half-smile.
"Chen Xiaobei, you, you tricked me!"
Chen Xiaobei let out a cold laugh, "Yes, I tricked you, and you fell for it."
He Laoqi looked at Chen Xiaobei with admiration, thinking that this village captain was more skilled at solving cases than he was. With a slight stratagem, he had made Cui Banxian speak.
Chen Xiaobei stared at Cui Banxian, "Are you still trying to quibble? If I let the village guards withdraw, Chen Ping will chop you to death immediately. Only by confessing and letting Captain He take you back to the yamen will you have a chance to survive."
Cui Banxian sighed helplessly, "Chen Xiaobei, you are ruthless. I've lived half my life, and I was actually fooled by your petty trick."
He then threw his head back and let out a long laugh, "It's all my fault for being soft-hearted back then. I should have let Chen Anbang kill you first."
He then turned to He Laoqi, "Officer, I killed Chen Anbang, I admit it."
Hearing this, Chen Ping, who was in the distance, became agitated again. Waving his cleaver, he lunged forward, but Li Dong and his men held him back tightly.
"Cui Banxian, I'll curse your ancestors! Where did my grandfather offend you that you had to do this to him?"
Cui Banxian suddenly became very agitated, "Your grandfather's deeds would take three days and three nights to tell. Let me put it this way: if I didn't kill him, he would have killed me. Of course, I had to strike first."
He then surveyed everyone present, "Today, I will tell you the truth. Don't be fooled by Chen Anbang's honest appearance; he's full of wicked schemes."
"He had his sights set on the property of our village's Cui Fugui. He secretly plotted to kill Chen Xiaobei, then have Chen Ping marry Cui Hongyu, seize the Cui family's property, and then sell Cui Hongyu into the Hundred Flower Pavilion."
"You, you're talking nonsense..." Although Chen Ping cursed aloud, his heart inexplicably trembled. How could Cui Banxian know about this?
Chen Xiaobei also shivered upon hearing this. No wonder a beautiful maiden fell from the sky; it wasn't a blessing, but a trap.
Chen Ping suddenly spoke to Chen Xiaobei, "Brother Xiaobei, don't listen to his nonsense. This is impossible. Cui Hongyu is a jinx; why would I marry her..." As soon as he spoke, he realized something was amiss and quickly stopped.
Cui Banxian, on the other hand, looked quite smug, "Of course you don't want to marry Cui Hongyu, because after you seize the Cui family's property, what kind of woman can't you have? You'd sell her to the Hundred Flower Pavilion."
Chen Xiaobei was furious. He strode forward, grabbed Chen Ping, and slapped him hard across the face. "Cui Hongyu is my wife now. You, show some respect."
This slap was well-deserved. Chen Ping covered his cheek and dared not say a word.
Next, it was Cui Banxian's turn. This time, Chen Xiaobei hit him even harder, knocking out two teeth. "Cui Banxian, this is for Hongyu. If your mouth isn't clean, I'll beat you to death."
The onlookers were stunned by Chen Xiaobei's imposing demeanor. He resorted to violence at the slightest disagreement, all because someone spoke ill of his wife.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the crowd, hidden in a corner, Cui Hongyu watched with a heart full of sweetness.
This man protected her dignity at every turn. If anyone spoke disrespectfully of her, he would resort to violence.
Such a man provided a great sense of security.
He Laoqi seized the moment and stepped forward, "Alright, everyone. Since Cui Banxian has confessed, I will take him back to the county yamen first. After Magistrate Hu has interrogated him thoroughly, he will be judged."
Chen Ping, of course, refused. He jumped up and shouted, "Officer, since he has confessed, please have his head chopped off to honor my grandfather."
He Laoqi looked at him and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, he's as good as dead."
He then glanced at Chen Xiaobei.
Chen Xiaobei understood He Laoqi's meaning. He wanted Chen Xiaobei to persuade Chen Ping not to be too aggressive.
Chen Xiaobei cleared his throat, "Alright, everyone, disperse. Brother Chen Ping, don't worry, the authorities will give you justice."
Unexpectedly, Chen Ping nodded, "Okay, I believe you."
He then fell silent.
It took just one slap to subdue him.
Even He Laoqi was a little surprised that Chen Xiaobei had resolved everything with just a few words.
He Laoqi left with his men, and the crowd immediately surrounded Chen Xiaobei.
Seeing the fawning attention, Chen Xiaobei inwardly sighed that the common people were the most pragmatic.
"Alright, everyone, disperse and go back to your work tomorrow."
He then turned to Chen Ping, "Let's handle your grandfather's funeral tomorrow. It's too hot."
Chen Xiaobei didn't elaborate, but the villagers understood his meaning. In this heat, with the poisoning, the smell...