Chapter 130: Saying No with Words

Zu An couldn't help but say, "Well, Plum, to frame me, you didn't hesitate to kill your most capable subordinate, Plum Blossom Thirteen. Aren't you afraid this will discourage your other subordinates?"

"You're clearly the perpetrator, yet you're slandering me here!" Mei Chaofeng feigned anger. "Plum Blossom Thirteen offended you back then, and you ordered someone to break his limbs. Everyone knows about it."

Plum Blossom Thirteen's foot was initially broken by the academy's dean, Lu De, and later all his limbs were broken by Chu Chuyan. Both individuals had extraordinary backgrounds, and he didn't want to involve them, so he intentionally omitted the names of those who beat him, only emphasizing that Zu An had ordered it.

Zu An naturally understood his intention and, conveniently, didn't want to involve his wife, so he didn't expose the lie: "That's right, I had Plum Blossom Thirteen's limbs broken. So, even if he did offend me, I've already taken my revenge and vented my anger. Why would I need to kill him?"

"Because Plum Blossom Thirteen was my most formidable subordinate, you feared you wouldn't be able to handle him once his injuries healed. So, you acted preemptively, striking him fatally while he was still recovering," Mei Chaofeng said calmly.

Hearing his words, Plum Blossom Thirteen's relatives and friends cried out in distress and lunged at Zu An, but they were quickly restrained by the bailiffs in the courtroom.

"Silence!" Xie Yi had to bang his gavel again.

Zu An replied, "What kind of joke is that? I've even defeated a fifth-rank master. Why would I care about a mere third-rank like Plum Blossom Thirteen?"

Mei Chaofeng snorted, "Your victory over the fifth-rank yesterday was just luck; everyone saw it. Furthermore, the evidence for your murder of Plum Blossom Thirteen this time is conclusive, leaving no room for argument."

"Oh, what evidence?" Zu An asked curiously.

Mei Chaofeng bowed to Xie Yi and the others. "It has been determined that Plum Blossom Thirteen's fatal wound was caused by the academy's basic sword techniques. I presume you sirs have already verified this."

"There are at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, people who know basic sword techniques. How does that prove it was A'Zu?" Chu Zhongtian interjected.

Mei Chaofeng waved his hand, and a subordinate promptly brought a sword. "When the killer assassinated Plum Blossom Thirteen, he was discovered by our gang's patrolling disciples. He fled in a panic under their assault, leaving behind this sword."

Chu Zhongtian's gaze fell upon the sword, and his eyes instantly narrowed. How could he not recognize it as the weapon Zu An had used in the arena yesterday?

Zu An shrugged. "After the clan tournament yesterday, I casually tossed this sword to someone from the Chu residence and didn't bother with it again. It seems you bribed a member of the Chu family to get it."

Chu Zhongtian's face was grim. He had suspected a traitor within the Chu family before, but with time constraints last night, he couldn't uncover anything. Now, another huge mess had been stirred up.

Mei Chaofeng ignored Zu An completely and continued, "Last night, over a dozen people also witnessed you committing the act. No matter how eloquent you are, you won't be able to clear your name."

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people pushed their way in, each describing what they had seen the previous night.

Chu Zhongtian couldn't listen anymore and slammed the table. "Nonsense! Just now, you said that testimony from relatives couldn't be used. So, can the testimony of these subordinates be used? They are all members of the Plum Blossom Gang; whatever they say is simply following the gang leader's orders."

Mei Chaofeng smiled slightly. "The point is, now we not only have eyewitnesses but also physical evidence and a motive. Can all of this be mere coincidence? Is Duke Brightmoon perhaps planning to cover for the culprit because he is his son-in-law?"

Chu Zhongtian was furious, slamming the table as he rose. "What are you, to dare speak to me like that!"

Even though he was usually a good-natured man, he had suppressed too much anger these past two days. Coupled with his long-standing dislike for some of the Plum Blossom Gang's practices and Mei Chaofeng's smug demeanor, he finally couldn't hold back.

Mei Chaofeng's face changed dramatically. In that instant, he felt a powerful oppressive aura wash over him. With his cultivation level, he could barely stand, feeling so terrified he was on the verge of collapsing to the ground.

Just then, Sang Hong rose and went to Chu Zhongtian, comforting him, "Duke Brightmoon, why bother getting angry with a mere commoner? It's not worth it, not worth it!"

While seemingly offering advice, he subtly highlighted the other party's commoner status, warning him not to act rashly, and simultaneously blocked his soaring aura.

Xie Yi also spoke up to mediate, and Chu Zhongtian reluctantly sat back down.

Mei Chaofeng's face was pale. Having been intimidated by the other's aura just moments ago, he was now momentarily speechless, unable to open his mouth.

Zu An then said, "How strange. According to what you've just said, I spent the first half of the night killing Minister Yang from the Revenue Department, and then the second half of the night at the Plum Blossom Gang, killing Plum Blossom Thirteen. I must have been quite busy that night."

"It's not surprising for someone as deranged as you to do such things," Mei Chaofeng finally recovered. "Besides, haven't you just been cleared of the suspicion of assassinating Minister Yang? That gives you ample time to kill Plum Blossom Thirteen."

"Very good, so it seems you also acknowledge that I'm not Minister Yang's killer. As for your 'ample time,' that's even more illogical," Zu An's tone shifted. "Last night, I was clearly at home, making babies with my beautiful wife. Where would I find the time to kill someone?"

"You simply don't understand. With such a beautiful wife, I can't wait for night to fall every day. What man would willingly leave his lovely wife's bed to do anything else?"

Chu Zhongtian: "???"

He was utterly bewildered. Of course, he knew this fellow was talking nonsense; his daughter still slept in a separate room from him. But could he say that now? Wouldn't revealing it put his son-in-law in danger?

But if he didn't say anything, his daughter's reputation would be completely ruined...

Wait, hold on. They were already husband and wife; perhaps it didn't matter that much?

Even so, hearing his son-in-law speak of their affectionate relationship, as a father, he still felt rather strange.

The onlookers outside the door were also in an uproar. Although Zu An didn't describe anything explicitly, everyone involuntarily imagined many suggestive scenes. Especially when they thought of Chu Chuyan, a fresh and pure "little cabbage," being "rooted by a pig," they immediately felt a surge of bitterness and envy.

Rage points from Yang Shanwei +233!Rage points from Xiao Qun +233!...

"Nonsense!" a furious roar erupted. Everyone turned to look and saw Shi Kun with bloodshot eyes.

Rage points from Shi Kun +999!

Although he knew what Zu An said was false, he couldn't suppress the anger in his heart. Others weren't aware of the details, and if he were to marry Chu Chuyan in the future, wouldn't everyone think he was picking up Zu An's "used goods"?

This was something he absolutely could not accept!

"You can't even get into Miss Chu's boudoir, so what are you bragging about!" Shi Kun roared.

Zu An glanced at him. "Why are you so agitated? Are you perhaps coveting someone else's wife? Tsk, tsk, tsk, what excellent family upbringing the Shi family has, sigh~"

Shi Kun instantly flew into a rage. *Where's my damn saber?*

Rage points from Shi Kun +468!

Xue'er, standing behind him, subtly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Young Master, a small impatience can ruin a great plan."

Only then did Shi Kun take a deep breath and slowly calm down. *That's right*, he thought. *His involvement in murder today is a certainty. I'll settle accounts with him slowly after the verdict is delivered.*

Zu An looked at Xue'er with some surprise. It seemed this girl hadn't revealed his secret; otherwise, the one named Shi wouldn't be so furious. Why was she helping him keep it hidden?

*Could she have unknowingly fallen in love with me?*

Noticing his gaze, Xue'er couldn't help but glare fiercely at him. *No wonder the Young Master gets so angry; every time I see him, I want to hit him.*

Rage points from Qiao Xueying +520!

Seeing this number, Zu An immediately chuckled. "Saying 'no' with your mouth, but your body is quite honest, isn't it?"

Noticing Shi Kun's expression, Mei Chaofeng quickly said, "Testimony from relatives cannot be trusted. Moreover, what Zu An said is simply too false. A quick inquiry with anyone from the Chu family will reveal that he and Miss Chu sleep in separate beds. How could she possibly testify for him? Just look, on such an important day as today, Miss Chu hasn't even shown up, which makes it clear what their marital relationship is like."

"Who said I wasn't here!" A clear and pleasant voice rang out.

The crowd automatically parted, and everyone looked towards the sound, seeing a graceful figure in a pale blue long dress, appearing as if a celestial fairy was slowly descending from the clouds.

"That's Miss Chu~"

"She truly is a beauty of unparalleled grace!"

"With a wife like that, I definitely wouldn't want to leave the bed either."

"Exactly, who would waste time going out to kill people then?"

...

Hearing the murmuring of the people around him, Zu An couldn't help but marvel at Chu Chuyan's immense charm. All his eloquent words couldn't compare to her simple appearance.

Chu Chuyan walked in and said calmly, "There's no need to investigate. He slept with me last night."

As soon as these words were uttered, the crowd instantly erupted. Even Chu Zhongtian's eyes widened, Sang Hong, who was leisurely sipping tea, choked, and Xie Yi's gavel, raised halfway, hesitated to come down.

"What?!" Shi Kun glared fiercely at Xue'er beside him, his handsome face twisted in disbelief. "Didn't you swear they couldn't possibly be together?"

Xue'er also looked bewildered. *Could Chu Chuyan and his relationship have advanced by leaps and bounds just a few days after I left? But how is that possible?*

Zu An didn't even bother to check the rage points continuously scrolling and refreshing in the background. Instead, he stared at Chu Chuyan in surprise, utterly astonished that she would protect him in such a way in public.

In the past, even though they were married, rumors of them sleeping in separate rooms were widespread, and in many people's hearts, she remained a pure fairy, untainted by a single speck of dust.

But today, by publicly admitting to sleeping with him, even the most adamant people would likely no longer believe she was still a virgin.

To gamble her reputation to save him... Zu An was deeply moved, thinking that although his "cheap wife" was a bit cold, her heart was quite warm. *Hmm, in the future, I should massage her more to warm up her body as well.*

"Cough, cough~" Xie Yi finally regained his composure, tapping the gavel to signal for silence. "Miss Chu, this is a courtroom, not a place for jest. Was what you just said true?"

"Naturally, it's true." Chu Chuyan stood in the center of the room, her skirt fluttering slightly. As ethereal and transcendent as she appeared at that moment, so broken were the hearts of the others. "Furthermore, I have a new witness."

"A new witness?" Not just Chu Zhongtian, but even Shi Kun and the others exchanged bewildered glances, completely unable to figure out how she could possibly turn the situation around now.

"Bring them in quickly!" Xie Yi said urgently.

Chu Chuyan nodded. Soon, a Chu family guard led someone in. Upon seeing that figure, Mei Chaofeng, who had been composed just moments before, instantly changed color dramatically.