That night, County Magistrate Chen came to the county jail alone to ask about the middle-aged man.
When the middle-aged man saw the county magistrate, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed like a garlic and said, "Master Qingtian, I really didn't kill people. I also asked the master to make the decision for the common people. The common people are wronged." ''
County Magistrate Chen said; ''As long as you tell the situation at that time, my official will make a clear decision. ''
So, the middle-aged man said, 'Caomin Shifang, Tangshang Village, a 70-year-old mother in the family has not yet married, and she makes a living by digging some herbs by digging firewood. When she went to dig herbs the day before yesterday, she happened to see a hare. She thought that she hadn't encountered any meat in the past month, and when she saw the rabbit, she seemed to be injured, she thought of catching her mother and feeding her. So I got up and chased after me. I didn't expect that I was chasing all the way. I walked deep into the mountains and crossed the village boundaries, and the sky became gradually getting late, so I got lost. ‘’
County Magistrate Chen asked when he heard this; ‘’You mean you entered the mountain the day before yesterday and got lost and arrived at the mountain boundary of Xiangzhu Village. ''
Shi Fang replied; ''It's true, because I was lost, I stayed in the wilderness for a day, and picked some wild fruits to satisfy my hunger. If the adults don't believe it, there will be wild fruits in my backpack. ‘’
County Magistrate Chen asked him to continue talking.
Shi Fangdao; ‘’Until dawn, when the sun rises, I can tell the direction and follow the sunshine. I am afraid of getting lost again, so I have to go to Xiangzhu Village first and turn back so I don’t have to go around this mountain again. It was almost noon. When I walked to the back mountain of Xianzhu Village, I thought that I heard the sound of wolf howling in the forest. I was afraid, so I found a big stone to hide it. But I saw a light coming from under the pine leaves behind the big stone. I was curious and opened it. I didn't expect it to be a bloody hatchet. I didn't think much about it, just thought it was a forgotten one, so I took it in my hand to defend myself. When I couldn't hear the sound of beasts in the forest, I rushed down the mountain. I never thought that I had captured me and killed me. Sir, the little people were really wronged. Sir, and I cried loudly after saying that.
County Magistrate Chen knew this, but there were still some mysteries that needed to be solved, so County Magistrate Chen said to Shi Fang, "If what you tell is true, I will return your innocence. If what you tell is false, I will let you cut it into pieces." ‘’After he finished speaking, he was about to get up and leave. At this time, a yamen runner came to tell him. It turned out that Wang Fu led Yufen’s husband to recognize the body. After hearing this, County Magistrate Chen whispered in the yamen runner’s ear.
In the morgue, Yufen's husband Wang Erzhe was holding her body and crying. He was almost fainting. Seeing the county magistrate, he quickly got up and knelt down and begged him to punish the murderer severely. The magistrate Chen advised him kindly, and finally calmed down his emotions.
County Magistrate Chen looked at the autopsy results and asked Wang Erdao, "Your wife was raped and killed, have you ever thought of any suspicious person?" ''
Wang Er looked at Wang Fu in confusion. Wang Fu did not speak out and he looked at the county magistrate and replied, "'Isn't it that the murderer caught? Why does the lord still have this question?
County Magistrate Chen waved his hand; ‘’You don’t need to ask more questions, just answer truthfully. ‘’
Although Wang Er is not understanding, he can only answer honestly.’’ The villain is honest and does not make enemies with others, and has never made enemies of life and death.’’ magistrate Chen said again; ‘’Then did your wife have a dispute with others during her lifetime. ''
Wang Er thought about it after hearing this and said, "'If you want to say yes, Wang Laizi of this village had been flirtatious before, but my wife had scolded and beaten in the street. Later, I wanted to ask him for trouble, but his wife stopped me, but he later left it alone, but he could not kill my wife because of this. ''
Dibao Wang Fu also added; ''I know that Wang Laizi, who is the man, you dare to say that the thief takes advantage of the widow, but if you say that he kills and sets fire, he doesn't have the courage. ''
After hearing this, County Magistrate Chen stopped talking and asked the yamen runner to take the basket and talk to Wang Er; ''Look, there are things you know inside.‘’
Wang Er looked like a basket, and saw some herbs inside, some wild fruits and a hoe. When he said he would not have one, he saw the hatchet and said in surprise, "’This hatchet belongs to my house, how could it be in this basket?
’’ What is the land of Wang Fu, and he was shocked; ’’This hatchet belongs to your house, it is not the murderer. ‘’
Wang Er nodded affirmatively, and County Magistrate Chen seemed to know the result.
County Magistrate Chen said again, go and see if your wife has lost anything.
Wang Er just now was too sad and didn't check it. He pulled the land guard to come overnight, so he would still have the intention to check what was missing. When he looked at his wife's body again, he found that the silver bracelet on his left hand was missing, and the small gold piece hanging on his neck was missing.
County Magistrate Chen seemed to have some direction. The clues had been released, so he should lay the net, so he called the head-catching eagle and whispered.
