At this point, Gan Jinming paused.
Wen Yuanting pressed, "What happened next?"
The previous statent matched exactly with what was on the case files; Zhan Baoqing forced Gan Jinming’s sister to her death, and there were witnesses to confirm it.
The crucial evidence wasn’t here, it was in what followed.
According to the case files, Gan Jinming would speak of who the murderer was. Wen Yuanting thought Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin might not be innocent, but implicating Xia Wanqing lacked sufficient evidence.
However, given the Duke of England’s special status and his repeated pressure, the Emperor also wanted to give him an explanation. Junior Minister Sun Liangcai was eager to make achievents, so he added this charge based only on testimony without solid evidence. The Duke of England, preferring to wrongly kill a thousand rather than let one go unpunished, naturally wanted all involved to die for his beloved grandson.
Wen Yuanting studied this case, and if Gan Jinming’s testimony remained as it was, even though the evidence against Xia Wanqing was insufficient, Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin were unlikely to escape bla.
Gan Jinming said, "But the situation was very dangerous. Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin tead up, but were no match for Zhan Baoqing’s old servant. Seeing we were about to die there, Gu Hongxin kidnapped Zhan Baoqing. Zhan Baoqing’s servants didn’t dare follow, allowing us to escape. Hua and Gu sent to a safe place, Gu Hongxin released Zhan Baoqing, then they helped bandage my wounds and left!"
Wen Yuanting struck the gavel and said, "Gan Jinming, this is not what you testified in the Ministry of Justice. Didn’t you say that, avoiding the gaze of Zhang Baoqing’s old servant and his n, Gu Hongxin killed Zhan Baoqing?" Was Gan Jinming reversing his confession? Without torture or repeated questioning, Gan Jinming unexpectedly changed his testimony, surprising Wen Yuanting.
What exactly happened in between? Initially, Gan Jinming repeatedly claid he wanted to repay a favor but dragged the innocent Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin into the ss. He thought reversing the case was difficult, even though he’d found many suspicious points in the files and prepared for thorough questioning and repeated interrogation. He even told Xia Wenjin not to hold too much hope, but now, he was sowhat baffled.
Gan Jinming said blankly, "I said that before because I didn’t want to die!"
Wen Yuanting said deeply, "Who exactly killed Zhan Baoqing?"
Gan Jinming raised his dead fish-like eyes, which originally lacked any spark, but upon Wen Yuanting’s questioning, his pupils moved, showing sheer hatred, so sadness, and a hint of madness. He gritted his teeth and said, "I killed him!"
The person from Duke of England Mansion glared fiercely but didn’t curse due to Wen Yuanting’s earlier warning, instead turning to Wen Yuanting, "Sir, my young lord died terribly. Gan Jinming has admitted it himself, proving he’s also a principal offender and should be executed! I beg you to seek justice for my young lord!"
Wen Yuanting glanced at him, this person kept interrupting during the case review. Was he leveraging the Duke of England Mansion’s power to pressure him? He frowned and said, "If you continue to speak up, I will charge you with disrupting the court!"
The man was Zhan De, a son by a concubine from Duke of England Mansion, usually called Second Master but had a lower status than the chief steward in the mansion. The Duke entrusted the matter to him, he read the room well, knowing the Duke wanted vengeance for Zhan Baoqing and desired to make a coback, running all over for it.
Now, reprimanded by Wen Yuanting in court, he secretly resented, how could this re Fourth Rank Capital Governor be so rude to him? Neither Prince Zhuang Mansion nor Duke of England Mansion was sothing this little Fourth Rank official could shake. But he also knew if his actions affected the case investigation, he couldn’t bear the responsibility, so he suppressed his anger and said no more.
Wen Yuanting asked Gan Jinming, "Explain in detail what happened at that ti!"
Gan Jinming’s eyes showed a glint of bloodlust, but he spoke with surprising clarity: "Although I seed gravely injured, actually my skin and flesh are tough, I only suffered superficial wounds. After Hua Yuanming and the two left, I quietly snuck out because I knew that alley was easy to get lost in. Zhan Baoqing, the fool, walked alone at night, unable to find his way out. As expected, I saw the fool throwing a tantrum in the alley, cursing to dismber the three of us to vent his anger. Rembering the tragic state when my sister was forced to death, I couldn’t hold back anymore; rushed up and killed him!"
"Did you kill him?" Wen Yuanting flipped through the files and asked, "Then your previous testimony, ’This is the person Elder Brother wants dead,’ what does it an?"
Gan Jinming said expressionlessly, "Soone gave Silver, asking to say so, promising that I’d live if I said it, and if a great pardon ca later, I could get out and continue my life!"
"If so, then why are you reversing your confession now?"
"Perhaps a conscience awakening!" Gan Jinming laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "I don’t want to be anyone’s pawn anymore, nor involve the innocent! My vengeance is taken, my wish fulfilled, what’s left for to live?"
Wen Yuanting’s gaze deepened, he didn’t quite believe Gan Jinming’s words, though it’s apparent if this were the truth, it seed more reasonable. He asked, "Why was the bloody knife with Gu Hongxin?"
Gan Jinming chuckled lightly and said casually, "It’s easy to stain a sword with blood. But I don’t know who did it, I killed with a Short Sword, threw it into the well behind my residence!"
Upon receiving the petition, Wen Yuanting’s first act was sending folks to fetch prisoners and taking the Capital Governor’s forensic doctor for an autopsy. However, the Duke of England Mansion protected Zhan Baoqing’s corpse well, allowing only a cursory look, yet despite that, they could observe the wounds, seemingly one but indeed overlapping wounds.
Perhaps a Short Sword pierced first, then to create the murder weapon, Gu Hongxin’s Long Sword further stabbed along the original wound; it seed plausible.
This suggested another issue: Who wants to saddle Gu Hongxin with the murder charge and drag down the three Chiefs of Haotian Village?
Though Gan Jinming reversed his testimony and signed it, Wen Yuanting wouldn’t rely solely on his words, intending to summon all witnesses and suspects for questioning.
In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor summoned Huangfu Jingchen. For this regained grandson, the Emperor showed affection and rewarded him with many goods. But capable of affecting emotions through tangible gifts, after all, its limit existed.
When Huangfu Jingchen thanked him, his expression carried so grief. He said, "Grandfather, does my appearance repulse? I’ve always been obedient, rarely leaving the mansion’s gates, why did Third Imperial Uncle want dead? Does my presence hinder Third Imperial Uncle’s path?"
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