With a savage expression, Zhang Feng gripped the cold, gleaming dagger and lunged towards the back of Elias Graves's neck.
However, just as the dagger was a hair's breadth from his neck, Elias Graves, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, suddenly spun around. Then, with lightning speed, he shot out his right hand.
That hand, like an iron pincer, firmly caught the dagger that glinted with the cold light of death.
Zhang Feng's face changed drastically. Veins bulged on his forehead as he used all his strength to stab at Elias Graves several more times.
But the dagger seemed to have been forged into Elias Graves's hand, not moving an inch.
Realizing the situation was dire, Zhang Feng didn't hesitate. He frantically let go of the dagger.
Then, he turned and fled in a panic towards the exit of the hall.
Seeing this, Pan Huilian, who was standing nearby, raised her eyebrows, her almond eyes wide with fury as she cursed, "You spineless dog!"
Just as Zhang Feng escaped the hall, before he could even catch his breath, he was blocked by Shenhe and a stern-faced, purple-haired girl in black stockings. Zhang Feng's legs instantly went weak, and with a *thud*, he fell to his knees before the girl. "Lady Keqing, I... I don't know anything! It really has nothing to do with me, nothing at all..."
Keqing frowned slightly, her tone icy. "The Justice Division will pass fair judgment on the crimes you have committed."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Feng felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cellar, and he collapsed limply onto the ground.
Keqing couldn't be bothered with such a waste of space and walked straight into the main hall.
As soon as she entered, she saw Elias Graves leisurely sitting in a chair, while on the other side, Pan Huilian was kneeling on the floor, hands covering her face, sobbing her heart out.
Keqing strode up to him and said curtly, "Elias Graves, the next time something like this happens, don't call me. Don't you know how busy I am? Besides, cases like this aren't under my jurisdiction."
Elias Graves, however, was unfazed. He retorted matter-of-factly, "If I don't call you, should I call that bunch of useless drunkards at the Justice Division? What can they do besides waste time? They're completely useless."
Thinking about the usual slow, inefficient, and perfunctory conduct of the Justice Division, Keqing couldn't say much more.
She cut straight to the chase with her usual efficiency, asking, "You said Lord Zhang was murdered. Do you have any solid evidence?"
Elias Graves slowly explained, "Director Hu Tao of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor can see the specific date of death for many people. She was certain that Lord Zhang would die today, but in reality, he died yesterday."
Keqing pressed, "Is that all? And just because of that, you're so certain Lord Zhang was murdered? Isn't that a bit of a stretch?"
Elias Graves continued, "Of course, there's more. Mrs. Pan kept urging me to have Lord Zhang buried as soon as possible. If she were worried about the body decomposing, it would be understandable, but I had already placed Lord Zhang in an ice coffin."
At this, Pan Huilian, still kneeling on the floor, began to cry even more sorrowfully. She sobbed, "That... that was my husband's dying wish... *sob*, I was just following his last request, I never thought I would be subjected to such baseless accusations!"
Her voice was mournful and desolate, stirring a sense of pity in anyone who heard it.
However, Keqing was not swayed by her emotions. Her gaze remained calm and steady as she continued to question Elias Graves, "Is there any other evidence?"
Elias Graves pointed to the body in the ice coffin and said in a relaxed tone, "Get Baizhu from Bubu Pharmacy to perform an autopsy, and the truth will naturally come to light. If that doesn't work, we can have Director Hu Tao of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor perform a ritual. She can communicate with spirits."
Keqing couldn't help but roll her eyes at this.
Baizhu was a divine healer who saved lives, not a forensic pathologist who specialized in autopsies.
As for Hu Tao, although the girl was eccentric and unconventional, she detested disturbing the deceased more than anything.
However, Keqing didn't outright reject the unreliable suggestion. Instead, she turned her gaze to the still-weeping Pan Huilian, her tone carrying a hint of intimidation. "Mrs. Pan, I advise you to tell the whole truth as soon as possible. If we have to resort to the methods Mr. Graves has proposed to find out the truth, you will face a much harsher sentence."
Pan Huilian knew that the truth about Lord Zhang's death would be uncovered sooner or later.
She gritted her teeth, a flash of determination in her eyes, and without hesitation, she pushed all the blame onto Zhang Feng, wailing, "It was all Zhang Feng, he's a beast! He raped and defiled me, and then used it to blackmail me into helping him murder my husband! My poor, ill-fated husband... *sob*..."
At that moment, Zhang Feng, who had been outside the hall, heard Pan Huilian's words, rushed back in, and roared, "Pan Huilian, you venomous, snake-hearted woman, you're so vicious! It was clearly you who seduced me first! And after the master discovered our affair, it was your idea to poison him, and now you want to push all the blame onto me!"
Hearing Zhang Feng's rebuttal, Pan Huilian threw all decorum to the wind and started cursing, "Zhang Feng, you spineless dog! After committing such a monstrous act, you now want to bite back and push everything onto me! Are you even human?!"
Not to be outdone, Zhang Feng jumped up and down, retorting, "You promiscuous, rotten whore, stop playing the victim! You know exactly what kind of person you are!"
The two of them began to curse at each other like a market shrew and a scoundrel, spewing a continuous stream of filthy, unbearable words.
Who would have thought that just a few days ago, they had been tangled in the same bed, whispering sweet nothings of eternal love and making vows to last a lifetime.
Elias Graves watched the spectacular shouting match with great interest, his main focus on the heaving of Pan Huilian's chest as her anger rose and fell.
Shenhe had always detested such noisy, vulgar scenes. Her brow furrowed, and without a word, she walked straight out.
She found a quiet and secluded spot within the mansion to enjoy a moment of peace by herself.
Before long, personnel from the Justice Division arrived and took away the adulterous pair, Pan Huilian and Zhang Feng.
Keqing glanced at Elias Graves, who was still lounging comfortably in his chair, and turned to leave without a word.
Seeing Keqing about to go, Elias Graves quickly jumped up from his chair, closed the distance in a few quick steps, and called out with a broad smile, "Master Ke, wait a moment."
The moment Keqing heard this form of address, a nameless fire surged within her; she always felt it was mocking her.
She turned around and said curtly, "Don't call me Master Ke. If you have something to say, say it quickly. I have a lot of work on my hands today!"
Elias Graves rubbed his hands together awkwardly. "It's about that matter of buying land for a cemetery we talked about last time."
Upon hearing this, Keqing's expression grew even colder. Without turning her head, she quickened her pace and walked away.
Elias Graves hurriedly raised his voice and shouted, "Master Ke, I can still add more money!"
"Get lost!"