The next day, he found that the copper lock slice, which he had always worn around his neck, was missing. He thought it might have fallen somewhere in his house, but after searching inside and out four or five times, he still couldn't find it.

Eventually, he wondered if it could have unintentionally fallen off when he was moving a body, so he secretly retraced his steps along that route several times. In the end, he never found it, never thinking that it would actually end up in Ninth Sister Yang's hands.

"How dare you!" Sister Jin scolded sharply, "My family's young lady has all kinds of lock pieces she could want; why would she covet your paltry copper lock slice?"

Yang Mengchen's entourage glared at Dai Qiangsheng with indignant fury, daring him to accuse the person they cared about most—it was simply courting death!

The Jinquan villagers looked on with utter disdain. Who didn't know the Yang family's new house was spacious and impressive, and that they owned several large factories? They had plenty of silver, so how could Ninth Sister Yang possibly stoop to stealing a worthless copper lock slice? Dai Qiangsheng was clearly spouting nonsense!

Yang Mengchen shook his head at Sister Jin, signaling her not to get angry. He looked at Dai Qiangsheng and said with a cold, mocking tone, "Do you think you are the only intelligent one, and that everyone else is a fool?"

"You…"

"You should know that you're just being clever by half!" Yang Mengchen coldly interrupted Dai Qiangsheng, "You are not a coroner, so of course, you don't know that in this season, a body buried in the ground will decay in no more than seven days; even in water, the decaying process only delays by two or three days;

Both the Liao family and you claim that Liao Xiaofu died a month ago, and you also said that you saw the Lady of the Liao family and Mu Songlin go out to dispose of the body that very night.

If they really threw the body into the well, then within half a month, everyone drinking the well water would have shown symptoms of illness, not waiting until a month later for the whole village to be suddenly struck by an epidemic;

Thus, there is only one explanation: the day before the outbreak of the epidemic, someone threw the highly decayed body into the well, which is why the epidemic was so fierce;

I've asked many people, and they all agreed that Er Dan was the first to be infected with the epidemic, and Er Dan told me that he had diarrhea and fever soon after drinking the sugar water you gave him that morning. Er Dan is only four years old and naturally wouldn't lie;

Furthermore, out of the entire village, only your symptoms were the mildest, yet your wife, who eats and lives with you, had much more severe symptoms, which can't help but raise suspicions of foul play;

After careful examination, Uncle Luo confirmed that your symptoms, though seemingly similar to the epidemic on the surface, were actually caused by consuming medicine. Uncle Xiao had someone carry your portrait to various pharmacies and doctors, and eventually, they found traveler's doctor Zhang, who confirmed you had bought that type of medicine from him;

Taking all circumstances into account, we've determined that it was you who dug up Liao Xiaofu's body and then threw it into the well;

You must have asked that Doctor Zhang beforehand and learned that drinking water steeped with a decomposed body would infect people with the epidemic, so you bought that medicine in advance, and before throwing the body into the well, you also hid clean well water. You appeared to eat the food made with the dirty well water along with your wife, but in reality, you secretly poured it away.

As soon as everyone became infected with the epidemic, you immediately took the medicine, trying to blend in unnoticed;

Unfortunately, Uncle Luo's medical skill is exceptional—he saw through your deceit in an instant. However, in order to uncover the true facts, we didn't startle the snake by beating the grass;

"Now that the evidence is conclusive, do you still wish to deny the charges?"

"No! Impossible! I exhausted all my wits to set up this trap and erased all traces, creating a flawless plan. You could not possibly have discovered it! Impossible!" Dai Qiangsheng roared loudly, unwilling to accept that his efforts had come to naught.

"The so-called heavenly net is extensive, but it lets nothing through!" Yang Mengchen's eyes and brows contained a sharp chill as she spoke in a cold voice, frosty as ice: "Dai Qiangsheng, you stole a corpse to frame the Liao family, slandered others' reputations, deliberately plotted against Er Dan, and brought calamity upon the entire village.

Your crimes are indeed heinous, and by law, you should be torn apart by five horses, never to be reincarnated!"

She was deliberately throwing Dai Qiangsheng into turmoil, causing him to despair, exposing his malicious and ruthless intentions to everyone.

"Torn apart by five horses? Never to be reincarnated?"

Dai Qiangsheng was truly in complete despair, despondent not only because his plan had failed, but even more because the County Magistrate was so fond of Ninth Sister Yang. Now that Ninth Sister Yang suggested he be torn apart by five horses, the County Magistrate would surely agree. It was over, everything was over!

Looking at Dai Qiangsheng, who had turned pale with bloodshot eyes, Yang Mengchen's gaze flickered with an unspeakable glint of deep and secretive light: "Tell me, what deep hatred do you have with the Liao family that you went to such lengths to frame them?"

"All the Liao family deserves to die!" Dai Qiangsheng had fallen into madness: "Ever since I was young, my father was very strict with me. Whenever I made the slightest mistake, it was either scolding or beating. Every time I saw Old Lady Liao dote so much on Xiao Fu, never letting him do any work and buying him anything he wanted, I was driven mad with envy.

Xiao Fu isn't as smart as I am, not as capable, so why should he live however he pleases?

I couldn't accept it, so I pretended to befriend Xiao Fu and secretly incited several peers to slowly lead him astray, I encouraged him to indulge in alcohol and gambling, and taught him to steal Old Lady Liao's money to squander on eating and playing;

Late, I took a fancy to Fang Qin from the neighboring village and was just about to let my father propose marriage to the Fang family, when I heard that Old Lady Liao had already arranged a marriage with the Fang family and soon would welcome Fang Qin into the Liao family to be Xiao Fu's wife. Fang Qin is my woman, how could the Liao family steal her from me?

I went to confess my feelings to Fang Qin, but she ignored me completely and told me not to seek her anymore to avoid spreading unsavory rumors;

Seeing Fang Qin and Xiao Fu's sweet and loving marriage, and then seeing them have a child, I was naturally burning with jealousy and resentment;

I encouraged Xiao Fu to delve deeper into alcohol and gambling, and conspired with the gambling house to make him lose more and win less. Every time he lost money, I would tell him that Fang Qin was a jinx, blocking his path to wealth, and of course he would go home and beat her ruthlessly;

I originally thought that Fang Qin, being so weak, could not withstand Xiao Fu's repeated abuse, and would eventually leave the Liao family. Then, I would comfort her well, showing her my consistent love, and Fang Qin would surely be moved and accept me, especially since a divorced woman carries an unsavory reputation and would find it harder to remarry.

Afterwards, I would divorce the wife at home, and then grandly marry Fang Qin;

Unexpectedly, Fang Qin would rather endure Xiao Fu's abuse again and again and would not leave the Liao family. I was very angry and frustrated. That morning, after Xiao Fu lost money again, I told him"

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