With eleven players present, only two had yet to speak.
After the Third Young Master finished his statement, everyone’s gaze turned to Zheng Jueming and the Second Master player.
“I’ll go first,” Zheng Jueming cleared his throat and began.
“On the night of the murder, I visited the old master’s courtyard, but it was quite early, before nightfall. Qin Nan mentioned around eight o'clock, but when I saw the old master, it was still light out. I went to discuss some financial matters with him. After that, I stepped out to handle a few things, and when I returned, I went straight back to my own courtyard. That’s about it. I didn’t kill the old master, and I had no motive to do so.” Zheng Jueming appeared nervous, but his explanation seemed reasonable.
Finally, only the Second Master remained.
“On that day, I went to find my elder brother. When I arrived, he was talking with Zheng Jueming, so I waited outside for a while. Then a maid told me that my brother wanted me to wait in the side hall. After thinking it over, I went. I had a cup of tea, and then I seemed to faint. The next thing I knew, I was back in my own room.” He sounded somewhat aggrieved.
Qin Nan smirked.
It seemed like this person had the worst luck.
He believed the Second Master wasn’t lying; after all, who would have such an unfortunate experience? Being knocked out like that suggested someone had drugged him, but he had no idea who it could be.
With the players’ confessions complete, it was time for information sharing.
Xia Zeqin was the first to speak again, looking at Qin Nan. “I learned from an elderly servant in my father’s courtyard that on the night of the murder, my father called me for a meeting. While she thought it was just me and my father talking inside, Qin Nan went over and eavesdropped at the door. She caught him in the act and chased him away. This aligns with what you said, Qin Nan. Although no one can verify the details of your conversation with my father, I trust you when you say you weren’t the one inside. The real murderer must be someone else.”
“Coincidentally, I have information related to you as well,” Qin Nan replied, meeting Xia Zeqin’s gaze. “The servants in your courtyard can confirm your alibi. Additionally, Xu Tian was seen returning to her room to rest, but they couldn’t definitively confirm she was there. However, Xu Tian has admitted to impersonating the eldest master to meet with my father, so at least on that point, she’s not lying.”
“I didn’t expect we could coexist peacefully,” Xia Zeqin said, his tone layered with meaning.
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Qin Nan remained unfazed. “I have a broader perspective.”
“Besides Qin Nan, I have another piece of information about Zheng Jueming,” Xia Zeqin skipped over his earlier comments and turned to Zheng Jueming. “You’ve accumulated a significant gambling debt, haven’t you?”
Zheng Jueming was taken aback, then his expression darkened as he nodded. “Yes, I lost control for a moment and owe a lot of money to the gambling house. But that has nothing to do with the murder, right?”
“Who knows? It could be a crime of financial gain,” Xia Zeqin smirked.
Zheng Jueming seemed annoyed. “Your speculation is baseless. If you say it’s for money, I could say you hated the old master and killed him out of spite.”
Xia Zeqin scoffed. “I have an alibi. Do you?”
Zheng Jueming fell silent, clearly frustrated.
Xia Zeqin didn’t mind Zheng Jueming’s retort. “That’s all I have for now.”
“In addition to what Qin Nan mentioned, I have a clue regarding the Second Master,” Jian Fan spoke up, ready to share. “A servant saw the Second Master and the old master arguing over money.”
The Second Master’s eyes widened. “I… I fainted! What could I do?”
He sounded somewhat wronged, but there was no one to back him up.
Xia Zeqin chuckled. “Alright, no one doubts you.”
“Really?” The Second Master seemed unconvinced.
Xia Zeqin huffed, ignoring him, and turned to Qin Wei Yi, asking, “What about you, Qin Wei Yi?”
“Three points: First, the Third Young Master and the Third Young Mistress have a troubled relationship. When she first married in, they were inseparable, but after a sudden argument, they started living apart.”
If they lived apart, how could the Third Young Mistress be pregnant?
Mu Xin paled slightly, curling up in fear.
Qin Wei Yi continued, “Second, someone saw Doctor Jian and the eldest lady meeting in private; their relationship seems quite close.”
Jian Fan shot a glance at Qin Wei Yi.
The clues he was revealing seemed to target their little group.
“What’s the third point?” Lu Jing asked.
Qin Wei Yi looked at Lu Jing, his expression seemingly saying, “You really are clueless.”
“The third point is about the Fourth Young Master. Someone reported seeing you secretly buying a dagger outside,” Qin Wei Yi said, somewhat helplessly.
With Jian Fan and Qin Wei Yi forming a temporary alliance, the clues Qin Wei Yi gathered were remarkably accurate, all hitting close to home.
Now it was Xu Tian’s group’s turn.
“We have a clue regarding Qin Wei Yi. A servant mentioned seeing your father reprimanding you for allegedly stealing something from the estate, and he ordered you to return it within a certain timeframe,” Xu Tian said.
Great, now the fire had reached Qin Wei Yi himself.
Combining this with the items found in Qin Wei Yi’s room, his suspicion was considerably high.
He could have stolen something from the estate to pawn for cash, and when the old master discovered it, he might have threatened to report him, leading Qin Wei Yi to potentially retaliate.
The theory made sense. In a typical murder mystery game, Qin Wei Yi would definitely need to be scrutinized. But now, Qin Nan didn’t believe Qin Wei Yi could be the murderer.
Qin Wei Yi didn’t seem inclined to explain, shrugging. “That’s true, but while I might have the guts to steal, I wouldn’t dare to kill. Besides, for money, I wouldn’t go so far as to castrate the old master or concoct some bizarre scheme.”
“Who knows?” Zheng Jueming suddenly chimed in.
Mu Xin, who had been pretending to be afraid, shot a quick glance at Zheng Jueming before quickly returning to her fearful demeanor, lowering her head.
No one knew what she was thinking.