PWE – Chapter 38 Admitting to Murder

At this time, Qiu Xianghui had just returned from the town market with her son, Zhan Xiaoxiao.

She’d bought a full jin of pork today and was in high spirits—until she reached home and found chaos.

Pushing through the crowd of villagers blocking the gate, she stepped into the courtyard. Seeing her mother-in-law running around in panic, she widened her eyes slightly and asked, “Mom, what’s wrong with you?”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than a voice suddenly called out to her—

“Qiu Xianghui!”

The voice was cold and eerie, sending chills down everyone’s spine.

Qiu Xianghui’s eyes went round. She turned toward the direction of the sound, and when she saw who was calling her, her whole body went stiff. Then she screamed, “Ahhh—ghost!”

The village head and party secretary furrowed their brows even more.

Qiu Xianghui could see the ghost too. Why was it that only Xu Meifeng’s family could see the ghost? Could it be that they’d all done something wicked?

Wen Feilan stretched out her sharp claws toward Qiu Xianghui. Terrified, Qiu Xianghui nearly lost her soul.

Like Xu Meifeng earlier, she tried to run out of the courtyard—but Wen Feilan appeared in front of her in the blink of an eye. “Qiu Xianghui! You’re just as evil as your mother-in-law. You can die with her!” she hissed, reaching for Qiu Xianghui’s head.

Qiu Xianghui’s face turned deathly white, and with a thud, she dropped to her knees.

Panicking, she pleaded, “Second Aunt, don’t kill me, please don’t kill me! It was my mother-in-law who pushed you into the water—she’s the one who killed you! If you want revenge, go find her, not me! She’s over there, Second Aunt—go get her!”

She pointed straight at Xu Meifeng, who was cowering in the corner of the yard.

Xu Meifeng almost spat blood in fury. Not only had Qiu Xianghui exposed her crime, but she’d even tried to send the vengeful ghost after her! What a fine daughter-in-law—truly her good daughter-in-law!

The village head and the party secretary were utterly shocked.

What did Qiu Xianghui just say? That Zhan Zeyan’s mother hadn’t accidentally fallen into the water—but had been pushed by Xu Meifeng? Xu Meifeng… was that vicious?

Just then, Zhan Xiaoxiao squeezed into the courtyard. Seeing his mother on the ground, he wanted to rush over to her.

But Qiu Xianghui shouted, “Xiaoxiao, don’t come over! Get out, hurry!”

Yet Zhan Xiaoxiao couldn’t see Wen Feilan and didn’t understand what was happening.

He ran straight to his mother, trying to help her up. “Mom, why are you kneeling? Get up, please get up.”

Wen Feilan glanced at the boy, and an eerie smile crept across her pale face. “Qiu Xianghui, your son should die too. He bullied my grandson—he deserves to die!”

She raised her claws toward the child—but she wasn’t actually going to harm him, only to frighten Qiu Xianghui.

And frighten her she did.

Qiu Xianghui immediately hugged her son tightly, tears and snot streaming down her face as she begged, “Second Aunt, please spare us! It was all my mother-in-law’s doing. She not only killed you but also bullied your Jin Zhao. My Xiaoxiao just followed her example. If you want revenge, go after my mother-in-law! It’s all her fault!”

“Qiu Xianghui, shut up!” Xu Meifeng roared, her eyes bulging in rage. “Keep talking nonsense and I’ll have Hongda divorce you! I’ll kick you out of this house, you hear me?!”

But Qiu Xianghui wasn’t afraid anymore. Thinking of saving herself and her child, she no longer cared about her mother-in-law’s threats.

She glared at Xu Meifeng and shouted back with conviction, “Did I say anything wrong? You’re the one who killed Second Aunt! You pushed her into the river because she found out your secret! I heard you talking about it with Father-in-law myself! You’re cruel and vicious—she treated you so well when she was alive, always sharing good things with you, and you killed her anyway!”

At that moment, Qiu Xianghui said everything she knew—so long as it meant keeping herself and her son alive.

“Qiu Xianghui!” Xu Meifeng trembled with rage, lips quivering as she raised her hand to strike.

But before she could, Wen Feilan appeared in front of her, those blood-red eyes fixed on her coldly. “Xu Meifeng, you won’t escape today. You must pay for your crime!”

Xu Meifeng opened her mouth to scream—but just then, Zhan Songbai and Zhan Hongda returned from the fields. They had rushed home as soon as they heard something had happened.

Seeing her husband, Xu Meifeng looked as if she’d found her savior.

Tears streaked down her face as she cried, “Old man, save me! Come in and save me, quick!”

Her husband had a protective talisman—a powerful one, drawn by a skilled Taoist priest. She used to have one too, but it had been ruined in the wash.

Zhan Songbai’s expression was dark as he strode into the courtyard. Reaching his wife’s side, he demanded, “What’s going on?”

Xu Meifeng whispered urgently, “It’s Wen Feilan! That woman’s back! She wants my life—I almost died just now!”

She dared not speak too loudly or admit that the ghost haunting them was Zhan Zeyan’s mother.

If she didn’t admit it, she could still claim later that Qiu Xianghui was talking nonsense—and maybe escape the charge of murder.

Zhan Songbai immediately pulled out the talisman from his chest and held it up. “Whoever you are, get out! Otherwise, I’ll destroy you completely!”

The talisman was supposed to be powerful. The Taoist had said that ghosts wouldn’t dare approach it—or they’d be reduced to ashes.

But the moment his words fell, the talisman in his hand caught fire by itself.

The flames licked his fingers, and with a cry of pain, he dropped it.

He and Xu Meifeng both froze in shock.

“What’s going on?” Xu Meifeng stammered.

Zhan Songbai stared at the ashes on the ground, completely dumbfounded.

“Wicked Xu Meifeng! You still refuse to admit your sins?” a deep, commanding voice thundered suddenly.

Xu Meifeng looked up—and beside Wen Feilan now stood a man wearing ancient official robes, holding a book and a black brush.

His presence radiated authority and a chilling aura.

Even though Xu Meifeng had never seen him before, she instantly knew who he was—
a judge from the underworld.

Her legs buckled, and she dropped to her knees in terror.

Zhan Songbai tried to pull her up but couldn’t move her at all.

When she tried to stand, she found her body completely paralyzed, frozen in place.

Her face went pale as ice, cold sweat streaming down her cheeks.

“Xu Meifeng! You murdered your husband’s sister-in-law—a grave sin! You still deny your crime? If you refuse to confess, I’ll drag you to the underworld right now to face judgment!”

It was said that the enforcers of the underworld were merciless, and that those who denied their crimes were tortured far worse than in the mortal world.

Xu Meifeng’s pupils contracted in terror. Trembling, she finally broke down and cried out, “I was wrong! I was wrong! Please, Your Excellency, don’t take me! Wen Feilan really was killed by me—I pushed her into the water! I know I’m guilty—please, have mercy, spare me!”

The village head and party secretary listened, their faces turning grave.

The village head turned to a strong man nearby and ordered, “Go call the police—right now!”

He had never imagined that Wen Feilan’s so-called accident had such a dark truth behind it.

He’d thought she had simply slipped into the river—but it turned out Xu Meifeng had murdered her. What a vicious woman!

The man understood the seriousness of the matter. He nodded quickly and called over two other villagers to run with him to the town police station.

When Zhan Songbai saw that, his face sank.

He grabbed Xu Meifeng again, shouting, “What nonsense are you spouting?! Get up! Get up now!”

Zhan Hongda also tried to pull his mother up. “Mom, stop talking nonsense! Second Aunt slipped and fell into the river herself—it had nothing to do with you! Don’t take the blame!”

But no matter how hard the two men pulled, Xu Meifeng wouldn’t budge.

Zhan Hongda’s eyes widened. Why couldn’t they move her at all?

Xu Meifeng glared sideways at them and screamed, “It was me! I killed Wen Feilan! I pushed her into the water! Stop denying it, or you’ll get me in trouble!”

She was terrified the judge would grow angry and drag her off to hell on the spot.

Zhan Songbai and Zhan Hongda: “……”

At the back of the crowd, Zhan Zeyan glanced toward Xu Meifeng, then leaned toward Xiao Wange and whispered, “How did you manage to summon someone that powerful?”

Xiao Wange smiled, turning to meet his gaze. Lowering her voice, she said, “I told you I’m capable. So from now on, you’d better treat me well—understand?”

Hearing that, the handsome man’s eyes softened, and he smiled faintly. “All right. From now on, you’re the living Bodhisattva of our family—we’ll worship you properly.”

Xiao Wange patted his shoulder lightly. “I’ll gladly accept that.”

In the courtyard, Xu Meifeng was still pleading for mercy, sobbing uncontrollably, her terrified eyes fixed on the figure before her.

Zhan Songbai’s face darkened in anger. This damned woman—was she trying to ruin him too? What had she seen that scared her like that? The village head had already called the police—did she want to be arrested?

He frowned, thinking quickly, then turned to the village officials and said, “Village Head, Secretary—my wife is just talking nonsense. You can see she’s not in her right mind—she’s gone mad! You can’t take her words seriously. Please don’t call the police.”

The village head’s expression hardened. “Do you think we can’t tell whether she’s crazy or not? Stop covering for her, Zhan Songbai! Murder is murder—she must pay for what she’s done!”

The party secretary added coldly, “She confessed herself, and your daughter-in-law confirmed it too! Qiu Xianghui said clearly that your wife pushed Zeyan’s mother into the river—and everyone here heard it! We’re all witnesses!”