Chapter Four: The Mimosa My Sister-in-Law Planted

Xu Xing narrowed his eyes; his sister-in-law’s aura was simply too overwhelming. As she walked past, the crowd fell silent—her presence was even more imposing than the pressure brought by Li Mo himself. Xu Xing, dumbfounded, only snapped back to himself when she kicked him sharply in the leg, sending him crashing to his knees so that he was eye-level with his brother.

Displeased, Xu Xing turned his head and asked, “Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”

She stood firmly in front of the two men. At his words, she turned back and said, “I told you, I’m in charge now. Xu Xing, don’t you dare interrupt me!”

Xu Xing, at a loss for how to respond, pursed his lips. “How am I interrupting? I didn’t say anything!”

“There you go, you’re interrupting again! I said, don’t interrupt! Or you’ll regret the consequences!”

“But…”

“Silence! No more interruptions!”

Xu Xing felt as though a bone was stuck in his throat and was about to object when Xu Hai reached over, tugged discreetly at his sleeve, and whispered, “Brother, let’s just not provoke her. She’s clearly furious right now. Now that she’s here, I’m probably safe for the moment, but if we mess with her, things will be much worse for us when we get home.”

“Quiet, Xu Hai! I told you both not to speak. I’ll deal with you later for the trouble you’ve caused me,” she snapped.

In the main hall, Li Mo rapped the sandalwood table three times, his voice stern and commanding: “Silence! Silence!”

Hidden in a corner, Su Mei watched everything unfold. In the shadowy light cast by the crowd, she muttered to herself, “Why does it feel like this family can’t speak seriously? And Su Hairou is still as domineering as ever.”

It was the voice of Xu Xing’s sister-in-law, Su Hairou. At that moment, she had assumed the dominant role, aggressively demanding, “Your Excellency, have you ever heard the name of the head of our household?”

...

“No matter, if you won’t say, I won’t press. Bring out the evidence you claim will convict my husband; there’s no need for further words.”

Upon hearing this, Li Mo seemed unsettled. He reached for his tea several times before his trembling hand managed to lift the cup. Some of the milky, viscous liquid spilled, but he took a sip and spoke: “Bring in the commoners’ corpses. Let us see if the bloodstains match Xu Hai’s. If they do, the verdict will be rendered immediately!”

Several constables disappeared from view, heading to the back of the hall.

Kneeling, Xu Xing stared at his formidable sister-in-law, wondering just who she truly was. No matter how hard he tried to recall, there were always gaps in his memory. He only knew that his sister-in-law ran a tavern—there was no background of note.

As he considered this, Xu Xing gazed at her back, pondering deeply, observing her intently.

From head to toe: embroidered shoes, a pale, flowing dress, hair fluttering in the breeze, a sachet at her waist emitting the faint scent of tulips, and diaphanous silks that hinted at the shape beneath.

Xu Xing’s thoughts began to wander. With a sharp slap, he struck his own cheek, scolding himself inwardly: What are you thinking? This is not the time for daydreams.

“Xu Xing, what’s wrong? Why are you hitting yourself?” his brother asked.

“It’s nothing, brother. The weather’s humid and there are mosquitoes,” Xu Xing replied.

Soon, the corpses were brought into the hall—just as Xu Xing had feared. If the blood on these bodies matched Xu Hai’s, there would be no way to explain it.

“Prisoner Xu Hai, the evidence is irrefutable. According to our investigation, you are trained in martial arts, skilled in both fist and sword. The victims bore marks of both fists and blades. Only someone at your cultivation level could inflict such wounds, and the bloodstains on you have yet to dry. How do you explain this?”

Kneeling, Xu Hai sighed, “It’s over. If that’s the case, not even the sea can wash me clean. Xu Xing, you must look after your sister-in-law and make sure she eats on time.”

Beside him, Xu Xing was lost in thought, using the power he’d gained in this world. This ability required intense focus and was akin to halting time itself, but it came at great cost to his mind. It left no trace on the world and allowed only glimpses of outward details. He could use it at most once every three days—any more, and he’d be dizzy and enervated for weeks.

This time, he needed to get close to the corpses, to observe every detail before drawing conclusions.

“Xu Xing, what’s wrong? Are you all right? Why are you suddenly drenched in sweat?” Xu Hai watched, alarmed by the contortions on his brother’s face.

Pale, veins bulging on his forehead, Xu Xing gritted his teeth and said, “Brother, who have you provoked? The person behind this is no simple character…”

Before he could finish, Xu Xing collapsed on the floor of the hall.

At that moment, Li Mo’s commanding voice rang out, “Drag the prisoner Xu Hai forward. Test his blood against that of the victims. If they match, he is to be sentenced on the spot!”

Several constables hauled Xu Hai up. He did not resist, but Su Hairou shouted angrily, “I told you I can prove his innocence! Let him go!”

“Then where is your proof? If you cannot produce it, don’t try to intimidate me. I am an upright official and will not be swayed. If you can prove his innocence, I’ll release him immediately.”

“You… Li Mo, you’re forcing my hand, aren’t you?”

With those words, Su Hairou drew a scroll from her skirts, causing a flurry of debate to sweep through the crowd.

...

“Xu Xing, wake up!” called his brother’s familiar voice, echoing in Xu Xing’s mind. He opened his eyes and surveyed the courtyard around him.

He was home, lying on a bamboo mat on the floor. Dawn was just breaking. Beside him, Xu Hai lay on another mat.

“Brother, what happened? How did we leave the court? I only remember using the ‘Spirit Projection Technique’ to examine the wounds on the dead, and then being struck by a strange spiritual artifact’s power and losing consciousness.”

A pair of hands gently stroked Xu Xing’s forehead, and a wave of spiritual energy slowly flowed into his body, warming him through. Xu Hai explained, “Your sister-in-law, forced by the circumstances, presented the ‘Deferment Scroll.’ But she still couldn’t produce solid evidence to prove my innocence. I thought the magistrate might show some leniency out of acquaintance, but he refused. He gave me three days to clear my name, or else I’ll be convicted. I really might end up in prison, and I can’t imagine what will become of me.”

As he spoke, Xu Hai slammed his fist into the ground in frustration.

But Xu Xing smiled calmly. “Don’t worry, brother. I can help you. When I left my body, I noticed some flaws—no matter how tight the net, there’s always a gap. And the blood test didn’t prove it was you, did it?”

Xu Hai turned to look at him in surprise. “Weren’t you unconscious? How do you know all this?”

Xu Xing offered no explanation. Instead, he stared at a patch of leafy plants and wondered aloud, “Is this… sensitive plant?”

“Yes, your sister-in-law grows shyness grass here.”

Xu Xing’s eyes lit up. He leapt to his feet, plucking a sprig of the plant in excitement. “This sensitive plant is heaven-sent! Put it in your mouth and it folds up in shyness—it’s like the plant becomes as docile as an ox or a horse!”

Xu Hai gave him a puzzled look. “What does this sensitive plant have to do with me being framed?”

Xu Xing smiled mysteriously. “Wait and see. In the next few days, we’ll search for clues.”

“But the shyness grass your sister-in-law grows—it will be a critical factor in solving this case!”

“How so?”

“Because her sensitive plant is no ordinary grass.”