The bailiffs carried the bodies away together. For some reason, although the two had been dead for less than an hour, their corpses were already giving off a horrendous stench.
The bailiffs brought the witness in. The moment he entered the Government Office hall, he couldn't help throwing up. It seemed the smell was truly unbearable for ordinary people.
The magistrate covered his nose and mouth, but even so, he could still smell the stench. Still, to hear the case, he forced himself to endure the nausea.
"Witness, do you recognize this man?" The magistrate pointed first at the witness, then at Ye Chen, gesturing for the witness to look at Ye Chen's face.
The witness had just finished throwing up. Following the magistrate's gesture, he took a careful look at Ye Chen, who was kneeling nearby. "My lord, that's right. It's him."
"What exactly happened? Tell us in detail." The magistrate looked at the witness. "If you dare give false testimony, you'll be treated as an accomplice in a murder!"
"Yes, my lord. I wouldn't dare lie. This is what happened. Last night, when I was on my way home, I saw this man wandering the streets shortly before curfew. I was curious, so I took a closer look."
"When he passed the Baozi Shop, the owner's wife saw him as she was stepping outside to empty some water. After she spoke to him for a few words, he followed her into the shop."
"Did this happen?" The magistrate interrupted the witness and looked at Ye Chen.
"Yes, that's right. I'd just arrived in Chang'an and had no money. Last night, when I was worried I'd be driven out of Chang'an City, the owner's wife took me in." Ye Chen answered honestly.
"What happened next?" The magistrate turned to