Chapter 13: Scapegoat
Indeed, what was the motive?
Regardless of whether Jia Jin Sheng was dead, there had to be a motive, right?
If not for Gu worms nor primeval stones, then was it for love?
But if it was a crime of passion, it had to be a long term process, and Jia Fu would not have come to the Gu Yue clan. The caravan members and clansmen would fall under greater suspicion as they have a long relationship with him.
At once, the hall fell into silence.
Zuo Mu followed everyone's gazes and suddenly said agitatedly to Jia Fu, "Maybe Jia Jin Sheng was killed by you. I heard before that your family is splitting assets, now that one brother is dead, wouldn't you get more inheritance, you're just putting up this show to pour all the blame on me aren't you?"
"Shut up!"
"Baseless accusation, do not slander Sir Jia Fu."
Immediately the family elders erupted.
Zuo Mu kept quiet immediately afraid he might anger the elders, but his gaze shining indignantly.
His earlier words were like a pebble that was thrown into the elders' sea of thoughts, causing waves of ripples. The clan elders followed this train of thought and started to think, "Jia Fu cannot kill Jia Jin Sheng, this causes more harm to him than reward. Wait, even if he won't do it, that does not mean others won't..."
"The Jia family's internal dispute!" A certain elder had a flash of inspiration and lightly muttered.
His volume was not high, but in the silent hall, it could be heard clearly. At once, the elders' gaze shone."damn you, Jia Fu." Zuo Mu's mouth twitched.
The Jia family's clan leader wants to split the assets and impart the role of the clan leader, and because of this, his children underwent intense competition, especially Jia Fu and Jia Gui, both being Rank four Gu Masters and having their own supporters.
In these few years, the Jia family situation is somewhat known by many of the mountain villages. Jia Jin Sheng's misfortune was too strange. Currently, there was no evidence showing that Zuo Mu was the killer. It was obvious that the motivation for the murder was not enough just based on the theory of killing just because of a Mudskin Toad and disagreement.
At the same time, the murderer's actions and methods would not be so meticulous and secretive. But if Jia Gui was the one acting in the shadows, then it could be explained.
Everyone present was a higher-up, and as someone in a position of power, there had to be something capable about them. At least for political schemes, they had great intuition and perception.
The Jia family dispute, this gave everyone's imaginations a pair of wings.
The Jia family clan leader had arranged Jia Jin Sheng to join the caravan. One reason was to test Jia Fu's nature, to see if he was a good brother, and only suppressed but not bully his brother.
Now that Jia Jin Sheng was in trouble, Jia Fu would be implicated, and who is the true winner? Obviously Jia Fu's greatest competitor, Jia Gui! The criminal's actions were so fluid, causing all clues to come to a dead end, this showed how experienced the criminal was. How could this be done by an unknown rank 1 who only just met Jia Jin Sheng like Zuo Mu? All the answers were revealed at once!
The discussion hall was still silent, but the elders exchanged gazes full of meaning. While Zuo Mu face showed an expression of indignance and stubbornness.
Jia Fu's face was so dark and gloomy it could drip water. The matter of the Jia family internal dispute caused him to think of Jia Gui.
At that moment, his soul shook! Who else had a greater motivation than Jia Gui? No one!
"I understand now, I understand everything." The academy elder who stood behind Zuo Mu, looking at him. His eyes shone, "Zuo Mu is both lucky and unfortunate, meeting Jia Jin Sheng at the last moment. He may be a grown man but from our sources, he has a D grade talent and is destined to be a rank 1 forever with slim chances of being a rank 2, while his character is just like any other person in the village except for being slightly clever"
At this point, everyone had dispelled their suspicious towards Zuo Mu!
Zuo Mu looked at Jia Fu in anger as he pieced 'everything' together.
Jia Fu also looked at him, the unfriendliness in his eyes growing obviously more intense.
Jia Fu was conflicted.
He had dispelled his suspicions of Zuo Mu and was certain that Jia Gui was the mastermind."But yet, so what if I know the truth?" Jia Fu felt anger and sadness surging, "I have no evidence at hand, so if I accused Jia Gui in front of father, without any proof, father might even think I am trying to frame him!"
Jia Fu was smart, and he looked at Zuo Mu, a light flashing in his eyes.
Jia Jin Sheng had journeyed with him together, and now that he was missing, it was Jia Fu's fault for not taking care of him! Since he could not accuse Jia Gui, he had to give his father some answer. And this answer was in front of him!
"That's right, if Zuo Mu is the scapegoat, it would at least help me get through this crisis. Once I get over it, I can get back at Jia Gui with twice the payback." Jia Fu thought deviously.
He raised his pitch, interrogating Zuo Mu, "Zuo Mu, how do you prove that you did not harm Jia Jin Sheng?"
The clan elders were stunned. This is obviously your internal dispute, why are you still grabbing onto my clansman? Only the Gu Yue clan leader looked grim, his expression turning sharp as he stared at Jia Fu.
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