Chapter 441: Chapter 440: Is Cursing Him to Die Every Morning Enough?
"Indeed, I was so terrified, I had nightmares last night that my child’s father was trying to harm me. When I woke up, I was so overwhelmed that I slapped his face and made him sleep," she said.
During the conversation, one bald person was brought up in succession.
All the members from the main branch and the second branch of the Shen Family, including Clan Elder Shen, were present.
Magistrate Wang’s gaze was chilling from the tribunal, where a thick booklet submitted by Xie Xun laid on the desk.
He looked towards Shen Qu.
"In the seventh year of Jia You, the third son of Landlord Chu was blinded in one eye by you, but you blamed someone else. Do you admit or deny this?"
Shen Qu remained calm: "I do not know this person."
"Alright, then let’s talk about who you do know."
"Did you harm Shen Zhui, the concubine daughter of the Shen Family?"
Shen Qu suddenly looked up.
"There’s no need for your admission."
Magistrate Wang threw the booklet containing his evidence over.
Aunt Liu, who was watching, couldn’t believe it.
"Zhui... didn’t Zhui just accidentally fall into the water?"
The kneeling Aunt Liu rushed over, her fingertips trembling as she opened the booklet of evidence. Her eyes red, she slapped Shen Qu.
"What did she do wrong! Why did you push her!"
"She was just a child then!"
"Shen Qu, you will not die a good death!"
With a ’bang,’ Magistrate Wang struck the gavel decisively.
"Silence!"
"This officer shall discern the truth and judge the case accordingly."
"I have not been in office long; by taking a stand here, injustices of Fengzhou will be overturned and reevaluated. Bribery and collusion among subordinate officials will be reported to the Heavenly Court."
As soon as his speech concluded, the crowd outside whispered, "Nice words. But as a local Magistrate, it’s rare to remain uncorrupted. How can we expect him to offend his subordinate officials for the sake of wronged commoners?"
Yet some clung desperately to hope, trembling, "My lord, my daughter was forcibly taken by Prefect Yang. In just three months, she passed away, and the Yang Family covered it up lightly without any justice. Can you handle this?"
"Of course."
Suddenly,
"My lord, my leg was broken by the Deputy Judge."
"Sir..."
Suddenly, the scene became utterly chaotic.
Magistrate Wang looked displeased.
There he thought, upon arriving in Fengzhou City, all the cases he received were trivial matters. He had imagined Fengzhou was well-governed!
Magistrate Wang instructed officials to bring these people into the inner hall and personally reexamine them. Then, he threw the thickest stack of booklets towards Shen He Wen.
"The cliffside murders of Chun Yun and her son Shen Zhi were orchestrated by you, with bandits as your pawn, and later, you killed Shen Wei to seize his money."
"Previously, you’ve committed such despicable acts three times."
"Deplorable conduct, extremely vile! And you’ve even had an illicit relationship with your elder brother’s wife. You scoundrel, committing such unrighteous acts, aren’t you afraid that divine punishment will strike you down?"
As he said this, his eyes scanned across Xue Mouyan on the floor.
He deepened his voice and summoned the Chief Clerk to come forward and read these evidences word by word from start to end.
The evidence was in, and now the witness was also brought forward.
The people kneeling below turned pale.
Xue Mouyan: "Sir, he forced me. I—"
Shen He Wen sneered: "Wicked woman! It was you who stripped and climbed onto my bed, begging me to take you. Now you deny it? No way!"
Hearing this, the crowd gasped again and again.
"A bunch of ragtag goods, dressed brightly but so filthy."
"This time, I don’t think anyone will escape."
"Strange, at such a gratifying moment, why isn’t Miss Shen around?"
Then, they heard Magistrate Wang announce the sentence.
"Those who plotted murder, three years imprisonment; those who injured others, strangulation; those who killed, beheading."
————
Shen Hua and Xie Xun, as siblings, were relocating Ms. Shen Chun’s tomb.
The inscription on the tombstone was still personally carved by Shen Hua, not as crooked as before, but rather beautiful.
— Tomb of Chun Yun, her son Shen Zhi, her daughter Shen Hua.
"Mama has always been unbound and naturally, she should not get entangled with such riffraff."
She is herself first, then the mother of two children, nothing more, clean and clear.
Xie Xun was kneeling and burning paper money.
"Did you bring Cui Yun to meet Mama?"
Shen Hua turned her head: "It’s naturally right to let Mama have a good look."
Xie Xun, annoyed, raised his hand to pat her head.
"You’re in quite a hurry."
"I should indeed be in a hurry."
"Once the embroidery workshop is on the right track, I will return to Shengjing. Since brother accepted the gifts, we cannot just deny them."
Xie Xun fell silent, remembering the lengthy list of gifts.
"He really did invest a lot."
Shen Hua shyly nodded: "Has brother agreed on a date with the cousin-in-law?"
"Unfortunately not."
Xie Xun spoke gently, yet couldn’t help but tease: "You’ll have to wait a few more years."
Wait for Da Qi to be peaceful.
"That person in the palace is not dead yet."
Shen Hua was amiable: "When will he die?"
Is cursing him daily enough to send him to heaven?
Xie Xun did not answer, but said: "Magistrate Wang and Imperial Censor Shu are of the same kind."
He also met Magistrate Wang in secret.
"I fear, with the confidence we gave him, there will also be chaos in Fengzhou City."
With disturbances everywhere, it’s an opportunity.
Ji Teng in Shengjing also secretly did quite a few things. Ji Wang is like a cornered dog, and even if he doesn’t jump, he will be forced to jump.
A few days later, Xie Xun returned to Shengjing.
Shen Hua was busy, looking at the books, her hands swiftly moving the abacus.
Zheng Qianyu rushed over.
"Let’s go, the Ge Family has a feast today, we should also attend."
"The Ge Family?"
"Ms. Ge is Zhou Zhizhi’s cousin."
Zheng Qianyu: "That vile Zhou Zhizhi will definitely be there, and she has been slandering you. We must give her a piece of our mind."
By the time they arrived, many people had already gathered around Ms. Ge.
Zhou Zhizhi deliberately asked, "Cousin, I heard you’re about to finalize a marriage arrangement with Wang Xu?"
The crowd in surprise: "Wang Xu?"
"The son of Magistrate Wang?"
"Ms. Ge, you are indeed fortunate."
Ms. Ge concealed her pride: "Cousin, don’t talk nonsense, he and I merely crossed paths a few times. What the future holds, nobody can predict."
Zhou Zhizhi was about to speak further when she saw two familiar figures. Recognizing them, she placed her hand on her slightly bulging belly.
"Who could it be? It’s Miss Shen."
"Since we last parted, it has been a long time since I saw you."
"Seeing you now, I am truly delighted."
Shen Hua remained very calm, so calm that everyone found it surprising.
"Hmm, continue talking."
Bai Lianhua changed the topic.
"Just a few days ago, people from the Shen Family were executed, why weren’t you there? Even if they were wrong, everyone makes mistakes, after all, they are your elders, if you didn’t plead for them, at least you could have accompanied them on their last journey?"
"Miss Shen, we were once acquainted, I say these words only for your benefit."
Zheng Qianyu was livid. Before she could curse, Shen Hua made her move.
The girl was no longer the frail patient who took a few steps and gasped for air.
She swiftly moved forward, and unexpectedly grabbed Zhou Zhizhi’s hair, dragging her out.
She viciously threatened.
"I’ll crush you against the wall and kick you! Hear me? Crush and kick you into the corner!"
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