Everyone pointed at the plump auntie selling wild mushrooms.

The plump woman's face flashed with panic. "I...I heard it from someone else. I didn't make it up. Besides, the official documents are posted here, so they're not fake."

Liu Ruzhi struck the gavel again.

"The official documents and judgments are quite different from what you say. Lord Qin kidnapped and extorted money, and even tried to sell his divorced daughter-in-law. But you made it up in your mouth that Madam Jiang seduced Lord Qin to help the prince target General Qin, and was even labeled a spy from an enemy country. These words are not something a vegetable-selling woman could come up with."

"Bring this man to the court and subject him to severe torture!"

The bailiffs immediately stepped forward, dragged the struggling fat woman, and forced her to kneel in the courtroom.

Everyone, whether in the courtyard or in the courtroom, was terrified.

They quickly distanced themselves from the situation during the days when the criticism was at its fiercest.

"It was all Aunt Pang who said it. She's the one who said these things. We... we're just imitating her."

"Yes, yes, and last time too. The last time they said that the Ninth Prince forcibly took a woman, it was also Aunt Fatty who spread the word. She made it sound very convincing."

"Auntie Pang also said that she had a distant relative who worked in the Qin family, and that she had seen and heard everything with her own eyes and ears."

The group talked all at once, revealing the whole story.

The fat auntie was so anxious that her face turned red, and she started cursing loudly.

"You bunch of bastards, you blame everything on me when something happens. Did I tell you to beat people up in the market?"

“I didn’t admit that what I said was true. When I told you, I said that it was just something I was saying here and that it couldn’t be spread outside. I didn’t tell you to talk nonsense to the officials in court.”

She was afraid of being beaten.

After saying that, he kowtowed to Liu Ruzhi.

“Your Excellency, I am guilty. I should not have gossiped. I will atone for my sins by doing good deeds. They were the ones who attacked us first. I will testify to that.”

She then turned and pointed to the people standing in the courtyard.

"And they weren't injured at all; they just pinched themselves."

The courtyard was mostly filled with women, and seeing their money slipping away, they all pointed at the fat aunt and started cursing.

The entire government office was filled with noise for a moment.

The more they argued, the wider the rift became, and all sorts of things, both appropriate and inappropriate, came out.

They're all contradicting themselves.

After they had finished hurling insults, Liu Ruzhi suddenly slammed the gavel down.

"quiet!"

Amidst the intimidating shouts of "Majesty!", everyone angrily stopped.

Jiang Qingwan said calmly, "Lord Liu, the truth is clear. My maid Lian'er is the victim. What wrong did Guard Li Dou do in injuring someone? I beg Lord Liu to give them justice!"

Lian'er also came to her senses at this moment.

He knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"My lord, I'm in pain! My whole body aches, and my head is spinning! I want them to apologize to me, apologize to my young lady, and compensate me with silver. I won't ask for more; just give them two thousand taels as they demand."

She was already injured, and her delicate and weak appearance made her look even more like a con artist trying to extort money.

Liu Ruzhi suppressed a laugh and cooperated perfectly.

"Miss Lian'er means she's willing to settle things privately. If that's the case, then what do you mean? Do you want to be punished according to the law, or do you want to pay compensation?"

The crowd, who had just been hurling insults, were now completely dumbfounded.

How did it become that they lost money?

One of them couldn't help but ask, "Sir, wasn't the assault case already closed?"

Liu Ruzhi raised her finger and pointed to the top of her head.

"The plaque above this residence was personally inscribed by the Emperor. With justice shining brightly, how could there be any wrongful convictions? You yourselves have confessed to the truth of the assault. Do you expect this residence to make a wrong judgment and let the perpetrator benefit?"

His expression was cold and aloof, and he was dressed in official robes, exuding an extremely imposing aura.

Everyone was terrified, but that was two thousand taels of silver! How could they possibly pay for it? Who would pay for it?

They don't earn much money in a day, so how could they afford to lose it all?

"It's all that damned Li Heipang's fault! She should pay back those two thousand taels!"

"Yes, Li Heipang should pay for it, and she should also be responsible for our medical supplies. If she hadn't instigated us, we wouldn't have fought."

"Your Honor, Li Heipang was the ringleader. To catch the thief, you must catch the leader. She should be the one to be punished. We are all innocent!"

All participants acted in unison against external threats.

They cried out and knelt on the ground, kowtowing in unison.

Li Heipang was so angry he jumped up and down, but the yamen runners pressed him hard to the ground. He had no way to stop them and cried out in desperation.

She doesn't have two thousand taels of silver to compensate.

Jiang Qingwan, however, had no intention of letting her off so easily.

"Lord Liu, injuring people is a minor matter, but slandering court officials for engaging in power-for-sex transactions and unjustly suppressing meritorious officials are the most serious issues. This is the capital, right under the emperor's nose. The people's hearts are the foundation of the nation, and the market is a place where ordinary people gather. Such reckless behavior is tantamount to undermining the foundation of the country. I beg you, my lord, to investigate and punish this matter severely!"

Although most people may not understand what he is saying, when it comes to the foundation of the nation, it is a matter of paramount importance.

Li Heipang's face turned pale with fright.

"I...I was just talking nonsense, Your Excellency..."

"Smack!"

Liu Ruzhi slammed the gavel and shouted, "It was you both times! One of the people you implicated was the Ninth Prince, and the other was a second-rank general of the court. You tell me you were just making things up? Who gave you the audacity!"

Li Heipang trembled with fear, but he still held on tightly and refused to let go.

"I...I don't remember who said a few words. I wasn't the first to pass on the message. Your Excellency, please investigate. It really wasn't me."

Jiang Qingwan cupped her hands in a respectful gesture towards Liu Ruzhi.

"My lord, it is a grave offense for the common people to misunderstand the court. I cannot bear such a crime. Please bring Lord Qin to court, and I will give everyone the truth."

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!