Five major charges were listed in detail.

Although there was no physical evidence or witnesses yet, and no charges could be brought on the spot, everyone knew that someone who was so familiar with the laws of Da Gan would not make a false accusation. Moreover, it was an ironclad rule of Da Gan to investigate every injustice. Sun Jian’s words were all reasonable and based on evidence. He could appeal by striking the grievance drum in court. There was no way to avoid a thorough investigation.

The clerk sighed and whispered in Li Yigou's ear, "Sir, if that's really the case, this person is under the jurisdiction of our county, so we must investigate him thoroughly. If we don't handle this properly, neither you nor I in Wusha will be safe."

“We’ve come this far. Not thoroughly investigating would be dereliction of duty. You don’t need to teach me that,” Li Yigou said fiercely, his face dark.

He was well aware of the seriousness of the matter.

Regardless of who this bloodied defendant is, failing to thoroughly investigate is dereliction of duty. But if the defendant's crimes are confirmed, their county will truly become infamous throughout Dagan.

If such a criminal appears in Hongnong County, even if he is not guilty of dereliction of duty, the court will still accuse him of negligence.

The imperial court was already rife with factional strife, and his superior, Governor Yao, was even more eyeing him covetously, eager to get rid of him.

In order to protect himself, he had only recently become a disciple of the Second Prince, but now he has gotten himself into such a stain. This matter is troublesome!

"Your Honor, the complaint is here. Please handle this case impartially."

Seeing that the atmosphere in the court had reached a stalemate, Sun Jian strode forward, took out the prepared petition from his pocket, and handed it over to the court through his advisor.

He also gave Li Yigou a strange smile.

Seeing that smile made Li Yigou's heart skip a beat, and she had a vague sense of unease.

He didn't rush to read the complaint. Instead, his face darkened, and his eyes kept scrutinizing Sun Jian, as if trying to see through Sun Jian's true intentions.

This young man gave me a cold shoulder from the moment he walked in, and his words were full of hostility.

It seems they're not here to complain, but rather to target Li Yigou.

Who exactly is he? Whom does he work for? What is his purpose?

After repeated observations yielded no results, and with so many eyes watching him as he handled the case, Li Yigou dared not delay any longer.

He waved his hand and said, "Since this man was committing violence and abducting a woman in the street, and you intervened to stop him, you have acted righteously. I will not pursue the matter further."

"Alright, I have received the complaint, but this case involves many aspects and requires thorough investigation. The government will post a notice to inform the public. If there is nothing else, you may leave." Li Yigou knew that this matter was full of suspicious points and feared that it was a trap set by enemies in the court. Therefore, he did not express his opinion directly but adopted a conciliatory strategy.

That's it?

Sun Jian shook his head and smiled bitterly. He had to admit that Li Yigou was indeed a cunning old fox.

Having served as an official for many years, he is extremely shrewd and capable of remaining completely discreet even in the current situation.

But he was wary of the wrong person; he was not a pawn of his factional rivals, but rather the judge who would drag him into the abyss.

"I advise you, sir, to review the complaint to avoid any oversights," Sun Jian said, his eyes narrowing slightly, subtly gesturing to Li Yigou to review the complaint before drawing a conclusion.

He was really looking forward to seeing what kind of expression Li Yigou would have when she found out the defendant was her child.

"What's the point of this? Even if this person is a heinous criminal, the government will handle the case. You're just a scholar, what business is it of yours to solve a case? Go back and wait for news."

Li Yigou still had that perfunctory attitude.

Sun Jian sneered and pointed at Li Jian lying on the ground, saying, "He is not only guilty of heinous crimes, but he deserves to die a thousand deaths. According to the laws of the Great Gan Dynasty, such a person who has no ruler or father should be sentenced to death by a thousand cuts."

Li Yigou was furious and slammed his gavel, saying, "How dare you... make such a scene in the courtroom! I hereby order you to step down..."

Before Li Yigou could finish scolding Sun Jian, the clerk who was examining the indictment kept pushing him, causing him to interrupt his speech several times.

"M-...Master!"

Li Yigou, enraged and humiliated, shouted: "How dare you! Why do you keep pushing me!"

“This…this…lawsuit…”

The clerk's expression was complicated; his hand holding the complaint trembled constantly, and he spoke haltingly.

Seeing the usually composed clerk in such a state, Li Yigou took the complaint and began to read it with surprise.

When he saw the defendant's name was Li Jian, his pupils instantly contracted, and his face turned so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

His gaze quickly fell on the bloodstained man in the corner. Instantly, Li Yigou's breathing became heavy, and even his chest began to heave.

"Jian'er!!"

With a loud shout, Li Yigou, enraged, rushed down from the high hall and turned Li Jian over.

After confirming that it was indeed his son, his heart was bleeding!

Unexpectedly, after all that, the "heinous" person turned out to be his own son!

Most importantly, he hadn't noticed anything during the long standoff in court...

They let their seriously injured son lie there for so long.

At that moment, everyone realized what was happening and rushed over to check on Li Jian's injuries.

When Sun Jian saw the expressions on Li Yigou's and the others' faces, he was overjoyed and felt incredibly pleased.

damn it!

This is what they call deserved; this is what they call evil being punished.

This is exactly the effect I wanted.

Sun Jian crossed his arms and said gloatingly, "That's right, Lord Li, the one who deserves to die is your son, Li Jian."

"Why did you have to give him such a name? You had to use the word 'cheap' (贱, meaning cheap or despicable). He really is a cheap person."

"And sir, what's your name, Li Yigou? I originally thought it was Li Yigou, haha."

"Tsk tsk, you father and son, one is a beast, and the other is a scoundrel."

When Li Yigou learned that it was her son, she had already gone into berserk mode. Now, hearing what Sun Jian said, her face turned purple with anger.

He ordered his men: "Guards! Seize this madman who is spouting nonsense! Throw him into prison immediately and torture him severely! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed on the spot!"

The constables looked at each other, hesitant to take action.

They weren't fools; after all, they were in court, and the righteous indignation was still hanging above their heads.

Even Li Yigou's trusted confidants dared not act rashly at this moment!

Who among those present didn't know the whole story? If this matter wasn't handled properly and the news leaked, they would all lose their heads.

Moreover, Sun Jian is so confident at this moment, and he already has official rank and achievements; who knows what kind of powerful figure is behind him...

"What are you standing there for! Didn't you hear what I said? Seize this beast now!" Li Yigou roared hoarsely.

Sun Jian smiled and said, "Oh ho, the Prefect is quite impressive."

"Me, an animal?"

"Isn't your son worse than an animal?"

"You, as the prefect, have allowed your own son to run rampant, committing all sorts of evil deeds, forcibly taking women, and treating human life like dirt. You have committed numerous crimes, causing unrest throughout the city, and yet you still dare to slander others?"