Chapter 166 The Wicked Stepmother and the Poor Child (59)

Madam Gu immediately started wailing and beating her chest. She knew best how to muddy the waters, and the current situation was very unfavorable for her son.

"Heavens above! What sins has my Gu family committed to marry such a troublemaker!"

She's in poor health and can't take good care of herself, yet she still slanders my son!

"My son has studied hard for years and finally achieved his future, and you're going to ruin it! You wicked woman! You'll get your retribution!"

Faced with the accusations and curses from the mother and son, Shen Ci remained calm and simply looked at the Prefect of the Capital. With so many people watching, it wouldn't be appropriate for officials to protect each other in public.

At this moment, behind the screen in the Jingzhao Prefecture's public hall, the Prince of Qin sat upright, with a cup of tea beside him.

He was not interfering in politics as a prince today; he just happened to be passing by and heard that the case involved Shen Ci, whom he regarded with special regard, so he stayed to observe the situation.

The Prefect of the Capital slammed his gavel, stopping Old Madam Gu's crying and commotion.

"No noise is allowed in the courtroom! Madam Gu, since you accuse Editor Gu of poisoning, do you have any evidence?"

"have."

Shen Ci gestured for Dan Gui to present the evidence.

"My lord, this is what I, a woman, secretly discovered."

The poison Gu Hongjian used was called "Chan Si Luo," which is cold in nature. Long-term use will cause a person to suffer from deficiency of both qi and blood, and failure of internal organs, leading to death.

This medicine is rare; it is only sold at Jishetang in the western part of the capital.

On the seventh day of the third month last year, Gu Hongjian sent his trusted servant Gu An to Jishetang to purchase this medicine, which cost fifty taels of silver.

The manager and staff of Jishetang can testify to this matter, and the Gu family's accounting office also has records of this expenditure. Your Excellency can send someone to verify it immediately.

The remaining poison, upon the woman's discovery, was hidden by Gu Hongjian in his study, on the third shelf of the left side, in a compartment within a copy of the Analects.

"Your Excellency can send people to search; the truth will be revealed immediately."

Not only do they know where the poison was bought, but they also know when it was bought, and even where the remaining poison is hidden. This evidence is so comprehensive that it only needs to be verified; there's no need for further investigation.

Gu Hongjian's face instantly turned horrified. He hadn't expected that Shen Ci knew even the time and place of the purchase, and even where the medicine was hidden! How did she know, and when did she find out?

Did she know all along that I was pretending nothing was wrong? Is she treating me like a fool?

"Absurd! This is a serious place, a study! How dare you spout such nonsense! You must be a wicked woman who bribed the servants to frame me!"

After a moment's thought, the Prefect of the Capital immediately dispatched two teams of constables. One team went to Jishetang to check the accounts, while the other team, based on the clues provided by Shen Ci, went directly to the study of the Gu residence to search.

At the same time, the accountant of the Gu family and Gu Hongjian's servant, Gu An, were summoned.

During the wait, there was much discussion inside and outside the courtroom, with onlookers pointing and whispering, most of them casting disdainful glances at Gu Hongjian.

Favoring a concubine over one's wife is already despicable, but to add the murder of one's wife on top of that is utterly immoral. The phrase "favoring a concubine over one's wife" is enough to provoke contempt.

No respectable family would do such a thing.

Soon after, the constables sent to search the area reported that they had brought a porcelain bottle and a book.

"Reporting to Your Excellency! This bottle was found in the hidden compartment of the Analects in Compiler Gu's study. After a preliminary examination by the accompanying physician, it was confirmed that the bottle contains the poison of the 'Entangling Silkworm'!"

Immediately afterwards, the manager of Jishetang, the accountant of the Gu family, and the servant Gu An were also brought in.

The manager of Jishetang confirmed that a man named Gu An had indeed come to buy silk thread on the seventh day of the third month last year. The accountant nervously pulled out the ledger, which clearly recorded the expenditure of fifty taels.

Under duress, the servant Gu An admitted that he had gone to buy medicine on Gu Hongjian's orders.

With witnesses and physical evidence all present and matching, there is no doubt about it.

Gu Hongjian was sweating profusely. He was truly surprised that they could find out this. Even his own servant had betrayed him!

What he least expected was that Shen Ci would suddenly file a lawsuit! Shouldn't everything be under his control?

"This! This medicine might have been planted in my study by someone else to poison me! How can you be sure I poisoned it based on this alone?"

Shen Ci spoke again.

“My lord, I have another witness who can prove that Gu Hongjian personally admitted to poisoning me.”

"Summon witness Zhou!"

Zhou Jingxuan was brought up. Today she was dressed simply, with a calm expression and indifferent eyes, as if she didn't care about anything. After entering the hall, she knelt down properly.

"Mrs. Gu, the plaintiff, Ms. Shen, accuses Gu Hongjian of poisoning her. Are you aware of this?" asked the Prefect of the Capital.

Zhou Jingxuan raised her head, glanced at Gu Hongjian's ferocious expression, and a hint of pleasure flashed in her eyes. Serves him right! Didn't expect retribution to come so quickly!

"Your Excellency, I am aware of the situation."

The woman once overheard Lord Gu Hongjian talking to himself, saying that Sister Shen was in the way, but that if he used that medicine, he could make her leave quietly.

The woman was terrified and dared not utter a sound. She also knew that the remaining medicine was hidden in the *Analects* in his study.

"You wretch! You're talking nonsense! When did I ever say such things to you!"

Gu Hongjian panicked completely and cursed angrily. When did these two irreconcilable people get together to deal with him? This is outrageous!

Zhou Jingxuan stopped looking at him and spoke instead to the Prefect of the Capital.

“Every word I have said is true. I am willing to confront Lord Gu face to face.”

"This woman can lead the way and point out the exact hiding place; this is exactly what the officials just found."

She distanced herself completely, saying she overheard it by chance and had no involvement in the conspiracy.

At this time, the constables who had been sent to investigate the neighbors returned, and the testimonies they brought back almost unanimously favored Shen Ci.

Neighbors confirmed that Gu Hongjian did indeed dote on Aunt Zhou, while Madam Shen lived a secluded life, was frail and sickly, and the Gu family often sought medical treatment from her. Furthermore, Gu Hongjian was indifferent to his wife and did not take care of her as attentively as he claimed.

The evidence is irrefutable and irrefutable; what's the point of further investigation or any attempt to argue?

The Prefect of the Capital had a solemn expression.

"Gu Hongjian! The evidence is overwhelming, what else do you have to say?"

Seeing that all was lost, Old Madam Gu collapsed to the ground, wailing and crying out in despair.

"I'm innocent! My son has been framed! These two vicious women conspired to harm him!"

Gu Hongjian's face was ashen. How could he possibly argue now that things had come to this? Even in a case, one must consider both witnesses and physical evidence, but now both were readily available, saving time in the investigation.

All the evidence was against him, and he knew perfectly well that he was the one who did those things, so how could he deny it? Besides, there wasn't enough time for him to find help.

He's good at studying, but he's not very good at strategy.

The Prefect of the Capital announced the verdict in court. Since Gu Hongjian did not object and all the evidence was complete, the verdict was handed down.

"Gu Hongjian, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, is an official appointed by the court. He does not know how to cultivate himself and manage his family. He favors his concubine and neglects his wife. He is immoral and vicious. He plots to kill his wife. He has violated the law and is intolerable to the people!"

According to the law, his official position and academic achievements shall be stripped, he shall be imprisoned, and after the Ministry of Justice reviews his case, he shall be exiled three thousand li away!

The Gu family failed in their duty to educate their son, indulging his wicked deeds. Considering his advanced age, they punished him with twenty strokes of the cane as a warning to others!

If the Prefect of the Capital is unsure or unable to make a judgment, there's still the Prince of Qin behind him. He can make the judgment as he sees fit, and if anyone holds him accountable later, he can simply say it was the Prince's doing.