Chapter 30 [V] Taking it to court
Li Yan found her behavior utterly baffling.
After Madam Wei left, Li Yan's gaze lingered for a moment on the bowl of glutinous rice balls she had brought over. She wondered to herself, "Could she have put something in these glutinous rice balls?"
But then I thought it probably wouldn't happen.
She delivered this bowl of glutinous rice balls to me in full view of everyone. If she really added something to it and I got sick from eating it, she would be responsible since she was the one who delivered it.
However, regardless of whether she put anything in the glutinous rice balls, the safest way is not to eat them.
If you don't eat, nothing will happen.
Just then, customers started arriving at the stall, and Li Yan got busy.
As the weather gets colder, Li Yan's milk tea drinks are selling better and better. Most of her customers are regulars and repeat customers; there are some new customers, but regulars make up the majority.
These regular customers don't come to buy every day, but it's common for them to come every three to five days.
As evening approached, guests kept arriving, and Li Yan remained very busy.
But not long after, something bad happened.
People who had just bought milk tea from her stall rushed back, asking if the drink was made with spoiled milk, and why they got sick after eating it.
And it wasn't just one person who came back to her saying this; two, three, four... more and more people came.
Before long, her stall was packed with people, all complaining of stomach aches after eating her drinks.
How could that be?
Her milk was purchased from farmers in the countryside, and it was all bought and sold on the same day.
She has been cooperating with that Prince Wang for so long, and will continue to do so in the future. Prince Wang wouldn't sell her spoiled milk and cut off his own source of income.
Moreover, every morning after the milk was delivered, Li Yan would first cook a bowl for the whole family to share. If there really was a problem with the milk, then all four members of their family should have had stomach problems.
If the milk is fine, then the other things are even less likely to be problematic.
For those in the food business, hygiene is paramount. She pays close attention to this, so her kitchen is always spotless.
Suddenly, I thought of that Lady Wei...
Li Yan suddenly realized, could it be that Madam Wei had put something in this milk tea can?
No wonder... no wonder she was acting strangely today, and suddenly came to see her out of the blue.
She initially said she wanted to serve herself the milk tea, but then changed her mind and poured it back. It's likely that she slipped the drug into the milk tea during that moment.
She has three earthenware jars of milk tea, but she only opened the lid of one of them to serve milk to Lady Wei. Therefore, it should only be this one jar of milk tea that has a problem.
Sure enough, the person who bought the milk tea from the other earthenware pot had been drinking it for a while and was now sitting at another stall eating a late-night snack.
He didn't have an upset stomach, and he shouted over here, "It can't be the problem with Li Niangzi's milk tea, right? I bought some today, and I'm fine."
Regardless, since the problem arose from food consumed at her place, Li Yan had to take them to a clinic for a checkup.
Li Yan said, "Let's go to the clinic quickly, I'll pay for the medical expenses."
Meanwhile, Madam Wei was keeping a close eye on everything happening here. Actually, at this moment, she was also starting to feel a little scared.
When Li Yan suddenly glanced at her, she immediately lowered her head guiltily, pretending to be busy with her work. But in reality, she didn't have a single customer at her stall.
Li Yan knew that this must have been done by Wei Niangzi.
But why would Madam Wei do this? Is it simply because her stall's business is better than hers?
Isn't she afraid of facing legal trouble if things are exposed?
However, Li Yan was not about to silently suffer this injustice. So, after arranging for everyone who had gotten sick from her drink to go to the nearest clinic, Li Yan went directly to the county government office.
Li Yan had considered whether it was appropriate to beat the drum to appeal for justice at night. But she also felt that if she didn't report the matter to the authorities quickly, and if it was delayed for another night, she might really be unable to defend herself.
Therefore, after some consideration, he decided to report to the authorities as soon as possible.
Li Yan reported the incident directly to the authorities, which naturally alerted all the street vendors.
Someone saw the constables coming this way and shouted, "The constables are coming! People from the government are here!"
Ordinary people are most afraid of those in government offices.
Even ordinary yamen runners would instinctively feel fear.
Therefore, everyone panicked when they heard someone say that the yamen runners were coming.
Especially Madam Wei, who was so frightened that she trembled all over.
Upon reaching the street, the two constables asked directly, "Who is Madam Wei who sells sweet soup?"
Lady Wei was already extremely panicked and fearful. When she saw that the two constables had indeed come to find her, her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground.
The constable naturally noticed the commotion, so he walked over with a stern face and asked in a cold voice, "Are you Madam Wei?"
Lady Wei was too frightened to speak. It was the aunt next to her who answered for her, saying, "Sir, what has happened?"
The constable said, "Someone has accused Madam Wei of poisoning the food she sells. Madam Wei, please come with us."
"No, I didn't." Madam Wei's voice was weak and feeble, she had no strength left, and she couldn't even stand up, but she still cried out that she was innocent, "I'm innocent, sir."
Seeing this, the aunt next to her, together with another woman who was also selling goods at a stall, helped her up.
The bailiff glanced at Madam Wei, his face still cold, and said, "Whether you are innocent or not, it's up to the magistrate to decide. We don't care about the case; we'll just take you to the court. If you have anything to say, go to the court and confront Madam Li."
But Lady Wei's legs were already too weak to walk. And the two constables were both men, so it was inappropriate for them to help her, given the impropriety of men and women being so intimate.
It was the aunt next to her who took the initiative to say, "Sir, she's been frightened. Let's help her get there together."
The yamen runner was overjoyed and immediately said, "Thank you both for your trouble."
The county magistrate was presiding over a case at night, and since it involved poisoning, it naturally attracted a large crowd of onlookers.
Lady Wei was carried to the courtroom by two women, and Li Yan was already standing there.
When the magistrate saw someone arrive in the courtroom, he immediately slammed his gavel and angrily asked, "Is the person below me the Lady Wei who sells sweet soup on West Gate Street?"
After the kind auntie dropped the person off, she voluntarily withdrew and waited outside the courtroom.
At this moment, Madam Wei was kneeling on the ground, still looking like she was in shock.
“I am Wei, I am a commoner… I am Wei.”
The magistrate then looked at Li Yan, who was standing to the side, and asked her, "Madam Li, do you recognize this person? Is she the one you want to sue?"
Although it was night, the courtroom was brightly lit, and Li Yan recognized Lady Wei at a glance.
She glanced at Madam Wei and then solemnly replied, "Yes, sir."
"Very well." The magistrate slammed the gavel again and said, "Li, you have accused Wei of putting poison in the drinks you sell, causing the customers who drank them to get stomach aches, is that right?"
Li Yan: "Yes, sir, that is exactly right."
Then the magistrate turned to Wei and asked, "Wei, Li accused you of drugging her. Do you plead guilty?"
"No, I don't admit it." By now, Madam Wei had gradually regained her composure and recovered from her initial shock. Anyway, Li Shi hadn't caught her drugging her on the spot, so what could she do if she just stubbornly denied it?
Madam Wei remained prostrate on the ground, sobbing, "Last night I did have a quarrel with Madam Li, but after I got home, I reflected on it. Thinking it over carefully, I realized I shouldn't have argued with Madam Li. So tonight, as soon as Madam Li arrived, I took the initiative to apologize. I even brought her a bowl of freshly cooked glutinous rice balls as an apology. Everyone saw this and can testify that I didn't lie."
So the magistrate summoned the woman who had helped Lady Wei into the house and asked her if she was present at the time and if this had happened.
The woman was present at the time and witnessed it with her own eyes, so she said that it was indeed true.
Then, the magistrate looked at Li Yan and asked, "Li, do you agree with what Wei said?"
"I acknowledge it," Li Yan immediately admitted, but she added, "Madam Wei did indeed bring me a bowl of glutinous rice balls, but in return, I gave her a bowl of hot milk tea. My lord, I would also like to ask Madam Wei if she acknowledges this?"
Since eating her milk tea doesn't constitute a crime, what can't Lady Wei admit to?
Moreover, many people saw her drinking milk tea at the time, so she couldn't deny it.
After the magistrate questioned Wei, she said, "I admit it, I did drink it."
Then Li Yan said, "My lord, Madam Wei drank the first bowl, but she was fine. So much time has passed, and she hasn't shown any discomfort. But everyone who drank the milk tea after her, without exception, got stomach aches. That earthenware pot of milk tea, besides this woman, was only touched by Madam Wei. This woman wouldn't poison her own drink and ruin her own reputation. So, there's only one possibility: Madam Wei secretly put medicine into the pot, which caused the later customers to get stomach aches."
Li Yan spoke in a well-organized and logical manner.
After she finished speaking, even the county magistrate sitting under the plaque that read "A Clear Mirror Hangs High" was quite shocked.
Clearly, he hadn't expected that such an unremarkable peasant woman could possess such meticulous thinking.
Lady Wei was stunned. She never expected that when Li Shi said she was the first person to drink her milk tea, it was actually a trap she had set.
She fell for her trick, jumping into the trap she had set for her long ago, and now she has no way to defend herself.
Upon seeing this, Magistrate Hong immediately slammed his gavel down again, and demanded sternly, "Wei! Do you plead guilty?"
Terrified, Madam Wei kowtowed repeatedly, confessing her sins, saying, "It was I who poisoned her, I admit it, please spare my life, Your Honor." Then she quickly added, "It was...it was someone who instructed me to do this. That person gave me money, saying that I should find an opportunity to add something to the milk tea sold by Madam Li. Once Madam Li's milk tea business was gone, my milk tea would sell better. I didn't want to at first, but...but that woman gave me so much, I really...I was wrong, I confess, please forgive me, Your Honor."
Crawling on her knees, Madam Wei tugged at Li Yan again, pleading, "Madam Li, please forgive me, you are a magnanimous person. I will never dare to do it again after this lesson."
Li Yan had found it strange before; although she had some verbal disputes with this Wei family, it shouldn't have escalated to this point.
Sure enough, behind the Wei family, there was another pair of hands pushing her.
Fortunately, the Wei family put a laxative in the milk tea; if it had been a more toxic drug, it would probably have caused someone's death.
"Did that person also give you the laxative?" Li Yan asked.
Madam Wei shook her head: "Yes, I bought them myself. I spent two qian of silver to buy these medicines."
"Two coins?" Li Yan asked again, "Then how much benefit did the person who instructed you to do this give you?"
Wei: "Two taels of silver."
Li Yan: "Two taels of silver... that's enough for an ordinary family to live on for two months. No wonder you've been bewitched."
After speaking, Li Yan turned around and looked at Magistrate Hong on his high seat, saying indignantly, "Your Honor, according to what Lady Wei said, she was instructed by someone to do this. The person who instructed her to do this is really too evil. Fortunately, it was only a laxative that was administered today. If it were something else, wouldn't it have caused a death? If a death had occurred, it would have ruined your future, Your Honor."
If several lives are lost within his jurisdiction, he'll be lucky to avoid being demoted, let alone get promoted in the future.
Thinking about it this way, Magistrate Hong realized that the person behind it was truly vicious and despicable.
Magistrate Hong slammed his gavel down and asked with increasing seriousness, "Who exactly instigated you to do this? Confess now!"
After thinking carefully for a moment, Madam Wei shook her head slightly: "I don't know her identity. Last night, in the dark, she came to me wearing a cloak. She gave me two taels of silver and asked me to do these things. She also said that she would give me another tael after it was done."
Li Yan actually had the answer in her heart. If she wasn't mistaken, it must have been Yue Shi who instigated it.
Just a few days ago, she had Xue Xu take Li Zongxiaochun Academy's spot, so she must be holding a grudge.
But Yue was cunning and feared that if things were exposed, she would be implicated. So, late at night, she went to find Wei, wearing a cloak.
That Wei family member is truly foolish; she actually let her be used as a pawn.
After forcing herself to calm down, Li Yan suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and then deliberately asked Wei Shi, "Wei Niangzi, what did you say?" As she spoke, she walked towards Wei Shi and deliberately put her ear close to her mouth.
Wei was bewildered, but Li Yan said, "If you want to get away with this and find the real culprit, you'd better cooperate with me."
Upon hearing this, Madam Wei immediately cooperated with her.
Then, Li Yan looked at Magistrate Hong and said, "Your Honor, Madam Wei said that although she didn't see the man's face, she saw a small red mole on his left wrist. If we investigate based on this, we will definitely be able to find the real culprit."
Madam Wei nodded sharply and echoed, "Yes, yes, she has a small red mole on her left wrist."
Suddenly, a figure pushed through the crowd outside the courtroom and staggered away.
Li Yan happened to look up and saw that the person's figure had already crossed the threshold and disappeared from sight.
Li Yan suspected that it was Yue Shi's doing, but she lacked evidence. This time, deliberately mentioning a mark on Yue Shi's body could also deceive her.
In short, now that she has harbored malicious intentions, she can forget about having a good life from now on.
Behind him, Magistrate Hong said, "I will send people to investigate. This matter is of great importance, and I will not tolerate it." He then looked at Li Yan below the hall and said, "Madam Li, please rest assured, I will give you an explanation and also give the people of Huating County an explanation."
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Author's Note: Update is here!
[Standing-eared rabbit head]
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