In the courtroom, as Gan Tao Niang tearfully recounted her story, the audience's hearts gradually turned towards her.
The crowd was agitated, with one person shouting indignantly, "How can there be such an ungrateful daughter in this world!"
Others took matters into their own hands, grabbing several rotten eggs from a nearby basket and smashing them hard against Gan Tao.
"Smash her! Smash this vicious woman to death!"
"That's right, kill her!"
The rotten egg was thrown straight at Gan Tao, startling everyone. Gan Quan quickly stepped forward and shielded Gan Tao behind him.
The rotten egg grazed his brow bone and flew past, hitting the ground beside him. The splattered filth landed on Gan Tao's dress, but she paid it no heed.
"You've all been deceived!" Gan Tao cried out weakly, trying to explain herself.
However, with the crowd so enraged, who would listen? Her voice, lost in the commotion, sounded utterly powerless.
Seeing this, Magistrate Lu had no choice but to wave his hand to signal the end of the trial. The bailiffs quickly took Gan Tao away from the courtroom.
Standing in the crowd, Gan Li watched Gan Tao being led away, her heart tightening. She called out urgently to her retreating figure:
"Gan Tao, don't give up! I'll definitely find a way!"
In her haste, Gan Tao didn't turn around, and it's unknown whether she heard her voice.
The criminals were taken away, Magistrate Lu adjourned the court, and the crowd of onlookers quickly dispersed.
At the entrance of the county government office, Chen Danian deliberately lagged behind, giving Gan Li a smug smile:
"Don't waste your energy. Even her own mother doesn't want her. Who else would believe her?"
Ganli gave him a cold look, too lazy to say another word to him.
Gan Quan's face was ashen. He couldn't understand how Gan Tao Niang could still be twisting the truth at this point, openly slandering her own daughter in court!
He couldn't help but rush forward and question Gan Tao Niang: "Gan Tao has done so much for you all these years, why are you so heartless?!"
Faced with his questioning, Gan Taoniang felt no shame whatsoever. Instead, she snorted coldly and said disdainfully:
"If she had listened to me, things wouldn't have come to this! She has only herself to blame for trying to dump us and live a good life on her own!"
Gan Quan knew what she meant and anxiously argued for Gan Tao:
"She doesn't mean she doesn't care about you! She went to the capital just so you could have a better life!"
"Pshaw, who would believe that?"
Gan Taoniang scoffed disdainfully and said again:
"Even if that was her initial thought, the capital city is so luxurious and alluring that once she got used to the carefree life there, she wouldn't remember the suffering we endured at home!"
Even so, she's still your daughter! Aren't you happy that she's living a good life?
Gan Tao Niang looked at him as if he were a fool:
"I don't even have a good life, so why should she? Does she deserve one?"
Gan Quan was shocked and speechless, his eyes filled with confusion and indignation. He couldn't understand how there could be such a mother in the world.
Ganli understood the logic of people like Gantao Niang very well. Selfish people never reflect on themselves; they only find fault with others to excuse themselves.
Therefore, in Gan Tao Niang's eyes, she herself was not wrong, and every step she took was "forced" by Gan Tao.
Gan Li stepped forward and patted her nephew on the shoulder, her eyes filled with disgust as she looked at Gan Tao's mother.
"Let's go, why bother talking to someone like that?"
The aunt and niece turned and left.
Gan Li's indifferent attitude towards him made Chen Danian feel neglected.
That bitch, she's still so stubborn even at a time like this!
Just then, Wu's father caught up, his face full of smiles. This was the first time he had genuinely smiled since his son's accident.
He grabbed Chen Danian and said gratefully:
"Thanks to you today, you truly live up to your reputation as a scholar, you are far more knowledgeable than the rest of us! With just a little trick, you turned the tide—thanks to you today!"
Chen Danian was very pleased with the flattery. He smiled smugly, his gaze sweeping over Gan Li's retreating figure again, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes:
"This is nothing, things are about to get even more exciting..."
...
Gan Tao's case had already caused quite a stir in the town, and after this court hearing, it became the talk of the town.
Gan Tao's mother's testimony was embellished and spread, and rumors about Gan Tao spread everywhere. Many people began to believe the story of Gan Tao abandoning her sick mother and weak brother, and they condemned her in various ways.
Amid the chaos, another rumor caught everyone's attention: someone saw Gan Li secretly go to the county government office to visit Magistrate Lu before the court session began.
This news brought to mind several previous interactions between Gan Li and Magistrate Lu.
This news caused a huge uproar. Everyone seemed to have discovered some incredible secret. Although no one dared to make a scene at the county government, they had already privately concluded that the murderer from Yuxi Village was clearly guilty, but the case had been delayed because Magistrate Lu had a relationship with the aunt of the criminal's sweetheart and had pulled strings!
Gan Li was well aware of this rumor—it seems that Chen Danian really put in the effort this time!
Chen Danian had gone to great lengths to prepare all of this, all in an effort to completely crush Gan Tao and her. But Gan Li was undeterred; rumors would stop with the wise, and the truth would eventually come to light!
But the only thing that made her uneasy was that the case would affect Magistrate Lu's reputation.
She had originally planned to consult with Magistrate Lu about Gan Tao's case again, but given the current situation, she had to abandon the idea and suppress her impulse, fearing that she would cause Magistrate Lu more trouble.
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