Furthermore, Gan Tao's mother, Gan Jiang, attempted to force her daughter into submission, thus inviting a wolf into the house. She then helped the other party to slander her, trying to confuse the court. This act violated human ethics and had an extremely bad impact. She was fined fifty taels of silver and twenty strokes of the cane.
The verdict was met with applause and cheers from the crowd.
Ganli was not satisfied with the result. Gan Tao Niang was so wicked, yet she only received such a punishment... But she also knew that in this era, although there were laws, many things had to be considered when making a judgment.
For example, Gan Tao's mother, if Gan Tao were to sue her mother first, she would have to be beaten with a stick before the court hearing could proceed.
Therefore, even though Gan Tao's mother behaved badly, she was able to be forgiven because of her status as Gan Tao's biological mother.
However, this is also what she considers a lenient sentence. For Gan Tao Niang, a fine of fifty taels of silver or twenty strokes of the cane are neither easy. Let alone both together?
After the verdict, Wu's father was immediately imprisoned, and Chen Danian, unable to pay the fine, was also temporarily detained until he paid one hundred taels of silver before being released.
When he was taken away, the way he looked at Gan Li was as if he were looking at his father's killer: "A gentleman will not leave this grudge unavenged. You just wait!"
Gan Li remained unfazed and coldly replied, "If you can't even afford a hundred taels of silver, what am I waiting for? To watch you beg for food?"
Chen Danian: "..." Ugh, that bitch!
Chen Danian, looking pale and sickly, was dragged away.
Gan Taoniang threw a tantrum, trying to escape punishment, but she forgot that this was a courtroom, not her own kang (heated brick bed). So, just as she started her tantrum, the bailiffs rushed forward, pinned her to a bench, and gave her twenty swift strokes of the cane.
Gan Tao Niang had been supported by her husband before, and later had her daughter to serve her like a slave. She had never suffered such hardship before. She cried and wailed as she was beaten, but the yamen runners were unmoved and quickly finished giving her twenty strokes of the cane.
Gan Tao Niang's voice was hoarse from shouting, and she felt like her lower body no longer belonged to her.
However, that wasn't the end of it; she also had to pay a fine of fifty taels of silver.
"I have no money..."
Before she could finish speaking, a constable brought over a large bundle: "Your Honor, this is the silver we found in their hiding place, exactly fifty taels."
Gan Tao Niang: "..."
"No, sir! Please spare my life! I have five children to raise!"
However, no matter how much she cried and begged, the law could not be violated, and the fifty taels were confiscated. She was then carried by the yamen runners to the main street outside the county government office.
As Gan Li walked out of the county government office with Gan Tao's arm around her shoulder, they saw Gan Tao's younger brothers surrounding their mother, crying and wailing.
Gan Tao Niang groaned in pain, but what she feared most about the future was the pain in her body!
Through her teary eyes, she saw Gan Tao, and her heart stirred. She cried out in a sorrowful voice:
"Tao'er, I'm so sorry, Tao'er. I was bewitched. I thought you were going to the capital to get rid of me and your brothers..."
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have thought of you like that. I know I was wrong, Tao'er, please forgive your mother!"
Gan Li felt a sense of foreboding and turned to look at Gan Tao. Sure enough, she saw Gan Tao looking in that direction with a conflicted expression.
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