Even the prefect couldn't bear to let Master Wang speak, and instructed him, "Listen first, and I'll ask you all the questions."
Having said that, he slammed his gavel and asked, "Wang E, do you know that your father killed two people more than ten years ago?"
Wang E shuddered in shock and instinctively retorted, "Impossible, sir, my father is a good man!"
“What do you mean it’s impossible!” The two families, dressed in mourning clothes, immediately protested.
An old man shouted, "Back then, my son Er Gouzi suddenly brought home a lot of silver. The family was scared, and he wouldn't say anything when we asked him. Later, it was our neighbor Shuan Zhuzi who came over. The two of them drank too much together, and that's when we overheard a few words."
"They said that the Wang family was a sucker, having gone to great lengths to find a son-in-law to marry into the family. They claimed that the Wang family had only pushed the man down the mountain on purpose, thinking that he had been murdered. They didn't expect that the man had only broken his head, and that they would still get money! They also said that Broken Gold Beach was a really good place to make money, and that it made them a fortune."
Another old lady was also wiping away tears, "Yes, I heard it too. Later, they came back with money again, saying that the Wang family was wealthy and powerful, and they were willing to give as much money as they could to find a good son-in-law to support the family. But not long after, my Er Gouzi and Shuan Zhuzi disappeared without a trace."
“We thought those two guys had made a fortune and went off to gamble and have fun, but it’s definitely not right that so many teenagers have left.”
A middle-aged woman also cried and said, "Yesterday I went to visit my parents and overheard some gossip at that teahouse. They said that the son-in-law of the Wang family in the alley had also injured his head years ago and married into the Wang family, but his family wouldn't treat him, fearing he would remember the past. I immediately remembered what Er Gouzi said. It must have been that they helped the Wang family kidnap people, and the Wang family killed them to keep quiet!"
After saying that, she burst into tears, "Ergou, you died so unjustly! You've been gone for more than ten years, and I've suffered so much raising the child and supporting my parents. My life has been so miserable!"
The others also started crying!
Wang E's face was as white as paper, her body trembling uncontrollably. She vehemently protested, "Impossible! You're lying! You're trying to slander my father based on just a few idle words!"
Master Wang stared at Wang E, his expression filled with rage. "I injured my head at Broken Gold Beach back then, and was carried back to the Wang family by the old master and Uncle Zhong. Wang E, tell me the truth, how exactly did I get injured? Was it really an accidental fall off the cliff?"
“Yes, Uncle Zhong, it’s Uncle Zhong!” an old man shouted. “Er Gouzi mentioned this name! I was afraid that the money would run out, so Er Gouzi said that it didn’t matter. He was going to Sihaiju to get more money from Master Wang, but he came back empty-handed. Then he said he was going to find Uncle Zhong, since Uncle Zhong was his helper and he wouldn’t dare not give it to me.”
When Uncle Zhong's name was called out, Wang E was filled with despair and collapsed to the ground.
Where did things go wrong? Why are things that have been hidden for so many years being brought up again?!
And Uncle Zhong, if I had known this day would come, I should have dealt with him too!
Wang E, suppressing her guilt, shouted loudly, "Slander! This is all a slander! I want to find my uncle, Wang Bowei! You can't bully an orphan like me!"
The crowd outside the hall was in an uproar!
"No wonder the Wang family wouldn't treat Master Wang's illness; it turns out he was kidnapped!"
"Yes, yes, they should have beaten Master Wang senseless before taking him back to the Wang family."
"This is outrageous! They just knock out whoever they want and take it back!"
"The Wang family is afraid that once Master Wang recovers from his illness, he'll remember his past revenge!"
"Yes, if it weren't for the incident at Sihaiju, and if it weren't for Doctor Sun's big mouth that exposed the Wang family's dirty deeds, Master Wang would have died and wouldn't have known he was so badly wronged even as a ghost."
"This Wang family is a den of wolves! The father is so cruel, and the daughter is no better!"
In the hall, the prefect frowned even more deeply.
Although these people who filed the lawsuit had a lot to say and were not afraid to expose that they had spent money that was obtained through dishonest means, he still felt that the reasons for filing the lawsuit were somewhat far-fetched.
The family hadn't cared about their missing son for over ten years, but after hearing a few words from him at a teahouse, they came running to complain dressed in mourning clothes.
Or are they still convinced that their son was murdered?
But now that the case has been confirmed as a premeditated murder, it cannot be left unattended.
Moreover, with everyone watching, the only daughter of the Wang family invoked the backing of her clan. If the investigation isn't continued, it would seem as if he's afraid of the Wang family...
In a restaurant opposite the government office, the private rooms on the second floor were being snapped up by people who had come to see what was going on.
But the best one of them was reserved long ago.
Liu Zhiheng sat by the window, cracking melon seeds with great interest. He turned to look at Madam Cui, who was wearing a veil, and said with a smile, "Jinrou, I thought the three Li brothers were all quite good when I first met them, but today I admire the eldest brother of the Li family even more. He's a ruthless character! After this matter is settled, I must do business with him. A person like that can't go wrong anywhere!"
Madam Cui nodded. "Senior Brother Wen said the same thing."
After saying that, she was still a little worried and asked, "Senior Brother Wen can't come because of something. Will there be any problems outside the city? And what about Broken Gold Beach? Have you explained everything to Yusheng?"
"Don't worry, Yusheng sent a message last night, and Yeshan personally took care of the family outside the city." Liu Zhiheng waved his hand, indicating that she shouldn't worry.
Finally, he added, "In my opinion, that old man deserves to die a hundred times over. Junior Brother Wen actually sent his good-for-nothing children and grandchildren to work as tenant farmers in the southern village. Humph, they got off too easy. They should have gone to jail with their father!"
Madam Cui smiled and said, "That person is the most crucial witness. We must appease them first. Once things have calmed down, there will be other explanations. If they honestly farm, it will be a way for them to make a living. If they are not honest, there are many salt fields and mines in the south that can make them work hard."
Liu Zhiheng was about to speak when a commotion suddenly broke out on the street below.
A group of officials escorted an old man dressed in coarse cloth clothes over. The old man was thin and pale, as if he had not seen the sun for a long time.
Once in court, the old man knelt on the ground. Before the prefect could even ask a question, Master Wang pounced on him, grabbing the old man's arm tightly. "Uncle Zhong, Uncle Zhong! I've treated you well all these years. I even paid off your son's gambling debts. How could you lie to me for so many years!"
"Tell me, what exactly happened back then? Who am I? How did I get a head injury? The old man said I fell off a cliff and he saved my life, so he wanted me to marry into the Wang family and repay their life-saving grace!"
“I have repaid them! I endured others’ ridicule for being a live-in son-in-law, working like a slave, and painstakingly managing the business. I earned so much money for the Wang family, and I treated Wang E so well! Was it all just a lie?”
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it!"
Perhaps out of anger, Master Wang vomited blood while crying loudly.
He had rushed over from his hospital bed, wearing only an ivory-colored undergarment. Now, the blood on his chest stung everyone's eyes, and they couldn't help but shed tears!
There is truly nothing more tragic than this in the world!
It's past midnight~~
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