Upon hearing this, the county magistrate's expression froze, and he glared at He Er sternly. "He Er, is what Wei Che said true? Tell the truth. Where did this knife come from? If you tell even a single lie, I will make sure you're punished!"
He Er secretly groaned in his heart. He didn't expect Wei Che to find a flaw in this knife. At this moment, he was like an ant on a hot pot, but he was still struggling desperately, "Sir, it really is a family heirloom. I swear to heaven!"
Wei Che raised a mocking smile and said, "He Er, if you really have a clear conscience, why don't you dare take out the knife and let everyone examine it carefully? Is there something you're hiding?"
Su Huaiyue also said, "Sir, even though our Wei family is in exile, we have always been upright in our business dealings and have always been sensible in our actions. We have never made any mistakes. I hope you can investigate and clear the name of our family."
The county magistrate's eyes flickered. He avoided Wei Che and Su Huaiyue's gaze, cleared his throat, and said, "Hmph. In court, how can we convict someone based on just a knife? He Er, although your words are suspicious, this county cannot easily believe one side of the story. For now, I will give you three big strokes of the cane as a punishment. You may withdraw now!"
When He Er heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he kowtowed to express his gratitude, "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir!" He got up, and although his butt was hurt from being hit, he still forced himself to retreat quickly, fearing that the county magistrate would change his mind.
Su Huaiyue widened her eyes, unable to believe her ears. She looked at He Er's back as he left, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
This county magistrate is clearly shielding He Er, and he's just letting this matter go like this?!
Behind him, Wei Che's voice sounded calmly, "Sir, if that's the case, isn't it a bit too rash to accuse my Wei family of a crime based on a letter that came from nowhere?"
Wei Che raised his head and stared calmly at the county magistrate, neither retreating nor giving in. Even though he was now in a lower position, his imposing manner was not inferior at all.
The look in those starry eyes was terrifyingly calm, as if a sleeping lion was hidden in the dark pupils, and the county magistrate could not help but look away.
After all, they were the Wei family, a well-known martial arts family in the capital. The county magistrate cursed inwardly, then coughed and said slowly, "This document is naturally incomparable to a knife. Let's wait for the experts to come and talk."
Su Huaiyue took a deep breath behind her, looked carefully at the county magistrate's face, and then took out a handkerchief wrapped in something from her arms.
"I also have evidence I'd like to show you, sir. I hope you'll do me the honor. My Wei family's Meiyan Pavilion is doing quite well in Youzhou, so I can't leave you for now."
The magistrate raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
He took a closer look at what was in Su Huaiyue's hand. The handkerchief tightly wrapped the item inside, and slight edges could be seen.
"Come here, present it."
The bailiff stepped forward, took the handkerchief from Su Huaiyue's hand, and respectfully presented it to the county magistrate.
When the county magistrate opened the handkerchief and saw the white silver inside, his eyes lit up instantly, his pupils dilated slightly, the muscles on his face twitched slightly, and a greedy look flashed across his face.
He calmly gathered his handkerchief, then feigned impatience and asked the yamen runner beside him, "Where's the handwriting examiner? Hasn't he arrived yet? Do we keep these people here for nothing? Why are we waiting so long?"
The bailiff wiped the nonexistent sweat from his face and was about to speak when the county magistrate waved his hand, "Forget it, this case is adjourned for now. I'm a little tired and need a rest. You wait outside the hall."
After saying that, he walked towards the back hall.
When Su Huaiyue saw the county magistrate leave, she whispered to Wei Che, "Wei Che, wait here for me for a moment. I'll be back soon."
After she finished speaking, she was about to turn around and make an excuse to leave with the yamen runner, but as soon as she turned around, she felt her hand being grabbed.
She turned around and met Wei Che's emotional eyes.
"I'll go."
Obviously, Wei Che had guessed what Su Huaiyue handed over.
Su Huaiyue shook her head calmly, lowered her voice and stepped forward, "I'm a woman, so the county magistrate will find it easier to control me. If you go, it will be easier for him to refuse."
She winked at Wei Che, patted his shoulder with her other hand, then turned and smiled at the guard, "My stomach hurts a bit, I hope big brother can help me."
After saying that, she stepped forward and handed over a tael of silver without leaving any trace.
The yamen runner coughed and pointed in a direction, "Go quickly and come back quickly."
Su Huaiyue straightened her clothes and walked quickly forward. When the people behind her could no longer see her, she turned around and walked in another direction.
When she arrived at the back hall, she saw the county magistrate sitting on a chair, waiting for her with an impatient look on his face.
Su Huaiyue hurried forward, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Sir, I have something important to discuss with you."
As she spoke, she pulled out a small, exquisite brocade box from her bosom and handed it to the county magistrate with both hands. "Sir, this is a small gift from me. I hope you will accept it."
The county magistrate glanced at the brocade box and didn't immediately reach out to take it. Instead, he said in a serious tone, "Su Huaiyue, what do you mean? How can you bribe someone in this court?"
Su Huaiyue raised her head slightly, her eyes full of earnestness. "Sir, you have misunderstood. I was really desperate and had to resort to this desperate measure. My Wei family has been loyal for generations, but now we are being slandered as rebels. It is really unfair. The things in this brocade box are just a small token of my gratitude. I hope that you can consider the Wei family more, investigate this case carefully, and restore our family's innocence."
The county magistrate's gaze lingered on the brocade box for a moment, then he looked at Su Huaiyue again. Seeing that she looked sincere and didn't seem to be lying, the greed in his heart gradually took over.
He raised his hand slightly, took the brocade box, opened it and saw a large, round pearl inside. It emitted a soft luster under the light and was obviously worth a lot of money.
The county magistrate's eyes lit up instantly, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face, but he still said, "Su Huaiyue, this will not happen again. This county will definitely make a fair judgment."
Su Huaiyue breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Thank you, sir. I'm deeply grateful. But there's one more thing I want to tell you. A few days ago, I saw a man talking furtively with He Er near Meiyan Pavilion. That man gave He Er a package that was very similar in shape and size to this brocade box. How could He Er, a common soldier, have so much money to buy the black iron knife? Perhaps that man gave it to him."
The county magistrate frowned slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, he said, "I have taken note of what Miss Su said. You may leave first. I will make my own decision on this matter."
Su Huaiyue bowed again before turning around and leaving the back hall.
After returning to the court, she greeted the bailiff with a smile and stood next to Wei Che.
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