Chapter 125 Whose young lady is this? Why does she bring so many servants with her?
Seeing that the two sides were arguing endlessly, Pang Zheng slammed his gavel, "Silence!"
"Qingdai, you are just a maid. Even if you harbor resentment, where did you get the enormous sum of money needed to hire top assassins from the martial arts world? Could it be that you, a mere maid, are richer than a country?"
"Regarding the previous dispute between Li Mo and Lin Wan'er, it was a private matter between the two families, and I will not comment on it. You two should resolve it yourselves."
"At this point in the trial, the guilty maid Qingdai has confessed to murdering Li Mo. The evidence is conclusive. According to the Great Chu Law, the criminal is guilty of murder and is sentenced to beheading, to be executed in the autumn!"
Upon hearing the words "execution," Qingdai felt as if her last breath had been sucked away, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Lord Pang, this is not fair!" Mother Li cried out excitedly. "The mastermind is clearly Lin Wan'er. She is a vicious snake. She killed my son and is still at large. My son died unjustly!"
She couldn't accept this outcome. The real culprit was right in front of her, yet they were pushing a maid out to take the blame. What kind of logic was this?
Madam Lin seized the opportunity to argue: "Madam Li, please watch your words! If your son hadn't behaved improperly and attempted to force himself on her, how could a maid have been forced to kill someone while protecting her master? Wan'er is the biggest victim, suffering such a shock and damage to her reputation for no reason, yet you still keep harassing her and slandering my daughter!"
Seeing the situation descend into chaos once more, Prefect Pang Zheng knew that allowing the two families to continue their entanglement would make it difficult to achieve any breakthrough, so he spoke up again.
"Madam Li, I understand your grief over the loss of your son. However, the law requires evidence. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence to prove that Lin Wan'er ordered the murder. As for the incident at Zuixianlou, both sides have their own version of events, and there is no concrete evidence. Based on the maid Qingdai's confession that she killed to protect her mistress, according to the law, Lin Wan'er's actions can be considered as self-defense in an emergency, and she will not be held criminally liable."
His gaze swept over both sides, and his tone left no room for argument: "This case is now closed. Court adjourned!"
Although Li's mother was unwilling, she knew that there was little room for maneuver in the courtroom. She could only glare at Lin Wan'er with tears in her eyes and vow in her heart that she would never give up!
Lin's mother secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly led Lin Wan'er away from this troublesome place.
...
News from the courtroom spread like wildfire throughout the capital within half a day, becoming a popular topic of conversation.
In teahouses and restaurants, storytellers had already turned the "murder of the talented woman's fiancé" into a new tale, recounting it with great enthusiasm. People in the streets and alleys also gathered in small groups to discuss it, with varying opinions.
"Have you heard? The young master of Minister Li's family was indeed murdered by that maid from Grand Tutor Lin's household!"
"Tsk tsk, you can never judge a book by its cover. Miss Lin looks like a fairy, but I never expected her maid to be so ruthless!"
"I doubt it was just one person's idea. Didn't you hear Madam Li's weeping? It might have been that person..."
"Shh, watch your mouth! But speaking of which, this Miss Lin is really... sigh, she caused a death before even getting married, her reputation is completely ruined."
"That's right! I heard that the Li family has officially called off the engagement and even took the betrothal gifts back with them."
"If you ask me, she's a jinx. Anyone who gets involved with her is doomed. Wasn't Young Master Li killed by her?"
The locals were buzzing with discussion.
Although Lin Wan'er was legally exonerated, public opinion did not let her off easily. Labels such as "jinx," "husband-killer," and "unpredictable" were firmly attached to her, with the Li family's subtle but persistent encouragement.
Lin Wan'er's reputation was severely affected. The once high-ranking and beautiful woman, the most talented woman in the capital, is now shrouded in an ambiguous shadow in the eyes of the public.
At the Lin residence, Old Master Lin was furious that Lin Wan'er had implicated the family in court and caused a great uproar in the city. He immediately ordered Lin Wan'er to be locked in the ancestral hall and punished by copying "Admonitions for Women" a hundred times to reflect on her mistakes.
Lin's mother felt sorry for her daughter, but she was powerless in the face of her furious grandfather and the overwhelming public opinion, and could only shed tears in secret.
Heartbroken, Li's mother used all her power to continue to ruin Lin Wan'er's reputation, wishing she could have no place to stand in the capital.
Unlike the sorrowful mood of the Lin and Li families, the Yongning Marquis's residence was relaxed.
Xiao Jingxuan cleared his name, and his long-suppressed playboy nature finally erupted. The next day, he left the mansion with his servants, first going to Zuixianlou for a good meal and wine, then gambling a couple of rounds at the gambling den, and in the evening he even dragged his friends to see a play, completely reverting to his former behavior as the "number one playboy in the capital".
On this sunny day, Su Xiaoyu finally had some free time and was dragged out shopping by the revitalized Shen Yuejiao.
Shen Yuejiao's spending was almost retaliatory; she bought everything from silk shops to jewelry stores with great enthusiasm.
When the two got tired of walking, they went into a famous teahouse, rested in a private seat by the window, watched a play, and chatted about gossip.
At the same time, the three members of the Shen family, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, also happened to arrive at the teahouse.
They are here today to keep an appointment. The wife of Minister Du has invited them to marry their eldest daughter, Du Tingting, to Shen Moyan, the top scholar in the imperial examination. For the Shen family, this is like a pie falling from the sky!
Before coming, Madam Shen had inquired and found out that Minister Du was a high-ranking official of the first rank in the court, holding a powerful position. If the Shen family could arrange a marriage with him, her son would become the minister's son-in-law, and in addition, the Third Prince already had his eye on them...
Just thinking about it made Shen's mother feel that the Shen family's rise to prominence was just around the corner.
Today's meeting is of utmost importance, and the three women—mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and mother-in-law—have all dressed up carefully, striving to leave a good impression on their future in-laws.
As the three passed the teahouse, Sister-in-law Shen, with her sharp eyes, spotted Su Xiaoyu in a private seat by the window. She thought she looked familiar and whispered to her sister-in-law and mother-in-law:
"Look at that maid by the window, isn't she the maidservant of the second young lady of the Yongning Marquis's mansion?"
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked closely and confirmed, "That's right, it's her. Her name is Su Xiaoyu. She's the one who embarrassed us on the street last time."
"You damned wretch, how could I run into you here!" Mother Shen said indignantly.
Just then, everyone's attention was quickly drawn to Shen Yuejiao, who was dressed in jewels and fine clothes, sitting opposite Su Xiaoyu.
She was all smiles, wearing a jade bracelet of excellent quality on her wrist and a red hairpin in her hair, which was clearly very valuable.
What astonished them even more was that the dozen or so servants waiting outside the teahouse were all carrying large and small brocade boxes and bundles. Through the open lids of these boxes, one could vaguely see shimmering silk and exquisite jewelry boxes, clearly all of which had just been purchased.
Its extravagance is astounding.
"My goodness, whose young lady is this? She's out with so many servants and buying so many nice things!" Sister-in-law Shen couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
Mother Shen gave her a wink, and Sister-in-law Shen understood, immediately going out quietly to inquire.
Soon, Sister-in-law Shen returned, her face full of excitement and disbelief.
“Mother, sister-in-law, we’ve found out. Those things were all bought by that girl across the street. I heard her name is Shen Yuejiao. She’s from Qingshui County. Her father is a scholar who passed the imperial examinations, but her family mainly runs a business on several streets. They are a well-known wealthy family in the area and are very well-off.”
"Chen Yuejiao? Also surnamed Chen?" Upon hearing this, Mother Chen's eyes darted around.
At the same time, a thought gradually took root in her heart!
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