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Taizhou government office.
Shen Yu was escorted into the courtroom by two bailiffs and made to kneel on the ground.
Bang!
The magistrate slammed his gavel and demanded in a stern voice, "Who is kneeling before me? Why did you kill Steward Yu?"
Shen Yu looked up and saw that the county magistrate was not only as thin as a monkey, but also had a contemptuous look on his face. He was obviously a sycophant.
Just now, she was led into the yamen (government office) with her face covered. When she turned around, the yamen gate was tightly closed. Even if she died in the yamen, no one would know.
Bang!
Seeing that Chen Yu did not respond immediately, the magistrate slammed his gavel again and angrily ordered: "Disrespecting this official, twenty strokes of the cane!"
Shen Yu immediately spoke up: "My lord, I am Mu Shen Yu from the capital. I fell off a cliff and was rescued by Steward Yu, who brought me to the Yu residence."
Unexpectedly, Steward Yu attempted to commit an indecent act. When Chen Yu resisted, he pulled out a knife and stabbed her. Chen Yu had no choice but to fight back, accidentally striking Steward Yu in the temple, causing him to collapse to the ground.
[Nonsense! You, a weak woman, could possibly kill Steward Yu? I think you stabbed him to death.]
Helpless, Shen Yu saw the county magistrate's disdainful expression as he fiddled with his thumb ring, neglecting his duties. She had no choice but to explain politely:
"My lord, Steward Yu did not die from a knife wound. It was Chen Yu who accidentally struck Steward Yu in the temple."
The adults can have the coroner examine the dagger; it will definitely bear the fingerprint of Steward Yu. Furthermore, the nannies of the Yu household personally bathed and dressed Chen Yu; they can confirm that Chen Yu had no dagger.
After Chen Yu finished speaking, the courtroom fell silent, and the county magistrate picked up the thumb ring and examined it carefully.
This was given to him by Madam Yu, specifically so that he would kill Chen Yu.
At this moment, the coroner entered, presented the evidence to the county magistrate, and reported...
"Sir, this is a wooden splinter removed from Butler Yu's temple. The perpetrator must have known acupoints well, which is why he stabbed Butler Yu in the temple with one blow, killing him instantly."
Shen Yu panicked, never expecting that there would be a coroner skilled in deduction in this absurd and ridiculous government office.
The coroner's deduction was correct.
When Butler Yu left the bedroom, she took the opportunity to break free of her ropes and stuck two wooden splinters into the round table.
When Butler Yu lunged at her, she pressed his Zhangmen and Xiaohai acupoints, rendering him unable to move.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out of the bedroom, Butler Yu chased after her with a dagger in his hand. In a moment of desperation, she plunged a wooden splinter into Butler Yu's temple.
She escaped from the Yu family, but was brought back by the officials.
Now, with physical evidence proving she committed murder, she must defend herself to save her life. She looked at the coroner and asked, "How can a mere splinter prove I killed someone? What about the dagger? Whose fingerprint is on it?"
The coroner tried to speak, but the county magistrate nudged him with his token and ordered him to leave.
Shen Yu realized that something was seriously wrong: the court was impoverished and the people were suffering. The emperor had been implementing the asset accounting policy of Hong Yu for three years. Although the tax revenue from officials and merchants had increased, it still could not solve the national treasury deficit.
Officials, unwilling to pay taxes, resorted to crooked means, accepting bribes, protecting each other, and exploiting the people.
This county magistrate clearly accepted bribes from the Yu family and was only looking for evidence of the murder of Chen Yu.
*Snap!* The county magistrate suddenly threw out a token and ordered in a stern voice: "This man, the anonymous one, killed Steward Yu, used a hidden weapon to injure him, and his methods were vicious. Give him thirty strokes of the cane—no, fifty—and throw him into jail to await further punishment."
Chen Yu stood up in fear, only to be pressed to the ground by four constables.
[You corrupt official! I am Mu Chenyu, General Mu's younger sister. If you know what's good for you and release me, I will give you ten thousand taels of gold, and I will not pursue this matter further. Let me go.]
[Ha! General Mu's sister? What are you doing in this godforsaken place? Besides, even if the general came looking for you, there's no one named Mu Chenyu in my office. You're just a nobody with no background. Beat her! Beat her hard!]
After speaking, the magistrate examined the thumb ring. Although he suspected that the female prisoner was Mu Chenyu, he had been cooperating with Madam Yu for three years and had made a lot of money off her. If he offended Madam Yu for ten thousand taels of gold, his crimes of embezzlement and corruption would be exposed, and his life would be in danger.
Just then, a faint voice came from the doorway: "Stop! I've heard that Mu Chenyu's medical skills are superb. If you can diagnose my illness and prescribe the right medicine, I can guarantee your survival."
Upon seeing that it was Prefect Yu's son, the county magistrate quickly rose to greet him and whispered words of advice:
【Young Master Yu, please go back quickly. Even if this female prisoner could cure your illness, I dare not release her.】
Yu Jingtao nodded and replied softly, "The county magistrate is shrewd and wise, how could he be so confused now? You can kill her after she has examined me and written a prescription."
If she can truly cure my illness, my parents will be extremely grateful for your help.
[Very well, take the female prisoner to the main hall.]
Shen Yu took the medicine box handed to her by the yamen runner and walked into the hall. She saw Yu Jingtao leaning against the armchair, breathing heavily with his eyes closed.
She looked exactly like the deceased Zhang Xiansheng. She walked to Yu Jingtao's side and sat on the round stool that had been set up.
squeak!
The servants closed the door.
Shen Yu quickly turned her head to look, and when she turned back, Yu Jingtao was staring at her.
[I've long admired the name of Miss Chen Yu, but it's a pity that our meeting is like this. Jing Tao is ashamed.]
Chen Yu remained silent, placed the cotton pad on the table, and took Yu Jingtao's pulse.
The pulse is weak, the heart is depressed and the qi is stagnant, and the complexion is listless...
Chen Yu sighed, "Alas! A heart ailment requires a heart remedy. Even with expensive medicine, if Young Master Yu still cannot understand, he will not recover."
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