Chapter 114 Blood Test for Kinship
The next morning was the day the yamen (government office) held its court hearing.
Lin Yuesha got up early and went to the kitchen to ask her mother, Chen, for some wood ash. She then smeared her face in front of the bronze mirror to make herself look as ugly as possible.
"Little girl, what are you doing?"
Mrs. Chen looked at her daughter's inexplicable actions with a puzzled expression.
Not only that, Lin Yuesha specially found a worn-out, patched jacket that she used to wear in the village, which looked a bit shabby.
"Are you going out to collect firewood?"
Chen asked.
Since the family started their business, it's been incredibly successful, but firewood is being used up too quickly. In the past, three coins' worth of firewood would last at least two or three days, but now it only lasts half a day.
Every time Chen bought firewood, he would spend over a hundred coins and pile it up in the yard, fearing that one day heavy snow would block the mountain and the woodcutters would not come to town.
Moreover, she has a habit of picking up any dry branches she sees when she goes out, saving every bit of them.
"Mother, Miss Baozhu has filed a lawsuit, and I want to go to the yamen to hear the trial."
Lin Yuesha pointed to her face, "I'm afraid that if I'm too beautiful, people will have designs on me, so I dress up to look ugly."
There was still a lot of work to be done at home, so Chen couldn't leave the house; Lin Yuesha went by herself.
Chen: "..."
She was once the most beautiful girl in the village, but she had never been so confident. Who did this little girl take after? Could it be her biological father?
Chen racked her brains trying to recall Lin Shusheng, only to find that the couple had spent very little time together, and the few memories she had had had faded over the past decade.
Lin Yuesha greeted her mother, then grabbed a handful of spiced melon seeds and went to the entrance of the yamen to reserve a spot.
She thought she had arrived early, but there were even more people listening to gossip, and she couldn't even squeeze in.
In the crowd, Lin Yuesha spotted He Xing and his mother, who had taken up a favorable position. The two had prepared tea and snacks and were in high spirits, clearly with ill intentions.
"Little girl, come over here."
Someone in the crowd patted Lin Yuesha, startling her.
Seeing the person in front of her who was covered up, Lin Yuesha was surprised for a moment, but quickly realized and said, "Is it Sister Ziyuan?"
"It's me."
Ziyuan took Lin Yuesha's hand and led her to a sheltered spot in the back courtyard. There was a small table with tea and snacks, and she could watch the whole process from there, which was much more comfortable than being stuck at the main gate.
Without asking Ziyuan how she found this wonderful location, Lin Yuesha pointed to her face and asked curiously, "Sister Ziyuan, how did you recognize me dressed like this?"
"Even though I'm trying to hide it, you still recognized me."
Ziyuan winked at Lin Yuesha, and the two exchanged knowing smiles.
The time has come, and Lord Zhang strikes the wooden clapper to begin the proceedings.
Below stood the Jiang family members: Jiang Huai, Jiang Baozhu, Xique, and Pipi. Even the sickly Xu Shi was carried to the courtroom with a door panel.
Jiang Baozhu glanced at her mother. She had already spoken to Madam Xu last night, but Madam Xu insisted on coming. She had to see with her own eyes how Xique was exposed and how Jiang Huai looked remorseful before she could feel satisfied.
"Who is standing here? What is the matter you wish to report to the authorities?"
When the court opened and the case was heard, Magistrate Zhang asked the questions, and the people below answered them one by one.
"My lord, I have heard that Magpie is a courtesan at Drunken Wind Pavilion, so as to be on the safe side, I can only ask you to be a witness."
Jiang Baozhu remained calm and repeated her demands. She insisted that the magpie was trying to extort money from the Jiang family. If Pipi was her father's son, how could he have been hidden for so many years without being discovered?
“My lord, I did work as a courtesan, but that was not my choice. I am of lowly status and dare not dream of anything. But Pipi is your flesh and blood.”
Magpie stepped forward and explained that she had her reasons and was not trying to extort money. She said that there had been a blood test at the Jiang family's house, which was witnessed by Master Jiang himself. It was Jiang Baozhu who did not see it, which is why she became suspicious and wouldn't let go of her, causing a scene in the courtroom.
"Then let's have a blood test to prove kinship in court."
The matter was simple, and Lord Zhang immediately agreed.
Blood relatives recognize each other only by blood test. Lord Zhang observed that the little boy named Pipi looked somewhat similar to Jiang Huai, so they might really be father and son.
"Someone, bring me a bowl!"
Lord Zhang ordered that yamen runners be prepared immediately.
Jiang Huai cut his thumb with a knife and quickly dripped blood into the water. When it was Pipi's turn, the little boy cried in pain, which made Jiang Huai feel very sorry for him.
This must be the power of blood ties. Even though Pipi's birth mother was unworthy, she was still his flesh and blood. The Jiang family finally had a successor, and he no longer needed to rack his brains to find a son-in-law for Baozhu.
Seeing this scene, Madam Xu felt only irony. She probably didn't have much time left, dragging her frail body, all she wanted was to find a good husband for Baozhu, so that she could rest in peace after she passed away. She couldn't count on Jiang Huai.
"Sir, does the fact that two drops of blood have mingled prove that Pipi is our master's flesh and blood?"
The magpie deliberately asked, "Wait a minute, the result will be revealed." It's not her fault; it was Jiang Baozhu who insisted on taking it to court, which further confirmed Pipi's identity.
"yes."
Lord Zhang nodded and asked the bailiffs about the results of the blood test for kinship.
After about fifteen minutes, the two drops of blood actually merged together and floated in the water.
"My lord, the two drops of blood have fused!"
After seeing this, the yamen runners showed the bowl to everyone and even called over several onlookers at the door to testify.
"It seems the child is indeed Master Jiang's flesh and blood. Now, Miss Jiang, what else could you possibly worry about?"
At the entrance, the people were discussing it animatedly.
He Xing, hiding in the crowd, led the way, saying, "Of course we're worried. Originally, all of the Jiang family's money belonged to that Miss Jiang. Now, her own brother has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and everything has been lost. Otherwise, would we have ended up in court?"
After He Xing finished speaking, he turned his back and chuckled to himself; he had never felt so good before.
Jiang Huai, Jiang Huai, you were never sincere towards him, but rather used him for a purpose. You secretly hired people to beat him up, thinking that He Xing was easy to bully. Now look what happened, he'll be a green turtle forever!
The only witness, the thrush, is now dead or alive; the magpie's son's true identity will never be known.
"Exactly! She looks so quiet, I never imagined she was so calculating. What a little brat, dreaming of inheriting the family fortune!"
He Xingniang immediately added, and the people around her echoed her sentiments.
Jiang Baozhu heard the discussion but remained silent. What she couldn't understand was that Lin Yuesha had clearly stated that the child was not her father's flesh and blood, so why did the father's and Pipi's blood mix together during the two blood tests?
Could it be that someone bribed the bailiffs in court?
Jiang Baozhu couldn't understand it, so she could only continue watching.
Lord Zhang stroked his beard, about to announce the results, when he heard a clear female voice say, "My lord, the blood test cannot prove that Pipi is Master Jiang's flesh and blood!"
At the critical moment, Lin Yuesha rushed into the courtroom, knelt down and kowtowed to Lord Zhang, and then stated her conclusion.
That's right, blood-drop kinship testing is unscientific!
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