"Is this the petition for the Awakening of Insects?" Cheng Wenzhang asked after taking a few glances at it.
Prefect Cheng nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, this is his petition, and it's signed."
Jingzhe stood up angrily, "I didn't sign it! That's not mine at all!"
"Silence." Cheng Wenzhang frowned, and Jingzhe's face turned red, but she still didn't say anything and obediently knelt down.
“Since Lord Cheng insists that this is Jingzhe’s signature, and Jingzhe denies it,” Lu Huai stroked his chin, “why don’t we have Jingzhe put his fingerprint on it now and compare the two?”
Prefect Cheng froze. This wouldn't do! He had only given a signal to his subordinates to make a random mark and say it was from the Awakening of Insects. If it were a real comparison, wouldn't the lie be exposed immediately?
Before he could refuse, Cheng Wenzhang nodded in agreement, "Very good. Someone, bring the inkpad!"
The advisor brought ink and paper, placed them in front of Jingzhe, and gestured for him to press his handprint.
Jingzhe cooperated by dipping his finger in ink and pressing it onto the paper. His fingerprints were clearly visible, making them easy to identify.
The clerk took his fingerprints and handed them over to Cheng Wenzhang. Cheng Wenzhang placed the fingerprints on the two pieces of paper together and compared them carefully.
"Bang—!" Another gavel sounded, and Lu Huai and Cai Fengyin were both startled.
"You audacious Cheng Yaoyin! How dare you forge a document and deceive this official!" Cheng Wenzhang glared angrily, showing no mercy despite their blood relation. "The document you sent to me has a wide fingerprint with deep lines. But this one with the Jingzhe seal is a whole size smaller, and the lines are closer together. Do you know your crime?!"
Prefect Cheng fell off his chair, his face ashen. It was all over. Everything was over.
His beard trembled, and he hesitated, unsure of what to say.
Glancing out of the corner of his eye at Cai Fengyin, who was sitting to the side watching the show, Prefect Cheng seemed to remember something and suddenly kowtowed to Cheng Wenzhang, "Your Excellency, spare me! Your Excellency, spare me! None of this was my intention; it was all Cai Fengyin and Young Master Cai who forced me! Please, Your Excellency, investigate thoroughly!"
Since he's already guilty anyway, he might as well go all out and take this little rascal along with him; maybe that will reduce his punishment.
Lu Huai raised an eyebrow and looked over, only to see Cai Fengyin with an expression of choking on something disgusting, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Hey! Cheng Yaoyin! You're supposed to be an official of the imperial court, how dare you frame people like this? I'm just a commoner, why should I threaten or coerce you? This is utter slander!"
Cai Fengyin put his hands on his hips, striking a pose like a shrew yelling in the street, "Let me tell you, this young master isn't so easy to bully. Don't think you can spew accusations just because you're wearing an official hat! I haven't even told anyone about you stealing the tea leaves from the yamen yet!"
“You…you…” Prefect Cheng pointed at him, his pale lips trembling, but he couldn’t utter a complete sentence.
Cai Fengyin retorted without backing down, "You, you, you, what do you mean by 'you'! You old man, you're so bad at learning bad things, who knows how many wrongful convictions you've made!"
"Alright, shut up, all of you." Cheng Wenzhang frowned. "Take Cheng Yaoyin away and await further instructions."
"yes."
He waved his hand, "This case is not yet closed, but Jingzhe is not the murderer and can be released without charge."
Jingzhe's face lit up with joy, and she couldn't stop kowtowing, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"
“No need.” Cheng Wenzhang raised his hand, signaling him to stop. “Did you personally witness Cai Fengyin committing a knife attack?”
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