Chapter 89 Fool
In the courtroom, Xu Qingwen's gaze was fixed on the openwork bamboo-patterned jade pendant.
He opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.
The Xu family members below were in an uproar. The old man with gray hair, who had been standing there earlier, slammed his cane on the ground several times in anguish.
"Goro! How...how could you do such a thing? Xu Li is your cousin!"
"quiet!"
After the first few rounds, Liu Jingchang no longer needs to strike the gavel; the hall will instantly fall silent upon hearing his deep shout.
"Xu Qingwen, now that things have come to this, why don't you tell the truth? Why did you try to murder Xu Li?"
Xu Qingwen seemed to have all his strength drained away; his shoulders slumped, and he collapsed to the ground.
“My father is Xu Fengyan’s half-brother. Over the years, he hasn’t even received a decent piece of land from the Xu family!”
On what grounds?
He roared, his voice sharp and piercing.
Why is it that Xu Lisheng was born into a life of luxury, surrounded by servants, and able to casually bestow gold leaves upon his servants?
And what about me? We both share the same surname, Xu, but I can't even get a new cotton-padded robe until the New Year!
A few days ago I went to Yuhuchun Restaurant, and the manager wouldn't even let me into a private room!
"Later I heard that Lady Wang stopped Lord Liu from taking his servants to the county government office for questioning." He took a breath, a smug look appearing on his face.
"I thought the authorities would definitely find her suspicious!"
Xu Ren is already dead. If Xu Li gets into trouble again, she will be the only woman left in the Xu family. If I instigate the clansmen to make a scene, the government will definitely believe that she wants to seize the family property!
"My father is Xu Fengyan's only younger brother, so wouldn't the family fortune naturally belong to us?"
Liu Jingchang: "Did you come up with this yourself, or was someone instructing you?"
"Ordered? Hahahaha," Xu Qingwen laughed suddenly, as if he had heard a funny joke.
But his laughter stopped abruptly after a few moments, and he said menacingly, "No one instructed me to do this!"
My father was a man who only knew how to endure his whole life; he didn't even dare to say a harsh word to Xu Fengyan!
I'm not reconciled!
I also want to be like Xu Li, able to host a banquet at Yuhuchun Restaurant, inviting people to drink and eat meat, so that others would bow and scrape before me!
"So you instigated the clansmen to cause trouble?" Liu Jingchang pressed, his gaze sweeping over the Xu clan members who had previously caused the most trouble.
Xu Qingwen gritted his teeth and decided to go all in: "Yes!"
I told them that the Wang family was going to swallow up the Xu family's assets, and if Xu Li died in prison, we clansmen wouldn't even get a sip of soup!
The Xu family has influence in Yangzhou. If we cause trouble at the county government office, the officials will definitely be afraid of the negative impact and will investigate the Wang family!
When the family fortune is divided, everyone will benefit!
"Smack!"
The gavel fell heavily.
Liu Jingchang's expression was solemn, and his voice contained a hint of anger, "Xu Qingwen!"
You bribed a jailer to poison your cousin in order to seize his property; this is considered 'heinous'.
Falsely accusing Aunt Wang of premeditatedly killing her son is an attempt to frame her; this is a case of 'discord'!
Both of these are heinous crimes, punishable by hanging according to the laws of the Great Liang Dynasty!
Xu Qingwen's pupils dilated sharply, as if he couldn't believe his ears.
He crawled forward on all fours, but was held down by the constables. He looked at Liu Jingchang with bloodshot eyes and shouted frantically, "No!"
My lord, have mercy! I was wrong! I'll never do it again!
Please, for the sake of my elderly parents, spare my life!
Liu Jingchang ignored his cries and continued, "Your parents, wife and children will be exiled three thousand miles away according to the law, and you will lose all inheritance rights to the Xu family's property, which will be confiscated!"
He will be detained starting today, pending review by the Ministry of Justice before further processing.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Xu family members below who were already trembling.
“Those clansmen who participated in the disturbance today shall be punished with fifty strokes of the cane!”
Those aged seventy to eighty can redeem copper coins to offset their punishment!
"My lord! Spare me! I don't want to die!" Xu Qingwen was still struggling as the constables dragged him away, his cries fading into the distance.
The Xu family members below also lost their previous arrogance.
They cried out in shrill voices, "Your Honor, spare my life!" "This humble subject knows his mistake!", but were forcibly dragged away by the yamen runners to be executed.
The crowd of onlookers surged over, and the once bustling courtroom instantly became deserted.
Xiao Yunzhan watched this scene, picked up his teacup and took a sip, but couldn't taste any tea flavor.
Xu Qingwen's stupidity annoyed him, but the lack of any response from the Wang family only made him feel more uneasy.
This woman was like a snake lurking in the shadows, silently watching her prey struggle, never knowing when she would reveal her fangs.
Xie Ji leaned against the pillar, tugged at his collar, and curled his lip in disgust: "As long as you're alive, you can see anything."
For a little bit of family property, he'd even harm his own cousin and incite his clan to cause trouble. He must have lost his mind.
Xiao Yunzhan: "Lord Liu, the Xu clan was making quite a fuss just now. Have the people you sent to keep an eye on Wang Shi and Xu Chu sent back any news?"
Liu Jingchang paused slightly in his teacup. "Not for now."
The people keeping watch are all veterans; if there's anything unusual, they'll report it immediately.
Pei Zhiwei sighed inwardly. Xu Qingwen had caused such a commotion, there was no way she hadn't heard the news, yet she hadn't made a single move. She was truly composed.
Xie Ji took a sip of tea and smacked his lips: "In my opinion, Wang must have known that Xu Qingwen was incompetent and was just waiting for him to bring it upon himself."
After all, with Xu Qingwen dead, Xu Li is the only male heir left in the Xu family. If she can find a way to ruin Xu Li, wouldn't the Xu family's fortune still be hers?
Xiao Yunzhan didn't reply, but simply traced his fingertips back and forth along the edge of the teacup.
Meanwhile, in the main courtyard of the Xu residence, Madam Wang was reclining on a chaise longue, her eyes closed, slowly turning a string of white jade beads in her hand.
The wind outside the courtyard carried a chill, causing the window screens to sway gently.
A head maid dressed in a light green maid's uniform hurried in, but her footsteps were very light. She leaned close to Wang's ear and whispered a few words.
Wang slowly opened her eyes, her gaze completely calm, but a faint, cold smile curled at the corner of her lips: "A bunch of idiots."
"With such meager abilities, you still dare to dream of taking a share of the Xu family's fortune?"
She paused for a moment, her hand holding the beads still calm, "Don't pay any attention to them. Just keep a close eye on the manor and do your own job."
"Yes, Madam," several maids waiting nearby replied in unison, bowed, and withdrew.
Wang closed her eyes again, and the white jade beads began to spin again.
***
Just after noon the next day, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the gate of Yaoguang Garden.
Several fast horses stopped at the gate, and the riders dismounted and followed Lin Fu inside, covered in dust.
These were the witnesses Wu Xing had previously written down. One of them was holding a black lacquered wooden plaque, which was the memorial tablet of Wu Xing's mother.
Xiao Yunzhan and Pei Zhiwei met them in the main hall. The group took turns speaking to them, and what they said was exactly the same as Wu Xing's confession from the previous day.
Cui Yanwu was also in the hall. After reading the confession and the note he took from Wu Xing's mother's memorial tablet, he looked at Xiao Yunzhan and asked, "So, Wu Xing's suspicion can be cleared?"
Xiao Yunzhan nodded: "There are witnesses and physical evidence. He was indeed instigated by Wang Heng and had no malicious intent."
Cui Yanwu breathed a sigh of relief and stood up: "Then I need to see Wu Xing."
Lin Fu quickly invited Wu Xing over from the guest room.
Wu Xing was dressed in clean casual clothes, and his hair was neatly combed.
Upon entering the hall, he saw Cui Yanwu standing in the middle. He paused for a moment, then quickly stepped forward, gave a crisp and neat military salute, and said in a loud voice: "Your subordinate Wu Xing greets the commander-in-chief!"
Previously, I followed the advice of a petty person, which implicated you, Commander-in-Chief. I beg you to punish me!
Cui Yanwu looked at him, his face expressionless, but his tone carried a hint of disappointment: "Wu Xing, I personally recruited you into the army back then."
I've watched you rise from someone who couldn't even draw a bow to a captain in the army, and I thought you were at least mentally sound.
How could Wang Heng have fooled them so easily with just a few words that they couldn't even tell which way was which?
Wu Xing's eyes instantly reddened. He lowered his head, his voice filled with guilt: "It was my fault for being confused and failing to understand the situation, causing trouble for the commander-in-chief."
"Please grant me death, Commander-in-Chief! I will have no complaints whatsoever!"
"To be sentenced to death?" Cui Yanwu sneered, reaching out to pat his shoulder with considerable force.
"You wish! Dying like this would be too easy for you."
He changed the subject abruptly and said in a deep voice, "Captain Wu Xing, listen to my command!"
Wu Xing suddenly knelt up straight, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your subordinate is here!"
"You are to be punished by washing all the socks of the entire scout battalion in your spare time for three years, without fail!" Cui Yanwu's voice was firm and resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
Wu Xing was stunned. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief, followed by a surge of deep gratitude: "Thank you, Commander! I...I am convinced!"
Xie Ji, listening next to Xiao Yunzhan, twitched at the corner of his mouth and muttered under his breath, "It's over, it's over, Wu Xing is completely tainted."
You haven't seen the socks of those stinky men in the military camp; they can stink for miles around even against the wind.
For the past three years, he's probably been thoroughly pickled by those mountains of stinky socks.
Xiao Yunzhan couldn't help but smile.
Cui Yanwu's punishment, though seemingly lenient, actually left a deeper impression on Wu Xing than a beating. It saved his life while also teaching him a lesson.
Cui Yanwu ignored Xie Ji's complaints and said to Wu Xing, "Don't rush back to the military camp. Wang Heng might need you to confront him."
"Go back and serve your punishment after this case is completely closed."
"Yes, I understand!" Wu Xing bowed and stepped aside.
Pei Zhiwei then spoke, her tone somewhat grave: "Although there is evidence to prove that Wu Xing was instigated by Wang Heng, we do not yet have concrete evidence regarding the Wang family and Wang Heng's other schemes."
If Wang Heng pins all the blame on the deceased, creating a situation where there's no way to verify the truth, there's nothing we can do.
The moment these words were spoken, the main hall fell silent.
After several exchanges, they all realized that Wang's thoughts were too deep, and Wang Heng was too stubborn.
If no concrete evidence can be found, the investigation will likely only go as far as Xu Ren, and Wang will still be able to escape justice.
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