Lu Zheng walked over, took a look, and laughed. Was his second uncle planning to make the Cheng family a target of hatred in Taoyuan County?
"Since you're here to testify, all of you should read it aloud!" Lord Cheng suddenly felt a little flustered.
"Yes, sir!" Da Hong shook the indictment in his hand, turned to the people and read, "February 11th, midnight, dilapidated temple three miles south of the city. Five hundred taels after the deed is done. Wait at the back gate of the county government office at 7 p.m. on the 12th. Signed: Cheng Rui."
"Who is Cheng Rui?" The common people were confused, but Da Zi was not confused at all and asked in agreement.
"It is said that Lord Cheng's eldest son is named Cheng Rui!" someone in the crowd said.
"Huh?" The people all looked at Lord Cheng.
Lord Cheng frowned, suddenly understanding why the teachers from Yuanshan Academy and Zhu Yuantang had looked at him that way earlier.
"Absurd!" Lord Cheng slammed his gavel a few more times. "Silence! Silence!"
The people instinctively shut up.
Zhu Yuantang spoke up: "Third brother, we have a mission! Time is of the essence, I need to make arrangements first. You wait for my message at the second branch of the Gu family in Sanchakou Village on the night of the 11th. After I kidnap the person, I will send you a signal. After the signal is sent, you rush into the second branch's house. There is a large house in the northeast corner of the house. Quietly move the things in the house to the county government office, and then burn the courtyard down. After it's done, we'll get five hundred taels!"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Lord Cheng rushed down to stop Zhu Yuantang in anger.
Lu Zheng was not about to let him succeed, so he stood in front of Zhu Yuantang.
Lord Cheng, disregarding whether Lu Zheng possessed any imperial gifts, tried to push him away but failed, and had his constables arrest him.
In this process, Zhu Yuantang finished reading the "evidence".
"Lord Cheng!" Gu Shouxin pulled Lu Zheng aside, facing Lord Cheng directly. He exuded an imposing aura.
"Mom, now please watch my dad's performance!" Gu Nian whispered in Cai Xiaolian's ear.
Cai Xiaolian twitched her lips: "This person, really, didn't even tell everyone beforehand so we could be prepared! How sudden! She thought even the Emperor's words didn't count!"
"Lord Cheng! Hahahaha! Lord Cheng, it seems that my cheating today was a ruse, and you really did lure me and A-Yuan out here! You thought I was the only man in our family, and that A-Yuan lived at the village entrance, so making a fuss would disturb him, so you just made up an excuse to arrest us and bring us to the yamen! To help your son's plan?"
"Did I kill your whole family, or did I dig up your Cheng family's ancestral graves? Why are you treating me like this! What did your son do by kidnapping my wife and daughters? What did he do at the dilapidated temple? Why did he burn down my house? Tell me! Tell me!" Gu Shouxin grabbed Lord Cheng's collar with both hands and shook him violently.
"Absurd! Outrageous! Absurd! Gu Shouxin, this is all your doing! You're being insolent! Guards, come here!" Lord Cheng was shaken until he was dizzy, but he couldn't break free.
"Let's see who dares!" Lu Zheng immediately took out his knife and stood protectively beside Gu Shouxin.
"Let's see who dares!" Gu Hui also stepped forward and walked over.
"If anyone dares to touch my father, I'll kill myself right here!" Gu Nian stepped forward, knowing that her father was putting on an act to gain the sympathy of the people, so it wasn't about cutting off their hands and feet, but about her being forced to her death!
"Dad!" Gu Xin was clever enough to immediately understand her father and sister's intentions. Without making a move, she blinked and ran over with tears in her eyes.
Gu Si followed behind, unable to squeeze out any tears, but she didn't need to fake a pitiful expression; without making any face, she looked the most innocent.
"Dad, don't do anything foolish! Don't hit him! How can we ordinary folks stand up to the officials!" Cai Xiaolian plopped down on the ground and shouted, slapping the floor.
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