With his back to the people, Gu Shouxin gave Lord Cheng a provocative smile—a very brief smile that no one but Lord Cheng saw.
"Everyone! Listen to what your student has to say!" Gu Shouxin turned around and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the entrance of the hall.
Strangely enough, the people suddenly quieted down.
Gu Xin and Gu Si couldn't understand the situation, but Gu Hui and Gu Nian could.
Dad (Second Uncle) is such a good actor! He's now playing the role of a student or ordinary citizen oppressed by the powerful and wealthy, which makes the common people feel his pain even more!
"Lord Cheng has just presented witnesses and physical evidence, but everyone has only seen the witnesses and not the physical evidence, so no one believes me! Not only do you not believe me, but I myself don't believe it either! I don't remember ever writing anything on that paper. How about this, please find a few literate people to look at it with me and see what is written on that paper! A clear conscience fears no accusation; I didn't write it, and I can recognize my own handwriting! I hope you can help me; I would be extremely grateful!" Gu Shouxin took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision.
Lu Zheng glanced at the physical evidence laid out beside the clerk: evidence that Gu Shouxin and Lord Cheng's personal attendant had bought the exam questions, and evidence that Gu Shouxin had written a letter to the examinee at the next table to ask for the answers.
Lu Zheng looked at Gu Shouxin's righteous and fearless appearance and suddenly realized that this was probably a trap that Gu Shouxin had set for Lord Cheng!
Previously, the Emperor had Xue Qianyu convey a message to the Prefect that Gu Shouxin was not afraid of being eliminated by Lord Cheng during the exam. However, Gu Shouxin did not play by the rules. He took the initiative and used the exam to bring down Lord Cheng. He was really clever!
Lu Zheng was once again curious about Gu Shouxin's identity. In any case, this was definitely not the Gu Shouxin who would gamble away his daughter.
“Okay! I’ll do it! I learned a few words from my husband, so I can still understand the answers when I buy test questions and copy them.” Da Hong stepped forward.
"I am the teacher of Yuanshan Academy!" A man in his fifties stepped forward.
“Count me in! I’ve known Brother Gu for quite a while. Although Brother Gu has been lost for more than ten years, based on my understanding of him, he’s the kind of person who would rather leave the exam blank than copy someone else’s work or buy the questions.” A man who was about the same age as Gu Shouxin stepped forward.
Of these people, apart from Da Hong, many people in the city know the other two. One is a teacher at the academy. Which family doesn't have a few children studying at the academy?
One is Zhu Yuantang, a scholar from Taoyuan County who has achieved the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations). He comes from a wealthy family and is currently still studying.
"Alright! Then I won't look at it. You all read it aloud. What's written on the evidence we've collected?" Lord Cheng's lips curled into a smile.
The teachers at that academy and Zhu Yuantang were all arranged by him.
When the case details were being read aloud, there was a great commotion, with people talking about the Zuijianglou restaurant and the toiletries set. He hadn't even had time to have the clerk present the physical evidence.
But that woman, if he wasn't mistaken, was the one who had been asking, "Who is she?"
The bailiff took the evidence from the clerk and handed it to Zhu Yuantang and Da Hong. The teacher from Yuanshan Academy stood next to Zhu Yuantang and watched.
Upon seeing this, the two looked up at Lord Cheng in surprise. Lord Cheng was taken aback, wondering what kind of expression that was.
The two turned to look at Gu Shouxin, who looked at them with a mixture of anxiety and forced composure.
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