Li Xingye nodded and said, "Mr. Zhao is right. How do you explain the above three points, Liu Qiaoniang?"
Liu Qiaoniang hurriedly said, "I and I have a witness, who is just outside the hall."
Li Xingye said, "Call the witnesses."
An old woman came in from outside, knelt tremblingly beside Liu Qiaoniang and kowtowed: "I, Mrs. Wang, pay my respects to Master Li."
"Mrs. Wang, please stand up and answer." Li Xingye said.
Mrs. Wang stood up tremblingly. Li Xingye asked, "What is your relationship with Liu Qiaoniang?"
Mrs. Wang said, "Your Excellency, we are neighbors."
"Do you know what happened between Zhao Lin and Liu Qiaoniang?"
Mrs. Wang glanced at Zhao Lin and said, "I know."
Li Xingye said, "Tell the truth."
Mrs. Wang said, "They met over a year ago, back in the winter. Mr. Zhao Lin...Mr. Zhao fainted in front of Qiao Niang's door. Qiao Niang saved him, and they've been seeing each other frequently since then. Oh, and Qiao Niang couldn't drag him away, so she called on a common woman for help."
Li Xingye frowned slightly and asked, "Are you sure it's Mr. Zhao?"
"It's definitely Mr. Zhao. I swear to heaven, it's definitely him." said Mrs. Wang.
Li Xingye looked at Zhao Lin, who scoffed, "They're fully prepared, even having witnesses."
Mrs. Wang sighed and said, "Master Zhao, no, Mr. Zhao, now that you are a Mr. Juren, I have advised Qiaoniang not to come to you. You will definitely marry a lady from a wealthy family in the future. How can you marry a poor person like us? But she didn't listen. She thought that since she gave birth to your child, you must marry her. Mr. Juren, please be kind and don't make things difficult for her for the sake of Qiaoniang's devotion and the fact that she gave birth to your child."
This was a very skillful way of retreating in order to advance. The people watching pointed at Zhao Lin and some with bad tempers started to curse him.
The yamen runners looked at Zhang Fan with strange eyes.
"Bullshit!"
Before Zhao Lin could speak, Su Di started scolding him: "Do you think I don't know that Zhao Lin grew up in a charity and has endured all kinds of hardships, yet he's fine. How could he faint from hunger at your doorstep?"
Wang Po sighed, "I see this young man is dressed in fine clothes, so he must come from a wealthy family. How could he understand the lives of us poor people? If we don't work for a day, we won't eat. Since Mr. Zhao has suffered from hardship since childhood, he should know that I am telling the truth."
Zhao Lin said calmly, "You're right. I've indeed been hungry, and it happened quite often. If you have anything else, go on."
Mrs. Wang said, "Mr. Zhao is handsome and good at talking. How can a widow like Qiaoniang, who has never seen the world, resist him..."
"Wait, widow?" Sudi looked at Liu Qiaoniang in astonishment.
"Qiao Niang had a bad fate," said Mrs. Wang. "She lost her husband within a year of her marriage. But she was a faithful wife and filial to her parents-in-law. This is something everyone in our village knows."
Zhao Lin said, "Don't say these useless things. Just keep talking about what you made up."
Mrs. Wang sighed and said, "Mr. Zhao said it was made up, so it must be made up."
"Go on."
Zhao Lin wanted to hear what stories they had made up.
"From that time on," said Mrs. Wang, "Mr. Zhao and Qiao Niang have been in frequent contact, and sometimes he even stayed at her house. However, because she was a widow, they kept it secret, and no one knew about it except me."
"Tsk, this patch is great." Zhao Lin said.
Now even if they go to Liu Qiaoniang to investigate, it’s okay if others say they don’t know. The two of them don’t dare to let others know.
Ignoring Zhao Lin, Mrs. Wang continued, "Mr. Zhao wasn't even a juren at that time, not even a scholar. He used sweet words to get Qiaoniang to give him all her dowry, saying that when he passed the imperial examination, he would send a sedan chair with eight bearers to take her home. I tried to persuade Qiaoniang that Mr. Zhao and we were not the same kind of people, and that she shouldn't get involved, but she didn't listen. It's too late to regret it now."
"That's all they made up for you?" Zhao Lin looked like he hadn't heard enough.
"What else do you want?" Mrs. Wang said angrily, "You are a scholar, you are powerful, but there are gods above your head. Aren't you afraid of retribution?"
"I don't know whether I'm afraid of retribution or not, but you're going to get it soon anyway." Zhao Lin said leisurely.
"Hmph! Mr. Zhao, others may be afraid of you, but I, an old woman at my age, am not afraid. Qiao Niang has helped me a lot over the years. I have always treated her like my own daughter. Today, even if it costs me my life, I will seek justice for her."
"Aunt Wang!"
Liu Qiaoniang knelt on the ground and cried like a pear blossom in the rain. She was a little pretty and young, so her crying made many people feel pity for her and blame Zhao Lin.
"Mr. Zhao, you are so ungrateful, worse than a dog!"
"Bah! What poetic talent, you beast!"
"He should be frozen to death!"
Many people cursed loudly until Li Xingye knocked the gavel several times and then they quieted down.
"Zhao Lin, what do you have to say?" Li Xingye looked at Zhao Lin and said.
Zhao Lin cupped his hands and said, "Sir, this old woman is talking nonsense."
"Oh? Do you have any evidence to refute it?"
"have."
Zhao Lin spread his hands and said, "I think I know who is slandering me. Just let them come out."
"Do you know who is slandering you?" Li Xingye asked curiously.
Not only Li Xingye was curious, but Su Di, Zou Yu, Wang Pozi, Liu Qiaoniang and someone in the crowd outside were also curious.
Zhao Lin smiled slightly and said, "Of course. Their methods are too crude, worse than those of children. Please give me a day, and someone will come to prove it for me tomorrow."
Li Xingye nodded and said, "Okay. Mrs. Wang and Liu Qiaoniang, you can go back first and come back at this time tomorrow."
"Sir, don't listen to his nonsense. Where did he get the evidence? He just wants to run away." Liu Qiaoniang said quickly.
Li Xingye said calmly, "Don't worry, I'll have someone follow him until this matter is resolved."
Liu Qiaoniang had no choice but to say, "Thank you, sir."
Liu Qiaoniang kowtowed and left with Wang Po supporting each other.
After leaving the lobby and returning to the backyard, Li Xingye asked, "To be honest, I don't believe you would do such a thing, but are you really sure? You must know that if this matter is not handled properly, it will affect your future."
Zhao Lin said solemnly, "Don't worry, sir."
"good."
Li Xingye nodded and left.
"Who is harming you? Jiang Yichen or Bai Shicheng?"
Only when they returned home and there were no outsiders around did Sudi get angry.
Zhao Lin smiled slightly and said, "Neither. They are not so clumsy as to do such a harmless and purely disgusting thing when Lord Li clearly values me."
"Who could it be?" Su Di saw that Zhao Lin obviously had a candidate, but he didn't say anything, and remembered scratching his head.
Zhao Lin laughed and patted Sudi on the shoulder: "I can't tell you this, but just wait and see tomorrow."
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