He slammed the gavel down, and the entire courtroom trembled.
"Someone come here!"
The sinister advisor, who had been silent until now, immediately moved closer like a dog that had smelled blood.
"Master, it seems that if we don't teach these lowly maids a lesson, they won't know what the law is!"
Qin Wuyu let out a cold laugh and suddenly swung his thick hand.
"Give this manor a finger-crushing treatment! Let's start with this arrogant brat! Let this lowly creature taste the methods of the Jingzhao Prefecture!"
Just as several fierce-looking constables, wielding terrifying instruments of torture, were about to pounce on Qingju, Liuyun took a step forward and stood firmly in front of Qingju.
"You corrupt official! You didn't even interrogate her, you just resorted to vigilante justice! What kind of skill is it to bully an unarmed girl?!"
"If you've got guts, come at me!"
Liu Yun stood tall and proud, his eyes burning with fury, showing not a trace of fear.
"I was forged in Laozi's Eight Trigrams Furnace. If I even flinch today, I'll admit defeat!"
[Protect our Qingju! Female Master, unleash your full power!]
[Sister Liuyun is so cool! But be careful they don't try anything funny! That vicious female supporting character, think of a way! Agree to his request first, and pay up to avoid further trouble!]
"And that princess too!" Qin Wuyu's venomous eyes turned to He Yi, "Take good care of her as well!"
The constables approached again, their oppressive presence almost suffocating.
He Yi's heart sank to the bottom.
She couldn't let Liuyun and Qingju suffer because of her anymore!
The comments are right; giving money is the only way to maintain temporary peace right now.
Just as the bailiff's hand was about to touch Liuyun, a clear, icy voice resounded throughout the courtroom.
"stop!"
"Lord Qin, I'll give you this silver."
"If you want me to sign a confession, I will sign it. Why make things difficult for us weak women?"
"Princess!"
"girl!"
Liu Yun and Qing Ju exclaimed in unison, their eyes filled with disbelief and pain.
Liu Yun gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "We can't sign! Once we sign, this crime will be sealed, and we'll never have a chance to turn things around!"
He Yi knows.
She knows better than anyone else.
But right now, she has no other choice.
She met Qin Wuyu's greasy gaze with unusual calmness, speaking each word clearly and distinctly.
"Three hundred taels, it's three hundred taels."
"But I have no money on me."
Upon hearing this, Qin Wuyu sneered again: "Zheng Heyi, do you think I'm a three-year-old child? Do you think you can walk out of this prison?"
He Yi seemed not to hear his sarcasm, her eyes remaining calm and composed, and continued, "In that case, I can always write to my family. I'll write to Mei Can Niang, the manager of Zhiweitang, and ask her to send over the silver notes immediately."
"I will sign and seal the document once the money is delivered."
She laid out her plan in its entirety, speaking clearly and without the slightest hint of panic.
"My lord, what is your opinion?"
Qin Wuyu narrowed his eyes, re-examining the seemingly weak but frighteningly calm woman before him.
He was weighing his options.
Three hundred taels is no small sum.
This deal is worthwhile.
After a long while, he finally let out a cold laugh, a laugh full of greedy triumph: "I didn't expect that the princess would be such a shrewd person."
"but……"
A cold, calculating glint flashed in Qin Wuyu's small eyes. He had clearly prepared a backup plan. His voice was sinister, like a viper spitting its tongue.
"I'm more worried about you young ladies, what tricks you're going to play on me."
He spoke slowly: "Right now, I will send someone with your letter to Zhiweitang."
"I will wait until nightfall."
"If the silver isn't seen before dark..."
Qin Wuyu slammed his gavel down, the loud "bang" echoing through the gloomy torture chamber, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
His cold gaze swept over the instruments of torture hanging on the wall, stained with dark blood, the threat unmistakable.
He Yi knew perfectly well that she had to buy this precious time for herself, for Qingju, and for Liuyun.
She raised her eyes, calmly meeting Qin Wuyu's gaze, and said no more.
Seeing that she was so sensible, Qin Wuyu smiled with satisfaction and waved his hand.
Immediately, a servant brought over writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
He Yi took the brush, which was stained with old ink, and spread out the rough paper.
The recipient of this letter was Meican Niang.
She worried that the beautiful silkworm girl wouldn't understand the intricacies, so she wrote the content in a very straightforward manner—
"Prepare three hundred taels of silver and hand it over to the constable in exchange for a visit to the prison. Your life is at stake, so do not hesitate."
After she finished writing, she blew the letter dry and handed it to the constable standing nearby.
The yamen runner snatched the letter from the beautiful silkworm girl's hand, his eyes filled with disdain and impatience.
When Qin Wuyu saw that He Yi had already written a letter asking for help, it was as if he could already see three hundred taels of silver beckoning to him, and his mood immediately improved.
He temporarily spared Qingju, who was already pale with fright, and Liuyun, who was burning with rage.
But he had no intention of letting them off the hook.
In order to completely seal the case and cut off all their escape routes, Qin Wuyu gave a signal with a glance.
Several fierce-looking constables immediately stepped forward and pinned the three men down in front of the musty-smelling table.
“Zheng Heyi, Qingju, and Liuyun, you have signed your confessions today willingly.”
Qin Wuyu's voice carried a hint of smugness, like a cat playing with a mouse.
"I'll kill you, you bastard!"
Liu Yun's fiery temper was instantly ignited, and the internal energy within her body almost burst out!
"Master!"
He Yi's icy voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over her heart.
A single glance stopped Liu Yun's near-self-destructive impulse.
But that overwhelming rage was not something that could be easily suppressed!
Liu Yun wanted to curse again, but several fierce-looking constables rushed forward and used brute force to press her firmly onto the table, her shoulder blades cracking as they were pressed, rendering her unable to move.
"Stop talking nonsense!"
"You're wasting the old men's time to make money!"
The head constable slammed the pre-written, distorted confession in front of He Yi, the edges of the paper almost tearing her cheek.
He urged him on sharply, spitting as he spoke.
"With the signatures and fingerprints on the papers, everyone is happy!"
"Otherwise, you three delicate young women will have to experience the full range of tortures in this torture chamber!"
[Attention, vicious female supporting character! As long as you're alive, you can always fight again! Drag it out! You must drag it out until your brother comes to rescue you! Signing is the only temporary solution!]
[I have a way, you vicious female supporting character! When you sign your name, make the strokes a little blurry!]
[That old dog Qin Wuyu is desperate; he's just waiting for this money to get his hands on it! Sign it quickly! Sign it quickly!]
He Yi knew this wasn't the place to reason.
This is hell on earth.
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