Chapter 117 Public Physical Examination
Chen Wei looked up again, but after a long while, she dared not recognize him: "This humble woman...this humble woman..."
Ma Zheng continued to coax, "Go closer and examine them more closely. Didn't you see them clearly when they left the next day?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Chen suddenly realized, "Yes, yes... now that you mention it, it seems to be this young master..."
Heh... they really came prepared.
Upon hearing this answer, Ma Zheng finally smiled with satisfaction: "Your Highness, is there anything wrong with what this farmer couple said?"
Mu Xi sat still, picked up the teacup on the table in front of her, took a sip, and had no intention of answering.
Mu Xun then spoke on his behalf: "The young master was seriously injured and unconscious that day, so he didn't see these two people at all. Although these two people were indeed temporarily staying at the farmhouse that day, it doesn't prove anything. It was just a country woman who was mistaken for someone else."
Ma Zheng bowed to those around him: "As you all have heard, this maid Qing'er and Chen Wei have both personally identified that they saw the young master's true identity as a woman. Did she see things wrong? How could a married woman see things wrong? Even if she did see things wrong, there is still this maid. She is a maid from the Jun family."
"Did you really see it that day?" Mu Xi, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly asked.
Qing'er was so frightened she wished she could shrink to the ground: "This servant did indeed see... saw the young master bathing..."
"Hehe, it's kind of you to remember, but I have absolutely no recollection of it." Mu Xi said nonchalantly.
As soon as he finished speaking, he cried out in his heart: "You drunkard... who dares to show your face when you're drunk, come out now?"
"..." No reply came from the dark void.
"Does that mean you'll only come out when I'm drunk?" Mu Xi had many things to do tonight and couldn't afford to get drunk.
"..." Still no reply.
Mu Xi had no choice but to threaten: "Very well, if you don't come out now, don't even think about coming out later. You're a useless person, there's no point in keeping you around."
"Oh dear..." the drunken voice finally broke out, "What do you want from me?"
On the other side, Mu Xun slowly walked up to Qing'er's head: "You are Li Mama's daughter? Then you should be at Xihua Mountain, how did you get here?"
Qing'er looked up in fear, opened her mouth as if to say something, but then caught a glimpse of Ma Zheng swallowing: "That day we went down the mountain to buy things, and... a group of people came and captured us all and brought us here."
"You? Who else?" Mu Xun frowned.
Qing'er was so frightened that she seemed about to cry. Just as she was about to answer, Ma Zheng interrupted her: "Second Young Master, there is no need to ask. In addition to these three witnesses, I also received a secret letter during the day, which also pointed out that the Crown Prince's identity was fake. So this is a case of both witnesses and physical evidence."
Mu Xun sneered, "Heh, it takes half a month to travel from Xihua Mountain to Moyang by fast horse. Yet Ma Zuojian was able to foresee the secret message he received during the day and go to Xihua Mountain to capture people a month in advance. What a clever method. Since Qing'er is here, where are the others?"
Ma Zheng did not deny it: "The young master Jin Fang of Xihua Mountain lives separately and is closely guarded. I did not want to disturb him too much, so I only captured this little maid."
"Second Young Master..." Qing'er suddenly called out.
Mu Xun asked warily, "What do you want to say?"
Ma Zheng gestured for him to stop, saying, "The matter has been made very clear, Your Highness..."
Mu Xi sat motionless, negotiating with the drunken maniac: "Do you remember your drunken antics last time? This time, if you don't drink, can you put on a show?"
"This... is a bit difficult..." The drunken personality's voice was seductive.
"Pah, what's so difficult about it? When I ask you to come out later, you can do the same thing as last time." If Mu Xi weren't a woman and had a psychological aversion to undressing in public, she wouldn't need to use this drunken, crazy persona at all.
Despite his drunken state, he kept grumbling, "Oh dear, taking off clothes isn't difficult, but what did I say?"
"You spoke quite well last time, so stop talking nonsense. You're the one." Mu Xi kept an eye on Ma Zheng and Mu Xun in the hall while simultaneously ordering the drunken man.
The drunken personality remained hidden in the shadows, his voice alluring yet tinged with complaint: "Without alcohol, I can't perform at my best."
"You want wine, is that right?" Mu Xi had no choice but to compromise. "Sure, but after you drink the wine, you have to come out and not lose face."
The drunken man readily agreed: "Don't worry about that. As long as the Soul Master's drinking manners are up to par, my character will definitely be up to par as well."
What a load of nonsense.
In the hall, Mu Xun's eyes, which had been calm and composed, were now frozen in ice: "A maidservant and a country woman, these two have made such absurd claims that Lord Ma is using them to accuse the young master. It's utterly ridiculous."
Ma Zheng remained unfazed: "Although she is just a young maid, she is, after all, someone close to the young master, and her words do not seem to be made up."
“This servant is also someone close to the young master. This servant will tell you that Lord Ma is talking nonsense.” Cao Pan’er stepped out from behind Mu Xi without anyone noticing.
“You?” Ma Zheng recognized Cao Pan’er at a glance.
Cao Pan'er's eyes burned with hatred: "Hehe, Lord Ma still remembers me. In the prison of the Court of Justice, it was thanks to Lord Ma's care that I was able to escape with my life. I just don't know how much silver Lord Ma received from Li Fu, and how much benefit he received from my mother?"
"Oh, does Pan'er know this Lord Ma?" Mu Xi asked.
Cao Pan'er bowed and replied, "Your Highness, the reason I was falsely accused and imprisoned that day was because this Lord Ma did not investigate or question me, and ignored my cries for justice before directly locking me in the secret cell."
Mu Xi chimed in, "Is that so? It seems that Supervisor Ma isn't as upright and incorruptible as he claims to be, just handling official business as he does."
Ma Zheng was caught off guard by Cao Pan'er's unexpected words and didn't know how to react for a moment, but he managed to react quickly: "This matter is none of my business."
"Is that so..." Mu Xi also adopted a spectator's expression. "It is indeed unrelated, but the fact that Supervisor Ma casually accepted bribes and imprisoned people makes one wonder who instigated and directed today's events, and what his investigative abilities are like?"
Some of the onlookers at the birthday banquet nodded in agreement.
Ma Zheng, despite his horse-like face, remained composed and shrewd, saying without batting an eye, "My investigative abilities are indeed insufficient to prove myself, but since the testimonies of the two witnesses are not credible, the best approach is... to examine them personally. I have brought the jailer from the Court of Justice with me, provided the young master agrees..."
Before Mu Xun could say anything more, he drew his sword in a fit of rage: "How dare you! You have no guts! The Crown Prince's status is so noble. Let alone a mere Left Supervisor of the Court of Justice like you, even the King himself would find it difficult to make such a request."
Ma Zheng took a step back, but still maintained an official demeanor: "As all the esteemed officials present just now heard, even if I hadn't come to verify this tonight, rumors would have spread by tomorrow. Can the young master tolerate such gossip?"
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