Chapter 203 Overthrow
Zheng Gou'er was so frightened that he kowtowed in panic: "Master, I dare not say anything nonsense. It was all because of Magistrate Zhang... Oh no, Zhang Kuinian and Zhang Yong who threatened me to do this. If you don't agree, tell Master Gu everything I did in the past!"
After Gu Yunqing was convicted, Zhang Kuinian was promoted to the position of prefect of Hun'an. Three years ago, he died of illness and did not return to his hometown, but stayed in Hun'an to work as a farmer.
"Zhang Kuinian, is what Zheng Gou'er said true?"
Lord Yin turned around and asked Zhang Kuinian who was standing in the hall.
“Sir, I have worked with the guilty minister Gu Yunqing for many years. He is a smart and thoughtful person, so how could he be framed?
Zheng Gou'er used to be a servant of Gu Yunqing. Later, when Gu Yunqing was convicted and I was promoted to prefect, I took pity on these servants and continued to use them. I didn't expect that they would help their old master to frame their own! ”
Zhang Kuinian had served as an official for so many years in vain, so he denied it without blinking an eye.
"Sir, I can be your book boy because I have a talent, which is a very good memory. When Zhang Kuinian asked me to hide the banknotes in the study, I memorized the banknote numbers."
Zheng Gou'er licked his lips, glanced at Liang Xun, and said through gritted teeth.
Zhang Kuinian looked at Zheng Gou'er with shock in his eyes, regretting in his heart that he should not have kept this betraying thing.
Zheng Gou'er really memorized the banknote number. The lawyer found the file that recorded the evidence from that year and checked it to make sure it was correct.
"And Lord Gu...is henpecked. He only has two taels of silver on him on a daily basis. Madam asked him to carry it with him to show off, and he is not allowed to spend it. If he had ten thousand taels of silver, he would not keep it in the study. It's just that I can't hide it in Madam's room, so I can only do this."
Zheng Gou'er continued to explain.
Madam Shaohua and Liang Xun thought of the love between their parents, their eyes couldn't help but turn red, and they looked at Zhang Kuinian with gazes as sharp as blades.
"What a lie! This lowly slave must have served Gu Yunqing day and night at the time, and knew about the stolen money and notes that Gu Yunqing received. Now he is using it to falsely accuse me!"
Zhang Kuinian refused to admit it until his death.
"Sir, please call Zhang An, the former butler of the Zhang Mansion, to testify. Zhang An and Zheng Gou'er met many times during that time. It was Zhang An who ordered the accountant to prepare the banknotes and account books, and gave them to Zheng Gou'er personally."
Liang Xun was not panicked at all. During the past ten years, he and Madam Shaohua had woven a web that was so tight that no one could escape as long as they closed the loop.
Zhang An had broken his leg a few years ago and had already returned to his hometown to retire. Zhang Kuinian did not expect that he would come out to testify.
"Master, I am Zhang An. When I was a housekeeper in the Zhang Mansion, I did meet Zheng Gou'er many times.
That year, two days before Lord Gu got into trouble, I saw Zheng Gou'er coming to the Zhang Mansion. The master asked me to ask the accountant to make an account book, which included the accounts of silver sold to various places and collected. Zheng Gou'er took the account book with him when he left. ”
Zhang An, leaning on a cane, glanced secretly at Liang Xun and then quickly looked away.
[Zhang An's leg was broken by Liang Xun, and the accountant who was writing the account book only had one finger broken because he was unaware of the situation. 】
Minister Yin summoned the accountant to the classroom again, found the yellowed account book from that year, and compared the handwriting. By then, the blood had drained out of Zhang Kuinian's face.
Over there, Fu Zhixing was almost unable to stand with his big belly. Sweat was dripping down his body, soaking his robe. An autumn wind blew in from outside the hall, and his entire back felt cold.
Mi Ziyong watched as witnesses appeared one after another from nowhere, smashing the case that he had been proud of in the past into pieces, revealing his true face that he was unwilling to believe.
In fact, it's not that he didn't have doubts, but he was willing to accept a more convenient result. The prefect sold poisons privately for huge profits and committed suicide in prison out of fear of punishment. The emperor could use this to intimidate all officials. What result could be more appropriate than this?
As for whether Gu Yunqing's family was wronged, no one in his family is investigating. This is a case that will not be overturned, so you can rest assured that the case will be settled.
But the Gu family left behind a pair of children, and these children, despite all the hardships they had gone through, still yearned for redress.
Mi Ziyong waited silently for the knife to fall on his head.
"Zhang An, how did your leg break?" He Zhongcheng suddenly asked.
Zhang An trembled all over and almost fell down: "The little one... the little one is me..."
"Bang!" The gavel suddenly made a crisp sound, and Zhang An was already kneeling on the ground.
"The three courts will hold a joint trial. If one of your statements is untrue, it will be found out that you are an accomplice in the serious crime. Have you thought it through?" He Zhongcheng reminded in a stern voice.
"I don't dare. My legs were broken by Eunuch Liang!"
"Why did I break your leg?"
"In order to make me tell you what happened back then..." Zhang An said, wiping his sweat.
Zhang Kuinian and Fu Zhixing all looked up in surprise, then hid their smugness: someone is still helping them...
"Liang Xun, is what Zhang An said true?" He Zhongcheng turned to ask Liang Xun.
"Yes, sir, I..."
"No need to say more. I just want to ask whether you are right or wrong." He Zhongcheng raised his hand to signal Liang Xun not to say more.
[He Sanyan's name is well chosen, indeed rigorous, and he actually found this point. 】Su Qianqian said in her heart.
"Liang Xun privately set up a torture chamber and tortured Zhang An into saying something he didn't mean. Zhang An's words should not be used as evidence."
He Liansheng turned and said to Yin Heng and Zhuang Shizhao.
Yin Heng and Zhuang Shizhao looked at each other and could only nod.
Liang Xun's expression was gloomy. He lowered his eyes and clenched his fists.
Following the same method, He Liansheng asked how Zheng Gou'er's hand was disabled. The result was the same as Zhang An's, that it was caused by Liang Xun's coercion and torture, and Zheng Gou'er's testimony was invalid.
Su Qianqian suddenly took the paper she had been writing on, with a pen still between her fingers, and walked hunched over to Zhuang Shizhao who was closest to her. Everyone's attention was drawn to her.
"Sir, what should I write here? Zhang An and Zheng Gou'er were both interrogated by you and testified in court. They did not testify immediately after Liang Xun's coercion. Does this mean that even if the case is true, it should be ruled invalid?"
Su Qianqian pretended to speak in a low voice, but the voice could be heard by everyone in the quiet lobby. Yin Heng's eyes lit up.
"Sir, should we ask them again? Are they telling the truth or are they lying? It will be easier for the clerk to record it..."
Su Qianqian looked embarrassed. She held a pen and pushed the hat that was covering her forehead, looking very funny.
"Yes, regardless of whether Liang Xun set up a torture chamber to extract confessions, Zhang An, Zheng Gou'er, are you two telling the truth? Don't lie, otherwise it will be unacceptable under the law!"
Yin Heng majestically asked the two people in the hall.
How could they dare to admit that they were lying? They hurriedly admitted that although they were beaten by Liang Xun, what they said was the truth and they did not lie.
Su Qianqian bent her waist and walked back to her own position...
He Liansheng looked at her, and she nodded in greeting with a flattering look on her face, as if she was praised.
The clerk from the Dali Temple opposite glared at Su Qianqian fiercely: You are trying to attract attention and seek limelight!
"Sir, this recorder disrupted the trial without authorization and should be replaced!" Mi Ziyong suddenly pointed at Su Qianqian and said.
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