But the boiling sounds around her finally “forced” her back to the courtroom.
Though called a courtroom, this wasn’t a traditional courtroom. The prefecture office was not small, yet couldn’t accommodate so many people – looking around, there were crowds of black-haired heads everywhere, common people with expressions either nervous or excited, no less than a thousand, and looking further back, even more people flowed like water from all directions…
A temporarily built low fence stretching several hundred meters and a hundred stern-faced bailiffs separated the courtroom from the common people. This shocking scene would be remembered by many for years to come, including the Min Province people themselves.
The Min Province yamen had already posted notices about retrying the three cases. Lian Yu had anticipated such crowds and ordered the courtroom set up in an outdoor space.
Since Huang Tianba was under suspicion, Meng Qiao presided over the “overall situation.” At this moment, wearing a black gauze cap and fifth-rank official robes, Meng Qiao stood at one side of the court and solemnly announced: “Bring out the seats for Marquis Huo, Prime Minister Yan, and Prime Minister Quan.”
Though Minister Meng was fawning and distasteful as a person, he was quite thorough in handling affairs, full of official dignity and stern authority.
Huo Chang’an and the other two walked out from the “inner court” with great strides, slowly taking their seats on several golden nanmu wood chairs at the lower end. Soon, Huang Tianba also entered, standing at the other side awaiting trial according to protocol.
The common people were already excited, and seeing these three important figures appear, they became even more boisterous. Without Meng Qiao’s reminder, they already knelt in respect. Among them were quite a few irrelevant whispered comments.
A young lady: “The Marquis and Prime Minister are truly young.”
A group of young ladies: “And so handsome!”
Su Zhen couldn’t help but smile. If Lian Yu had also appeared, who knows how sensational it would have been – this young, handsome Son of Heaven…
She secretly looked toward the right side of the presiding platform, seeing Lian Yu’s group already in position. Lian Yu had changed his mind and didn’t appear publicly, only observing from behind. That was a good position, perfectly capturing everything “below the court.”
Only she had wanted to come listen to people’s discussions and mixed into the crowd with Wu Qing and Leng Xue, plus one burden – Lian Xin. Little Zhou was someone who would never let herself suffer and had already hidden over by the presiding platform. Lian Xin was being squeezed by the crowd until her face fell: “I should have gone with Ninth Brother and them…”
Suddenly an arm blocked behind her, separating her from others. Lian Xin was startled, glancing sideways to see it was Wu Qing. Her face reddened and she immediately quieted down.
Su Zhen found it strange: Wu Qing actually had gentle moments with Lian Xin too.
“Look, the presiding judge is coming out.”
Two big men beside them shouted excitedly, making Su Zhen’s scalp tighten. She could no longer worry about Lian Xin’s situation and immediately focused intently.
The first case was… Lian Yue!
She saw this Princess Imperial dressed in men’s clothing, slowly ascending the presiding platform.
Meng Qiao introduced Lian Yue’s identity as one of three imperial commissioners from the capital, Minister Lian. It seemed Lian Yu had planned ahead – though women would preside, he hadn’t revealed their true gender and identity.
However, the beautiful Lian Yue immediately drew people’s enormous curiosity and discussion.
“This official looks so delicate – do you think he resembles a woman?”
“What sense would a woman judging cases make! He just has feminine features. Look at that authority between his brows – how could that be a woman!”
Voices rose around them, but attention was quickly shifted by Lian Yue’s authoritative command: “Bring the prisoner to court.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Old Man He was brought to court.
The old man was covered in wounds. He slowly knelt and said hoarsely: “This humble citizen is wronged. I did not kill anyone. It was Gu De who killed He Shu. Please, Your Honor, redress my wrong and seek justice for the wrongly dead He Shu.”
This withered old man immediately drew people’s sympathy. Common people are simple – they sympathize with the weak because they themselves are weak.
Below the court was a low fence as a barrier. He Shu’s parents were already crying with blurred eyes, shouting together: “Please, Your Honor, save us and make the murderer pay with his life!”
Even the two strong bailiffs maintaining order could barely restrain the two agitated elderly people.
Gu De in the court smiled wickedly – so what! Courts required evidence.
Huang Tianba said calmly: “Minister Lian, the last place He Shu appeared was at Old Man He’s house. Just before He Shu disappeared, Old Man He’s neighbors heard the two having a heated argument, because Old Man He had willingly and personally sent his daughter onto the bridal sedan! Moreover, he wouldn’t allow He Shu to cause trouble at the Gu house. The wedding scene was witnessed by neighbors and cannot be denied.”
“Additionally, there’s a coroner’s report as proof. A torn jacket was found in Old Man He’s house. Its damaged parts and fabric dye matched the fabric remnants in He Shu’s mouth perfectly. This shows He Shu struggled desperately with Old Man He before death, but unfortunately had already been stabbed repeatedly by Old Man He and couldn’t resist, dying miserably.”
“Originally, this case had solid evidence and the criminal had already confessed. Who would have thought this old scoundrel would be so wicked, using the opportunity of Your Honors privately visiting Min Province to make false arguments and claim others did it. This is truly heinous. Please, Your Honor, see clearly.”
Lian Yue glanced at him and said calmly: “Magistrate Huang, please remain calm. Let this official ask the details first.”
She looked at Old Man He: “Old Man He, you clearly confessed your guilt. Why are you going back on your word? Could it really be as Magistrate Huang said – you’re framing others?”
Old Man He smiled bitterly: “This citizen dares not. The reason I confessed was because after Gu De killed someone, he warned me that if I didn’t confess, my daughter would be in grave danger. I had no choice but to confess.”
“The reason I actively sent my daughter onto the sedan that day was knowing I couldn’t fight Gu De and fearing he would harm my daughter in anger. Later when He Shu came looking, I feared the Gu house steward who had been watching might still be nearby. I wanted to use temporary humiliation to lower their guard, then find a way to rescue her later. Otherwise, Gu De wouldn’t even let us see Fang Rui – how could we save her?”
“Unfortunately, He Shu feared Gu De would defile Fang Rui’s purity and wouldn’t listen to me. He burst out and went to the Gu house. I had no choice but to chase after him desperately. Who knew Gu De was so cruel he captured He Shu and stabbed him to death.”
Old Man He wept as he spoke: “This child was too young, too young. Each time Gu De asked him a question, he shook his head once and firmly said ‘No’ once. And each time Gu De asked, he punched his belly and stabbed once. The child just kept shaking his head until the third stab… he could no longer move.”
Unable to continue, he prostrated on the ground, banging his head hard.
The crowd below went wild, shouting for harsh punishment of the murderer. Su Zhen watched quietly as the old man turned the ground from white to red with his blood. Years later, this would become a story in Min Province – not poetic or beautiful, insufficient to become legend, unable to move most people, because the story’s characters had no fine clothes or power, only young, poor love and an old father’s heart.
Gu De stared coldly at Old Man He, his eyes flashing with cold light: “Old man, you’re slandering people! Be careful of divine retribution in your old age! I, Gu, believe the court handles cases based on evidence and won’t wrongly accuse good people for political reasons. Isn’t that right, Minister Lian!”
Having previously confronted Lian Yue, Gu De now showed insubordination and spoke back challengingly. Lian Yue was no gentle soul. She sneered: “The court naturally acts with fairness first. Whether it was Boss Gu’s doing, let’s hear what the witness says.”
Huang Tianba was startled: “Witness?”
Gu De was also surprised, but heard Lian Yue declare sternly: “Bring He Jie to court.”
Soon, He Jie, who had been watching from outside the fence, was brought up. This surprised the young man, his parents, and fellow villagers greatly.
He Jie frowned and knelt: “Citizen He Jie greets Your Honor, but I’m truly confused. I don’t know when I became a witness? Whose witness?”
He looked up with confusion in his expression.
Unexpectedly, Lian Yue said: “Naturally He Shu’s witness, to prove… Gu De killed someone!”
“No,” He Jie was shocked and almost immediately shook his head. “I clearly stated before that after accompanying He Shu to Old Father He’s house, I left and never saw He Shu again, much less this Gu De. How can I be a witness? Old Father He can also testify to this – Your Honor can ask him if you don’t believe me.”
“Is this so, Old Man He?” Lian Yue looked at Old Man He calmly.
Old Man He raised his wrinkled, bloodied face and said quietly: “Your Honor, He Jie did indeed leave at that time.”
He Jie obviously breathed a sigh of relief. Lian Yue smiled slightly and said: “He Jie, you’ve wasted He Shu’s sincere treatment and Old Man He’s trust by lying!”
He Jie’s expression changed: “I don’t understand Your Honor’s meaning. I—”
“Silence!” Lian Yue suddenly stood, pointing at him and shouting sternly: “That day, He Shu worried that going together would get you in trouble, so he told you to leave. But you couldn’t let go and ultimately followed anyway. You infiltrated the Gu mansion and witnessed the entire process. However, you feared that revealing the truth would bring Gu De’s revenge.”
“I didn’t go to the Gu mansion!” He Jie suddenly straightened up, gritting his teeth: “Your Honor, I didn’t!”
“No, you did! You claim never to have seen Gu De, yet how could you have the paper shop make Gu De’s paper figure so realistically!”
“That figure was my friend He Shu, not Gu De! Since I was paying respects to him, I made them according to his and Fang Rui’s appearance…”
“Not Gu De? You’re lying again, He Jie! He Shu was thin, but that figure was tall and robust. He Shu was poor and didn’t wear thumb rings, but look up – Gu De’s thumb segment is particularly white from years of wearing thumb rings. Most importantly, that male paper figure’s face was blurred and battered – not as you said that day about fearing wind and using a stone to weigh it down, but because you smashed it with the stone to vent anger. This season, there’s no wind or rain anywhere in Min Province. That day was stuffy and hot when we went – there wasn’t even a bit of wind. Why would you need stones to weigh down paper figures? If you used stones to weigh them down, why only that male figure and not the female figure and other papers? When we called out from behind, fearing your secret would be revealed, you pretended to be startled and tried to throw all the papers in the lake. Unfortunately, Minister Li’s guard was too skilled and saved both the papers and you in time. He Jie, heaven’s net has wide meshes but lets nothing through. He Shu, your friend is watching you from behind!”
As soon as Lian Yue finished speaking, He Jie’s face turned ashen. He collapsed to his knees, tears glistening in his eyes as he said hoarsely: “Fine, I’ll speak, I’ll speak. He Shu, if this is your wish… I’ve failed you…”
This back and forth shocked everyone in and below the court. They hadn’t expected such a dramatic reversal. Huang Tianba’s expression also darkened, yet on the nanmu chair, Quan Feitong remained spring-faced.
At this moment, Gu De stepped forward and sternly interrupted He Jie, preempting him to challenge Lian Yue: “Minister Lian, what skillful questioning, what a performance! But Your Honor shouldn’t forget – since He Jie is He Shu’s close friend, and He Shu had the hatred of competing wives with me, as that short-lived one’s friend, how can his words serve as evidence to convict me?”