After nearly twenty days of people being in a state of panic and not coming out of their doors, tens of thousands of commoners rushed to the Meridian Gate from every corner of the capital early in the morning after hearing the news. They wanted to see who the great demon that caused them to feel uneasy day and night was and give them an explanation. Therefore, the Meridian Gate, which was usually solemn and desolate, was crowded today. Everyone was looking forward to it and even forgot to eat.
Finally, the palace gates opened wide. Thousands of Dragon City Guards and bailiffs came out in a line. Minister of Justice Zhong Yan, Minister of the Supreme Court Feng Zheng, and Imperial Censor of the Left Tang Lang, the three of them were wearing official robes. They walked out with serious faces and sat side by side in the courtroom. There were also twelve other officials on the side. A hanger and a dog head guillotine were set up in front of the Meridian Gate. Their bodies were full of muscles and weighed over two hundred pounds. They were ready for the trial.
Even Feng Zheng, who felt his feet hurt every day, looked up at the corner of the phoenix robe that belonged to the Empress behind the screen at the highest point of the Meridian Gate tower. He sighed and put away his nature, which was rare for him. He put on a straight face and cooperated with everyone to finish the show.
The moment the noon bell and drum sounded, the bailiffs sang and the trial officially began. Liu Laosan and his wife trembled like sifting chaff and were escorted to the Meridian Gate like stray dogs. They faced the tens of thousands of indignant faces of Shangjing with blank faces.
The Minister of Justice Zhong Yan was the presiding judge. He glared angrily and slammed the gavel on the table. He scolded loudly, "Liu Laosan, Zhu Hui Niang, where did the two of you get the guts! You dared to help Yuan Tianwang, a remnant of the Hanjiang Prefecture, cause chaos in the tomb of the late emperor, kidnap several children in the city, and try to frame the current Empress! Your actions are simply audacious and too numerous to be recorded! Now that the evidence of your crimes is conclusive, why don't you plead guilty? Otherwise, you will be punished severely! "
Liu Laosan subconsciously opened his mouth and wanted to cry injustice.
He admitted that he was not a good person. In the past 30 years, he had bullied and taken advantage of countless neighbors, but the word "virtue" had never appeared in his family. Later, when he finally gave birth to his eldest son, he was also a fool. Even when he was tossing and turning late at night, he would sometimes wonder if this was retribution. However, after a long nap, he was still as unrepentant as ever. So what if he was being scolded behind his back? As long as they earned the money and took advantage of the situation, wouldn't the Liu family be the ones to be proud? What retribution? Bah! Their family of three lived an extravagant and carefree life, which was the most realistic thing. As for their foolish eldest son, he could just buy a willing child bride from somewhere and she would be his son's slave for the rest of her life. Then, one day, he was "lucky" enough to pick up a free one and brought it home with a grin on his face.
He was wrong, but he didn't deserve to die, did he? He really didn't understand why things turned out like this for no reason. The executioner was less than a hundred paces away from him, ready to take his dog's life at any moment. His wife was kneeling by his side. The two of them looked at each other and wept silently.
They wanted to cry injustice, really, really, these crimes were really not committed by them. What traitor? What Yuan Tianwang? They had never seen him before. However, behind the heavy Meridian Gate, their foolish eldest son's heart was being held by a sword. He could die at any time.
Retribution, there was really retribution in this world. This was the biggest punishment from God!
Under the witness of tens of thousands of people, Liu Laosan and his wife lowered their heads as if they were confessing.
Zhong Yan continued to ask, "Both of you are admitting to your crimes?"
Liu Laosan and Zhu Huiniang clenched their teeth and nodded with tears in their eyes. Their faces were ashen. Trembling, they squeezed out word by word according to the confession they had memorized before they came, "Yes … this series of crimes, we were indeed bewitched by ghosts. We were bribed by Yuan Tianwang and committed them together …"
"All the strange and evil things in the mausoleum of the late Emperor were all done by you?"
"Yes … It's all an illusion that we deliberately created … We wanted to frame the current dynasty, the current dynasty's Empress. Her Majesty is indeed innocent and suffered an undeserved calamity for no reason …"
"How did you commit the crimes? Where did the children that were kidnapped by you go? "
Liu Laosan was only left with a shell, and he was already dead inside. He said dully, "I went to the Imperial Mausoleum every day to deliver vegetables. According to Yuan Tianwang's order, I sneaked in and set up a trap. Then … the traitor Yuan Tianwang used his identity as a headmaster of the Academy to seduce several children and the child bride I picked up. Together, together, together, we created a false reputation. The more chaotic the capital city was, the more benefits we could reap … We hid those children. If you want to know where they are, you have to let us go unharmed and forgive all our crimes. Only then will we be willing to reveal any trace of those children!"
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