Dong Street was particularly lively today because the prefectural magistrate wanted to hear a case. It was said that a young miss who had been sent to the rural residence had killed a servant girl and thrown her into a dry well. The witness was the son of the rural residence's steward. Witnesses and material evidence were present. Most people said that the young miss who had killed the young miss was vicious and did not know how the servant girl had offended the young miss. There were also some who said that the young miss had lowered her status and was so calculative with a servant girl that she did not hesitate to kill. Which family's young miss was so arrogant?
In the yamen, a middle-aged man with a big belly was sitting in the most central seat. He was wearing a lake green silk robe embroidered with brocade. The jade belt around his waist could not cover his fat figure. This person was fair and plump, wearing a jade ring inlaid with gold on his thumb. It was the prefectural magistrate, Qian Wanli.
The person sitting on the left side of the centermost seat was not as rich as Qian Wanli. On the contrary, the material of his clothes was extremely simple and could even be considered coarse. His entire body exuded a shabby aura, which was incompatible with the hall full of riches and honor.
Qian Wanli, on the other hand, was very respectful to this plainly dressed guest. It could even be said that he was flattering him. He ordered his subordinates to pour a cup of hot tea for the guest and smiled. "Lord Wang, this case, what do you think …"
Wang daren glanced at him and said indifferently, "You go ahead, I will watch."
"Yes, yes." Qian Wanli quietly took out a handkerchief from his bosom and wiped his sweat. He glanced at the people below and slammed the gavel, "Bring the prisoner up!"
When Jiang Ruan was brought out of the cell by Li Mi, Shufen grabbed her hand uneasily, "Will there be anything wrong?"
"Nothing." Jiang Ruan patted her hand, "My father came to pick me up. Remember what I said, don't worry, everything will be fine soon."
Shufen let go of her hand, and Li Mi looked at Jiang Ruan with some pity. In fact, it was not Jiang Ruan's father who came to pick her up, and no one pleaded for her. Today was just a trial. Now all the spearheads were pointed at Jiang Ruan, and there was no one who could speak up for Jiang Ruan. Even if he wanted to help, he was powerless. Moreover, as the person handling the case, he had to avoid arousing suspicion. Li Mi sighed in his heart. He knew that Jiang Ruan would not be able to escape this calamity. She would definitely bear this crime. Thinking of Jiang Ruan's miserable future, Li Mi's attitude became much gentler.
In the public hall, when Jiang Ruan was brought in, the crowd that had gathered outside the hall to watch the commotion was somewhat astonished. From afar, they had thought that the young miss who had the courage to kill must be a fiendish, vulgar and despicable shrew. After all, one's appearance was born from one's heart. Who would have thought that the one he brought would be a beautiful little girl. Her brows were calm and gentle, and she didn't look the slightest bit terrifying. It was easy for people to believe their own eyes, but for a moment, they did not believe that Jiang Ruan was the mastermind behind the murder.
Qian Wanli was also amazed in his heart. He didn't think that the main character would be a delicate little beauty. In this way, it would seem that he didn't have any protective feelings for the fairer sex. However … he glanced at the person sitting beside him and coughed. He slammed the gavel and shouted, "How dare you, criminal! Kneel!"
Jiang Ruan lowered her eyebrows and quietly knelt down. Only then did she raise her head, revealing a clean and delicate little face. Puzzled, she asked, "Daren, I don't know what crime this commoner girl has committed?"
Her brows were clear, and her voice was extremely gentle and pleasant to listen to. For a moment, it was like a beautiful painting. Every move she made made people involuntarily admire her. The tone of her voice was also very puzzled, as if she really didn't know what was going on. Once again, there was an uproar. The crowd, who had initially been certain, gradually began to waver.
Qian Wanli frowned and slammed the gavel, "Silence! The criminal Jiang Ruan killed the servant girl Chun Ying and threw her body into the dry well. Both the witness and the material evidence are present. Let's see how you deny it! "As he finished speaking, he shouted towards the outside," Bring the witness! "
A trace of dissatisfaction flashed in the eyes of Wang daren, who was sitting beside him. This method of investigating a case was simply like seizing by force. There was almost no room for anyone to speak. It was unyielding and crude. It was as if the criminal had been hastily charged with a crime and couldn't wait to be convicted.
The 'witness' was quickly brought in. Today, Chen Zhao had changed into a set of white clothes and was extremely clean. When he entered the hall, he rushed towards Qian Wanli and bowed.
Qian Wanli asked, "Chen Zhao, did you personally witness Jiang Ruan killing someone?"
"Replying daren's words, yes." Chen Zhao replied. He glanced at Jiang Ruan, "I personally saw Miss Jiang kill Chun Ying and drag her into the well."
There was another round of discussion among the crowd. With such conclusive evidence, it seemed that Jiang Ruan had indeed killed someone.
Jiang Ruan raised her head to look at Chen Zhao, "I have a few questions. Can daren allow me to ask him?"
Qian Wanli looked at Wang daren, who was at the side. Wang daren waved his hand, and Qian Wanli then said, "Ask away."
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, "Thank you daren. I would like to ask Chen Zhao, did you see me kill someone?"
"Yes." Chen Zhao replied, "At that time, I was outside the house and saw Miss kill Chun Ying in the house with my own eyes."
"Chen Zhao, let's not talk about how you, an outsider, can enter my courtyard as you please. Since you saw me kill someone, yet you didn't come in to stop me. Instead, you watched as I killed someone and threw the corpse. Isn't this considered helping the wicked commit evil? If I am really convicted, shouldn't you also receive punishment?"
Chen Zhao stared blankly and subconsciously said, "No, no, when I saw her, she was already dead."
"Then," Jiang Ruan said indifferently, "you are saying that when you saw Chun Ying, she was already a dead person. How did she die? Why did she die? Why are you so certain that I killed her? You only saw a corpse, but you didn't see me kill someone, right? "
Chen Zhao reacted and immediately shook his head, "No, at that time, there were only you and her. Moreover, your actions were indeed killing someone."
Qian Wanli nervously clenched his handkerchief, his expression not very good. He heard Jiang Ruan continue, "Alright, even if you saw me kill someone, according to what you said, there was no one else by my side at that time. However, I am only ten years old now, while Chun Ying is already eighteen. My height is not even up to Chun Ying's chest, so how did I carry Chun Ying's corpse for such a long distance before throwing her into the dry well? Can you explain it more clearly?"
"You, you dragged her," Chen Zhao stuttered, beads of perspiration appearing on his forehead.
"Liar," Jiang Ruan shook her head, "Chen Zhao, before you lie, perhaps you should first think about it. The difference between Chun Ying and I is too big, and I don't have that much strength. Chun Ying is taller than me, stronger, and more agile. How could I possibly stab her heart with a knife?"
"What knife? She was strangled to death! "Chen Zhao roared.
Jiang Ruan looked at him with a smile that wasn't a smile, "Oh, is that so? The coroner hasn't conducted the autopsy yet, so how do you know that she was strangled to death? Didn't you say that when you saw her, she was already a dead person? "
Chen Zhao was drenched in cold sweat, and Qian Wanli's face was as white as a sheet of paper. The testimony that was full of loopholes was already clear to the crowd. Jiang Ruan nonchalantly played with the ends of her hair, "Daren, do we still want to continue the trial?"
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