Chapter 474
"Reporting to Your Excellency, I was merely passing through Liuxian and had no feud with the deceased Huang Baocai," Zhan Feiyu said crisply, her demeanor calm and composed.
Magistrate Zhu, seated on his chair, remained silent, his eyes half-closed as if weighing the truth of Zhan Feiyu's words.
Magistrate Wei put down the lawsuit he was holding. The document clearly stated that Huang Baocai, the eldest grandson of the Huang family, had spoken disrespectfully and offended Zhan Feiyu at Meiren Zhuang, leading to his death.
"Your Excellency, your subordinate has already sent people to search the Changxing Inn," said Constable Cheng, who stood by. As soon as he finished speaking, several constables hurried back from outside the courtroom.
"Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Excellency," said Constable Cao, who had been guarding the inn's entrance.
Constable Miao and two others also bowed. Constable Miao held a yellow paper packet and stepped forward, placing it on the long table. "Your Excellency, this was found in the kitchen of Changxing Inn."
Magistrate Zhu looked at the yellow paper packet, a corner of which had already been burned, and could still smell a faint scent of scorching. "This was found in the stove?"
The yellow paper packet not only bore signs of burning but was also covered in grass debris, clearly indicating it had been thrown into the stove to destroy evidence.
Constable Miao glanced worriedly at the silent Zhan Feiyu before replying, "This was discovered in the stove in the kitchen. The inn's waiter accidentally knocked over a copper pot, and the stove toppled to the ground, which is why this yellow paper packet was not completely burned."
Magistrate Zhu put down the yellow paper packet and took a cloth from a clerk to wipe his hands. "Send this to Coroner Jiao for examination."
As for the innkeeper and the waiter who had accompanied Constables Cao and Miao, Magistrate Zhu slammed his gavel. The waiter, startled, immediately knelt on the ground. Without waiting for Magistrate Zhu to ask, he began to stammer out his account.
"Reporting to Your Excellency... because Constable Wang previously brought his men..." Although the waiter's face was pale with fear, he clearly explained the cause and effect.
Previously, Constable Wang had led his men to raid the inn late at night, claiming to be catching kidnappers, but in the end, He Sheng had broken his leg and thrown him from the second floor. Not to mention Hong Saozi and Old Wu, the real child snatchers, who fared even worse, all with broken legs.
The guests staying at the inn were terrified, so they checked out early the next morning. The innkeeper could only accept the loss. Therefore, besides Zhan Feiyu and her three companions, there were no other guests at the inn, and only He Nuan had used the kitchen.
The waiter, kneeling on the ground, felt his tense emotions ease and continued, "I went to the kitchen to boil water. Because the innkeeper said there were no guests, he deducted two days' wages. I was reluctant to lose the money, so in a moment of distraction, I knocked over the stove."
After hearing the waiter's testimony, Magistrate Zhu said, "Zhan Feiyu, do you wish to defend yourself?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, setting aside the death of Huang Baocai, I simply wish to ask Constable Cheng: yesterday evening, I encountered two child snatchers in the alley, and Constable Miao subsequently imprisoned them. Why did these two prisoners not only leave the prison unharmed late at night but also bring accomplices to the inn for revenge?"
Zhan Feiyu spoke word by word, a mocking smile on her lips. "Afterward, the yamen constables appeared and, without distinguishing right from wrong, identified my attendants as child snatchers, even burning their travel permits. Is this collusion between officials and bandits? Or is there no law in Liuxian?"
As Zhan Feiyu questioned him, Magistrate Zhu's face suddenly turned grim.
Magistrate Wei simultaneously roared, "Silence! Your Excellency is an official appointed by the court. How dare you slander him with your baseless words!"
Although this was directed at Constable Wang and the other constables colluding with child snatchers, the incident occurred in Liuxian, making Magistrate Zhu negligent.
"I request an explanation from Your Excellency," Zhan Feiyu said, her clear eyes fixed directly on the displeased Magistrate Zhu. She wanted to see how Magistrate Zhu would justify himself.
Extremely displeased, but as an official appointed by the court, Magistrate Zhu did not stoop to angering a young girl like Zhan Feiyu. He simply said coldly, "Constable Miao."
"Reporting to Your Excellency, yesterday evening, your subordinate was patrolling the streets with his men..." Constable Miao dared not conceal anything. After arresting the two child snatchers and imprisoning them, Constable Miao had given instructions to the jailer. He had intended to report to Constable Cheng the next morning during his shift.
It was only upon hearing his wife and mother's words the next morning that Constable Miao learned of the incident at Changxing Inn. Without even eating breakfast, he rushed over.
Constable Miao's account corroborated Zhan Feiyu's words. As for what exactly happened at the inn that night, apart from the parties involved, only those present at the time could be questioned.
Zhan Feiyu quickly considered. The inn's guests had already left in the morning, so they could not be found now.
"Reporting to Your Excellency, I was merely passing through Liuxian and had no feud with the deceased Huang Baocai," Zhan Feiyu said crisply, her demeanor calm and composed.
Magistrate Zhu, seated on his chair, remained silent, his eyes half-closed as if weighing the truth of Zhan Feiyu's words.
Magistrate Wei put down the lawsuit he was holding. The document clearly stated that Huang Baocai, the eldest grandson of the Huang family, had spoken disrespectfully and offended Zhan Feiyu at Meiren Zhuang, leading to his death.
"Your Excellency, your subordinate has already sent people to search the Changxing Inn," said Constable Cheng, who stood by. As soon as he finished speaking, several constables hurried back from outside the courtroom.
"Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Excellency," said Constable Cao, who had been guarding the inn's entrance.
Constable Miao and two others also bowed. Constable Miao held a yellow paper packet and stepped forward, placing it on the long table. "Your Excellency, this was found in the kitchen of Changxing Inn."
Magistrate Zhu looked at the yellow paper packet, a corner of which had already been burned, and could still smell a faint scent of scorching. "This was found in the stove?"
The yellow paper packet not only bore signs of burning but was also covered in grass debris, clearly indicating it had been thrown into the stove to destroy evidence.
Constable Miao glanced worriedly at the silent Zhan Feiyu before replying, "This was discovered in the stove in the kitchen. The inn's waiter accidentally knocked over a copper pot, and the stove toppled to the ground, which is why this yellow paper packet was not completely burned."
Magistrate Zhu put down the yellow paper packet and took a cloth from a clerk to wipe his hands. "Send this to Coroner Jiao for examination."
As for the innkeeper and the waiter who had accompanied Constables Cao and Miao, Magistrate Zhu slammed his gavel. The waiter, startled, immediately knelt on the ground. Without waiting for Magistrate Zhu to ask, he began to stammer out his account.
"Reporting to Your Excellency... because Constable Wang previously brought his men..." Although the waiter's face was pale with fear, he clearly explained the cause and effect.
Previously, Constable Wang had led his men to raid the inn late at night, claiming to be catching kidnappers, but in the end, He Sheng had broken his leg and thrown him from the second floor. Not to mention Hong Saozi and Old Wu, the real child snatchers, who fared even worse, all with broken legs.
The guests staying at the inn were terrified, so they checked out early the next morning. The innkeeper could only accept the loss. Therefore, besides Zhan Feiyu and her three companions, there were no other guests at the inn, and only He Nuan had used the kitchen.
The waiter, kneeling on the ground, felt his tense emotions ease and continued, "I went to the kitchen to boil water. Because the innkeeper said there were no guests, he deducted two days' wages. I was reluctant to lose the money, so in a moment of distraction, I knocked over the stove."
After hearing the waiter's testimony, Magistrate Zhu said, "Zhan Feiyu, do you wish to defend yourself?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, setting aside the death of Huang Baocai, I simply wish to ask Constable Cheng: yesterday evening, I encountered two child snatchers in the alley, and Constable Miao subsequently imprisoned them. Why did these two prisoners not only leave the prison unharmed late at night but also bring accomplices to the inn for revenge?"
Zhan Feiyu spoke word by word, a mocking smile on her lips. "Afterward, the yamen constables appeared and, without distinguishing right from wrong, identified my attendants as child snatchers, even burning their travel permits. Is this collusion between officials and bandits? Or is there no law in Liuxian?"
As Zhan Feiyu questioned him, Magistrate Zhu's face suddenly turned grim.
Magistrate Wei simultaneously roared, "Silence! Your Excellency is an official appointed by the court. How dare you slander him with your baseless words!"
Although this was directed at Constable Wang and the other constables colluding with child snatchers, the incident occurred in Liuxian, making Magistrate Zhu negligent.
"I request an explanation from Your Excellency," Zhan Feiyu said, her clear eyes fixed directly on the displeased Magistrate Zhu. She wanted to see how Magistrate Zhu would justify himself.
Extremely displeased, but as an official appointed by the court.