Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 137 The Master Calls You to Court

The August night was already very cold, with little wind. It was eerily quiet everywhere, and one could even hear faint cries coming from other cells.

Shen Yu had never been so nervous before. She was not too worried about Mrs. Hu framing her. As long as Captain Xing came back, she believed that the matter would be investigated thoroughly.

I just don't know why the county magistrate was so careless and lazy. There were obviously many suspicious points, but he put himself in jail without any investigation.

She can't do anything now, trapped in this prison.

The dark was very scary, especially when one heard the rustling of insects and the imagined sound of mice crawling by. Even though she was not a timid girl, she had to pinch her arms hard to stop herself from screaming.

Shen Yu endured until the fifth watch. He could no longer resist the sleepiness and leaned against the wall, half asleep and half awake. Finally, he saw the patio outside the wooden fence slowly getting brighter.

The prison no longer seemed so scary.

Shen Yu's nerves, which had been tense all night, finally relaxed a little. He could not bear it any longer, so he tilted his head, sat on the futon and leaned against the wall and fell asleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Yu, who was dreaming about a huge rat, was suddenly awakened by the rattling sound of an iron chain.

She calmed herself down and was glad that it was just a dream. Apart from a small insect crawling frightenedly at her feet, there was nothing around.

The sound of iron chains came from the bars at the entrance to the women's prison, as well as the voices of a man and a woman talking.

Shen Yu got up from the ground, rushed to the fence and looked out.

Not long after, Madam Chen and Wu Qingshan were seen walking towards them one after the other. Madam Chen swiftly opened the lock on the fence.

Wu Qingshan stood outside the prison door, the expression on his face was much gentler than the cold look he had yesterday.

He said to Shen Yu kindly, "Miss Shen, the master asked me to take you to the court."

Shen Yu nodded, pulled her wrinkled clothes, and followed Wu Qingshan out of the women's prison.

On the way from the women's prison to the lobby, Wu Qingshan just walked silently by.

Shen Yu was in a state of panic, not knowing what would happen in the courtroom. He wondered whether Captain Xing and Li and the others had found any useful clues.

Arriving at the lobby, Shen Yu was surprised to see that this time the county magistrate was sitting on the armchair in high spirits, and many people were standing in the lobby.

Wu Qingshan bowed and stepped forward to report: "Sir, the prisoner Shen has been brought here."

The county magistrate nodded and said slowly: "Shen, please stand aside first."

Shen Yu squatted down, bowed, said "yes" and stood aside.

She looked around and found that everyone in the room was familiar.

Standing opposite were Mrs. Hu's family, standing on this side were Mrs. Li and Mrs. Jiang, the one standing in front answering the question was the head of the police force, and the other one was actually the Fourth Young Master whom I met on the way to the women's prison yesterday.

The head of the police said, "Sir, this is how it happened. Please understand."

Shen Yu was called in midway and didn't know what had happened before. He couldn't ask Li who was standing next to him, so he could only listen patiently.

The county magistrate stroked his beard and said, "Mr. Hu, we have both witnesses and evidence. What else do you have to say?"

Mrs. Hu had long lost the pride and arrogance she had yesterday. Her face was ashen, with beads of sweat on her forehead. She knelt on the ground, trembling, and only said, "My lord, my lord..."

The county magistrate shouted, "Ms. Hu, you still don't admit your guilt. You are so vicious and you are unworthy of being a mother."

Just as he was about to make the judgment, Hu Pozi's son Zhou Dalang, who was standing nearby, suddenly knelt down on his knees and summoned up his courage to speak loudly, "Sir, please help me. I, I want to separate from my father and mother and live a separate life."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Hu turned her head viciously and said through gritted teeth, "You ungrateful bastard, I have raised you for nothing for so many years."

Zhou Dalang wiped the tears from his face and said firmly, "Mom, if we continue to live with you, my wife and children will not be able to survive. I beg you to let us go."

Although Old Man Zhou had a grim expression on his face, he looked at his daughter-in-law who was crying and his grandson who was still sick in his arms, sighed, and said nothing.

Shen Yu was confused. Wasn't he trying the case of the poisoning of croton in Mrs. Hu's family? Why was this family quarreling over a split?

She turned to look at Li, who had a happy expression on her face. Jiang looked at the child in the arms of Hu's daughter-in-law with sympathy on her face.

The county magistrate slammed the gavel, and immediately the cursing of Mrs. Hu and the sobbing of Mrs. Cui stopped abruptly, and the whole hall became quiet again.

The county magistrate discussed with the legal advisor sitting next to him in a low voice for a few words, then nodded, sat up straight, coughed, and said, "Listen to my verdict. Hu falsely accused others, causing Shen to be unjustly imprisoned and his reputation to be damaged. The food stall was closed. Hu is sentenced to 100 strokes of the cane, exile 300 miles, and to pay Shen 20 taels of silver as compensation."

After hearing this, Mrs. Hu collapsed to the ground and sat there with her mouth open.

Old man Zhou also stood aside with a dazed look on his face, like a clay sculpture.

The county magistrate said to Shen Yu: "Ms. Shen, the matter has been investigated. The accusation of you for poisoning the buns and her grandson is completely false. You are released in court and can go home with your family. Someone will deliver the money paid by Mrs. Hu to your home in due time."

Li and Jiang knelt down and kowtowed in thanks. Shen Yu also knelt down and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency."

Shen Yu and the other two stood up and stood aside.

The county magistrate then said, "Ms. Hu has no regard for human ethics. As a grandmother, she actually poisoned her grandson herself to frame others. Her vicious heart is terrifying."

"Although his son is an adopted son, he has been raised for more than ten years and should be no different from his own son. Now that Zhou Dalang has proposed to separate the family, it is also to protect his wife and children. It is not an act of filial piety. This official allows him to separate the family."

"Old Man Zhou and Mrs. Hu gave half of their property to their son. Old Man Zhou knew his wife's behavior but kept it secret, which is actually an accomplice. Mrs. Hu is sentenced to 100 strokes of the cane and Old Man Zhou to 50 strokes of the cane. For both crimes, Mr. Hu is exiled 600 miles and Mr. Zhou is exiled 300 miles."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Dalang kowtowed to express his gratitude. When Cui, who was standing next to him, heard that they could divide the family property, she stopped crying, put the child down on the ground, and pulled the child to kneel down and kowtow.

The county magistrate waved his hand and said, "Then let's execute him in public. This will also let the people see what happens when they falsely accuse others and abuse their children. This will serve as a warning to everyone."

After saying that, he threw down two bamboo sticks.

The yamen runners nearby all answered "yes" and picked up the collapsed Mrs. Hu and Old Man Zhou and brought them out of the hall.

Everyone followed out, and Shen Yu discovered that there were a lot of people outside watching the fun. It was a sea of ​​people, more than ten times more than yesterday morning.

After leaving the house, Shen Yu whispered, "Mom, why are there so many people watching?"