As soon as he arrived at the city gate, Zhan Feiyu looked at the carriage parked on the right, "Chen Xiaoqi, please stop for a moment!"
After getting off the horse, Zhan Feiyu walked towards the carriage with a blue curtain. Although there was a different coachman driving the carriage, she knew the curtain, and there was also a seal script king character embroidered with silk thread on the lower left.
The boy driving the carriage looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. At this time, his legs were trembling and he jumped out of the carriage, "Master?"
"We've just met each other, Miss Wang Liu, are you going to leave without saying goodbye?" Zhan Feiyu knocked on the carriage and smiled crisply, "But as the saying goes, a monk who can run away can't run away from the temple, and Huai County is just a short distance away from us in Shangsi County.
Half a day’s drive.”
In the carriage, Wang Linlang's face looked a bit ferocious, and then he opened the curtain, revealing a thin and pale face.
Wang Linlang was wearing a white undershirt, and her hair was only tied into a double bun without even a hairpin. She was so delicate and weak that she seemed to have been bullied by Zhan Feiyu, "Sister Zhan, why do you have to embarrass me? You know that.
Uncle...how do I dare to stay in the Lin family private school..."
As if remembering such a terrible thing, Wang Linlang's whole body was shaking like little white flowers in the strong wind, the corners of her eyes were red, and crystal tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Lin's private school?"
There were many people standing at the gate of the city. When they heard these four words, their eyes widened.
Thinking of Wang Linlang's words "Sister Zhan", she immediately connected Mrs. Lin and the little prodigy Zhan with the rumors during this period. In an instant, everyone looked at Zhan Feiyu. It was this little girl.
?
Surprised, sympathetic, vicious or lewd, all kinds of eyes fell on Zhan Feiyu.
"Sister Zhan, I..." Realizing that she had said the wrong thing, Wang Linlang covered her mouth with her slender hands. She looked at Zhan Feiyu with guilt and choked up an apology, "Sister Zhan, I didn't mean it."
"My poor young lady, luckily I followed you, old lady. Who would have thought that some people are beasts with human faces and animal hearts!" A mournful cry sounded, and Grandma Lu hugged Wang Linlang and started crying.
"Mommy, I don't blame you. Fortunately, you and I share the same bed. You sleep with me every night, otherwise I would be just like Sister Zhan..." The delicate little girl buried her head in Nanny Lu's arms and cried continuously.
It is also charming and charming, but it does not forget to throw dirty water on Zhan Feiyu.
Chen Fei glared at Wang Linlang with a sullen look on his face. This little girl looked young and looked delicate and kind, but who knew she could speak so viciously.
"What does it mean to be like me?" Zhan Feiyu raised her head and looked at Wang Linlang on the carriage. The morning sun fell on her face, and her white jade-like skin seemed to be coated with a layer of golden light, making her eyes clearer and brighter.
, not stained with filth.
"I..." Wang Linlang opened her mouth. Although she was full of calculations, she was at a loss for words when facing Zhan Feiyu who didn't follow the rules.
Zhan Feiyu's smile became even brighter, and her big dark eyes stared straight at Wang Linlang, "Miss Wang Liu said that she has a nose and eyes, as if she had witnessed some shady activities."
"You and uncle... you two are carrying my aunt behind your back..." Wang Linlang complained, her tears flowing even more fiercely, and she almost pointed at Zhan Feiyu and said she was an accomplice in poisoning Mrs. Lin.
Aunt Lu took the grief-stricken Wang Linlang behind her and scolded her sternly: "Miss Zhan, my lady saw that you were young and a victim, so she wanted to save face for you. How could you ask such a shameless question?"
Come on?"
"You and my uncle... I, an old woman, don't have the shame to say anything!" Aunt Lu looked at Zhan Feiyu angrily, but the dirty things that the rumors said were confirmed.
"Bah, what a little girl, you are just a shameless little bitch!" Suddenly, a sharp curse sounded, and an old woman with dirty clothes was seen yelling at Zhan Feiyu with an angry look on her face.
"Everyone in Shangsi County knows that you and your husband shamelessly got together. You two adulterers didn't deserve a good death, and you even killed Mrs. Lin. You should be soaked in a pig cage!"
"Yeah, I've never seen such a shameless little girl!"
"Who's a girl who doesn't leave the house and never steps out of the door? You go to a private school all day long and show your face. You say you're studying, but you're not doing something shameful!"
"None of the girls in the building are so mean!"
"Shameless! Beat this bitch to death!"
All kinds of outrageous insults were heard, and someone even took out the vegetables for sale from the basket, tore off the leaves and threw them at them.
The old woman before even picked up rocks on the ground and tried to smash them.
Wang Linlang lay in Nanny Lu's arms, with a proud smile on her lips. There was a way to heaven but she would not go there, and there was no way to hell but she had to break in. Zhan Feiyu deserved to be criticized by thousands of people!
"Stop!" An angry shout rang out, and Chen Fei drew out his sword. The bright silver blade reflected light, and the cold air frightened everyone who was about to cause trouble.
"I..." The stone in the old woman's hand clattered to the ground. Afraid of the sword in Chen Fei's hand, she hunched over and hid in the crowd.
In the carriage on the other side, Zhan Lao Er showed a look of pity. If these two military masters were not here today, Zhan Feiyu would have peeled off his skin. "Why didn't you beat this bitch to death?" Little Yao said with a clenched fist.
He punched the carriage twice with his fists.
Just after hearing those words cursing Zhan Feiyu, little Yao felt as if he had taken a magical elixir, and all the pain in his body seemed to disappear.
"What are you guys doing around here? Get out, get out!" the official shouted.
Everyone who was originally frightened by Chen Fei was more like a quail, and even if they despised Zhan Feiyu in their hearts, at least they did not dare to say it with their mouths.
Uncle Hu was breathing heavily, but luckily he ran fast and called the official.
Standing still, Captain Fei swept his sharp gaze across the entire place, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Zhan Feiyu, whom Chen Fei and the others were protecting, was safe and sound.
"Now that Mr. Wang is here, why don't you go to the Yamen and say what Miss Wang Liu just said?" Zhan Feiyu was not surprised to see Wang Linlang's frightened face. She was still young and couldn't hold her breath!
"Sister Zhan, I haven't been home for a long time, and my father has sent me a letter to remind me." Wang Linlang suppressed the fear and uneasiness in her heart. Naturally, she did not dare to go to the Yamen if she had something in her heart.
Zhan Feiyu seemed not to have heard this, "Excuse me, I'll catch you first."
Clenching her hands suddenly, Wang Linlang looked at Zhan Feiyu angrily, her eyes as if they were tempered with poison. What did she mean? Did she let the officials arrest her? Why?
"Several officials." Feeling something was wrong, Grandma Lu quickly got off the carriage and explained to Mr. Fei: "My young lady returned to Huai County today and was just stopped by Miss Zhan. She just had a few words.
That’s all.”
Aunt Lu then bowed to Zhan Feiyu and pretended to bow her head with a grimace, "Miss Zhan, I will apologize to you on behalf of my young lady."
"Apologizing is useful, so why do we need an official?" Zhan Feiyu raised his plump chin, looking as arrogant as he could.
Aunt Lu was so angry that she was so slippery! She didn’t dare to offend the government officials, so she knelt down with a plop and said, “Miss Zhan, please show me your noble hand. I will kowtow to you to apologize!”
Wang Linlang, who also got off the carriage, also apologized, "Sister Zhan, it's my fault. I should have let you go when I am older. I apologize to you. Please forgive me this time."
As if he had been greatly wronged, Wang Linlang wiped the corners of his eyes and spoke softly to Fei Captou: "The officials are busy with official duties. It's Linlang's fault. Please forgive me."
"Young lady Wang Liu, you don't have to be like this. If you have anything to say, please go to court and say it!" Capt. Fei's indifferent attitude was exactly the same as Zhan Feiyu's.
Wang Linlang panicked and looked at Nanny Lu who was kneeling on the ground for help.
"Take away!" Captain Fei ordered, and Agent Zhao quickly stepped forward and grabbed Nanny Lu.
Captain Ma also said coldly to the frightened Wang Linlang: "Miss Wang, let's go."
"Isn't that right? Why are we arresting people?" The crowd exclaimed, but they were worried that they would offend the officials and be arrested, so everyone showed fear on their faces.
If it weren't for the wrong occasion, Zhan Feiyu would have really wanted to whistle. It felt so good to humiliate Bai Lianhua in the yamen.
Chen Fei coughed twice to remind Zhan Feiyu that she had already offended the public, how could she still start squealing?
Early in the morning, the official escorted Mammy Lu to the front. Wang Linlang followed closely behind her with a pale complexion. She was so fragile that she looked like she could fall down at any time. However, when she saw the cold-faced and ruthless Fei Captou, Wang Linlang was shocked again.
Don't dare to be a monster.
Zhan Feiyu and Chen Fei walked behind.
The onlookers at the city gate followed sparsely at the back. Whenever they met someone they knew, they would come over and say a few words.
Before we even reached the county government office, thirty or forty people fell behind. It was so dark that those who didn't know thought something big had happened.
"Is that Zhan Feiyu? It doesn't look like that." Passerby A whispered.
To say that she looks a bit like Wang Linlang, although she is young, her delicate and pitiful appearance, with a hint of charm, does not look like a child.
In contrast, Zhan Feiyu, who has short legs, is much cuter. She is not tall, has baby fat on her face, has clear eyes, and her short and chubby little body looks like she doesn't recognize her relatives.
I couldn't help laughing after watching it.
"People should not be judged by their appearance. Why did Mrs. Lin get an emergency and pass away when she was fine?" hinted passerby Yi, who thought he had solved the case.
Passerby B glanced at the official at the front of the team, with a sarcastic look on his face, "It really means two words for official! How could the little prodigy that Mr. Chen praised personally behave so badly? Isn't this meant to kill people and silence him?"
Passersby were so scared that their faces turned pale!
Wang Linlang's previous words didn't mean that she was a witness, but now that she was captured by the police, is she really going to silence her?
…
Under the high-hanging plaque in the mirror, County Magistrate Chen sat on it. He slapped the gavel in his hand and said, "Promote the hall!"
"Mighty!" The government officials stood in two rows, shouting "Mighty", and the imperial staffs in their hands hit the ground and made a thumping sound.
Grandma Lu's legs went weak and she knelt down. Wang Linlang's face was as white as paper and she knelt down tremblingly beside Grandma Lu. The master and servant were so frightened that they were confused.
Zhan Feiyu was also kneeling beside her. The cold ground made her move her knees unaccustomedly. It seemed that she had to obtain the meritorious service as soon as possible. At least she would be able to meet officials without kneeling.
The crowd outside the court hall was full of people watching the excitement. They all knew that County Magistrate Chen was in court because of the rumors.
But everyone was still confused. Magistrate Chen had an excellent official reputation in Shangsi County, so his sudden arrest looked like he was shielding Zhan Feiyu, which made people confused.
"Wang Linlang, you accuse Mrs. Lin of having an affair with Zhan Feiyu. Do you have any evidence?" County Magistrate Chen asked directly.
Wang Linlang raised her head tremblingly, revealing a pale and thin face, with red eyes and choked with sobs: "Sir, I...I only saw it once...in the study..."
Wang Linlang's words were specious. She only said that Mrs. Lin stood behind Zhan Feiyu and held her hand, as if teaching her how to practice calligraphy.
Aunt Lu, who was interrogated, definitely said more, "My aunt cried to me in private, saying that she saw it with her own eyes..."
Mrs. Lin is dead, so there is no proof for what Mother Lu said. But because there were too many rumors, when the master and servant said it, it sounded like ironclad evidence.
County Magistrate Chen was shocked and said, "Take little Yao to court."
After Xiao Yao, who had not yet gone to Jishi Hall, was helped to the hall, his body was shaking violently and he knelt on the ground, "Return to your lord, the woman from the village saw the dead girl before... Zhan Feiyu had bruises on his neck... She said it was
I accidentally dropped it."
Little Yao lowered her head and clenched her hands into fists. She did not expect that Magistrate Chen would suddenly interrogate her. Little Yao was almost frightened to death.
But just after listening to what Nanny Lu and Wang Linlang said, little Yao had a crazy idea in her heart: she must kill Zhan Feiyu!
"Little Yao, did you know that if you give a false confession, you will be punished with thirty sticks?" Magistrate Chen's voice was majestic, and his eyes were so sharp that there was no way to hide.
His body trembled, little Yao thought about those rumors, gritted his teeth, and spoke again: "The civilian woman knows that what the civilian woman said is all the truth!"
Hoo! The people watching outside the courtroom let out shocked shouts. This is Zhan Feiyu’s second aunt. What she said cannot be a lie.
"Quiet!" County Magistrate Chen shouted angrily.
"Mighty!" the government officials shouted again, and the noise suddenly disappeared.
After Mr. Dong was brought to the court, Zhan Feiyu was startled for a moment, with disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"Cao Min is a servant of the Lin family private school. I bumped into him twice..." Old Man Dong lowered his head and answered County Magistrate Chen's words like a fool, but he also confirmed that the rumors were true.
The crowd was in an uproar again. After Mrs. Lin and Lin Xiuyuan were brought to court, even though the father and son denied the accusations of several people, there were rumors first and Wang Linlang's confessions came later. Mr. Lin's rebuttal seemed feeble.
In the teahouse not far from the county government office, Zhang Xiucai listened to the servant's report, picked up the tea cup and drank tea leisurely, "Three people become a tiger!"
Zhan Feiyu, who was kneeling on the ground, shook his head at Master Lin, whose face was full of guilt and self-blame. It was not the last moment yet.
"Sir, they killed my aunt, please make the decision!" Aunt Lu cried in grief. She originally planned to leave Shangsi County, but now that she has gone to court, she might as well end the matter completely!
"The adultery must have been discovered by Mrs. Lin, so she killed her and silenced her!" Someone in the crowd said something, but everyone believed it. This was the truth about Mrs. Lin's death from a sudden illness!
…
"Bring Wang Ping, the boy from Taifu Restaurant." As County Magistrate Chen spoke, the police escorted Wang Ping into the courtroom. Wang Linlang, Xiao Yao and others who were kneeling in the courtroom, as well as the onlookers outside, all had expressions on their faces.
I don’t understand, shouldn’t Mrs. Lin, the murderer, be brought to trial?
The government officials shouted in authority, and Wang Ping knelt down with a plop, "Sir, please spare my life."
Wang Ping banged his head and kowtowed. As soon as he got up in the morning, the official came to the door. Without saying a word, he locked the person and brought him to the court.
County Magistrate Chen was dressed as an official, with a majestic and solemn face, "Whose money did you receive? How did you spread the rumors? Call me quickly!"
Wang Ping, who knelt straight, did not dare to hide anything, "Ten days ago, an old woman came to Xiao's home..."
Taifu Restaurant is the largest restaurant in Shangsi County. Wang Ping works as a waiter there and earns one tael of silver a month. But the old woman only gets fifty taels of silver, so there is no need for him to do anything to make money or kill someone.
It was just a few words, and Wang Ping agreed after receiving the money.
After a while, Wang Ping, who signed the confession and knelt aside, spoke again: "Bring Zhu Dahai, the boy from the North and South Grocery Shop, to the court."
Zhu Dahai's confession was the same as Wang Ping's. He also accepted fifty taels of silver and promised the old woman to spread rumors.
In less than half an hour, County Magistrate Chen promoted a total of eight people. These eight people were all working as waiters in several shops in Shangsi County. These shops were prosperous and had a lot of customers.
, rumors spread faster.
…
Outside the court, a passerby said in shock: "Each person is fifty taels of silver, so eight people are four hundred taels. Does that mean there is a blood feud between the old woman and Mrs. Lin?"
"You're stupid, that woman must be running errands, and there's someone behind her!" Passerby Yi rolled his eyes mockingly, how can an old woman give out four hundred taels?
The policeman brought five more people to the court. Unlike Wang Ping and Zhu Dahai before, these five people looked like country women. Their clothes were patched and their hair was messy. They were kneeling on the ground and couldn't even speak clearly.
.
"Mr. Hao from Yujiacun, a civilian woman..." Hao stuttered in her voice. It was County Magistrate Chen who asked her the question, and she answered the question, and then she made the matter clear.
The five women came from five villages respectively. They were talkative women in the village, and they were all greedy for money. They took ten taels of silver from a woman, so they spread rumors in the village.
On weekdays, they are just gossiping about the boss and the west. They can earn ten taels of silver just by saying a few words. How can they disagree? As for whether those dirty words will ruin Zhan Feiyu and Mrs. Lin's life.
Reputation, then it has nothing to do with them.
Of the ten people who were finally interrogated, five were street vendors, three were stall owners who set up stalls to sell goods, and the remaining one was a woman selling vegetables, and the other was a woman selling meat butcher.
Twenty taels of silver.
After Zhan Feiyu heard this, a sneer appeared on his face. It was such a big deal. This move cost almost a thousand taels of silver.
Everyone who was watching the ceremony was also shocked. It was these people who received money to spread the unsavory rumors. No wonder it spread so quickly and widely.
From every village to Shangsi County, from wealthy families to traffickers and pawns, everyone knows about it.
"Zhan Xiaomengtong gets up and listens." At this point in the interrogation, the general situation was clear, and County Magistrate Chen asked Zhan Feiyu to get up.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen." Zhan Feiyu got up from the ground, and the next step was the main event.