Alas!
The onlookers let out a collective sound of disdain.
A dignified scholar, stooping to handle such filthy things.
Truly a disgrace to his reputation!
Master Zhong was also dumbfounded. "Your Honor, Zheng Dayou inquired about me, and I merely mentioned a place. I had no idea what he was buying. Your Honor, I am wrongly accused!"
As the case now took a different turn, Magistrate Cheng had no choice but to summon the madam of the brothel where Zheng Dayou had bought the medicine.
The madam, being extremely shrewd, immediately cried out, "Wronged, Your Honor! My medicines have been sold for so many years without any problems. Who knows if Zheng Dayou tampered with them after buying them?"
"The medicine was bought two days ago, and there are still several portions of the same batch left. Your Honor can send someone to retrieve them. I am willing to confront Zheng Dayou in court."
The constables then made another trip to the brothel and brought the madam's stored medicine to court for verification.
The verification result, naturally, was that the snake showed no attraction to it whatsoever.
Magistrate Cheng slammed the table. "Zheng clan, Zheng Dayou, why don't you confess quickly? Why did you plot to murder Lord Wan!"
Startled by the thunderous sound, Zheng Cuier snapped back to reality and roared at Zheng Dayou, "Why did you harm me! Why did you tamper with the medicine! Aren't you done harming me once or twice!"
Zheng Dayou also felt unjustly accused. "I didn't! I gave you the medicine directly after buying it. Did you add anything messy to it yourself!"
With all the evidence laid bare, the father and daughter could offer no explanation and could only suspect that the other party had tampered with the medicine.
The common folk who had been watching all night thought the same.
Lady Wan, with her swollen eyes, said to Magistrate Cheng, "The Zheng clan, father and daughter, conspired to murder my husband. I implore Your Honor to sentence the Zheng father and daughter to death and bring justice for my husband!"
She didn't care whether the medicine was tampered with or not; in any case, the Zheng father and daughter must die!
"Pa—"
The gavel struck again. Magistrate Cheng, with dark circles under his eyes, said sternly, "Zheng Dayou, Zheng Cuier, Zheng Wangshi, why don't you confess quickly? Why did you plot to murder Wan Fulin!"
The Zheng family of three all vehemently denied any intention to murder.
They truly had no such intention.
But they could not refute the current evidence.
Magistrate Cheng, therefore, assumed they were lying and ordered them to be tortured in court.
The punishments in the Great Liang Dynasty were extremely severe, each capable of taking a life.
Zheng Cuier was so terrified by the sight of the torture instruments being brought up that she struggled desperately to escape, but how could she possibly get away? In the end, she was forced onto the torture bench, her parents lying beside her in a row.
Magistrate Cheng grabbed his token and threw it down. "Twenty strokes!"
The yamen runners raised their canes and struck heavily on their buttocks.
Screams erupted one after another.
When dealing with such criminals, the yamen runners did not hold back at all. Zheng Cuier fainted after only five strokes.
Zheng Dayou and Zheng Wangshi were not faring any better.
After twenty strokes, the entire family of three was covered in bloody wounds and had lost consciousness.
Magistrate Cheng ordered them to be taken to prison to be interrogated after they recovered.
Lady Wan, however, was very displeased. "Your Honor, the evidence is conclusive. Why do you still need to go through such trouble to interrogate them? I implore Your Honor to immediately sentence them to death and bring justice for my husband!"
"If Your Honor cannot bring justice for my husband, then I will have to find another way."
This was a threat to Magistrate Cheng.
After all, the Wan family had extensive connections, and it wouldn't be difficult for Lady Wan to find someone to intervene in the case.
Magistrate Cheng was not afraid at all. "Although Wan Fulin's death is indeed related to the medicine in the Zheng clan's room, there is a fundamental difference between the Zheng father and daughter plotting to murder and doing so unintentionally. If I conclude the case hastily, what is the difference from disregarding human life!"
"If Lady Wan feels that my handling of the case is problematic, she can request a retrial from the Prefect. I will not obstruct it."
"You!"
Lady Wan did not expect Magistrate Cheng to be so resolute and was suddenly at a loss. She then threw herself onto Wan Fulin's corpse and began to cry.
"Oh, my lord, you died so tragically, you died so unjustly! You left me alone, and I have nowhere to turn for justice... Oh, my lord, quickly open your eyes and look at these people. They can't wait for you to die so they can mock you..."
Magistrate Cheng was furious.
But he could not afford to quarrel with Lady Wan.
After all, her grief over her deceased husband was indeed pitiable.
So he stood up. "There are still doubts in this case. We will interrogate the Zheng family of three after they recover. Court dismissed!"
Lady Wan, seeing him about to leave, quickly scrambled up to stop him.
The butler quickly advised her, "Madam, do not be impulsive. Master Cheng is an official of the court. Let us quickly find another way to seek justice for the master."
Reluctantly, Lady Wan had no choice but to comply.
The butler quickly called for people to carry Lord Wan's body out of the yamen.
The onlookers dispersed, yawning.
The Jiang family returned to the Cheng residence with Madam Cheng.
As soon as they arrived home, Magistrate Cheng returned with dark circles under his eyes.
Magistrate Cheng said to Jiang Pan, "We were originally figuring out how to negotiate with Wan Fulin. Now that Wan Fulin is dead, we don't have to worry about it anymore."
Chen Yuezhi asked, yawning, "Negotiate what?"
At this point, Jiang Pan no longer hid it from Chen Yuezhi and explained the whole story.
The family members who were unaware were all startled.
"Such a big matter, why didn't you say anything earlier! Sanlang, that damned scholar wrongly accused you and beat you. Why didn't you say a word when you came back?"
Sanlang lowered his head. "I knew Zheng Xiaoshan was deliberately picking a fight, and I also knew Master Zhong's relationship with Lord Wan. I was afraid of causing trouble for the family, so I thought I'd just endure it."
Chen Yuezhi immediately felt heartbroken. "My child, you don't need to endure such things! Mother told you not to cause trouble in school, but she didn't tell you not to fight back if you were bullied at school! We'd rather not go to school than let someone bully you like this!"
Jiang Wan stepped forward and said, "Father, Mother, actually, I was the one who hit Master Zhong."
Everyone except Madam Cheng was stunned again.
Sanlang, afraid that Jiang Wan would be punished, quickly pulled her behind him. "It's not Wanwan's fault, it was me."
Jiang Wan pushed him away with a stern face. "Brother, you can't even lie properly. With your strength, how could you possibly beat them!"
"I was the one who hit him."
"Because the day before yesterday, I saw Brother return home looking upset after being beaten, so I guessed that things were not as simple as he said. So yesterday, I went to the private school and found that old scoundrel bullying Brother with his men."
"My brother, how could I stand by and watch him be bullied? Moreover, that old scoundrel even insulted Brother for having no manners."
"I admit, hitting people is wrong. But if I had to do it again, I would definitely beat him until he couldn't speak!"
After speaking, Jiang Wan put on an expression of taking full responsibility. "Father, Mother, I've caused a great disaster. Please punish me."