Chapter 210: Dragged out the Main Room
"What person are you planning on scheming again?" Jiang Yichun’s icy voice drifted over lightly, his deep black eyes behind his mask bored intently into Bai Ruozhu as if they had penetrated her heart.
Bai Ruozhu shuddered, struggling to calm herself down. She then realised the fellow wasn’t using any secret voice-whispering technique as her second brother’s expression was somewhat astonished, even looking towards Jiang Yichun with full vigilance.
Bai Ruozhu glared at him fiercely. She now understood somewhat that this person might be extremely bored with life. Whenever he got the chance, he enjoyed watching the drama and scare people, it was really odious how she unknowingly got frightened and angered by him before.
Upon seeing Jiang Yichun’s petty nature, Bai Ruozhu was no longer quick-tempered but would still retain her stalwart spirit when facing him, not giving an inch.
"In your eyes, is helping people and saving oneself considered scheming? In that case, haven’t you already been slaughtered by now?" Bai Ruozhu’s voice was not loud, but carried a tinge of derision.
Bai Zepei felt a twitch in his heart. He knew his younger sister had a fiery and forceful personality, brave and meticulous without losing to any man. But the respected figure before them was even highly revered by Officer Li, how could his sister lightly offend him? Bai Zepei wasn’t blaming Bai Ruozhu and definitely didn’t think Bai Ruozhu could implicate him, he was just worried about her safety.
"Hmm, growing bolder, huh?" Jiang Yichun’s last note floated upwards slightly with a curious note. His voice was still light, carrying a hint of interrogative tone that seemed alluring, at least that’s how it sounded in Bai Ruozhu’s ears.
Bai Zepei immediately stepped in front of Bai Ruozhu as if to bow to Jiang Yichun, "Sir, my younger sister is young and doesn’t know any better, please don’t take offense!"
"A child was born but still remains naive and ignorant?" This time Jiang Yichun’s voice came with a hint of laughter, but no matter how one listened, it seemed like a mockery.
Bai Ruozhu pulled at her second brother and backed off a bit saying: "Just watch the play when the time comes, Sir."
Jiang Yichun laughed softly, yet no anger was found. Bai Zepei finally breathed a sigh of relief, it seems that his sister actually has some deep connection with this respected figure.
Officer Li just returned, handing over a document to Jiang Yichun, then respectfully retreated to the side. Jiang Yichun waved a hand, indicating that Officer Li should sit and have some tea.
Then the room fell into an eerie silence. Aside from the occasional flipping noise made by Jiang Yichun, the other people didn’t even dare to make the sound of drinking tea.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help grumbling to herself again. Was it because of Officer Jiang’s high governmental position, or his terrifying character, that even Officer Li feared him to such an extent?
Before Jiang Yichun even finished reading the document, an officer from outside reported: "Sir, Wang Luji has brought Zhu Pozi here. The person is already in the public hall, waiting for the judgement."
"Good, dear brother, let’s go to the public hall." Officer Li, smiling, gestured to Bai Zepei. Bai Zepei acknowledged him and stepped outside.
Falling in step with her brother, Bai Ruozhu also got up and moved toward the door. As she was leaving, she discreetly glanced at Jiang Yichun to see him looking back at her with a smiling-yet-not-smiling expression, as if he were mocking some devious plot of hers again. Bai Ruozhu wrinkled her nose, taking advantage of when no one was noticing, she twisted her face at him and stuck her tongue out, then quickly scampered away.
Jiang Yichun was indeed startled. Of course, this wasn’t genuine surprise. Considering all of the ladies he had seen from great families, rich or poor, foreign or domestic, from small towns to the captial, he had never seen anyone so disregard their appearance.
"So ugly." Jiang Yichun mumbled. Yet underneath his mask, a smile appeared.
Bai Ruozhu felt particularly invigorated after venting at the arrogant, spiteful man. However, they hadn’t yet reached the hall when Zhu Pozi’s incessant swearing became clearer as they got closer.
"The Bai family is wicked. They scheme against me, an old woman, and won’t even let my son have a peaceful wedding. I curse you all to a terrible death! It was clearly you who gave me money to reveal the secret from that year. But now you’re saying I extorted you. How shameless! There isn’t a single good person in the Bai family!" Zhu Pozi continued to curse even as she was wailing, stopping just short of proving her innocence by death.
"Quiet down! This is a public hall, do you think this is a Vegetable Market? If you keep on shouting, you’re going to need to prepare for punishment!" An officer barked from the side, who was identified as Wang Luji by his voice.
Bai Ruozhu knew Zhu Pozi was difficult to deal with. But it didn’t matter, Zhu Pozi was notorious and had a guilty conscience. How could she argue against Zhu Pozi then?
When Zhu Pozi saw Bai Ruozhu walk out from the rear court with Officer Li, her eyes wide-board opened. She pointed at Bai Ruozhu and said, "You, you bribed the officials?"
Before Bai Ruozhu could answer, Officer Li walked to his position, hitting the wooden block with a resounding bang, bellowing, "Silence, you accused woman! Or the court here will try your crime of slander!"
Zhu Pozi jumped at the sound of the wooden block. Officers on duty on either side of the hall coincidentally, chorused in unison, "Long live the court..."
What a strong momentum they had!
Bai Ruozhu followed her older brother to the center of the hall, standing beside Zhu Pozi.
"Bai siblings, do you recognize the woman in front of you? Is she Zhu Pozi who extorted your two taels of silver yesterday?" Officer Li asked in a deep voice.
Bai Ruozhu saluted Officer Li, "In reply to you, sir, it indeed is Zhu Pozi."
Officer Li seemed pleased with Bai Ruozhu’s respectful demeanour and nodded. Turning to Zhu Pozi, he said, "Zhu Pozi, the Bai siblings accused you of extorting two taels of silver from their family, falsely stating that their older aunt from the Wang Family behaved improperly, causing confusion in the Bai Family lineage. What is your explanation?"
Zhu Pozi responded immediately upon hearing him, starting up her raucous protest, "Bullshit! It was their family that came to me, insisting that I had stolen the Wang Family’s silver with Wang herself, then forced me to reveal Wang’s secret. Otherwise, they would have dragged me to the government office. I was forced to say all that. Besides, I didn’t request the two taels of silver, they offered it to me as a bribe."
Officer Li frowned. Just from the start, he didn’t have a good impression of Zhu Pozi. Too vulgar, shouting "bullshit", those who didn’t know might think she dared to curse an official.
And this old woman’s eyes were shifting all around, obviously not an honest person.
Bai Ruozhu glanced at her second brother, indeed that Zhu Pozi was going to bite back.
"Then how do you explain your false accusations against Wang?" Officer Li asked again.
"Please discern, sir. I didn’t lie about a single word. It was truly six years ago when I assisted Wang in giving birth, I helped her switch her stillborn baby with an abandoned child I found, so she could have a son. If I accused her, may thunder strike me down from the heavens!"
Zhu Pozi was getting anxious, rapidly swearing, and ancient people didn’t dare to swear falsely due to their belief in ghosts and deities. Hearing her say this, even Officer Li started to hesitate.
"Sir, why not ask my great uncle’s family to come and confront her, so as to prevent her from slandering my great aunt’s reputation with her wild and groundless accusations." Bai Zepei saluted Officer Li and made this suggestion.
Officer Li nodded and once again instructed Wang Luji and Wan Minglu. "Go back to the Mountain Village and bring the people here, including that six-year-old boy."
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