Chapter 219: Both Human and Material Evidence Exist
"Master, have mercy, master, have mercy. I’ll stick to the truth, no more lies!" Wang’s tears and snot smeared her face as she cried out pitifully. Bai Yibo watched anxiously from the side, paying respects to Master Li reluctantly, "My wife doesn’t know better, please mercifully let her off."
Master Li coldly snorted, appearing as if he hadn’t heard him. He ordered the officer to take Wang away to administer twenty lashes.
Flogging at this time didn’t take place in the public hall, but at the entrance of the Government Office. There would usually be many onlookers, and the County Government Office was meant as a deterrent for anyone considering breaking the law, which made this punishment even more terrifying.
Wang’s cries echoed from the entrance all the way to the courtroom. Hearing this, Bai Ruozhu was somewhat delighted. However, apprehensive about scaring Xiaosi, she gently grabbed his little hand. Xiaosi lifted his head - his listless eyes infused with some spirit again, looking at Bai Ruozhu, he declared, "I’m okay."
That was right. Unlike most children, he wasn’t afraid of the sound of the flogging. Was he saying he had gotten used to it? Bai Ruozhu’s heart ached. She decided then, even more so, that Wang deserved the punishment. She only lamented that Bai Yibo couldn’t be punished alongside her. Now that would be a relief.
Several onlookers were gossiping and pointing as Wang was flogged, and a bold bystander asked the officer, "Sir, what offense did this lady commit?"
With a stern face, the officer executing the punishment replied, "Initially, she was only going to be punished with five lashes for being late to court, but this wretched woman attempted to deceive the master by claiming she was pregnant to avoid punishment. As it turns out, she was lying."
"To dare to make outrageous claims like that, what audacity!" the onlookers muttered in dismay.
Bai Ruozhu looked towards Jiang Yichun on the hall. Jiang had already moved to sit on a chair next to Mr. Xie, a spot one step lower than Master Li’s position - a mere observer. This fait accompli made Master Li quite uncomfortable.
Jiang Yichun seemed remarkably relaxed. Because of his mask, no one could see his facial expressions, but his sitting posture looked incredibly casual, as if he was just watching a play. He seemed to lack only a pot of tea.
Bai Ruozhu smirked slightly. Wasn’t this man supposed to be busy with official business since he lingered in Anyuan Town? How was he so laid-back?
Outside, the continual screams of Wang echo through the air. The law enforcer has mastered his method, beating her to the point of wishing she was dead without knocking her unconscious. After all, the trial was not yet over.
Master Li ordered for Niu Pazi to be brought up. Niu Pazi, hearing Wang’s screams of agony, was so frightened that she began to stumble. Were it not for the officer’s grip, she would have taken a nasty fall.
Niu Pazi did not know why Wang was being punished. She only knew that she had to confess completely to avoid suffering like Wang. She knew that she, as an old woman, would not be able to take the punishment.
"Niu Pazi, Wang claimed a lie in court and was beaten twenty times as punishment. You should think carefully about your confession. Are there any falsities?" With a smack on the courtroom wooden block, Master Li sternly said.
Niu Pazi was so scared that she fell to her knees, shaking, "I didn’t lie, really. It truly was Wang who asked me to help her swap the baby and said her family would blame her or even divorce her. I became softhearted at the time. Master, I now see my mistake and will never dare to do it again!" After saying that, she began to knock her head forcefully on the ground.
Though motional, the pain from knocking her own head was tolerable. If she was to face flogging instead - a punishment at others’ mercy - there would be no mercy. Niu Pazi understood this and knocked energetically.
"Enough, just stay by the side for now," Master Li frowned and stopped Niu Pazi’s action.
Bai Yibo looked at Niu Pazi disapprovingly, "This old woman is full of lies. My wife should never have hired you as her midwife to put you in position to slander her with others!" He shot Bai Ruozhu a sharp glare as he said the word "others".
"Silence! Did I give you permission to speak? Is the court a place for your rampant noise? Bai Yibo, if you fail to observe manners again, I will order you out of here!" With the accompaniment of Jiang Yichun, Master Li seemed to have significantly increased his momentum and was much more serious than the day before.
Bai Yibo shrunk back hesitantly, muffling himself. He wanted to tell Master Li that he is a scholar and should not be hit without cause, but upon seeing Master Li’s furious eyes, he swallowed his words.
Bai Ruozhu smirked to herself. The defense of Bai Yibo and Wang was so weak. It amazed her that Bai Yibo was so devoted, still speaking on Wang’s behalf even at this moment.
Seemingly Bai Yibo must have known the truth all along, or there wouldn’t be such a lack of surprise or emotion.
At this moment, an officer reported from outside, announcing that Doctor Fu, the previously mentioned witness, had arrived.
With his son helping him along, Doctor Fu slowly entered. He seemed labored and weak.
"Doctor Fu, considering your advanced age, I have allowed you to sit while speaking." Master Li directed someone to place a stool for Doctor Fu.
"Thank you, master, for your benevolence." After saluting Master Li, Doctor Fu sat on the stool.
Having received her punishment, Wang was dragged back into the courtroom, lying half-dead at the foot of the hall, scarcely able to move from pain and terror.
"Doctor Fu, did Wang consult you six years ago? Did she ask for your help to hide her stillborn child?" Master Li asked.
"Yes, I couldn’t remember it at first, but after looking up the records from that year, I recall everything clearly." He gestured to his son who hurriedly handed a book of records to an officer, who in turn presented it to Master Li.
"When Wang came to see me, her fetus was already non-viable. The cause was unclear, but it may have had something to do with medicine for male fetuses that she took. I lectured her about it."
Bai Ruozhu didn’t expect Wang, in her desire for a son, had such a reckless incident in her past. Could those drugs be taken so casually?
"The fetus was already dead within her, and I could only give her medicine to induce birth. The prescription is recorded down, please inspect it, master. However, I didn’t help her in hiding anything and didn’t know she hid it from her family. Her family members never approached me with questions. Even when I asked her to come for a follow-up after confinement, she didn’t show up." Doctor Fu stated.
Master Li browsed through the records, which contained records of a patient on certain dates. The diagnosis result and specific prescription were recorded, along with Doctor Fu’s seal and the stamp of Fushou Hall. Both the paper and the ink marks were quite old, proving that Doctor Fu and Niu Pazi had spoken the truth.
"Now that we have gathered all the evidence and testimonials, Wang, do you have any explanations?" Slamming down the courtroom wooden block, Master Li bellowed.
Wang shivered, meekly uttering with a trembling voice, "I confess... I confess to everything!"