Chapter 33: Grievances Aired in Court
Ren Zilin returned to the study and said to Chu Tiankuo, “This is my first time presiding over court. As my Shiye, are you really not going?”
Chu Tiankuo turned a page of his book, not even sparing him a glance.
Ren Zilin turned and walked out, saying as he went, “Fine, don’t go then. You wouldn’t believe it, but our Dark-skinned Junior Sister has been accused of stealing a guest’s gold and silver beads at Welcome Inn. I absolutely won’t show any favoritism just because she’s my Junior Sister.”
Chu Tiankuo’s page-turning paused.
Ren Zilin only felt a figure brush past him, stirring up a gust of wind.
He turned his head, only to see the rocking chair swaying, a tightly bound medical book lying on the desk. A breeze blew past, turning a page.
The corner of Ren Zilin’s mouth twitched. He tried to hold back but couldn’t help rolling his eyes.
“Humph!” He snorted, opened his folding fan, and slowly began to walk, step by deliberate step.
Another figure flashed by, grabbing his clothes and whipping up a gust of wind. The long corridor was empty, only Ren Zilin’s squawking voice could be heard, “Songbai, you’re courting death!”
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Under the plaque inscribed with “Justice Prevails,” Ren Zilin glanced at the dark and thin girl standing straight in the hall below. He then turned to look at Chu Tiankuo, who was standing beside him.
Chu Tiankuo’s face was expressionless as he looked down at the complaint, as if he didn’t know the person below.
Ren Zilin’s gaze fell on the name Shen Xingnong.
Xingnong? He thought of the poem he had just written, “Tiankuo favors Xingnong.”
Ah, so that’s how it is!!
He actually covets Dark-skinned Junior Sister!
However, Ren Zilin glanced at Xingnong. Her features were delicate, but she was too dark and thin.
He shook his head. No, it couldn’t be “so that’s how it is”!
Although His Highness the Crown Prince wasn’t someone who prioritized beauty, he wouldn’t be so indifferent to it.
Chu women were known for their fair skin, beauty, and delicate figures. Dark-skinned Junior Sister, being so dark, wasn’t really considered beautiful!
From the moment Shen Mingzhu entered, her eyes darted back and forth between Chu Tiankuo and Ren Zilin.
She was utterly shocked!
She never imagined that the newly arrived County Magistrate would be such a young and handsome gentleman!
Moreover, the Shiye beside him was even more handsome. His profile as he lowered his head to read the complaint was simply like a celestial being descending to earth.
She glanced down at her own clothes, her willow brows furrowing slightly. She had forgotten to change before coming, and they were all wrinkled!
Her face had been splashed with water by that bastard earlier, and her makeup was probably ruined!
Shen Mingzhu was a little annoyed, but thinking that she was inherently beautiful, her heart relaxed.
Xingnong stood there quietly, a flicker of impatience in her eyes.
When would the court session finally begin?
Chu Tiankuo finished reading the complaint and turned his head, catching Xingnong’s impatient look.
His expression remained unchanged as he placed the complaint in front of Ren Zilin, reminding him softly, “Your Excellency, you can commence the court session now.”
Chu Tiankuo recalled the shopkeeper asking him yesterday if the gold beads were missing. A girl had come to the inn asking if a guest had lost gold beads.
He had assumed at the time that the girl the shopkeeper mentioned was her, so he had replied, “Yes, they are missing.”
Later, the shopkeeper said the girl would return them the next day. He had found it odd that she hadn’t left the beads behind if she was coming back.
It turned out that the girl the shopkeeper mentioned yesterday wasn’t her.
Ren Zilin came back to his senses. He now knew it was a misunderstanding. He had personally seen Dark-skinned Junior Sister return the beads to him this morning.
And he had actually given this unparalleled treasure to her as a meeting gift.
To be honest, his heart still ached a little at the thought!
He had never given a gift to his brother of many years.
She only knew how to cause him trouble!
Thinking of this, Ren Zilin slammed the gavel hard, his voice laced with grievance, “Court is in session~”
Xingnong: “…”
Shen Mingzhu: “…”
Why did the County Magistrate’s tone sound so strange?
The yamen runners on both sides were also stunned for a moment before they struck the ground with their staffs, creating a resounding noise, while simultaneously shouting, “Order in the court!”
After the court formalities were over, Ren Zilin, noticing everyone’s strange expressions, quickly sat up straight and cleared his throat before saying, “Who is in the hall? State your name!”
Li Shi, kneeling there, cried out first, “Your Excellency, you must uphold justice for this humble woman!”
She pointed at Xingnong and said angrily, “Your Excellency, this unfilial girl, Shen Xingnong, doesn’t respect me, her great-grandmother, at all. Not only does she not show filial piety, but she even dared to hit me! Utterly unfilial! You must give her fifty lashes and make her roll on the nail board!”
Ren Zilin frowned. Was this about accusing Dark-skinned Junior Sister of stealing or about her lack of filial piety?
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And who was this person to Dark-skinned Junior Sister? Her grandmother?
He slammed the gavel again. “Silence! State your name first!”
Let’s clarify these people’s identities first.
Li Shi was startled and then said, “This humble woman is Li Shi.”
Shen Mingzhu looked up at Ren Zilin with a shy glance, then lowered her head, placed her hands on her waist, bent her knees, and bowed. “Replying to Your Excellency, this humble woman is Shen Mingzhu.”
Her voice was gentle and melodious, like an oriole singing in a valley.
After speaking, she raised her head slightly, stealing another glance at him.
She knew that looking up at people from this angle made her look extremely beautiful!
Unfortunately, Ren Zilin’s gaze was fixed on Xingnong.
Even the Shiye’s gaze was on Xingnong.
Shen Mingzhu: “…”
What was there to see in that dark and ugly bastard?
Xingnong bowed respectfully. “This humble woman is Shen Xingnong.”
Shen Mingzhu’s maid kept her head lowered. She thought of the saying, “When the master beats the dog, it’s the dog that suffers.” She lowered her voice and said, “This lowly one is Shen Xiaoxi.”
For the sake of Dark-skinned Junior Sister having led him out of the peach grove this morning, Ren Zilin said, “You may all rise and speak.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency!” Shen Mingzhu’s voice was slightly louder as she quickly replied sweetly, then stood up gracefully.
Ren Zilin’s gaze finally landed on Shen Mingzhu, and a flicker of amazement crossed his eyes.
He hadn’t expected to find someone so beautiful in this small county town.
Shen Mingzhu didn’t miss the amazement in Ren Zilin’s eyes. She knew he hadn’t noticed her earlier; otherwise, he would have been amazed.
She smiled gently and bent down to help Li Shi up. Her voice became even softer and more tender. “Grandmother, let me help you up.”
She knew that men always liked gentle, kind, and filial women.
Ren Zilin whispered to Chu Tiankuo, “This woman’s beauty is comparable to the courtesans at Drunken Spring House in the capital.”
Chu Tiankuo didn’t even glance at her, only saying, “Are you going to question them or not?”
Hearing this, Ren Zilin quickly sat up straight. He glanced at the complaint, recalling Li Shi’s earlier words, and then said, “Li Shi, the complaint states that Miss Shen Xingnong committed the crime of theft, but you just accused her of being unfilial? Do you want to accuse her of being unfilial or of stealing? These are two different charges.”
Li Shi said excitedly, “Your Excellency, wouldn’t accusing her of both crimes make her punishment more severe? I want to accuse this bastard of being unfilial! She just whipped me, her grandmother, in the face with her hair! And I want to accuse her of stealing! Your Excellency, look, my face is all swollen! Look! The yamen runners all saw it!”
Li Shi turned her head, showing half of her face to Ren Zilin.
Ren Zilin glanced at it. It was indeed swollen, and quite badly!
Ren Zilin looked at Xingnong. “Miss Shen, is this true?”
Xingnong bowed. “Replying to Your Excellency, my hair accidentally brushed against her face when I turned around. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Finally, she had an excuse to cut her hair! Xingnong thought happily.
“You bastard, you did it on purpose! Otherwise, how could my face be so swollen? Your Excellency, if you don’t believe me, ask the yamen runners!”
Ren Zilin looked at Li Yong. “What happened?”
Li Yong stepped forward. “Replying to Your Excellency, this humble one saw Miss Shen’s hair brush against Li Shi’s face when she turned to leave.”
Ren Zilin: “Was it intentional?”
Li Yong: “I couldn’t tell.”
Li Shi: “Your Excellency, she did it on purpose!”
Ren Zilin looked at Chu Tiankuo. “Shiye, what are your thoughts?”
Chu Tiankuo’s gaze fell on Xingnong’s dry and yellow hair. Hearing this, he said indifferently, “Since it was her hair that struck the person, then cut her hair.”
Ren Zilin’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! Someone, bring scissors!”
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