bayedsolid Chapter 1126 Government Office Prison
Chapter 1126 Government Office Prison
Shen Zheng and Yu Zhengqing did not respond to Wang Huai'an's request for a long time.
During torture, the victim's identification is often the weakest form of evidence.
Shen Zheng asked Wang Huai'an, "Is that note still there?"
Wang Huai'an lowered his head: "This humble official swallowed it..."
"..."
What a skill it is to do things without leaving a trace.
Yu Zhengqing was so angry that his head throbbed. He cursed, "Then what makes you accuse Wu Shun? Just because his wife went to the flower viewing banquet, and your wife went too! Wang Huai'an, although you are an official in the prefectural government, don't you know the procedures for handling cases? Just because of your few words of accusation, Wu Shun can be arrested and brought to justice?"
Wang Huai'an was so bewildered by the scolding that he completely forgot about the captured arsonist and said to himself, "Yes, yes, everything I said is true."
"What's the use of that?" Yu Zhengqing stood in front of him, looking down as he asked, "Where's the evidence? Where's the evidence of the deal between Madam Wu Shun and your wife? Where's the evidence that Wu Shun helped Wang Ang pass the imperial examination? Where's the evidence that Wu Shun invited you to Zhuqing Lane? For any of these things, can you produce any evidence?"
Wang Huai'an was terrified, as past memories flooded back like a tidal wave.
Yes...
He and Wu Shun had only exchanged a few words, and to outsiders, it was just polite official conversation.
When asked for evidence, he couldn't produce anything...
"This humble official..." Wang Huai'an was so exhausted that he could barely kneel, "This humble official is incompetent..."
He had long known that he wasn't cut out for that kind of struggle.
But when that day actually came, he finally understood how ridiculous he was in the eyes of others.
Marrying the wrong wife was just the first wrong step in his life, and he himself is to blame for his current predicament.
Looking at this all-too-familiar courtroom, the pain in his body and mind overwhelmed him, and he could no longer hold back his tears, bursting into sobs.
Yu Zhengqing stopped looking at him and stormed out of the courtroom.
Shen Zheng hesitated for a moment, then followed.
After leaving the courtroom, they went inside, through a dark corridor, and arrived at the prison. There weren't many prisoners in the prison; the arsonist from the early morning was one of them.
Two dim lamps hung on the prison door, their light carrying dust, and the wind carried a damp chill.
Upon seeing their arrival, the jailer immediately opened the cell door and reported, "My lords, Inspector Yi is inside interrogating criminals."
A stench wafted towards her, and Shen Zheng frowned, but stepped inside without hesitation.
Once inside the prison, the nauseating smell became even more pronounced—stinky, fishy, and with a lingering musty odor. Even the ground felt sticky and greasy, making it unpleasant.
Shen Zheng's pace slowed down, and just when Yu Zhengqing thought she was scared, she suddenly clicked her tongue and commented, "Not as clean as the Ministry of Justice prison."
"What?" Yu Zhengqing slipped.
“It’s not as clean as the Ministry of Justice’s prison.” Shen Zheng pointed to the pitiful shoe edges. “Although the Ministry of Justice’s prison also stinks, there’s not much moss on the ground, and some puddles are covered with straw.”
Yu Zhengqing glanced down and rolled his eyes, saying, "You can take care of it yourself from now on. You can pave the ground with rammed earth, making it clean and impressive, and let the criminals live in luxurious prison cells."
“How can that be?” Shen Zheng shook her head, her words serious: “If word gets out about this good thing, all the bad guys in the Great Zhou will come to commit crimes, and there won’t be enough room for everyone.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Zhengqing chuckled, and his frustration dissipated considerably.
Footsteps came from the end of the passageway, and Yi Mingli jogged over, handing over the confession book, saying, "My lords, the person has confessed."
Yu Zhengqing's smile faded, and his gaze became calm.
He asked Shen Zheng, "What do you think should be done?"
Shen Zheng took the book of incriminating statements and looked at it carefully under the lamp for a while.
"Let's begin the court proceedings," she said.
......
The Wang family was temporarily housed in an inn next to the government office, with each person having their own room and being "protected" by government soldiers.
Madam Wang refused to stay and insisted on going to the government office to find Wang Huai'an.
The guards wouldn't let her pass, and she almost got slapped.
At dawn, people from the government office arrived.
It was an acquaintance who came.
"Lord Yi!" Before Yi Mingli could even enter the guest room, Madam Wang blocked his way at the door. "Lord Yi, how is my husband? Who exactly is that arsonist? We have no grudge against him, why did he...?"
Yi Mingli squinted at her and interrupted, "Madam Wang, please come with me to the government office."
"Ah?" Madam Wang looked up, slightly taken aback, then overjoyed. "Good, good! Please wait a moment, I'll quickly freshen up, and be right back..."
"Madam Wang, please don't trouble yourself." Yi Mingli grabbed Madam Wang's sleeve and led her outside.
Madam Wang was shocked and forcefully flung her sleeve, saying, "Yi Mingli, what are you doing! I am your colleague's lawfully wedded wife, how can you be so rude!"
"I am being rude?" Yi Mingli already knew the gist of the matter and said coldly, "Madam Wang, you should ask yourself what you have done!"
They say a virtuous wife brings fewer troubles to her husband. If this thing in front of him were his wife, he'd rather just kill himself!
"What? What did I do..." Madam Wang dared not meet his gaze, retreating into the room, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not going to the government office; I'll just wait here for my husband to return..."
Yi Mingli sneered: "That's not up to you. Guards, take her back to the yamen!"
As soon as she finished speaking, two constables rushed into the room and each grabbed one of Madam Wang's arms.
"What are you doing!" Madam Wang struggled as they dragged her out of the guest room, her feet dangling in the air. She cursed, "You're nothing but dogs of the government office! How dare you touch me? I'm going to tell my husband to chop off all your heads!"
Outside the inn, a local resident who had been watching the commotion was startled by what he heard.
"Cuts off people's heads at the drop of a hat? This Madam Wang certainly has quite the airs..."
"But even Lord Wang doesn't have the right to behead people. The government office isn't his personal fiefdom!"
"Speaking of which... why would the officials from the government office arrest Madam Wang? Could it be... that she did something to offend Lord Wang?"
"Hiss—could it be that she set the fire that burned down the Prince's mansion at dawn?"
"That's impossible! The arsonist was caught on the spot, and it was Lord Shen's men who made the arrest!"
"So what exactly is going on? Come on, let's go to the government office and take a look!"
Madam Wang was escorted out of the inn, still cursing under her breath.
Yi Mingli mounted his horse, glanced around, and said, "At 9:00 AM, the yamen will hold a trial. If any of you are free, you are welcome to come and watch."
After saying this, he spurred his horse and rode away, amidst gasps of surprise from the crowd.
"Trial? Are we really going to interrogate Madam Wang?!"
"Wow, this kind of thing is rare! We have to go and see!"
There were still nearly two hours until the hour of Si (9-11 AM), but the people were already rushing to the government office.