bayedsolid Chapter 119 Entering the County Government Again
Chapter 119 Entering the County Government Again
"I was the one who shot down the plaque, but don't you ask me why I shot it?" Li Xiaoxiao asked back, seeing all the little actions of him and Manager Liu. Did they want to join forces to bully her?
"No matter what your reason is, Manager Liu sued you for shooting down and smashing his shop sign without permission, affecting his normal business. If you have anything to say, go and tell the county magistrate. We are only here to take you to the yamen on orders." The leading officer said arrogantly, obviously he did this often.
"I will go to the county magistrate to prove my innocence. Shopkeeper Liu, please go ahead." Li Xiaoxiao glanced at Shopkeeper Liu and walked ahead first.
Behind him followed a large crowd of people who came to watch the fun. The leading officer was a little surprised. It was the first time he saw a defendant going to the yamen so enthusiastically. He just wondered why all these people followed him.
"Brother officer, I'll trouble you to say a few good words to the county magistrate later." Seeing that everyone had left, Manager Liu approached him quietly and handed him five taels of silver from under his wide sleeves.
"Manager Liu, you are too polite. Our duty is to maintain peace in this area. We will never tolerate those who come to our house to cause trouble. Just leave it to me, the county magistrate." The leading officer touched the silver in his hand and made a promise. The smile on his face almost reached his ears. Today's trip was worth it.
"Thank you for your hard work, brother." Manager Liu bowed and sneered in his heart, "Bitch, let's see how you can go against me in the future."
He turned around and gave a few instructions to the shop assistant before going to the county government office with the police.
When he arrived at the county government office, Li Xiaoxiao was standing in the court, with several officers holding water and fire sticks on each side. They had solemn expressions and did not look away.
The gate of the county government office was crowded with people watching the excitement. The chief officer brought Manager Liu to the lobby and then went to the backyard, apparently to report the situation to the county magistrate.
This is Li Xiaoxiao's second time here, and she is not unfamiliar with this place. Zhang Wenbin has not returned from the scientific examination in the provincial capital. The national unified scientific examination was held in mid-August, and it is now early September. He is probably waiting for the results of the examination.
Knowing that County Magistrate Zhang Yaozu would definitely make things difficult for her, Li Xiaoxiao was not worried. How could he ignore so many people and show favoritism to her in public?
Li Xiaoxiao and Manager Liu stood on each side, disliking each other. After waiting for about ten minutes, the county magistrate Zhang Yaozu finally came.
It had been such a short time since they last met, but Li Xiaoxiao felt that his belly seemed to have become round again. The moment the county magistrate saw Li Xiaoxiao, he gave her a disdainful look and quickly looked away.
He walked straight to the main seat, looked up at the two people in the court, lowered his brows, picked up the tea on the table and drank it all, and said after a moment: "Open the court."
"Powerful and powerful." A voice was heard in the courtroom, and soon it became quiet.
"Who are you in the audience and why do you want to report to the authorities?" The county magistrate looked at the two people in the audience with a serious expression.
"Your Excellency the county magistrate, I, Liu Debiao, the owner of Yuelai Restaurant, am suing Li Xiaoxiao for shooting down and destroying my shop's sign without permission. Please, county magistrate, make the decision for me. Li Xiaoxiao will be held responsible for the damage to my shop's sign." As Manager Liu spoke, he kowtowed to the county magistrate. His words were clear and his expression was sincere.
"Defendant Li Xiaoxiao, is what Manager Liu of Yuelai Restaurant said true?"
"Reporting to the county magistrate, he is right. I was indeed the one who shot down the signboard." Li Xiaoxiao admitted it generously.
"Come here, give Li Xiaoxiao twenty strokes of the cane." County Magistrate Zhang Yaozu waved his hand and gave the order directly.
The two men in charge of the torture glanced at Li Xiaoxiao, then quickly looked at each other and nodded silently. Before the court session, the lawyer had made special arrangements that the prisoner must be treated well.
"Wait a minute, sir, the county magistrate. I shot down the plaque. I don't deny it. But what I want to say is that the shopkeeper Liu of Yuelai Restaurant ordered his waiter to paint the windows and walls outside my shop last night. That's why I shot down the plaque of his shop." Li Xiaoxiao spoke in a loud voice, looking straight at the county magistrate on the stage. Do you want to avenge his son right away? If you want to hit me, it depends on whether you have the ability to do so.
The county magistrate's face darkened, and he looked at Li Xiaoxiao gloomily: "Manager Liu, is this true?"
"It's unfair, Your Excellency the County Magistrate. This is all Li Xiaoxiao's speculation. I don't know who she must have offended, but she actually framed our Yuelai Restaurant. Please investigate it, Your Excellency the County Magistrate." Manager Liu strongly denied it.
"Oh, Li Xiaoxiao, you said that it was the waiter at Yuelai Restaurant who did it. Do you have any evidence or witnesses?" the county magistrate asked again.
"Sir, since I say this, I must have evidence. Please call the waiter to the court."
"Call the waiter from Yuelai Restaurant." The county magistrate waved his hand, and soon two yamen runners came out and brought the waiter in a short while.
As soon as the waiter saw the county magistrate, he immediately knelt down and said, "My Lord, I am innocent. I went to bed early last night and did not go out at night, let alone paint on her wall. Please help me and clear my name."
"Li Xiaoxiao, the witness has been brought. What else do you have to say? First you deliberately damaged other people's property, and then you disturbed the court. You are really bold and presumptuous. Come on, give me thirty strokes of the cane." The county magistrate sneered in his heart. Didn't you want a witness? What can I do now that the witness is here?
"Mr. County Magistrate, as the chief official of Jiunu County, is this how you judge a case? You come and hit me without knowing the truth, or are you seeking revenge because I offended your son last time?" Li Xiaoxiao was neither arrogant nor humble.
County magistrate Zhang Yaozu's face turned even darker. There were not only Li Xiaoxiao and Manager Liu in the audience, but also many more onlookers. They were all watching and had to suppress their anger.
"I will naturally handle the case impartially. The waiter didn't do it, and you don't have any evidence, so why can't I beat you?"
"The waiter is lying. I want to ask him in person. Please allow me, Mr. County Magistrate." Li Xiaoxiao quietly took out a syringe from the space and placed it in the palm of his hand. The syringe was delicate and small, only the size of a little finger, and contained half a tube of yellowish-brown liquid.
"Okay, approved." The county magistrate said in a bad tone. He wanted to see what other tricks Li Xiaoxiao could come up with.
When Shopkeeper Liu heard what Li Xiaoxiao said, he didn't expect that she actually had a grudge with the county magistrate's son. He was very happy. He didn't need to do anything now, because the county magistrate would not let her off easily.
The discussions outside the county government gate had never stopped since the court session began. At this moment, someone with sharp eyes recognized Li Xiaoxiao. Someone had indeed sued Zhang Wenbin before, and it was this girl. Judging from the county magistrate's temper, she was probably in trouble today.
Li Xiaoxiao walked up to the waiter and circled around him three times.